The County Magistrate nodded imperceptibly.
Underwear and shoulder scars were extremely private matters. With this evidence along with witness testimony, Ye Zhen’s charge of adultery could be considered thoroughly proven.
After another round of hushed scheming, the County Magistrate assured, “This official will spare no effort in handling this matter, and will certainly not disappoint the Marquise. When the time comes, I shall trouble you, Madam, to give due consideration to my career prospects.”
Guard Wu smiled with his lips but not his eyes.
How foolish for someone targeted by the Marquise’s hatred to still fantasize about career advancement!
Once the matter concerning the Second Young Master was settled, what awaited him wasn’t some southern prefecture, but the halls of the underworld.
The County Magistrate remained completely unaware of this.
After Guard Wu left, he felt even less inclined to sleep, instead delightedly counting his silver notes.
He murmured to himself, “Shaofuren, don’t blame this official. Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy him. Blame your unfortunate birth—not born into a top-tier noble family, and incompetent at winning over your mother-in-law’s affection, letting her use you as a pawn. Rest assured, after you die, I’ll burn plenty of paper money for you, so you can bribe the underworld guards and be reborn into a better life in your next incarnation.”
“In that case, I should thank you, Magistrate.”
A soft voice whispered by his ear.
The County Magistrate froze while counting the silver notes, looking up in terror to see Ye Zhen.
With her hibiscus face and peach blossom eyes glistening with a hint of amusement, her delicate jaw, slender neck, and snow-white skin—she truly possessed an ethereal, layered beauty.
But to the County Magistrate’s eyes now, she seemed like a demon coming for his life, sending chills down his spine. “Shao… Shaofuren, how… how did you get here?”
Ye Zhen extended her hand. “Hand them over.”
The County Magistrate wanted to call for help, but the dagger pressed against his chest made him dare not act recklessly. He could only obediently give the silver notes to Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen glanced at them—two thousand taels, and fully negotiable at that.
She unceremoniously tucked them into her bosom and chuckled lightly, “Any more?”
The County Magistrate, being a money-grubber himself, stammered, “That’s all I was given. There’s no more.”
“Think again.”
Ye Zhen’s voice remained soft and gentle, but the dagger in her hand pressed down with added force.
Not daring to play dumb any longer, the County Magistrate hurriedly produced his accumulated savings.
As long as he kept his life, he could always scheme for more money.
It was a sizable box containing gold, silver, jewels, and silver notes.
Ye Zhen raised an eyebrow.
Quite a substantial windfall.
“Really, there’s nothing left now, this is all. Spare me, Shaofuren!”
“Kneel.”
Ye Zhen commanded gently.
The County Magistrate’s knees buckled, and he knelt immediately. Ye Zhen moved behind him. “Planning to harm me together with the Marquise?”
“No, it was all the Marquise’s coercion! This official had no choice—”
The dagger moved from his chest to his neck. Feeling the cold blade against his skin, the County Magistrate quickly changed his tune, “This official was wrong! This official wouldn’t dare again! Spare me, Shaofuren—”
Suddenly, he realized something and exclaimed in shock, “You know martial arts? Then the Second Young Master…”
Did you kill him?
He didn’t dare voice the latter part, but his heart was already certain.
A woman appearing here in the middle of the night, having overheard his conversation with Guard Wu—and Guard Wu completely unaware?
This was no ordinary woman!
How could she have gotten lost in the mountains and fallen injured?
Ye Zhen slowly hummed in acknowledgment.
But the rope in her hand swiftly looped around the County Magistrate’s neck. So fast that he had no time to react before Ye Zhen hoisted him up to the beam.
His legs flailed wildly. As clothing dangled before him, his survival instinct made him clutch desperately at the fabric.
So desperately that fibers from the cloth lodged under his fingernails.
Upon hearing Ye Zhen’s soft whisper, “I haven’t lived enough yet, so you’ll have to die first. Remember—the one who killed you is the Marquise,” he finally realized that the clothing he had just grabbed belonged to the guards of the Zhongyong Hou Estate.
Before he could process this, the garment slipped from the roof beam, depriving him of any chance to catch his breath using it.
After the County Magistrate breathed his last, Ye Zhen retrieved the clothing from his grasp and tossed a pouch onto the floor. Then she took away the evidence along with his money.
