Jinyi Spring

Chapter 100 Verification
All the evidence points to Wanping's family.

Ming Shanyue slammed his fist on the table and cursed, "These damned lackeys are asking for death! Send those men to the imperial prison!"

He was very frustrated. He was the Northern Garrison Commander of the Flying Eagle Guard, yet he was unaware that something like this had happened to his family.

Guo Hei whispered, "Take them there. No need to torture them. Just let them see, and they'll confess everything."

Song Xian slapped his knuckles together, making a cracking sound. "I've been itching to use my hands lately, so I need to give someone a good thrashing."

Ming Shanyue said, "Don't let anyone discover anything amiss."

"Yes."

Ming Shanyue got up and boarded an ordinary horse-drawn carriage in the courtyard. The carriage left the alley and headed along the route that Feng's mule cart had taken yesterday.

The road was narrow, and the houses on both sides were very close together. After passing this section, there were many trees again…

Seeing the road conditions, Ming Shanyue couldn't help but feel fortunate that Feng Chuchen was lucky. If it had happened on a busy street or in an open area, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Of course, the mother was also lucky; if Feng Chuchen had gotten into trouble, there would have been no hope for her mother's illness.

hateful……

As evening fell, dark clouds loomed overhead, and heavy snowflakes began to fall, plunging the sky into complete darkness.

When the Duke of Ming returned to his residence after leaving the yamen, Guo Hei, who had been waiting at the side gate, bowed and greeted him in a low voice, "Your Excellency, the master has important matters to discuss with you and requests that you come to Zhuyin Tower."

The Duke of Ming's heart stirred, assuming that there had been progress in the matter of western Hunan, and he quickened his pace.

He dismissed those around him and asked impatiently, "Is there any news from Xiangxi?"

Ming Shanyue's expression was grave. "This afternoon, news came back that Jiang Huaizhao and his family have disappeared without a trace. Our people also found out that someone went to the place that Madam Wen and Wen Kai mentioned, which was just one of Jiang Huaizhao's villas."

"By the time our men reached another address, Jiang Huaizhao had already fled with his family. We discovered he had a wife and a son, about ten years old. Fearing discovery by another group, our men didn't dare investigate further..."

Duke Ming slammed his hand on the table. "A cunning rabbit has three burrows; this makes finding him even more difficult. Uh, have you been able to find out any facial features?"

"He was nearly six feet tall, of average build. His appearance was severely disfigured; all that was known was that he had double eyelids and a square face. I haven't dared to show the image to his neighbors for identification yet. This height and features also match Wang Tu."

Ming Guogong said, "Send a message, but don't rush things. Under no circumstances should those people find out that we are also looking for him."

Ming Shanyue nodded and said, "Father, I invited you here today not for this matter."

The Duke of Ming picked up his teacup, lightly skimmed the surface of the water, took a sip, and asked, "Is there anything else?"

A cold smile flickered across Ming Shanyue's lips. "I heard that Miss Wan is pregnant. She intends to give birth to the child and serve her father in the Duke's mansion until he is old."

The Duke of Ming choked on his tea, coughing several times, his old face turning bright red with embarrassment. His first reaction was disbelief, but he also thought his son wouldn't dare to tell him such a thing.

He slammed down his teacup. "How dare she!" he roared. He then scolded his son, "Are you so busy with official duties that you have to meddle in this?"

Ming Shanyue snorted coldly, "I don't want to get involved either, but I can't ignore it. Miss Wan and her brother Li Tong twice hired someone to murder Doctor Feng, just to stop her from treating my mother."

The Duke of Ming was utterly incredulous, almost unable to believe his ears. "What did you say?"

Ming Shanyue said, "Miss Wan is already three months pregnant. She believes that if my mother recovers, she will be sent away from the mansion and the child will be in danger. So she conspired with Li Tong to get rid of Doctor Feng."

"Li Tong first bribed the Shen family members, using the death of a woman in childbirth as an excuse to vandalize the Feng family clinic, intending to kill Doctor Feng in the chaos. When that failed, he instructed his brother-in-law to stick a needle into the mule harness."

"We want to make the mule suffer pain and fright, so that it might cripple or even kill Doctor Feng, or at worst, cause him to go to jail for killing someone..."

Ming Shanyue's voice was not loud, but every word struck Dingguo Gong's heart like a hammer blow.

He felt a chill run down his spine. He never expected that such a shameful thing would happen to his own family. The root of the problem was himself.

He slammed his fist on the table in anger, causing tea to splash everywhere.

"You wretch, you're asking for death. Go, arrest Li Tong and beat him to death."

Ming Shanyue said calmly, "It's too late. Li Tong went to the Tongzhou estate to collect rent three days ago, and he fell off his horse and died last night on his way back to the city."

"he died?"

"Yes, at this point, all the clues point to Miss Wan and Li Tong. It could just be a coincidence, or it could be a murder to cover it up."

He didn't want to suspect Xia, but doubts had already arisen, and he had to be on guard.

