Chapter 30: The Fish That Slipped Through the Net
The Shangguan family, whose entire clan was implicated?
Xie Rongying's deep eyes couldn't help but dim. Shangguan family?
In the late autumn of the fourth year of Chengde, rumors spread in Bianjing that General Shangguan Yan had colluded with the enemy and committed treason, and that 30,000 troops had died at Banguanpo in the northeast.
The topographic map of Fengcheng even fell into the hands of the Liao people, and within just half a month, Dayin lost a city.
Shangguan Yan abandoned the people and fled to Bian Jing, intending to take his wife, children and relatives with him to the Liao Kingdom, but he was stopped at Fengshapo outside the city of Bian Jing.
At that time, the court was in chaos, and the government was unable to suppress the remnants of the previous emperor's situation.
It happened that Shangguan Yan committed treason, and the emperor was furious, and wanted to make an example of him to scare the monkeys.
After Shangguan Yan's family was stopped, the nine clans connected to the Shangguan family, and even the clans with nepotism, were imprisoned in those few days.
In the late autumn of that year, the miserable sounds coming from the entrance of the Bianjing vegetable market were more piercing than the rolling autumn thunder. In just half an hour, the rain mixed with blood almost flooded the entrance of the vegetable market. More than a thousand people fell in a pool of blood. The rain washed for half a month, and the strong smell of blood was still lingering in the sky.
It was also that year that the turbulent court began to normalize.
This was the only time since the emperor ascended the throne that he showed his iron-blooded approach, and it was also this time that made those restless and ambitious people give up their thoughts.
"You mean, the woman with Qin Junyi is related to the Shangguan family?" Xie Rongying was a little surprised, but also understood.
If that woman is related to the Shangguan family, it would explain why Qin Junyi hid her. It seems that Qin Junyi and this woman were childhood sweethearts, and he was willing to give up his title to be with her for the rest of his life.
Xie Ting nodded.
Xie Rongying raised an eyebrow: "Is it a member of the Shangguan family who slipped through the net, or is he related to the Shangguan family?"
The Shangguan family incident caused such a sensation back then that all the families involved were imprisoned and executed. Who would dare to hide the daughter of the Shangguan family?
After all, the Shangguan family committed the death penalty of treason and harboring the daughter of such a criminal would not end well.
Xie Ting waved his hand and said, "Listen to me first."
Upon hearing this, Xie Rongying's eyes flashed with scrutiny. Is there something else going on here?
"It's quite a coincidence. When I discovered Qin Junyi with this woman, I had someone keep an eye on him. Within half a month, she received two letters from Longxi." Xie Ting frowned and said, "The third letter arrived just yesterday. My people intercepted it, took a look at the contents, and then delivered it to Guixiang."
"The content of the letter is related to the Shangguan family?" Xie Rongying's eyes showed some surprise after hearing this.
Xie Ting smiled slightly: "The last part of the letter says, 'Father: Shangguan Yan.'"
Xie Rongying frowned: "Shangguan Yan?"
"It's the thin and plump Yan, not the peaceful and prosperous Yan." Xie Ting's face was as gloomy as water. He added, "What puzzles me is why this Shangguan girl from Longxi is so obsessed with Qin Junyi's mistress."
Xie Rongying frowned and her eyes darkened. Could there be another reason?
"A letter from Longxi." Xie Rongying thought of how Qin Junyi returned to Bian Jing from Longxi before his death in his previous life.
So in his previous life, after Qin Junyi lied about dying on the battlefield, he had been living a shameless life in Longxi with this Miss Shangguan under an assumed name?
Xie Ting noticed something strange in Xie Rongying's eyes and said, "Sister, do you also think this is very strange?"
"Let's not talk about whether this Shangguan family is related to the treasonous Shangguan family, what is the content of the letter?" Xie Rongying asked.
Xie Ting smiled faintly: "The content written on it is very simple, just asking when Miss Shangguan will return to Longxi."
Hearing this, a chill suddenly flashed in Xie Rongying's eyes.
This point in time.
Longxi.
Qin Junyi was ordered to go to the border.
Everything has a traceable path, and everything is deliberately arranged by someone with ulterior motives.
In her previous life, Xie Rongying was just a chess piece from beginning to end.
Her value was squeezed out, her youth wasted on the future of the Yongyi Marquis Mansion, and her hard work was wasted on a group of ungrateful people.
Xie Rongying chuckled softly, "You've become Qin Junyi's concubine, are you still thinking of leaving Bianjing?"
"Sister, I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry." Xie Ting saw that Xie Rongying's face showed no other emotions, thinking that she was holding it in, so he comforted her, "Just say the word, and I'll pull this woman out and let you do whatever you want."
Xie Rongying pulled the corner of her mouth and said calmly: "Don't make trouble."
Xie Ting raised his eyebrows: "You really don't mind?"
