Chapter 12

The maids in the courtyard were all afraid of Mrs. Liang. Seeing that she was coming with ill intentions, they couldn’t help but panic: “Go and get the old lady!”

Someone immediately said: “The old lady isn’t at the mansion!”

Someone else said: “Then, go and find the Duke?”

“How dare you disturb the Duke, you know…”

“Or, maybe we should go and find the second mistress…”

“That’s a good idea!”

“Good for what?” Qiao Ling used the fan she had gotten from the pawnshop to swat the panicked maid: “Go back to the room. Don’t make a fuss here. It’s no big deal, it’s no big deal.”

Yesterday, Mrs. Liang came with a grand show, and then there was a big argument. The old lady and the second mistress wouldn’t have been unaware, but they didn’t say anything.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to intervene, but that they couldn’t.

How could they intervene?

Mrs. Liang had a conflict with Qiao Ling, which could be easily explained as a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law dispute.

But once the old lady and the second mistress got involved, the fire would immediately escalate.

Things like fighting over titles, discord between the two branches of the Duke’s mansion, King Lu was just waiting for material!

So they couldn’t move, and it was best not to rashly drag the second mistress into this mess.

Mrs. Liang did come with a furious expression – such a proud person, she didn’t even send someone to summon Qiao Ling, but came in person, which showed how angry she really was.

“How dare you—”

The golden hairpin in Mrs. Liang’s hair trembled violently with her movements: “What about the cabinet I sent you yesterday?!”

Qiao Ling said: “I sold it.”

Mrs. Liang had come prepared for her to make excuses, but she didn’t expect her to admit it so readily?!

She was caught off guard, her breath caught in her throat. It took a few moments before she angrily said: “Qiao Ling, you’re so bold! You can’t refuse a gift from your elders. How can you sell something given to you by your elders?!”

Qiao Ling scratched her head and said: “I’ve read the ‘Criminal Code’, and it’s not against the law.”

Mrs. Liang had sent someone to deliver the belated gift to temporarily appease the situation and silence the criticism. But Qiao Ling, without a word, directly took it and sold it, and she did it in a grand way. It was like directly tearing apart the thin veil of civility that barely existed between them.

Now, she couldn’t bear it anymore. She sneered, not even bothering to argue with this country bumpkin she looked down upon: “Get down on your knees!”

Qiao Ling said: “Why should I kneel?”

Mrs. Liang said: “I’m your legitimate mother-in-law. You see me, but you’re so disrespectful? I told you to kneel, how dare you disobey?!”

Qiao Ling said: “But I haven’t officially married the Duke yet, so I’m not your daughter-in-law.”

Mrs. Liang looked at her with disgust: “Since that’s the case, I am the Duke of Yue mother, a first-rank noble lady. You’re just a commoner. When you see me, how dare you not kneel?!”

Qiao Ling said: “But I’ve carefully studied the laws left behind by the Sage. He said that all subjects of the kingdom, except when they first meet the emperor, should perform the grand ceremony. At other times, when they meet anyone, they can just perform a regular greeting.”

Mrs. Liang was so angry she wanted to cut off her tongue: “The laws left behind by the Sage are one thing, whether they are actually implemented is another! Do you think everyone is like Zhang Yuying, who is so eloquent, and uses the laws the Sage wrote jokingly to actually sue her own father in the Jingzhao Prefecture?!”

She coldly concluded: “Nowadays, even officials have to kneel when they see the emperor! Ordinary Daughter-in-law also have to kneel when they meet their mothers-in-law!”

Qiao Ling said: “Just tell me, do the Sage’s words count?”

Mrs. Liang was furious: “You! You cunning wench! – Seize her and take her out to be beaten!”

Zhang Yuying instinctively protected Qiao Ling, and the maids rushed forward as well. But Mrs. Liang’s servants were more numerous.

Just as things were getting chaotic, two barks of a dog entered their ears.

Mrs. Liang looked over with annoyance, and she saw the mongrel Qiao Ling raised running on its tiptoes. Then, she saw Mrs. Luo, the Duke’s wet nurse, who had arrived at some point.

The dog was running towards her.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Mrs. Liang asked her coldly: “Why are you here?”

Mrs. Luo lowered her head respectfully: “The Duke wants to see Gold. He asked me to ask Miss Qiao to bring it over.”

