Chapter 37 Exposure
"What's the trick inside..."
"Don't tell me you're hiding something shameful!"
The commander suppressed his distracting thoughts and waved to call over a few capable men.
"You guys, go down and see what's going on."
With the public watching, and Yongning Street populated by prominent figures, there was no room for retreat. Rather than hesitating, it was better to do the job honestly and avoid future gossip.
As for the rest…
He was just acting according to the law. This mess should be handled by someone else, and he shouldn't be implicated.
The servant was so frightened that his face turned pale and beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks.
Not long after, the officer who had gone down to investigate returned and whispered something in the commander's ear. The commander's face suddenly changed, and it was obvious that something unusual had happened.
The people watching the fun were so anxious that they stamped their feet and kept guessing what was going on.
"This official, please speak up!"
"It's really frustrating!"
"What secret is hidden inside?"
A glimmer of hope flashed in the servant's eyes, and he lowered his voice and said, "Sir, I have a few words to say to you in private..."
At this point, he only hoped that after he brought up his master's name, the official would give him some face and let the matter go, so that everyone would be happy.
The commander frowned slightly and hesitated for a moment. He had a feeling that if he listened to this servant, the matter would most likely be dropped.
It's not that he is cruel, but if he doesn't know how to judge the situation, he will find it difficult to gain a foothold in this officialdom.
As I was hesitating, a voice suddenly came from the study.
"It's a girl! She's covered in blood, almost dead, and she's locked in an iron cage!"
The little thief rushed out of the dark room, running for his life and shouting at the top of his voice.
The commander cast a sharp gaze at the two subordinates.
The two men looked embarrassed. They had clearly caught the man just now, but he was as slippery as a loach and slipped away in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, the little thief was slumped on the floor of the study, shouting in fear.
"It's so scary! It's really so scary!"
The crowd was suddenly in an uproar, like water splashed into boiling oil.
"Oh my God! There's a girl imprisoned inside. I don't know whose daughter has suffered such a misfortune..."
The faces of the few old women who had been gossiping the most were startled.
Who could have imagined that their gossip would come true, and that there really was something dirty going on in this shabby yard.
The commander looked at the servant who was lying limp as mud and muttered to himself.
It's not that he's stubborn and doesn't know how to tact...
This guy is really unlucky, or he has done so many evil things that even God can't tolerate him.
He turned around and gave orders to his men.
"Go to Fengtian Prefecture and ask Lord He to personally decide this matter."
Anyway, the government offices in the capital love to steal the credit of their inspection office, so today they might as well go with the flow and throw this hot potato to the Fengtian prefect to deal with.
Their inspection department is only responsible for catching thieves and suppressing bandits. This kind of complicated case should be left to the literary stars in the capital government.
Upon hearing the news, Fengtian Prefecture Governor He Jizhong immediately sent people to take over.
By the time the bailiffs arrived, the entire street was completely blocked. More and more people had come to watch the excitement, forming a tight circle inside and outside.
The crowd, which seemed so large that no one could squeeze in, was able to squeeze out a path as soon as they saw the officials coming.
Several yamen runners hurried into the yard to check on the situation, while the rest began waving people away: "Disperse, disperse! Stop crowding here!"
The onlookers pretended to disperse, but they lingered, unwilling to leave. Cats peeked in from the alley entrances, while some even climbed the walls. The bustle before them was like a ready-made stage; who would turn around and leave?
"Look! Someone is being carried out!"
Someone shouted.
The officials prepared a bamboo sedan chair, covered it with a soft blanket, and a gauze veil, and then carefully carried the woman out.
——All of these were specifically instructed by He Jizhong.
He thought that the woman, having suffered such a great misfortune, would not want to be watched by others. This arrangement would not only preserve her dignity but also prevent the neighbors from making random guesses.
But under the blanket, a corner of the blood-stained sleeve was still visible, and the sharp-eyed people saw it at once.
Zhao Tinglan struggled to stand up and slowly looked around through the veil.
She hadn't seen the sun for a long time, and the brightness made her feel uncomfortable, so she couldn't help but squint.
The people watching the fun around cast all kinds of looks: some were curious, some were distressed, and some were just there to watch the show.
She knew in her heart that the officials meant well and were thinking of her, so they made careful and thoughtful arrangements.
But these are not what she really wants after all.
Suddenly, the woman on the bamboo sedan chair raised her hand tremblingly and pulled away the blanket on her body.