"Since everyone has set their sights on this woman, Qin Junyi is also keeping an eye on her." Xie Rongying seemed to be in a very happy mood. "It's raining heavily outside. When I return to the mansion, I'll have my people take you home."
The word "go home" made Xie Ting's smile deepen. He asked, "Did you clean up what your elder sister did just now?"
Xie Rongying fixed her gaze on the young man's face and said, "Someone will clean it up for me."
Xie Ting's eyebrows moved slightly.
——
At the hour of Chou, the rain was so heavy that it seemed as if Bianjing was a deserted city.
A constable in a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat came through the rain to the front of Earl Yongqin's mansion. Looking at the tightly closed door in front of him, he slammed the door knocker.
After half a quarter of an hour, a servant finally opened the door and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
The constable shouted, "I want to see Mr. Jiang, quickly!"
After the servant calmed down, he saw that it was someone from Kaifeng Prefecture. He quickly invited the person in and said, "Wait a moment, I will go and call the master."
When Jiang Jin came, he looked anxious. People from Kaifeng Prefecture came to Jiang's house at this time, fearing that Jiang Yin was in great danger.
"Master Jiang!" The constable stepped forward as soon as Jiang Jin appeared and said, "Master Qi wants you to go to Kaifeng Prefecture."
"But what happened?" Although Jiang Jin knew that the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion had no intention of letting Jiang Yin go, he also had an idea in his mind that they would not take Jiang Yin's life. He was still discussing with Wang that as long as Jiang Yin was alive, he would arrange more people to take care of him in the future.
"Mr. Jiang Liu, he's gone." said the constable.
Jiang Jin almost lost his balance when he heard the word "gone". Even though he usually looked down on his brother's behavior, they were blood relatives after all.
"What's going on!?" Jiang Jin stepped forward and grabbed the constable's raincoat.
Three quarters of an hour later.
Jiang Jin rushed all the way to the prison in Kaifeng Prefecture, his heartbeating strongly in his ears.
"Master Jiang, please come this way."
When Lord Qi, who was standing in front of the torture chamber, saw Jiang Jin appear, fear flashed in his eyes. Although this matter had nothing to do with him, he had to bow and scrape to these people because of his status.
Now that the Sixth Master of the Earl of Yongqin's Mansion had died in his place, surrounded by numerous jailers, he could not escape the blame.
"Master Qi!" Jiang Jin's face turned pale. He walked forward and grabbed Master Qi's wrist. "What's going on?"
Lord Qi sighed and said, "Lord Jiang, please go in and take a look yourself."
Jiang Jin loosened his hands stiffly, and saw the grief and anger in Lord Qi's eyes. He stiffly pushed open the iron door of the torture room, glanced inside, his pupils trembled, and he fell to the ground.
The hands holding the iron door were shaking violently.
The scene Jiang Jin saw was difficult to describe as "dead without a complete body". The head was placed on an iron chair, with a jade hairpin covered in blood stabbed on the forehead, and the internal organs of half of the body were scattered on the ground.
How much hatred can destroy a person like this?
"When the Duke of England and his son left, the Sixth Master was still alive. The Duke even specifically told me to take good care of the Sixth Master and let you, Lord Jiang, take him back tomorrow. I just saw the Duke off, but after I came back, the Sixth Master became like this." Lord Qi felt very bitter in his heart. This was an unexpected disaster for him.
Jiang Jin forced himself to stand up, obviously frightened by the scene in Xing's room. He said, "Please, Master Qi, please send someone to take my sixth brother back to the Jiang Mansion."
The next day.
The blue clouds in the sky let in a faint light, which fell on Bianjing. The rain gradually subsided, but the raindrops falling from the eaves were particularly loud.
There was grief in Earl Yongqin's mansion, and the mourning hall was full of people kneeling.
Jiang and Marquis Yongyi walked into the mourning hall together, and both of them had cold expressions on their faces.
Regardless of how much Jiang Yin’s death was related to the Duke of England, it was inseparable from the Duke of England.
"Breaking of promise" was the first thing Chiang uttered after learning that Jiang Yin had died in prison.
After burning incense, Jiang stopped and looked at a white jade hairpin placed on the mourning hall. She asked, "What does this mean?"
Jiang Jin said expressionlessly, "This was pulled out from Lao Liu's forehead."
"What?" Jiang's eyes widened. How could such a familiar jade hairpin appear on Jiang Yin's forehead? Shouldn't it be in Xie Rongying's hand?
After offering incense, Yongyi Hou came over and asked, "What's wrong?"
Jiang stretched out her trembling hand and picked up the white jade hairpin, and said with a sad smile, "I underestimated her." After that, she held the white jade hairpin tightly, and the fierceness in her eyes seemed as if she wanted to skin someone alive.
Jiang Jin walked towards Yongyi Hou and said, "Brother-in-law, what do you think about this matter?"