She picked up Jinzi’s dog leash.

Mrs. Liang stared at her for a while, then suddenly sneered: “Is the Duke delirious? Didn’t you say before that unmarried men and women can’t meet?”

Mrs. Luo said: “I advised him the same, but the Duke said that this is the Yuego’s mansion of the Jiang family, and he is the rightful head of the household. At least here, he should be able to do whatever he wants, right?”

Her words were filled with a sense of authority.

Mrs. Liang’s face visibly darkened.

“Okay,” she nodded, looking at Qiao Ling with a sinister smile: “Good, your family is so close. I’ve become an outsider…”

Mrs. Luo’s posture remained humble: “Then I’ll take Miss Qiao there?”

Mrs. Liang smiled: “This is the Yueguo Mansion of the Jiang family. How can I, an outsider, go against the master’s wishes?”

Mrs. Luo quickly bowed: “I’m terrified! You are the wife of the old Duke. Even the Duke calls you mother. Who dares to say you’re an outsider?”

After speaking, she gestured with her eyes, indicating that Qiao Ling should follow.

Qiao Ling quickly followed.

Jinzi, look at her, looked at her, wagged its tail happily, and barked a clear “Woof!”

The group walked out of the courtyard, one after another. They took a small circle outside, and Mrs. Luo sent them back.

Qiao Ling felt a little embarrassed, “I really need to thank the Duke for today’s matter…”

Mrs. Luo shook her head kindly, “It’s not your fault, lady.”

She handed the dog leash back to Qiao Ling.

Qiao Ling asked, “Are you not taking Gold over?”

A touch of sadness appeared on Mrs. Luo’s face, “Let’s find a good weather day. The Duke’s body…”

She changed her words in the middle, “He’s not feeling well today.”

Qiao Ling carefully observed her expression, and her original good mood was also covered with a layer of gray.

Jiang Mai…

Zheng’s house.

Mrs. Ruan and Zhang Yuzhen returned to Zheng’s house by carriage, without saying a word along the way.

After dark, the two of them ate a few bites of dinner casually. Mrs. Ruan was doing needlework under the lamp, and Zhang Yuzhen sat beside her like a pale ghost, woodenly.

A three-legged incense burner nestled on the desk, quietly releasing light smoke.

Mrs. Ruan was worried, and couldn’t help but take a look, and then another look.

In the end, Zhang Yuzhen was annoyed, “You just do your own needlework, why are you always looking at me? Can you see my mother by looking at me?!”

Mrs. Ruan responded timidly, and dared not look at her again.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuzhen suddenly felt a surge of sourness in her heart.

After all, what did Mrs. Ruan have to do with her?

Even Zheng Xianzong, her own uncle, didn’t intend to take care of her, but her aunt ran back and forth for her, and even got beaten yesterday because of it.

Zhang Yuzhen felt remorse in her heart, wanted to apologize, but couldn’t bring herself to do it, and couldn’t open her mouth.

In the end, she turned her head as if nothing had happened, lowered her eyelids, and said what Zhang Yuying had said: “Just hold on a little longer, aunt.”

Zhang Yuzhen comforted Mrs. Ruan, saying: “That tiger is so much older than you, but you are still young, your good days are ahead…”

Mrs. Ruan’s hand trembled when she heard this, the needle pierced her fingertip, she didn’t feel much pain, put the needlework back into the basket, and then put her finger in her mouth.

Because she was sitting under the lamp at this time, she felt that everything else in the room seemed dim.

After a few moments, she suddenly felt something was wrong.

When she put down the needlework just now, outside the window…

A gust of cold wind blew through her heart, and Mrs. Ruan felt a chill run down her spine.

She trembled all over, her heart pounding with fear, she turned her head back, and sure enough, she saw her husband had returned at some point—more importantly, he had heard what her niece had just said!

No matter how fierce a ghost is, it can’t be more terrifying than Zheng Xianzong at this moment!

Zheng Xianzong’s expression was ferocious, and he kicked the door open!

A loud bang made the hearts of everyone in the room tremble!

“You despicable prostitute! You want me to die? I’ll send you to hell first!”

