Jiaohua

Chapter 1622 The Art of Finding a Substitute
As soon as Jiang Mei appeared, she was taken control of by six burly women.

Besides the six women, there were two tall, burly men, both carrying knives.

Two women escorted Jiang Mei into the room, while the other women and strong men stood outside, seemingly intending to keep watch all night.

At this moment, the guards that Xia Zhaoyi had previously assassinated were discovered.

A sudden exclamation shattered the silence of the entire house.

Xia Zhaoyi was incredibly fast and quickly concealed herself.

Jiangmei was about to go to sleep when she heard this and got up. Two women in the room were staring at her menacingly in the darkness.

"Lie down properly, Miss Jiangmei."

Jiangmei asked, "What happened outside?"

"Just lie down."

Jiangmei looked at them, then closed her eyes and lay back down.

In the darkness, her lower abdomen was very large, making her feel uncomfortable all over. Even when she was lying down, she habitually held her waist with her hands.

This belly is her pledge of allegiance.

The child's father is Bian Yuanfeng. In Hengxiang, she slashed Lin Qingfeng's face with a dagger and fled with Bian Yuanfeng.

From then on, she was controlled by Bian Yuanfeng.

Bian Yuanfeng's biological mother was a descendant of the Qiao family, so the baby in her womb had Qiao family blood.

It was because of this pregnancy that Jiangmei was able to escape from Bian Yuanfeng's side.

Bian Yuanfeng was very concerned about the fetus in her womb. After she had determined the escape route and made full preparations, she told Bian Yuanfeng that she really wanted to drink black chicken and ginseng soup and asked him to steal the money.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, she escaped with her pregnant belly.

She originally wanted to seek refuge with the Jin brothers, but their whereabouts were secretive. She put in a lot of effort but couldn't find the Jin brothers. Instead, she found the Chen family.

The Chen family and the Nangong family had a good relationship, so she was sent to Yong'an, which was nearby.

After two months of traveling, her belly grew bigger and bigger. After arriving in the capital, she stayed for another month. In another half month, she was going to give birth.

The child in her womb will be taken away, but she will still have some use, namely her face.

Moreover, she will find a chance to escape.

Before, the child was a burden in her womb. After the child was gone, she could find a few lecherous rich men, use her skills to manipulate men, and swindle their money. With that money, she could open shops and do business.

Next year, she might very well become as wealthy as Zhao Ning and Madam Qu.

A woman inside went out to open the door and asked what was going on outside.

Jiang Mei, with her sharp ears, heard that an assassin had broken in. For some reason, her eyes twitched violently, and a strong sense of unease welled up in her heart.

The woman asked a few questions, closed the door, and returned to tell Jiangmei what had happened.

Jiang Mei remained silent, carefully turning over in bed, facing inwards, and gently cradling her belly.

There have been assassins before, and they all got away with it.

Not afraid.

Jiangmei comforted herself in her heart and forced herself to fall asleep.

After returning to Qingque Pavilion, Xia Zhaoyi left a note for Lu Ningjin, who was already asleep.

When Lu Ningjin woke up early in the morning and saw the note, she immediately ordered her men to investigate Zeng Yuanzhi.

As the most influential and influential figures in the land, Qingque Pavilion has an extensive network of informants, covering everything from palace secrets to everyday gossip. There is no road they cannot pave, and no information they cannot uncover.

When Xia Zhaoyi woke up, Zeng Yuanzhi's background, life story, and current address had been compiled into a book, and Lu Ningjin personally carried the tray to knock on the door.

Zeng Yuanzhi was from Xinchun County, Zhuzhou. He was a student of Ren Qingshu. After Ren Qingshu resigned from his post and left the capital, he stayed in the Ministry of Rites. Later, when the world was in chaos, he did not return to the relatively stable Zhuzhou, but stayed in the capital.

Upon seeing the words "Xinchun County, Zhuzhou," Xia Zhaoyi's brow furrowed slightly.

It's Zhuzhou again.

Feng Wensheng was a native of Zhuzhou.

The Prince of Nanrui, Han Ruiqian, was also enfeoffed in Zhuzhou.

