Chapter 630 The Whole Story
Shuntian Prefecture Yamen.
His youngest son had narrowly escaped having his neck severed by a cleaver wielded by a chef from Yufeng Tower. Even though Prefect Bai was known for his impartiality and was exceptionally strict with his own children, showing them not even a single smile, upon hearing the news, he was so worried that he knocked over his inkstone, his hands hidden in his sleeves trembling faintly.
"Rest assured, my lord. The young master is merely frightened. This subordinate has already sent for a doctor," Constable Qing said quickly. He himself had been so terrified that half his soul had fled his body at the scene.
Prefect Bai steadied his nerves and asked a junior clerk to tidy his desk, "Is the eldest madam of the Zhe family also involved?"
"Yes." After the eldest madam announced her identity, Constable Qing had arranged for her and the other female guests, including Zhan Feiyu, to wait in a separate empty room within the yamen.
The other guests from the private rooms were currently in the courtroom. As for Master Hu and other ruffians, as well as the chefs and staff of Yufeng Tower, they did not receive such favorable treatment and were directly sent to prison to await Prefect Bai's interrogation.
"Yao Damin, the assailant, had an arm severed. This subordinate sent him to the medical clinic, and Chen Ping and ten others are guarding the clinic to prevent Yao Damin from escaping." If it weren't for the concern that Yao Damin might bleed to death, Constable Qing would have definitely thrown him into the prison first to receive a taste of authority. To dare to attack the young master with murderous intent was simply asking for death.
Constable Qing's arrangements were very proper, and Prefect Bai nodded, "You have arranged everything well."
At this moment, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door. Prefect Sun, who had heard the news, was the first to arrive, followed by other officials from the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen. Setting aside their superior-subordinate relationship, Bai Zhaohui had grown up under their watch, and it was only right and proper for them to come when such an incident occurred.
After inviting his subordinates to sit, Prefect Bai, who had already regained his composure, did not rush to open the court session. "Constable Qing, please recount the situation at the time to Prefect Sun and the others again."
Constable Qing was the first to arrive at Yufeng Tower. He then detailed the entire incident, "These ruffians are not from the capital; they are all from Dongguan Road and came to the capital to make a living with Zhao Hu half a month ago."
If they were truly from the capital and dared to cause trouble at Yufeng Tower, they would truly be courting death. The guests who could dine at Yufeng Tower were either wealthy or noble, not to mention that the owner behind Yufeng Tower was the Wen family.
Currently, the madam of the Wen family and Consort Min in the palace were sisters. It was precisely because of this relationship that Yufeng Tower's business had been thriving over the years.
"These ruffians were likely manipulated," Prefect Sun said, stroking his beard after hearing the account. The ruffians' disturbance was directed at the female members of the Zhe family. Since Zhaohui was present, he would certainly not stand idly by.
Who would have thought that a chef from Yufeng Tower would be an assassin? Let alone Zhaohui, who was a scholar and lacked such vigilance, Constable Qing and his four companions were also present at the time, and none of them expected such a turn of events.
Magistrate Lu also asked, "Who saved Zhaohui?"
"Replying to your honor, this subordinate has already inquired. That attendant..." Constable Qing quickly recounted the conflict between Zhe Jing and Zhan Feiyu in detail.
Although the news had already spread throughout the capital, Prefect Bai and other court officials naturally did not know the gossip from the inner chambers. However, the constables were well-informed and knew about it on the day of the incident.
Constable Qing then mentioned the eldest madam of the Zhe family coming to the inn to apologize. "If it weren't for the guard of this He Sheng at the time, the young master would have been in real danger. It is also my dereliction of duty that I did not notice Yao Damin's murderous intent towards the young master."
"It has nothing to do with you." Prefect Bai, being a just person, would naturally not blame his subordinate. "Even if I were present at the time, I would not have noticed. Zhaohui is still studying at the Imperial College. Even if he had some disagreements with his classmates, it would not lead to a life-threatening situation."
Prefect Sun, Magistrate Lu, and several other officials nodded in agreement. Xiang Zhuang dances with a sword, the intent is Pei Gong. The true intention of assassinating Zhaohui was likely aimed at Prefect Bai himself. Perhaps it was to retaliate against Prefect Bai that they tried to kill Zhaohui.
...
The room was heated by a charcoal basin, but it was still the yamen, and the provision of a charcoal basin was due to the Zhe family's influence. Therefore, the room still felt somewhat chilly.
