The man who was close by lamented again: "I'd be grateful if you could report this matter to Lord Ji truthfully..."
"this……"
The chief officer looked at Xia Shoufu, who looked tired, and said first: "I hope that Mr. Shoufu will express my condolences..."
Then he said hesitantly: "It's just... I wonder if we can go and check briefly? It's official business, and I have no intention of offending. If I have offended anything, I hope the chief assistant will forgive me..."
Although being so ignorant might offend the Xia family, if he was careless and careless, he would not be able to explain it to his elders. And if there was any oversight, he would not be able to bear the consequences.
"There is nothing wrong with doing things according to the rules."
Xia Tingzhen's expression did not change, and she only calmly ordered her attendants: "Lead the way——"
He responded and made a "please" gesture to several officials: "Everyone, please come with me."
The officer bowed to Xia Tingzhen and quickly followed the attendant.
As soon as the officials left, the butler walked in: "Master..."
"How?" Xia Tingzhen asked coldly.
"Master, everyone is awake... but no one can tell who was hurt..." Because of this incompetence, Zi Yue escaped from the house and got into big trouble. The butler's tone at this time
Very unconfident: "I only found this on the back of their necks, please take a look..."
Xia Tingzhen raised her eyes slightly.
The middle-aged man was holding several extremely thin silver needles in his hand.
"It can be inferred from this that perhaps a master is hiding in the dark and using this needle to sneak attack..." The chief steward said in a low voice: "This person is obviously here for Ziyue."
Xia Tingzhen's eyes darkened.
Then he asked in a deep voice: "Have you found out what happened to Miss Zhou's family?"
"Sir, I have roughly found out something... Miss Zhou has been friends with the fourth girl for many years, but in the past two years... she has also become quite close to the girl from the Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of War."
A very cold smile appeared in Xia Tingzhen's eyes.
Ji Xiu’s only daughter—
Speaking of which, Ji Xiu actually used the same method twice!
But who allowed him to have such a pair of evil deeds in his family? It was in vain that he gave the clues to those who kept an eye on him...
These debt collectors are simply worth dying for!
Thinking of the many troubles he had suffered in the past six months, they all started with the case of his second son, and he had finally managed to suppress the many influences, and now his daughter has caused such trouble again...
Xia Tingzhen pursed her green lips and suppressed the turmoil in her heart.
Seeing him raising his hand to press his temples, the butler quickly helped him sit down in a chair.
"Sir, what's wrong with you? Do you want to ask a doctor to come and take a look?"
Xia Tingzhen took a long time to exhale.
"No need."
After all, I am getting older, and I have never experienced such big storms in the past. In comparison, the gains and losses now are nothing at all.
But Ji Xiu...can't stay any longer!
…
In the capital office, Ji Dong took another look at the dusky sky outside the hall and couldn't help but frown slightly.
Did he choose to have a meeting before? He thought it was because he had eaten too much for breakfast.
Now, I still feel like I haven’t eaten enough.
He hasn’t eaten anything all day? He’s just sitting here drinking tea!
But those people who were watching the excitement? They couldn't even share the joys and sorrows with him - the ones at the front who were munching on steamed buns and sesame seed cakes!
That child is even more outrageous? What he is holding is a shiny chicken drumstick, one in each hand? He takes turns chewing... What is the condition of the family? The kind with gold leaves?
Feeling the rumbling in your stomach? Mr. Ji really can’t sit still.
Just when I was thinking about going back to have something to eat, I heard a commotion outside the hall. I looked up and saw that the official who had been sent to the Xia family had returned.
"The Xia family girl still hasn't come..."
"Is it possible that the Xia family really wants to cover up?"
"..."
The people who had been waiting to watch the excitement started talking in low voices.
The leading official quickly came to Ji Dong and whispered a few words.
Ji Dong's expression changed? He asked in a low voice: "Are you sure you didn't read it wrong?"
"My subordinate has never admitted his mistake. That is Miss Xia Si." The officer looked determined.
After all, there was a lot of excitement that day on Xiyi Street when Miss Xia was being chased and beaten by birds. He, who happened to not be on duty that day, also took his wife and children to watch.
but……
Did he hang himself? It’s obvious from the scars on his neck.
But doesn’t this kind of thing have to happen? After all, everyone is dead.
Ji Dong also knew very well what to do.
He just handled the case, but he had already offended many people invisibly? When the matter has reached this level, there is no reason to insist on asking how people died.
