The Yue Family Anecdotes
"It's not mine," Wen Ruo sighed, then curiously pulled out the booklet and flipped to Fu Jingjiang's portrait. "Does he really look like the one you drew?"
"So what if my drawing is a bit ugly? He's all hypocritical and two-faced. I treated him like a confidant. How ridiculous! You really thought he was a good man? How laughable!"
Zhang Tingjia's tone was soft and weak, yet it concealed a poisonous needle; a single prick wouldn't kill, but it would make one feel extremely uncomfortable.
"At least you're better off than me. You knew about Miss Yue's affair, but you told Fu Jingjiang instead, because you were worried that the truth would eventually come out. So, Fu Jingjiang also knows the origin of the jade pendant."
Wen Ruo's eyes instantly turned cold, her face full of disdain. "Looks like you're no longer of any use."
Wen Ruo approached Shi Liu's mother. The cell door wasn't locked at all. "Mother, did you hear that? The jade pendant isn't his; it belongs to a woman, and she might have even bought it. It might end up in someone else's hands later. Does that mean you'll have to apologize every time someone else does?"
"You've wronged me once, and I'll pay for it all in place of my mother. When will this ever end?"
Hong Shiliu nodded and shook her head, as if she were possessed. She sat on the ground, patting the ground repeatedly and sobbing uncontrollably.
Wen Ruo couldn't bear to watch any longer and helped her up. "Mother, you must be more careful in the future and not be fooled again."
"Mother, do you know about Miss Yue's matter?" Qi Guanlan saw her crying with her head in her hands. Wen Ruo awkwardly patted her back. Her mother cried louder and louder, almost making the prison cell collapse. What wrong thing did she do?
Rong Jing pondered for a moment, "I don't remember the Yue family very well either."
The Yue family was once considered a scholarly family, and she had heard that the youngest daughter of the family head was exceptionally beautiful; she remembered she was from the Xu family. The third young lady of the Xu family had been in the palace for three years, enjoying constant favor and eventually being granted the title of Imperial Concubine. She had a younger brother named Feihao, who was arrogant and domineering, claiming he had taken a liking to the Yue family and wanted to ask their father, the Emperor, to grant them a marriage.
The grandfather of the Yue family was a learned man, and many of his students had become high-ranking officials in the court. He directly rejected the marriage proposal on behalf of Miss Yue and arranged for her to find a husband through a literary contest. Her mother had told her that Consort Xu had been treated coldly and had become very angry.
Xu Huan, relying on his connections, certainly wouldn't swallow this insult.
Later, people in the palace said that Xu Huan did marry Miss Yue, but on the day of the literary contest to choose a husband, it was clearly a scholar who won. When the veil was lifted, the groom became Xu Huan.
The bridal sedan chair arrived at Xu Huan's garden.
The Yue family had initially accepted the marriage, but Xu Huan didn't cherish it after marrying her, beating and kicking her daily. Miss Yue secretly sent a letter through someone, and the Yue family grandfather filed a lawsuit before the emperor. Within a few days, Xu Huan was exiled and hacked to death on the road. Later, Consort Xu fell out of favor, and the Xu family chose the wrong side, after which they disappeared without a trace.
Qi Guanlan listened intently, "Could it be that Xu Jiawei forced or even bribed the scholar to put on a show?"
"Scholars these days have no integrity whatsoever. They talk about managing their families, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world, but they don't care about speaking up for the people at all. Their minds are full of scheming and cunning. I think it's very likely that the scholar has deceived Miss Yue."
Princess Rongjing shook her head. "As far as I know, the complaint filed by my grandfather's family also contained a letter written by a scholar. That's why my father was furious when he saw it, and even the Imperial Concubine's plea for mercy was met with a scolding."
"At least he has some conscience. What's the scholar's surname?"
The scholar's surname was Sun, and he later passed the imperial examination and entered officialdom.
Where did Miss Yue go?
"Miss Yue is said to be practicing Buddhism while still keeping her hair." Princess Rongjing replied impatiently, "I don't know the rest. If you want to know, go and find out for yourself."
"So Wenruo's mother was also bribed, ruining Miss Yue's life. When she saw the jade pendant, she thought it was Miss Yue's descendant who wanted to atone for her sins. She must have been confused. How could Miss Yue, who was still practicing Buddhism with her hair intact, have gotten married?"
This guy has harmed Wen Ruo twice. He's really senile. What kind of family has Wen Ruo been stuck with?
