Chapter 323 - The Young Miss of the Qiao Family
Chapter 323 – The Young Miss of the Qiao Family
Her slender frame stood in his way, her clear gaze confident, unwavering, firm. “You know I can’t leave it alone,” she eked out, eyes slightly reddened.
Jing Rong did not pale in comparison as he stated, “Listen up, Ji Yunshu. This Prince forbids you from delving any further – since the Supreme Court will not accept the appeal, it is set in stone no matter how you try, whatever that solution is. In any case, that solution is prohibited in this Prince’s books.” He left with a flourish.
Ji Yunshu stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the painting destroyed by Jing Rong. She clutched on tightly to her gown through her sleeves, preventing it from ruffling in the wind. Does she really have to give up on investigating this case? What is that solution she seeks? No matter how much she questioned, no one would tell her anything – clearly, Jing Rong had ordered for his subordinates to keep their mouths sealed.
The next day.
Ji Yunshu got ready to leave the house, only to meet Ji Wanxin at the estate gates, who was holding an ornate lunchbox in her hands.
“Yunshu, I’ve brought some cakes and biscuits that you enjoy, but I haven’t made any in a long time so I’m not sure if it’s any good.” Ji Wanxin pushed the box towards Ji Yunshu, opening its lid to reveal several delicious looking pine flower cakes.
Ji Yunshu did love these, but it wasn’t the right time for snacks. She called over a servant and handed the box over to her, instructing, “Place this in my room.”
“Understood!” The little servant girl trotted along.
Ji Yunshu addressed Ji Wanxin, “Second Sister, there is somewhere I must be; I can’t stay and chit-chat with you.”
“For you to be in such a hurry, where are you going to”
“It’s nothing major.”
“Then let me go with you; I’ve been idling around all day, let me accompany you.” Ji Wanxin was eager, beckoning with a pleasing, inviting smile.
“I still think there’s no need. You’re still frail, I’m concerned…”
“I’m alright – the physician has said it’s okay for me to get up and about, especially if I’m only idling around.” She linked arms with Ji Yunshu, leaning over endearingly. A passing servant girl hugging a flowerpot witnessed this scene, almost dropping the flowerpot in her hands – who knew that Teacher Ji would appeal to both men and women?
Ji Yunshu could not shake her off. She eventually brought her along, the two of them traveling to the inn together.
As soon as they stepped in, they could hear crashing sounds coming from the inside. The first floor of the inn was an absolute mess; broken dishes, wine and food were scattered on the floor, with the furniture in disarray. In the middle of the inn stood a ferocious lady smashing and throwing things around, simultaneously scolding a woman on the floor. The innkeeper persuaded, “Miss, please stop destroying things.”
“Scram,” she waved him away. “Aren’t you only concerned with money?” She dug out a golden ingot from the pouch dangling from her waist, flinging it at the innkeeper, “Here, take it. It’s enough to buy your entire inn.”
The innkeeper’s eyes lit up. He held the ingot to his teeth and bit into it – it was real! Money never failed; the innkeeper retreated to a corner, handing over several vases for the young lady to thrash.
The woman on the floor barely supported herself, her head lowered. Her messy hair obscured her ghastly pale face. Yet she never made a single sound in the face of such public humiliation, only clutching tightly to the yellowed bundle in her hands, not moving an inch. Wasn’t that woman Aunty Xie?
Ji Yunshu was pulled back by Ji Wanxin as she attempted to enter, “Yunshu, let’s not meddle in someone else’s affairs.” She shook her head, scared.
That lady raised her voice again, “Your daughter wasn’t clean to begin with, working in a brothel. It’s her good fortune that my brother took a liking to her, but that loser took her own life by poison. This case was resolved three years ago, yet you still stubbornly insist that my brother killed your daughter, even coming all this way to the capital to stir up trouble!” She emptied a wine jar all over Aunty Xie’s trembling body, and the crowd fell deadly silent.
Aunty Xie sobbed, “My daughter is innocent.”
“How is a prostitute innocent? She obviously killed herself, how dare you wrong my big brother.”
Aunty Xie’s eyes were bloodshot as she trembled continuously. She replied firmly, “My daughter didn’t commit suicide, it was that animal who killed her.”
Smack! The lady bent over and gave Aunty Xie a resounding slap across her face. She then haughtily ordered the innkeeper, “Listen up, throw this woman out of here now, otherwise, this Miss will turn your entire inn upside down.”
“But … she was sent here by the Governor.”
“Then return me those silvers now.”
“This…” No way in hell! The innkeeper gritted his teeth and called his lackey over, “Quick, quick, quick. Throw her out!”
He dragged Aunty Xie off the floor, across the inn where the crowd parted, leaving a clear path to the exit. Ji Yunshu stopped him as he reached the door.
“Get out of the way, get out!” He was impatient.
Ji Wanxin tugged on the corner of Ji Yunshu’s sleeve, reminding her to move aside. Ji Yunshu’s expression grew steely as she helped Aunty Xie out of that man’s hold. He pointed an accusing finger at her, “You?”
Aunty Xie saw that it was Teacher Ji, and she looked at her hopefully.
That haughty lady strutted over, pushing that man aside, proclaiming, “Who are you? How dare you meddle in my business?”
Ji Yunshu gave her an unfriendly glance, pulling Aunty Xie safely behind her and handing her over to Ji Wanxin, “Take care of her.”
“Ah?” Ji Wanxin was startled, but carefully brought Aunty Xie to one side.
“Let go of that wench,” the young woman wanted to pull Aunty Xie over, but Ji Yunshu aimed for and pressed hard on a painful point on the other’s wrist, flinging her away.
“Young miss, this one would like to give you a word of advice – stop before things get out of hand.”
“Who the hell are you?”
“You don’t have to know or care who I am, but this aunty was settled here in this inn by the Governor. If you dare harm her, you would be obstructing official business – I don’t think this is a crime you can bear.” Ji Yunshu stated these matter-of-factly, but everyone else who could hear her in the vicinity took a step back.
Ugh! The young woman gave a cold smirk, pointing towards herself, “I can’t bear that crime? Do you know who I am? Did you think a mere Capital Governor could touch me?”
“Then you can give it a shot! Before this one came over, I saw the Governor and his men heading this way. If you were to chase this aunty out of the inn, when he gets here to find that she’s missing, delaying all investigations – this is not a sentence anyone can handle.”
She froze. Her second uncle was Qiao Zheng of the Ministry of Personnel, a first-ranking official. What was a measly Capital Governor? On the other hand, however, if she were to pit her own second uncle against the capital mayor due to her own foolish actions, she might become the culprit in this war between officials.