Chapter 205: Natural Disaster
The Earl of Changxing wanted to suppress the matter. Although Huang Fuxiang had committed a serious mistake, he still wanted to make a big deal out of a small matter for the sake of the Earl's reputation. In the future, whether to give Huang Fuxiang a foot of white silk or a cup of poisoned wine would be a family matter.
However, things did not go as he wished. The matter was too big and had spread outside. Not only did Huang Fuxiang abuse servants and kill dozens of people, but he also fished out dozens of female corpses in the pond of the Earl of Changxing's mansion. In addition, what happened last night was that a maid in the Earl's mansion escaped from the mansion and spread the news.
Huang Fuxiang's evil deeds, the female corpse in the pond, and the sister of the Earl of Changxing's mansion killing her brother became hot topics on the streets. For a time, the Earl of Changxing's mansion became the target of public criticism and its reputation was ruined.
Huang Ruixiang slowly opened his eyes, and was surrounded by severe pain. He was bandaged with wounds all over his body, and he lay on the bed, unable to move.
He struggled to get up, and woke up Ziwei who was taking a nap on the edge of the bed. Ziwei raised her head and saw Huang Ruixiang wake up. Her eyes were full of surprise and tears, and her voice was trembling with excitement, "Sir, you are awake?" As she spoke, tears fell like pearls from a broken string, "Sir, you scared me to death. When I woke up, I saw you covered in blood. I... I almost followed you..."
Huang Ruixiang was pulled back to that thrilling and terrifying memory by Ziwei's words, and he shuddered involuntarily. He turned his head with difficulty and looked around, and found that Ziwei was the only one left in the room. His voice was hoarse and somewhat weak as he asked, "Why are you the only one here? Where are the others?"
Ziwei's eyes became red again. She took a deep breath and recounted the changes that had happened in the mansion in the past two days, "Madam is still in a coma, and the master is busy dealing with many affairs at home. As for the others, most of them were summoned by the government for questioning. I was the first to be questioned, and then those servants who were frightened after waking up and were not born in the family resigned and left on their own. Now in the mansion, except for a few loyal servants who are busy elsewhere, I am the only one left here waiting for you."
Ziwei's thoughts could not help but drift back to the day when she was questioned in the government office. When she opened her clothes and revealed the scars on her body, the shock and sympathy of the people around her are still vivid. Thinking of the abuse she suffered, Ziwei's eyes were filled with hatred, but when she thought of Huang Fuxiang being sentenced to death, the hatred in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by the pleasure of revenge. However, when she turned her eyes to Huang Ruixiang, she changed into an affectionate look, with only endless tenderness and attachment in her eyes.
She knew that Huang Ruixiang was the only one by his side now, and now was the time for her to show her loyalty and care. As long as she could accompany Huang Ruixiang when he needed her most and take good care of him, she would have her own place in this Huang Mansion.
…
"Xiao Liu! Xiao Liu! Huang Fuxiang will be sentenced to death!" Early in the morning, Minglan was still concentrating on her breakfast, and Ruolan rushed into Chengxin Garden with an expression of excitement that could not be suppressed.
Upon hearing this, Minglan gently put down her chopsticks, and a subtle wave flashed in her eyes, and then quickly adjusted to a shocked look, looking up at Ruolan, "Oh? Why?"
Ruolan excitedly told Minglan about the affairs of the Changxing Marquis' Mansion.
After Rulan finished her story, Minglan took a sip of tea, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she said in a calm and profound tone, "Then she really deserves it!"
After that, she looked out the window with deep eyes, as if she was thinking about something, but Rulan, who was immersed in her own world, did not notice the profound meaning in her eyes.
...
In recent days, heavy rain has been pouring down, as if the sky has cracked, and endless water has poured down, covering the Sheng Mansion in a gray mist. The sky is extremely low and gloomy under the heavy black clouds, without a trace of sunshine, as if even time has been frozen by this endless rain curtain.
Inside the Sheng Mansion, the corridors twist and turn, and the eaves are hung with endless raindrops, like strings of transparent bead curtains, swaying gently in the wind, making a fine and dull sound. On the stone steps, the accumulated water is shimmering with a faint light, reflecting the hazy scene around. Every step you take splashes layers of water, soaking the shoes and socks of passers-by.
In the mansion garden, the scene of flowers blooming in the past is no longer there. Only the withered branches and leaves are left swaying in the wind and rain, and occasionally a few petals are ruthlessly knocked off and drifting away with the muddy water. The pond is full of water, the lotus leaves are curling, and the lotus flowers are drooping their heads, losing their former beauty and looking particularly desolate.
In this gloomy environment, the whole Sheng Mansion was filled with a depressing atmosphere, and everyone's mood became heavy with the continuous rainstorm. Only the copper bell under the eaves was occasionally blown by the wind, making a few crisp sounds, adding a rare liveliness to the dull air.
In Shou'an Hall, the women of the Sheng Mansion sat together, looking through the rain curtain from time to time, looking at the hazy sky, with a hint of sadness between their brows.
"The rain keeps falling, I don't know when it will stop. It has been raining for days, and the dampness makes my bones cold. Can mother still bear it? If you feel the dampness in the house, you can light a brazier to warm it up, otherwise your body will be very uncomfortable." Wang Ruofu looked up at the sky irritably, but she did not forget to care about the old lady's health.
"I'm fine, I have maids to serve me, and I'm fine. I'm just worried about the few people going to court. Have you prepared all the rain gear? You must not get wet. The hall is freezing. If your clothes get wet and you are attacked by the cold, you will probably get sick." The old lady was still strong, but she was worried about the young people.
Hearing this, Mingxi hurriedly said, "Don't worry, old lady. Minglan and the master are wrapped tightly in rain gear when they go out, so that the wind and rain can't get in." Finally, Mingxi turned to Hai Chaoyun and Liu Wenxuan and said, "I also sent someone to send the second and third young masters. You two don't have to worry. I guarantee that they can reach the Daqing Palace safely."
Both of them smiled and thanked Mingxi.
After saying this, Mingxi's eyes involuntarily cast out of the window again, only to see that the rain was still heavy and the sky was gloomy. She couldn't help but feel worried, thinking of the poor people living in simple houses. "This rain may be just an inconvenience for us, but it is a real disaster for those poor people who live in houses with thatched roofs and mud walls. Their houses can't withstand the invasion of this rainstorm..."
Chang Zhang sighed softly after hearing this, his tone full of sympathy and helplessness, "Alas, if this rain doesn't stop, I'm afraid the crops will be damaged by the rain, and there will be no harvest in the golden autumn. Those people already have a hard life, and now it's even worse."