Chapter 348 If the Government Doesn't Investigate, We Still Have It
The Ruan family was in the silk business. After the Feng family got into trouble, Ruan Xiu Ning was married to the Li family, who also ran a garment shop.
Her husband Li Xuyang was a scholar. He passed the imperial examination at the age of seventeen and was considered a talented young man in Yuzhou City. Not long after they got married, Ruan Xiu Ning accompanied Li Xuyang to Hanjing to prepare for the spring examination.
As soon as Li Xuyang arrived in Beijing, he was dazzled by the wealth of Hanjing. He had no intention of reviewing his lessons. He went out every day to drink and socialize with people, immersed in the dream that he had passed the imperial examination and brought honor to his family.
Later, when the results of the spring examination were announced, Li Xuyang failed as expected. He did not want to return to Yuzhou like this. He happened to hear that Ningxiang Pavilion had a kind of incense that could inspire people to make progress, and he soon became addicted to the refreshing incense.
A box of wake-up incense costs ten taels of silver. Li Xuyang soon used up all his remaining travel money. Without money to buy incense, he became furious and started punching and kicking Ruan Xiuning.
In an accidental encounter, Ruan Xiu Ning was noticed by Zhang Mingyang. For money, Li Xuyang forced Ruan Xiu Ning to accompany Zhang Mingyang.
Not long after, the awakening incense was found to be problematic, and the government issued a notice. Li Xuyang and those who were also addicted to incense were all detained by the government. Ruan Xiu Ning wanted to take this opportunity to escape back to Yuzhou, but was caught by Zhang Mingyang and forcibly detained by his side.
Hanjing's addiction treatment center is located in a place on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by mountains and water.
Because there were so many people, the government built some bamboo houses and a wall two people high outside. Officials took turns guarding the place so that no one could escape.
After several months of abstinence, Li Xuyang's spirits improved a lot. When he was brought to Chunxi, he looked quite normal.
He had never met Chunxi before, but he saw that she was well-dressed and bowed respectfully. "I, Li Xuyang, greet my lady. I wonder what may be the matter with you?"
"Do you know Ruan Xiuning?"
Chunxi got straight to the point. Li Xuyang's eyes lit up and he said happily, "Aning is my wife, but she has raised money and asked Madam to redeem me and take me home?"
Although this addiction rehabilitation center provides food and accommodation, it is still very difficult to endure every time the addiction attacks. Moreover, after the addiction attacks, everyone has to reclaim land and farm. Li Xuyang has been studying for so many years and has never done housework. The farm work he did for several months was really miserable.
Li Xuyang's mind was full of thoughts about going home to live a good life. He never thought about how a weak woman like Ruan Xiu Ning would travel back and forth between Yuzhou and Hanjing, let alone how she would face her in-laws after returning home after being forced to give herself to Zhang Mingyang.
Chunxi's eyes turned cold, and he said in a cold voice: "She is dead, she drowned, and she was abused before she died. I found her body on the outskirts of the city. Now I need you to go with me to the government to report her and redress her grievances."
Upon hearing the news of Ruan Xiuning's death, Li Xuyang was surprised for a moment, then revealed a look of disgust: "She died in such an ignominious way. She must have taken advantage of my absence, unable to bear the loneliness and loneliness, and hooked up with some random man. It's better that she's dead. I advise Madam not to meddle in other people's affairs, lest you be tainted by bad luck."
After Li Xuyang finished speaking, he felt that it was not enough, and he spat on the ground before turning around and returning to the addiction treatment center.
It was obvious that he was the one who gave his wife to another man in exchange for money, but now he turns around and accuses his wife of infidelity, calling him a beast, which is an insult to the word.
Chunxi returned to the carriage, and Feng Yinyin asked anxiously: "Madam Shen, what should we do now? If Li Xuyang doesn't report it to the authorities, Jingzhao Prefecture will not file a case to investigate this matter."
"It doesn't matter. If Jingzhao Prefecture doesn't investigate, we still have us."
