Chapter 20: Behind The Family Annihilation Case
The Li Family members were not imprisoned in the county jail but were directly detained and interrogated at home.
“Old Madam Li confessed that it was the Li Family father and son who accused the Jiang Family, then led people to annihilate them, creating the illusion of fellow conspirators killing to silence them.”
Wei Jiao walked through the courtyard, listening to the report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The Li Family courtyard had no corpses laid out, but it was filled with sounds of wailing and groaning. Bloodstains from dragging were visible everywhere in the courtyard, sending chills down the spine.
Wei Jiao, however, looked as if he were seeing a most delightful scene, his lips curving into a pleased smile.
He said, “Feeling the fear and death of one’s own family in one’s own home is the most severe punishment.”
Magistrate Huang, following behind him, shivered. This Wei Jiao came from a prominent Longxi clan; even in the chaos of the world at the end of the Previous Dynasty, the Wei Clan remained wealthy and noble.
Born into a great family, and not even that old—where did he learn such methods?
Innate?
Old Madam Li sat in the hall, still dressed richly, with not a single mark on her body.
But at her feet were patches of bloodstains.
These were all the blood of her descendants.
Her face was pale, her eyes tightly shut, unable to bear looking.
When she heard Wei Jiao’s words, her body trembled violently.
“Evil ghost.” Her lips quivered as she opened her eyes to look at the young man who entered, spitting out two words.
Wei Jiao was utterly unperturbed.
“Old Madam, I’m not an evil ghost.” He sat down and said, “Your husband and son are—they dragged you all into this situation today. Why blame me?”
Old Madam Li’s chest heaved violently. What was the point of arguing with an evil ghost? With things at this point, she only sought a quick end.
“I don’t know much.” She said, “I’m a woman; the men in the family didn’t tell me about their affairs.”
Wei Jiao nodded: “How pitiful, yet you have to bear the consequences.”
His face was young and handsome, his words sincere, but the person sitting opposite felt only terror.
Old Madam Li closed her eyes.
“They heard a piece of news that Jiang Wangchun was hiding a secret treasure.” She said.
Secret treasure? Magistrate Huang couldn’t help asking: “What secret treasure?”
Old Madam Li said with her eyes closed: “The map to the Previous Dynasty Imperial Family Treasure.”
Previous Dynasty? Magistrate Huang looked surprised and asked again: “Emperor Ai’s treasure? Or Zhao Tan’s treasure?”
The Previous Dynasty was called Zhou, passed down for over two hundred years. In its final years, the emperor was weak and controlled by the imperial relative Zhao Tan, who dominated court politics for over a decade. Finally, Zhao Tan simply killed the emperor and declared himself emperor, only to be executed later by Deng Shan leading righteous men from under Heaven. After Deng Shan ascended to the throne, he posthumously named the last Zhou emperor as Ai.
“Emperor Ai’s.” Old Madam Li opened her eyes and said.
Wei Jiao chuckled.
“Treasure.” He said with a laugh, “And you all believed it?”
Old Madam Li said urgently: “I didn’t believe it—I didn’t believe it at all—but those father and son were bewitched and insisted on going to the Jiang Family to rob it… resulting in the annihilation of our family.”
She burst into loud cries and fell from her chair to her knees.
Magistrate Huang, listening at the side, felt a complex mix of emotions: “Just for this?”
An Imperial Family Treasure of unknown truth.
The Jiang Family was annihilated, and the Li Family was also annihilated.
However, this should count as greed for wealth, not treason.
The Li Family father and son, as well as the bodyguards who killed the Jiang Family, were all dead. The old, weak, women, and children of the Li Family, even if guilty, did not deserve death and could survive.
Wei Jiao smiled.
“How is it not?” He said, “The Previous Dynasty is long gone, His Majesty is the New Emperor, everything under Heaven belongs to His Majesty, so they…”
He looked at the old woman kneeling on the ground, on the verge of fainting from crying.
“Intended to steal His Majesty’s treasure—punishable by a thousand deaths, unpardonable.”
The old Li woman looked incredulous, her expression despairing: “My lord, I’ve told you everything I know. Please give me a quick death.”
