Chapter 233:
The moment he heard that she had fallen into the bottomless Dayang Lake, with no body recovered, that heavy stone weighing a thousand catties that had been pressing on his heart plummeted straight down, wrenching pain in his chest.
If before, he still couldn’t distinguish why he kept thinking of a young lady he had only met a few times, after experiencing this feeling where even his mind was gripped by her safety, he began to understand.
His temperament was mild, but he wouldn’t patiently cooperate with just anyone who rashly spoke up to offer him fortune telling with such ridiculous words.
The first time he saw her was in the new room festooned with red silk, when he accompanied his friend to fetch the bride.
After finishing a poem on the fan, she raised her eyes to glance at him, then removed the beauty fan that had been covering her face, revealing a dazzlingly radiant facial expression.
At that time, he didn’t understand what that momentary daze represented.
Ridiculously, now he had realized his feelings, but she had already perished at the icy cold lake bottom.
Heaven hadn’t left him even a shred of leeway.
Ji Chengfeng suppressed the bitterness in his heart and drained his wine cup in one gulp.
Looking toward his cousin across from him who hadn’t spoken, he said, “Is Aunt well?”
Xie Yanyu didn’t speak, merely nodding.
Seeing he had no mind to talk, Ji Chengfeng didn’t chat further.
The originally simple welcome banquet ended in silence.
Xie Yanyu picked up his teacup for a sip and asked about the situation of the students in Bianzhou.
Since he was the chief examiner, he naturally ought to pay attention to this session’s students.
Seeing his pale face, Ji Chengfeng said, “After the long journey, why not rest first today?”
“Tell me,” Xie Yanyu declined politely, “I arrived late to begin with.”
Ji Chengfeng was at a loss, but he himself had only just taken office temporarily and wasn’t too familiar with the local talents or gentry, so he could only summon two subordinates to introduce the situation.
Both brothers sat expressionless with eyes slightly closed; as the subordinates spoke on, they couldn’t help looking toward the two superiors, unsure if they were listening.
Only upon hearing that a few days ago several scholars rushing to the exam had eaten some pastries at the old Li family pastry shop in the city and suffered nonstop diarrhea, lingering ill in bed, did Xie Yanyu move his brows and say, “Tell me in detail.”
The subordinate was stunned, knowing that cases of students mutually murdering or scheming against each other every session were the most detested by the chief examiner, yet they basically appeared every session.
He hurriedly fetched the files and explained in detail.
After Xie Yanyu listened quietly, he said, “When is the case to be tried?”
The subordinate continued looking at the files and said, “This afternoon.”
Xie Yanyu pondered for a few breaths, then looked to Ji Chengfeng beside him, “Shall we go watch?”
Under Great Khan law, scholars with official title need not kneel to officials.
Though a case involving several scholars didn’t require the Prefect himself to personally hear it, with the provincial examination imminent, inquiring about it was quite necessary.
And since Xie Yanyu had arrived, as this session’s chief examiner, he naturally couldn’t ignore it.
The two exchanged a glance, both deciding to go observe the trial.
At the yamen entrance on the other side.
Xie Wanning and Chen Xi’er, both with pregnant bellies, were stopped outside the prefectural yamen.
Scholars after all had official title in hand; even if involved in a case and become suspects, common folk couldn’t watch the trial in court.
Even as Chen Xi’er desperately explained she was Li Wenhan’s wife, she was still blocked outside by the soldiers.
The sachet Xie Wanning pulled out was confiscated by both soldiers.
No other reason: it happened to coincide with the provincial examination, and this involved several scholars; though no lives had been lost yet, probably even the Prefect was paying attention to this case, so those below naturally dared not grant any convenience.
