Chapter 63: "How did Lord Jia treat Chen Mian...
"Aunt blamed Chen Mian because I lost my magical powers and found it difficult to protect myself. This is the internal reason, and it's secondary."
Zhibai's expression became calmer, but a hint of fierceness appeared between his brows.
"And the most important external factor was the people who followed me last night..."
This fact really shouldn't be blamed on Mianlang. If she still had her magic power, she wouldn't be afraid of a few rural bandits. Even if there were a hundred or eighty of them, she wouldn't take them seriously.
Zhi Bai thought about it. Because of her status, she and Chen Mian had always been cautious in Jiangyang Mansion and never tried to stand out.
Even if Zhibai racked his brains, he couldn't think of anyone with whom the two of them had any grudges or even just a few words.
How could someone follow him in the middle of the night, especially when Mianlang was in prison and couldn't be bothered with other things?
"Aunt, where do you think those people came from?" Zhibai asked Wenyu.
If one person can't think of a solution, two people can always find a way.
Wen Yu sat up straighter upon hearing this, no longer as casual as before. Her brows furrowed slightly, her eyelids half closed.
Yesterday she left the house to look for Song Linsheng, and she felt something was amiss along the way, but she checked again and again and found nothing suspicious.
Later, when he met Song Linsheng by the Yuanshui River and fell into the foundation pit, he heard him say that he chose to leave the city on a rest day to avoid attracting too much attention. Besides, he always felt that someone was following him these days.
At that time, she was only concerned with joking with Song Linsheng and didn't take the matter to heart. Now, Zhi Bai Niangzi was being followed for no reason -
Wen Yu's heart skipped a beat and everything became clear.
These seemingly subtle anomalies are like lost pearls. When scattered everywhere, their fireflies are dim, but if they are strung together and connected together, they will shine brightly, illuminating the darkness behind them and revealing it to the public.
Could it be that these people are the same group?
Wen Yu became even more confused, and a bold guess gradually surfaced.
Who was it that forcibly led people to arrest Chen Mian in Dongshi without asking any reason?
Who asked Lord Mu to leave the city inexplicably and save her and Song Linsheng by chance in the middle of the night?
Who has a grudge against Chen Mian that he wants to persecute his pregnant wife?
Who is it?
It’s Lord Jia!
Is it... Lord Jia?
Wen Yu's face looked very ugly, with thick mist, dark clouds, and so gloomy that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out.
She was like a distant mountain hidden behind the mist and rain, shrouded in water vapor, making it difficult for Zhibai to see clearly.
However, she saw with her own eyes that Lord Jia was arresting people in the street, so it couldn't be fake.
But she had no evidence to support the last two items.
Maybe there was nothing strange about her leaving the city, she was just being overly suspicious.
Perhaps Lord Jia was truly devoted to the defense of the city, and he also truly wanted Lord Mu to make achievements so as to gain Song Linsheng's appreciation, so he asked Lord Mu to go out of the city on patrol, and that's why he happened to save the two of them.
Perhaps the people who followed Zhi Bainiangzi were bandits from other states who committed the crime on a whim, but in fact had nothing to do with Lord Jia.
Maybe...?
"Aunt, do you have any guesses?" Seeing Wen Yu's expression changing several times and becoming unpredictable, even if Zhi Bai had great concentration, he couldn't help but ask her.
Wen Yu gathered his thoughts and looked up at Zhi Bai.
"Perhaps, Lady Zhibai, do you know—Lord Jia Renjia?"
She knew Lord Jia. Chen Mian worked as a clerk in the Jiangyang government office. How could Zhibai not know Lord Jia?
"He has been serving in Jiangyang Prefecture for a long time. When I married Mianlang three years ago, Mr. Jia was already the Tongzhi of Jiangyang Prefecture."
Zhibai recalled the day she and Chen Mian got married. They had a banquet at home, and Lord Jia had come to congratulate them personally, bringing gifts. Mian Lang seemed very happy about his arrival, ushering him in to the table and talking to him, staying with him for quite some time.
"Master Jia has been serving in Jiangyang for three years?"
"It's hard to say. I originally grew up in Houchun Mountain and later entered Jiangyang Prefecture after I became friends with Mian Lang. So I don't know much about what happened before that." Zhibai recalled that when Chen Mian took office, Lord Jia was already in Jiangyang Prefecture. He added, "I can only speculate that Lord Jia's term of office was far longer than three years."
Wen Yu nodded slightly when she heard this. That was true. She had previously read the case files of the Jiangyang government officials, and even the time when Lord Mu took office was clearly written, but the page about Lord Jia was missing, leaving her with no clue.
Although it is not completely accurate now, at least we know that Mr. Jia took office more than three years ago.
"How does Lord Jia treat Chen Mian?"
Wen Yu wondered what kind of personal relationship the two of them had, and thought it probably wasn't a good one, otherwise why would Lord Jia go to the extent of arresting people in the street?
"They have a good personal relationship, but it's not that good either."
"It's just that Jiangyang Prefecture has many sacrificial ceremonies, and Mianlang is a clerk specializing in ceremonies and sacrifices. When he's on duty, he interacts with Lord Jia more than an ordinary yamen runner."
Zhibai seemed a little confused about Wenyu's sudden mention of Lord Jia, but she still told the truth about what she knew.
