Chapter Forty-Seven: Another Storm Begins
Steward Zhou's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stepped forward, handing over the cloth bag in his hand, "Reporting to the County Magistrate, I've come to deliver money to Miss Qin the Second."
"Years ago, in a moment of foolishness, I swallowed fifty taels of life-saving money belonging to Miss Qin's distant cousin, Xiao Wu, and nearly caused his death. Today, Miss Qin has sent me to repay the debt, and I dare not refuse!"
Qin Youming was stunned, not knowing that the retired Zhang Ge Lao Zhuang Tou Zhou Steward had done such a thing.
He looked at Qin Zhining, his eyes filled with a complex expression.
He had always felt that Qin Zhining was weak-willed and useless, and that she had grown up in the countryside. Her mother, Xie Mingyuan, had always been superior to him when she was alive, so he had never liked this daughter very much.
But unexpectedly, she not only dared to stand up for herself, Qin Chengxuan, and Chen Xiaomei, but also remembered old grievances and wanted to seek justice for her relatives.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Young Master He quickly shouted, "Lord Qin, even if I did all this, Qin Zhining should not have broken my wrist. She deliberately injured me, and you should punish her."
"Intentionally injuring someone?" Qin Zhining raised an eyebrow. "If I hadn't broken your wrist, you probably would have already dragged Chen Xiaomei out to humiliate her and broken Qin Chengxuan's legs, right?"
"This was self-defense, what crime have I committed? Besides, you injured Qin Chengxuan, kidnapped Chen Xiaomei, and even tried to steal my jade seal. Even if I break your leg, it won't make up for the mistakes you've made!"
Qin Youming remained silent for a moment, having already made his judgment.
He looked at Young Master He and said in an icy tone, "Young Master He, you have kidnapped innocent people, injured people and stolen their property. You have no respect for the law. You should be taken back to the county government for a thorough interrogation."
"But for your father's sake, I'll spare you for now. You have three days to pay for Chen Xiaomei and Chengxuan's medical expenses. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Now that things had come to this, Young Master He dared not refute, and could only grit his teeth and nod: "Very well, very well. When I return to the manor and report to my father, I will certainly give Magistrate Qin an explanation."
Qin Youming knew that Young Master He was threatening him, and he felt extremely conflicted. He had no choice but to look at Qin Zhiyu again and sigh.
"Zhiyu, as a young lady of the Qin family, you not only fail to set a good example, but you also collude with others to bully the innocent. This has truly disappointed me."
"Once you return, you will stay in your room and reflect on your actions. Without my permission, you are not allowed to step out of your room."
In fact, Qin Youming's actions were also a way of protecting Qin Zhiyu.
But the foolish Qin Zhiyu failed to understand her father's good intentions. Upon hearing Qin Youming's warning, she couldn't believe her ears and cried out, "Father, how could you do this to me? It's clearly Qin Zhining's fault."
"Enough!" Qin Youming interrupted her sharply. "If you dare to say another word, you'll be punished by copying 'Admonitions for Women' one hundred times!"
Qin Zhiyu was so frightened that she dared not speak again and could only lower her head in grievance.
Having dealt with Young Master He and Qin Zhiyu, Qin Youming looked at Qin Zhining and softened his tone, "A-Ning, although you acted somewhat impulsively today..."
But it was to protect your family and innocent people, so I don't blame you. Just remember to stay calm in the future and don't be so reckless.
Qin Zhining looked at him with an ambiguous expression, "According to Master Qin's meaning, the people who harmed me are my benefactors. If they come to harm me, I should just accept it without complaint, right? Otherwise, I would be reckless and impulsive?"
Qin Youming was so speechless that he wanted to scratch the wall.
Just when everyone thought the matter was over, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the dilapidated temple. A constable rushed in and shouted.
"My lord, something terrible has happened! A group of unidentified people have suddenly arrived outside the city. They say they are looking for Miss Qin the Second, and they are carrying knives. They seem to have ill intentions."
Upon hearing this, Qin Zhining raised an eyebrow. She had just taught He San Gongzi and Qin Zhiyu a lesson at the dilapidated temple, so why would someone suddenly come looking for trouble? Could it be someone sent by He San Gongzi's father? Or did she have other enemies?
Qin Youming's expression changed instantly. He looked at Qin Zhining and frowned, "A-Ning, who have you made enemies with this time?"
Qin Zhining glared at him, "Besides being bullied by Aunt An and Qin Zhiyu, the eldest daughter of your Qin family, who else would bother to cause me trouble?"
That's what they said, but their hearts were filled with doubt and wariness.
She looked towards the entrance of the dilapidated temple and could vaguely hear the noise and clanging of metal coming from outside.
Chen Erlang held Chen Xiaomei tightly, while Li Mo and the other two gripped their weapons and watched the doorway warily.
Qin Zhining took a deep breath, her eyes hardening. No matter who came, she would not back down.
She had just protected Qin Chengxuan and Chen Xiaomei, and hadn't yet settled accounts with He San Gongzi and Qin Zhiyu. She absolutely couldn't afford to stumble here.
Hearing the sounds of fighting, Qin Xiaoxiao, who was next to her, became very anxious. She rolled up her sleeves, grabbed Qin Zhining's arm, and made a series of babbling gestures, indicating that she wanted to go out and beat up the people.
Just as Qin Zhining was about to go out to check the situation, several tiles suddenly fell from the roof of the dilapidated temple with a loud crash.
Immediately afterwards, a cold voice came from the roof, "Qin Zhining, stop hiding, we're looking for you. You killed our people, this debt should be settled!"
Qin Zhining's pupils suddenly contracted.
She killed their people? When did she kill anyone? What exactly happened?
Qin Zhining gripped the short blade hidden in her sleeve.
That was a protective item specially made for her when she was learning skills from a hunter family in the countryside. They took pity on her and had it made for her.
The weapons in Qin Zhining's space were of course a hundred times better than this, but she kept the original owner's short blade, intending to use it to take revenge herself.
The cold iron handle pressed against her palm, but it couldn't suppress the surprise and doubt in Qin Zhining's heart.
Murder?
Since returning to the Qin family, apart from breaking Young Master He's wrist and beating up a few wicked servants today, she hasn't even entertained the thought of harming anyone.
Who exactly is that person on the roof? Is it an assassin sent by the father of the Third Young Master He to frame her? Or is it another enemy she doesn't know about?
"Crash—" Several more tiles fell and shattered into dust on the ground.
A man in black, as nimble as a cat, leaped from the wooden beams of the roof and landed steadily in the center of the dilapidated temple. Water was still dripping from the long sword at his waist—whether it was dew or something else was unclear.
Three more people jumped down from behind him, each with a blank expression. The knives in their hands gleamed coldly in the dim, dilapidated temple, completely blocking the entrance.
Qin Youming was so frightened that he took a step back, almost bumping into the yamen runners, his voice trembling, "You...who are you? You barged in with weapons in broad daylight...do you know I am the county magistrate?"
The man in black didn't even raise his head, his gaze fixed on Qin Zhining as if he wanted to devour her whole. "County Magistrate? We're looking for Qin Zhining, it has nothing to do with you."
Seven days ago, at the mass grave in the west of the city, did you kill our good brother Zhang Laoqi?
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