Chapter 139: Mud Beneath the Mortal Soil [Many Thanks for Everyone's Support! Bowing Again!]

Inside the Weirui Pavilion, Sheng Hong held Lin Lin Qinshuang, his heart filled with some terror.

Da Niangzi Wang, standing nearby, also felt some surprise and self-doubt; she glanced at Cui Mama Liu, who shook her head and then hesitantly whispered, "It doesn't seem feigned either; a slight miss and she would have hit the incense burner and been disfigured."

Seeing Da Niangzi Wang standing motionless, Sheng Hong whispered, "You, how can you be so cold-blooded and heartless!" Then he shouted at the terrified maids, "What are you still standing there for? Why aren't you coming over to help!"

The maids, trembling, hoisted Lin Lin Qinshuang onto their backs, preparing to return to Linqi Pavilion.

Sheng Hong stood at the doorway, intending to follow, but Da Niangzi Wang hurriedly asked, "Husband! What about Mother?"

Sheng Hong said, "You are the Principal Da Niangzi; you go explain how such a huge scandal has occurred in this inner quarters, you..."

Upon hearing these words, fury instantly surged in Da Niangzi Wang's heart: "Hah??? You! I! Your Sheng family is truly 'a dragon in the heavens one day, mud beneath the mortal soil the next'! The authority to manage this household is mine..."

At this moment, a household servant appeared at the door and said, "Master, just now Prefect Hong sent someone with a message, saying that Master Yuan has awakened."

Sheng Hong froze for a moment, then turned to Da Niangzi Wang and said, "Wait until I return to teach you a lesson!" With that, he abandoned Lin Lin Qinshuang and rushed straight out of the main hall of Weirui Pavilion.

As soon as he stepped out of the room door, he saw Guan Guan Pozi, alive or dead, being dragged away in the courtyard.

He turned back to glance at Minglan and said, "You all, do not go out yet."

Then he turned around and left the courtyard.

Sheng Hong took a carriage to the Yang Zhou relay station, where Prefect Hong and others had already arrived; Yuan Bing, now awake and leaning against the bed, thanked the Yang Zhou officials for their aid, while Prefect Hong said regretfully, "Master Yuan, because the matter was urgent and to ensure fairness, the Yang Zhou Imperial City Bureau already knows of this incident, and the report memorandum may already be on its way."

Yuan Bing waved his hand and said, "It is nothing; when I allowed that woman to make a scene earlier, I already anticipated this outcome. Whatever the result, we can wait until returning to the capital for the Bureau of the Imperial Clan to pass judgment. But Assistant Prefect Sheng, I have implicated your family; here I must to you..."

Sheng Hong hurriedly pressed down on Yuan Bing, who was attempting to rise from the couch to bow, saying, "Master Yuan, what words are these? No one could have predicted so many events occurring; please, Master Yuan, take great care of your health."

After the pleasantries were exchanged, Prefect Hong and Sheng Hong left the relay station together, their attendants each carrying gifts of gratitude from the Yuan family; regardless of the specifics, both Hong and Sheng had upheld justice for Yuan Bing.

Prefect Hong shook his head and said, "This time, no one will plead for mercy on behalf of their family."

The Bai family residence in Wuyi Lane.

Bai Shi watched as Cui Mama Chang helped Xu Xu Pingmei sort through some items brought from Bianjing, selecting the finest and most fashionable ones to place on the carriage.

When Xu Xu Pingmei approached, Bai Shi said, "Ping'er, you also know that your father has just come down with a wind-cold illness, so I will not go to pay respects to the Old Da Niangzi, lest I pass on the sickness; please convey my greetings to the Old Da Niangzi on my behalf."

"Yes, Mother. What about Gu Tingye and Gu Tingyi?"

Hearing their eldest sister-in-law's words, Gu Gu Tingye and his sister's eyes were filled with pleading and hope.

Bai Shi smiled and patted Gu Gu Tingyi's hair, saying, "You two may accompany your sister-in-law."

Upon hearing this, joy instantly lit up the faces of the brother and sister.

"However! You are not allowed to go challenge the Sheng family's concubine to a game of pitch-pot the moment you arrive at the Sheng residence!"

The joy on the faces of the brother and sister halted abruptly. Bai Shi continued, "If you go directly to find that concubine, wouldn't you be exposing the matter of her younger sister setting up a stall in Chuzhou? Yi'er, do you still remember what I said back then?"

The brother and sister nodded, then one bowed with hands clasped while the other squatted and lowered her head in salute, both saying together, "Yes, Mother!"

While the brother and sister were bowing their heads in salute, Bai Shi gave Xu Xu Pingmei a glance, and Xu Xu Pingmei nodded.

Then Xu Xu Pingmei said, "Mother, then my younger sisters-in-law and I will take our leave."

Bai Shi nodded, then suddenly thought of something and said, "Wait! Someone, call the Physician Mother here."

Bai Shi looked at Xu Xu Pingmei and said, "From now on, let this Physician Mother accompany you at all times; although Ping'er, your health is good, we must still guard against the unexpected. Ye'er and Yi'er, you must also protect your sister-in-law."

"Yes, Mother," the three replied in unison.

The three then walked outward; Xu Xu Pingmei whispered something into Gu Gu Tingyi's ear, causing Gu Gu Tingyi's face to fill with disbelief, after which she repeated it to Gu Gu Tingye, whose face then brimmed with eagerness to try, followed by a stealthy glance toward his own mother.

