Chapter 57 Bribery

  Bribery

  "Director Zhang, there's been an interesting case in Beijing recently. I don't know if you're aware of it." Rong Jingze mentioned it as if by chance.

  "Oh, I wonder what's so interesting about it?" asked Zhang Jingyue, the Grand Secretary, with caution. It was unusual for Ze Wang Gong to come to his place as a guest on his own initiative, especially since they had no prior relationship.

  "Yesterday, the king of Japan returned from Xishan and when his carriage reached Yonglefang, someone suddenly blocked the king's carriage." Rong Jingze smiled.

  "Who dares to be so bold and stop the king's carriage?" Zhang Jingyue took a deep breath, what kind of person is this Ze Wang, one man below, millions of people above. His carriage was spacious and luxurious, with ruby decorations inlaid on the carriage walls, enough to make people tremble with fear, everyone in the capital knew that it was Ze Wang's carriage. Moreover, it was a five-horse carriage, even if you didn't know it was Ze Wang's, it should be some prince or marquis', how dare they stop it? "Your Highness, is someone trying to harm you?"

  "They're just poor commoners. " Yong Jingze waved his hand, pretending to be nonchalant, "But that lady who knelt down and begged me to take charge is truly pitiful."

  "Please, Your Highness, tell me in detail." If Zhang Jingyue still couldn't understand what the other person meant after this, then he would have lived a useless life. Blocking the horse carriage and making an accusation, it seemed that Ze Wang had come to give him a hard time.

  "This king can't remember so much for the time being, let her tell you herself!" Yong Jingze clapped his hands, and a guard outside responded with a sound. After a while, a woman was brought in, about 17 or 18 years old.

  "A civilian woman, with a single branch of red flowers, requests an audience with Your Excellency."

  "This woman, stand up and speak." Zhang Jingyue was also sensible, knowing that this was the person brought by Wang Ye to plead for justice, so he gave him face and let him get up and speak.

  "I was born into a poor family and was sold to the Drunken Flower House at the age of four..." A branch of red stood in the hall, telling her own life story with a sad and elegant tone.

  Zhang Jingyue was taken aback in his heart, and the woman in front of him was a courtesan?

  "The slave girl was redeemed and became a proper wife, expecting to live a peaceful life with her husband and children. However, the lady of the Song household would not tolerate her presence and deceived her husband into leaving. A few days later, she found some local rascals who attempted to... When the slave girl regained consciousness after being beaten unconscious, the courtyard was already engulfed in flames. She only realized that the two maids had been murdered when she heard their cries for help. Your Honor, it's understandable that Lady Song hated the slave girl, but those two innocent maids were burned alive - please, sir, do something about this!"

  The woman covered her mouth with a handkerchief and couldn't help but burst into tears.

  "This woman, what you said about the Song Mansion is..." Zhang Jingyue couldn't help but ask.

  "It's General Song, from the Song family."

  "This..." Zhang Jingyue finally knew the purpose of Ze Wang's visit. The old lady of the Song family had passed away just over two months ago, and now such a thing had happened.

  The Song family can't afford to be guilty of any of these: sneaking in and out of brothels, redeeming the body of a courtesan, murdering someone and setting fire to destroy evidence... It's just that it's unknown where the Song family offended this Prince Ze, and they happened to run into him, or perhaps this matter itself enraged Prince Ze.

  "Magistrate Zhang, I'll leave this woman to you. I'm tired and need to go back and rest." Yong Jingze stood up with a look of fatigue, and Yin Ruofei hastily walked over to support him as he left.

  Zhang Jingyue let out a sigh and shook his head slightly. Zhang Jingyuke didn't know Yin Ruofei, although he had also heard that Ze Wang had taken in the young son of the Yin Marquis as a study companion, but he hadn't expected him to be such a small child. He sighed again, for Ze Wang's appearance was unmatched in beauty, and his status was so noble, yet unfortunately, he had been poisoned at a young age, and his body was actually so frail that speaking a few words made him exhausted like this.

  Song Zirong was still sitting there, lost in thought. After Yin Ruiqi married into the Song family, she had a beautiful dream of a generous dowry that he would spend. Suddenly, a servant came over to report, flustered and anxious, that people from the government office had arrived outside.

  Song Zirong's face flashed with a hint of panic, "But didn't the Yu Guo Gong Fu tell you?"

  Mrs. Song was originally talking to Song Zirong, listening to him talk about how he would buy a house and an open shop after getting the dowry and making a fortune, when she suddenly heard Song Zirong's words and was taken aback.

  "Rong Er, didn't I already give you the silver from the Yu Guo Gong Fu? Why would he still tell you?" Madam Song was very puzzled. In order to get this thousand taels of silver, she had even sold several of her less profitable estates and shops. Anyway, in her heart, she thought that this debt would naturally be repaid by her daughter-in-law, so she didn't feel much heartache about it.

  "I, I..." Song Zirong didn't dare say that he took the money and went to lend it out again, this was a matter of life and death.

  "Didn't you repay it?" Mrs. Song covered her mouth with a handkerchief.

  The mother and son were talking when people from outside came in and handcuffed Song Zirong without saying a word.

  Mrs. Song was shocked and opened her mouth to scold him, but unfortunately the other party didn't pay attention to him at all and took the person away directly.

  "What can be done!" Mrs. Song panicked. General Song was originally an orphan, relying on his bravery in battle to earn military merit and climb up step by step. He had no brothers or sisters to consult with, nor any clan to rely on.

  "Madam, the Song family is weak, why not go ask Duke Yin to intervene?" The steward suggested from the side.

  "Right, Rong Er is his future son-in-law, I'll go ask him."

