In Song Sanliang’s view, Song Jiyun was just like a patient desperately seeking a cure, thinking that with just a few light words, she could recklessly associate herself with him, and perhaps reverse her fortunes.
But the disappearance of Wong Dahai had nothing to do with him at all.
He hadn’t done anything, so what was there to be afraid of?
This time, Song Jiyun had lost for sure!
It wasn’t in vain that he had rushed to settle accounts with Song Jiyun before Wong Dahai was found, decisively cutting through the mess.
Thinking that the Song Family Kiln Factory would soon fall into his hands, his gaze towards Song Jiyun flickered with a hint of triumph.
Yet Song Jiyun seemed to be stunned by his words, and it took her a moment to come back to her senses, opposing loudly with a demeanor that refused to bet with Song Sanliang, "Who would hide a kidnapped person in their own home?"
But would he let Song Jiyun back down from such a good opportunity?
He shouted fiercely, "Song Jiyun, you can eat whatever you want, but you can’t just say anything. You’ve accused me in front of all these people, damaging my reputation, and you must give me an explanation. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless and suing you at the governmental authorities!"
A niece sued by her own uncle; her reputation would be ruined the moment she stepped into the Yamen.
In other words, she had to investigate this matter today, whether she wanted to or not.
Song Jiyun’s face turned somewhat pale, and her usually crisp voice had a slightly insufficient and subdued tone, "Don’t push a desperate youngster too far. Third Uncle, don’t you leave any room for yourself in your actions?"
Song Sanliang looked down on her with a disdainful expression, and with an insinuation in his words said, "Young man, I dare not bully. But as for others, well, that’s not necessarily the case."
In his roundabout way, he was looking down on her for being a woman and mocking her family for having no adult males!
Song Jiyun’s face was as cold as ice.
Now Ninth Master Song and Song Daliang finally understood.
Song Sanliang had nothing to do with Wong Dahai’s disappearance, but Song Jiyun, one remark after another, had put herself in this situation.
This was truly a case of finding no way out until suddenly stumbling upon a village amid the dark willows and bright flowers!
If they could just get rid of Song Jiyun, the second branch would have no one left to stir up trouble.
The two exchanged a glance, and Song Daliang rushed forward to grab Song Jiyun’s arm and drag her towards Song Sanliang’s house next door.
"Whether it’s true or not, a search will tell!" He even called out cheerfully to the other onlookers, "Wait a moment, we might also need your help to look elsewhere; don’t go just yet."
The crowd looked at each other.
Everyone thought that with Song Sanliang’s large house, even if there really was someone hidden there, they probably would not find anything with such a commotion.
Thinking back on Song Sanliang’s words at the Kiln Factory about Song Jiyun being struck by divine retribution for acting beyond her station, they felt that if Song Jiyun could be prevented from meddling in the kiln factory matters from now on, it might not be such a bad thing after all.
So the crowd escorted a very reluctant Song Jiyun and a sweating Steward Wu to Song Sanliang’s house.
Madam Li was clueless about the reason for their arrival and was startled by the crowd, but upon learning the purpose, she immediately beamed joyfully, unable to resist taunting Song Jiyun, "Some people aim too high but have fates as thin as paper. To aspire to be supreme, one should first check if they have the destiny to become a phoenix!"
Song Jiyun ignored her and sat with Ninth Master Song, Song Daliang, Song Sanliang, and others in the hall, drinking tea.
Those who went to search were not their personal attendants, but were selected by the people from the Kiln Factory themselves, split into several groups, starting with the search of Song Sanliang and Madam Li’s inner chamber.
"To avoid any suspicions of unfairness!" Madam Li said with grand magnanimity, embracing her two sons and sitting with them in the hall, while only maidens and servants from each household remained in the back courtyard to keep watch.
Madam Li’s inner chamber had nothing, nor did the yard of the Song Tiancong brothers, nor Song Sanliang’s inner courtyard study... The searchers reported back one by one.
