Many scions of prominent families were rather disappointed when they saw that Jiang Shi had not made a scene. Some even tried to drive a wedge between her and Qun Yushu. But unlike these underdeveloped-brained scions of the rich, Lu Wangji and the others all breathed a sigh of relief.
As the saying went, one named an exorbitant price and the other haggled it down. No one really wanted to resolve Jiang Shi's case just like that; they merely wanted to carve off a piece of the Jie Family and Shang Family. If Jiang Shi truly confessed and submitted to the law, they would be the ones in trouble next. Who couldn't do dirty work and strike from the shadows? Did the Jie Family and Shang Family really look like kind benefactors?
Liang had nothing like the North Dynasty's countless vendettas and deadly feuds. Besides the emperor's wisdom, this was also because the prominent families maintained an unspoken understanding: they could struggle without breaking each other. Officials could be demoted and people could be imprisoned, but no one would ever die. The victors would not wipe out their enemies, and the losers would retain a sliver of hope. Combined with the Nine Ranks household registration system leaving a path for advancement, this was the key to Liang's long-term stability.
The argument surrounding the murder had come to an end. In essence, the Jie Family and Shang Family were paying with the Huainan Underground Palace Secret Realm in exchange for Jiang Shi's goodwill and a year of growth time. The treasure chest was merely an extra. Lu Wangji had demanded that condition mainly to learn the chest's list of possible rewards. In other words, Jiang Shi's undocumented status was a loophole; otherwise, Lu Wangji would have had no way to intervene.