Chapter 46: Framing Someone
This jade pendant doesn’t look like something from the village at first glance.
When Shi Tou saw the jade pendant, his heart skipped a beat. How could his brother-in-law’s jade pendant be in Lin Jianshan’s hand?
He instinctively turned his head to look at Lu Chengjing.
Lu Chengjing stared expressionlessly at the jade pendant, his eyes dark.
The villagers didn’t expect there to really be so-called evidence.
Just now, the Lin Family came back saying silver was missing, clamoring for everyone to gather at the old elm tree to catch the thief.
Naturally no one in the village admitted it. The Lin Family members couldn’t just accuse someone without proof, so Lin Jianshan suggested sending two villagers with him to search the Lin Family home for evidence.
When the villagers heard this, they naturally couldn’t let those on good terms with the Lin Family go. What if they covered for each other and framed someone with just any old thing?
Thus, Wu Family boy Wu Mingli and Zhang Da were pushed forward by the villagers.
The crowd gathered around to look at the jade pendant.
“Good grief.” Someone sighed, “This jade pendant must be worth more than thirty taels, right? Which thief picks up sesame seeds and drops a watermelon?”
Someone wondered, “We’re all dirt farmers in our village. Which family could have such a fine thing?”
“Yeah.” Someone chimed in, “If you had something this good, wouldn’t you treasure it as a family heirloom? Who carries it around showing off?”
“Look at the middle of this jade pendant. Doesn’t it look like a character?”
“Where, where? Let me see.”
“Get lost, you can’t even read. It’s better to ask the Xiucai Scholar to look than you.”
The villagers chimed in one after another, discussing the jade pendant.
Yuan Musheng subtly glanced toward Lu Chengjing, his heart full of worry.
Five years ago, the Lu Family sent people to the village to take Lu Chengjing home. Yuan Musheng went to help, and Lu Chengjing, to thank him for two years of care, wanted to give him the jade pendant representing the Lu Family. If Yuan Musheng ran into any difficult matter, he could take the jade pendant to the Lu Family to seek his help.
Although Yuan Musheng didn’t accept the jade pendant, he still remembered its appearance even now.
Round, with hollow carvings of magnolia entwined branch patterns around the edges, and a prominent “Lu” character in the middle, exactly like the one Lin Jianshan found in the Lin Family home.
But why was Cheng Jing’s jade pendant in the Lin Family home?
He didn’t believe Lu Chengjing was a thief who stole silver.
Wu Mingli and Zhang Er personally saw Lin Jianshan dig the jade pendant out from under the pile of clothes on the kang. Wu Mingli recognized a few characters and had some guess about the jade pendant’s owner in his mind, but he didn’t say anything.
Shang Wan couldn’t read, but the original host had memories related to this jade pendant.
Master Lu had by chance obtained a fine piece of stone. Since it wasn’t big, he had three jade pendants made, one for each of the Lu Family’s three young masters.
Eldest Young Master Lu Chengyuan’s jade pendant had a green bamboo pattern, symbolizing steady advancement.
Second Young Master Lu Chengyi’s jade pendant had a lotus pattern, symbolizing good fortune and wealth.
Third Young Master Lu Chengjing’s jade pendant had a magnolia pattern, symbolizing pure character.
Ever since getting the jade pendants, the Lu Family’s three young masters wore them every day. The jade pendants were symbols of their status in the Lu Family.
But after Lu Chengjing was imprisoned, this jade pendant vanished. Now it had appeared in the Lin Family home and become the stolen silver thief’s item, clearly meant to throw dirty water on Lu Chengjing.
Shang Wan couldn’t figure it out. Lu Chengjing was just a cripple confirmed by the doctor outside, not in anyone’s way. Who had nothing better to do, using the Lin Family as a gun to go to such lengths against a cripple like Lu Chengjing? What was the point?
Lin Jianshan held the jade pendant and walked straight up to Lu Chengjing.