If the Marquise could frame innocent people, so could Ye Zhen.
After hiding the money securely elsewhere, Ye Zhen took out the undergarment and lit a firestarter with a puff.
The fact that her clothes had been brought from the estate showed that after learning of Xie Yunzhou’s death, the Marquise was determined to pin all the blame on her.
But Ye Zhen had never allowed estate servants to attend to her personally, so no one there knew about the scar on her shoulder. Unless—the Marquise had also contacted the Ye family.
After returning to the capital, only her adoptive mother had seen her shoulder while helping her change for the wedding.
A cold, murderous glint flashed in Ye Zhen’s eyes.
First, they informed the Marquise about her unusual strength, suggesting the use of Suan Jin San to subdue her, then revealed the scar on her body. They were certainly cooperating seamlessly.
In her previous life, locked in a dilapidated room, the Ye family—especially her cousin who had stolen her identity—had tormented her repeatedly. It was then she discovered her true origins and realized the Ye family had known all along that Xie Yunzhou disliked women, yet still pushed her into this living hell.
Since the Marquise’s scheme had failed this time, the Ye family would likely grow restless and soon emerge to finish her off. Well, she would settle both past and present scores together. She would destroy whoever stood in her way—be it god or buddha!
At the estate, Xing Ze reported to Xie Tingzhou, “The Marquise has already had Xie Yunzhou’s body prepared and encoffined. They return to the estate tomorrow. She truly has no intention of involving the authorities. This strongly suggests the rumors about Xie Yunzhou and Chi Heng are likely true—and they’ve probably been involved for some time.”
“No wonder the Marquise, who was so eager for Xie Yunzhou to contend for the Heir position, chose Ye Zhen as her daughter-in-law despite her offering no advantage to their family. This is clearly a fraudulent marriage. I wonder if the Marquis knows.”
Xie Tingzhou rubbed his thumb ring. “He doesn’t.” Otherwise, Liu Shi wouldn’t be in such a rush to erase all traces.
Xing Ze understood immediately. “Then the Marquis is rather pitiful—completely kept in the dark by his wife and son. When he returns, he’ll continue being deceived by the Marquise.”
On second thought, wasn’t that the Marquis’s own choice? Someone trusted by the Emperor couldn’t possibly be that foolish. It was merely favoritism clouding his judgment, making him willing to believe. Viewed this way, the Marquis hardly deserved sympathy.
Unlike the Shaofuren, whose entire life had been ruined by that mother and son pair.
Recalling something, Xing Ze muttered, “When I passed by earlier, the Marquise’s people were still making a scene outside the Shaofuren’s door, demanding she keep vigil. But the Shaofuren stood her ground and refused to open up.”
Just then, Fuguang hurried in. “Master, that guard went to the County Magistrate’s residence.” Earlier, having noticed the Marquise’s unusual behavior, Xie Tingzhou had instructed Fuguang to monitor her movements. Guard Wu had been followed from the estate, and Fuguang overheard his conversation with the Magistrate.
After hearing Fuguang’s account, Xing Ze fumed, “To treat a woman like this—utterly despicable!” He asked, “Did you destroy the clothing?”
Fuguang shook his head. The Marquise was determined to frame her—even without the garment, there was still the scar and other potential evidence.
Acting rashly would only alert the enemy and might even cause trouble for the master.
Ye Zhen was no relation of theirs.
Xing Ze understood Fuguang’s concerns.
Indeed.
“Then are we to do nothing?”
He looked toward Xie Tingzhou.
Fuguang tugged at his sleeve, signaling him not to be presumptuous.
He and Xing Ze were blood brothers. After their father’s illness and passing, their uncles coveted their house and schemed to tarnish their mother’s reputation.
Xing Ze was only five at the time, and witnessed with his own eyes as their mother was drowned in a pond by the clan.
Thus, he held a deep-seated hatred for any act that defiled a woman’s virtue.
He felt the same.
But the master’s affairs took precedence.
Xie Tingzhou understood the brothers’ sentiments and asked Xing Ze, “You just said she didn’t open the door?”
As soon as Xing Ze nodded, Xie Tingzhou rose to his feet. “Let’s go take a look.”