Chapter 60, Chapter 60, Record of Confession
Liu was stunned by the slap and stood there for a moment. Before she could react, Wang slightly turned her head and gave a look to the two maids behind her. The two understood and restrained Liu from the left and right.
They forcibly stuffed the handkerchief into her mouth and pinned her arms down behind her back.
Liu made frantic "woo-woo" sounds in her throat, struggling to get up, but was held firmly down by the nanny.
Wang turned around and bowed deeply to Liu Jingchang, her movements precise and graceful.
"Lord Liu, the master of the household has suddenly suffered a calamity, and my concubine, Lady Liu, has been unable to withstand the shock and is now mentally unstable."
I apologize for any offense caused by my ramblings earlier. I hope you will forgive me.
The whispering crowd around them quieted down a bit. Several shopkeepers living nearby couldn't help but exclaim, "A concubine is a concubine after all; she goes crazy when something happens."
As expected of the matriarch of a prominent family, Madam Wang remained composed in critical moments.
Even Liu Jingchang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If the Xu family had made a scene first, the case would have been even more difficult to investigate.
Wang straightened up, her gaze falling on the broken wood and bloodstains on the ground. Her face paled slightly. "Lord Liu, I just heard the yamen runners say from afar that it wasn't an accident? What exactly happened?"
Liu Jingchang did not answer directly, but asked instead, "Madam Xu arrived quickly. The yamen runners had not yet gone to the Xu residence to report the news when you arrived. Your information network is quite efficient."
Pei Zhiwei stood beside Xiao Yunzhan, secretly observing Wang Shi.
She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembled, and after a moment of silence, she spoke: "It was my master's friend, Master Wang, who sent a servant to the mansion to say that something had happened here, so I hurriedly brought the two children here."
"Hey! It's me, I'm the one who sent the message!"
A man dressed in a dark brown silk Hu-style robe emerged from the crowd; he appeared to be around fifty years old.
He squeezed to the front of the crowd and bowed to Liu Jingchang, saying, "I was entertaining friends at the 'Drunken Immortal Restaurant' at the end of the street just now."
The restaurant with the "Drunken Immortal Pavilion" signboard was only two or three hundred steps away from Yuhuchun Restaurant.
"I heard a loud 'boom' from this side."
When I ran over, I realized that the ceremonial frame had collapsed...
When I squeezed in, I saw Mr. Xu...
I didn't dare delay and quickly sent a servant to inform the Xu family.
Liu Jingchang: "Just now, Madam Liu said that Master Xu had a fight with you?"
Wang sighed deeply, her voice a little unsteady: "What couple doesn't bicker?"
It was just a disagreement between my husband and me about the renovation of the courtyard; we only exchanged a few words.
"Liu has always been prone to overthinking, and she was frightened, which is why she's talking nonsense."
These words, spoken lightly, dismissed Liu's words as "madness."
Liu Jingchang stared at her for a moment, then didn't press further, instead saying, "The case hasn't been fully investigated yet."
However, since you're here, go with the constables over there to give your statements first.
From the moment I opened my eyes this morning until now, please describe in as much detail as possible where I have been and who I have met.
"After you're done, head back to your residence. I will have someone notify you if there is any news."
"Take a statement?"
Xu Ren, who was following behind Wang, suddenly rushed over, his face flushed red: "My father is a victim!"
We weren't even here, so why should we be asked to give a statement?
"When you government officials investigate a case, do you also need to track down the victim's whereabouts?"
As soon as he said this, the surrounding crowd began to whisper again, all feeling that what he said made some sense.
"Xu Ren, don't be so insolent in front of Lord Liu!"
Xu Li, wearing a dark blue long gown, quickly stepped forward to pull his younger brother back. He was more composed than Xu Ren, but he also stared at Liu Jingchang with a gloomy expression.
"Lord Liu, my brother acted rashly and did not mean to offend you."
However, my father's sudden misfortune has left my brother and me in a state of great turmoil, and we are truly puzzled.
Our family has never even stepped foot in Yuhuchun Restaurant today, so how could we possibly be involved in this case?
"The magistrate is ordering us to give statements. Does he suspect we murdered our husbands and fathers?"
Liu Jingchang didn't say anything, but simply took a step forward.
Even though I only took one step, the surrounding noise suddenly subsided considerably.
He was already tall and imposing, and now, as he squinted at Xu Li, it was less like a county magistrate intimidating the uncooperative people, and more like a lion about to tear apart its prey.
“Xu Li, I know you are the eldest son of the Xu family, and you usually act with dignity in Yangdu.”
But the government has its own procedures for handling cases. Now the ceremonial frame has collapsed and people have died.
Before the case is classified, anyone from Yuhuchun or your Xu family who has any connection with Master Xu is a suspect.
"Don't think that just because you're sons of the Xu family, you're above the law. Even if a prince himself were here today, you'd still have to follow the established procedures."
Xu Ren wanted to argue, but was interrupted sharply by Madam Wang: "Shut up!"
She strode over to the two brothers, glared at Xu Ren, then turned to Liu Jingchang and bowed: "Lord Liu, I am truly sorry."
These two children have been pampered by their master since they were little and have never experienced anything major. They were also frightened just now, so they spoke without thinking and offended the adults.
I apologize on their behalf. We'll go with the constables to give our statements right away and won't cause any trouble for the government.
She glared at Xu Ren again as she spoke, signaling them to follow.
