The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 50 Careful calculation
"Third sister, after today's matter is over, let's go to Fuqiu Temple and ask the abbot to exorcise the filth for you and me." Following the yamen runner into the government office, Shang Zishu couldn't help but mutter, "In just two months, this is the second time I've been brought into the government office."

I have lived for seventeen years, but I have never dealt with government officials as much as I have during this period.

Including the time when she rescued Cheng Mian, this is the third time Shang Mingshu has done this, and she also feels that she needs to get rid of the filth!

The two sisters did not have time to return home, so they were brought directly from the Cheng Mansion by the government servants.

This time was particularly different. Not only the prefect was present, but also several education commissioners, and even the magistrates Chu and Gao of Fengyang County and She County were present. Her father and elder sister stood on one side, and Wen Yan stood on the other.

Shang Zishu's face tensed, and she and Shang Mingshu knelt down and bowed politely.

"Mrs. Shang San, today the scholars gathered to assassinate, and the people captured alive confessed that they hired a killer to kill. This is the money given by the killer." Magistrate He said solemnly and in a calm voice, he asked someone to deliver the stolen money to Shang Mingshu.

It was a small cloth bag, filled with plump golden beads that were almost overflowing.

Shang Mingshu reached out and took out a pill with her mark on it.

"Mrs. Shang San, what do you have to say in defense?" He Zhifu and Shang Mingshu asked after carefully examining Jinzhu.

Shang Mingshu threw the golden bead back into the bag. She straightened her back and said, "Sir, this golden bead does not belong to me."

"How do you prove it?" Magistrate He asked, "Your gold beads were brought to the county government office, and just now, the county magistrate, Lord Chu, personally testified that these gold beads are the same ones that the Japanese pirates stole that day."

"Reporting to you, sir," Shang Mingshu said calmly, "My daughter's gold beads do have this mark, but there are eighteen of them in total. I will use them as prizes in today's tea competition."

"You said there are eighteen gold beads with this kind of mark. Do you have any evidence?" Magistrate He has experienced countless things to reach his current position. Although all the evidence points to the Shang family, he still feels that something is fishy.

"Your Excellency can send someone to our embroidery shop. We have a box of gold beads. Each bead has its own marking, and there are only eighteen of each marking." Shang Mingshu explained clearly, "The gold beads were purchased from Fengxiang Silver Shop, and all the markings were engraved by Fengxiang Silver Shop."

"Who knows if you have ever beaten Jinzhu in private?" County Magistrate Gao sneered.

He Zhifu didn't stop him. Shang Mingshu turned to County Magistrate Gao and said, "Sir Gao, as the head of the county, you shouldn't say such thoughtless words."

"How dare you—"

"Sir He," Shang Mingshu replied, turning to Magistrate He before he could get angry. "If I were making the beads in private, why would I bother with a hidden mark? And why would I hire someone with a visible mark? I may not be very smart, but I'm not that dumb."

"That makes sense." Magistrate He agreed with her and immediately sent someone to the Shang residence. "Wait for me to send someone to search for evidence. Second Lady Shang!"

"I'm here." Shang Zishu stepped forward and saluted.

"It's the 9:00 PM and the time for the gathering of literati has passed. You've been away for two quarters of an hour. Where are you going?" Magistrate He turned to ask Shang Zishu.

"My lord, I went to the toilet because I drank too much tea." Shang Zishu was infected by Shang Mingshu and remained calm. "My dress was accidentally soiled by the maid of the Shi family, so I sent the maid to get it back and change my clothes." "Do you remember where you changed clothes?" asked the magistrate He.

"I was led by a maid from Mr. Shi's house into the small courtyard closest to the concubine's room." Shang Zishu recalled carefully, "From the concubine's room, turn right into the corridor, and there is a small courtyard at the end of the corridor."

"It was the small kitchen." Magistrate He had already sent people to investigate. "The assassin was able to break into the garden today because the official and the guard, Mr. Shi, were drugged. According to my investigation, the drug was placed in a water tank. Please listen to what I have to say first."

Seeing Shang Zishu arguing, Magistrate He raised his hand to stop her, "The water in the water tank was drunk by a servant before you entered the kitchen, and it was harmless. It was only after you left that you drank it that you became poisoned."

"Sir," Shang Zishu said anxiously, "I was only in the side room and didn't see the water tank or the stove. I was guided by Mr. Shi's maid and didn't know it was the small kitchen. I didn't poison anyone."

"Bring the witness, Xiao He." Magistrate He ordered the maidservant who had soiled Shang Zishu's clothes to be brought up. "Xiao He, tell us the truth about your encounter with Madam Shang Er."

Xiao He was terrified and stammered, "Master... I was sweeping the guest room, and Second Lady Shang bumped into me, causing water to spill on me... Second Lady Shang was in a hurry to go to the tea competition, and ordered me to find a place nearby to change clothes... I, I, I, I, I don't know anything, I don't know anything!"

Shang Mingshu looked at Shang Zishu, her face showing only anxiety and panic. Given her personality, the fact that she didn't refute immediately meant that what Xiaohe said was true.

She looked at Shi Houqiong who was standing at the end of the seat. Shi Houqiong had his hands clasped together, standing calmly, with no emotion visible on his face.

Shi Qingyu, who was standing next to him, had a gentle and harmless smile on her lips. Noticing Shang Mingshu's gaze, she raised her eyebrows provocatively.

"Mrs. Shang Er, is what Xiaohe said true?" Prefect He turned around and asked after listening to Xiaohe's statement.

"Sir, I didn't mean to bump into Xiao He..." Shang Zishu explained hurriedly, "I left the table and went to the guest room. On the way, I met Madam Shi. Madam Shi saw that I was anxious and deliberately blocked my way. I tried to take a detour several times, but she blocked my way. Later, I pushed Madam Shi away.

Madam Shi nearly embarrassed me. When I left the restroom, I saw a skirt that matched Madam Shi's. I thought she was deliberately ambushing me, so I went around to the other side to play a trick on her. I never imagined it was my maid, Xiao He. Frightened, Xiao He kicked over the dirty water bucket, soaking her dress and giving it a foul stench. "I'm going to compete in a tea-tea competition, so how can I be so unkempt? That's why..."

Shang Zishu explained incessantly, then suddenly had an idea: "Sir, I don't know the layout of Mr. Shi's garden. I just wanted to change quickly so I wouldn't miss the competition. Xiaohe didn't say it was the kitchen."

"My Lord, what Madam Shang said is untrue." Shi Qingyu was the first to refute Shang Zishu. "I did run into Madam Shang on the way. I saw that she was in a hurry, so I tried to get out of her way. But she and I were so in tune with each other, dodging left and right in perfect sync. Madam Shang mistakenly thought I was doing it on purpose."

The two ladies had a minor quarrel, and He Zhifu was too lazy to argue who was right and who was wrong. They each insisted on their own opinion. He Zhifu only asked Shang Zishu: "Second Lady Shang, now there is a strong suspicion that you poisoned her. Do you have any way to prove yourself?"

Shang Zishu was very anxious. She had come to her senses at this moment and realized that she had fallen into a trap. She blamed herself very much. Shang Mingshu had clearly warned her to be careful from the beginning, and she was still wary of Shi Qingyu's evil intentions.

Shi Qingyu almost wet her clothes, and she was so angry...

"Sir, Madam Shang Er may not be unaware of the layout of my garden."

(End of this chapter)