He stood, while Lu Chengjing sat.
He looked down at Lu Chengjing, the malice in his eyes carefully hidden but still seen through by Lu Chengjing at a glance.
“Lu Xiucai Scholar, the villagers are all illiterate. Please take a look at the character on this jade pendant and help find the thief.”
Lu Chengjing didn’t even lift his eyelids, saying flatly, “Can’t read it.”
Lin Jianshan was stunned. He hadn’t expected Lu Chengjing’s reaction to seeing the jade pendant to be so indifferent, and to tell such a barefaced lie.
He was about to speak when Zhou Shi jumped out, pointing at Lu Chengjing and shouting, “You’re lying! There’s clearly a Lu character in the middle of the jade pendant.”
“Oh, so it’s a Lu character.” Lu Chengjing’s tone carried light mockery, “Since you already knew, why ask me to read it?”
Village Chief Lin’s face darkened. Lin Jianshan glared darkly at Zhou Shi. Only you would!
Zhou Shi felt aggrieved. Wasn’t she just trying to help her own man?
Aunt Zhou’s eyes darted around, looking at Zhou Shi, “Lin Dajia, since when could you read? Even the Xiucai Scholar can’t read it, but you can. You’re more learned than the Xiucai Scholar.”
The villagers burst into laughter. Zhou Shi’s face turned bright red, and she ducked behind Lin Jianshan.
Lin Jianshan was furious inside but knew now wasn’t the time to scold his wife. He subtly signaled with his eyes to Gao Qi in the crowd.
Gao Qi understood, raised his voice loudly, “This jade pendant clearly isn’t from our village. Only the Lu Xiucai Scholar’s family moved here from the county town, and there’s a Lu character on the jade pendant. Our village has no other Lu families, so this jade pendant probably belongs to the Lu Xiucai Scholar.”
The villagers fell silent at his words and all turned to look at Lu Chengjing.
Clearly, after hearing there was a Lu character in the middle of the jade pendant, it wasn’t that no one suspected Lu Chengjing was the owner; they just didn’t want to be the one to say it and offend him.
Someone tentatively asked, “Xiucai Scholar, is this jade pendant yours?”
Before Lu Chengjing could answer, Village Chief Lin suddenly said, “The Lu Family is a well-known family in the city. They’d certainly recognize their own jade pendant.”
The implication was that even if Lu Chengjing flatly denied it, they could take the jade pendant to the Lu Family for the Lu Family members to identify.
They were practically itching to pin the shit pot on Lu Chengjing’s head.
“It’s my jade pendant, but it’s been lost for quite some time.” Lu Chengjing’s tone was as cold and detached as ever.
Lin Jianshan sneered coldly, his tone unable to hide the sarcasm, “You say the jade pendant is lost and it’s lost? Where’s your evidence?”
“You say the silver is lost without evidence too, don’t you?” Shi Tou glared at Lin Jianshan, “So your word makes it lost, but my brother-in-law has to provide evidence? What kind of reason is that?”
“The silver is gone!” Liu Shi on the side anxiously slapped her thigh, “A full thirty taels, all our family’s hard-earned money! Damn thief, give back the silver!”
With that, she lunged to tear at Lu Chengjing. Xiao Huan drew her kitchen knife and slashed forward. Liu Shi recoiled without time to retract her hand, not daring to get close.
“You little bitch!” Liu Shi cursed in a rage. Xiao Huan didn’t retort, just gripped the kitchen knife and stared coldly at her, as if pondering where to chop.
Liu Shi was so intimidated by Xiao Huan’s stare that her hair stood on end. She retreated two steps and stayed by Lin Jianshui’s side before feeling safe. She glared viciously at Xiao Huan and Lu Chengjing but didn’t keep cursing.
Shang Wan began to reflect on whether she had led Xiao Huan astray.
The little girl who was scared of mice when they first met had, in just a few days, dared to swing a kitchen knife at people. Wasn’t this growth a bit too fast?