Xu Li wanted to say something, but Wang stopped him with a look, so he could only follow the yamen runners into the restaurant with resentment.
Xu Ren was full of resentment, but dared not utter another word.
"Tsk, these two..."
Xie Ji then put his arm around Xiao Yunzhan's shoulder, speaking in a low voice, but still loud enough for Pei Zhiwei to hear.
"He doesn't look much younger than that Wang woman, does he?"
Adding it all up, it must be at least eighty yuan, and you call that a 'child'? How disgusting!
He pursed his lips as he spoke, "Just what's the background of this Xu family?"
They even dared to defy the county magistrate.
Why are all the people in Yangdu so arrogant?
I've run into three people that night. Zhang Xiao's father is a prefect.
What does the father of these two brothers do?
Xiao Yunzhan's shoulders slumped, he flinched at Xie Ji, glared at him, and signaled him to shut up.
Xie Ji scoffed and obediently shut his mouth, but still couldn't help rolling his eyes at Xiao Yunzhan.
Liu Jingchang didn't pay much attention, but Lu Fanghui spoke first, "Young Marquis Xie may not know, but the Xu family is the richest family in Yangdu and is also an imperial merchant family."
Half of the silk and porcelain purchased for the palace came through their connections, and they had dealings with many members of the imperial family.
The prefect usually gives them a wide berth, which inevitably makes them more confident.
"Imperial Merchant?" Xie Ji's eyes widened in surprise.
"They only have some dealings with each other, yet they dare to speak to the county magistrate like that?"
If they really became royalty, wouldn't they turn Yangzhou upside down?
"Thank you, Ji."
Xiao Yunzhan clicked his tongue softly, the sound not loud, but the warning was clear.
Xie Ji shrank back, "Okay, okay, I won't say anything more, alright?"
Pei Zhiwei couldn't help but find it a little funny. With Xie Ji's unconventional personality, he would probably be a free spirit wherever he went.
I really didn't expect that Xiao Yunzhan could still control him.
However, he looked like a naughty child caught red-handed by his teacher, which was quite amusing.
"Sir, Manager Zhang has arrived!"
The yamen runner's voice interrupted Pei Zhiwei's thoughts.
Zhang Cheng, the manager of Yuhuchun Restaurant: "I am Zhang Cheng, and I greet Lord Liu."
"Manager Zhang, there's no need for such formalities."
Liu Jingchang: "I'm asking you, has anyone recently mentioned wanting to acquire Yuhuchun?"
Zhang Cheng was taken aback, quite puzzled as to why Liu Jingchang would ask such a question.
"Acquisition? Sir, you must be joking."
Yuhuchun is a property of the Lu family. The Lu family is very wealthy and powerful, so why would they sell it?
Sometimes, customers would jokingly say things like, "I wish this building were mine," after having a few drinks, but everyone knew it was just a casual remark and nobody took it seriously.
“It’s not a joke.” Xiao Yunzhan’s deep eyes stared straight at him.
"Think carefully, has anyone seriously mentioned to you, or heard from others, that someone really wants to acquire Yuhuchun?"
Zhang Cheng felt a little nervous under his gaze, and then thought about it carefully.
"Oh! Now that you mention it, I do remember something!"
Just last month, some people from the liquor store came to drink. A group of them got half-drunk, and one of them mentioned that Wu Ming, the deputy head of the store, had complained to them before.
They said that Master Lu was too old and acted too conservatively.
If he can win the Jade Pot Spring tea, he can become the head of the troupe.
"With the reputation of Yuhuchun, the No. 1 Wine Shop in Guangling, and by reforming the wine guild according to his ideas, things will definitely be much better than they are now."
After saying that, he quickly explained, "But sir, that's what that person said when he was drunk."
Brother Wu Ming himself has never mentioned this matter to me, nor has he shown any disrespect to Master Lu in front of me.
I didn't take it seriously.
After all, the Jade Pot Spring tea belongs to the Lu family; no one would dare to actually try and take it from them.
All eyes fell on Lu Fanghui.
Lu Fanghui didn't react much, he just smiled kindly.
"Wu Ming is quite capable."
He's just a bit impatient, young and impetuous.
It's perfectly normal to refuse to be second to anyone.
"Young and impetuous?" Xie Ji couldn't help but interject again, his voice a little louder than before.
How young can someone be to become the deputy head of Yangdu Wine Company?
"Could it be another 'young person' in their fifties or sixties like the Xu family from earlier?"
Lu Fanghui was amused by him and laughed out loud, stroking his white beard.
"Young Master Xie is right."
However, I am sixty-one years old this year. In my eyes, those in their early forties are still young.
My good-for-nothing son is even a few years older than him.
Xie Ji's lips twitched. "Fine, you're older, so you're right. If you say he's young, then he's young."
Xiao Yunzhan glared at him, and Xie Ji quickly swallowed the rest of his words, pretending to look at the broken wood on the ground, while still scribbling haphazardly.
Xiao Yunzhan ignored him and instead asked Lu Fang, "Master Lu, has Wu Ming mentioned to you that he wants to acquire Yuhuchun?"
Lu Fang replied: "No."
Wu Ming is a shrewd man; why would he come here to make a fool of himself?
Putting aside everything else, the cooks and waiters in this building are all servants of the Lu family.
Even if he actually buys the building, he won't be able to support it.
Furthermore, the Lu family has no reason to sell Yuhuchun tea; why would he bring up such an unrealistic idea?
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