Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Can you please not marry Liu Jinshu...
Chen Ling'an's voice was not loud, nor did he show much authority, and he even looked nonchalant.
But just this light sentence made everyone's expression change.
The Shi family's steward winked at his subordinate, telling him to quickly fetch someone. Then, clasping his fists, he said, "Sir, no matter which yamen is handling the case, I believe they will grant justice to my master. I would like to express my gratitude in advance."
The Shi family bravely drove forward.
Chen Ling'an raised his eyelids. "Are the ears just for show? Then forget it."
There was a flash of cold light, and the butler felt a chill beside his ear, and then something warm flowed down his cheek. He was immediately frightened out of his wits and his whole body went limp.
"Did you hear it clearly?" Chen Ling'an asked.
The sinister dagger was still pressed against the butler's face, so how could he dare to say "no"?
Chen Ling'an retracted the dagger and said, "Take them all to the Imperial Prison."
Wu Yong and a team of Jinyiwei appeared out of nowhere and tied up the Shi family without saying a word.
The housekeeper's voice changed in shock. "What are you doing? We are the victims. I didn't kill anyone!"
Chen Ling'an didn't bother to pay attention to him and looked coldly towards the entrance of the alley.
A green-robed official came running over, panting. "Master Chen, this is a case presided over by the Ministry of Justice. Do you have a note from the commander of the Imperial Guard or the cabinet? How can you just take over the case? That's unreasonable!"
Chen Ling'an said calmly, "You've come just in time. Wu Yong, go with him to the Ministry of Justice and take Mother Fang to the Imperial Prison."
"Understood!" Wu Yong put his arm around the man's shoulders and gave him a sly smile. "Come on, I'll go say hello to your boss to save you any trouble. No need to thank me, it's my job."
He was so strong that the green-robed official could not resist or struggle free, and could only be dragged away with a bitter face.
Xiaoman opened her mouth blankly, as if she had not yet recovered from the sudden change.
Chen Lingan was both angry and amused. He said coldly with a stern face, "Didn't you say there was something suspicious about the body? Why don't you come over here quickly?"
Mother Fang is saved!
Xiaoman responded happily, but just as she was about to leave, she paused and looked at Liu Jinshu hesitantly.
He looked very unhappy.
"I'll go take a statement. It'll be done soon." Xiaoman explained to him, "The case is suspicious. Someone might have set it up. I can't let Mother Fang die in vain. I'll tell you in detail when I get back."
Liu Jinshu exhaled and stared at Chen Lingan, "How long have you been here? From the beginning?"
Chen Ling'an raised his eyebrows slightly but did not deny it.
Xiaoman was a little confused. She was so anxious just now that she was going crazy, and he just stood there and watched?
Chen Ling'an touched his nose and muttered softly.
His voice was very low, but Xiaoman was close enough to hear a few vague words, such as "incompetent" and "rob".
Xiaoman stared blankly: He didn’t mean to let her see Liu Jinshu’s helplessness.
This person is too stingy and holds a grudge.
Chen Ling'an avoided her gaze unnaturally, and his tone became stiff, "Are you going or not?"
Xiaoman nodded: Of course I have to go, as long as I can save Fang's mother, I don't care about his little thoughts!
But his arm was grabbed by Liu Jinshu.
It was getting dark and the twilight blurred his face. Xiaoman felt pain in his arm.
"Don't go, leave it to me." His voice trembled.
Without waiting for Xiaoman to answer, Chen Lingan sneered, "You're just bragging without paying any tax, and you don't even consider whether you have the ability to back it up."
Liu Jinshu ignored his taunts and just looked at Xiaoman. "He always does things for a purpose. He would never help someone for no reason. Have you forgotten how he used you last time? I wonder what tricks he's up to this time!"
Xiaoman was about to speak when Chen Lingan interrupted her.
"Look at how frustrated you are. I've really hit the nail on the head. If you're incompetent, you're incompetent. Why are you pretending to be so arrogant?"
Liu Jinshu was furious, but then he changed the subject and said, "Xiao Man is my unmarried wife, and I don't like her being too close to you."
What is your identity?
