Chapter 83 As the powerful Mu Hanshi approached step by step, Shen Qinglu quickly moved towards him…
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When Shen Qinglu returned to the General's Mansion, everyone was there, including Shen Linlang.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy. Even the youngest member, Shen Changting, had a furrowed brow and looked much older.
Gu Ruxu saw her and gestured for her to come to the front.
She obediently stepped forward and briefly mentioned her encounter with Fang.
Neither Gu Ruxu nor Shen Linlang asked any further questions. Instead, they told her to pack her things and they would return to the Shen residence together later.
She nodded and obediently went downstairs.
As soon as she arrived at her courtyard, Shen Changting followed her over, earnestly instructing her that things might get a bit chaotic in the capital recently, and that she should be careful in the future.
"I have modified this hidden blade according to what the Divine Strategist said. If you go out, remember to wear it with you."
When the teenager became serious, he had the air of a young general, and even some of the demeanor of an older brother.
Even though she had reminded her, she was still a little worried. "Sister, why don't you put it on now, and I'll help you?"
Shen Qinglu wanted to say no, but her wrist was already grabbed by him, and as her sleeve was lifted, her exquisite and beautiful gemstone gold bracelet was revealed.
He didn't notice the difference in the bracelets and was still worried, "Sister, maybe you shouldn't wear jewelry like this. You're wearing the sleeve arrow from last time and this one too. Wear one on each hand, just in case."
As he spoke, he prepared to take off the bracelet, but upon touching it, he felt something was amiss. Taking a closer look, he asked in surprise, "Sister, what is this...?"
Shen Qinglu smiled and said, "There are needles laced with sleeping potions in here."
"It really is a hidden weapon!" he exclaimed. "This thing is so ingenious, where did you get it, sister?"
The boy's eyes shone brightly, like stars in the dark night. His thirst for knowledge was like that of someone who had found a treasure, filled with curiosity, excitement, and an eagerness to find out more.
Shen Qinglu thought for a moment and didn't hide it from him, "Last time when Lord Mu was sick, I happened to be on my way and took him back. He gave me this as a thank you."
“I knew it.” His eyes gleamed even brighter. “I was wondering where in the world there could be a more skilled mechanic than the Divine Mechanic, and it turns out it was him. This is great, even more concealed and lightweight than a hidden dart. Perfect, you can wear this on one hand and the hidden dart on the other, wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?”
After saying that, he enthusiastically put the hidden arrow on Shen Qinglu's other wrist.
After putting it on, as if remembering something, she leaned closer mysteriously and whispered to Shen Qinglu, "Don't worry, sister, I won't tell anyone about this."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglu couldn't help but smile.
The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.
Gu Ruxu lifted the curtain and came in. Seeing the siblings being so affectionate, she felt extremely comforted. She first asked Shen Qinglu if she had packed her things, and then told her that Shen Linlang had already left ahead of her due to an urgent matter.
She politely declined Gu Ruxu's offer to send someone to escort her and bid them farewell.
After they boarded the carriage, Ma Er told her through the curtain that someone had delivered a letter to Shen Linlang, and Shen Linlang left in a hurry after reading the letter.
"Miss, could it be that something has happened to the eldest young master?" Xia Chan asked.
It's no wonder she would associate it with Yu Jingxian; in fact, she couldn't think of any other reason besides that.
Yu Jingliang resides in the General's Mansion and also works in the Divine Martial Camp. Firstly, he doesn't need to return to the Shen Mansion, and secondly, if anything happens, the person who will be informed will not be Shen Linlang, but Shen Kunyao.
Shen Qinglu shook her head. "You forgot, there's one more person."
If Yu Jingxian really had something to do, Shen Linlang wouldn't have kept quiet.
Xia Chan's expression changed, and she knew she couldn't say anything more.
From the General's Mansion to the Shen Mansion, one still has to pass through Elephant Market.
The bustling atmosphere of the elephant market differs from that of the horse market. If the horse market represents worldly prosperity, then the elephant market represents worldly wealth, a fact that can be glimpsed from the clothing of the passersby.
In such a prosperous place under the emperor's nose, if some people who look like refugees were to mix in, they would attract a lot of attention.
The carriage was forced to stop, and soon a familiar but unpleasant voice rang out, "Girl, you can't just abandon us. My Hua'er is the person you're looking for, how can you deny it?"
Shen Qing's dark green eyes held an icy coldness.
Xia Chan looked remorseful and regretful. "Miss, this is all my fault. If I hadn't been looking for my sister, if I hadn't been soft-hearted and given them money, they wouldn't have bothered me like this. I'll go and explain things to them right away!"
As she spoke, she turned to leave.
Shen Qinglu grabbed her arm. "This has nothing to do with you. Even if it weren't for you, something else would have happened."
"Girl, please have mercy on us. If you don't help us, we'll really have nowhere else to turn but to sell our daughter."