Qi Guanlan looked at the two of them, and a fire inexplicably rose in his heart. He forcibly suppressed it and told himself that this was Wen Ruo's family matter and had nothing to do with him. If he helped, Wen Ruo might blame him for meddling.
Yet Wenruo is so pathetic.
His brows furrowed deeper and deeper as he turned to ask, "Mother, you said she's so stingy with money, yet she acts so recklessly with her life. What is she thinking?"
Princess Rongjing was naturally unaware of this, so she didn't reply to him, and Qi Guanlan reluctantly shut his mouth.
At the entrance of Dali Temple, Wen Ruo helped Shi Liu Niang out first. Chu Jingjiang was pacing at the entrance when he saw her, his face lit up with joy, and he hurriedly ran over, "Are you alright?"
Shi Liu Niang's eyes were red and swollen. Upon hearing the familiar voice, she immediately looked up, "Young Master Fu?"
"Young Master Fu." Wen Ruo's tone was calm, sounding as if she were simply echoing her mother's greeting.
Perhaps thinking of his mother's surname when he gave the name, Fu Jingjiang felt awkward for a moment, "Sorry, I couldn't stop him."
Wen Ruo shook her head. It was she who had distanced herself from him back then. The scholar was too shy, and even after she visited the shop a few more times, the two of them never shared a table again. It was already a great kindness on his part to stop them.
"Human hearts are unpredictable. It's not your fault, but what are you doing here, Young Master Fu?"
Fu Jingjiang bowed deeply. "Achu is my aunt. I've been looking for her for a long time. Thank you for taking me in these past few days. She told me about you and said she'll wait for your mother to come back. I inquired about it and came here to check on you."
Upon hearing A-Chu's name, Shi Liu Niang straightened her back slightly and quickly supported his arm. "I can't accept this. I should thank A-Chu for running out to report to the authorities. In the end, it was she who saved me."
Fu Jingjiang straightened up, then suddenly froze. Wen Ruo followed his gaze and saw Qi Guanlan and Princess Rongjing's group about to come out. "Shall I take you back?"
"careful!"
Wen Ruo turned her head and saw a carriage rushing towards them from a distance. She quickly helped Shi Liu Niang up and moved aside. Shi Liu Niang had endured a long night in the cold prison, and her legs were already weak and she hadn't had a drop of water. As the carriage approached, whether out of anxiety or fear, her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground.
Wen Ruo and Fu Jingjiang each grabbed one of her arms. She suddenly had a burst of energy and shouted, "Just leave me alone!" Her sharp voice was like a blade. She was still on the verge of collapse. She looked up, tears falling at Wen Ruo's feet, and muttered to herself, "I deserve to die."
"God is going to take me!"
Wen Ruo froze for a moment, and seeing that it was too late, Fu Jingjiang hurriedly pulled her aside. Wen Ruo's eyes widened, and she broke free from his grasp, crying out, "Mother!"
The carriage was only inches away from Shiliuniang when it suddenly pulled back from the edge of the cliff and stopped to the side. Shiliuniang fell to the ground, and a pool of blood instantly flowed from her forehead.
"How...how could this be?" Wen Ruo murmured to herself, her body overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of emptiness, and a layer of mist gradually filled her empty eyes. "Absurd."
Alone again?
A figure flashed past her eyes; it was a face she had long forgotten, seemingly mocking her, a face she had once vehemently refuted.
Fu Jingjiang held out his finger, stared at it for a moment with a complicated expression, then turned his head and said, "Still alive!"
"Did you hear that? Your mother is still alive." Qi Guanlan shook her shoulders, panting as he repeated it several times. A ripple appeared in Wen Ruo's eyes. "Still alive."
Qi Guanlan nodded with relief.
Although he had just been thinking maliciously that Wen Ruo was finally free, seeing her like this, he decided to let it go.
Wen Ruo slowly walked over, and only after confirming that she was still breathing did she collapse to the ground. "Go find Mr. Yi quickly."
Zhao Heng: "I'll take you there."
Wen Ruo moved her arms, but her hands were too weak from the recent detoxification to lift her up. She gave up after one attempt. Fu Jingjiang was right beside her and, seeing her condition, immediately offered to help. Zhao Heng lent a hand, and the two of them carried Shi Liu Niang into the carriage.
"How do you drive? Are you looking to die?"
Qi Guanlan pulled on the reins, but before he could finish cursing, the person on the carriage released the reins, turned around, and hid in the carriage. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to pull him out. But the next moment, he pulled out a person. The man's eyes were closed, his face was pale, half of his eyebrows were completely white, and his chest was not rising and falling. He was obviously dead.
