Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: A Murder
Chapter 349: A Murder
Translator: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars
Lu Jiao’s expression became somewhat hard to read, and she gritted her teeth. She wondered how she would deal with Lu Gui when she returned. She had repeatedly told him not to mention anything to Xie Yunjin, yet he still went ahead and mentioned it.
Lu Jiao slowly forced a smile and looked at Grand Commander Xu and Lady
Zhang, “He mentioned earlier that he would come to pick me up.”
Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang nodded with understanding. So that’s how it was.
Grand Commander Xu smiled and said, “Lady Lu and Scholar Xie seem to have a strong bond.”
After Grand Commander Xu finished speaking, he turned to Lady Zhang, his expression implying that he would also treat her well in the future.
Lady Zhang wanted to roll her eyes at him. This guy was comparing himself to Scholar Xie? Scholar Xie has only one wife from start to finish, while the commander got one concubine after another. How dare he compare himself to Scholar Xie?
Lady Zhang ignored Grand Commander Xu and ordered a young maid, “Go and invite Scholar Xie in.”
“Yes, Lady.”
The maid left.
Xie Yunjin was quickly escorted in.
Grand Commander Xu, feeling guilty for causing Xie Yunjin’s injury, stood up to greet him as he entered and took a seat.
“Is Scholar Xie’s injury alright?” Grand Commander Xu asked with a faint smile. Xie Yunjin nodded indifferently. “It’s much better now.”
After he spoke, he turned his head and looked at Lu Jiao, his dark eyes filled with unspoken meaning. However, he remained silent and simply gazed steadily at Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao looked at him and gave him a smile.
In an instant, Xie Yunjin’s infuriated heart melted like spring rain, and he couldn’t muster any anger.
Perhaps, in the future, he would be a man who couldn’t stand firm in front of his wife and would be easily swayed.
But when he thought about that scene, he felt a sweet sensation in his heart.
It turned out that those who were afraid of their wives were not truly afraid but rather liked their wives and didn’t want to make them angry.
In the main hall, Lu Jiao spoke up, “I might have found out who leaked information about you from the Xu family. Do you know who it is?”
Xie Yunjin immediately stared at Lu Jiao and asked, “Who is it?”
Before Lu Jiao could speak, they heard sudden screams outside the Xu residence, followed by a chaotic commotion.
Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang naturally heard it too, and they were infuriated. Didn’t they realize there were guests? What was all the fuss about?
Lady Zhang turned to the maid beside her and ordered, “Xiao Zi, go and see what’s going on?”
Xiao Zi quickly went out and returned shortly to report, “Master, Lady, something bad has happened. A concubine has been severely injured, with blood all over her face. Concubine Shen is missing, and her clothes and jewelry are gone too.”
Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang’s expressions turned extremely grim. They looked at Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin apologetically and said, “We’re sorry for this inconvenience.”
After speaking, the two of them stood up and walked outside, with Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin following them.
Along the way, Lu Jiao whispered to Xie Yunjin, “Do you know who leaked your secret?”
Xie Yunjin looked at the person next to him, feeling a slight dizziness, unable to focus his thoughts.
“who?”
Lu Jiao quickly spoke up, “It’s Shen Xiu.”
This time, Xie Yunjin was taken aback. He quickly asked, “Who?”
“Shen Xiu. She is Grand Commander Xu’s ninth concubine, now known as Shen Lian. She was most likely the one who instigated Xu Qingyin to pursue you. She probably wanted Xu Qingyin to snatch you away from me and make me lose you.”
Upon hearing Lu Jiao’s words, Xie Yunjin’s eyes lit up with an alarming intensity. He wanted to say, “I am yours, and you will never lose me.” But he didn’t dare to say it.
Lu Jiao continued, “It’s highly likely that she is also the one who leaked information about you being an advisor to Magistrate Hu.”
Xie Yunjin’s face turned exceptionally cold upon hearing Lu Jiao’s words.
He had absolutely no relationship with Shen Xiu. At most, they had exchanged a few words in the village because she had always been following him around, and he found it annoying. So he politely refused her and asked her not to follow him.
But he never expected this woman to bring him such great trouble.
Xie Yunjin’s expression turned icy. He followed Lu Jiao, Grand Commander Xu, and Lady Zhang as they walked toward the courtyard where the concubines of the Xu family resided.
Although Grand Commander Xu was just a minor official, his family was wealthy, and he obtained his position through monetary means.
Although the Xu family was not short of money, several concubines lived together in one large courtyard. According to the ancestral rules of the Xu family, a concubine could only have her own courtyard after giving birth to a child. So far, except for Xu Qingyin’s mother who had an independent courtyard, the other concubines lived together in one large courtyard.
Inside the courtyard, chaos ensued.
People were whispering and discussing among themselves. As Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang arrived, all the concubines approached them, saying, “Master, Lady.”
Grand Commander Xu angrily asked, “What’s going on? How did things escalate like this?”
One of the older concubines walked forward and said, “Master, Concubine Zhang was killed in Concubine Shen’s room. Concubine Shen is missing.
Everyone speculates that Concubine Shen wanted to escape, but Concubine
Zhang discovered and tried to stop her, resulting in her being killed.”
Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang’s faces turned dark. They had initially thought Concubine Zhang was only severely injured upon hearing the report, but they never expected her to be dead.
Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang lifted their feet and headed towards the small courtyard where Concubine Shen resided.
Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin glanced at each other quickly. If it is proven that
Concubine Zhang was killed by Shen Xiu, that woman would be a murderer. They wouldn’t need to take care of her themselves this time; she would have no way out.
Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin followed Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang into Shen Xiu’s room.
Concubine Zhang is actually Zhao Hehua, the daughter adopted by Officer Zhao. At this moment, half of her face was covered in blood, her body slumped against the edge of a chair, and the floor was scattered with shattered vases. She didn’t move at all, showing no signs of life.
Grand Commander Xu looked at Concubine Zhang and quickly turned his head to glance at Lu Jiao, “Is she really dead?”
Lu Jiao took a step forward and checked. It was confirmed that Concubine Zhang had indeed passed away.
Lu Jiao looked at her and didn’t know what to say.
A precious life had been lost just like that. If she had peacefully married that butcher Niu, none of this would have happened.
Thinking about this, Lu Jiao stood up and looked at Grand Commander Xu, “She has indeed ceased to breathe. She was severely injured by someone and died due to excessive blood loss.”
Grand Commander Xu’s face couldn’t be any more unsightly. At the same time, he made a silent resolution not to take any more concubines in the future. There weren’t many good ones among them.
Frustrated, Grand Commander Xu thought to himself while Lady Zhang called out, “Where are the maids who were attending to Concubine Zhang? Why didn’t they follow her?”
As soon as Lady Zhang spoke, two maids, Tou Cuilu who served Concubine
Zhang and Xiao Hong who served Concubine Shen, were pulled in from outside. The two maids had pale faces and were trembling.
Seeing Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang, they immediately knelt down and cried, “Master, Lady, it was Concubine Shen who injured Concubine Zhang with a vase. We were frightened at the time, so..