Chen Ling'an paused.
Liu Jinshu breathed a sigh of relief, and his depressed mood felt a little relieved.
He asked Xiaoman to go back first. "Tomorrow I will petition His Majesty to hand this case over to the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and the Supreme Court for a joint trial. I will definitely clear Mother Fang's name."
Xiaoman asked, "Did you know I was going to see you today?"
"I don't know. I just happened to see you from behind when I came back. Anyway, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"Yes, I guess you don't know either. Go back and interrogate your servant. He knows."
Liu Jinshu's heart sank suddenly.
The Zhang family is in trouble, Mrs. Jiang is embroiled in lawsuits, and his mother is increasingly dissatisfied with this marriage. He originally wanted to clarify the matter of the transfer before comforting his mother. Could it be that his mother couldn't wait to take action?
"For me, my mother is the most important thing right now." Xiaoman gently broke free from his hand and came to Chen Ling'an's side, "Let's go."
Chen Ling'an turned around, the corners of his mouth curling up uncontrollably.
But he soon lost his joy.
The thick humidity entered the Northern Pacification Office without any hesitation. The heat was unbearable and it was almost impossible to breathe.
Neither of the two people in the room spoke. It was very quiet, with only the sound of turning pages.
Most people would feel awkward just sitting face to face in silence.
Zhang Xiaoman, however, did not feel uncomfortable at all. There was no expression on his face. He just sat there motionless.
When Chen Ling'an looked over, Xiaoman looked up at him. He looked away, and Xiaoman also looked away, without asking a question.
There was not a breath of wind in the room. Chen Ling'an tugged at his collar, feeling inexplicably irritated.
At the door, Wu Yong quickly popped his head out.
“Get in here!”
"Yeah, yes."
Chen Ling'an asked, "What did you find out during the interrogation?"
Wu Yong: "Hey, that housekeeper was threatening to sue us at first, so we took him to the torture chamber to open his eyes. But before we even started, he confessed everything."
"His name is Hua Yi, and he's the head of the Nanjiao Huangzhuang. He heard that Madam Jiang was wealthy, so he came up with the idea of 'faking a corpse and stealing the property.' He first trapped Fang Mama's nephew in a gambling game, then pinned the murder on Fang Mama, forcing her to spend money to avoid disaster."
"The deceased was a tenant farmer on his farm. He had severe tuberculosis and was not expected to live for more than a few days. When he heard there was five hundred taels of silver to be taken, he agreed."
Xiaoman, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but exclaim, "Five hundred taels? He asked his mother for six hundred thousand taels."
Dark, really dark! Wu Yong clicked his tongue twice, "Mother Fang's nephew has also been found, and his testimony basically matches what Hua Yi said."
Chen Ling'an: "Is Zhang Wen related to this case?"
Wu Yong glanced at Xiaoman furtively. "According to Huayi's account, he doesn't know Zhang Wen and has no contact with the Zhang family."
"He lied. He knew that Mother Fang was my mother's lifeblood, and there was no one else besides the Zhang family." Xiaoman interrupted, "He didn't want to harm anyone, but he chose Mother Fang. How could he not have the guidance of the Zhang family?"
Chen Ling'an thought for a moment and ordered, "First, find out who in the Zhang family is involved in the case." He then asked, "Who helped him pass the message to the Ministry of Justice?"
"He said he made up a lie to scare people, and everyone believed it after it was passed around."
"Oh, you believe it too?"
Wu Yong hurriedly said, "I don't believe it. Since this involves other provinces and the Ministry of Justice, I dare not arrest anyone rashly. Please give me your instructions, sir."
Chen Ling'an leaned forward and looked at his subordinate carefully. "How can I give instructions if you haven't even figured out who the official is?"
Wu Yong shrank his neck, knowing that his little attempt to watch the fun had been seen through by his superiors. He chuckled twice and turned around to leave.
"Stop! Have the Shi family members been arrested?"
"They were all caught. Not one escaped. They were all locked up in the dungeon."
Only then did Chen Ling'an nod.
