Such a scream was particularly jarring in the deathly stillness of the county town.
Shen Qing's head snapped around, and without a second thought, she strode quickly in the direction of the sound.
The guards following Shen Qing hurried after her.
Finally, they reached a large banyan tree at the end of the street. There, several constables from the county government were firmly restraining a disheveled, crazed-looking woman in green. The woman's face was sallow, her lips were white, and she was so thin she was practically skin and bones.
She was desperately trying to break free from the constables restraining her, reaching out and screaming through her tears, "My child! My child! Please, save my child!"
Directly in front of her, a little girl who looked to be only one or two years old had fallen to the ground and was wailing.
