"Let's go, let's go take a look!"
"..."
The actors on the stage looked at each other, not daring to ask a question, hesitating whether to continue singing.
Among these people, some genuinely wanted to help, while others were just there to watch the spectacle.
Old Madam Yin couldn't stop it by herself, and she couldn't help but look at her grandson standing next to her daughter with some resentment.
With a sudden tightening in her heart, Yin Wenxuan instinctively gripped her son's hand.
Qin Sheng went to the front yard first.
The official from Shuntian Prefecture was Constable Xu, who brought eight constables with him. Each of them was dressed in a red and blue uniform and carried a large knife at their waist.
This Officer Xu was Qin Yu's senior brother, so naturally he knew Qin Sheng.
"Madam Yin," Constable Xu clasped his hands and bowed to Qin Sheng, "we received a report that someone in the Yin family was beating the victim and attempting to kill her. We heard cries for help and came here to investigate."
Qin Sheng nodded, exchanged a few words with Constable Xu, then his gaze suddenly turned cold as he turned to the servants who had been beating people earlier. "What exactly happened? Who gave you permission to beat people?"
The one who was beaten was a young man, who looked rather thin and wore old clothes, but had a refined appearance and looked like a scholar.
"Madam..."
After exchanging glances, one of the servants mustered his courage and said, "It's not our fault. This beggar was just being reckless, shouting and yelling at our gate and ruining the Lord's reputation. It was the Lord who ordered us to drive him away."
Qin Sheng said coldly, "Why would someone tarnish the Earl's reputation at our gate for no reason? Did you even ask them before you started hitting them?"
"..."
The servants exchanged bewildered glances. It was the Lord's order; the Lord had said that if they couldn't get rid of this person, they should beat him up and then drag him away.
At that moment, the young man who was covered in injuries walked over.
He first clasped his hands in thanks to Constable Xu, and then bowed to Qin Sheng.
If Officer Xu hadn't arrived in time with his men, he might have been beaten to death by these people.
"What's your name?" Qin Sheng asked.
The man coughed, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Qin Sheng before speaking: "Madam, my name is Xia Sang, from Hushan."
Xia Sang, Ye Jiaoniang's fiancé.
He used to be the son of a tofu shop owner in Hushan. Their engagement was arranged when they were teenagers.
The two grew up together and can be considered childhood sweethearts.
However, later on, some scoundrels in the village would come to Ye Jiaoniang and her daughter's house to cause trouble from time to time because there was no man in their household.
Ye Jiaoniang's mother then moved her out of the village and into a thatched hut.
After moving out of the village, Ye Jiaoniang initially continued to see Xia Sang, but later Xia Sang went to study far away. Before parting, the two exchanged tokens of their love and agreed to formally propose marriage to Ye Jiaoniang's mother when Xia Sang returned.
Who knew that after three years apart, everything had changed and people were no longer the same.
After Xia Sang finished speaking, she cupped her hands towards Qin Sheng and said, "I did not come here to confront Ye or Aunt Ye of the manor. I just want her to return the token of my Xia family. It is an heirloom of the Xia family. Since I am not destined to be with Aunt Ye, the things we exchanged should naturally be returned to each other. Does Madam think this makes sense?"
Qin Sheng nodded, "That makes sense."
After saying that, she turned her head and instructed Qiao'er beside her to go to Mingyue Pavilion.
Before Qiao'er could even arrive, a large group of people followed behind Old Madam Yin, including Ye Jiaoniang and Yin Wenxiao.
"What... what exactly is going on?"
Yin Wenxuan spoke first, glaring at Qin Sheng: "Sister-in-law, is this how you run the household? Making such a big fuss, anyone who didn't know better would really think that the Pingyin Marquis's Mansion had broken some law!"
Anyway, let's get Qin Sheng down first, so she won't stand idly by later.
Yin Wenxuan didn't think her brother had done anything wrong. She only blamed Qin Sheng for being incompetent. If she were capable and resourceful and could manage the servants in the mansion, how could the incident of servants beating people at the gate of the Yin family have happened?
Qin Sheng looked at her calmly.
Yin Wenxuan is such a brainless person; she really thinks she can be blamed for every mess.
Qin Sheng said, "Yes, it is indeed my fault for not managing the household properly. I let the Earl take her in without having anyone investigate her identity. At the time, the Earl and the old lady kept saying that Aunt Ye was a distant cousin who had lost both her parents at a young age. I felt sorry for her, so I agreed. Who knew that Aunt Ye had told a huge lie? She clearly had a fiancé and her birth mother was still alive. I don't know why she lied to us back then?"
Putting everything else aside, just the fact that Ye Jiaoniang claimed to be "orphaned" while her birth mother was still alive and well would completely ruin the reputation of the Pingyin Earl's Mansion.
Yin Wenxiao had just caused a scene by stealing the woman of the former sixth young master of the Yongning Marquis's mansion in a restaurant. If now it is said that he has stolen someone else's fiancée, how will outsiders view him?
Could it be that he has some kind of unusual fetish? Like stealing other men's women?
Why abandon a beautiful wife to deceive and pamper a concubine who is full of lies?
"..."
Yin Wenxuan couldn't help but shiver. Her husband, Zhang Jin, came over and looked at her with a slight frown.
“Lord.” It was Constable Xu who spoke at this moment. He gave Yin Wenxiao a slight bow and asked in a righteous tone, “May I ask if you know this person?”
Xia Sang... Yin Wenxiao had heard of this name before.
Hushan is known for its many scholars and talented individuals. Xia Sang's uncle is said to be a failed scholar. He studied with his uncle from a young age. While his scholarship may not be widely known, Yin Wenxiao had heard his name several times when chatting with his classmates in Hushan.
But he had no idea that Xia Sang and Jiao Niang were actually engaged!
"I don't know," Yin Wenxiao replied.
After speaking, Yin Wenxiao's gaze unconsciously turned to Qin Sheng. He didn't even know why, but he was afraid that he would see disappointment on her face.
Officer Xu nodded, then his gaze fell on Ye Jiaoniang, who was standing next to Yin Wenxiao with a pale face: "This must be your concubine Ye. Does Concubine Ye know Xia Sang?"
"..."
He was tall and had a serious face; the moment he opened his mouth, you could feel the immense pressure coming at you.
Although she had already discussed it with Yin Wenxiao, Ye Jiaoniang was still inevitably nervous with so many people around.
“To recognize, to know.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Yin looked at her as if she wanted to tear her apart alive.
That vile woman!
Although Madam Yin was furious, she still asked in a low voice, "Jiao Niang, what exactly happened?"
Yin Wenxuan wanted to speak, but she had to hold back because her husband was present.
Stared at by so many people, Ye Jiaoniang swallowed several times, tears streaming down her face. She wouldn't look at anyone, only saying, "When I was little, I lived in the village with my mother. She did arrange a marriage for me, but later… later we left the village and never saw that person again. I don't know if he's alive or dead… I… I thought the marriage was off…"
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