Song Jiyun sat in a Taishi Chair beside them, her expression enigmatic, not having touched a single drop of the tea in front of her.
Madam Li pursed her lips with a smile. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Three Chinese time periods later, the searchers had all returned.
Nobody had found anything.
Song Sanliang couldn’t suppress the joy in his heart, his mouth turned up in a high smile, and with a pretense of looking around, he said, "Does anyone have any other places they want to check? Even the storage room where I keep my collection of calligraphy, paintings, and antiques has been opened for you to search!"
All the searchers looked towards Ninth Master Song and the others.
They all believed they had been thorough, assuming that even if they searched again, they wouldn’t find anything else.
Ninth Master Song stroked his beard and turned his head to consult with Song Daliang, "I have no issues here, do you have any other places you wish to check?"
Song Daliang chuckled and glanced at Song Jiyun, who was sitting upright and proper, and said with a smile, "I have nothing more to say."
Ninth Master Song stood up and declared, "Then it’s settled!"
Song Jiyun, with a blank face, also stood up.
Some lowered their heads, hiding their expressions, some looked at her with disdain, while others shook their heads in sympathy and sighed.
Everyone headed outside.
"Hold on!" A loud shout suddenly rang through the hall.
The crowd turned toward the source of the voice.
There stood Song Sanliang in the middle of the hall, proclaiming loudly, "This matter cannot be ended like this. Shouldn’t we draw up a deed?"
"A, a deed?" Even Ninth Master Song was stunned by his words.
"Verbal agreements hold no weight, written evidence is conclusive," the glint in Song Sanliang’s eyes flickered on and off, "It’s better to have things clarified."
Song Jiyun’s brow lifted, about to speak, but was stopped by Ninth Master Song.
"That’s a good idea!" He glanced at her and said, "After all, this is no trivial matter. Drafting a deed is best."
Song Daliang felt a newfound admiration for his brother; his cunning was deeper than a hornet’s nest.
Madam Li even asked a few master craftsmen from the Kiln Factory, "Please also help as witnesses!"
Everyone stayed behind.
Ninth Master Song helped with drafting the deed.
Because no one spoke, the atmosphere felt somewhat tense.
Song Jiyun, as if unable to bear the room’s atmosphere, stood under the eaves outside until the deed drafted by Ninth Master Song was finished and the witnesses had pressed their fingerprints. Only then did she enter emotionlessly and signed and sealed the deed.
Ninth Master Song, with a beaming smile, handed one of the copies of the deed to Song Jiyun and consoled her earnestly, "As a young lady, focusing on your future husband and teaching your children is most important. You will be married off to the Capital City in a few years anyway; don’t worry about the family matters here, leave them to your uncle and your eldest uncle."
Song Jiyun didn’t respond.
A master craftsman from the Kiln Factory standing beside her suddenly said, "What’s that noise?"
Everyone turned toward him. The hall fell silent, and all could hear an intermittent "thump thump" sound.
Puzzled looks were exchanged among them.
Ninth Master Song was initially startled, then his expression gradually turned grave.
The "thump thump" sounds grew louder, and a young man from the Kiln Factory shouted, "It’s coming from the east wing room’s floorboards!"
Song Sanliang’s hall had a typical layout with ’one bright and two dark’ rooms, and both the east and west wing rooms had floorboards laid out.
Immediately someone brought over a ladder and climbed up.
Before long, Wong Dahai, disheveled and bound with his mouth gagged, was carried down from the floorboards by the people.
The people in the hall were stunned.
"No, this can’t be!" Song Sanliang’s eyes almost burst with rage as he instinctively looked at Song Jiyun.
Song Jiyun had a cold smile on her lips as she leisurely folded the freshly completed deed.
In that blink of an eye, what more was there to misunderstand?
"You vile wench!" Without a second thought, he lunged towards Song Jiyun, "You’re framing and entrapping me!"
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