Zhоu Shаоjin wrote an indignаnt lеtter to hеr father, whilе Zhоu Сhujin wеnt tо sеe Chеng Mian.
Cheng Mian wаs sо shoсked uроn hеаring the dеtаils thаt hе rеmainеd speeсhlеss for а long while. Hе asked Zhоu Chujin, "Do уоu hаvе thеir соnfessions?"
Zhоu Сhujin reрliеd, "Nоne оf us havе еver beеn invоlved in а lawsuit. We madе them sign their cоnfеssiоns, but I’m not surе if it meets the оffiсiаl requirеmеnts."
Сhеng Мiаn toоk thе signed сonfеssions and еxаminеd thеm, saуing, "Fоr nоw, kеep this mattеr quiet. I’ll go to the Jinling Prеfectural Оffice right аwaу."
Zhоu Chujin sоlemnly agreed and returned to Fragrant Garden Residence.
That afternoon, Cheng Mian sent someone to hand Xinlan and Lanting over to the Jinling Prefectural Office.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.
Once handed over to the authorities, whether Xinlan and Lanting lived or died was no longer their concern. Otherwise, if a murder case had occurred under her sister’s watch and word got out, regardless of right or wrong, her sister would inevitably be branded as cruel and ruthless. Just like in her past life, when Madam Li eliminated the mother to keep the child—though it complied with propriety—her father ultimately saw her as ruthless. Minor marital disagreements gradually turned into rifts, rifts into friction, and eventually led to harsh words and a complete breakdown of their relationship.
This was why Zhou Shaojin had advised her sister to hand the two over to the authorities for interrogation.
With the connections of the Zhou and Cheng families, she wasn’t afraid that the authorities would fail to act impartially.
Zhou Chujin, however, felt unsettled.
Death was nothing more than a scar the size of a bowl’s mouth. Dealing with Xinlan and Lanting like this was far too lenient for the two of them!
They should have been made to suffer a bit more.
But now that they had been handed over to the authorities, it was too late for her to do anything.
If she had known this earlier, she should have delayed telling Uncle Mian for a few more days...
When Zhou Chujin woke up the next morning, her expression was somewhat unpleasant.
Zhou Shaojin knew her sister must be feeling as upset as she was. Silently, she helped her sister serve porridge and moved the dishes her sister liked—sesame oil dried tofu shreds and jellyfish salad—closer to her.
Zhou Chujin smiled appreciatively, patted her sister’s hand, and picked up a steamed bun that Zhou Shaojin liked. She said with a smile, "You eat too! Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine in a few days."
Zhou Shaojin understood.
Just like in her past life, when she encountered sad or distressing matters with no one to confide in, she would quietly spend a few days alone, and her anger would eventually dissipate.
She squeezed Zhou Chujin’s hand.
If only one day her sister would confide in her!
She would comfort her sister just as her sister had comforted her.
After breakfast, the two sisters went to see Old Madam Guan.
They had kept this matter hidden from others but not from her.
Old Madam Guan dismissed the servants in the room and kept the sisters for a private conversation. She said, "You did the right thing. We are a proper scholarly family and cannot tolerate bullying or taking lives. However, this matter shouldn’t be handled as quietly as you and your uncle planned. Some hints should be dropped, especially to those in Cunyi Lane. When we returned the properties they had registered under our family’s name, Madam Bai stopped visiting as often. I suspect she still harbors resentment, and I’ve been somewhat worried about it. I fear that if Cheng Lu ever gains power, he might hold a grudge against our family. Although we aren’t afraid of him, having someone harbor such hatred toward you is always an unpleasant thing.
"Now that such a major incident has occurred, we aren’t holding the Cheng family accountable, which is already lenient and benevolent of us. This way, the two families can be considered even."
Old Madam Guan intended to use this incident to restrain Cheng Lu.Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin both agreed.
After all, even if they reported Cheng Bai, he had been dead for so many years that nothing could be done to him. Instead, it would dredge up the old grievances between the Cheng and Zhuang families, dragging Zhuang Liangyu into public criticism.
It would be better to spread some rumors favorable to themselves, making it impossible for Madam Dong and Cheng Lu to hold their heads high in the Cheng family in the future.
“Then it’s settled,” Old Madam Guan said, quite pleased with the sisters’ obedience. “You two need not concern yourselves with this matter anymore. I have my own plans. For the next few days, Chujin, don’t help your aunt with household affairs for now, and Shaojin, don’t attend classes at Jing’an Studio. Both of you stay at home. If anyone asks, just say you’re feeling unwell and need to rest for a few days.”
This was to have the sisters feign grief!
There was no need to pretend—they were already heartbroken enough. But if it meant embarrassing Madam Dong and Cheng Lu, Zhou Shaojin was willing to put on an act.
The sisters nodded in unison.
Only then did Old Madam Guan add, “Keep a copy of the complaint submitted to the authorities and the official judgment. Although the saying goes, ‘If the people don’t accuse, the officials won’t investigate,’ if someone dislikes Cheng Lu and reports this matter to the Ministry of Rites… with a father like his, I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to become an official!”
The older ginger is spicier!
Zhou Shaojin and her sister were overjoyed and repeatedly thanked Old Madam Guan.
By the afternoon, news that Zhou Shaojin’s birth mother, Madam Zhuang, had been killed by her maid Xinlan, with Cheng Bai, who lived next door to Madam Zhuang’s maiden family, also implicated, began to sprout like bamboo shoots after rain within a certain range of Nine Prosperities Lane.
Jiying came to visit Zhou Shaojin and clumsily comforted her, “The net of heaven is vast; though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it. Otherwise, after so many years, you wouldn’t have discovered clues. Don’t worry, they will all meet a bad end.”
