“You can’t arrest my son! Release him!” The Marchioness of Changxing, who usually appeared delicate, now erupted with surprising strength. She forcefully rammed into a yamen runner, causing him to stumble.
“Young Master, this isn’t true, is it? Say something—” Jiang Qian seized the opportunity to embrace the Heir of Marquis Changxing, crying out hoarsely. Taking advantage of the moment, she lowered her voice and whispered, “I’m pregnant—”
The Heir’s bewildered gaze instantly cleared as he stared intently at Jiang Qian.
What did she say? Pregnant?
Jiang Qian nodded desperately.
Believe it, she thought. If he believed her, he surely couldn’t turn against the mother carrying his child, letting her fall into disgrace along with him.
“Take him away!”
Despite the wailing of the Changxing Mansion’s women, Zhen Shicheng remained unmoved, ordering his subordinates to take away the Heir and two servants.
As for the corpses, they couldn’t be cleared away quickly. The once flower-filled garden of the Marquis’s mansion had become a temporary morgue, a place everyone now desperately avoided.
The Marchioness of Changxing ran after them, crying, “My Yu’er is a good boy! He wouldn’t harm anyone! You must have made a mistake—”
“Lord Zhen, I beg for your mercy! This Marquis has only this one son!” Marquis Changxing, having lost his earlier composure, clutched Zhen Shicheng’s hand, nearly kneeling before him.
“Perhaps others also had only one daughter,” Zhen Shicheng replied expressionlessly, cupping his hands. “We may need to summon you for questioning later. I hope the Marquis will cooperate then. Farewell!”
Marquis Changxing staggered backward, his face ashen.
Zhen Shicheng turned sharply and took two steps forward, then suddenly paused and looked back. His gaze passed over the Marquis and landed on the flowers and trees not far away.
There stood two young ladies, one in a white blouse and red skirt, truly more beautiful than the flowers around her.
He couldn’t ignore that young girl, of course.
Why was she here? And what connection did she have to this gruesome case?
Countless thoughts raced through Zhen Shicheng’s mind, but this was not the time or place for conversation. He could only cast a glance from afar, wanting the young lady to know he had seen her.
The little minx was bold and clever; if he didn’t acknowledge this encounter now, she might deny it later if asked.
To his surprise, the girl in the white blouse and red skirt simply smiled gracefully and curtsied to him.
Zhen Shicheng was taken aback, the corner of his mouth involuntarily quirking up as he turned and left with his yamen runners.
Having witnessed such a shocking scene, even the bold Jiang Qiao had turned pale with fright. Now catching her breath, she grabbed Jiang Si’s hand and asked, “Fourth Sister, was that Lord Zhen just… looking at you?”
Jiang Si feigned ignorance: “I don’t think so. He certainly wouldn’t look at me specifically; we don’t even know each other.”
Jiang Qiao rolled her eyes: “Then why did you curtsy?”
Jiang Si continued to play dumb: “I was just excited to see the brilliant Lord Zhen who solves cases so masterfully.”
Hmm, it seemed her skin had thickened considerably since dealing with a certain someone.
“What should we do now?” Jiang Qiao asked. The garden was in disarray, filled with the intermingling sounds of crying and discussions, making everyone uncomfortable.
Jiang Si glanced in the direction of Jiang Li and Jiang Pei: “Let’s go find Fifth Sister and the others first.”
The mansion’s main gate was wide open, with a crowd of onlookers gathered outside.
News of the commotion had already spread, and now everyone knew that the Heir of Marquis Changxing had harmed people, with ten corpses unearthed in the mansion’s garden.
Ten corpses—what did that mean? Many people had never seen so many dead bodies in their entire lives. How could they miss such a spectacle?
Some experienced aunties had already prepared rotten vegetable leaves and eggshells, waiting to throw them at the brutal murderer when he emerged.
What? Why no rotten eggs? Don’t be silly, eggs are precious! Even when rotten, they can still be fed to pigs. How could they waste them on such a person?
“Candied haw skewers! Candied haw skewers—”
“Iced bean jelly! Delicious iced bean jelly! Eat a bowl and you won’t get heatstroke while watching the excitement—”
For a moment, the scene outside the Changxing Mansion was even livelier than a market fair.
Among the crowd stood a woman with a numb expression. Though her face seemed impassive, a closer look would reveal a storm brewing in her eyes.
“They’re coming out! They’re coming out!” The crowd stirred.
Seeing the Heir of Marquis Changxing escorted by yamen runners, someone exclaimed, “It is the Heir of Marquis Changxing!”
Common folk have their wisdom. In their eyes, such a noble person being arrested by officials meant he must surely be the culprit.
The woman rushed forward like a whirlwind, slapping the Heir of Marquis Changxing across the face. She then attacked him with her hands and feet, as if wanting to use every part of her body as a weapon to kill the man before her. “You beast! Give me back my daughter’s life! Niu Niu just went to buy osmanthus cakes for me. How could you kill her? She was my life—”
“Madam, please calm down—” a yamen runner tried to persuade her.
But Xiu Niangzi could hear nothing. She had only one thought: even if she had to use her teeth, she would bite this beast to death to avenge her daughter.
Zhen Shicheng sighed, “Sister, stop. We’ve unearthed ten corpses in the garden. There are nine other families who, like you, have lost their daughters. This official will ensure justice for all of you.”
Xiu Niangzi stumbled backward, covering her face as she broke into sobs.
Even if she received justice, her daughter could never return—
“Beast! Utterly devoid of conscience!” The onlookers couldn’t help but curse, throwing rotten vegetable leaves and eggshells at the Heir of Marquis Changxing.
“Stop it! Don’t you dare insult my son—” The Marchioness of Changxing desperately shielded her son.
The crowd hesitated for a moment, then threw even more rotten leaves. “Is your son the apple of your eye, while other people’s daughters are worth nothing?”
Seeing the situation deteriorating, Marquis Changxing quickly ordered people to pull the Marchioness away.
“I won’t leave! I must protect Yu’er—” The Marchioness’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed softly.
In the garden, Sixth Miss Jiang Pei was already frightened stiff, leaning motionless against a vermilion pillar.
Although Fifth Miss Jiang Li didn’t look much better, she managed to greet Jiang Si and the others as they approached: “Third Sister, Fourth Sister—”
Among the four sisters, Jiang Qiao was the eldest. Now, very much aware of her role as the big sister, she strived to maintain composure and said, “Let’s go back to our mansion. We’ll discuss everything once we’re home.”
By now, Jiang Pei had lost all the quick wit she had shown when taunting Jiang Si earlier. She could only nod repeatedly like a pecking chick.
She wanted to go home, to escape this terrifying place as quickly as possible.
“Se-Second Sister—” Jiang Li’s face grew even paler, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
Jiang Li turned her head to find that Jiang Qian had approached at some point and was now standing expressionlessly behind them, like a fierce ghost waiting for the right moment to strike.
In that instant, Jiang Li was struck by an indescribable fear and involuntarily let out a scream.
Jiang Qian’s cold gaze fell on Jiang Li’s face.
How dare this lowly, despicable person, who had only managed to live comfortably until now by pleasing her mother, scream at her?
“Is Sixth Sister afraid of me?” Jiang Qian asked darkly.