"Sixth brother's death was too tragic. There is no need for the Earl of Yongqin to have any more dealings with the Duke of Yingguo." Marquis Yongyi expressed his opinion. Jiang Yin's death showed that the Duke of Yingguo was not afraid of making enemies with the Jiang and Qin families.
Jiang Jin sighed, "I thought the same thing. Mother fainted when she heard the news about Sixth Brother. She hasn't woken up yet. I don't know if she can make it."
Jiang tightly grasped the white jade hairpin and said, "I'll go see mother."
How could Marquis Yongyi not notice the change in Jiang after she saw the white jade hairpin? He half-closed his eyes and felt that nothing had gone well since returning to Bianliang.
As the rain stopped, more and more people came to pay their respects.
Yesterday, Jiang Yin was sent to Kaifeng Prefecture, and today the Jiang family set up a mourning hall for Jiang Yin. When people in Bianjing heard the news, everyone sighed.
Unfortunately, no one could find out anything from Kaifeng Mansion. The only thing they knew was that Jiang Yin was sent to Kaifeng Mansion by the eldest princess's guards.
Everyone couldn't help but wonder whether Jiang Yin had offended the eldest princess who was practicing Buddhism at Kaibao Temple.
However, the clans in Bianjing would not even discuss Princess Zhaozhen of Kaibao Temple in secret.
At the same time, the court was arguing about the border war with the Jin Dynasty. In the end, the emperor made the decision by saying, "Dayin needs money for border defense and the princess to negotiate peace. Where will the dignified Dayin man be placed?"
This battle must be fought.
The stability of Dayin was won through fighting, not through negotiations.
It was already late noon when Qin Junyi arrived at the Jiang Mansion, and there were still people coming to pay their respects. Qin Junyi glanced at Marquis Yongyi and then went to the back house.
When I arrived at Mrs. Jiang's courtyard, I heard crying in the main room.
Seeing Qin Junyi approach, Madam Kang, who was beside Jiang Wangshi, stepped forward and bowed, "Young Marquis, are you here to see the old lady?"
"Is grandma okay?" Qin Junyi asked.
Mother Kang shook her head: "Who in this world can bear to see a young person die? Especially since the old lady loves Sixth Master so much."
Qin Junyi asked again: "Where is my mother?"
"She's accompanying the old lady." said Mother Kang.
Just when Qin Junyi was about to say something, he saw Jiang walking out of the door. When the mother and son's eyes met, Mother Kang stepped aside.
"Mother Kang, go and keep your sister-in-law company." Jiang came over and said.
Mother Kang saluted: "Yes."
After Kang's mother entered the main hall, Jiang said in a cold voice, "Have you been resting in that alley for the past two days?"
Qin Junyi nodded.
"What do you think about what's happening right now?" Mrs. Jiang was sometimes really disappointed with her son. She could pave all the way for her eldest son, but he had no ambition at all.
But I just happened to have some desires and emotions towards that woman.
Jiang looked at Qin Junyi's silence and shouted angrily, "Speak!"
"My mother was not careful enough in her work, which allowed him to take advantage of the opportunity and bite back, even taking my sixth uncle's life. Shouldn't my mother be the one who should reflect on this?" Qin Junyi's voice was terrifyingly indifferent, as if everything happening at the moment had nothing to do with him.
"Is this what you think?" Jiang stared at her eldest son with wide eyes: "Don't you have a heart?"
"Mother." Qin Junyi curled the corners of his lips. "Ever since you let me marry Xie Rongying, have you ever been satisfied with anything? Since Xie Rongying is so difficult to deal with, then let's not confront her. I'll write a divorce letter and let her return to the Xie family. What's wrong with that?"
"What did you say?" Jiang Shi didn't expect Qin Junyi to say such a thing. "Don't you have the last name Qin? Don't you benefit from the Qin family's prosperity? Since you married Xie Rongying into your family, there's no reason to let her leave alive! Her only purpose in coming to my Qin family was to make up for the one million yuan deficit!"
"Since mother is so determined." Qin Junyi laughed: "Then I will ask for permission to go to the battle. Mother can handle the affairs at home."
Jiang's face froze. Even though Qin Junyi had been saying that he was going to the border, and she knew why, when the moment finally came, she still felt reluctant: "Didn't your father say before that the emperor wanted to negotiate?"
"She went to the palace to meet with the emperor last night, and today at court, the emperor decided that Dayin would not negotiate with the Jin people." Qin Junyi stared at Jiang expressionlessly, "I will ask for permission to go to war. Mother, you have the final say on family matters. As for Xie Rongying, you can do whatever you want with her."
Jiang sneered: "She would use the emperor to take you away, simply because she feels that the emperor owes her something."
Qin Junyi sighed: "Mother, she is pregnant. I can't let her hide it forever. Besides, she has been very tolerant for you and for me."
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