The Ji family’s case had caused quite a stir in Sandaoyan. People are naturally curious. While some criticized Lady Ji as being cruel beneath her gentle appearance, knowing how difficult it had been for her to maintain Huanhua as a widow, others stepped forward to declare her innocent.
Second Young Master Zhu was the most straightforward of them all.
“Wouldn’t Ji Daolang’s credit with the weavers for plain silk be genuine? Even with his debt burden, he still helped his aunt. Would such a person scheme to take his aunt’s mansion and shops? His family has never even left Yizhou Prefecture—how could they possibly know river bandits on the Yangtze? The Governor must have examined the evidence meticulously to declare the Ji family innocent today!”
His voice boomed through the entire tavern as he drank with his friends.
The people the Zhao family had sent to spread rumors were extremely dissatisfied and immediately mocked him: “Everyone knows you’ve set your sights on Ji’s Second Miss. But would they ever agree to give Second Miss Ji to you? Is that worth defending the Ji family so earnestly?”
The jab struck Zhu’s heart like a knife, but he remained frank and laughed heartily: “Right, the Ji family wouldn’t accept me. Does that mean I can’t speak the truth?”
As the other side was about to retort, someone burst into the tavern. He rushed straight to Zhu’s table, downed a bowl of hot wine, and said between heavy breaths: “The Governor has declared the Ji family innocent! It was Lady Yichuan’s servant who abandoned her mistress to save herself, then falsely accused the Ji family to save her skin!”
Second Young Master Zhu roared with laughter: “Thank you for your trouble, brother! Today’s wine is on me!”
Amid the sounds of joy and laughter, the Zhao family’s people quietly slipped out of the tavern. In a corner, another man with a delighted expression also quietly departed.
That man rushed straight to Master Zhang’s mansion and called out as soon as he entered: “Master, great news!”
With less than a month until his daughter Fourth Miss Zhang’s wedding, the Ji family’s legal troubles had cast dark clouds over the Zhang household. If the Zhang family withdrew from the marriage at this critical moment, they would be criticized for kicking someone while they were down. Who would want to form marriage alliances with the Zhang family if they abandoned their partners in times of trouble? But if they didn’t withdraw, they worried about their daughter’s future suffering. Master Zhang had only agreed to the marriage because he believed in Lady Ji’s character. After days of agonizing worry, they had finally reached the end of their ordeal.
As soon as the news from the courthouse spread, Zhang’s family messengers rushed back from the city with the information. Master Zhang happily called out “Reward them!” and instructed his steward to quickly prepare and send a load of fine wine to the Ji family to help settle their nerves.
He hurried to the inner courtyard to find his wife and daughter already aware of the news, their faces wreathed in smiles. Master Zhang rubbed his hands together in delight: “Now we just wait for the appointed day when Ji Daolang comes to receive his bride!”
Matron Wu led the household servants and maids to welcome their masters home at the main gate. When she saw the carriage enter the lane, she directed the gatekeeper Tian Yu to light the firecrackers.
The sound of nine-sectioned bamboo poles filled with gunpowder crackled through the air. The cold winter day, with its bitter wind and swirling snow, suddenly felt more festive.
Not long after they arrived home, the Zhang family’s gift of wine was delivered.
Lady Ji breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried the Zhang family might withdraw from the marriage when they had shown no reaction. Seeing the wine delivered, she specifically instructed that the servant who brought it be given a red envelope containing five hundred coins. With Lord Sheng’s retreat and the case concluded her son’s happy occasion would surely dispel all the family’s ill fortune. Lady Ji said cheerfully: “Tell Matron Tian to prepare a hot pot for lunch—everyone can eat and warm their bodies to drive away the cold.”
The soup pot was made of seasoned copper, with a rich broth made from large bones and a mature hen. The lamb was sliced paper-thin, and translucent when held up to the light. Matron Tian had prepared a dipping sauce like the one used for raw fish, adding homemade soybean paste and fermented bean curd. It was both fragrant and savory. Nothing could be more suitable for warming the stomach on a snowy day.
Having risen early to go to the prefecture court and rushed back for hot pot, all three members of the Ji family felt a sense of happiness.
After everything that had happened, Ji Yingying gained a new understanding of marriage and happiness. She recalled how Yang Jingyuan had worried about her when she pretended to be ill, rushing to buy carp porridge. She felt a glimmer of hope for the future. She somewhat looked forward to seeing Yang Jingyuan. Perhaps he would be exceptionally happy when he learned of their marriage. At this thought, she couldn’t help but blush.
Just then, Matron Wu came in smiling to report: “Madam, someone has come from the Yang family.”
Just as she had been thinking of Yang Jingyuan, someone from his family arrived. Ji Yingying’s face burned fiercely as she put down her chopsticks and said: “Mother, Brother, I’m finished eating. I’ll return to my room first.”