**
After the beginning of spring, the weather gradually became warmer, and Princess Hengyang held another flower-viewing banquet.
Early in the morning, Chunxi and Xiao Qinghe went to the princess's mansion. The ladies from the noble families who received the invitation arrived one after another, and Mu was among the invited guests.
Last year, Mu returned to Beijing with Zhang Mingyang and caused a big commotion outside the Xiao family's gate. Later, the Wei family caught her in a fight. Fearing that something might happen, she has been staying at home and has not dared to show up in public. Now that Wei Lingze is dead and the Wei family has been neglected by His Majesty, Mu was overjoyed to receive the invitation from Princess Hengyang and carefully prepared a large gift for Princess Hengyang.
"That awakening incense caused quite a bit of harm to people before. I heard that Your Highness has come up with many ways to help those people. I really admire you. Your Highness cares about the country and its people, and you are truly a role model for women all over the world."
Knowing that Chunxi and Xiao Qinghe had a good relationship with Princess Hengyang, Mu praised Princess Hengyang and then went on to praise the two of them.
Chunxi exchanged a few pleasantries, then raised her hand to rub her temples, revealing a tired look. Xiao Qinghe immediately asked, "Auntie, are you feeling unwell?"
Chunxi nodded and said, "A few days ago, I went to the farm to check on the spring plowing and stumbled upon someone burying a body. The woman's death was extremely tragic. I've been dreaming every night for the past few days of her crying out for justice, begging me to help her catch the murderer. I haven't slept a single full night."
"Ordinary families hold funerals openly and honestly, so why would they secretly bury a body in the middle of the night? Did that woman die a violent death?"
"I have had the body sent to Jingzhao Prefecture. The coroner said after the autopsy that the woman was drowned and suffered inhumane abuse before her death."
Hearing this, Mu's eyelids twitched.
She had someone bury a body a few days ago. Could it be such a coincidence that Mrs. Shen ran into her?
Mrs. Mu was just distracted when Chunxi suddenly looked at her and said, "It was too dark that night. I couldn't see clearly what the people who buried the body looked like, but the clothes they were wearing were similar to those worn by Mrs. Mu's coachman."
Aristocratic families have many servants. In order to make them easier to identify, the servants in the mansion are distributed clothes of the same style. Some even have the family crest embroidered on the cuffs to show their status and identity.
The Mu family's servants' uniforms were grey and blue, and the grooms and the servants who served the night incense in the mansion were indeed wearing the same clothes.
Mu's heart became even more uneasy, but she didn't dare to show it in front of so many people. She quickly calmed down and said, "Mrs. Shen must have seen it wrong. The Mu family has strict family education. It is absolutely impossible for them to cause a death and do something like secretly burying the body."
Chunxi nodded. "I also think it's impossible. I felt very close to Madam the moment I met her. I think Madam's family are all kind people. They would never do anything that would harm the world."
Chunxi did not insist on harassing Mu and quickly changed the subject. However, Mu was still thinking about this matter and had no interest in socializing anymore.
After finally waiting for the banquet to end, Mu immediately sent people to Jingzhao Prefecture to inquire about the news and then went to find Zhang Mingyang.
However, Zhang Mingyang was not in the yard. He did not come back until night, smelling of alcohol and cosmetics.
Madam Mu frowned at the smell of him and said unhappily, "The female corpse was found and sent to Jingzhao Prefecture. You should stay at home and wait until the storm of this matter has died down."
Zhang Mingyang burped and asked lazily, "Who would mind such trivial matters when they have nothing better to do than eat?"
"It was Madam Shen, who was recently granted an imperial decree, who accidentally discovered the body. Her husband, Shen Qingyuan, is currently a favorite of the emperor and is a master at solving cases. You must stay away from him and don't let him target you. Do you understand?"
Mu warned him again and again, but Zhang Mingyang only heard the three words "Mrs. Chen".
This Madam Shen seemed to have been Wei Lingze’s maid before.
For a maid to become a noble lady, she must be very good in bed.
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