Lu Ningjin asked, "Ali, is there something fishy about this person?"

Xia Zhaoyi thought for a moment: "Can we bring him here?"

"That's definitely possible."

Xia Zhaoyi smiled and said, "Alright, go ahead and arrest him." Two hours later, a carriage returned from the west of the city and stopped in the backyard. Two strong men, one on each side, dragged a man of similar height off the carriage and escorted him into the tea room on the second floor.

When the black cloth bag covering his head was removed, Zeng Yuanzhi squinted, stung by the sight.

Upon closer inspection, he saw two young women sitting with their backs to the light, sizing him up.

Lu Ningjin said, "It's not what I imagined."

Most civil officials are fair-skinned and thin, but Zeng Yuanzhi was very robust.

Xia Zhaoyi cut to the chase: "Zeng Yuanzhi, who is your father?"

Zeng Yuanzhi frowned.

Lu Ningjin said, "Let's see if you're going to behave yourself."

"Who are you?"

Lu Ningjin smiled faintly: "It seems you're not being honest."

She raised her hand and waved it lightly, and the two burly men on either side immediately lifted Zeng Yuanzhi's arms behind his back.

The intense pain caused Zeng Yuanzhi to scream in agony.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk!” Zeng Yuanzhi convulsed. “My father’s name is Zeng Yu.”

Lu Ningjin said, "Continue."

The two burly men on either side did not let go of his hand, but they also did not exert any more force.

Zeng Yuanzhi looked at the two girls, wondering how much they knew.

Having never suffered such hardship before, he paused for a moment and then simply told everything.

Their family was once a respectable and well-regarded clan in Zhuzhou, though not as famous as the Guo family of Zuilu or the Cao family of Dingtao. However, in Zhuzhou, they were a prominent family.

Later, Zhuzhou became Han Ruiqian's fiefdom.

After Han Rui moved to Zhuzhou, the Zeng family, being a prominent clan, naturally had to associate with him.

At first, it was a routine visitation ceremony, but it gradually turned into a fixed "filial piety gift" every season. Later, the Zeng family was forced to become a tool of Han Ruiqian.

Because of the strange occurrences in the Prince's mansion, Han Ruiqian's hobbies became bizarre. He became obsessed with feng shui and physiognomy, recruiting Taoist priests, sorcerers, physiognomists, astrologers, and so on, and plotting to harm them.

The Zeng family, on the other hand, is like a tiger's accomplice.

At this point, Zeng Yuanzhi paused, looking up at Xia Zhaoyi and Lu Ningjin.

Lu Ningjin asked, "Are you thirsty?"

He then ordered his men to give him water.

Zeng Yuanzhi drank a full glass of water, but still maintained the same expression.

Lu Ningjin frowned: "What's going on?"

Zeng Yuanzhi said, "I don't know... how to say it."

Lu Ningjin said, "Just say it."

"It might sound like they've lost all humanity and are worse than animals."

Lu Ningjin still said, "Just say it."

Zeng Yuanzhi’s voice trembled slightly: “People say that although Han Ruiqian lived to be over eighty years old, he had no relatives or friends. His relatives and friends, even his distant nephews and grandnephews, all died tragically. But in fact, he did it himself.”

Lu Ningjin was stunned: "What?"

"This is the art of a hundred tricks."

Xia Zhaoyi, who had been listening quietly the whole time, raised her eyebrows slightly. It was Bai Tu again.

Zeng Yuanzhi said in a trembling voice, "The Hundred Paths Technique is also known as the Technique of Finding a Substitute for Death."

Lu Ningjin suddenly thought of the Qiao family and looked at Xia Zhaoyi: "Ali, I suddenly realized that all these things seem to form a chain."

Xia Zhaoyi nodded: "Mm."

Zeng Yuanzhi concluded, "After I passed the imperial examination, I dared not return to Zhuzhou. I would rather die than go back to the capital."

As mentioned earlier (this section is limited to 2200 words; no extra charge will be charged if it does not exceed 2200 words):

Jiang Mei and Bian Yuanfeng: "1273 - You Are Jiang Mei"

Bai Tu: 1296 - A Young Girl's Talk