“Take him away!” Several yamen runners dragged Li Zhengping out of Mo Manor, with a long iron chain locked around his neck. The lead constable waved his hand commandingly.
“Wait, Officer. What crime has my nephew Zhengping committed to warrant such an arrest?” Li Jingfu pushed through the crowd. At such a moment, it was most appropriate for an elder like him to speak up.
“If the magistrate wants to make an arrest, he makes an arrest. Take your questions to the magistrate’s office,” the lead constable said, then looked at Li Jingfu, “What, are you trying to resist arrest?”
“Your Honor jests. We simply want to understand why he’s being arrested,” Zhen Niang stepped forward.
“Conspiracy to commit murder.” Seeing Li Zhen Niang, the constable didn’t dare to be too aggressive. Miss Li was a notable figure in Nanjing, and an honored guest of the Princess’s Manor wasn’t someone he could casually offend. Still, he had his duties and feared no one.
“Where’s the evidence?” Hua’er asked timidly from the side. Common folk rarely dared to question officials.
“Heh, quite amusing, young lady. I’m only responsible for making arrests, not conducting trials. If you want evidence, go ask the magistrates.” The constable spoke while no longer paying attention to Zhen Niang and the others, dragging Li Zhengping away.
As Li Zhengping passed by Zhen Niang, he desperately tried to stop: “I’m innocent! Sister Ge Qiu is innocent too! We didn’t kill anyone!”
“Still denying it! My husband was murdered by you and that girl Ge Qiu working together. Once you’re in court, they’ll sentence you to immediate execution!” Madam Cao burst out from the crowd, kicking and clawing at Li Zhengping.
“What kind of mad woman is this?” Li Jingfu, already frustrated at being shut down by the constable, couldn’t stand by watching Madam Cao attack Li Zhengping. He pulled her back forcefully, making her fall on her bottom.
He glared at Madam Cao: “This is still just an investigation, no crime has been proven yet. Who are you to the magistrate’s office? The magistrate hasn’t even determined the charges, yet you’re already helping him decide? Even deciding the sentence? Perhaps you should be the magistrate instead?”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Hearing Li Jingfu’s words, Madam Cao was terrified. If such words reached the magistrate’s ears, she would be finished.
“Am I? Or perhaps you have a grudge against my nephew Zhengping and are deliberately framing him? Oh, or maybe you conspired with someone else to kill your husband? After all, didn’t you and Huang Lang cause Ge Da’s death before? Another time wouldn’t be surprising.”
Having spent over ten years in gambling houses and two years in northern mines, Li Jingfu had picked up some roguish ways. He had heard about Li Zhengping’s previous troubles while in Huizhou, and now his seemingly plausible accusations left Madam Cao sputtering “You… you…” unable to form a complete sentence.
The crowd began whispering amongst themselves. Though Ge Qiu had stronger motives for murder, people generally sympathized with the underdog. Ge Qiu’s current situation certainly made her the underdog, and Huang Lang and Madam Cao’s previous actions had left a bad taste in people’s mouths. With no clear evidence against Ge Qiu and her guilt still unproven, Madam Cao’s aggressive behavior made Li Jingfu’s words add a new angle of speculation to the case. People wondered if it might be true – after all, Huang Lang had recently brought two concubines into the household, causing Madam Cao to curse and quarrel with him for quite some time. It wasn’t impossible that she had found a lover and killed Huang Lang in a fit of rage.
Even the constable gave Madam Cao a suspicious look.
Madam Cao felt utterly helpless and pleaded with the constable: “Officer, you must help me get justice!”
“How am I supposed to handle all your affairs?” The constable dismissed her and ordered his men to take Li Zhengping away.
“Officer, please wait,” Zhen Niang called out again.
The constable turned back and glared at her, but Zhen Niang smiled apologetically and took out a small bag of silver pieces, pressing it into his hand. “My cousin is an honest and proper person. Please take good care of him. This small amount – please treat your fellow officers to some wine.”
Her words made the constable look at her more carefully. No wonder the Li family’s Mo Manor could be run by a young woman – her understanding of social graces alone would allow her to establish herself in Nanjing.
