Chapter 19: Smashing and Vandalizing
After seeing off Shangluo, Jintang was still nowhere to be found.
Liuli, who went to the backyard to look for someone, came back to report after a while. She said that when she went there, she saw Jintang running out of the backyard and disappeared in a flash. No matter how she shouted, it was useless.
It was the silt-clearing worker nearby who told her that people from Princess Gaoguo's mansion were destroying the Jin family's property, and his father had his head hit because he stepped forward to stop them.
When Jin Tang heard this, he was furious and cursed, "You damn bastard, you're still stirring up trouble." He immediately followed the person who brought the news to the scene and wanted to fight with the people from the princess's mansion.
"Why did the people from Princess Gao's Mansion destroy the Jin family's property?" Qian Deng was a little surprised. Such a big thing had just happened in the Princess' Mansion, and the whole family should have been fully engaged in the funeral. Why did they choose to find trouble with the Jin family first?
Cui Fufeng stood up and said, "I'll go over and take a look to see what's going on."
Qian Deng asked, "The Jin family has many businesses in Chang'an. Do you know where to look?"
Cui Fufeng smiled at her and said, "The only one who could possibly cause trouble for the Princess's Mansion is probably Shengfa Casino."
Qiandeng suddenly remembered the gossip he heard at Qujiang Pond yesterday. In order to let his son top the list, Jintang's father had bought Shengfa Casino and openly put Jintang at the top of the list.
Seeing Cui Fufeng and Ling Tianshui stand up to leave, Qian Deng hesitated for a moment and said, "I'll go with you."
After all, the only way she got along with all her husbands was when they met in the front and back yards, and they all pretended to get along harmoniously.
Even if she questioned everyone one by one, it would be difficult to dig out the clues hidden behind the scenes and discover the true face of each person hidden beneath the surface.
It was time to take a look at what her husbands were like in their daily lives, and see what they were like when they didn't have to be so cautious and polite in front of her.
After changing into men's clothing, Qian Deng rushed to Shengfa Casino and saw that the person who took the lead in smashing the store was Chang Si'en, the eunuch of Princess Gaoguo's mansion.
Chang Si'en relied on the favor of Princess Gaoguo and was appointed as a doctor of the imperial court despite being a eunuch. Naturally, he put on a big show. He set up a chair in the street, opened a large umbrella, crossed his legs, took the tea brought by his men, sipped it slowly, and observed the movements in the gambling house.
By this time, Shengfa Casino had already been smashed to pieces, with the door leaning and collapsed on the threshold, tables, chairs and benches missing corners and legs, the overturned counter drawers turned upside down, and account books and money scattered all over the floor.
Seeing the mess in the house, the servants of the princess's mansion finally gave up. As they were patting the dust off their hands and walking out the door, they saw Chang Sien staring at the betting sign by the door with a gloomy face.
The intricately carved nanmu sign was pasted with flowery paper, with the names of the gentlemen written in thick ink, arranged in order from top to bottom according to the amount of their bets.
Seeing Eunuch Chang's expression, everyone rushed forward and tore down all the wooden signs, which fell to the ground on the street with a loud noise, covered in dust and filth.
"Oh, Sima Chang, what have I done wrong that would make the Princess's Mansion pick on our small gambling house?" Jin Baoyi covered his newly wrapped head and brought Jin Tang out of the gambling house with a wry smile on his face.
Jintang was covered in dust and dirt, with several strands of hair hanging down from his temples, where he was wearing a golden crown inlaid with pearls. He looked very angry, and it was obvious that he had just been in a conflict.
Jin Baoyi gave him a warning look, turned around and nodded to Chang Sien, "Eunuch Chang, please be generous. Why do you have to take us small merchants seriously? It's not good to get angry, so please don't bother with us..."
Chang Si'en put down his teacup, shook off his clothes, and stood up. He walked over to the signs on the ground and looked at them. He stretched out his voice and said, "Small merchants? Why do you, the Jin family, need to be so modest? Aren't you going to marry into the royal family soon and become the county lord's father-in-law?"
Jin Baoyi's smiling face stiffened when he heard his sarcastic tone, but Chang Sien suddenly raised his foot and kicked the sign on the ground hard.