"Madam, please warm your hands with my hand warmer," Zhan Feiyu offered the hand warmer. "Madam, please do not refuse. I am wearing enough clothes and am not cold."
The incident happened so suddenly, and they were rushed to the yamen. When she saw the severed arm, Green Willow was so frightened that she completely forgot to get a hand warmer for the eldest madam.
The eldest madam's deerskin cloak was only put on after He Nuan reminded her. In contrast, Zhan Feiyu was much more composed. She sat by the charcoal basin, warming herself, her calm and serene demeanor not at all indicative of being in the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen.
"Thank you, young lady." The eldest madam did not refuse. Firstly, she was indeed a bit cold, and secondly, when Zhan Feiyu handed her the hand warmer, the eldest madam felt Zhan Feiyu's hand, which was indeed warm, unlike her own hands which were so cold she had lost all sensation.
"Speaking of which, it is because of me that Madam has suffered this undeserved disaster." Zhan Feiyu smiled apologetically. If she hadn't hosted a banquet at Yufeng Tower, she wouldn't have encountered this matter. However, today's events were indeed somewhat strange.
With her hands warmed and a charcoal basin by her feet, the eldest madam felt warm all over. She slowly calmed down from her panic and shock. Looking at Zhan Feiyu, who showed no signs of being startled, she became even more convinced that she came from a military family, perhaps even from the border. She must have witnessed slaughter and death; otherwise, how could an ordinary young lady from a noble family be so calm and composed?
"Young lady may not know, as you are new to the capital. The person who was almost assassinated today was the youngest son of Prefect Bai of Shuntian Prefecture. Young Master Bai is still studying at the Imperial College. Today's incident was likely aimed at Prefect Bai." The eldest madam knew the Bai family's family traditions; neither the direct line nor the collateral branches had ever produced any wastrels.
If a member of the Bai family failed in their studies, they could only find another path. At the very least, they could manage the family's general affairs. If they intended to rely on their ancestors' patronage to live a life of leisure and pleasure, the Bai family's rules would make them regret not being able to reincarnate.
The eldest madam glanced again at Zhan Feiyu, who was listening attentively. There was no trace of impatience in her delicate features. Thinking of her own family's overbearing and arrogant sister-in-law, the eldest madam could not help but sigh at the diversity of people.
"Today, young lady saved the Bai family's young master, but you have likely offended the mastermind behind the scenes. Young lady should be more careful in the capital these past few days. It is better to be safe than sorry." The eldest madam offered a few words of caution. Although she had gained the gratitude of the Bai family, she had also offended the person behind the scenes. However, thinking of Zhan Feiyu's attendants being highly skilled, the eldest madam felt somewhat relieved.
Zhan Feiyu smiled obediently and nodded, "Thank you, Madam, for your reminder. It's cold and freezing, so I mostly stay in the inn and don't go out."
Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was Prefect Sun. Given the eldest madam's status, and that Prefect Bai was about to conduct the interrogation, Prefect Sun personally came to invite the eldest madam to the courtroom to give her statement, which was a great show of respect for the Zhe family.
"Madam, this way please." After exchanging pleasantries, Prefect Sun led the way, his peripheral vision scanning Zhan Feiyu, who was following the eldest madam. If he hadn't checked her travel permit, who would have thought that this was the only disciple of Scholar Gu, and such a young disciple at that?
Prefect Sun still remembered the disappointment and sorrow, or even indignation, of many scholars when the news spread back to the capital. However, no one dared to cause trouble at the scholar's residence. And Zhan Feiyu was far away in Jiangnan Circuit, so they were powerless to act even if they wanted to.
Later, when the news of the Jiangnan Circuit's academy examination spread back, Zhan Feiyu, who had only been studying for a little over a year, had surprisingly achieved the "Little Triple Crown." At that time, rumors circulated in the capital's literary circles, with many believing that this "Little Triple Crown" was definitely "undeserved" and that the chief examiner had granted it out of respect for Scholar Gu.
However, at that time, the academic commissioner of Jiangnan Circuit was Lord Chen, the maternal uncle of the First Prince. The two had long since formed an enmity, and Zhan Feiyu had even caused the Chen Family Rice Shop to lose a hundred thousand shi of grain, directly leading to its closure.
Subsequently, Lord Chen, in retaliation, personally went to Nanxuan Prefecture to supervise the examination, even issuing an incomprehensible question like "split the topic," which caused widespread resentment among the candidates in Nanxuan Prefecture.
