Chapter 334: Murder (4)

Ji Yushu's face gradually darkened.

"Xie San once said that no matter what, the Shen family's eldest branch is doomed to fall." Gao Yang stopped fanning himself, his eyes flickering slightly, "Just like the Xie family."

…

On the second day, the weather was fine. In the side courtyard of Rongjing Hall, Taoyuan was taking out some clothes for Jing Chuchu to choose from.

Ever since the arrival of the Jings, the courtyard that Madam Shen had previously given Jing Chuchu and her siblings had become somewhat crowded. The Jings had entered the house and, unreasonably, occupied the largest courtyard in Rongjing Hall besides Madam Shen's. Furthermore, they ordered the servants around, ordering them around. Anyone who didn't know would have thought it wasn't Madam Shen who lived there, but the Jings.

Jing Chuchu sat at the table, carefully drawing her eyebrows in front of a bronze mirror. She applied each stroke with extreme care, her lips lightly rouge-coated, her hair neatly combed, clearly a woman meticulously dressed.

"That moon-white one," Jing Chuchu said. The moon-white dress was plain, yet it perfectly highlighted her delicate and pitiful demeanor. Today was the day she was to meet Sun Cainan. Whether or not she could make him remember her forever depended on this one opportunity.

Perhaps it was a woman's vanity at work, or perhaps she really had some feelings for Sun Cainan. Even though she knew it was extremely risky to meet Sun Cainan now, she still wanted to give it a try.

Taoyuan put away the rest of the clothes, and someone pushed the door open. It was Madam Jing.

Madam Jing saw Jing Chuchu dressed like this and was a little confused: "Chuchu, are you going out?"

"I want to go out and buy some jewelry." Jing Chuchu responded, "Since I will become the young lady of the Shen family's second branch in the future, I can't wear the jewelry I used to wear. People will look down on me."

"That's right," said Madam Jing. Anyway, the money Jing Chuchu spent on jewelry would come from the public treasury, and Madam Jing had been making a lot of money these days. Madam Jing said, "You can't do it alone. I'll go with you."

"No!" Jing Chuchu quickly refused.

Madam Jing was puzzled: "Why?"

"I, I've agreed to go with Miss Yi." Jing Chuchu shook Madam Jing's hand. "In the future, when we're in Dingjing, we must make good friends with these young ladies. Mother, don't go. Miss Yi doesn't like to meet strangers casually. You know these young ladies from high-class families have some strange temperaments."

Madam Jing was somewhat dissatisfied: "What's so great about being a daughter of a noble family? You will be the wife of an official in the future. Forget it, if you want to establish a good relationship, then go ahead and bring a few more guards with you."

"No need." Jing Chuchu declined: "The Yi family has so many guards, it would be awkward if I took them with me. Don't worry about it, mother. I will buy you some jewelry when I come back." After that, she continued to draw her eyebrows.

Mrs. Jing had no choice but to give up.

After leaving the house and getting on the carriage, Jing Chuchu felt a little nervous and asked Tao Yuan, "Is the restaurant you chose reliable?"

"Don't worry, young lady." Taoyuan said, "The restaurant is very far away and remote. On weekdays, there are very few people going there. Xiaojiu is wearing a hat to cover her face, so no one will recognize her."

Only then did Jing Chuchu feel relieved.

The carriage passed through the south of the city and finally stopped in front of a secluded alley. Jing Chuchu straightened her bamboo hat and adjusted her veil before Taoyuan supported her as they walked towards the tavern.

Although Jing Chuchu had often been around young men in Suzhou, her current status was different. Ming Qi was a country of open-minded people, but for a woman with a fiancé to meet another man in private was a serious crime.

The restaurant had only two floors, and it was indeed as remote and deserted as Taoyuan had described. Guests were scattered in groups of three or four, not too crowded. Seeing her enter without noticing, Taoyuan gave the innkeeper a silver ingot and said with a smile, "Shopkeeper, where is the room we booked yesterday?"