Despite the pain, Jiang Shen explained, "Mr. Cai believes that even if the eldest son goes to America, there is still a risk of him informing on us. For the sake of all the brothers, we cannot take that risk."
Cheng Zhiwen roared, "He's already gone to America, how can he possibly inform on me now!"
"The young master might send a telegram back home."
"So you killed him?" Cheng Zhiwen tightened her grip on Jiang Shen's neck. "He was my brother! Couldn't you have let me handle it myself?!"
"These are all Mr. Cai's decisions, and there is nothing I can do about it."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhiwen slowly lowered her hand, her whole body stunned, as if all her energy had been drained away.
He sat in the courtyard all night, only getting up at the crack of dawn.
Just as he was about to return to his own courtyard to rest, Madam Cheng woke up, crying and insisting on going with Cheng Zhiwu. He quickly went back in to comfort her.
When I came out, I saw the servants putting up funeral couplets, which told me that preparations for the funeral had already begun.
He didn't return to the courtyard, but instead went to the mourning hall.
The mourning hall had been set up overnight, and Mr. Cheng sat blankly in front of the portrait, burning paper money.
He walked over, squatted down, picked up a stack of new paper money, and put it into the earthenware basin one by one.
The flames engulfed the paper money, instantly burning it to ashes.
He looked up at the portrait.
Cheng Zhiwu looked at him with a smile, as if he had something to say to him.
He put a few more pieces of paper money into the fire, saying as he burned them, "Brother, go in peace. I will take good care of your sister-in-law and nephew. Go in peace."
The previously silent Master Cheng seemed to suddenly awaken, and cried out loudly, "Zhiwu... Zhiwu... Rest in peace... Father will definitely avenge you... Rest in peace..."
Seeing this, the maids and servants keeping vigil cried even harder, and terrifying wails echoed in the pure white world.
"Master! Second Young Master!" The steward rushed into the mourning hall. "The magistrate has arrived! This old servant has invited him to your study!"
Upon hearing this, Master Cheng stopped crying and immediately tried to get up.
Cheng Zhiwen put down the stack of paper money in her hand and helped the person up.
The father and son hurried to the study.
The county magistrate came forward and said, "Master Cheng, the cause of death of Young Master Cheng has been determined."
Master Cheng stared with bloodshot eyes and asked anxiously, "How is it?"
"Young Master Cheng died of poisoning," the coroner said calmly. "There is a Japanese poison called 'Blood Rift.' Only a dose the size of a fingernail is needed to kill someone within an hour, and the manner of death will be just like Young Master Cheng's—a ruptured cerebral blood vessel and blood flowing from all seven orifices."
Master Cheng was shocked: "Japanese poison? That's poison from Japan?"
The coroner nodded: "Exactly. This drug is usually used by the Japanese for assassinations within the country."
Master Cheng immediately wailed, "The Cheng family has never offended the Japanese! We have never even made friends with them. Why would my son, Zhiwu, have someone poison him like this?"
The magistrate looked at Cheng Zhiwen: "Young Master Cheng, may I have a word with you in private?"
Cheng Zhiwen snapped out of his daze and made a "please" gesture: "Sir, please come with me."
He led the man to the garden.
The magistrate looked at him with suspicion: "Young Master Cheng, you often travel in Shanghai. Have you offended anyone? Especially this Japanese man?"
Cheng Zhiwen shook his head: "I usually do business with Americans and Europeans. I have never met any Japanese, much less offended any Japanese."
The magistrate looked at Jiang Shen, who was standing not far away: "Where is that one?"
"That was just a servant in my courtyard. He stayed at the Cheng residence all day and didn't get to know any Japanese."
The magistrate nodded: "Understood. Please convey my condolences to your father."
"You're too kind, sir. I'll see you out."
When Cheng Zhiwen returned to the mourning hall, Cheng Zhiwu's body had already been brought in and was waiting for the auspicious time to be placed in the coffin.
He went over and took a look, his heart filled with even greater sorrow. He forced back his tears and returned to the portrait to continue burning paper money until the encoffining was finished before returning to the courtyard.
Shen Qing went to accompany Madam Cheng and was not in the courtyard.
Before entering the house, he glanced back at Jiang Shen and asked coldly, "Where is Mr. Cai now?"
"Reporting to the boss, Mr. Cai has arrived in Shanghai and will not be returning to Japan for the time being."
...
In Yongzhou after the onset of winter, rain and snow fell incessantly, and the air was filled with moisture.
The Cheng residence was now reduced to only gray and white tones, filled with mournful music.
People came to pay their respects.
Because of excessive grief, Madam Cheng was showing signs of miscarriage and could not get out of bed, so her family did not allow her to go to the mourning hall.
Shen Qing stayed in her room with her.
This is good for Shen Qing, since she never liked attending funerals anyway.
In particular, the funeral rites of this Qing Dynasty family always reminded her of Chinese horror movies.
Moreover, Cheng Zhiwu had kidnapped her before, and she was afraid when she saw Cheng Zhiwu's face, so she didn't want to go near his funeral hall.
She accompanied Madam Cheng.
When Madam Cheng's mood improved slightly, she would lean against the bed and chat with her when she was lucid.
“A while ago, the Liu family learned that my second brother had brought you back, so they urged my parents to come and propose marriage. My parents originally planned to go to the Liu family to propose marriage today, but now, because of Zhiwu’s funeral, the proposal has been canceled. The Liu family will definitely retaliate against our family.”
Madam Cheng clutched her belly tightly with both hands, looking at Shen Qing with a mournful face: "That Liu Xixue is fierce, could she harm my child because she holds a grudge against Zhiwu?"
Shen Qing was speechless.
She really didn't expect that Cheng Zhiwen's marriage to Miss Liu was already on the agenda.
Since the day Cheng Zhiwu died mysteriously, Cheng Zhiwen has been busy with funeral arrangements and rarely returns to the courtyard. She spends all her time with Cheng Zhangshi and rarely sees him.
She already had many questions about Cheng Zhiwu's death that she wanted to ask him, and now she had even more worries about Cheng Zhangshi.
I'll ask you all at once later.
Shen Qing comforted Madam Cheng: "Sister-in-law, don't worry. My elder brother only has his nephew left. Zhiwen will do everything he can to protect you and your nephew and will not let the Liu family have a chance to harm you and your nephew."
Cheng Zhangshi was not at ease.
"The Cheng family and the Liu family are like an egg and a stone. No matter how well Ren Erdi is in Shanghai, he will be subject to the Liu family once he returns to Yongzhou."
Thinking of the difficult situation ahead, Madam Cheng silently shed tears again. After crying for a while, she asked Shen Qing, "Have you sent an obituary to my family?"
"Zhiwen should have sent it immediately."
Madam Cheng craned her neck to look outside the door: "Why don't I see any of my family members coming into the courtyard to see me?"
Shen Qing explained, "It's probably because they're afraid the evil spirits will be bad for you and your nephew. Sister-in-law, please be patient and wait a few more days. Once your elder brother's funeral is over, I'll remind Zhiwen to go and invite your family members over."
Cheng Zhangshi said "Oh," and then asked, "When did my family arrive? Who are they?"
She only asked these questions out of sheer boredom, but Shen Qing took it seriously and immediately got up to go to the mourning hall to inquire on her behalf.
Upon entering the garden, people came to pay their respects, coming and going. Cheng Zhiwen, dressed in black mourning clothes, was busy greeting guests and did not notice her.
She lifted her white dress and walked in, weaving through the crowd, quietly approaching his side: "Busy?"
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