In just a short while, quite a few people had gathered around.
When someone asked the woman what had happened, she immediately got excited and started embellishing the story as she poured out her heart.
"You be the judge, how can they bully people like this? My Hua'er is clearly the person they're looking for. They found her but are now willing to give up the reward money. It's obvious they're trying to renege on their promise."
Many people who didn't know the truth joined in the commotion, urging Shen Qinglu to keep her word.
Xia Chan's eyes reddened with anger. "Miss, you should let me go downstairs. I'll explain things to them clearly."
"It's hard to explain." Shen Qinglu lifted the curtain a crack, then immediately pulled it back down, coldly ordering the carriage, "Ignore them, let's go!"
Upon receiving the order, Ma Er cracked his whip, and the horse lifted its hooves and moved forward.
The woman was terrified and screamed, "Murder! Murder! Miss Shen is going to kill someone!"
The crowd's murmurs grew louder, with some saying Shen Qinglu was bullying others and others saying the woman was trying to extort money.
Ma Er lashed out with his whip again, startling the woman into jumping aside. Still unwilling to give up, she shouted, "This woman is truly heartless! She's clearly trying to renege on her debt! What kind of niece is she, from the General's Mansion? Bah!"
Earlier, when it was said that she was Miss Shen, others might still have doubts. But once the phrase "the niece of the General's Mansion" was uttered, those watching the spectacle could easily guess Shen Qinglu's identity.
Xia Chan was both angry and anxious, and also felt guilty, "Miss..."
"Never mind them, let's get going."
"Brother Ma!" Xia Chan called out to the outside.
Ma Er understood immediately and cracked his whip again, driving the carriage away from the crowd.
They continued without stopping until they reached the gates of the Shen Mansion.
A few days later, the pear orchard had been repaired.
The pear trees transplanted from the village are in full bloom. From a distance, the trees are covered in white pear blossoms. Despite being away from their native soil, they have not suffered from acclimatization and are blooming profusely.
The house is completely different from the past. Both the utensils and the decorations are brand new. When you open the window, you can see the warm pool water and the greenery by the water.
The wind blew in through the window, stirring her hair ribbon and making her even more beautiful and charming.
Bao Kui looked at her, somewhat dazed.
The same red dress, but completely different.
If the previous young lady's beauty was meant to complement her appearance and mask her sickly nature, then this young lady is the one who overshadows the color, completely transcending all hues.
“Young lady, all the arrangements here were personally handled by Madam. She feels indebted to you and wishes she could give you the best things in the world.”
“My mother is naturally the most devoted to me.”
She slowly turned around, her dark eyes calm and serene.
Bao Kui added, "Madam instructed that if Miss wants to move in, it can be done tonight."
"No need."
Some things haven't been completely cleaned up yet, so now isn't a good time to move in.
As soon as I stepped outside, a gust of wind blew in my face, and the petals on the pear tree danced and fluttered down like white butterflies, some landing on the ground and some on people.
She plucked a petal that had fallen on her shoulder and casually held it in her palm.
Upon seeing this, Bao Kui immediately suggested that if she liked it, she could have some collected, either to make into snacks or to use for bathing.
"Then let's pick some to make some snacks."
She preferred eating to bathing.
Bao Kui received the order and quickly made the arrangements, saying that they would be able to eat pear blossom pastries tonight.
She nodded and left with Xia Chan.
Upon returning to the west wing of the main courtyard where she lived, the first thing she did was to check things out. First, she looked around roughly, and then she carefully inspected the place from the inside out.
After one pass, nothing unusual was found.
When she unconsciously touched the sleeve dart on her wrist, she suddenly remembered something, sat down in front of the dressing table, and opened the drawer below.
The hidden arrow that Shen Changting had given her earlier was kept inside.
The hidden arrows were originally six in number, shaped like pear blossoms, a clever design by Shen Changting, but now only four remain.
She felt a chill run down her spine, and her demeanor changed drastically.
The cicadas, being the closest, could sense it best: "Girl, someone's been moving!"
If it was just a minor alteration, that would be fine, but what I'm worried about is...
Without delay, she gave Xia Chan some serious instructions before letting her leave the mansion through the back door with a hidden arrow in her sleeve.
The servants in the mansion went about their tasks methodically, going in and out, or cleaning and tidying up. Through the half-open carved window, one could see that the mimosa tree in the courtyard had already sprouted lush green leaves. Although the leaves were not yet in full bloom, they still swayed in the wind whenever it blew.
She summoned Renchun and gave her these instructions.
Ren Chun accepted the order and left, taking Han Xiao with her.
Time passed slowly, seemingly a long time had gone by, but in reality, it was less than a quarter of an hour. In that short period of time, the clouds in the sky dispersed and gathered again, gathered and dispersed once more.