Duke Mingguo was even more shocked. "Besides Wanping, is there anyone else who wants to harm your mother? Your mother is gentle, kind, and simple. She almost never leaves the main courtyard and never speaks ill of anyone. She has never offended anyone, not even the servants, let alone her master."

His face was full of guilt.

Ming Shanyue said, "Father also knows that my mother is gentle, virtuous, kind, and simple..."

The Duke of Ming raised his arm slightly. "You brat, what do you want to say?" Knowing he was in the wrong, he softened his tone and said, "Yes, I'm sorry for your mother, I've hurt her. Do you think anyone else wants to harm your mother?"

"If my mother's health continues to be poor, who else in this household, besides Miss Wan, will benefit?"

The Duke of Ming thought of someone, but then realized it was impossible.

"You mean Achan? She came to the family when she was nine years old. Her father and mother treated her like their own daughter, and my brother and I treated her like our own sister. She also had a very close relationship with your mother. Besides, she was not short of money. The 25,000 taels of silver she received as dowry was all brought back from the Kong family."

"With the family's usual subsidies, the mother and daughter now have no less than forty thousand taels of silver. Mother also said that when Yan'er gets married, the mansion will also provide a dowry..."

His voice grew softer and softer. If there was anyone else in the house who was unkind to his wife, it was Xia Achan.

Ming Shanyue said, "Human hearts are fickle, and desires are insatiable. She managed the inner palace for my mother for more than ten years, accompanied my grandmother to the palace on my mother's behalf, and went out to make friends on my mother's behalf. What she gained was far more than just money. She also gained the favor of the Empress Dowager and Consort Xue, connections among noblewomen, and the respect of servants."

"Moreover, in my early years, my elders were often away fighting, and I was young, so Aunt Xia was in charge of most of the family affairs... Of course, I also hope that I am being cynical and that Li Tong's death was purely accidental, and that Aunt Xia is still a good woman who is filial to her grandparents."

“Grandmother is getting old, and my mother has been bedridden for a long time. Father and I should keep a close eye on the inner courtyard from now on. It’s never a bad thing to be careful…”

Duke Ming nodded absently. Indeed, if Madam were healthy, Achan would merely be a divorced woman returning home, her ex-husband still a subject of crime; how could she enjoy such glory today…

He said in a deep voice, "You must ensure Miss Feng's safety. The young girl came to treat your mother out of kindness, but she almost caused her to lose her life twice." Ming Shanyue said, "If the mastermind is Miss Wan and Li Tong, the danger has been eliminated. If it is Aunt Xia, Miss Wan was just pushed out, so she will not dare to make any rash moves in the short term."

"I have already instructed Uncle Hua and Granny Li to ensure that Miss Feng is safe and sound, and to also avoid Aunt Xia's influence."

He paused, then asked, "Father, what do you plan to do with Miss Wan and the wicked servant?"

He has investigated the matter thoroughly and secretly detained those involved. How they are dealt with is up to his father. After all, Wanping is his father's woman, and he shouldn't interfere too much.

After a moment of silence, the Duke of Dingguo resolutely said, "Give her a bowl of abortifacient and rush to the estate. Kill any of her family members who were involved, and sell those who weren't to a brokerage firm."

He still harbored a lingering affection for Wanping.

“My mother already knows that Miss Wan is pregnant and is very sad. Father, please go and see her.”

The Duke of Ming was extremely displeased. "Your mother is in poor health. How could you use this to upset her?"

Ming Shanyue's face was cold. "It wasn't me who said it. It was someone close to my mother who found out that Wanping was pregnant and told her. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that someone deliberately let my mother know about this, hoping to worsen her condition."

A sneer curled at the corner of his mouth. "Grandfather was right, too many women, too much trouble. Ha, not entirely. No women, no trouble. Look at my second uncle, third uncle, and me, we don't have any of this mess."

The Duke of Ming snorted coldly and turned away. He needed to deal with the servants first before comforting his wife.

Ming Shanyue went to Furongtang, where the Xia family mother and daughter were chatting and laughing with the elderly couple.

The old lady smiled and waved to Ming Shanyue, saying, "You deserve a beating. Even after returning to the capital, you still rarely come home. You can't see him for ten days or half a month at a time."

Ming Shanyue smiled and bowed deeply, "Your grandson is unfilial and has caused your grandmother worry." He then bowed to Xia Shi, "Thank you, Aunt, for conveying my filial piety to my grandparents."

Xia smiled and said, "We're all family, Shanyue, you're too kind."

Lady Xia wore a camel-colored cotton jacket, its color understated and its pattern simple, yet it was made of brocade. She wore only three jade hairpins—one long and two short—bestowed upon her by the Empress Dowager. Her gold-inlaid jade bracelet and the cat's-eye ring on her finger were both made by the Imperial Household Department…

Unassuming yet exuding an air of grandeur.

Beside her, Kong Xiyan was dressed in a fiery red gown, with gold embroidered butterflies fluttering around her skirt. Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and lively, and she was the epitome of a noble lady from a high-class family...

