Chapter 261
The situation in Nanzhong was even worse than Yan Shujin had imagined. The events in Nanzhong were orchestrated by someone, rather than caused by a genuine conflict.
When Yan Shujin arrived in Nanzhong, she learned the truth of the matter. It was not as simple as abandoning one's wife and children. Even if a woman from the mountain tribe was abandoned, she could return to her tribe with her children and live a good life. If she met someone she liked, she could remarry. Even if she was not abandoned, but felt that she could not go on living her life, she could still return home with her children or on her own.
A hermit would take revenge on such a faithless person, but not such reckless revenge.
Despite having given birth not long ago, Yan Shujin didn't gain much weight; in fact, she looked much thinner. Even though Han Jing coaxed her to eat more nourishing soups every day, it didn't seem to have any effect.
On the contrary, Cheng Zhi, who was with Yan Shujin, had gained some weight.
Yan Shujin looked at the person in front of her and asked in a deep voice, "Say it again, what happened?"
"Yes." The person who came was not an official of the imperial court, but someone that Yan Shujin had arranged in advance to gather information. This person was Jiang Jian's subordinate, whom Yan Shujin had never met before. In addition to him, Jiang Jian had also arranged for some other people to come, including old and young, men and women. Yan Shujin had never asked Jiang Jian about these things, let alone interfered in Jiang Jian's affairs.
In fact, this matter was not as simple as abandoning one's wife and children; it resulted in the death of the tribal chief's daughter, and even a tragic death, with both mother and child dying.
The girl that Lord Wang's son pursued, whether it was because the clan chief was open-minded or because he loved his daughter, ended up marrying Lord Wang's son. The two were considered happy and fulfilled. However, some time ago, the clan chief's wife, who hadn't seen her daughter for a long time, brought her younger daughter to visit her pregnant older daughter. Only then did she learn that her pregnant older daughter had died, having been forced to drink abortifacient by her husband's concubine.
The clan chief's wife was naturally unwilling and took her youngest daughter to go back and tell her husband. Unexpectedly, Lord Wang's son was ruthless and not only killed the clan chief's wife but also forcibly took her youngest daughter, and finally made her escape back.
Let alone the clan chief who lost his wife and daughter, even other mountain people would find it unbearable.
This "truth" left everyone present speechless.
Cheng Zhi said in a deep voice, "Something's not right."
That's definitely not right. Putting everything else aside, the fact that the clan chief's youngest daughter was able to escape is very strange, and the timing of the events is too coincidental.
Han Jing held Yan Shujin's hand and asked, "Is that so-called Lord Wang's son always in Nanzhong? Where is Lord Wang?"
"The entire Wang family is dead," the visitor said. "The Wang family's son came from the capital three years ago."
Yan Shujin frowned and asked, "Then what about Lord Wang?"
"During the previous dynasty, because Lord Wang offended powerful officials, he was demoted to a post in the south." These things are easy to find out: "Although he didn't accomplish much, he was considered to be a reliable person, and many people thought he was a good-natured man."
In other words, he had neither merit nor demerit, neither outstanding achievements nor bad deeds. No one doubted the arrival of his son, and the clan chief's willingness to marry his daughter to him was probably due to this reason.
"And what about Young Master Wang?" Yan Shujin had a vague suspicion in her heart, but she didn't dare to ask for certainty. "Is he dead or alive?"
"Your Highness, he has vanished without a trace."
Yan Shujin's face was gloomy as she said, "The Zheng family of the previous dynasty."
No wonder Yan Shujin felt that all these things were strange. From the incident in the southwest to now, it all seems to be a trap. But what are they after?
Regardless of their motives, Yan Shujin found it unacceptable that they treated human life so disregarded.
Han Jing paused for a moment and then said, "Now I'm afraid those mountain people are unwilling to talk to us at all, and they won't believe what we say."
Yan Shujin asked, "Can you draw a portrait of Young Master Wang?"
"Since Young Master Wang is truly outstanding, quite a few people remember him. We can ask an artist to give it a try."
Yan Shujin said, "First, draw a portrait of Young Master Wang and issue a warrant for his arrest."
"yes."
Yan Shujin pursed her lips and said, "Is it possible to contact Shanren's side?"
"Now that they've all gone up the mountain, it'll be difficult to contact them."
Yan Shujin took a deep breath and said, "I want to see which officials are still alive."
"yes."
Yan Shujin made a few more arrangements, and Yu Xing had already had the food prepared.
Outside, people weren't too particular and all sat at one table to eat.
Before they could even rest after their meal, officials from the south arrived. At that time, the city gates of the south were tightly closed, for fear that the mountain tribes would attack again.
Yan Shujin told Cheng Zhi and the others to go and rest first, while Bai Yan arranged the defenses of the post station. Because of the incident with Prince Xuan, all the servants and guards in the post station were people that Yan Shujin had brought from Fuzhou, and the original people in the post station had been arranged to go out.
Cheng Zhi didn't stay, but left first. Aunt Yu and Yu Zhu didn't come with her, only Yu Xing was there. Cheng Zhi was afraid that Yu Xing wouldn't be able to handle everything.
The officials in the south were also uneasy, after all, they knew the truth of the matter, but they were afraid of being held accountable, so the reports they submitted to the court were all downplaying the seriousness of the matter.
Yan Shujin looked at these people and asked, "Is this all of you?"
"Those mountain people have all left."
Yan Shujin nodded: "Why didn't we take all your heads with us?"
That's really an unpleasant thing to say.
"Princess, you..."
Yan Shujin looked at them and asked in return, "Am I wrong? According to the information I received, those mountain people have attacked Nanzhong City, but they only killed Lord Wang's family and took away the bodies of his wife and daughters."
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