Other people who did not understand the situation listened in complete confusion.
The woman dressed as a man said, “Words spoken casually. How can anyone believe they are true?”
Zhong Su replied, “This lowly one can testify myself. Eighteen years ago when the Crown Wind Yang ancient tomb was excavated, this lowly one was also at the scene.”
This statement surprised everyone again. Chu Tianjian could not help but ask, “You were at the scene back then?”
Zhong Su said, “Yes. At that time this lowly one had not yet made his fortune. I gathered a group of labourers and followed the Ministry of Works to do labour. We went deep into mountains and old forests to earn some hard money. Eighteen years ago that time I was assigned by the Ministry of Works to dig that ancient tomb. The situation after entering the tomb still makes my hair stand on end when I think about it now. There were evil spirits causing chaos inside. Countless people died or were injured. I escaped with my life, drilling into any hole I saw. I myself do not even know how I ran out.
Not long after escaping I saw the injured Ministry of Works official A Jiezhang. He held a painting in his hand. At the time I did not know what was happening. He stuffed the painting to me and told me to leave for the capital immediately. He said he would come find me in the capital later. This lowly one was only a labour team leader then. How could I dare disobey? I naturally followed the order and hurried back to the capital.
Later A Jiezhang did come as promised. After getting the painting I do not know what he was thinking but he suddenly proposed to form a marriage alliance with me and betrothed our two young children. This lowly one was climbing high. I was overjoyed and naturally agreed. However A Jiezhang had conditions. He required this matter to be kept secret. The relationship between the two families including everything about the painting must all be kept confidential.
Not long after the betrothal was set A Jiezhang secretly supported me and only then did my business slowly grow bigger. Later A Jiezhang was dismissed from office. Before he was expelled from the capital he found me again. He cut the painting into two halves. Each side kept one half as the betrothal token. He said in the future let A Shiheng use the half painting to come to the door as the betrothal gift for marrying my daughter.
I followed everything he said and did not dare ask why. Even if I asked he would not tell me. Asking was useless. After that parting I never saw A Jiezhang again. Over the years I only received a few letters sporadically. The letters would not reveal any information. I did not even know where he was. I had no way to reply even if I wanted to.
Until before this year’s imperial examination I did not know that A Jiezhang’s son was coming to the capital for the exam. A Shiheng suddenly appeared and let us know. Only then did we receive him from the Liezhou guild hall. We started arranging his daily life and wedding matters. We prepared to fulfil the marriage agreement and marry our daughter to him.
We did not expect that A Jiezhang could raise his son to be so outstanding. A top scorer with full marks in four subjects is rare in a hundred years. He even easily entered the first rank.
Everything should have been fine. The whole residence was happy. We had not seen anything abnormal about him before. Who knew that a few days after taking office he would cause such a thing. Today when he hurried back to say goodbye the Justice Department official Gao Zeyu suddenly came. He said A Shiheng had made the matter big and the court wanted to kill A Shiheng.
Because of my private friendship with him Senior Gao was willing to help send A Shiheng away.
Before leaving upon learning that he had implicated us A Shiheng spoke with me privately. He informed me of the secret of this painting. He said if we were really implicated then let me present this painting to Si Nan Mansion to offer the treasure for self protection. After he finished explaining he left with Senior Gao.”
The entire account ended here.
It was equivalent to completely ignoring the instructions from the people sent by Ying Xiaotang. He still revealed that A Shiheng had been taken away by Gao Zeyu.
He had no choice but to say it to round things off.
At this point for Zhong Su he would not care about anyone’s instructions.
No matter who it was whether they hated him or resented him since Ying Xiaotang’s side could not protect him then he must protect himself. He would do everything possible to protect his family.
At this moment he only wanted to protect his wife and daughters.
Until the final moment he did not want to hand over this painting. But when the imperial guards broke in he knew he had no choice. He must protect himself. The three women in the family had delicate skin and tender flesh. How could they withstand the inhuman torture in prison cells.
In fact before Yu Qing escaped he had told Yu Qing that if something unexpected happened the matter was caused by him and the responsibility should be pushed onto him.
Yu Qing had agreed to cooperate at the time.
And this was also the reason Yu Qing dared to ruthlessly kill Gao Zeyu and other court officials without any worries. The Zhong family had prepared self protection methods and was not afraid of being implicated. He could act as he pleased.
Towards these statements Zhong Ruochen still had no expression.
Wen Jianhui was very surprised. She had only felt that the betrothal was not simple at the time. She did not expect such a story behind it.
Wen Ruwei had her mouth open in a daze. She listened as if hearing a heavenly book.
The eunuch from the palace had full eyes of surprise. He blinked again and again. He clearly had not expected that the matter His Majesty cared about most would emerge here. He finally understood why that female mister had come in person.
Chu Tianjian looked at the woman dressed as a man and said in a deep voice, “That is to say the Little Cloud Map was indeed in the Crown Wind Yang tomb. The operation eighteen years ago did find the Little Cloud Map. It was A Jiezhang who stole it while on duty and delayed us for eighteen years. That scoundrel is truly detestable.”
The woman dressed as a man looked at the map in her hand. It was hard to determine its authenticity for the moment. However since Zhong Su dared to personally guarantee it as a witness from eighteen years ago he had staked his entire family and life on it. It was probably not false.