Just like the human heart, sometimes it sinks, sometimes it rises.
"Something terrible has happened!" a servant shouted as he rushed towards the main courtyard. "Young lady... the Ministry of Justice has sent people to arrest you!"
really!
With a smile, she protected her and said, "Miss, I will take you out to find the general."
She shook her head.
All efforts to resolve the issue by hiding behind someone else are futile. If you can't face the problem head-on, hiding behind someone else won't help.
As the master and servant were talking, a group of yamen runners rushed in. The leader was a middle-aged man, who, judging from his official uniform, should be the chief clerk of the Ministry of Justice.
This man's surname is Guan, and his given name is Bao. He is a cousin of Guan Hu.
Guan Bao didn't have a big-eyed, tall and strong appearance; instead, he was rather handsome and somewhat thin, yet he possessed a sinister aura.
Those not-so-bright eyes were clearly stunned when they saw Shen Qinglu, a hint of surprise flashing across them. "You're Shen Li?"
Shen Qinglu nodded, her expression seemingly blank.
"Someone has accused you of murder."
After Guan Bao finished speaking, he waved his hand, and someone brought the flowers up.
Hua'er's tattered clothes were covered in blood, and her arms were bound, clearly indicating she had been injured. Upon seeing her, her eyes widened in horror, "It's her! It's her! Sir, it was she who killed my father and my mother!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Hanxiao shouted, "How could my daughter kill someone? You're clearly making false accusations!"
"I saw it with my own eyes!" Hua'er burst into tears. "I saw her lift her sleeve, and then my father fell down... followed by my mother..."
Are you sure that person is me?
"It's you! Even if you turned to ashes, I would still recognize you."
Would you still recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes?
It's a pity she didn't want to die, much less turn to ashes.
Shen Qinglu thought with a hint of mockery, but her face remained expressionless. "My lord, they couldn't extort money from me, so they're trying to frame me."
“We didn’t extort money. I’m the person you’re looking for. You’re trying to get away with the five hundred taels of silver, that’s why you’re denying it. You want to take me away, but you can’t get around my parents… so kill them!”
“It’s only five hundred taels of silver. I have no reason to renege on the debt. You’re really not the person we’re looking for.”
"If I am not the person you are looking for, why did you only kill my parents and not me?"
That makes some sense.
Guan Bao asked, "Miss Shen, did they block your path an hour ago?"
"yes."
With so many people seeing it, Shen Qinglu had no reason to deny it.
"You were being harassed by them, so you became angry and turned around to confront them, and in a fit of rage, you killed them."
"I didn't kill anyone. She's framing me. Words alone aren't enough. Do you have any evidence?" She already guessed what the evidence was, so when she saw the pear-shaped hidden weapon presented, she wasn't surprised at all. Instead, she asked with a puzzled look, "Where did this come from?"
"Of course it was found on the deceased. As far as I know, this hidden arrow was a gift from Young Master Shen, and you have shown it to others before."
“My brother did give me a hidden blade, but I did not kill anyone.”
Seeing her expressionless face, Guan Bao was unsure of who she was.
After a long pause, he said, "Miss Chen, I apologize."
Several constables stepped forward, ready to search the house.
"Wait a moment." Shen Qinglu slowly lifted her sleeve, revealing the hidden arrows on her wrist. Her dark eyes stared unblinkingly at Guan Bao. "Look, the hidden arrows my brother gave me are here, not one missing."
Her slender wrists, with skin as smooth as jade, captivated Guan Bao for a moment. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.
"As far as I know, Young Master Shen has given you more than one."
They seem to know quite a lot; they must have come prepared.
“That’s right, it was a gift from my brother. I…” There was a hint of confusion in her dark eyes, “I don’t remember where I put it.”
"Then I'll help Miss Shen look for it." Guan Bao's voice carried a hint of gloom, making it extremely unsettling. "Could it be in Miss Shen's other hand?"
He reached out to grab Shen Qinglu's other hand, but before his hand even touched her, he suddenly felt a sharp pain.
"who?"
Shen Qinglu subconsciously looked outside the courtyard and saw that the person who came was dressed in snow-white, which, at this critical moment, looked like someone who had come to attend a funeral.
She's not dead yet!
"Are you Lord Mu from the Divine Mechanism Bureau?" Guan Bao recognized the man, his brows furrowing with ruthlessness. "The Ministry of Justice is handling a case, and your Divine Martial Camp dares to obstruct it?"
"I was there when Miss Shen demonstrated her hidden arrow."
As Mu Hanshi approached step by step and stood forcefully between them, Shen Qinglu quickly took a few steps back.
In a short while, the air was filled with the faint scent of fresh bamboo.
He had an extremely aloof demeanor, yet his disdainful gaze exuded a sense of oppression.
Guan Bao asked in surprise, "Then what are you here for?"
"I'm here to testify."
"..."
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