The Heir

Chaptеr 153: Тhe Trаp of "Еntrарmеnt"

Zhеn Niаng knew this ledgеr was troublesome.

Reсаlling what Luо Wenqiаn hаd tоld hеr abоut Нuаng Lаng’s dеath аnd Wei Bai Wаn’s invоlvemеnt, things becamе cleаrer. It was оbviоus thаt this lеdgеr hаd bеen stolеn bу Wei Ваi Wаn’s cоncubinе, lаter given tо Нuang Lаng, and eventuаlly obtainеd bу Gе Qiu Jie, whо then handed it оvеr tо Li Zheng Рing.

Тrаgiсаllу, the оrigin оf this ledgеr further сonfirmed thаt Ge Qiu Jiе аnd Li Zhеng Ping hаd killеd Нuаng Lang.

Just then, Zhen Niаng flipped to the lаst page оf the ledgеr.

"This lеdgеr was brоught to me by Ge Qiu Jie. When she found Huang Lang, he was already dead, and this ledger was discarded nearby. Originally, we intended to report it to the authorities, but this ledger involves too many people. Having seen it, we would have become scapegoats to cover up the truth—especially given Ge Qiu Jie’s history with Huang Lang. Even if we hadn’t seen it, those involved would have taken precautions to eliminate us. Even the entire Li Family Ink Manor could have been implicated.

So, I decided to hide it and firmly deny any knowledge of Huang Lang’s death. After all, every household’s night-soil buckets are placed at the side gate, while Ge Dana died at the main gate, which is over a dozen steps away. It was during the Yin hour, when it was still dark, and Ge Qiu Jie was emptying the night-soil in the pitch black, so it was normal for her not to notice Huang Lang’s body. This way, no one would suspect us. Everything seemed to have settled, but unexpectedly, Cao Shi’s wild accusations brought Ge Qiu Jie into the spotlight. Once she was implicated, I feared I wouldn’t be spared either, so I wrote this letter.

If you can understand the message I left with Ma Sao when you return and find this ledger, everything will become clear. Of course, you might not grasp the meaning of that message, and perhaps finding this ledger isn’t necessary. Maybe it would be better if it were burned in the stove. In any case, Ge Qiu Jie and I will never admit to this matter. This way, the other side cannot be certain whether we obtained the ledger or not. As long as they don’t get their hands on it, Ge Qiu Jie and I will at most suffer some hardship but won’t be in mortal danger. I believe this is also the best outcome for Ink Manor. Well, time is short, so I won’t write more. Everything depends on fate now. I’m sorry for causing trouble for the Ink Workshop."

This was a letter Li Zheng Ping had tucked into the last page of the ledger, clearly written shortly before the authorities arrived. The handwriting was somewhat rushed, but the message was clear.

After reading the letter, Zhen Niang sighed inwardly.

She had underestimated Zhengping before. From this letter, it was clear that Zhengping was someone who could see things clearly. With this letter, Zhen Niang also understood what she needed to do.

Simplify the complex.

There was a period of time between Huang Lang leaving Wei Mansion and arriving home. Whether Huang Lang had transferred the ledger during this time was unknown. Then, Huang Lang was killed, and it was highly likely that the murderer had obtained the ledger.

However, whether Ge Qiu Jie and Li Zheng Ping had killed Huang Lang remained questionable. Therefore, until the case was resolved, it was impossible to determine who had the ledger. Even if the case were closed, it would still be uncertain who held the ledger.

Thus, the only thing Zhen Niang could do was to act as if the ledger didn’t exist and adapt to whatever changes came her way.However, this account book was truly shocking, with its extensive connections leaving one dumbfounded. Thinking of the family of three who took rat poison on the night of the Minor New Year, Zhen Niang felt a pang of discomfort in her heart. But now, for the sake of her family's safety and development, she couldn't afford to dwell on such matters. Perhaps in a few years, she could find a way to leave it for Hai Rui? Admittedly, Zhen Niang believed Hai Rui was too extreme in his dealings with the wealthy and powerful, yet his stubborn, single-minded approach sometimes did bring justice to the common people. The title "Hai Qingtian" was not earned for nothing.

Thus, Zhen Niang made up her mind. As for whether the account book could be preserved until Hai Rui came to Yingtian, that remained unknown. In the end, she would have to take things one step at a time.

Afterward, Zhen Niang carefully hid the account book.

But even as she thought this way, Zhen Niang was overwhelmed, her heart heavy and the pressure immense. In her frustration, she couldn't help but complain about Li Zhengping—wasn't he just stirring up trouble for no reason?

Fortunately, her uncle-in-law was not involved, at least his name did not appear in the account book.

Still, Zhen Niang felt uneasy. Coincidentally, she needed her uncle-in-law's advice regarding Zhengping's situation, and she could ask him about last year's raw silk situation then.

Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives.

"Zhen Niang, what are you doing in there? Your aunt and uncle-in-law are here." Just then, her father's voice rang out from outside.

"Oh, I'm tending to the stove. I'll be right out." Zhen Niang quickly replied. The fire in the stove still flickered faintly. As she opened the door, she saw Han Yigui and her aunt standing with her father.

"Zhen Niang, we've heard about Zhengping's situation. That child is definitely not the type to commit murder. I'm already making inquiries into the specifics. Don't worry," Han Yigui said straightforwardly.