Wu Yong was as if he had been granted amnesty. Before leaving, he said to Xiaoman as if to take credit for it: "We will take good care of Mother Fang. Please rest assured, Mrs. Jiang and the third girl."
Xiaoman stood up and said with a smile, "Thank you, Brother Wu. It's getting late, I should go back. Mother is still waiting for news at home."
After saying that, he left without any regrets.
Wu Yong was so shocked that his mouth opened wide: Are you leaving now? Shouldn’t I talk to the adults and say thank you or something?
He realized belatedly that he seemed to have done something stupid. He didn't even dare to look at Chen Ling'an. He moved his legs stiffly, wishing he could disappear into the shadow of the corner immediately.
Chen Ling'an had no time to deal with him. As Xiaoman stepped over the threshold, he chased after her.
But he didn't say anything and just followed Xiaoman.
His footsteps were not light, and he thought the people in front would definitely hear them.
She would stop, then turn around, puff out her cheeks and ask him why he followed her.
How should he answer?
He said there were still some details in the case that he hadn't figured out, and asked her to come again tomorrow, or said it was too late and offered to give her a ride, or asked her for this month's repayment - five cents of silver per month, as they had agreed.
But she had almost walked out of the alley in front of the Beizhenfusi and still hadn't stopped.
Chen Ling'an couldn't bear it any longer, "Zhang Xiaoman!"
The figure in front swayed slightly and stopped.
There were no stars or moon in the sky, and the shadows of the trees and houses were all pitch black and motionless. Only the palace lantern she was holding emitted a faint light in the dark night.
She turned slowly, raised her eyes and waited quietly for him to speak.
All the excuses I had thought of earlier were forgotten, and what came out of my mouth was: "You must be very happy. Your wish has finally come true and you have become the young mistress of the Liu family."
As soon as the words fell, both of them were stunned.
Zhang Xiaoman said in disbelief, "You chased me all the way just to say this to me?"
Of course not!
Chen Ling'an's lips moved. For some reason, he found it difficult to utter these four words.
The topic inexplicably drifted back to Liu Jinshu. "Liu Jinshu filed a complaint against Chen Lingyi before the Emperor, and the transfer order was rescinded. However, the incident was so disastrous that many officials, anticipating a potential falling-out between the Chen and Liu families, began quietly siding with each other."
Xiaoman felt depressed and couldn't help but sneered: "Then shouldn't you thank me? After all, I helped you a lot!"
Chen Ling'an paused again, as if a needle had pierced somewhere in his heart, and a sour and bitter taste filled his mouth.
He didn't know what this feeling meant, but he knew clearly that it was because of the little girl in front of him.
The damp air seemed unable to bear the depression any longer, and dense raindrops began to fall.
The little girl sighed softly, as if she was impatient.
"I'm sorry." Chen Ling'an said softly.
"Don't think I'll forgive you just because I'm sorry."
"Could you please not marry Liu Jinshu?"
What is he talking about!
Zhang Xiaoman stared at Chen Ling'an in surprise, trying to see something from his face, but he turned his face away so that she couldn't see.
The rain was rustling, and the palace lantern in my hand was trembling in the dark night.
Could it be, could it be that he...
Xiaoman's heart was pounding, almost jumping out of her throat.
"I will deal with the Liu family sooner or later. Since you are his daughter-in-law, you will inevitably be implicated. Mr. Lin Ting will blame me." The harsh words came down from above his head.
Xiaoman was hit hard by this blow and fell to the ground from his boundless fantasy. He couldn't help but laugh at himself, "Thank you."
She didn't want to listen to his nonsense anymore.
The Jiang family's carriage was parked at the entrance of the alley, and it was just a few steps away.
Chen Ling'an subconsciously stretched out his hand, but stopped just before touching her. He slowly, slowly retracted his hand and clenched it into a fist behind his back.
The dim halo disappeared at the entrance of the alley.
Wu Yong, who was hiding in the corner and peeking, was so anxious that he wanted to rush up and shake Chen Lingan hard to wake him up: Chase him, why don’t you chase him!
The night wind was howling and the rain was getting heavier. Wu Yong hesitated whether to give him an umbrella.