“Heh, at least someone understands proper conduct. Very well, I’ll treat the brothers to wine on the shopkeeper’s behalf.” The constable then called to his men: “Didn’t you hear what Shopkeeper Li said? Her cousin is an honest and proper person. Let’s not make things difficult for him – remove the chains.”
“Yes, sir!” The yamen runners, already excited about getting drinks, cheerfully complied. Their usual perks came from such small gestures. An arrest with chains versus without chains made a big difference – without chains meant to comfort, but with chains, the heavy iron would leave bloody marks on the neck by the time they reached the yamen.
Watching Li Zhengping being taken away unshackled, Hua’er gratefully said to Zhen Niang: “Sister Zhen Niang always thinks things through. This way my brother will suffer less inside.”
Meanwhile, Li Jingfu was also impressed. Previously, he had been reckless, spending his days drinking and gambling, showing little care for Zhen Niang. Later when he reformed, he went to Suzhou, still not understanding his daughter. Even after returning and spending several days together, he only knew she had a strong independent streak. He hadn’t realized his daughter was such a skilled operator.
No wonder Seventh Aunt had entrusted her with running the Nanjing Mo Manor – she was indeed more capable than him as a father.
Zhen Niang was unaware of her father’s thoughts. As for bribing the yamen runners, she’d learned partly from watching historical dramas in her previous life, and partly thanks to her opportunistic father, Li Jingfu.
Back when Li Jingfu had racked up massive debts, her elder brother had been too honest and reserved to handle things, leaving their mother to clean up the mess. Sometimes Zhen Niang had to help her mother act out the role of desperate family members. She’d unconsciously mastered these tactics then. The ancient saying that children of poor families mature early certainly rang true.
She then called everyone inside the Mo Manor and helped with unloading the goods.
Standing in the crowd, Luo Wenqian frowned as he watched Li Zhengping being taken away. From the beating of Wei Baiwan’s concubine to Huang Lang’s sudden death to Ge Qiu’s arrest and Li Zhengping being implicated – something felt unusual about all this. However, having just returned from Huizhou, he was completely in the dark about the situation and couldn’t piece anything together yet.
Still, it would be best to warn Zhen Niang about Wei Baiwan’s possible involvement, so she could be prepared. Besides, the girl seemed to have a good relationship with Madam Xu Hai – perhaps she could help gather some information. Thinking this, he stepped forward.
Zhen Niang naturally greeted him.
“Let’s go inside, I have something to discuss,” Luo Wenqian said, leading the way into Mo Manor. Zhen Niang followed him in, taking him to a side room used for ink appreciation. She asked Hua’er to make tea.
“No need, I still haven’t returned to the money shop. I’ll leave after saying what I came to say,” Luo Wenqian said, then continued: “I’ve asked around about this whole affair. Apparently, on the fourth night of the New Year, Wei Baiwan hosted a dinner for people in the silk trade – the industry had made huge profits last year. Huang Lang was among the guests. That night, one of Wei Baiwan’s concubines tried to escape but was caught and beaten to death on the spot. However, someone saw Huang Lang meeting with that concubine, and the next morning news of Huang Lang’s death spread. Shortly after that, Ge Qiu was imprisoned, and now Li Zhengping has been implicated.”
Luo Wenqian briefly outlined the whole sequence of events.
“Are you suggesting Wei Baiwan’s people might have killed Huang Lang?” Zhen Niang asked with a frown, surprised to learn there was such a backstory to Huang Lang’s death. She was also amazed at how Luo Wenqian, who had arrived in Nanjing with her, had already pieced together so much information in such a short time.
“No, not necessarily. If Wei Baiwan’s people killed Huang Lang, this matter wouldn’t have kept expanding like this. Anyway, I’m not very clear about it either, having just arrived like you – I’m equally in the dark. This is all just hearsay, I’m telling you just to give you a heads up, so you can be prepared.”
“Alright, I understand.” Zhen Niang nodded, seeing Luo Wenqian out. She didn’t thank him profusely – sometimes too many thanks could make things awkward.
After organizing the goods and settling everything with the help of others, Zhen Niang gathered the household staff to discuss Li Zhengping’s situation.
After Luo Wenqian’s explanation, she now understood the general sequence of events surrounding Huang Lang’s death, but she still didn’t know how Li Zhengping had become involved. So she asked, “The fifth day of the New Year was Mo Manor’s furnace-warming and lamp-lighting day, right?”