"This Li Zhengping, who knows what he's up to? Instead of staying peacefully in Huizhou, he had to come to Nanjing and get involved with Ge Qiu Jie. Now look what happened—he's dug himself into a pit. Honestly, if he can't handle it, he shouldn't bother. Life and death are his own doing," Madam Han Li said unhappily. But despite her words, the anxiety in her brow showed she was worried about Li Zhengping.

"What kind of talk is that? If we don't do our best to help our own family in such a situation, what will others think? Besides, Ge Qiu Jie is in trouble, and Zhengping cares about her—that shows his righteousness," Uncle-in-law Han shot Madam Han Li a glare.

Madam Han Li pursed her lips.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Aunt and Uncle-in-law," Zhen Niang nodded and had Xiao Ya serve tea.

"By the way, Uncle-in-law, I heard Wei Bai Wan invited raw silk merchants for a drink on the fourth day of the month. Did you attend?" Zhen Niang then asked. If her uncle-in-law had gone, it was likely he was somewhat involved in the raw silk case.

"Your uncle-in-law isn't in the raw silk business anymore. Why would he go?" Madam Han Li said, still sounding pained.

"What's wrong?" Zhen Niang asked, puzzled."The raw silk business is a deep and treacherous pool. Last year, I only operated for one season before withdrawing and returning to my old trade of mountain goods," Han Yigui said calmly, though a trace of resentment still lingered in his heart. Last year, the Weaving Bureau first issued a policy to convert rice paddies to mulberry fields, throwing land prices into chaos. After that failed, they colluded with local officials, using various underhanded methods to tie sericulture and silk production to taxes. This ultimately caused the price of cocoons to plummet. Then, they joined forces with raw silk merchants to hoard large quantities of goods, which conversely drove up the price of raw silk. Meanwhile, many commoners switched their land to mulberry cultivation and sericulture, neglecting grain production, which eventually led to a rise in grain prices, harming countless ordinary people.

It was after witnessing this that he grew weary of the raw silk sector. After just one season, he withdrew from the industry and began focusing solely on his own shipments. He hadn’t gone into detail with Zhen Niang about these matters before, but now that she asked, he explained.

"Yes, the current situation in raw silk is far too chaotic. It was wise of you, Uncle-in-law, to withdraw early," Zhen Niang nodded.

"By the way, you asked me about Wei Bai Wan’s banquet on the fourth day of the month. Were you trying to find out if Huang Lang’s death is connected to that concubine of Wei Bai Wan’s who was beaten to death?" Han Yigui asked with a serious expression.

"Yes, I’ve heard some talk about it before," Zhen Niang nodded.

"Let me tell you, don’t look into who Huang Lang’s death is connected to. This matter likely isn’t simple, and prying too much could bring trouble," Han Yigui said gravely.

Zhen Niang sighed inwardly. After all these years navigating Nanjing’s raw silk scene, her uncle-in-law, even without knowing about the ledger, had keenly sensed there was more to the story.

"Yes, Zhen Niang, you should listen to your uncle-in-law on this. He wouldn’t steer you wrong," Li Jingfu added from the side. He had already spoken with his elder sister and brother-in-law and knew many things in Nanjing were complicated.

"Yes, I understand," Zhen Niang nodded.

After chatting a bit more about Li Zheng Ping, Han Yigui and his wife took their leave.

The following days were unusually quiet. Although Li Zheng Ping had also been arrested, the murder weapon hadn’t been found, and both he and Ge Qiu Jie stubbornly denied any involvement, so the case remained stalled. All the information gathered from various sources indicated the authorities were still investigating. Ge Qiu Jie and Li Zheng Ping remained in custody. Although Ge Qiu Jie’s testimony completely distanced herself from Huang Lang’s death, her account of coming to borrow money from Li Zheng Ping that morning and him seeing her off afterward was solely their word against the evidence, with no corroborating witnesses. Thus, their suspicion could not be cleared.

And so, the entire situation became a deadlock.

"This can’t go on," Wei Bai Wan muttered to himself. Since the night of the fourth, he hadn’t slept well. Pressuring the authorities further was useless without results, and he couldn’t reveal the matter of the ledger. He had created that ledger in the first place to protect his own life. Cooperating with officials as a merchant was like making a pact with a tiger—a desperate measure to avoid being made a scapegoat by the Weaving Bureau’s officials if anything went wrong. But he never expected the ledger to go missing. If those powerful figures found out, he would be the first to suffer."I've never seen anyone endure torture like this. Perhaps Ge Qiu Jie and Li Zheng Ping truly haven't seen the account books. Should we try other approaches?" In Wei Bai Wan's study, Wei Shu Heng addressed his father, Wei Bai Wan. These past few days, although the outside world remained calm, life in the prison had been far from easy for Ge Qiu Jie and Li Zheng Ping.

"You're mistaken. I believe the account books are most likely in their possession," Wei Bai Wan said, narrowing his eyes.

"Why?" Wei Shu Heng asked.

"First, their testimonies are too consistent, as if they had coordinated their stories beforehand. Second, as you said, you've never seen anyone endure torture like this. Under such severe punishment, most would confess. The fact that they hold out so stubbornly must mean they believe confessing would lead to death, while enduring the torture might save their lives. Only someone who has seen the account books would think this way," Wei Bai Wan said through gritted teeth.

"You're right," Wei Shu Heng nodded, realizing he hadn't considered this angle. "Then I'll go to the yamen and question them again, and have the officials apply more torture. I refuse to believe they won't confess."

"Applying more torture won't work. Leave this matter to me. I'll handle it," Wei Bai Wan said thoughtfully. He felt it was time to have a proper talk with that girl from the Li family.