Lord Chen's reputation was greatly damaged, and he was repeatedly impeached by the Censorate. Yet, Zhan Feiyu still secured the top position. It could only be said that this young lady was truly a manifestation of the God of Literature, a natural talent for becoming the top scholar.
A murder case occurred at Yufeng Tower. It was rumored that Chef Yao's arm was severed. As soon as this news spread, many commoners disregarded the cold winter weather and flocked to the yamen to watch the excitement.
Bai Zhaohui was merely frightened and had drunk a bowl of calming soup. His complexion was still pale, but he seemed to be in good spirits. Seeing Zhan Feiyu approach, Bai Zhaohui immediately walked over and bowed solemnly to express his gratitude, "Thank you, young lady, for saving my life."
"You are too kind, Young Master Bai." Zhan Feiyu accepted the bow, but because they were in the courtroom, they could not say much.
As this case involved Bai Zhaohui, Prefect Bai, according to the law, recused himself. Therefore, the presiding judge sitting in the courtroom was Prefect Sun. He struck the gavel, "Bring all involved parties to the courtroom."
Zhao Hu, Liu Wang, and the group of ruffians were all pale-faced, their legs trembling. If it weren't for the constables half-pushing and half-guiding them, their weak legs would not have been able to walk to the courtroom.
"My lord, have mercy..." Zhao Hu cried out in injustice as soon as he knelt on the ground. It was estimated that He Nuan's kick was forceful. As soon as he shouted, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and coughed miserably, hunched over.
Liu Wang and the other ruffians were also beaten black and blue. At this moment, they had lost all the arrogance they had when forcing their way into Yufeng Tower. Each of them was like a frost-bitten eggplant, kneeling on the ground, playing the subservient role.
"Zhao Hu," Prefect Sun called out sternly, his sharp gaze sweeping over Zhao Hu and the others below the hall. "What is your profession? Why did you break into Yufeng Tower? Speak truthfully!"
Zhao Hu kowtowed desperately and stammered, "Replying to your honor, your subordinate was originally from Dongguan Road. A month ago, I saved Second Master..."
The Great Qing Dynasty did not prohibit the trade of servants. Zhao Hu had previously worked as a human trafficker, buying girls from the countryside who could not be supported and reselling them to the prefecture city to earn a profit.
This time, he came to the capital to make a fortune with Second Master, planning to sell the more than forty men and women he had in hand outside the capital. An ordinary young girl, even if she had some beauty, could only be sold for ten taels of silver. However, the servants Second Master had were different. They were all sold off by wealthy families, and more than half of them were literate.
Moreover, six or seven young girls had previously been second or third-grade maids in the inner court. Each had her own skills, whether it was good embroidery, some knowledge of tea ceremony, or the ability to grow flowers and plants. They had also learned good manners. If sold to ordinary families, their value would definitely soar to thirty or forty taels of silver.
The situation of the few women was similar. Some were skilled in cooking, and two had previously nursed children. Although their prices were not as high as those of young girls, they could still be sold for a good price.
This transaction was estimated to earn five hundred taels of silver. However, when they were about to depart, the carriage suddenly broke down, and a child took the opportunity to escape from the carriage and ran straight into Yufeng Tower.
How could Zhao Hu let the money he was about to earn slip away? Moreover, this was the first business he had done with Second Master. If something went wrong, he might be driven back to Dongguan Road. Thus, Zhao Hu immediately led Liu Wang and the others into Yufeng Tower to find the person.
"My lord, your subordinate was looking for that brat. Even if I had the courage of a leopard, I would not dare to kill anyone," Zhao Hu said with a distressed face. But when he saw the child standing beside Zhan Feiyu, his eyes suddenly flashed with ferocity. It was this brat who ran away recklessly, causing them to be beaten and possibly face imprisonment. Zhao Hu wished he could skin this brat alive.
Prefect Sun ignored the cowardly Zhao Hu and had a junior clerk take down the confession. After Zhao Hu signed and stamped it, he began interrogating Liu Wang and the others.
Entering the courtroom of Shuntian Prefecture, none of these ruffians dared to conceal anything. They confessed everything like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, and their confessions were consistent with Zhao Hu's.
The only doubt was that they had checked the carriage before leaving, but the carriage suddenly broke down as soon as it reached East Street. It was not yet clear whether it was an accident or deliberate.
An hour later, except for Chef Yao Damin, whose arm was severed, everyone else had their confessions recorded, including the staff of Yufeng Tower and Yao Damin's two apprentices. They truly did not know why Chef Yao wanted to kill someone.
Back Yamen.