The old Duke of Dingguo said, "If you're busy, hurry up and get married and bring home a wife, and have a few more great-grandchildren to take care of us."

Madam Xia smiled and said, "I was just about to tell Father and Mother that I've taken a fancy to another young lady, the eldest daughter of Minister Tong of the Ministry of Rites. Although Minister Tong is only a sixth-rank official, Miss Tong is beautiful, gentle, and quite talented..."

Ming Shanyue retorted sarcastically, "What minor flaws could there be?"

Kong Xiyan burst out laughing and quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

The old Duke glared at Ming Shanyue, "Don't talk to your aunt like that. Nobody's perfect, everyone has their flaws." He then turned his gaze gently to his wife, "Only Rong'er is perfect, she's good in every way."

The old lady laughed and said, "You're talking nonsense in front of the younger generation again."

Xia laughed and said, "Shanyue is handsome and extraordinary, and young and promising. He deserves the best girl in the world. Your aunt has been picking a wife for you so carefully that her eyes are dazzled. She must have a compatible birth date and time, and she must also be good-looking."

"This Miss Tong is seventeen this year, born on July 14th, which matches her birth date. Hehe, she's great in every way, except she's a little dark-skinned."

She also wanted to find a good girl for Ming Shanyue, but Ming Shanyue's fate was bad. Even families who sold their daughters were unwilling to give their daughters to him, fearing that the daughters would be cursed to death and that he would lose both the principal and the interest.

We need to find girls born in yin years and yin months, which narrows the search even further...

The old lady hurriedly asked, "Is he as dark-skinned as our old man? If he is that dark, he is not a good match for my eldest grandson."

Xia laughed so hard she almost fell over. "Look at what Mother is saying, how could that be? It's just a little bit dark."

The old lady laughed and said, "That's good. Dark spots don't matter, just apply more powder and it will become white. When I was young, my face would become dark and rough after a battle, and I would have to cover it up for months to make it fair and smooth again."

The old Duke feigned ignorance, saying, "Has Rong'er ever been tanned? I didn't notice."

Kong Xiyan smiled and said, "In my grandfather's eyes, my maternal grandmother was a fairy descended from heaven; she was beautiful no matter how you looked at her."

These words struck a chord with the old man, who grinned widely.

The old lady laughed and said, "That's right. As soon as I say I'm dark, he stares at me with wide eyes and asks, 'Where am I dark? Where am I dark?' He can see right through me."

This made everyone laugh.

The old man, with considerable experience, said to Ming Shanyue, "Young man, remember this: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As long as you sincerely keep the girl in your heart, she will be the most beautiful flower in the world, and even her flaws can become virtues."

Ming Shanyue, oblivious to romance, scoffed, “My heart can hold the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, and the nation and its people, but it cannot hold women and flowers. No matter how beautiful they are, they are just roadside weeds.”

The old man was so angry that his beard stood on end. He shouted, "Even if she's a dog's tail, you still have to get married and have her give you a son."

The old lady felt sorry for the man and scolded her grandson, "How dare you talk to your grandfather like that? If you keep talking nonsense, I'll whip you with a horsewhip. Your grandfather is right, hurry up and find a wife to bring home and give birth to a big, healthy son."

He then said to Madam Xia, "Inquire about Miss Tong again. If there are no other issues, then we should finalize the deal. I don't want to die before I even see my great-grandson."

The old Duke was heartbroken. "What are you saying, Rong'er? If you die, what's the point of me living?" He then roared at Ming Shanyue, "Your fate has changed. You can get married now."

Ming Shanyue said indifferently, "Whatever, don't blame me if you die from this."

Seeing that the old Duke was about to get angry again, Madam Xia gently advised, "Father and Mother, don't be anxious. Since Shan Yue's fate has changed, he won't bring misfortune to his wife. I will inquire more and find a beautiful wife that Shan Yue will like."

Then the topic was steered elsewhere, "I heard that the Xue family has taken a liking to Young Master Shangguan and wants to marry their third daughter to him, but Princess Yanghe has been unwilling to agree."

The old lady said, "Third Miss Xue has pockmarks on her face. Would Ruyu, that child, be willing to accept that?"

Thinking back to the time when he had betrothed Miss Xue to his grandson, he added, "The reason I betrothed her to Shanyue was simply because she was born in a yin year and yin month, and our horoscopes were compatible."

Seeing that Ming Shanyue's expression had become even more gloomy, Xia changed the subject and steered the conversation elsewhere.

“Brother Wanping died in a horse-riding accident yesterday. Although she was just a concubine, she had been with my brother for so many years. But there is no precedent for this in our household. I was thinking, should we follow the example of the concubine in the Kong family and give her family twenty taels of silver? That would be enough to settle this debt of gratitude.”

The old lady frowned slightly, clearly disapproving. "Our household has no concubines, so what precedent is there for concubines?"

She disliked concubines and maids, but given her eldest daughter-in-law's situation, she couldn't interfere too much in their affairs.