But then I heard a crackling sound of footsteps coming from afar, and someone was coming with an umbrella.
Wu Yong wisely retreated back into the corner.
The gentle light reflected Zhang Xiaoman's angry face.
Chen Lingan couldn't help but hold his breath.
The sound of wind, rain and heartbeat made him nervous.
Zhang Xiaoman glared at him: "You bastard!"
Chen Lingan gave a bitter smile, "I'm a bastard."
"Mother Fang must be sent back safely, understand?"
"Um."
"And my mother's divorce lawsuit. I don't care what method you use, the divorce must be granted. And as for the dowry, not a single cent can fall into the hands of the Zhang family."
"Um."
"And... I'll tell you when I remember."
"good."
He responded to all her requests and his attitude was quite docile, but it only made Xiaoman even more upset.
Taking a deep breath, she said, "I will not marry Liu Jinshu!"
His face flushed crimson, but luckily it was dark and no one could see.
He added, "It's not because of you."
Chen Ling'an paused for a moment and said slowly, "I know."
"You don't know, you know nothing at all! You big idiot!" Xiaoman stomped his feet, turned around and ran away.
Chen Ling'an still didn't chase her. He raised his face, and the cool raindrops floated on his warm face. He smiled lightly.
Wu Yong, who was squatting in the corner, rolled his eyes silently: You are happy to be scolded, you must be sick in the brain.
-
The Northern Pacification Office intervened in Fang Mama's murder case without informing anyone, and even the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice was invited to have tea for three days.
The Minister of Justice, Yu Deshui, was extremely angry and went to see the emperor with a memorial impeaching Chen Ling'an.
At the door of the Imperial Study, he was stopped by the chief eunuch Lu Liang, "Sir Yu, the Emperor is busy right now. Would you please go to the wing room and wait?"
Yu Deshui immediately followed suit.
But I was a little dumbfounded when I entered the wing room. It was only separated from the imperial study by a wall, and the carved grille door was not very thick. I could tell at a glance that the sound insulation was very poor.
"Manager Lu?" Yu Deshui looked at Lu Liang in confusion.
Lu Liang ordered the palace servants to serve tea, and said, "Sir, just sit down." After saying this, he smiled gently, closed the door and left.
The people in the imperial study didn't speak loudly, and because it was so quiet, Yu Deshui, who was sitting in the side room, could hear it clearly.
"The local authorities and the Ministry of Justice colluded to commit murder for money? The officialdom has become so chaotic and corrupt. This is outrageous!" The emperor lost his temper with the sound of memorials being thrown.
"Wealth can move people's hearts. Mrs. Chiang has nearly a million in assets, and she is a weak woman with no one to rely on. It's like a child holding gold bricks in a busy market. It's inevitable that those who are greedy will envy her."
Chen Ling'an! Yu Deshui pressed his ear against the grille.
Emperor Hongde: "Jiang...sounds familiar."
"Your Majesty has a good memory. The wife of the Prince of Pingyang is also surnamed Jiang. She is the younger sister of this Madam Jiang."
"Since she is Qin Boyan's sister-in-law, why doesn't he help?"
Chen Lingan: "They wanted to intervene, but Madam Jiang and Zhang Wenda's divorce lawsuit caused a sensation in the city. The Marquis' Mansion was worried about public outrage and refused to allow Prince Qin to intervene."
Emperor Hongde: "Divorce?"
Chen Ling'an then told the whole story of how the Jiang family supported the Zhang family, how the Zhang family appropriated Mrs. Jiang's dowry, and how they condoned concubines to humiliate his wife.
Emperor Hongde knew some of these things, but not some of them. At first he listened to them as a joke, but later he gradually stopped smiling.
"Such a person actually served as the Minister of Personnel of our dynasty. How did he become... Huh!" Emperor Hongde snorted heavily, not knowing what he was thinking about.
Chen Ling'an lowered his eyes and remained silent, giving the emperor time to think.
"All those involved in the case will be strictly investigated and punished." Emperor Hongde made the final judgment.
