Chapter 34 Incident

When Zhou Jin returned home, the banquet was already coming to an end.

He met the old lady and her two older sisters, sat for a while, and then got up and left.

There were many rumors about him in the mansion, and the younger generation dared not act presumptuously in front of him, while he looked down on everyone.

Walking through the long corridor lined with lanterns and the brightly decorated garden, he asked Huaiqiu, "Have the things been delivered?"

Huaiqiu hurried after him: "I sent someone to deliver it as soon as I got back."

"Um."

He had a purse hanging from his waist, inside which were her uniquely styled small paintings.

His little girl, Aqu, made a promise to him at dusk, by the willow branches.

The moonlight is exceptionally beautiful tonight. He imagined that if she wore moonlight, she would be as graceful and holy as a fairy.

Back at Jinxiu Hall, after washing away the dust, Zhou Jin habitually sat down at his desk.

The table was just as it had been when he left, except for a few small bamboo tubes.

As he unscrewed the wax seal from the bamboo tube, he asked, "Where is Li Shi?"

While wiping Zhou Jin's hair, Huaiqiu said, "I've inquired, and Auntie is still under house arrest and did not attend the banquet tonight."

Zhou Jin unfolded the letter in the bamboo tube, and Huai Chun, who was serving him, handed him a water droplet inlaid with a gold ring with crystals.

Zhou Jin instructed Huaichun, "Where is that set of jade jewelry I asked you to take from the storeroom last time?"

He thought that if she didn't like what he gave her, there was still jade to make her smile.

He picked up the water droplet and began to read the tiny, ant-like characters on the note.

The more he looked, the uglier his expression became.

*

In Fanghua Garden, the three concubines of the second wife, knowing that Li Qu was confined to her quarters and unable to go out to play, made an appointment to visit her.

They had barely entered the house when news of Zhou Jin's return to the mansion, along with the gifts he brought for Li Qu, arrived at Fanghua Garden.

After the delivery person left, Li Qu and her three concubines gathered around the box that it took two people to lift.

Aunt Zheng swayed her slender waist and clicked her tongue as she opened the box first: "Let me see what good things this is."

Aunt Hu and Aunt Xun also looked on with anticipation.

Granny Xu also stood on tiptoe.

Upon hearing the news, the red and green fruits craned their necks in anticipation.

There were no jewels or fine silks; inside the box was a half-person-tall glass ornament depicting the epiphyllum flower.

Lifelike.

"Wow!" Aunt Xun exclaimed first, "No wonder the people moving it were so careful."

Aunt Hu carefully moved the candlelight aside, squatted down next to the box, examined it closely, and finally concluded: "A miracle!"

"These flowers are so realistic! How did they create those colors?! Oh my god, look how lifelike the stamens are!"

Aunt Hu was bubbling with envy.

Aunt Xun clicked her tongue: "So our little sister Li likes glass."

Although Aunt Zheng praised it, she preferred gold and silver jewelry: "Since Sister Li already has this, why don't you give the lotus flower on the windowsill to your elder sister?"

Li Qu was also in a good mood.

More than gold and silver treasures, she admired and marveled at the meticulous craftsmanship of artisans.

Her preferences have been discovered!

She politely declined Aunt Zheng's offer to take her away: "These are my only two favorite items. It wouldn't be right if I didn't give them to each of my sisters. Let me collect three more and then give one to each of you."

Aunt Zheng smiled and tapped her nose with her fan: "You have such a sweet tongue."

Li Qu couldn't help but chuckle.

Aunt Hu's eyes were still glued to the glass: "They must have been very careful transporting this back. The carriage probably took longer than people walking."

Aunt Xun looked at Li Qu meaningfully: "Old Hu, it's late, shouldn't we be leaving?"

Aunt Zheng covered her lips with her fan, her eyes sparkling with laughter: "That's right, that's right. Third Master rushed back so quickly, he must be missing Sister Li terribly."

The two little girls, Hongguo and Cuiguo, blushed with embarrassment upon hearing this.

