Chapter 166 Murder to Cover Up
Zhao Jieyu's expression changed drastically upon learning that Shen Yiqiu even knew about this past event. She almost lost her composure and cried out in a shrill voice:
"Where did you hear this nonsense? This is utter rubbish!"
Shen Yiqiu stared intently at her, trying to catch the panic in her eyes:
"What a pity! If my grandmother were alive, she would be heartbroken to know that the person she saved back then conspired with others to kill her!"
"You're spouting nonsense! You're making baseless accusations!"
Zhao Jieyu was emotionally agitated and almost lost control.
Seeing this, Song Sangyu quickly tugged at her sleeve and urgently reminded her:
"Auntie! Calm down! Don't forget what the person above instructed us to do today! Business is important!"
Reminded by this, Zhao Jieyu suddenly came to her senses, took a few deep breaths, suppressed her surging emotions, and put on that hypocritical mask again:
"Hehe, let's not dwell on the past. Let's talk about the present."
Her gaze swept over Shen Yiqiu and the sword in her hand, her tone suddenly turning sharp:
"Guards! The Marquis of Yongjia has been overthinking and has suffered a hysterical attack. He may harm himself, his parents, or his siblings. Please take him away and provide him with proper care and treatment!"
Green bamboo stood in front of Shen Yiqiu:
"You are making baseless accusations and falsely accusing loyal and virtuous people!"
Shen Yiqiu knew that a direct confrontation would be disadvantageous; she needed to find substantial evidence. She declared loudly:
"Whether it's a frame-up or not, a simple examination will tell. Open the warehouse! You'll see immediately whether what I said is true or false!"
Zhao Jieyu and Song Shenshi exchanged a secret and smug look, as if they had expected this.
Madam Song immediately responded, appearing completely at ease:
"We have nothing to hide, so investigate us! The warehouse is right here, you can look all you want!"
Shen Yiqiu had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but the die was cast and she had no choice but to proceed.
She gestured for Bai Mei and Qing Zhu to be careful, and led the people to the warehouse entrance.
The heavy warehouse door was slowly pushed open.
However, the scene inside left Shen Yiqiu and her two servants stunned and speechless.
The warehouse was not empty or chaotic as they had expected, but rather neat and orderly, filled with a dazzling array of goods.
Boxes and cabinets filled with jewels, silks and satins, antiques and calligraphy...
These were none other than the items on the enormous dowry list left behind by the late Marquis of Yongjia, Shen Zhaohua.
They were wiped clean and arranged in an orderly fashion, as if they had never been touched in the slightest.
"This...how is this possible?"
Bai Mei cried out in alarm.
Qingzhu rubbed her eyes in disbelief:
"Miss...this..."
Shen Yiqiu was shocked. A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. She had fallen for their trap!
Bai Mei was unwilling to give up and said sharply to the people behind her:
"Search! Search thoroughly! Look for whips, instruments of torture, or traces of blood!"
However, the guards searched the storeroom inside and out, but all they received in return was Zhao Jieyu's increasingly smug laughter.
The warehouse was so clean it looked like it had been thoroughly cleaned; there wasn't a trace of blood or torture instruments, not even a speck of dust from a fight.
Zhao Jieyu slowly walked forward, looking at the pale-faced Shen Yiqiu, her tone full of regret:
"Lord Yongjia, now... what else do you have to say? This 'hysteria' seems to be quite severe."
Just as Shen Yiqiu was at a loss for words, a weak voice came from behind the crowd:
"They...they switched the warehouse, I can testify!"
Everyone turned around in astonishment. Aunt Yun, supported by Song Sanchun, walked over, her face pale and her steps unsteady.
A hint of surprise flashed in Zhao Jieyu's eyes. She deliberately twisted her waist, straightened her clothes, and feigned an air of authority.
"Yun? You're just a concubine, heavily injured, what nonsense are you spouting? Get out of here!"