A moment later? He patted the gavel under his hand heavily.
Inside and outside the hall, everything became quiet for a moment.
Ji Dong solemnly said: "According to the investigation? The four girls of the Xia family have committed suicide out of fear of crime. Is this the end of today's court trial? Those related to this case will be sentenced on a different day and withdraw from the court -"
This unexpected news caused an explosion everywhere.
"..."
Zhou Nu, who was still sitting in the cubicle, his eyes widened in an instant.
Xia Xi... committed suicide?!
How is this possible...
She thought she knew very well what kind of person Xia Xi was. How could such a person have the courage to commit suicide?
Or should I say...
Thinking of a possibility, Zhou Nu felt as if his whole body was cold to the bone.
Xia Xi died like this...
Then, she no longer has to worry about whether there will be any changes in this case, nor does she need to worry about Xia Xi taking revenge on her.
But at this moment, she couldn't tell whether she felt more relaxed or more fearful and afraid.
At this point, she truly realized that in the face of the real cold-blooded methods and calculations from all sides, her little ideas were simply too petty, too whimsical, and too smart.
With an identity like Xia Xi's, even if she just wants to die...
What about her?
If you make a wrong step, you will be less lucky...
Zhou Nu sat there frozen, motionless, and even forgot to blink.
"Miss Zhou?"
The officer on the side shouted with a louder voice.
Zhou Nu came back to his senses with a start and looked at him in a daze.
"Sir, as you said, Miss Zhou came forward to testify after hard work today. Now the case is over, Miss Zhou can go back."
Zhou Nu nodded slowly: "Thank you..."
She stood up and realized that her legs were weak due to being nervous for a long time.
She moved very slowly, and by the time she walked out, the people outside the hall had almost dispersed.
Because of this, she saw that familiar face at a glance.
The tall, fat young man was looking towards the direction of the hall. When he saw her coming out, he waved to her quickly: "Sister!"
Zhou Nu's eyes immediately became inexplicably hot and he walked towards him.
"It's okay, don't be afraid, big brother is here to take you home." The young man patted his sister on the shoulder comfortingly, "Come on, let's go home."
Zhou Nu let him hold his sleeves and walked out of the yamen and got into the carriage.
"Brother, when did you come? Why didn't I see you..."
In the car, Zhou Nuo asked in a hoarse voice.
"I've been here for a long time. There were too many people before, so I couldn't squeeze to the front." Zhou Zhi sighed and said, "Sister, you scared my mother and I this time. Fortunately, we are safe."
"It's all my fault..." Zhou Nu lowered his head, tears falling from his eyes one by one.
Her brother had advised her before, and she thought he was too stupid and unprogressive. Now that she thinks about it, she is the stupidest one!
"Father...does he also know?" When asked about this, the girl's voice became even lower, with unconcealable fear.
My father has always been strict...
And if she gets involved in this kind of thing this time, she will definitely bring trouble to her father.
She sat in the cubicle and thought about it. This time she came forward to testify, which more or less offended the Xia family. What would happen if the Xia family caused trouble for her father in the future?
"Don't worry, father doesn't blame you. Father said, as long as you tell the truth in court and don't commit perjury." Zhou Zhi said: "As for the court affairs, father has always been aware of it, so you don't need to worry too much."
Zhou Nu was stunned when he heard this.
Then, unable to bear it any longer, he burst into tears and threw himself into his brother's arms.
"Brother, I was wrong!"
She is so stupid!
Blindly chasing things that don't belong to you at all. Because you can't reach them at all, you have to reach out to get them. If you can't reach out, you have to stand on tiptoes. If you can't reach them even if you jump up, you will put your original stability under your feet.
Change, step by step, I was so stunned that I didn't even realize that I had fallen into it!
She really knew she was wrong!
Listening to his sister's loud cries, the young man softly comforted her.
The girl cried until her face was a mess and her voice became hoarse.
I was really tired, so I stopped with sobs.
After wiping the mess off her face, the girl's nose moved.
"...Why does it smell like braised pork?"
Zhou Zhi coughed lightly and said, "I didn't know when I would be able to leave the hall earlier. I was really hungry after waiting, so I asked Agui to buy some food..."
The eldest sister now dislikes him for eating so much that he doesn't dare to eat in front of her anymore.
But the girl in front of him began to search the car with her eyes, and asked, "Is it Xu Ji's braised beef? Did you also buy sesame cakes?"
