"Do you really think I know nothing? Those people from the He family dared to openly humiliate my children that day, wasn't it because the Zhang family was backing them up?"
"You have so brazenly humiliated this general, and you think you can settle things with a little silver? There's no such simple thing in the world."
"You keep saying that the cheating in the imperial examinations was your doing alone and had nothing to do with the Zhang family. Do you really think I'm a fool?"
"You're just a butler. Even if you really want to stand up for your master, how could you possibly do such a thing? Don't even mention me, go ask anyone you know, who would believe you?"
Shen Yunting snorted coldly, then said, "Go back and tell Zhang Zhou directly that I have more than just this much evidence. I will make him pay the price for his stupidity."
"Wasn't it his intention to switch my son's imperial examination papers back then? He was capable of doing it back then, so why is he so cowardly now, only daring to send out a steward?"
“Zhang Zhou should know very well what kind of temperament I, Shen Yunting, had when I was young. This time, I will definitely not let him off the hook. Let him be prepared.”
Shen Yunting's words resonated deeply with the steward.
His face turned deathly pale, and it took him a long time to find his voice.
"It seems my efforts today have been in vain. General Shen will not show any leniency no matter what."
Shen Yunting nodded, his eyes glancing at the things the butler had brought.
He snorted coldly and said, "As for these things, they are all evidence of the Zhang family's corruption. I have no right to accept them."
After saying this, Shen Yunting glanced at the guard beside him and directly sent the steward out.
The butler stood at the entrance of the general's mansion, his eyes filled with anxiety.
They lingered for a long time, unwilling to leave.
It wasn't until dusk that he trudged heavily toward the Zhang family's house.
Upon learning of Shen Yunting's choice, Zhang Zhou dropped his teacup.
A cold smile played on his lips: "Good, very well done."
"Since he refuses to listen to reason and is forced to suffer the consequences, then don't blame me for being impolite to him."
The steward was startled and quickly asked, "What does the master intend to do?"
"From what he said, even if you take all the blame, he won't let me off easily. Since the soft approach isn't working, I'll have to resort to the hard one."
A cruel smile curled at the corner of Zhang Zhou's mouth.
The steward's unease grew stronger, but he also knew that he was just a servant and nothing he said would make a difference.
All I can do is pray silently that things will turn out for the better.
Zhang Zhou remained silent, only turning his gaze to a distance not far away, a hint of coldness in his eyes.
Shen Yunting investigated the imperial examination fraud every day, collecting evidence both openly and secretly.
Furthermore, under the emperor's decree, it stirred up quite a storm in the capital, causing everyone to feel insecure.
After all, the matter of cheating in the imperial examinations was not just a matter for the Zhang family alone.
Some people, like the Zhang family, tried to plead with Shen Yunting, but all of them ultimately failed.
Some people even tried to outsmart Qu Jingyun.
Qu Jingyun could only shut herself in and refuse to see them, but a sense of unease welled up inside her.
I have a feeling that something bad is about to happen.
After thinking it over, she decided to stay home and avoid getting involved in any trouble.
Unfortunately, despite all the precautions, it still couldn't be prevented.
She was kidnapped in her own bedroom.
Upon waking up in an unfamiliar environment, Qu Jingyun's eyes immediately turned cold.
I tried to move, but found myself tightly strapped to the chair.
The other party knew her very well, probably because they were worried about her skills and intelligence, so they tied her up layer upon layer, as if they were afraid that she would be able to untie herself.
Qu Jingyun tried for a long time but failed each time, so she simply looked around at her surroundings.
This must be a long-abandoned temple; there's no one around.
She shouted directly, "Guards! You've tied me up here, but no one's showing up. What are you trying to do?"
"Are you a bunch of cowards? Get out here right now and tell me what you want. Stop playing tricks on me."
"A bunch of useless trash, who are you? What do you want?"
In her anger, Qu Jingyun's curses became increasingly offensive.
The door was finally pushed open at that moment.
The steward's face showed helplessness: "Princess, I've arrived, so please stop scolding me, lest you tire yourself out."
Qu Jingyun knew the Zhang family's butler and recognized him at a glance.
He sneered, "Your steward is indeed loyal. Even now, you're still stepping forward alone, afraid of implicating the Zhang family. I wonder how much the Zhang family has given you."
"The matter of cheating in the imperial examinations was the work of a petty person alone, and has nothing to do with the Zhang family." Even now, the steward was still insisting.
Unexpectedly, Qu Jingyun scoffed, "Who would believe that? When you discussed this matter with the Zhang family, didn't you laugh out loud at this suggestion?"
"Anyone with eyes can see that the Zhang family did this secretly. Even if you step forward and take full responsibility, what good will it do?"
"No one will believe it, not even the Emperor."
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the steward said, "Sir, you are the Emperor's most trusted minister. The Emperor will believe you, not to mention that the Zhang family and General Shen have a past feud."
"If we must say that General Shen was acting out of personal revenge, it's not impossible."
Qu Jingyun's smile deepened, and she said directly, "Are you also trying to say that the Emperor is wary of General Shen, and even if he knows that the Zhang family is the culprit, he might be willing to spare their lives because of General Shen?"
"After all, the Zhang family has already given you a way out."
She tilted her head and looked at the butler in front of her, then said to herself, "I can imagine how you all discussed pushing all these things onto you, and I can understand why you agreed to this."
Qu Jingyun paused, then looked directly into the other person's eyes.
Suddenly, he asked, "Actually, you weren't doing this willingly yourself, were you?"
“This is naturally my own choice,” the butler said eagerly, stating his position.
“The Zhang family has treated me very well, so I am naturally willing to dedicate everything to the Zhang family. What’s wrong with sacrificing myself to protect the Zhang family?”
As he talked, he even started to believe it himself.
But to his surprise, he was met with a mocking laugh from Qu Jingyun.
“The Zhang family treats you well? Although you are the steward, you are still a servant. I don’t believe that people like the Zhang family would be truly good to you.”
"The reason you stood up is simply because you think that if the Zhang family falls, your whole family won't be any better off. But if you are sacrificed, Zhang Zhou will definitely give your wife and children a bright future."
"But have you ever considered whether Zhang Zhou would really keep your wife and children? That would be a weakness for him."
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