That's strange.
According to Zhi Bai Niangzi, even if Chen Mian and Lord Jia were not good friends, they were definitely not enemies.
Lord Jia is like an isolated island hidden in the spring lake, with neither oars nor piers, difficult to reach, visible but untouchable.
There are so many troubles in the world.
She was tangled up in this matter like a headless fly, but she only got some clues that could not be considered real evidence. She could only infer but could not verify.
Unlike when she was in the Temple of Spring, she only needed to follow the method set by her master and proceed step by step when discussing Taoism and practicing.
What's funny is that at that time she actually thought that cultivation was a piece of cake, and always believed that she was the most spiritual Wutong in the world. However, it was only after she came to the lower world that she realized that everything was not easy.
No wonder that in order to become an immortal, one must experience worldly life.
Wen Yu sighed in worry.
"Aunt, do you suspect that Lord Jia is... interfering, or... is he related to this matter?"
Zhibai revealed Wenyu's thoughts in one word. Zhibai's frankness made Wenyu even more embarrassed to speak carelessly. She hesitated and explained to Zhibai:
"I just feel that Lord Jia must be involved in this matter, but as for what role he plays, I'm not completely sure."
"According to what Auntie said, those people last night were most likely sent by Lord Jia..."
"Mian Lang was also framed and imprisoned by him?"
Zhibai seemed to have thought of something and asked questions one after another, but before Wen Yu could respond, she rejected her own guess.
"We have no grudges against him in the past or in the present. Why did he want to put Mianlang in jail, and why did he send someone to follow me?"
Yes, that's exactly what happened. This is also what Wen Yu couldn't figure out. The only way to figure this out is to continue investigating and see if we can find the answer...
"There is no conclusion on this matter yet, and we need to investigate further." Wen Yu felt a slight headache, and his whole body felt like he was falling into the clouds, as if he didn't even have the strength to get up.
"But I can't leave you out here alone now." Her face was filled with shame, and she spoke to Zhibai with a hint of annoyance, "That day at Houchun Mountain, I should have taken you back to the Song residence, or to the Jiangyang government office."
"It's not like I'd leave you out there alone, nearly getting your life in jeopardy."
Wen Yu shook her head, as if to drive the dizzy feeling out of her mind. She tried her best to overcome it, comforting herself that this feeling was no different from being drunk.
There was just a strong sense of uneasiness rising in my heart.
Zhi Bai Niangzi had no magical powers and was no different from an ordinary person. She herself behaved in such a strange way, not to mention the inkstone outside the house that could not be carried on her shoulders or hands, and the group of half-grown babies.
Song Linsheng, why haven't you come yet...
She struggled to stand up, pressed one hand on her temples and rubbed them gently, while not forgetting to reach out a hand to support Zhibai.
"Anyway, you should go back to the Song residence with me first. I've already told Song Linsheng that we can move in with you to the Jiangyang government office."
But under the current circumstances, Jiangyang government office is not a good place to go.
"Let's go back to the Song residence first..."
Wen Yu's voice was like the sound of a bell in a distant mountain. It was steady and long at first, but then it gradually faded away, leaving only a faint echo in the valley, which lingered for a long time and gradually disappeared.
"Aunt!" Zhibai shouted, and hurriedly stood up with his heavy body, holding Wenyu's elbows with both hands to help her stand steady.
"Aunt! Aunt!"
Zhibai's voice was filled with anxiety. How could she have forgotten that her aunt had only recently descended to the mortal world, and that she couldn't have expended so much mana to save her. She had to wait until she had adapted to the changing seasons and the alternation of day and night in the mortal world.
"Aunt! You must have used up too much energy saving me! Your spirit is unstable right now! Sit down and rest!" After saying that, she hurriedly supported Wen Yu and knelt down in the same position again.
Maybe... yes?
Wen Yu was a little slow to realize what was happening, but surely Lady Zhibai must have been panicking? How could she possibly possess any divine aura? She was just a young tree spirit who had just transformed. Even if she possessed some divine aura, it was only due to the influence of her master at the Spring Temple...
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Wen Yu swallowed hard. It turned out that using the healing technique would cause his magic power to be lost so quickly. It would be better for him to follow his master. That way, he could lean on a big tree for shade.
The call of "Auntie" kept ringing in her ears. Wen Yu smiled helplessly and raised her hand to hold Zhibai's hand.
"Mrs. Zhibai, please stop calling me aunt."
Zhi Bai Niangzi transformed and entered the world many years earlier than her. It was really a shame for her. It was so difficult for her to even cast a spell to save a person. She really didn't have the face to call her "Auntie".
"Call me Wenyu!"
The worry on Zhibai's face did not diminish at all. In a hurry, he did not refuse Wenyu and agreed immediately.
"Madam Wenyu, don't worry, I'll take you back—"
But before she could finish her words, she felt that she had the will but not the strength. She probably forgot that she had only just recovered for a short while, less than half an hour.
Wen Yu frowned, her nose turned red, she breathed heavily and couldn't stop gasping for air. She raised her hand and patted Zhi Bai Niangzi's palm, trying to calm her down.
Wen Yu fumbled in her arms for a while, and a turquoise jade ring with a tassel just slipped out from between her clothes. She grabbed it in her hand before it fell.
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