Chapter 23: Always Been This Way
“A letter.” Yang Rang said, “Ten days ago, Tian Sheng had received an anonymous letter reminding him that Li Wen Hua already knew about his affair with Zhang Shi and wanted to take the opportunity to ruin his reputation.”
Lu Chengjing: “Where is the letter?”
Yang Rang: “Burned.”
Lord An asked: “Who delivered the letter?”
“Unknown.” Yang Rang shook his head, “The letter was pressed under the official documents in Tian Sheng’s office, and many people come and go in the office, making it hard to investigate.”
“Tian Sheng doesn’t seem stupid either. What if an anonymous letter of unknown origin was deliberately meant to sow discord?” Shang Wan, who was specially allowed to observe, felt that the whole matter was full of suspicion inside and out.
How could people speak casually in the court hall? But Lord An only glanced at Shang Wan and did not scold her, as if tacitly approving.
Lu Chengjing did not miss Lord An’s expression and secretly guessed what Shang Wan had done to receive such preferential treatment from Lord An.
“Tian Sheng was half-believing and half-doubting about the letter’s content and sent people to investigate.” Yang Rang glanced at Lu Chengjing, “This investigation led to Li Wen Hua, who had confided to others after getting drunk about his fondness for other men’s wives.”
Lord An turned his gaze to Lu Chengjing, and Lu Chengjing said: “I have indeed heard of this matter, but since it was drunken talk, I dare not fully believe it and have not spread it to others at all.”
Lord An nodded.
At this point, the case was already clear, with both witness testimonies and material evidence complete. Tian Sheng, the ringleader, had taken poison to commit suicide, and the accomplices should also be punished.
Although Niu Baoqing was coerced by Tian Sheng, the poison did pass through his hands into the wine. After Lord An’s consideration, he was sentenced to sixty canings and two years of hard labor according to the law.
Xie Zhiqiang committed dereliction of duty and murder, but since it was attempted, he was spared the death penalty and sentenced to one hundred canings and exile two thousand li according to the law.
Geng Hao coerced Niu Baoqing’s family and was negligent in his duties after the incident. Considering that he protected an important witness in this case, he was sentenced to fifty canings and a silver penalty of twenty taels according to the law, and barred from holding public office again.
Yang Rang trampled on human lives and helped Tian Sheng do countless evils, with serious circumstances, sentenced to immediate decapitation according to the law.
Liu Tong unauthorizedly swapped the heavy shackles, sentenced to ten canings according to the law, and a silver penalty of two taels. If he offends again, he should be dismissed and investigated.
Lu Chengjing was released without guilt. For being unjustly implicated and nearly losing his life, the government specially gave twenty taels as compensation.
Shang Wan assisted in solving the case with merit, rewarded with five taels of silver.
“Court adjourned!”
Once the notice was posted, the common people discussed animatedly, and the Li Family was especially in an uproar.
Zhang Shi committed adultery with another man, sentenced to ninety canings according to the law. If the Li Family is willing to pay one thousand taels of silver to redeem her, it will be changed to twenty canings, and she will be taken back by her husband’s family.
Li Can wished he could strangle Zhang Shi who had cuckolded him. How could he possibly pay silver to redeem her?
Zhang Shi feared the caning and ended her life with a white silk sash.
Qin Cui Xiang secretly rejoiced and sent a letter home to discuss relying on her son to become the legal wife.
Shang Wan settled Lu Chengjing at the doorway and asked the gatekeeping constables to watch him for a moment, then ran to the East Market to rent an ox cart.
Qiao Yu’an hurried over upon hearing the news, with a girl of fifteen or sixteen by his side who resembled him by five points.
“Now the truth is finally clear. That Tian Sheng was truly hateful; taking poison to commit suicide was too easy on him.” Qiao Yu’an spoke indignantly, as if he would rush forward and punch him twice if Tian Sheng were in front of him.
Lu Chengjing curved his lips in a shallow smile. Because she was worried about scaring Shi Tou and the other two, Shang Wan had already tidied him up, restoring some of his former elegance.
Qiao Weiwei had admired Lu Chengjing for a long time. Seeing him smile, her eyes could hardly move away.
Lu Chengjing naturally noticed and frowned as he asked: “Who is this young lady?”
“She is the younger sister I often mention to you.” Qiao Yu’an winked at Qiao Weiwei, “Chengjing and I are the same age, Weiwei, you should call him Big Brother.”