Yu Deshui, who was eavesdropping next door, was already sweating profusely. He stuffed the impeachment memorials into his boots. Seeing that there were pens, ink, paper and inkstone on the desk, he picked up his pen and began to write an article of self-impeachment.
When Lu Liang walked in, he had just finished writing the last word.
Yu Deshui carefully dried the ink, calmed himself down, adjusted his expression, and respectfully went to the imperial study.
Emperor Hongde looked at his letter of self-criticism and remained silent for a long time.
Yu Deshui became increasingly panicked, his head lowered even lower. "I was negligent in my oversight and took corrective action later. I have truly failed the emperor's great grace. I beg the emperor to punish me severely. I will reflect on myself and atone for my past mistakes."
How could Emperor Hongde not see through his subtle intentions? "The case is not complicated. Without the intervention of the Northern Pacification Division, your Ministry of Justice would have made it a false case. This is a murder case, and you think you can just brush it off with a simple 'oversight'?"
Yu Deshui immediately broke out in sweat and fell to his knees, not daring to say a word.
In the dead silence, Chen Ling'an slowly said, "Your Majesty, we are all so well-informed. We are classmates, fellow townsmen, and teachers. All kinds of relationships are so entangled that there will always be times when it is difficult to save face. It is inevitable that Lord Yu will not investigate for a while."
Yu Deshui was extremely surprised. The sun was rising from the west today, and Chen Ling'an actually spoke well of him.
When something is abnormal, there must be something wrong!
Unexpectedly, Emperor Hongde's expression softened, and he sighed with deep emotion, "A gentleman is reserved but not quarrelsome, and he gathers people but does not form a faction. You scholars should emulate Chen Ling'an more."
Yu Deshui: Yes, yes... huh?
Emperor Hongde threw the letter of self-accusation on the desk and said, "I know you are in trouble. Forget it, get up."
Yu Deshui's heart was at ease, but of course tears were still streaming down his face. He was moved and grateful.
Coming out of the Imperial Study, Yu Deshui pondered for a moment before catching up with Chen Lingan. "I don't owe you any favors. Tell me, what do you want?"
Chen Ling'an looked at him as if he were a fool, laughed, and walked away.
"You..." Yu Deshui's beard trembled with anger. Due to his official status, he could not curse loudly to vent his anger. He could only stare at Chen Lingan's receding figure with hatred.
But as he stared for a while, Yu Deshui's eyes became strange.
Alone and walking alone.
He has no close colleagues and no confidants, and he always seems to be alone.
Be a group but not a party! Suddenly, the emperor's words rang in my ears.
Thinking of the recent dispute between the Chen and Liu families, Yu Deshui took a deep breath, looked back in the direction of the imperial study, and suddenly realized.
Then he cursed in his heart, what a gentleman Chen Ling'an is!
-
With the emperor's words, the Northern Pacification Office arrested more than a dozen officials of all ranks from Huangzhuang, Huai'an Prefecture, and the Ministry of Justice, causing shock in both the local and capital officialdom.
Naturally, it aroused public outrage.
But Yu Deshui squinted his eyes, twisted his beard, and looked like he couldn't say anything. Even officials who were dissatisfied with Chen Ling'an's thunderous methods and wanted to report him for his elaborate schemes and fabricated accusations began to wait and see.
When the news leaked out, the Zhang family was in a gloomy mood.
"It's all your fault!" Zhang Wen's face was twisted, his features were hideous and ferocious, and he wished he could bite Aunt Sun to death while she was kneeling on the ground.
"You came up with this awful idea, the people you found, the connections you used, you said it was foolproof, but now it's all ruined. I'm going to be killed by you!"
Aunt Sun didn't beg for mercy. She looked up and said, "Master, you agreed to this. Don't make it sound like it was my fault alone."
Zhang Wen was provoked by her and became even more furious. He grabbed the teacup and was about to hit her.
Aunt Sun said coldly, "Those are made of sweet white glaze from the official kiln. They cost ten taels of silver each. I'm not sure if I can keep the farm in northern Jiangsu. The mansion is only spending money, so please save some money, Master."
Zhang Wen nearly fainted. "It's gone, it's gone. They'll raid the house sooner or later anyway. Keeping it will only benefit others."