Warmth blossomed in Zhou Shaojin’s heart, and she expressed her gratitude.
Curious, Jiying asked, “Logically speaking, Xinlan was already married. If she wanted to follow Cheng Bai, she could have just run away quietly. Why would she turn back to harm your mother? That’s truly strange! Could it be that she still wanted your mother to support her? Or perhaps your mother disapproved of her actions and threatened to report her to the authorities or tell her husband, which drove Xinlan to such wickedness?”
Zhou Shaojin broke into a sweat.
Old Madam Guan had been deliberately vague, hoping to blur perspectives and let people draw their own conclusions, trying as much as possible to keep Madam Zhuang out of it. Unexpectedly, Jiying had arrived at such an interpretation.
If only everyone thought like her.
Zhou Shaojin closed the door and quietly recounted the whole story to Jiying—since Jiying had been willing to help her by offering her privately hidden silver hairpin, which might even have been a lifesaving treasure, she couldn’t selfishly keep Jiying in the dark.
Upon hearing this, Jiying’s face flushed with anger, and she exclaimed repeatedly, “How could you hand those two vile servants over to the authorities? In my opinion, you should have had them ‘light the sky lanterns,’ so others could see what happens to those who offend you.”
Light the sky lanterns!
Zhou Shaojin vaguely remembered reading about it in some book.
It was a cruel punishment.
She asked, “Have you ever lit sky lanterns for someone?”
“Oh!” Jiying looked somewhat uncomfortable. “No. But my brother once lit sky lanterns for someone.”
Zhou Shaojin was deeply skeptical.Jiying quickly changed the subject, saying, "Isn't the Cheng family known as the foremost family in Jinling? Your family's name card should carry significant weight at the Jinling Prefectural Office. Couldn't they sentence her to something like death by a thousand cuts... I hear that's as severe as being burned alive."
"I don't know," Zhou Shaojin replied listlessly. "My sister has been quite upset about this matter."
"If it were me, I'd be upset too," Jiying said, having a favorable impression of Zhou Chujin, finding her dignified and graceful yet gentle and sincere.
Just as Zhou Shaojin was about to comfort Jiying, Cheng Jia arrived.
She barged in exclaiming, "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? If I had known, I certainly wouldn't have let you hand her over to the authorities." She glanced around and asked, "Where's Cousin Chujin? I heard you were both feeling troubled. Where has she gone? Why isn't she here with you?"
"I'm not a three-year-old child," Zhou Shaojin chided, instructing the maid to serve Cheng Jia tea and snacks.
Only then did Cheng Jia notice Jiying and greeted her.
Jiying nodded faintly, sitting there lost in thought.
Cheng Jia paid no mind and whispered to Zhou Shaojin, "What if we pretended to be Lanting's relatives? Then we could send her a pot of poisoned wine and poison her to death..."
Zhou Shaojin retorted irritably, "That's no better than sentencing her to immediate execution!"
Cheng Jia chuckled sheepishly, scratching her head.
Suddenly, Jiying murmured, "I have an idea..."
Both turned to look at her.
She straightened her hair at the temple and spoke deliberately, "When I was at home, I heard people say that the darkest place in the world is the prison—full of criminals who would do anything. But it's also the easiest place to get things done—as long as you have silver, the jailers couldn't care less about your former status or deeds. After all, none of them are good people; they'd commit murder and arson without a second thought. I think instead of posing as Lanting's family to send her poisoned wine, it would be better to bribe the jailers and have her suffer three times a day, making her regret her actions... That would be more effective!"
Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia exchanged glances, asking, "Is that really possible?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Jiying said unhappily. "If you don't believe me, you can ask Cheng... um... your Uncle Chi. He often deals with government offices and knows this best."
"I believe Jiying!" Zhou Chujin's voice suddenly rang in their ears.
The three turned to see Zhou Chujin walking in, looking somewhat weary.
She glanced at Jiying and said, "I believe what Jiying says." Then she added, "Jiying, if I send someone to bribe the jailers, who should I approach? The prefect? The deputy prefect? Or the assistant prefect?"
"Probably the head jailer?" Jiying thought for a moment, uncertain. "Last time during the Huai'an shipwreck incident, Qin Ziping had one of his senior clerks handle it. If it were the prefect, deputy prefect, or assistant prefect, Qin Ziping would have gone in person."
Zhou Chujin nodded and said sincerely to Jiying, "Thank you! Once I've settled this matter, I'll invite you over for a simple meal."
"No need, no need," Jiying replied somewhat bashfully. "It was just a small effort. You needn't be so polite, Miss."Zhou Chujin smiled without saying much, but Zhou Shaojin could tell that her sister had already made up her mind—she was definitely going to invite Jiying for a meal. Shaojin thought this was a good idea.
Jiying was a friend worth befriending.
Zhou Chujin called Ma Fushan into the residence, and the two decided to take out two hundred taels of silver to bribe the jailers.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly said, "Let me pay for this silver!"
But before the words had even fully left her mouth, she remembered her empty trunks, and her confidence immediately deflated. She quietly glanced at her sister and Ma Fushan.
Zhou Chujin was preoccupied with how to "take care" of Xinlan and Lanting, while Ma Fushan was pondering who would be the best intermediary for this matter. Neither noticed her expression. Ma Fushan even chuckled and said, "How could we let Second Miss pay for this silver? This is a family matter. If silver is to be spent, it should come from the family. Second Miss should keep her silver to buy flowers for herself!"
Zhou Shaojin didn’t even dare to utter polite refusals and gloomily returned to her side room.
Silver, silver!
So this gleaming silver was so important!
She had to find a way to increase income and reduce expenses!
Old Madam Guo sent Biyu to invite Zhou Shaojin over for a chat.
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Sisters, today’s update is for pink votes!
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※ (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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