Chapter 78: Planning an Encounter
The guests dispersed.
The unconscious Jiang Qingrong was carried into the house by the servants. Jiang Wan was at a loss, and the remaining servants didn't know what to do either.
Jiang Rong glanced at Jiang Wenmian's body on the stretcher and ordered:
"Come here, go buy a white coffin and prepare for the funeral."
The steward Jiang Zhong was stunned for a moment, then reacted and agreed.
Now the Jiang family is lacking a person in charge.
None of the servants dared to make decisions on their own.
Although the second young lady is a married woman, she acts in an orderly manner, remains calm in the face of emergencies, and is able to take on responsibilities. At this moment, all the stewards and servants of the Jiang family obey her orders.
In just a moment, the chaotic Zhongyi Marquis's Mansion began to handle Jiang Wenmian's funeral in an orderly manner.
It's late at night.
Jiang Rong and Xie Lingxi returned to the Northern Palace.
Yingxia knelt on the steps of the courtyard and kowtowed hurriedly to beg for mercy, "Please spare my life, my concubine. I was forced to do this... It was the Third Miss who forced me to do this. Please spare my life, my concubine... I will be loyal in the future and will never dare to do it again..."
"Beating to death." Jiang Rong said calmly.
"Please spare my life, Princess..." Yingxia was so scared that she burst into tears and kowtowed hurriedly.
Jiang Rong didn't even look at her, but just looked at Feicui and said:
"All the people I brought from the Jiang family have been replaced. The people from Yuquan Villa have been replaced as needed. Jiang Cai, send him down to see his master."
"Yes." Jadeite accepted the order.
She had been lying dormant before because she didn't want to attract the attention of the Jiang family.
Now the drama of brothers killing each other is over and the dust has settled.
There is no need to keep these people.
Yingxia was dragged away crying.
…
Mingxin Division.
Chu Jue interrogated Jiang Wenxing overnight.
With two test papers and the handwriting identification documents, Jiang Wenxing's crime of cheating was confirmed.
"I'm not very good at trying cases, but I'm very good at torture. Take a look at it yourself. Which one do you like? I'll try it on you." Chu Jue pointed at the dazzling array of torture instruments on both sides and looked down at Jiang Wenxing who was kneeling in the hall.
Jiang Wenxing looked at the torture instruments and trembled all over: "You, you, you, you... this is torture to extract a confession..."
"The torture in the Mingxin Division is severe. Isn't this something that everyone knows?" Chu Jue smiled coldly, and in the light of the candle, he looked even more like the terrifying King of Hell.
He picked up a red-hot iron and brought it close to Jiang Wenxing's cheek:
"I think we should start with this... The barbecue smells delicious, it's more suitable as the first appetizer..."
"I confess! I bribed the killer! Don't come over here!" Jiang Wenxing was so frightened that he urinated incontinently, and a foul smell came from under his body.
Chu Jue took a few steps back in disdain, "Someone, bring paper and pen, and ask him to write a confession..."
A quarter of an hour later.
The subordinate presented a document in which Jiang Wenxing confessed his guilt and signed it. With the friendly reminder of the captain of the Mingxin Division, Jiang Wenxing wrote down the details of hiring someone to kill Jiang Wenmian with trembling hands.
After reading it, Chu Jue put the document aside and continued questioning:
"I have a question. You passed the Xiucai exam by having someone else take the exam for you. How did you pass the Juren exam?"
Jiang Wenxing's psychological defenses had already collapsed.
He was already guilty of a capital crime, so he had nothing to hide: "It was my aunt... Chang, she gave me the test questions. I don't know how she got them..."
Chu Jue narrowed his eyes coldly. Chang family?
This case was also handled by Mingxin Division.
She disappeared on her way to exile, and a prisoner did not attract much attention.
Jiang Wenxing was a successful candidate in the imperial examination last autumn. The chief examiner in Jiangbei that year was the Minister of Rites, who had never had any contact with the Jiang family. There seemed to be some secret between them.