  Mrs. Song thought it was a good idea, as Yin Hou had received great favor from the emperor and had a lot of face to save, if he could just say some nice words, owing money was just a small matter that didn't count for much.

  But Yin Hou was especially easy for her to see, and she was a woman after all, so she could only prepare thick gifts and ask to enter the inner courtyard.

  When Mrs. Song was invited in, she was still sore about the gift in her heart. Having spent so much silver, she would definitely have to get a few more shares of dowry from her in the future.

  Madam Chen was in the critical period of her pregnancy and had stopped receiving guests. Although Ruiqi was in charge of the household, Madam Song was still her future mother-in-law, and it wasn't proper for them to meet casually, especially since Madam Song obviously had an ulterior motive this time.

  The original Kobayashi's identity was barely able to receive, after all, she was the younger sister of the Hou Mansion's first wife, but now Kobayashi was still under house arrest and it wasn't her turn to manage the household. In the end, only Chen Ayi came forward.

  Madam Chen had long wanted to find such an occasion to show off her face, especially since the other party was the legitimate wife of a third-grade official, which made her feel extremely proud.

  Mrs. Song saw that it was a concubine who received her, and she felt suffocated with anger in her heart, but now that she had come to ask for help, she could only swallow this breath of air.

  He simply said that his son had been sued because he had forgotten to repay the money on time due to a momentary lapse, and now the person has been arrested, asking Lord Yin to put in a good word for him so as not to lose face.

  Aunt Chen's face was all smiles, but her words were evasive. Madame Song made a decisive move, removing a gold bangle from her wrist and stuffing it into Aunt Chen's hand. "Sister, you must help me out."

  Aunt Chen got the bangles and smiled even more brightly, her mouth also responding with pleasure.

  Chen Yiniang got what she wanted and indeed accomplished something. At that time, she immediately sent someone to find Yin Haicheng and bring him back.

  Yin Haicheng furrowed his brow as he listened to Chen Niang finish speaking, feeling somewhat astonished in his heart. He had always heard that the only son of the Song family was kind and virtuous, so how could such a thing have happened? However, no matter what, the relationship between the two families was at stake here, and even if there wasn't a marriage between their children, there was still the friendship he shared with General Song over the years.

  Aunt Chen looked at the gold bangle in her hand, her mouth curled up in a smile that wouldn't close. It turned out that the steward was so good, going out to say a few words and passing on a message could bring real benefits.

  "Mother, where did this bangle come from?" Rui Shu pushed aside the door curtain and came in, seeing the table on Chen Niang's hand, his face sank.

  "This..." Aunt Chen stuttered and couldn't say it clearly, she was indeed a little afraid of this daughter.

  "Mother, you're not listening to me again." Rui Shu looked at Chen Yiniang coldly, "It's not hard to get what I want, but it depends on whether this thing can be gotten."

  "This was brought by her..." Madam Chen's tone of voice was justified, but when she saw Rui Shu's cold gaze, she suddenly lost her confidence.

  This girl suddenly doesn't know what's going on, she was fine before, but now she's become cold and scary.

  But also thanks to this daughter, several times of planning and strategy, there is today's good day. Not to mention other things, just last time from the courtyard caught those small Lin Shi sent eyes, and forced them to find out those despicable things, otherwise the plot to harm the eldest son, Mei Yuan would not be able to clear her relationship.

  If it weren't for this, where would her authority as the mistress of the house be? Wouldn't she also be scolded and locked up to reflect on the family rules like those other concubines who sneak around at night?

  "Third Miss, I am your mother!" Chen's face didn't look very good.

  She was just a mother and daughter, but before this, Rui Hua had always been honest and obedient. Now she was cold and commanding, making her feel uncomfortable and disobedient.

  "Oh, so you think that way, does it mean I shouldn't take care of my daughter in the future?" Rui Hua's calm and collected demeanor sent chills down Chen Niang's spine. After seeing Chen Niang's hair stand on end, she turned around to leave.

  Aunt Chen, how dare she let her go, this daughter's temper is now truly unpredictable. But there is one thing, these days have been smooth sailing for her, and it's true that she can't get rid of the relationship with Rui Shu, if she offends Rui Shu, then the things behind her back, she herself doesn't understand.

  Thinking of this, Chen Yiniang hastily grabbed Rui Shu's arm, and Rui Shu stopped in her tracks, looking at Chen Yiniang.

  "You child, how can you have such a big temper." Chen Yiniang pretended to scold, but she didn't dare to say too much, afraid that the other party would turn around and leave. Looking at Rui Shu's cold eyes, Chen Yiniang felt a chill on her body and couldn't help but shrink back, "Can't I just return that thing?"

  "It's probably too late." Rui Shu sighed.

  Rui Shu's worries were not unfounded, for soon after she left, Yin Hai Cheng arrived at Chen Niang's Mei Yuan with a huff. Nowadays, this Marquis' residence was the only place where Yin Hai Cheng could go to see her and Sun Niang, and even then, it was only because of her pregnancy that she would occasionally drop by Chen Shi's place to show concern.

  "Master Hou?" Madame Chen hastily took the tea cup handed over by the maid and personally delivered it. "You, who are you so angry with?"

  "Who else could it be? That little beast from the Song family!" Yin Haicheng's face turned red with rage as soon as he mentioned this matter.

  "Master Hou..." Yin Haicheng had always been particular about his dignity, and it was rare for him to scold someone like this, especially an outsider. Upon hearing the two words "Song family", Chen's face turned somewhat pale. "What exactly happened?"

  Just now Rui Shu said that the words are still in my ears, it seems that this ring is indeed hot in my hand!