The clothes' original color could no longer be seen, only layers of blood stains of varying depths could be seen, and the bare feet were covered in scars.
There was a sudden sound of gasps from all around.
At this moment, the woman raised her hand and took off her veil, revealing a face that was also scarred.
Her cheeks were thin and sunken, and her eyes were bloodshot, but she faced everyone's inquiring gazes without dodging.
These scars were not her shame, and she had nothing to fear. She was only afraid that the truth would be buried and justice would not be served.
The bamboo sedan chair was slowly carried out of the house.
In the crowd, the young master of the Yuan family looked at this scene with a frown on his face.
He had come here only because his wallet was stolen, and it didn't matter whether he found it or not, but he didn't expect to be involved in such a tragedy.
The woman was covered in wounds, but her back was straight. Her tenacity was frightening to watch.
Who on earth could do such a heartless thing?
The young man became angrier and angrier as he thought about it. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice that there was an ordinary-looking man in front of him, with a dart in his hand aimed at the woman on the bamboo sedan chair.
The news of this matter had spread throughout the city, and the young master soon got the news and specifically instructed him: Be sure to take her life.
The man was about to throw a dart when he heard a soft "ding" sound and a stone hit the back of his hand accurately.
The poison darts and stones fell to the ground, the subtle sound drowned out by the noise.
The man's face changed, and he hurriedly looked in the direction where the stone came from, then took out a poison dart with his backhand.
Just at this moment, someone tapped him on the shoulder, followed by a sharp pain.
The man turned around suddenly, but before he could see who was coming, he felt a numbness in his shoulder quickly spreading throughout his body.
That slap just now actually pierced something into his body!
The man was horrified when he heard someone scream beside him, "Sir! This man has a weapon in his hand!"
This shout was like thunder from a clear sky, and the onlookers immediately scattered in an uproar.
"There are hidden weapons!"
"Are you going to kill people to silence them?"
The man gritted his teeth and tried to escape, but half of his body was out of control and his movements were slow.
Soon, several officers subdued him.
Zhao Tinglan on the bamboo sedan chair sneered.
As expected... they didn't even want to give her a chance to speak!
As soon as he showed his tiger skills, he was ambushed. Who knows how many murderous intentions are waiting for him in the future!
"What a jerk Li Linan is! He actually wanted to take my life in broad daylight!"
Although her voice was weak, every word she spoke was clear and the people around her could hear it clearly.
"Li Linan?!"
The crowd suddenly became agitated, and the officers' faces changed.
"Miss, it's not too late to discuss the details of the case when we get back to the yamen." The leading officer whispered.
"Go back to the government office?" She sneered. "I'm afraid I won't live long enough to see the trial!"
Her voice suddenly rose. "Although I, Zhao Tinglan, come from humble origins, I am no ant to be trampled upon! Today, in front of all the elders, I will expose the true face of that beast. The one who imprisoned and humiliated me is none other than Li Lin'an, the second son of the current Li Ge Lao!"
"This man passed the imperial examination and appears to be a decent person, but he is actually a complete evil ghost inside!"
"Even if no one seeks justice for me, I will make him infamous!"
There was hatred in her eyes, and she seemed to use all her strength to express every word.
This was the opportunity Young Master Song had fought for her, and she had to seize the chance to speak.
"Is there such a thing?"
"Although Lord Li is a perpetrator of corruption and exploitation, his reputation is certainly not good. But his second son has always had an excellent reputation. During disaster years, he always sets up soup kitchens to provide relief to the victims, and his interactions with others are as warm and gentle as jade. Even when ordinary people offend him, he has never been seen to get angry!"
"That's right! They have different political views and are very distant from each other. What this girl said... can you really believe it?"
"Who knows?"
Although not everyone can watch the excitement of the Li family, if only one or two people can't watch it, then there is nothing to worry about if thousands of people watch it together.
The officers exchanged glances, their expressions complicated. Any ordinary woman who encountered something like this would keep it a secret. Yet, she dared to publicly air it. If, as she claimed, this matter was connected to the young master of the Li family… the officers dared not think any further.
An officer came forward and covered the woman, who had collapsed on the bamboo sedan chair after speaking, with a blanket. Unexpectedly, the woman's trembling hands lifted the blanket again.
This wasn't a shame, it was irrefutable evidence! She was determined to make everyone see the bloody truth!
