Chapter 20 Background
The two of them walked through the courtyard together, their minds full of worries. Shangluo asked in panic, "Brother Jingning, what should we do now?"
Shi Jingning sighed softly and said, "We can only hope that Prince Linhuai will recapture Chang'an as soon as possible. I'm also very worried about my younger brother and sister-in-law. I wonder how they are doing now. Did their home get looted..."
"I'm fine. My father is in Jizhou anyway. The rest of the family dislikes me. They often punish me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall and not allowing me to eat. My grandfather even whipped me with thorns..." Shangluo's young and ignorant face showed no worry. "If it weren't for the filthy Su Yunzhong who lives in the same room with us, I think this place would be pretty good."
Shi Jingning was a little surprised: "No way, I see he is clean inside and out, he doesn't look like a dirty person."
"Ah... you don't know, last night when we first arrived at the farm and split up to go out for inspection, I happened to run into him by the warehouse. I saw him twirling his fingers with a strange look on his face, so I took a quick look. Guess what? His hands were covered in snot, sticky and mushy. It disgusted me to death!"
"Don't be mistaken. He doesn't have a cold, so how could he have a runny nose?" Shi Jingning said helplessly. "Even if he does, it's just a small matter. Just wash it off."
"Hmph, anyway, he's just a jerk." Shangluo was young after all, and he continued to worry about other things. "I don't know how the county lady is doing now. Sigh, she's so pitiful. Her mother passed away... If I could be chosen as the county lady's husband, I would definitely play with her and make my savior happy for the rest of her life!"
Shi Jingning was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Yes, I also hope that the county lady will have a smooth and happy life..."
Before he could finish his words, a hawksbill turtle's scream suddenly came from the woodshed.
Then, she rushed out of the door, and her loud scream made everyone tense up: "Help! My father has been killed, and the murderer has escaped!"
Nan Yu, who was on the tree, knew that his plan was exposed, and in panic he moved along the branches towards the courtyard wall.
Shi Jingning, who was standing under the tree, pulled up Shangluo, whose face was pale, and was about to run away when he suddenly noticed the shadow of a tree swaying on the ground.
He stopped and suddenly turned his head to look at the treetops above.
"The person is here, the murderer is trying to escape!"
With a "bang", Nan Yu was tied up and thrown heavily onto the blue brick floor.
Daimao rushed forward, her eyes red with anger, and kicked him until his face was bruised.
She had been practicing martial arts with Uncle Fu since she was a child, and she grew up tall and strong. Even her brother A Zhong was often chased by her with a broom and had to run away in fear. Now, when she was beating the murderer of her father, she had no time to hold back.
No one present stopped her and allowed her to vent her grief and anger.
When she was exhausted, Nanyu almost fainted. Her brother A Zhong stepped forward to support Daimao and took her to sit next to him.
"It's all your fault! You've ruined Dad!" Daimao was overwhelmed by grief and yelled at Zhong, "Hasn't the woodshed always been yours? Why didn't you go there yourself and let Dad take food to that bastard? Dad is old and frail, and it's you who has to go. Will Dad get hurt?"
A Zhong opened his mouth but had no way to defend himself. He just squatted on the ground and cried.
Qiandeng was leading people to place her mother's body in the cellar of the farm, hoping that the remaining ice inside could temporarily preserve the remains. Upon hearing the bad news about Uncle Fu, she hurried over with people.
Since her mother's accident, she has been sleepless until now. Although she has not collapsed, she is pale and weak, with no blood on her lips, and only her eyes are burning with a strange sharpness.
She signaled everyone to pull Nan Yu up and asked in a hoarse voice, "Nan Yu, you killed Madam and Uncle Fu, and then opened the door to the thieves. Why did you do that?"
Nan Yu knew his life depended on this moment, and he immediately argued desperately: "I didn't! I didn't break the door lock, I didn't lead the rebels here, I didn't kill anyone, and I wouldn't dare kill my wife!"
"Humph, what are you afraid of?" Daimao wiped his tears from his face and cursed, "If you hadn't killed anyone, why would you be so desperate and open the door to escape even though you knew there was an insurgent army outside? If you didn't know you were guilty of a crime that would undoubtedly result in death, why did you kill my father and run away? My father went to feed you, you beast!"
"I didn't kill anyone! Why would I kill Madam? Madam... Madam told Nanny Tian that she thought I could be the County Lady's husband!" Nan Yu was desperate. He struggled to look at Nanny Tian who was standing in the corner and begged, "Nanny, you also heard Madam say that day, didn't you? You told me that Madam admires me! I have a great chance!"
Everyone's eyes were focused on Nanny Tian.