"Ah...it's Xu Ji's, and it also has braised pig's trotters...I also bought sesame seed cakes, and they're here!"
The boy took out the things from the bamboo basket under him.
Zhou Nu took the oil paper bag, took a bite of the shortbread, and tore a piece of fragrant braised beef into his mouth.
Looking at this long-lost scene, Zhou Zhi couldn't help but feel happy: "How is it? Is it delicious?"
The girl nodded repeatedly.
"Mmm, it smells so good!"
She must have been stupid before!
Instead of leaving so many delicious things, just do those stupid things!
It is said that people cannot go hungry, otherwise they will become stupid. This is indeed true.
"Brother, whatever delicious food you buy in the future, remember to bring me a portion too!"
"Haha, okay! Sister, you finally figured it out!"
…
The news that the fourth girl of the Xia family "committed suicide out of fear of crime" spread quickly in the city.
Ji Xiu, Minister of the Ministry of War, naturally also learned about this matter.
At this time, Ji Xiu was sitting in the study, listening to his daughter talk.
"Xia Xi's death this time, and his death in such a disgraceful manner, not only frustrated Xia Shoufu's attempt to win over Cao Zhuangyuan through marriage, but also gave the Xia family another bad name."
Ji Wanyou said with a smile: "And in this case, the originally neutral Minister Zhou may have no choice but to lean towards his father in order to protect himself."
Ji Xiu also had a smile in his eyes.
"Well, it can be said that one stone kills two birds with one stone. That old fox Xia Tingzhen is probably going to be very angry right now."
As he said that, he looked at the daughter in front of him with admiration: "As a father, I never knew that my Wan'er could have such a skill and mind."
It's a pity that she is still a girl.
Therefore, he confessed again: "But in the future, your daughter's family should not interfere in such matters. My father will not punish you this time. You have a sense of proportion in your heart and will not do it again."
Things in his daughter's family were somewhat dangerous, but he just wanted his only daughter to be safe.
"The father thinks highly of his daughter. Even if the daughter wants to do it again, she won't have such a comprehensive plan." Ji Wanyou said: "Most of the credit for this matter is still due to the young master. The daughter was good at making decisions at first, and she will also take advantage of the young master's sister.
Involved... If Mr. Zhan hadn't tried to save the situation in time, how could there have been such a result?"
Ji Xiu gave her a complicated look.
Open your mouth and keep your mouth shut to seize the young master...
"Wan'er, there is something that dad still wants to remind you." Ji Xiu said with a straight face: "This Zhan Yunzhu is very scheming. He is not a simple person. You'd better get over it in time."
His opposition to this matter was always shown on his face, but even so, he could still detect his daughter's uncontrollable thoughts.
"Of course my daughter knows that it is not easy to seize the young master... But if he is really mediocre, how can he help his father?" Ji Wanyou's eyes were bright, but her voice was lower: "If he is just an ordinary person, don't say that
If he is a father, his daughter will not even look at him."
Ji Xiu frowned slightly.
Why haven't you covered it up yet?
Little did he know, something even more unabashed was waiting for him behind.
"My daughter has been wanting to talk to her father about this matter recently... My daughter really thinks that Mr. Zhan is an excellent person and he is a person worthy of being entrusted to him for the rest of his life."
Mentioning this kind of thing, the girl lowered her eyes and turned slightly red.
But she still didn't hesitate.
Maybe it's because I've been favored by my father since I was a child and I'm close enough to him, or maybe it's because I've really made up my mind.
"Wan'er..." Ji Xiu sighed helplessly: "It's not that dad doesn't want to help you, it's just that this person... I still feel uneasy, in case he turns his back and has other plans... dad is afraid that you are sincere
Wrong payment!"
"I know what my father is worried about, but as he worried before, his daughter will get married sooner or later. In this case, has my father ever thought about letting Mr. Zhan... marry into our Ji family? Mr. Zhan has lost his father.
The family is simple, and if you marry someone in, it will be like being truly tied to our Ji family, and father doesn’t have to worry about anything else."
"Bring-in-law?"
Ji Xiu looked at his daughter in surprise: "Did he ask you to say that?"
Since he only had one daughter, he was afraid that she would be wronged if she married someone else, so he had the idea of recruiting a son-in-law, which he had never thought of before...
But this is not a simple matter. It requires consideration from many aspects, including the other party's family background, ability, and whether he has ulterior motives.