He put down the teacup honestly.
Aunt Sun slowly stood up and said, "Chen Ling'an won't attack the master."
Zhang Wen was stunned. "Why?"
"It's very simple, be careful not to use the wrong weapon." Aunt Sun stretched out three fingers and shook them.
Zhang Wen was furious: Who is the rat? Who is the tool?
Aunt Sun had no time to coax him and continued to remind him: "Disobedience is a crime second only to treason and rebellion."
"You mean..."
"Master used this to negotiate terms with them, agreeing to a divorce and not pursuing the third young lady's serious crime of disobedience. In exchange, except for the contents of the mistress's private vault, the rest of the dowry will belong to the Zhang family."
Aunt Sun smiled slightly, "Madam is willing to go bankrupt for Mother Fang, let alone the Third Miss?"
Zhang Wenhuo straightened up his nerves, "I'll let her go, but she can't take a penny with her. She has to bring everything in the private vault back to me intact!"
Aunt Sun was speechless. "Too much is as bad as too little. Being able to survive this disaster safely is already a great blessing."
Zhang Wen was annoyed and ordered Aunt Sun to do it immediately. "Once it's done, I will make you my concubine."
Aunt Sun thanked him and lowered her head to hide the hint of sarcasm on her lips.
-
Soon, Fang's mother came home.
Mrs. Jiang held her hand tightly, laughing and crying at the same time.
Fang's mother was also in tears. "I thought I would never see you again, Madam. Madam, you are so... I am just a servant, it's not worth it."
"Mom, please stop saying that." Xiaoman said with a smile, "Other people don't know how much my wife loves you, but you don't know?"
Mother Fang wiped her eyes and said, "Well, I listened to you, girl. If it weren't for you, I would have ended up on death row."
Xiaoman said softly, "It's not my credit, it's Chen Ling'an's."
The heated and excited atmosphere cooled slightly. Mrs. Jiang and Mother Fang looked at each other and asked, "Have you decided?"
Xiaoman nodded. "I didn't want to look for Chen Ling'an at first. I went to the Liu family first. Madam Qin is too much. Instead of helping us, she adds insult to injury and keeps saying bad things about us. How can I dare to marry into a family like that?"
Mother Fang sighed, "She is inexperienced and doesn't know people. With such a prejudiced and harsh mother-in-law, life won't be easy even if the girl marries him. No matter how good Mr. Liu is, he can't be with her all the time."
Mrs. Jiang pondered for a long time and sighed, "I'll do as you say. I'll talk to the Liu family. Alas, it was all my fault. I almost ruined Xiaoman's life. But... but Chen Ling'an isn't a good match either."
Xiaoman whined, "Who wants to marry him?"
Mrs. Jiang let out a faint sigh.
Although Chen Ling'an is a bad person, he has helped Xiaoman many times, and anyone who sees him would think that he is interested in Xiaoman.
Say what you will about him, he took advantage of Xiaoman without mercy, who knows if he will find another way to trick Xiaoman!
She wanted to analyze the pros and cons with Xiaoman, but Chen Ling'an had just rescued Fang's mother, and she couldn't bring herself to say anything bad about Chen Ling'an.
Xiaoman didn't want to continue this topic, so she smiled and said, "We should take advantage of this opportunity and strike while the iron is hot to win the divorce lawsuit against our mother in one fell swoop!"
Speaking of the Zhang family, Madam Jiang suddenly said, "So many people were arrested, even the Shi family's wife was beaten with thirty sticks, and no one from the Zhang family was involved?"
Xiaoman was stunned. This shouldn't happen considering Chen Ling'an's personality.
Is it because of myself?
No need to! I must find a chance to explain things to him.
However, before she could go over, Chen Ling'an came to her on his own initiative.
"I'm going to the Yingtian Prefecture prison to redeem someone?" Xiaoman's eyes were full of confusion. "Who are you redeeming?"
"Your brother."
"Zhang Bi? You've got the wrong person."
"It's not him." Chen Ling'an's expression was very strange, revealing a sense of disbelief and a little anxiety.
"Your adopted brother, He Ping."
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