Chu Jue remembered this person in his heart and waved his hand, "Take him away..."
The next day, Chu Jue submitted the case file.
The commander of the Mingxin Division determined that Jiang Wenxing had cheated in the imperial examination and murdered his cousin, and that his crimes were extremely serious, so he was sentenced to immediate execution.
…
The Mansion of the Earl of Loyalty.
Jiang Qingrong opened his eyes tremblingly, and all he saw was white.
The steward, with a white cloth tied around his waist, cried out in a sad voice, "Master, you are finally awake! The second young master's funeral has already been arranged in the mansion, and we still need you to bring a set of rules."
"Mian'er..." Jiang Qingrong was extremely heartbroken, sad and angry:
"How could this be!"
"The notice from the Mingxin Division shows that it was the eldest son who killed the second son... because the second son had evidence of the eldest son's cheating in the imperial examination, so he... he sent someone to silence him..." Jiang Zhong reported:
"The court sentenced the eldest son to immediate execution..."
He originally wanted to say that the second young master had been avenged.
But thinking that this eldest son was also the master's son, he quickly swallowed his words.
"Behead immediately... Xing'er..." Jiang Qingrong saw Jiang Wenxing being taken away yesterday and knew it was not good. Once the verdict was announced...
His only remaining son was also completely gone.
"Puff——" Jiang Qingrong vomited a mouthful of blood and fainted again.
Jiang Wenxing died because he committed a crime.
Big families have always been very wary of criminals, so they did not hold a funeral for him, but just buried the body hastily.
When Jiang Qingrong reached middle age, he lost two sons in succession and fell seriously ill.
But after the seventh day of mourning, he quickly cheered up, took in concubines, and looked forward to remarrying.
For a while, he and Jiang Wan were busy.
…
Zhenxiulou is the number one restaurant in the capital.
The several private rooms on the top fifth floor are not open to the public and are reserved for the royal family and the Northern Prince's Palace.
Among them, the elegant pavilion named "Tingxue" belongs to the Beiwang Palace.
Xie Lingxi, as the most famous playboy in the capital, is a frequent visitor here.
As a lady from a wealthy family, it was naturally impossible for Dong Xiqin to "accidentally meet" Xie Lingxi in a brothel or gambling house. Apart from the latter two of the "eating, drinking, whoring and gambling" that dandy boys are proficient in, it would be most appropriate for them to meet by chance in Zhenxiu Tower.
"Miss, I've found out the news. The steward of the Northern Prince's Palace has booked the Sushan Banquet for tomorrow..." the maid reported.
Dong Xiqin's eyes lit up.
Zhenxiulou recently prepared a banquet of cold drinks. The main dish was a huge "crispy mountain", and there were 18 kinds of ice cream and eight kinds of drinks.
Because it is too late to make it now, you need to make an appointment in advance.
It was a hot summer day and was very popular among people in Beijing.
"I guess the prince must have heard that Zhenxiulou has released this new thing, so he came here specially to try it out!" Dong Xiqin's eyes lit up, and she immediately said:
"Go and get me the jade hairpin I just bought from Linglong Pavilion, and the Shu embroidery skirt that I spent three months making..."
She had carefully prepared for an encounter.
She believed that Xie Lingxi would be amazed by her talent and beauty!
…
Early the next morning.
The carriage of the Northern Prince's Palace drove out of the palace.
Dong Xiqin, who had been waiting in Zhenxiu Tower, immediately threw her handkerchief and a jade hairpin into Tingxue Pavilion on purpose.
There was a short poem and her name left on the handkerchief.
When Xie Lingxi sees Xiupa's poems, she will definitely admire her talent. And returning the jade hairpin and Xiupa is just the reason to meet her.
Next time, I can make an appointment with Xie Lingxi to thank him for returning my lost beloved jade hairpin.
After all this, wouldn't it be a natural outcome?
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