Although this marriage had been used to gain the Yang family’s support in helping the Ji family through their crisis, her greatest worry had been that her daughter wouldn’t be happy. Seeing her daughter’s shy expression, Lady Ji was truly relieved: “Go wait in the inner room.”
Madam Yang Shi had made her requirements clear. After marriage, Ji Yingying would need to help the Yang family with their brocade weaving. Lady Ji hadn’t treated this as an ordinary marriage arrangement. It was essential to let her daughter listen to what the Yang family’s messenger had to say and learn more about them.
Ji Yingying didn’t object and went to the inner room to eavesdrop on the conversation outside.
Ji Yaoting needed to discuss reopening the dyeing workshop with Ji Gui, so he also took his leave.
The visitor was once again Matron Chen. Like the Zhang family, she had brought a load of Jiannanchun spirits to help settle their nerves. After entering and bowing to Lady Ji, she smiled and said: “When my mistress heard the Governor had declared the Ji family innocent, she was overjoyed. This servant offers congratulations to Lady Ji!”
“Thank you for your trouble, please sit. Have you eaten lunch, coming from the city?” Lady Ji asked with a smile.
Matron Chen felt warmth in her heart and replied: “Thank you for your concern, madam. This servant ate before setting out.”
She knelt to sit in the lower position and glanced left and right.
Lady Ji understood and said gently: “Matrons Li and Wu came with me as part of my dowry—you may speak freely.”
Matron Wu instinctively withdrew to the doorway and sent away the little maid serving tea.
“Lady Ji, did you notice anything strange in court today?” Matron Chen’s smile faded slightly as she asked softly.
Lady Ji hesitated before saying: “Could there be something suspicious about that servant girl’s suicide?”
It was more than just suspicious.
Madam Yang Shi had asked her brother to use his connections with the Governor. Colonel Shi had seen the case files from Huzhou Prefecture and knew the boat had sunk from hitting a reef. The recovered bodies of the crew had all drowned with no signs of foul play. This was the most favorable evidence for the Ji family.
He had gone to the women’s prison to see that servant girl, thinking he could frighten her into recanting. But unexpectedly, she still insisted: “That day when the boat was in the middle of the river, a sudden storm came up. The crew couldn’t make it to shore right away. My mistress and I were frightened. She sent me to ask the captain. The captain said he’d been through many storms and would find a place to dock after passing these rapids. When I returned, I saw a dark figure rush out of my mistress’s cabin and jump straight into the river. When I entered, my mistress appeared to be sleeping on her couch. I thought it strange—in the time of burning just one stick of incense, how could she have fallen asleep when she’d been so worried? When I approached to check, she had already stopped breathing. I was so shocked my mind went blank, and then the boat struck the reef and was capsized by the storm. The gold my mistress had hidden under her pillow happened to roll to my feet. Greed overcame me, and I took the gold. Now I have no way to explain myself clearly.”
Despite Colonel Shi’s repeated threats, she refused to change her story.
Then last night came the news that she had hanged herself in prison. Colonel Shi firmly believed the servant girl’s survival instinct was too strong for her to have taken her own life.
Madam Yang Shi suspected someone else was secretly helping the Ji family. Since it involved her brother, she had sent Matron Chen to investigate.
Seeing Lady Ji’s equally puzzled expression, Matron Chen understood. The Ji family didn’t have such capabilities—Lady Ji was also in the dark about this. Looking at it positively, perhaps the servant girl had chosen suicide after Colonel Shi’s stern words made her realize accusing Lady Ji was hopeless, and with no one to prove she hadn’t taken the gold and abandoned her mistress, she became too afraid to go on.
“If that’s not the case, then someone else must be watching this case from the shadows,” Lady Ji’s thinking was also clear. “For now, her suicide benefits the Ji family. Whatever changes may come in the future, they are the Ji family’s concern and will not implicate the Yang family. Please assure Madam Yang of this.”
Having received Lady Ji’s assurance, Matron Chen’s face brightened, and she rose to take her leave.
Ji Yingying lifted the curtain, unable to shake off her sense of unease: “Mother, I feel this must be connected to the Zhao and Niu families. The Zhao family won’t let this rest. They’re probably plotting something unsavory. They might use this case to cause trouble again in the future.”
“Yingying, don’t worry. We’ll deal with future matters when they come. We’ll face whatever challenges arise. Why worry about things that haven’t happened yet?”
Ji Yingying broke into a smile: “Mother is right. Right now we need to prepare for Brother’s wedding. Things will only get better for our family. Let’s repay the debt to the Zhao family first. I don’t want to have any connection with them.”
Lady Ji nodded and said: “I’ll have your brother go tomorrow.”