She rubbed the hand warmer, lowering her head with cold, clear eyes: “At this hour, the Jingzhao Prefecture should have already received the report and dispatched people to the mass grave outside the capital’s outskirts to examine those female corpses.”
Currently, everyone in the entire capital was focused on Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion and Duke Zhenguo’s Mansion. Just from what she knew, there were quite a few noble families openly and secretly gathering information from both mansions.
Naturally, Jiang Shi from Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion was pouring out all her grievances and complaints, while at Duke Zhenguo’s Mansion, the eldest son’s wife Dong Shi claimed to know nothing when questioned, only saying they needed to wait for the five dowry maids sold by Jiang Shi to be found to clarify the facts. The second wife Liu Shi, worried about her daughter, refused to see anyone.
But these aristocratic families and commoners, the less they could discover, the more they would fabricate and speculate, then eagerly await the return of those five dowry maids to prove their wisdom.
Even Bai Jintong, who had been on battlefields, was shocked by Jiang Shi’s clean and decisive methods. She looked toward Bai Qingyan: “Elder sister, have you already investigated everything clearly, which is why you had grand aunt report to the authorities and make this matter public?”
Bai Qingyan paced leisurely with measured steps: “When Jingzhao Prefecture receives a report about five unidentified female corpses, and our mansion happens to be searching for the five dowry maids that your second sister’s mother-in-law sold, the magistrate won’t need to investigate closely to think that the Marquis Zhongyong’s wife, who claims to have sold five dowry maids, will require our Duke’s Mansion to send people to identify the bodies.”
“But elder sister…” Bai Jintong placed one hand behind her back, displaying considerable masculine spirit, “In our dynasty, these maids and servants have always been considered merely the master’s private property – movable objects. Even if this matter reaches the authorities, they can only say that Marquis Zhongyong’s wife reached into the second sister’s dowry, which would only confirm her already established reputation. Such a commotion wouldn’t hurt Marquis Zhongyong’s wife in the slightest. Is it worth it?”
“Therefore, this morning, the mansion already sent people to cancel the slave status of those five dowry maids, and your second sister also returned the indenture contracts of those dowry maids to the parents of those five girls.”
Bai Jintong’s eyes lit up, and she wrapped both hands around Bai Qingyan’s arm: “Canceling their slave status makes them free citizens! Randomly killing citizens requires paying with one’s life! Last time, when the elder sister told the second sister to keep those maids’ indenture contracts for good use, was it for today?! Then… can we make that poisonous woman pay with her life this time? Why don’t we think of more ways to fix the outcome of this case? Anyway, even if that poisonous woman were cut into a thousand pieces, it wouldn’t be unjust.”
Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jintong’s bright, eager expression and felt a vague worry. With Bai Jinxiu about to leave home, her temperament still lacked some stability.
Since she had already told Bai Jintong these things, she might as well take this opportunity to use this matter to break down and thoroughly explain the principles to Bai Jintong. Among all their sisters, Bai Jintong was the most clever and quick-witted, but still young and sometimes prone to acting on impulse. But her greatest advantage was that once the reasoning was explained clearly, she would immediately understand.
“What we wanted from the beginning was for your second sister not to be controlled by her mother-in-law, and for those two young ladies in the marquis’s mansion not to dare provoke your second sister again, not Marquis Zhongyong’s wife’s life, right?” Bai Qingyan took Bai Jintong’s hand, walking forward while speaking to her in gentle, soft tones.
Bai Jintong nodded, not understanding what Bai Qingyan meant by this.
“Then only by driving Jiang Shi out of Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion can your second sister be completely free from this mother-in-law’s control and restraint. Otherwise, even if they live in separate mansions, if this Marquis Zhongyong’s wife has a headache today or feels unwell tomorrow, filial duty would pressure your second sister to attend to her illness, and your second sister couldn’t refuse. Speaking of those two young ladies in Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, with their mother gone, the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother. Your second sister, as the eldest sister-in-law, will have to manage these two girls’ marriages in the future. When that time comes, would those two young ladies in the marquis’s mansion dare to cause any trouble under your second sister’s authority? Isn’t this the logic?”