Watching the three walk away, Bai Shi smiled and shook her head; she naturally knew that besides visiting her great-aunt, Xu Xu Pingmei had a long-cherished wish she hoped to fulfill on this trip to the Sheng family.

At this moment, Wu Tan approached Bai Shi and Cui Mama Chang, saying, "Cousin, an official from the Imperial City Bureau delivered a card to our home; Uncle says he wants you to go over."

Bai Shi nodded.

On the streets of Yang Zhou, several Yamen Runners on patrol spotted Brother Qingyun and Zhu Zhu Qinghu riding tall, sturdy horses; the two had left the city the previous afternoon to search for the family of Liu Liu Xiao Mao, Zhu Zhu Qinghu's former comrade.

But upon arriving at the village, the Village Head stated that Liu Liu Xiao Mao's mother had passed away some time ago, and much earlier, her younger sister had been sold by her second uncle to a cunning toothed old woman in the city due to their mother's illness.

They had just returned to the city now.

These people and horses had left a deep impression at the dock yesterday; knowing these two were visitors from Bianjing and considered extravagant figures even in Yang Zhou, the runners hurriedly clasped their hands in greeting.

Zhu Zhu Qinghu dismounted, returned the salute with clasped hands, and said, "Greetings, honorable officer; do you know where this cunning toothed old woman resides?"

The Yamen Runner said, "May I ask what business you have? To be honest, this cunning toothed old woman has some connections with my family; if there is any offense, please inform me, your humble servant, through the Gao Yuhou."

Brother Qingyun and Zhu Zhu Qinghu's eyes lit up; Zhu Zhu Qinghu said, "That is perfect! There is no troublesome matter; it is merely regarding a transaction involving a woman from ten years ago that I wish to ask her about."

The Yamen Runner pondered for a moment: "Gao Yuhou, are you seeking someone?"

Zhu Zhu Qinghu nodded and said, "This woman is the only living relative of a former comrade; she is a close friend to me, so naturally, I must look after her."

"The Gao Yuhou's righteousness is lofty! In that case, Gao Yuhou, please... let your humble servant lead the way."

"Please."

Thus, the group of seven or eight people and two horses proceeded.

"May I ask the honorable surname of the officer?" Brother Qingyun asked.

"How could your humble servant deserve the title 'honorable' in front of you two? My humble surname is Meng."

"May I ask the surnames of the two Gao Yuhou..."

"Zhu." Brother Qingyun merely smiled and said nothing.

The servant walked while speaking: "This old woman has an excellent memory; for every person she has handled, she has never remembered incorrectly."

Zhu Zhu Qinghu and Brother Qingyun exchanged a happy glance and said, "That is excellent."

Arriving at an alley, Brother Qingyun and Zhu Zhu Qinghu saw a neatly dressed, very shrewd old woman.

Hearing the Yamen Runner's introduction, the old woman also realized these two were not people she could casually offend, so she hurriedly inquired.

Upon hearing the surname, the village location, and the approximate time of the sale, the woman closed her eyes to recall for a moment before saying, "This girl... ah... yes, I have an impression! Because back then, coincidentally, a colleague from Chuzhou was passing through our Yang Zhou! She said that a young lady from a scholarly family had become a concubine, and this concubine bought a serving maid; I treated her to a cup of wine, and she said they were heading south, to the Fujian Circuit."

The joy on Zhu Zhu Qinghu's face vanished; the Fujian Circuit was more than a thousand li away from Yang Zhou.

Brother Qingyun clasped his hands and said, "Honorable Old Mother, do you happen to know the name of this concubine or her household?"

The old woman blinked, tilted her head, and closed her eyes again as if recalling something, then said, "That old woman said something like... Gao... Dao... the daughter of the Yu family. I didn't understand that dialect clearly." Finishing, she helplessly waved her handkerchief.

A hint of disappointment flickered in Zhu Zhu Qinghu's eyes; so much time had passed, how could they possibly find anything now? He let out a pained sigh, drew a tael of fragmented silver from his robe, and said, "Then I must trouble you, Auntie."

Upon hearing this, Brother Qingyun's eyes filled with contemplation.

Seeing the silver, the matchmaker's face registered surprise; she immediately knit her brows tightly in thought again, until suddenly her eyes brightened. Watching the group already turning to leave the alley, she hurriedly shouted, "Honorable Sir, this old woman has just recalled something. That transaction was conducted in Yang Zhou; the yamen should have records of it."

Zhu Zhu Qinghu nodded, turned, and departed; after bidding farewell to the Yamen Runners at the alley entrance, he mounted his horse and rode away. Brother Qingyun, meanwhile, tossed a string of cash, saying, "Please treat yourselves to wine, brothers."

He then spurred his horse to catch up, shouting, "Young Master, perhaps we need not go to the yamen after all."

Zhu Zhu Qinghu turned back, looking puzzled, and Brother Qingyun briefly recounted what he had overheard inside Bai Shi's cabin.

"This humble servant believes the term the Guan Guan Pozi mentioned was likely 'instructor,' and that Wei Wei Xiaoniang of the Sheng family shares precisely such a background, with her ancestral home also in Chuzhou." After Brother Qingyun finished, Zhu Zhu Qinghu exclaimed with great surprise, "Is this truly the case?"

Brother Qingyun clasped his hands and nodded in affirmation.

The two then mounted their horses and rode toward the Sheng residence.

And also

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(End of Chapter)