Qiao Weiwei’s pretty face blushed slightly, and she curtsied gracefully, “Weiwei has seen Brother Lu.”
Her voice was like an oriole, melodious and pleasant.
Lu Chengjing nodded but said not a single word.
The slight blush on Qiao Weiwei’s face instantly faded. She bit her lip, showing a look of unease.
Qiao Yu’an quickly smoothed things over, “Chengjing, Weiwei is a girl, thin-skinned, and this is our first meeting. You should at least say something polite.”
Lu Chengjing was expressionless, “I am always like this.”
Qiao Weiwei’s face paled, her expression somewhat hurt, and she tugged at Qiao Yu’an’s sleeve to hide behind him.
Qiao Yu’an immediately felt sorry for his own younger sister, “Look at you, always keeping a straight face. You’ve scared Weiwei. In the future, won’t she fear you like a tiger?”
Lu Chengjing frowned and was about to say something when Shang Wan drove the ox cart over, with Shi Tou sitting beside her.
“Young Master!” Shi Tou excitedly jumped down from the cart, ran up in three steps, pushed aside the obstructing Qiao Yu’an and Qiao Weiwei, grabbed Lu Chengjing and checked him up and down, tears streaming down, “How did you get so thin?”
His young master must have suffered greatly in prison, wuwuwu, his poor young master!
Lu Chengjing was helpless and raised his left hand to pat Shi Tou’s shoulder, comforting him with a few words.
Shi Tou had cried out earlier from excessive excitement, but as his emotions calmed, he suddenly felt it was embarrassing and quickly wiped away his tears.
Shang Wan walked over, her gaze sweeping over Qiao Yu’an who was glaring at her and Qiao Weiwei who had her head down, and said to Lu Chengjing: “It’s noon already. Eat something before leaving; the ox cart ride will take more than an hour.”
“Alright.” Lu Chengjing nodded.
Shang Wan bent down to brush the hair from his face and smiled as she asked: “What do you want to eat?”
Lu Chengjing actually thought for a moment and said: “Three Delicacies Wontons.”
“Okay.” Shang Wan was about to pick him up, but Lu Chengjing reached out to stop her, his ear root somewhat red, “Let Shi Tou do it.”
Shang Wan raised an eyebrow, “You despise me?”
“No.” Lu Chengjing’s long lashes trembled slightly, his pale lips pressed together.
Shi Tou scratched his head, “Sis, I have more strength, let me do it.”
Shang Wan looked at him, “Are you sure you want to compete with me in strength?”
“No no no.” Shi Tou waved his hands repeatedly. Joking, his sis could hammer a wild boar to death with one fist.
Shang Wan glanced at Lu Chengjing’s expression, thought for a moment, and still handed the task of carrying him onto the ox cart to Shi Tou.
Tsk, men’s self-esteem and such.
Qiao Yu’an’s eyes were glaring until they were sore, but Shang Wan didn’t even give him a look, and even Lu Chengjing forgot to bid him farewell as he left in the ox cart.
Qiao Weiwei asked softly, “Brother, shouldn’t we invite Brother Lu back to the residence to stay?”
Qiao Yu’an slapped his forehead, “I got so angry seeing Shang Wan that I forgot. No, I have to follow and take a look.”
That improper woman Shang Wan, pulling and tugging with a strange man in the alley—he had seen it all.
Chengjing was no longer the Lu Family’s Third Young Master and was seriously injured. Who knows how that woman might mistreat him; he absolutely could not let her succeed!
Qiao Weiwei was left behind by him, biting her lip, a flash of resentment in her eyes.
Shang Wan knew Qiao Yu’an was quietly following and even had Shi Tou send him a bowl of Three Delicacies Wontons.
Qiao Yu’an looked at the wontons and clenched his fist.
Hmph! Don’t think that treating him to wontons will make him help cover it up. When he finds a good opportunity, he will definitely tell Chengjing about Shang Wan’s impropriety and make Chengjing divorce her!
However, these Three Delicacies Wontons were really delicious.
“Weiwei, what do you think… Huh?”
Where was Weiwei?
The three people took the ox cart slowly back to Elm Tree Village, originally wanting to give Xiao Huan and Yuan Yuan a surprise, but unexpectedly, the two gave them a fright first.
Yuan Yuan was missing.