Granny Xu sent the two women to prepare water, in preparation for the Third Master's arrival shortly.

Li Qu's ears flew up to her cheeks: "Sister, please stop teasing me."

"How can you be joking? You're the only one in Third Master's room. If he doesn't come here, where else would he go?"

The more you argue, the more confusing it becomes.

Li Qu simply stopped responding.

Glass is fragile, so they dared not take it out casually.

Aunt Hu couldn't get enough of her, so Aunt Zheng and Aunt Xun tried to pull her away, but they couldn't budge her.

"If we don't leave now, we might run into Third Master!"

Aunt Xun used all her strength to pull Aunt Hu out.

Aunt Hu protested, "The banquet isn't over yet, and Third Master won't be coming now."

Aunt Zheng pushed from behind, saying, "Who said that? Third Master is the most unpredictable. Hurry up, hurry up!"

Li Qu didn't want to ask Zhou Jin to stay, since Zhou Jin might actually come.

In the midst of the tug-of-war and stalemate, a loud bang was heard as the door was kicked open.

Then came a snap.

The courtyard gate was kicked down with two kicks!

Everyone hurried outside and saw Zhou Jin, holding a long sword, his face as black as ink, striding towards them.

"Ah!" Aunt Zheng and the others were terrified and fled in panic.

Li Qu stood under the corridor, seemingly sensing something. In an instant, cold sweat soaked his entire body, and the burden of knowing this day would come vanished in an instant, replaced by a chilling coldness that started from the back of his neck.

The sachet came crashing down and rolled to the ground at his feet.

Longswords gleaming with snowy light followed one after another.

Blood dripped onto the floor.

Li Qu opened her eyes and saw Xu Mama standing in front of her, her hands gripping a long sword tightly.

"If you'll only speak properly tonight if you see blood, then kill this old servant!"

A sudden surge of sourness welled up in Li Qu's chest, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Zhou Jin shoved Xu Mama aside and grabbed Li Qu by the neck.

Li Qu subconsciously tightened her grip on his wrist, but he pulled her backward into the house.

She tripped over the box containing the glassware, and he used it to push her to the ground, his long sword grazing her ear before disappearing into the earth. He roared and demanded, "As the captive of Prince Xiao Cong, the heir of the Prince of Yan, how dare you lie to me that you are a woman of good birth! What is your purpose!"

These words shocked Aunt Zheng and the others in the courtyard, leaving them pale with shock.

Aunt Xun was the first to react: "Guard the gate of Fanghua Garden. No one is allowed to approach. Anyone who does will be arrested and brought in to be used as a sacrifice for Third Master's sword."

Huaiqiu, who had come all the way with Zhou Jin, quickly organized people to guard the gate.

Aunt Zheng stood behind Aunt Xun, trembling with fear, and couldn't help but ask, "Sister Li, will everything be alright?"

Aunt Hu looked at Aunt Xun.

Of the three, the one with the highest social standing was actually Aunt Xun, who always kept a low profile.

Aunt Xun clutched her chest, looking at the shadowy figure inside the doorway cast by the candlelight: "Life and death are all in the hands of Third Master."

Hongguo, Cuiguo, and all the maids from Fanghua Garden were already terrified and prostrated themselves at the door.

After all, the Third Master had recently dealt with two concubines in succession; one died on the spot, and the other was barely clinging to life.

Something happened at Fanghua Garden.

As the banquet was about to end, the old lady, surrounded by her granddaughters and great-granddaughters, was smiling and preparing to leave when she saw Rong Mama, who had just been called away by a maid, hurrying over.

She whispered a few words in the old lady's ear, and the old lady's expression changed instantly.

The two great-aunts, who had just returned home, exchanged a glance when they saw their mother's expression change.

Their gazes met and then parted, each giving a wink to their personal maid.

A large number of people gathered, and all sorts of strange and unsavory characters came online.

However, Zhou Jin had accumulated considerable power and influence; he would kill his own concubine without batting an eye, let alone his servants.

For a time, all the informants found nothing and gathered at the entrance of Fanghua Garden to look around.