Chapter 169 The Unexpected Lin Family
After calming herself down, Madam Min waved her hand and said, "Forget it, the person is already dead. There's no point in investigating who killed him."
"Have you thoroughly searched the Ding family's house? Have you found any trace of those items?"
Min Qiaoshi changed the subject, focusing once again on the purpose of Ajiu and the others' trip.
"Wenxiu and I searched the Ding family's place carefully several times, but we couldn't find the things that the old lady mentioned. Later, we heard footsteps approaching, so we left."
Wen Xiu added, "We searched all the places where things could be hidden carefully, but we don't know if those things have already been taken away by someone beforehand."
Min Qiao felt a sinking feeling in her heart.
She confirmed that when Butler Ding mentioned the existence of those things, only she, Min Rong, and Butler Ding were present.
But when Old Steward Ding died, those things disappeared along with him, along with all the Ding family members who might have known about them.
The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Could it be that besides Old Ding, there is someone else who knows about the existence of those things?
So, after Old Ding's housekeeper got into trouble, they took preemptive action, wiped out the Ding family, and took the things.
After dismissing Ajiu and Wenxiu, Madam Min Qiao tossed and turned in bed all night, unable to sleep.
I finally drifted off to sleep just before dawn.
Just as she fell asleep, she heard Ayi come in and report: "Madam, Aunt Lin has arrived and says she has something extremely urgent to discuss with you."
Aunt Lin?
Min Qiaoshi didn't realize for a moment who Ayi was talking about.
Just then, a familiar old woman hurriedly entered uninvited and knelt down in front of Madam Min's bed with a thud.
"Aunt Lin?"
Upon seeing who it was, Madam Min Qiao couldn't help but show surprise.
Isn't this Lin Shi, the biological mother of Min Yao from the second wife's family?
Since Lin Shi separated from Min Yao's branch of the family, she has basically had no contact with the Marquis's mansion.
Madam Min had almost forgotten about the existence of this branch of the family.
Even though she heard the names of the second wife and her son from Old Ding's housekeeper yesterday, she didn't have a deep impression of them.
There's no way around it; this mother and son are too low-key and too quiet, their presence is almost nonexistent.
"What happened to you? Why do you look so flustered?"
Min Qiaoshi sat on the bed, looking strangely at Lin Shi, who was kneeling on the ground with a panicked expression.
“Madam,” Madam Lin looked anxiously at Madam Min Qiao, hesitated, and then looked at Ayi beside her, “May I speak with you alone for a few minutes?”
Without a second thought, Madam Min refused, saying, "Just speak your mind. These are all my trusted maids; there's nothing I can't let them know."
After hesitating for a moment, Madam Lin nodded, then reached into her bosom, pulled out a thick oil paper envelope, and handed it to Madam Lin.
“Someone left this package in my room last night. When I got up this morning, I found it, opened it, and immediately brought it to see Madam.”
After saying that, he quickly added, "I'm the only one who's seen this package. I haven't shown it to anyone else."
Min Qiaoshi had a guess in her mind and opened the oil paper package.
Sure enough, inside were the "evidence" that had mysteriously disappeared from Old Ding's house.
The old lady's handwritten letter in blood—well, it was just a letter written in her own handwriting with a few drops of blood on it.
Min Ji's handwritten letter, Wang's handwritten letter, and the testimonies of members of the Min family's collateral branches...
There is also the memorial written by Min Ji before his death, requesting the replacement of the Marquis of Xuanping!
Hmm, there's quite a lot of stuff.
Madam Min put away the "evidence" and looked at Madam Lin with a probing gaze. "When you saw these things, didn't you have any thoughts?"
Min Ji's handwritten letter clearly stated his hope that the Emperor would depose Min Rong and his mother and replace them with Lin and her son to inherit the Xuanping Marquis's mansion.
Lin was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she hurriedly waved her hands, saying, "No, no, no, absolutely not!"
“I’m not smart, but I’m not stupid either. The fact that this package appeared in my room clearly means that someone wants to use my son and me as pawns to fight against the Grand Madam and the Marquis.”
"The Dowager knows me. I just want to live a peaceful life. I don't want to get involved in those struggles!"
Madam Min smiled, got up, got out of bed, and personally helped Madam Lin up. "You are a wise woman. I knew from the moment I entered the manor that you would not become my enemy."
Lin got up, wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, and breathed a slight sigh of relief.
After seeing the package, she gave the person who put it in her room a thorough dressing-down.
This is clearly an attempt to kill her! To kill her son! To kill her whole family!
Do you think she really knows nothing just because she ignores the outside world?
Steward Ding went to the Xuanping Marquis's residence yesterday, and that evening, the Ding family hung white mourning clothes.
These deadly things appeared in her house this morning.
She sent someone out to inquire, and then learned that Old Ding's entire family was dead!
The officials are currently searching for the murderer in the alley where the Ding family lives and several nearby alleys!
Upon learning of this, Madam Lin dared not delay any longer. She hid the package in oil paper and went to the Xuanping Marquis's residence.
Seeing that Lin was truly frightened, Madam Min didn't ask any more questions to upset her. She simply comforted her for a while, chatted about some everyday matters after the family division, and then had someone send Lin out.
Regardless of who killed the Ding family or who gave these things to the Lin family, these things are now in her hands, and she can say that she has finally put her mind at ease.
Min Qiao sat back on the bed, intending to take another nap, when she saw Ajiu come in with a distressed look on her face.
"Is there something you need?" Madam Min asked proactively.
Ajiu nodded. "The Ding family's deaths were suspicious, and I'm uneasy about it. I went out early this morning to find out more."
"What did you find out?"
“Hmm.” Ajiu paused, her expression somewhat grave. “Everyone outside is saying that the Ding family has been loyal servants of the Marquis of Xuanping’s mansion for generations. Just yesterday, the Grand Madam had brought up the feud between the Min and Lu families, and that night the entire Ding family was killed.”
"The Marquis's family was afraid that the Lu family would learn about the Min family's criminal history through the Ding family, so they killed them in advance to silence them."
That's it? Madam Min gave A-Jiu a strange look. Was such a small piece of information really worth such a serious expression?
Madam Min shook her head, not giving it much thought, and scoffed, "Isn't that a rather far-fetched argument?"
Ajiu wholeheartedly agreed, "It is indeed absurd. However, many people believe it to be true."
Madam Min Qiao said dismissively, "It's alright, let Min Rong and his daughter worry about these things. We shouldn't get involved."
“I understand,” Ajiu nodded in agreement.
Min Qiao sat on the bed, wanting to take another nap, but seeing that A Jiu neither spoke nor left, she asked her curiously, "Is there something else?"
After hesitating for a while, Ah Jiu finally gritted her teeth and said, "Besides this matter, something else big happened last night."
Madam Min yawned and said patiently, "Speak."
Ajiu frowned and said, "It is said that Old Madam Sun died at home last night."
Madam Min raised an eyebrow. "Who did you say died?"
Ajiu said, "The old lady Sun from the Ministry of Works' residence is the same old lady Sun who lost face and fainted yesterday morning at the Marquis of Annan's residence."
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