Aunt Yun did not back down. She walked to the storeroom door, pointed to the intact chests and boxes inside, and said to everyone present:
“I’m not lying! Look, everyone, these boxes look exactly like the list, but the details are wrong.”
"On the old Marquis's dowry list, all the sandalwood chests containing the jewels had a small '沉' (chen, meaning 'heavy' or 'sinking') engraved in the lower right corner as a secret mark. The old Marquis designed it himself to prevent anyone from switching them! But look at these chests now—"
She suddenly pointed to several conspicuous boxes.
"It's as smooth as new, so how could there be any engraving?"
Upon hearing this, some of the old servants couldn't help but peek over and, sure enough, discovered something amiss, and whispers began to rise again.
Song Shen interrupted in a shrill voice:
"You're spouting nonsense! It's just worn down from its age!"
Aunt Yun sneered, pressing closer step by step:
"Damage? Why is it that only these priceless jewelry boxes are damaged, while the boxes containing cloth next to them are completely intact? And another thing!"
She turned to Zhao Jie,
"Zhao Jieyu, you keep saying that our young lady has hysteria, so can you explain why you are here by such coincidence? And why are you so eager to uphold justice for the Song family?"
"Isn't it because you know in your heart that the real stolen goods in the warehouse have already been moved overnight and are probably on their way out of the city right now?"
Zhao Jieyu's expression changed slightly, but she forced herself to remain calm:
"Yun! Stop spouting nonsense and falsely accusing me!"
Aunt Yun was determined; she met Consort Zhao's murderous gaze head-on.
"I'm framing you? Zhao Mengrou, put your hands on your conscience! Back then, when you and I were kidnapped by bandits, who risked their own safety to rescue us from that hell on earth?"
"It was the old Marquis of Yongjia, Shen Zhaohua! She gave you money, made plans for you, and even entrusted you to the care of the Imperial Noble Consort! But how did you repay her?"
Ignoring Zhao Jieyu's increasingly unpleasant expression, she continued in a hoarse voice:
“You’re jealous of her! Jealous that she lives an upright life, jealous of His Majesty’s appreciation for her. Just because you resemble her in some ways, you feel that you will always live in her shadow.”
"So you hate her, and you conspired with that heartless bastard Song Qingming to kill her! Now you want to harm her granddaughter? Have you lost your conscience?"
"Shut up! Shut up!"
Zhao Jieyu was struck on a sore spot, and her unbearable past was exposed in public. She was so angry that she trembled all over and lost all composure.
Aunt Yun laughed, and continued to approach:
"You're telling me to shut up? Is it because I hit the nail on the head? You not only harmed your benefactor, but you also deceived the Imperial Concubine and His Majesty."
"You used Song Sangyu and your own sister Zhao Xuan to try and control the Yongjia Marquis's mansion! Zhao Mengrou, what do you have left in this life besides scheming and harming others?"
"You will always just be a pitiful and hateful substitute for Shen Zhaohua!"
At this moment, Zhao Jieyu's rationality collapsed, and only murderous intent remained in her eyes.
"You vile woman! How dare you insult me like this! You're asking for death!"
She suddenly drew her sword from the waist of the guard beside her, and before anyone could react, she plunged it fiercely into the heart of Aunt Yun, who was standing inches away.
Aunt Yun froze, looked down at the sword blade embedded in her chest, then looked up with a relieved smile.
With her last ounce of strength, she moved her lips:
"...Miss...take care...take revenge..."
Then, he collapsed limply, his blood quickly staining the stone slab beneath him.
"mother--!"
Song Sanchun let out a heart-wrenching cry and collapsed onto Aunt Yun.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.
Zhao Jieyu... actually killed someone in public?
Zhao Jieyu gripped the blood-dripping longsword, her chest heaving violently. She realized what she had done in a moment of impulsiveness.
But since things had come to this, she forced herself to suppress her panic and threw the sword to the ground with a clatter:
"The Yun family has committed insubordination and slandered the imperial concubines; their crime deserves death! I... I am here to clean house!"
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