"My lord, based on current findings, Zhao Hu and others do not know Yao Damin, nor does Zhao Hu and others know Zhaohui. The possibility of them colluding to carry out the act is extremely low," Prefect Sun said solemnly. This case seemed more like Zhao Hu and others were being used, and the mastermind took advantage of the chaos to attack Bai Zhaohui.
Prefect Bai was currently flipping through everyone's confessions. He had been listening from behind while Prefect Sun was interrogating. "Has Yao Damin not spoken yet?"
Magistrate Lu had just returned from the prison. "Yao Damin's severed arm has been bandaged to stop the bleeding, and he is temporarily out of danger. However, he has been refusing to speak. The constables sent to investigate Yao Damin's home should have returned by now."
Under normal circumstances, if he refused to confess, torture could be administered, as there were witnesses and physical evidence that Yao Damin intended to assassinate Bai Zhaohui. However, Yao Damin had lost a lot of blood, and if torture were applied, he might not be able to withstand it, thus temporarily stalling the case.
Prefect Bai and the others had also dined at Yufeng Tower. Yao Damin's cooking skills were good, and it was said that his ancestors were cooks. He had been working at Yufeng Tower for six or seven years. However, neither Prefect Bai nor Bai Zhaohui, nor any other member of the Bai family, had any contact with Chef Yao, let alone any personal grudges.
Therefore, for Chef Yao to want to kill someone, it was necessary to delve deeper into his background to see if he had any past grievances with the Bai family, or to investigate if Chef Yao was being manipulated and was merely a tool to assassinate Bai Zhaohui.
Prefect Bai and the others believed more in the latter. If it were merely a personal grudge, Yao Damin was just a cook. He would not have the ability to damage Zhao Hu's carriage, especially with such precise timing, as the carriage broke down right in front of Yufeng Tower.
Furthermore, the fact that the eldest madam of the Zhe family was dining at Yufeng Tower would have had to be investigated beforehand. Otherwise, even if Zhao Hu and others caused trouble at Yufeng Tower, Bai Zhaohui would not have intervened.
After all, there were constables patrolling East Street, as well as people from the Five Cities Military Command. Officials would arrive in less than fifteen minutes.
It was also because Zhao Hu and his group were bullying the female members of the Zhe family that Bai Zhaohui and the others dining at Yufeng Tower could not stand idly by, and only then did they all take action. Yao Damin also had the opportunity to strike with murderous intent. Otherwise, if Bai Zhaohui had remained in the private room, Yao Damin would not have found an opportunity.
"Everyone else can leave, but they cannot leave the capital until the case is concluded," Prefect Bai said solemnly, putting down a stack of confessions. "Zhao Hu and the people from Yufeng Tower will be temporarily imprisoned. Yao Damin will be held separately, and the jailers will be instructed to guard him closely."
Magistrate Lu looked at the stern-faced Prefect Bai and hesitated before saying, "Yufeng Tower?"
Yufeng Tower was the scene of the crime, and the assailant was a chef from Yufeng Tower. Even though the owner behind Yufeng Tower was the Wen family, Prefect Bai showed no leniency. "It will be temporarily sealed. Everything will be decided after the case is thoroughly investigated."
...
The Zhe family's carriage had been parked outside the yamen for a long time. The one who came to pick up the eldest madam was Zhe Sanlang, who had rushed back from the suburban military camp.
"Mother, are you alright?" Upon seeing the eldest madam emerge, Zhe Sanlang quickly went to greet her, his gaze simultaneously sweeping over Zhan Feiyu, who was standing beside her. It was this young lady who had provoked his aunt, causing his mother to be in danger as well.
In an instant, Zhe Sanlang's face darkened, and his eyes were filled with fierce light. The killing aura of a martial artist was unreservedly directed towards Zhan Feiyu.
"Sanlang!" The eldest madam frowned and looked displeasedly at her younger son, who was full of hostility. "If it weren't for Miss Zhan protecting me at the inn today, I would have been in danger."
The eldest madam was not exaggerating. When Zhao Hu and the group of ruffians rushed over, Zhan Feiyu immediately pushed the eldest madam into the private room. The eldest madam remembered this kindness.
Zhe Sanlang already knew what had happened at Yufeng Tower on his way, but he did not know the more detailed circumstances. Now that he knew Zhan Feiyu had saved his mother, Zhe Sanlang still maintained a stern expression, "Mother, if you hadn't come to Yufeng Tower, you wouldn't have encountered this."
(End of Chapter)