Chapter 20: Evil Deeds at the Estate (Part 2)
"Who are you people? Don't you know this is..." Before Chen Chong could finish speaking, he was knocked down by a punch. Wu Da tore off the tattered quilt and threw it over the unconscious Chen Chong to avoid dirtying the young lady's eyes.
Liu Jiang, who had followed them in, couldn't care about anything else. He rushed over in quick strides, took off his own jacket and draped it over his younger sister. He snatched the porcelain shard from her stiff hand and threw it away, gritting his teeth without being able to utter any words of comfort. His little sister didn't even have the strength to commit suicide. If they had arrived a moment later and Chen Chong had discovered this...
Just thinking about the consequences made Liu Jiang wish he could chop Chen Jin and his son into pieces.
"Brother?" the young girl called out hoarsely, blinking her eyes and staring intently at Liu Jiang. As if confirming, she called out repeatedly, "Brother... Brother..."
"Your brother is here, don't be afraid. Your brother is here." The tall man's eyes reddened as he responded in his gentlest tone, though it still sounded rough and loud.
"Brother..." The young girl burst into loud sobs, pouring out all her fear and grievances. Even the soft-hearted maids felt heartbroken, not to mention Wu Da and the others. She was lucky today that the young lady had come, otherwise...
Tsk, Chen Jin and his family were truly despicable. The Hua family hadn't treated them poorly at all.
Hua Zhi listened to the crying with an indifferent expression, then stepped down from the platform. The crowd quickly followed.
Though Chen Jin's heart was pounding, he wasn't particularly afraid of Hua Zhi. His father was Old Madam's milk brother, and Old Madam had always treated them differently from others. Even if the young lady was the mistress, what could she do to them? Wouldn't that be slapping Old Madam in the face?
"I didn't know the young lady would come today..."
"There are many things you don't know, and this is just one more. Wu Da."
"Your servant is here."
"Lock up Chen Jin and his entire family in the woodshed. Go find out what good deeds they've been up to all these years."
"Young lady, I'm Old Madam's person. You can't..."
"If Grandmother knew what you've been doing under the Hua family's name, she would probably be the first to not let you off." Hua Zhi smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "What a joke. The masters of the Hua family haven't even bullied others with our influence, yet you're here acting arrogantly. What are you waiting for?"
Wu Da immediately stepped forward and seized Chen Jin. The others split up and pushed all members of the Chen family into the woodshed.
Having lived like a wealthy landlord all these years, Chen Jin had never been treated like this. He shouted at the top of his lungs, calling for Old Madam. Seeing this, the others also started shouting and crying as if they had been wronged.
Bao Xia walked over and slapped the female family members several times. "If you can't learn to shut up, I can sew those two pieces of flesh together."
The Chen family's eldest grandson appeared to be only about five years old. Seeing his mother being hit, he jumped up and tried to attack Bao Xia. Wu Da lifted him by the back of his collar. The Chen daughter-in-law's legs went weak, afraid the man might accidentally hurt her son, and immediately began speaking softly and pleading.
Wu Da hadn't really intended to harm a child. He threw the boy into her arms, and the overly sturdy child knocked her off balance so she almost couldn't stand. "Go in yourselves or I'll throw you in. Choose."
After that, no one dared to delay any longer. They quickly entered the woodshed and consciously closed the door behind them.The thunder rumbled, and the long-awaited rain poured down in torrents. Hua Zhi stood under the eaves, watching raindrops as large as beans splash into puddles, inexplicably lost in thought.
"Miss, these account books are riddled with discrepancies. I glanced at the records from the year before last—even I could spot the issues at a glance. How could the Hua family’s accountants have missed them…"
Nian Qiu, usually reserved, wore an expression of fury. Remembering her mistress’s dislike for gossip, she bit back her words, seething with frustration.
"If even you could detect the problems, how could they have escaped the seasoned accountants at home? Grandmother must have suppressed the matter." Hua Zhi took the account book from Nian Qiu and flipped through it. "Grandmother probably never imagined they would dare to go this far."
And what audacity it was! Twenty hectares of farmland, yielding one season of rice and one of wheat, yet by year’s end, aside from the portion supplied to the Hua family, there was scarcely any surplus grain. It would be laughable if word got out.
Just then, Liu Jiang, bare-chested, emerged from the house half-carrying his younger sister. Spotting Hua Zhi, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over, pulling his sister down to kneel with him. "This humble one thanks the young mistress for saving our lives."
Wu Da, unable to stop him in time, quickly stripped off his outer jacket and tossed it to Liu Jiang.
Only then did Liu Jiang recall his improper attire and how it might offend the young mistress’s eyes. He bowed low, hastily putting on the garment, and repeatedly begged for forgiveness.
"Rise." Hua Zhi’s gaze softened as she observed the trembling young girl. "I remember you’re called Liu Juan. Last time I visited, you were the one who showed me around."
She remembered not only because of her good memory but also because of the girl’s round face, always adorned with a genuine smile. Despite their poverty—lacking fine clothes, silk flowers, or red strings, with hands roughened by chores, and parents lost early, leaving only her brother for support—her joy seemed to radiate from within, undiminished by material lack.
Yet all of this had been shattered by Chen Chong. After such an ordeal, that kind of smile would likely be hard to come by again. Hua Zhi felt a pang of regret. The world already held enough suffering—if only she had arrived sooner, perhaps things could have been resolved more completely.
Liu Juan knelt once more, kowtowing deeply. "This humble one, Liu Juan, is willing to repay the young mistress’s life-saving grace by serving as her ox or horse."
"Your profound gratitude makes me uneasy. Chen Chong was a servant of the Hua family. It was our failure to discipline him properly that led to this incident. I should be the one apologizing to you."
Liu Juan grew flustered. "Young mistress…"
Fu Dong stepped forward to help her up, her tone even gentler than usual. "Our young mistress dislikes all this bowing and kneeling. Please, don’t kneel anymore. I accompanied the young mistress last time too—do you remember me?"
"I remember. You gave me some delicious pastries."
Nothing pleased Fu Dong more than hearing praise for her culinary skills. Liu Juan’s words seemed to invigorate her, and she beamed with delight. "I was just about to prepare some pastries for the young mistress. Would you like to lend me a hand?"
Liu Juan was eager but glanced uncertainly at her brother and then stole a look at the young mistress, unsure if she should agree.
Fu Dong, perceptive as ever, took her by the hand and led her toward the kitchen. "Last time, wasn’t it mung bean cakes you tried? It’s perfect for today’s heat, and the young mistress has been feeling unwell too. Let’s make those again…"The voices faded into the distance. Liu Jiang watched as his younger sister was pulled from her earlier mood by the maid's few words. With red-rimmed eyes, she knelt once more before Hua Zhi. "From this day forward, this humble servant is at your command, Great Miss."
"There is indeed a place where you can be of use." Hua Zhi gestured for her to rise, then paused when she noticed Bao Xia approaching from the other side.
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