Nanny Tian trembled, took a step back in panic, and was at a loss for what to do.
Qiandeng looked back at Nanny Tian and suddenly remembered that before her mother had the accident, when Nanny Tian came to accompany her mother, she also mentioned Nanyu.
She said at the time that Mr. Nan was guarding outside, and he could shoot accurately from a hundred paces away, so he would definitely be able to protect us.
"Madam Tian," Qian Deng said coldly, "Have you known Nan Yu before?"
Aunt Tian was shocked and knelt down quickly, saying, "County Lady, this old slave... this old slave..."
"We came to the farm in a hurry, and I wasn't even familiar with the ten young men. But how did Madam know that he could shoot an arrow through a hundred paces, and why did she praise him so much in front of us?"
Unable to deny it, Nanny Tian could only admit, "Yes... I did, indeed, know Nanyu before. His mother is a neighbor from my mother's side of the family. A year or two ago, I reunited with her and learned that her son had been chosen as a candidate to marry the county lord."
"Anything else?" Qian Deng asked again, but she saw that she was kneeling on the ground and didn't dare to answer. She raised her head and glanced at the faces of everyone in the hall, then looked at Ji Linyou in the crowd.
"Ji Linyou."
Hearing the county lady calling him, Ji Linyou was stunned for a moment, then quickly came out: "I'm here."
"I remember that you had a conversation with Nan Yu during your archery competition yesterday. It seems that you two knew each other before?"
"Yes, we both passed the martial arts exams and studied together at a martial arts school outside Beijing. Initially, he, like me, trained in swordsmanship. But about a year or two ago, he suddenly switched to archery and horseback riding, and we haven't seen each other much since."
"Okay." Qian Deng looked back at Nanny Tian and Nanyu kneeling on the ground and said coldly, "Nanyu has been practicing diligently for a year or two and is now an outstanding archer. Nanny Tian reunited with Nanyu's mother a year or two ago and learned that he was one of my husband's candidates. And two years ago, I discussed this with my mother. My grandfather and father both established themselves in the court through martial arts, so I hope my husband will also be proficient in archery and horsemanship."
She just stated the facts without saying much, but everyone in the hall understood what she meant.
Ji Linyou slapped his thigh and blurted out, "So this is why he suddenly switched to horseback archery! I was wondering why he switched to archery!"
Xue Xiyang chuckled softly, his fine voice making his harsh words sound quite appealing: "Well, the imperial court hasn't even decided on the candidate yet, and someone has already leaked the results. It's clear that they don't take the imperial court, the Ministry of Rites, and the emperor's will seriously?"
Nanny Tian was terrified and immediately raised her hand to slap herself in the mouth, crying, "This old slave deserves death! This old slave really didn't know how serious this matter was. When I reunited with my young sisters after a long separation, I somehow let it slip. This old slave... This old slave will let the county lady deal with me. Even if you beat me to death, I will have no regrets!"
Qian Deng shook his head and said, "You are an old friend of ours and you took care of me when I was little. I will not punish you lynched. The law of the land will dictate how to deal with you."
Nanny Tian wept bitterly on the ground. Nanyu, hearing Qiandeng's calm and composed words, knew she had recovered somewhat from the chaotic grief of her mother's death. He mustered up the courage to protest his injustice once more, "So, my Lady, I... I had so much hope, why would I destroy my own future and do something like murder my wife?"
Qiandeng stared at him intently, seeing the despair and pleading in his eyes, then slowly raised his head and glanced at the faces of the others one by one.
Ten candidates for husband were all in front of her. They were of different ages and had different life experiences. Although things had happened in a hurry in the past two days and they all looked uneasy, they were all handsome and outstanding.
Their good appearance hid their thoughts, and their eyes looking at her seemed to be filled with questioning concern.
But she knew very well that their backgrounds were unknown and they all had their own motives. She had no idea why they came, and it was even more difficult to predict the sinister secrets buried deep in their hearts.
When her mother died, the door bolt broke from the inside, and the most likely culprit was one of the ten potential husbands.
But now, the people in the manor were all old and weak, and she wasn't capable of restraining them all for careful questioning. So, she simply lowered her gaze and said in a slightly cold voice, "You all should go down and rest first. Remember, the situation is uncertain now. Although there are guards in the manor, it's best not to be alone."
All nine people agreed. Some of them looked at her, wanting to say something, but seeing her indifferent expression, they could only turn around and file out.
The only people left in the hall were the tied-up Nan Yu and Nanny Tian who was still kneeling on the ground.
Qiandeng signaled Uncle Kang to take Nanyu with him, then glanced at Nanny Tian and said, "Follow me."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com