Because of her stubbornness, the crowds of onlookers on the road increased rather than decreased. The officials had no choice but to exchange the bamboo sedan chair for a sedan chair midway.
However, what he had just seen and heard was enough to make the matter spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital!
In the elegant rooms of the teahouse, the scent of sandalwood wafts through the air.
Song Qianzhao asked, "Is it done?"
Ruyue's eyebrows curved, and she said crisply, "Don't worry, sir. Miss Zhao has arrived at the government office safely!"
She glanced at the eunuch Zhang Xian beside her and said, "Thanks to the skilled soldier that Master Fan had His Highness send, not even a fly got close to us along the way."
"That's right!" Fan Zhiyu flung open his folding fan, beaming triumphantly. "I mentioned this to my cousin, and he said, 'How can your limited manpower be enough?' With just one word from me, he immediately assigned you an extra person."
He suddenly leaned closer to Song Qianzhao, winked and said, "How is it, is it nice enough?"
Song Qianzhao chuckled and flicked Fan Zhiyu's fan bone with his fingers: "I'll treat you to a drink later."
He turned around and asked Ruyue, "Where's Suifeng? Did he get away?"
"Don't worry, sir," Ruyue said with a smile covering her mouth. "That kid is very slippery. He just sent a message saying that he had those yamen runners running around in circles in the alley."
Song Qianzhao nodded, but when he heard Zhao Tinglan insist on showing his scars and accusing Li Linan in the street, his smile gradually faded.
"What a fierce woman..."
She must ask Miss Zhao for justice.
He Jizhong, the prefect of Fengtian Prefecture, was an honest and upright official who never feared the powerful and spoke for the people.
Last night, Song Qianzhao tossed and turned, and he had considered writing a letter directly to ask Lieutenant General He Ji to rescue Zhao Tinglan. But after careful consideration, he gave up the idea.
Although Lord He loves his people like his own children, he is inevitably surrounded by spies. Furthermore, human nature is unpredictable, and a secret letter from an unknown source might not convince him. If Lord He hesitates even for a moment, the situation will spiral out of control.
It would be better to make this matter public. Although the process would be bumpy, it would be safer. With everyone watching, it would not only protect Zhao Tinglan but also gain the upper hand in public opinion.
...Li Shufeng went to the palace for the morning court before dawn and returned home around noon.
As soon as the sedan chair landed, the servant guarding the door hurried over to greet it.
"The master has returned home."
Li Shufeng, who had just dozed off for a moment in the sedan chair, still felt very tired. He only hummed softly, and did not notice the servant's hesitant expression when he lowered his head. He then led his men towards the mansion.
When Li Shufeng reached the inner courtyard and was about to change his clothes and go to the study to handle official business, he suddenly noticed that his wife had a strange expression.
The lady, who has always been dignified and reserved, and never shows her emotions, now has a hint of anxiety between her brows.
Li Shufeng frowned slightly, but his tone remained steady.
"What happened at home?"
"Dad! Someone is trying to throw dirty water on my second brother!"
Before Wang could speak, her daughter Li Ningsheng jumped in and said, "I don't know where this woman came from, insisting that my second brother flirted with her! Now this matter has spread all over the city!"
Li Shufeng turned his gaze to his wife, as if seeking confirmation.
Wang clutched the handkerchief in her hand, her voice trembling, "Master, this matter must be thoroughly investigated. We must not allow anyone to tarnish Lin'an's reputation for no reason."
Both the eldest son and the second son were born to her, but the couple loved the second son the most.
Lin'an has a gentle temperament and quick wit. He is the third place in the imperial examination personally selected by His Majesty. With the support of the master in the court, his future is limitless.
Now someone is throwing such dirty water and defiling her child!
Li Shufeng couldn't stand his wife's useless emotional fluctuations and said coldly, "I have my own ideas. Please tell me the whole story in detail."
Wang then told all the news she had heard from outside, including how Zhao Tinglan had "framed" Li Lin'an.
Li Lin'an's expression remained unchanged after hearing this. He simply asked in a deep voice, "Where is he now?"
"Of course he's still on duty at the Hanlin Academy. I'm just worried that if we rashly go find him, it'll make us look guilty, so I'm waiting for the master to come back and make the decision."
"Go and invite them now!" Li Shufeng said decisively.
If I don't go and invite him now, the government will go directly to the Hanlin Academy to summon him, which will give people a chance to talk about me.
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