Bai Jintong thought about it and nodded.
“Therefore, what result the case produces doesn’t matter! If Marquis Zhongyong’s wife is sentenced to death, that would be gratifying for us, but it’s not our goal. What we want is for the consequences triggered after Marquis Zhongyong’s wife becomes involved in a murder case to unfold as we wish. Once tainted with a murder case, even if Marquis Zhongyong’s wife cannot ultimately be made to pay with her life for those five dowry maids, her reputation will be stained with the mark of murder. When noble families with titles become involved in murder cases, it will inevitably alarm the Censorate. Those sharp-eyed and clear-minded censors will be rubbing their hands together in anticipation, and there will be no shortage of impeachment memorials – this is the first point. The two daughters and one son raised under Marquis Zhongyong’s wife’s care, with their mother’s reputation damaged, will also find it difficult to hold their heads high in the capital – this is the second point. Think again… given Marquis Zhongyong’s nature of pursuing profit while abandoning righteousness, would he still allow Marquis Zhongyong’s wife, whose reputation has been repeatedly damaged, to remain in Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion and continue to implicate his children? Our goal is about to be achieved… if in the middle of this you use underhanded methods intending to bring about Jiang Shi’s death, and it backfires, what then?”
Seeing Bai Jintong’s gaze become somewhat stagnant, Bai Qingyan stopped and helped Bai Jintong adjust her cloak, saying gently, “In a while, you’ll be going out on your own. Elder sister is using this matter to tell you these things because I want you to understand… no matter what kind of planning you use in doing things, you must remember clearly the purpose you hope to achieve. All cunning schemes and tactics serve to pave the way for this purpose. You must never use additional methods to obtain more, lest you end up with nothing. Furthermore, you cannot judge everything solely by results. Taking this case as an example, what result the trial produces doesn’t matter – you need to think more about whether the consequences are what you want. Results and consequences may seem similar, but are worlds apart.”
Bai Jintong suddenly remembered what Bai Qingyan had said that day in Bai Jinxiu’s room.
[If you want to make them obedient, you must strike once and break their spine, crush their backbone! Let them know what pain is, what fear is, so that in the future, when they hear your second sister’s name, their legs will tremble with fear. Only then… can your second sister have peace.]
Bai Jintong had always prided herself on her considerable intelligence. Though she knew she wasn’t as capable as her elder sister, she felt the gap wouldn’t be too great. Now, seeing her elder sister’s clean and efficient handling of Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, without any redundancy, taking one step while looking ahead ninety-nine steps, with such meticulous planning that others couldn’t keep up.
Only now did Bai Jintong realize that there was truly too much she needed to learn from her elder sister.
“Jintong respectfully remembers elder sister’s teachings, will engrave them in my heart, and will never dare forget.” Bai Jintong respectfully bowed to Bai Qingyan, completely convinced.
Bai Qingyan smiled and helped Bai Jintong up, grasping her hand: “You’re about to leave home, and the outside world is vast and different from home. That’s why your elder sister said a few more words, hoping you’ll be extremely cautious in your actions.”
“Jintong understands! Elder sister, rest assured!” Bai Jintong’s eyes reddened as she squeezed Bai Qingyan’s hand, then smiled: “I’ll escort elder sister back to the inner courtyard.”
She had just taken two steps with Bai Jintong when she saw from a distance Qin Shangzhi, who was recovering from injuries at the Duke’s Mansion, standing not far away, seemingly looking at her. He smiled slightly and curtsied in greeting.
The confused Bai Jintong also curtsied in response.
Qin Shangzhi looked at Bai Qingyan with furrowed brows, seeming to want to speak but stopping himself. Finally, he clasped his hands in salute and turned to leave.