The next day, at daybreak, the Fan family went into town.

Fan Baowen's plan still required the Du family's cooperation. They also needed to know the current status of the situation and whether the Du family had already found the instigator after a night's passage.

When Fan Baoyun returned yesterday, it was too late. They didn't have time to get into the city, so they couldn't even communicate with the Du family.

The Du family also sent people out of the city early in the morning to look for Fan Baowen, and the two sides happened to meet at the city gate.

This place was too crowded and complicated to talk to, so the Fan family followed the Du family and sneaked around to the back door to enter the Du family's house.

Before even entering the Du family home, one could see from afar that white cloth was hanging on the door and the lanterns at the entrance had been changed to white. At this moment, the Du family carried out a coffin.

The Fan family members looked at each other in bewilderment.

Who died

Immediately following was Madam Du's heart-wrenching cry: "My poor daughter, sob sob sob... You're so young, how could you bear to leave me like this, sob sob sob..."

The Fan family members froze upon hearing this sound; Du Lanlan was dead.

Fan Baowen was overjoyed. If Du Lanlan was dead, things would be much easier. As long as he could confirm Xia Chunmei's guilt and portray himself as the victim, he could clear his name and it wouldn't affect his chances of taking the imperial examination.

Madam Du lay on the coffin, wailing hysterically, "Lanlan, my Lanlan..."

Soon, a crowd of onlookers gathered in front of the Du family's house.

After a night of fermentation, Du Lanlan's "scandalous photos" incident became the talk of the town. Now that people heard that Du Lanlan was dead, even more people came to watch the spectacle.

With red eyes, Du Jinghua shouted, "My daughter Lanlan is occasionally willful, but she has always been law-abiding. This time, she suffered an injustice and such a great humiliation, and in the end, she chose to die to prove her innocence! I, Du Jinghua, hereby swear that I will find out the mastermind behind this and avenge you!"

"Who on earth would use such a vicious scheme to frame Miss Du!"

"What kind of grudge could this be?"

"Isn't this just driving people to their deaths?"

The onlookers were abuzz with discussion.

"Anyone who can provide clues to help me find the person who framed my daughter, I, Du Jinghua, am willing to offer five hundred taels of silver as a reward!"

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped. Five hundred taels! That's enough to buy two three-courtyard houses in Zhaoling County.

"I, Du Jinghua, keep my word! I will never renege on my promise!"

Soon, news of Du Lanlan's suicide to prove her innocence and the large reward offered by Du Jinghua spread throughout the county with lightning speed.

Five hundred taels.

Wealthy families don't lack this kind of money, but ordinary people do...

Immediately, a wave of investigation swept through the city.

After Du Lanlan was buried, the Du family returned to the Du residence. The Du steward had already received all sorts of all sorts of clues, but they were all fake clues deliberately fabricated for money, and there was no need to verify them.

However, the Du family didn't have time to deal with these swindlers right now. They politely saw the man off, saying that once the clues were confirmed to be true, they would give him the full reward.

Back home, Butler Du respectfully said, "Master, the Fan family has been waiting for a long time. They say they have a way to break this deadlock."

Du Jinghua was invigorated: "Take them to the side hall."

"yes."

Soon, the Fan family members were brought before Du Jinghua.

"Master Du," Fan Baowen bowed respectfully to Du Jinghua, "Lanlan, she..."

Fan Baowen was about to shed a few tears, but before he could even get into character, Du Lanlan, dressed as a servant, appeared, her eyes brimming with tears, calling out, "Brother Baowen..."

Fan Baowen: "..."

"Brother Baowen, what's wrong?"

"I heard Madam Du crying so sadly just now, and I thought... it's so good that you're alright." Fan Baowen looked overjoyed.

Upon meeting Du Lanlan, Fan Baowen and even the entire Fan family understood the Du family's plan. They had to admit that Du Jinghua was indeed a shrewd businessman.

In this way, the Du family and Du Lanlan become victims, and the public opinion will immediately change.

Seeing them like this, Du Jinghua was disgusted: "Stop babbling and get to the point! Fan Baowen, what do you have to say? Speak up!"

"Xia Chunmei and I have broken off our engagement."

"Really?" Du Lanlan asked with delight; this was probably the only good news.

Fan Baowen continued, "When Xia Chunmei came to annul the engagement yesterday, she brought letters from me and Lanlan, and most importantly, the letters she had were genuine!"

"What?" The Du father and daughter were taken aback.

Du Jinghua exclaimed in surprise, "How could she, a mere country girl, not have gotten anything out of her?!"

Fan Mingli said at the opportune moment, "We originally wanted to pay for the information, but she refused to say. She definitely knows who's behind it all!"

Upon hearing this, Du Jinghua's face hardened.

Du Lanlan said angrily, "That bitch can't stand to see me doing well! She might be the one who did it!"

Fan Baowen said, "Now that 'Miss Du has proven her innocence with her death,' if it is found out at this point that Xia Chunmei was jealous of Miss Du and had a suspicious nature, thus turning love into hatred and committing all of this..."

Having said that, what else did the Du family not understand?