With a snap, the wooden sign suddenly broke into two pieces.
Jin Baoyi was startled and looked down. The name of his son Jintang was broken into two pieces under Chang Sien's feet.
The smile that always brought wealth and peace froze on Jin Baoyi's chubby face.
Jin Tang, young and full of energy, immediately exploded. He rushed out from behind his father and roared at Chang Si'en, "You guys are causing trouble at the Princess' Mansion, so there must be a reason, right? Shengfa is a gambling house that has been duly registered with the government. We opened it with the permission of the upper and lower levels. We operate according to the rules and pay all taxes. What does it have to do with you if a few names are put on it? What gives you the right to come and embarrass us?"
The crowd watching the excitement, including some who were betting at Shengfa Casino, started to boo and chime in, "Yeah, why? Isn't this disrupting business and acting recklessly?"
"Hmph, just based on the fact that one of the people you're betting on is the murderer of our Grand Princess!" Chang Si'en coldly stomped on the pile of wooden signs and said sternly, "The Grand Princess has unfortunately passed away, and the suspect is among you, the candidates for the Lingling County Lady's husband. How dare your gambling house openly hang the murderer in the street as a bet? Do you still have any regard for our Princess Mansion and our Grand Princess?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone on the street was in an uproar.
The news that Princess Gao drowned in Qujiang Lake yesterday had already spread throughout Chang'an, but the people thought she had just fallen into the water accidentally. But now, with just one sentence, Chang Si'en announced to the public that Princess Gao was murdered, and the murderer was in the Changhua Palace. How could this not shock everyone?
Qian Deng, who had been observing the situation behind the crowd, couldn't help but frown.
Originally, the cause of the princess's death was in doubt, and when the murderer pointed to her husbands, she had promised Xiao Fuyu that she would conduct a detailed investigation of all the husbands present at the time and give an explanation to the princess's mansion. Unexpectedly, Xiao Fuyu had no intention of keeping the secret, and today the princess's mansion caused trouble in the street and exposed the matter.
She heard Ling Tianshui sneer beside her: "It seems that even if it affects the investigation and hinders the search for the murderer, Princess Changyi doesn't care. The important thing is to strike a blow to the Changhua Palace first."
Qiandeng pursed her lips and thought, the princess was murdered. As the chief eunuch in the mansion, why didn't Chang Sien take charge of the funeral in the mansion, but came to the Jin family to cause trouble first?
Over there, Jin Tang was already pointing at Chang Sien and yelling, "You're talking nonsense! Princess Gao fell into the water and died. What does that have to do with us?"
"Hmph, our princess dismissed all the noisy tourists by the Qujiang Lake that day. Besides you guys who were nearby, who else could have committed the crime?" Chang Si'en said arrogantly. "If you dare to hang the murderers at the door, I'll come and smash you every day. Let's see how you can keep your business going!"
"There's no door to Qujiang Pond, so how do you know it wasn't a water ghost who dragged her down?" Jin Tang blurted out in anger, "Could it be that Princess Gao repeatedly framed our county lady during her lifetime, but when her accusations failed, she was punished by the court. Now she's getting her comeuppance?"
Upon hearing this, Chang Si'en flew into a rage. With a wave of his hand, he signaled the others to come forward. "How dare you slander the Grand Princess in public! Capture him! Beat him to death! He deserves it!"
Seeing the servants of the princess's mansion rushing forward like wolves and tigers, Jin Baoyi was so frightened that his fat face was shaking. He quickly twisted his fat body to rush over to stop them: "Eunuch Chang, please spare my life. My son is ignorant and spoke carelessly in a hurry. No need for you to do anything. I will teach him a lesson myself!"
As he said this, he raised his hand and slapped Jin Tang in the face. While Jin Tang was stunned, the chubby body had already thrown him to the ground, allowing the punches and kicks behind him to rain down on his fat flesh.
"Dad!" Jin Tang glared at Chang Si'en over his shoulder angrily, trying to push him away. "Let me go, I'll fight them!"
"Idiot, what if you get hurt? Not to mention being crippled or disabled, even if you get disfigured, will the county lady still want you?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com