Some people forced others to file complaints. As long as he was near this person, the cyan-robed scholar felt he always had opportunities to broaden his horizons.

The villager begged loudly for mercy, but the carriage had already begun to move with a rumbling sound. Only the cyan-robed scholar’s voice came from within: “Pull him to the roadside, send him to the medical hall after he’s been punished. Oh, and go easy on him—we still need him to testify in court.”

The fact that this troublemaker retreated so easily indicated that his determination to avenge his mother wasn’t firm. Most likely, he just wanted to gain some benefits.

So-called An Xia Kingdom remnants, huh?

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t allow himself to be used like this, but his noble guest seemed quite interested.

So he had no choice but to play along until the end.

￥￥￥￥￥

When news arrived that Zi County had accepted the Wang woman’s case and would begin the trial in two days, the Feng family was eating dinner. Hearing the news, Madam Xu’s fingers trembled, nearly dropping her bowl to the floor: “How absurd!”

Feng Miaojun extended her chopsticks, blocking her bowl: “We’ll adapt to whatever comes.” Her voice was steady, but her heart sank slightly. She had originally thought that Zhao Dazhao would at most try to extort more money, but never imagined he would bypass the village authorities and report directly to the county office. Where did a ruffian like him get such courage and capability?

Most peculiar was that, judging solely by the evidence, the case couldn’t possibly stand. The county officials weren’t idle fools—why would they accept and hear such a case?

The messenger was sent by the village steward. After receiving two taels of silver fragments from Madam Xu, he lowered his voice: “I heard a noble person was passing through Zi County when Zhao Dazhao blocked their carriage midway. He first received twenty lashes, and only then was his complaint accepted.”

This information was substantial, raising even more questions. Madam Xu asked in a daze: “Which noble person?” In their small locality, even the visit of a high official was remarkable. If Zhao Dazhao had to endure punishment before seeking help, how exalted must the person’s status be?

Their willingness to “seek justice” for Zhao Dazhao filled her with unease.

“I don’t know. None of us know. We only heard that their status is extremely noble.”

After the messenger left, Madam Xu slowly sat back in her chair. Even though she didn’t know that the killer of old woman Wang was one of Feng Miaojun’s subordinates, she was aware of her foster daughter’s true identity. The suspicions arising in her heart deepened her fear.

She couldn’t help instructing her maid: “Summon Peng Bai here!”

But before she finished speaking, Feng Miaojun had already tugged at her sleeve: “Peng Bai went out on an errand and won’t return until tomorrow afternoon. The innocent have nothing to fear. What are you afraid of?”

Madam Xu looked down to see her foster daughter’s clear eyes, bright as a spring pool. She thought to herself that the girl was young, and Peng Bai wouldn’t have told her about the killing. This man was the Princess’s guard and didn’t need to give a face to her, Madam Xu, nor did he follow her orders. Even if she questioned him, he might not tell her the truth.

Feng Miaojun’s lips curved into a smile: “Anyway, this matter has nothing to do with us. No matter how the magistrate investigates, he can’t convict us. Don’t be afraid!” Both she and Peng Bai were unwilling to let Madam Xu know the cause of Wang’s death, to prevent her from revealing anything unusual during questioning that others might notice.

Her confident smile was infectious. As Madam Xu looked at her, her heart gradually calmed, and she knew she shouldn’t probe further. Then a thought struck her—wasn’t it strange? In such a situation, shouldn’t her foster daughter be frightened and crying incessantly? How had it become the little girl smiling to comfort the head of the household?

“Pack your things and prepare to go to Zi County.”

Among the ten rural areas, Ziping Village was the closest to the county office. The Feng family’s location was favorable; riding a horse from here would take only three hours.

Two days later, the Zi County magistrate’s office began the trial of Wang’s drowning case.

The plaintiff was Wang’s only son, Zhao Dazhao. He was originally thin and small, and after enduring twenty lashes, his frame seemed ready to collapse. He looked as if a gust of wind could knock him over, his face as pale as a corpse. Feng Miaojun stared at him intently, secretly puzzled.

Such a ruffian was the type who feared death and coveted life. From beginning to end, all he wanted was money, right? If his resolve for revenge wasn’t genuine, why would he be willing to endure twenty lashes to file a complaint?

Had she misjudged this person, or were there hidden circumstances?

As soon as Zhao Dazhao appeared, he knelt before the court. He first spoke of the hardships he and his mother had endured, depending solely on each other. Then he recounted Wang’s experience at the Feng family estate, embellishing it heavily. Finally, he declared: “After hearing about the An Xia Kingdom’s past affairs, the Feng family’s young lady flew into a rage and pushed my mother. She soon regretted it and killed my mother to silence her!”

Madam Xu stood beside, laughing coldly in anger: “Nonsense! How could my daughter, at such a young age, kill someone…?”

Magistrate Xu surnamed Xu, gave her a stern look with a warning tone: “It’s not your turn to speak.” Turning to Zhao Dazhao, he continued, “Even if she berated and struck Wang, she would have no reason to kill her to silence her, right?” For a case with such insufficient evidence, if it weren’t for the connection to “An Xia remnants” and the noble person’s instruction to handle it, how could he normally bother with it?

Zhao Dazhao gritted his teeth, strongly enduring the fiery pain in his back. After two days, there was still no sign of the lash marks fading: “Then you should hear what she said after pushing down my mother. Aunt Wu, who was helping in the kitchen, heard it. She told me when she returned, and only then did I realize that the Feng family are remnants of the An Xia Kingdom. The Feng young lady became so agitated after hearing my mother’s remarks!”

Feng Miaojun’s gaze intensified. There was a second person who heard the conversation between the original owner and Wang?

This part wasn’t written in the court records. Magistrate Xu frowned: “Where is Wu? Come forward. How did you hear those two talking?”

A dark-skinned woman entered the court, bowed, and then said: “There’s a tall magnolia tree in the courtyard, with branches extending to the upper floor. Madam Feng wanted to eat fried magnolia petals, so I climbed to the second floor to pick flowers. I had only picked a few when unexpectedly a dispute arose below. I hid on the second floor and first heard a thud, then Wang’s cry of pain, and then the Feng young lady fiercely said…”

Feng Miaojun’s indignant voice rang out, with a sharp tone unique to young girls, interrupting her: “I saw everyone there at the time, but I never saw you. You say you were on the second floor, but who saw you? Why not say you were flying in the sky, stretching your ears to hear everything?”

She spoke clearly and crisply, quickly and urgently, like a string of firecrackers. The common people outside all started laughing. Magistrate Xu glared at her and scolded: “Silence! Madam Xu, control your daughter’s mouth properly!”

Feng Miaojun shrank back into her foster mother’s embrace, pouting, her little face full of grievance, though there was a glimmer of light in her eyes. Children naturally had children’s privileges. Her innocent outburst wouldn’t earn her the same punishment as an adult. Nevertheless, everyone had already heard what she wanted to say.

Aunt Wu quickly defended herself: “The words that came out of the Feng young lady’s mouth were terrifying. I didn’t dare to look down. Later, the Feng young lady ran out crying, and I quietly went downstairs, not daring to let anyone know.”

Indeed, Magistrate Xu exhaled deeply: “What did she say?”

“The Feng young lady said…”

Feng Miaojun buried her head in her foster mother’s embrace, her eyes rolling incessantly. Just as she was about to find a way to create another distraction, someone outside suddenly beat her to it.

“Wait!”

The voice sounded young, yet carried a faint authority.