She slowly rolled up the map and put it into her sleeve. Her gaze turned to Zhong Ruochen again. “A top scorer with full marks in four subjects is indeed worth pride. I may not be able to make you a top scorer with full marks in four subjects to rival that fellow. But I can make you excel in another path. Let you stand above the crowd in another path. Let you become an existence he cannot reach on another path. Girl achieving the best version of yourself becoming an existence he admires and making him regret deeply is the best response to his behaviour today. How about it? Do you want to come with me?”
Upon these words Chu Tianjian showed an expected expression.
Zhong Ruochen pondered without speaking. She was also surprised and doubtful. She could not be sure of the other’s meaning.
Seeing no reply the woman dressed as a man looked at Wen Ruwei. “Hey that good for nothing. Stop looking around. I am talking about you.”
Wen Ruwei had been looking left and right. After hearing this she met the other’s gaze and froze. Was the term good for nothing directed at her?
She was a young lady and this was the first time someone called her good for nothing. She inwardly resisted and rejected this address. Her facial expression clearly showed dissatisfaction.
The woman dressed as a man said, “Do you want to learn some skills to protect your sister?”
A flash of surprise appeared in Chu Tianjian’s eyes again. One bone reading and one good for nothing. He knew what this meant. These two sisters had turned misfortune into fortune and caught this person’s eye.
It had turned dark.
Outside the imperial palace a carriage was stopped and a person stood there.
Ying Xiaotang stood alone in front of the palace gate.
He had repeatedly sent messages requesting to see the emperor. However the emperor would not see him. The palace gates remained tightly closed and would not open for him.
The guard commander outside the palace had also come several times to persuade him kindly but could not persuade him to leave.
This old general made it clear that if the emperor continued not to see him he would continue standing here.
He knew that A Jiezhang’s son was truly in danger this time. The relevant upper and lower power circles in Jin Kingdom had quickly joined forces. The terrifying court forces had officially begun operating. To catch one person a large group of manpower and experts had been cast out like a big net.
It was clear that even if it was like searching for a needle in the ocean they would fish A Shiheng out.
Based on the information he had the court had already officially sent letters to the nearby demon realm requesting assistance in the capture. This was to leave A Shiheng with nowhere to escape.
Sometimes he really did not know if A Shiheng was foolish or truly unaware of the terror of court forces. Did he really think court fugitives were so easy to escape?
He wanted to intervene and secretly help.
However the emperor had directly stepped in and pinned him down.
The emperor had even deployed the imperial guards to directly seize people from the Zhong residence.
This time the emperor had completely leaned to the other side. He had pinned him down and let the other side act with full force.
Now he was not even allowed into the palace gates. He would not even meet him face to face. It was clearly a stance of not stopping until A Shiheng was caught.
He looked up at the starry sky feeling as if in a dream. He did not know what day or night it was.
From the dimly lit square a person came running. It was none other than the Censor Pei Qingcheng.
He ran all the way to Ying Xiaotang’s side and said while panting, “My lord the imperial guards at the Zhong residence have withdrawn.”
Ying Xiaotang’s expression was grave. He pondered and said, “I fear the Zhong family could not withstand the Justice Department’s torture and would confess. Fortunately no one has personally seen who the killer was.” He thought the Zhong family members had already been taken away.
Pei Qingcheng waved his hands. “No my lord. The imperial guards did not seize anyone. The Earth Mother herself went to the Zhong residence and protected the safety of everyone in the Zhong family. The imperial guards withdrew without seizing a single person.”
Ying Xiaotang suddenly turned around with wide eyes and said, “Pei what nonsense are you speaking? How could that woman possibly go to the Zhong residence to protect people.”
Pei Qingcheng spread both hands and said with a helpless smile, “I did not believe it before either. I tried every way to verify it. The facts are indeed so. She protected not only the Zhong family. It seems she has already let Chu Tianjian pass word to the palace and those people. A Shiheng’s matter ends here. Let it pass. Let the other side stop and spare A Shiheng.”
“Is there such a strange thing?”
“Yes it is simply unbelievable. The specific truth is unclear for now. I am still having people investigate.”
“What does that woman want to do? Can she have such good intentions?”
Mei residence.
On the stone path under several trees of hidden fragrance Mei Sanghai walked back and forth with hands behind his back. His brows were tightly furrowed making the crease between his brows even deeper.
After a good while the steward Kong Shen hurried over. “My lord I have found out.”
Mei Sanghai said in a deep voice, “What happened?”
Kong Shen sighed, “It is said that A Shiheng’s fiancée pleaded for A Shiheng in front of the Earth Mother.”
Mei Sanghai seemed not to believe it. “A yellow haired girl could persuade the Earth Mother?”
Kong Shen smiled bitterly, “My lord man proposes but heaven disposes. What no one expected is that the Earth Mother inexplicably took a liking to the two daughters of the Zhong family. She accepted those two girls as personal disciples. People are already sending congratulatory posts to Si Nan Mansion. This Zhong residence has truly risen in one step.”
Mei Sanghai was stunned on the spot. In the end he let out a deep sigh towards the sky. “It seems people really have their fates. Some toil all their lives and gain nothing. Some can lie down and still turn misfortune into fortune. Even like this that lad cannot be put to death. What fairness or reason is there left.”