Qi Guanlan's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately opened his mouth wide, but his throat was frozen by the cold air from the corpse, and he could not make a sound.
Upon seeing the dead body, Fu Jingjiang was so frightened that he turned his back. Wen Ruo glanced at him and saw that the scholar was pale and his head was drooping so low that he almost hid himself in his wide sleeves.
"Elder He?" Zhao Heng exclaimed in surprise upon recognizing her, looking at Princess Rongjing with concern. She had just stepped down the stairs when she saw her profile lying on the ground. She swayed and almost lost her balance, but Zhao Heng caught her quickly.
"Someone asked me to deliver this," the servant said in a low voice. "I'm truly sorry about what happened earlier."
Qi Guanlan's eyes sharpened instantly, and he forced out a sentence from his throat with a gloomy expression, "Where is that person? Take me there."
Every word he uttered was filled with hostility. The servant avoided his eyes and took out a letter from his sleeve. "It's from the Red Lotus Inn, but he's left."
"I really just wanted to deliver someone." The servant tremblingly snatched the rope, as if a demon was standing in front of him, and if he was a step too late, he would be devoured alive.
Since opening the letter, Qi Guanlan's face had been ashen, as if he had been smeared with soot. His hawk-like eyes were fixed on the servant, trying to find any possibility that he was lying in his eyes.
The servant was so frightened that he dared not look up and wished he could leave immediately.
Qi Guanlan remained silent for a long time before gritting his teeth and saying, "Zhao Heng, you escort Wen Ruo away."
The carriage stopped in front of the shop. Mr. Yi was drinking a little wine, while Ah Chu next to him was stepping back and forth on the stone mill. The medicinal herbs inside had been ground into powder, almost like fine noodles. Fu Jingjiang supported Shi Liu Niang, nodded slightly, and walked forward with his head down.
"Quickly close the door, a gust of cold wind is chilling my back." Mr. Yi complained while holding the teapot, but didn't lift his buttocks at all. Wen Ruo took the opportunity to pull him along.
"Aunt Chu, can I come home with you now?" As soon as he put her down, Fu Jingjiang, without even taking a sip of water, pulled the dazed Achu up to say goodbye. Achu was in a daze, turning back every few steps.
"She's still sick, why don't we stay a few more days?"
After Wen Ruo saw Fu Jingjiang off, Shi Liu Niang slowly woke up after receiving acupuncture treatment. "Wen Ruo? Aren't I dead?"
Wen Ruo paused for a moment, then blew on the medicine expressionlessly and held it to her lips. "Having died once, I can be considered to have been reborn. I have to thank Mr. Yi for his life-saving grace."
Wen Ruo looked at the white cloth on Shi Liu Niang's head. The mother and daughter had escaped death and were in the same boat. However, Master Yi said that she had turned misfortune into blessing. Once her depression dissipated, her leg healed quickly.
"A-Chu is gone?"
“I told the scholar that he would come for acupuncture once a day as a way of thanking him.”
Fu Jingjiang, a poor scholar, was also taking care of his sick aunt; it was truly not easy for him. She tried to persuade him to stay, but Fu Jingjiang was proud and easily embarrassed. He left some money and took her away anyway, though he also took the remaining medicine, so she should be alright.
"you?"
Shiliu Niang hesitated, then Wen Ruo handed her the medicine. "I lied to the scholar, but I'm still very angry. You should get better first, and we can talk about the rest later."
Wen Ruo closed the door. "Mr. Yi, the medicine has been administered. When can we begin?"
Mr. Yi calculated with his fingers, "Shen Shi (3-5 PM)."
At 3:15 PM, the Dali Temple and its officials were walking on thin ice. Princess Rongjing was as cold as ice, and even Prince Anping, Qi Guanlan, remained silent, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
As soon as the coroner appeared, Zhou Chengnian's face lit up with joy. "Quickly, examine the body!"
The coroner, carrying a leather suitcase, appeared solemn and meticulous, his movements rigorous and cautious, even carefully checking behind his ears.
Half an hour later, "Your Highness, Your Highness, according to my examination, the deceased had thirteen sword wounds. The most fatal one was three inches from the heart meridian, but it was not fatal and showed signs of treatment. The cause of death was poisoning."
What kind of poison is it?
"I don't know, perhaps we need to find a skilled doctor."
Mr. Yi, Qi Guanlan was getting restless; he must know.
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