After every Spring Festival, when the winter rest period ended, each Mo Manor had a furnace-warming and lamp-lighting ceremony. Like the spring worship in agriculture, it was a blessing day for the ink trade.
The Li family’s furnace-warming was set for the fifth day, starting from the hour of the Ox (1-3 AM) until the hour of the Dragon (7-9 AM).
“Yes, we stayed up all night on the fourth, and as soon as the hour of the Ox began on the fifth, we started preparing for the furnace-warming and lamp-lighting,” Master Ma said.
“Then shouldn’t that prove that Brother Zhengping was with everyone the whole time? He couldn’t have had time to conspire with Sister Ge Qiu to kill anyone,” Zhen Niang frowned.
“That’s true, but during the hour of the Tiger (3-5 AM), Ge Qiu came looking for Li Zhengping. Neighbor Madam Yao, who had come early to borrow fire for her brazier, saw them leaving together,” Madam Ma said helplessly.
Hearing this, Zhen Niang tapped her forehead in frustration – this seemed to confirm the time for Ge Qiu and Li Zhengping to have conspired together. Even if they weren’t accomplices, Li Zhengping would at least be considered an informed party. No wonder the yamen had arrested him directly.
“By the way, did Zhengping leave any message before being taken away?” Li Jingfu asked from the side.
“He didn’t say much. The yamen runners came too quickly,” Master Ma pondered, but Madam Ma spoke up: “Oh, right! Before entering the yamen, Brother Zhengping did say something to me.”
“What did he say?” Zhen Niang asked quickly.
“He said that Miss Zhen Niang had given instructions before leaving last year that the glue-boiling furnace in the small ink workshop was specially made, and we should wait for your return before warming it up. He told us not to touch it,” Madam Ma said.
“Oh.” Li Jingfu heard this and said nothing more. Zhengping was just leaving instructions about some work matters.
But Zhen Niang frowned – she didn’t remember giving Li Zhengping any such instructions.
“Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. Er’gou, take some people and gather more information about the case these days. I need to organize the birthday ink first – we must deliver the Princess’s ink on time,” Zhen Niang said, putting aside her doubts. The Princess’s Manor’s ink couldn’t be delayed.
“Should we write to my mother and father?” Hua’er asked from the side. When she had gone home, her mother had bitterly complained about her brother in her ear, saying he had been bewitched by that vixen Ge Qiu. She had used every harsh word she could think of.
“Hmm, let’s wait and observe for a couple more days. There’s no rush,” Zhen Niang said after some thought. Actually, what difference would it make if Li Jingming and his wife knew? They would just be two more worried people without any real solutions.
“Mm.” Hua’er nodded.
Then everyone went about their own business.
“Father, you rest for a while. I’m going to check the ink workshop in the back,” Zhen Niang said to Li Jingfu.
“Go ahead with your work. If you need me to handle anything, just let me know,” Li Jingfu said.
“Mm, alright.” Zhen Niang nodded. Her father was still completely unfamiliar with the manor’s affairs – better not to have him involved yet, lest he make things more complicated.
Then Zhen Niang went to the back courtyard’s ink workshop, but she went straight to the small workshop inside. She wanted to see what was actually in the small workshop’s furnace that made Li Zhengping warn others not to touch it.
There was a large pot with a steamer on top for steaming glue. Since the furnace hadn’t been warmed up, the whole stove felt particularly cold. Zhen Niang examined the stove carefully for a long time but couldn’t spot anything unusual. The inside of the stove was too dark to see clearly, so she simply lit a torch and carefully extended it inside. The interior immediately lit up, and Zhen Niang noticed that on one side of the stove, a brick seemed to be out of place. She took out a long pair of tongs and pulled the brick away, immediately revealing a book. Startled, she quickly withdrew the torch and then used the tongs to carefully extract the book from the dim remaining torchlight.
Then Zhen Niang sat on the edge of the stove and opened the book, reading it carefully. As she read, her heart sank.
It was an account book recording profit-sharing between Wei Baiwan, the Silk Manufacturing Office, and the local county government regarding silk and cocoon profits.