Mrs. Ruan didn’t even have time to react, she was grabbed by her husband by the hair, she screamed, and the next moment Zheng Xianzong had already grabbed the scissors in the basket—

Mrs. Ruan begged for mercy, Zheng Xianzong ignored her, in the blink of an eye, his body suddenly froze, and the scissors in his hand fell to the ground!

The hand that grabbed Mrs. Ruan’s hair loosened, Zheng Xianzong turned his head stiffly, and saw Zhang Yuzhen’s hands folded in mid-air, her expression terrified, the candlestick on the table was disassembled, and the sharp candlestick had already pierced into Zheng Xianzong’s back…

But Zhang Yuzhen was just a girl after all, her strength couldn’t compare to an adult, and she didn’t know anything about meridians and bones, the candlestick pierced into the other person’s back, but it got stuck in the bone gap, and Zheng Xianzong, in his shock and anger, still had some strength left.

“You ungrateful beast, I’ll finish you off today!”

Zheng Xianzong strode forward, about to grab Zhang Yuzhen’s neck, his hands were so big and strong, just a slight squeeze could break that fragile neck…

Mrs. Ruan felt her scalp tingling, but at this moment, she didn’t care, she wanted to find something in the room to stop her husband, she looked around, and finally untied the shawl around her waist, and was about to go forward.

At this time, she heard the window “creak” open, the next second the stool in the room was lifted up, Mrs. Ruan hadn’t even reacted, she heard a loud bang in her ears.

The stool smashed directly into the candlestick stuck in Zheng Xianzong’s back.

A soft “Puff”!

Zhang Yuzhen had been backing away, she had reached the wall and had nowhere to retreat, she was terrified, but she saw Zheng Xianzong’s movements suddenly stop.

The next moment, both uncle and niece saw the bloody tip of the candlestick.

It pierced through his chest.

Zheng Xianzong stared in disbelief, his face became even more ferocious, Zhang Yuzhen almost screamed, but she held it back.

With a “thump”, Zheng Xianzong’s heavy, wine-soaked body fell to the ground.

He was dead.

Mrs. Ruan stared blankly at this scene, almost losing her soul, but there was a commotion outside at this time.

The three people in the room heard someone shouting and calling for their master.

Zhang Yuzhen rolled and crawled to Mrs. Ruan, who was sitting on the ground, and hugged her tightly.

She called out urgently: “Aunt, aunt!”

Mrs. Ruan barely regained her senses, and almost instinctively wanted to stop the servants from coming in, but Zhang Yuzhen covered her mouth.

She looked nervously at the uninvited guests who were busy in and out of the room, her voice lowered, but fast enough to tell Mrs. Ruan: “It was a robber who broke in to steal, he discovered him, and in a hurry, killed him! If we stop the servants from coming in now, we won’t be able to explain it later!”

“Aunt,” Zhang Yuzhen cupped Mrs. Ruan’s face, repeating forcefully, “It has nothing to do with us. It was a robber who killed him! The officials won’t arrive immediately. You are the mistress of the Zheng family. Before anyone can question you, we can prepare our statements in advance!”

Mrs. Ruan, regaining her composure, looked at her and nodded, slightly shrinking back.

In this short time, the uninvited guest had already righted the table that Zheng Xianzong had knocked over in his anger, and thrown the scissors that had fallen to the ground back into the basket.

Mrs. Ruan, realizing this belatedly, hurriedly put the shawl back around her arm.

Over there, Zhang Yuzhen had already Hurried to the bedroom, making a mess of Mrs. Ruan’s dressing table, and quickly took a few precious items, wrapping them in a bed curtain and handing them over.

Her nose was sour, and she felt a mixture of emotions, “I came uninvited, but you… I really don’t know how to thank you!”

Qiao Ling was startled, “I’ve disguised myself so well, you still recognize me?!”

Zhang Yuzhen smiled bitterly, “I may be a bit bad, but I’m not stupid.”

Over there, Mrs. Ruan whispered, “They’re coming in.”

Qiao Ling stopped talking, picked up the bundle, kicked open the window, and ran away into the night.

The servants in the courtyard, hesitating whether to go and see what was wrong, were shocked when they saw this, and then the sound of gongs and drums rang out.

“There’s a Strong man!”

They rushed into the inner room, only to see Mrs. Ruan sitting on the ground, her face pale, and the Zhang lady who was staying there trembling even more. When she saw the people coming in, she finally screamed!