But Wei Jiao shook his head.
“No, you haven’t. You haven’t told me the most crucial part.” He said, “Who told you about this Previous Dynasty treasure and that the treasure map was in Jiang Wangchun’s hands?”
He leaned forward slightly, looking at the old woman.
“That person is the true traitor.”
The true traitor?
The old Li woman looked bewildered: “I don’t know—they didn’t tell me many things…”
Wei Jiao stood up and signaled to the Embroidered Uniform Guard at the side: “Then continue the inquiry.”
The Embroidered Uniform Guard acknowledged and shouted loudly inside, “Bring the person.”
Chains rattled from the inner hall, along with a woman’s screams and cries. Another descendant was dragged over and punished in front of Old Madam Li.
Old Madam Li’s face was ashen white as she crawled on the ground: “Kill me, kill me!”
Wei Jiao stood up, stepped over her, and walked outside.
Magistrate Huang, terrified, hurried to follow. He heard a woman’s screams and the old woman’s anguished cries from behind.
“My leg.”
“Grandmother, Grandmother, save me.”
“My son, my son—”
“Evil ghost—”
“Evil ghost—”
Magistrate Huang didn’t dare look back and followed Wei Jiao out.
However, this time they didn’t have to wait long.
After sitting at the Li Family doorkeeper’s for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Embroidered Uniform Guard reported that Old Madam Li had died from shock and fear, without revealing who told the Li Family father and son about the matter even at the end.
Wei Jiao was unconcerned and said “oh”: “Then it seems she really didn’t know.”
The Embroidered Uniform Guard asked: “Should we continue inquiring the remaining people?”
Wei Jiao waved his hand: “There’s nothing left to inquire.” He smiled at Magistrate Huang, “Hand the prisoners over to Magistrate Huang.”
So how should he judge them? Magistrate Huang smiled obsequiously: “Please advise, Captain Wei. You said the one who told the Li Family about the treasure map is the true traitor—I find that a bit odd.”
That person might also have wanted the treasure map. To avoid exposure, he incited Li Zhen and his son to greed and kill the Jiang Family. Then, if Li Hao and his son obtained the treasure map, that person would kill Li Hao and the others too and take the treasure map.
But this was a brutal case of two families annihilated—such a big incident would inevitably draw government inquiry, and the news of the treasure map would be known to the government.
Wouldn’t that expose himself?
What was he after?
Wei Jiao rested his chin on his hand and raised an eyebrow: “I think he got nothing.”
Huh? Nothing? Magistrate Huang was puzzled.
“What I mean is, the person behind indeed wanted something, but in the end got nothing, because someone didn’t let him have his way.”
Magistrate Huang somewhat understood: “So, besides the person behind the Jiang and Li Families, there’s another party in this case.”
Wei Jiao nodded: “Yes, exactly this.” He extended his finger and slowly traced in the air.
Magistrate Huang recited the four words.
“Murderers must pay with their lives.”
……
……
Yang Luo suddenly lifted her head from the table and saw the morning light hazy indoors. She quickly looked toward the bed and saw the hunter youth still sleeping soundly.
Yesterday after Wei Jiao left, he didn’t return. Soon after, the other guests at the inn were also released. Although the city was still under search and the city gate not yet open, and they had suffered a fright, they had dodged a disaster. Their moods relaxed a bit, and they slept deeply at night.
The two still shared a room; this time Mo Zheng slept on the bed, with Yang Luo watching over.
Yang Luo rolled her shoulders and quietly walked to the bedside. Just as she stood there, Mo Zheng opened her eyes.
Even injured, this youth was so alert?
“How are you?” Yang Luo hurriedly asked, reaching to feel her forehead.
This time Mo Zheng didn’t dodge, letting her check.
“Slashed with two blades—looks serious, but not as bad as a wild beast scratch. My medicine works well.” She said.
Her forehead wasn’t hot; Yang Luo breathed a sigh of relief.
“Do you need more medicine? I’ll go brew it.” She rolled up her sleeves and said.
Mo Zheng was about to say something when the shop assistant’s shout came from outside: “Miss Yang, Miss Yang, the city gate is open!”