This was a night destined for chaos.

The Zheng family, seeing their master dead, hurriedly reported it to the officials. Because Zheng Xianzong was an official, and it was a murder, it inevitably alarmed several government offices.

Mrs. Ruan was frightened and bedridden. Although Zhang Yuzhen was a slave, she was the legitimate niece of the family, and one of the witnesses to the murder. At this time, she took over from her aunt, welcoming and sending off guests, arranging the servants, and waiting for the visitors.

Finally, someone came to report, “The Jingzhao Prefecture and the Dali Temple have both sent people!”

The Jingzhao Prefecture was fine, but the Dali Temple…

Zhang Yuzhen’s heart skipped a beat, her unease growing. She didn’t show it on her face, but asked, “Who from the Dali Temple?”

The servant said, “It’s Zeng Yuanzhi!”

It was actually the famous Zeng Yuanzhi!

Zhang Yuzhen almost exclaimed.

Who would have thought that a case of murder in one’s own home would alarm the fourth-rank Dali Temple Shaoqing?

Then again, it made sense—the deceased was an official, and a high-ranking one at that. How could the court not make a big fuss?

Her anxiety intensified, but Zhang Yuzhen forced it down, squeezing out a happy expression, “Since he’s here, this case will surely be solved quickly.”

Zeng Yuanzhi arrived quickly.

Upon learning that Mrs. Ruan had been frightened and was bedridden, he sent someone to invite Zhang Yuzhen, “Please tell me everything you know, Zhang lady.”

Zhang Yuzhen concealed her unease and told the story they had agreed upon with Mrs. Ruan.

A thief broke into the house to steal, and Zheng Xianzong happened to catch him. The latter was killed in the fight…

Zeng Yuanzhi listened silently, then said, “I would like to see Mrs. Ruan. Please lead the way, Zhang lady.”

Zhang Yuzhen knew that Mrs. Ruan was timid, and Zeng Yuanzhi was overly sharp. She was afraid that the former would reveal something, so she said, “Can it be tomorrow? My aunt was very frightened…”

Zeng Yuanzhi looked at her steadily and said, “Surely she can manage to see me?”

Zhang Yuzhen had no choice but to obey.

Mrs. Ruan, forcing herself to get up, spoke to Zeng Yuanzhi for a few words. The latter listened silently, as before, then turned and went to examine the body at the crime scene.

Zhang Yuzhen didn’t want to follow, but she had to.

She was worried that she would reveal something, or that there was something she hadn’t handled well in her haste. Although she knew that going with him wouldn’t help, she couldn’t help but want to hear the final result with her own ears.

Zhang Yuzhen was filled with sorrow.

The sword hanging above her head, about to fall but not yet falling, was the most agonizing.

She was stopped at the courtyard gate. Zeng Yuanzhi put on a pair of elbow-length gloves and went in alone.

Zheng Xianzong’s body was still lying on the carpet.

Zeng Yuanzhi half-kneeled, examining the candlestick that had pierced through Zheng Xianzong’s chest, then glanced around the inner room, and stood up.

He sighed inwardly.

The table in the room was arranged neatly, and the three-legged incense burner was burning incense. Judging by the length, it should have been burning for a long time, but the small amount of ash that had fallen from the incense burner contradicted that.

Why didn’t the length of the incense match the ash that had fallen?

Because the incense had been re-lit, and they were afraid that the length of the incense would reveal the time it was re-lit, so they cut off a section.

Why re-light the incense?

Because something unknown had happened to the three sticks of incense originally placed in the incense burner.

But there were no traces of the incense burner falling over on the ground.

This means that the incense burner fell on the table.

If so, why is the table now arranged neatly? Isn’t that strange?

The robber stole valuables from the bedroom and escaped through the window of the bedroom, but the traces of the fight were found in the outer room. Isn’t that strange?

Who rearranged the table and re-lit the incense after the fight?

Zeng Yuanzhi half-kneeled, crouching down to the table, and soon found the evidence he was looking for.

A short piece of incense ash.

If the table hadn’t been moved, it wouldn’t have fallen here.

But…

He remembered the two women he had seen earlier.

Sometimes the truth is important, but sometimes it’s not that important.

Zeng Yuanzhi blew away the piece of incense ash under the table.