The Fifteenth Chapter

Mama Sun, who had been supported all along, suddenly lunged forward. Her bloodshot eyes were filled with pain. She tightly gripped Zhao Wenyue's arm and roared at her, "How could you do this to Madam? How could you treat her like this!"

Zhao Wenyue desperately tried to break free from Mama Sun's grasp, crying hysterically, "What's wrong with me wanting to marry Young Master Xue? If Mother hadn't disagreed, I wouldn't have come up with this plan. I didn't want my mother to die, it was all an accident."

Mama Sun finally lost her patience. She slapped Zhao Wenyue across the face, glaring hatefully at the daughter Madam had doted on since childhood. "Madam, how could you have given birth to such a thing."

"You old hag, how dare you hit me! It was you who instigated my mother. If not for you, my mother wouldn't have died."

Even now, Zhao Wenyue still wanted to blame others for Lady Xiao Lin's death. She didn't think she had done anything wrong at all.

The drama in the Zhao family ended in a complete mess.

"Take them away."

After Bai Xiuming gave the order, the Mingjing Division guards stepped forward to separate them. Lady Xiao Lin's personal maids helped Mama Sun, while Zhao Wensheng and Zhao Wenyue were escorted away.

With the siblings gone, the courtyard became much quieter.

Bai Xiuming turned to Mama Sun and asked, "You were the first to discover your Madam's body. Did you see the jade hairpin?"

Mama Sun tried hard to recall the scene. Madam was covered in blood, and there was that monster still alive.

She remembered that Madam had been wearing the jade hairpin at the time.

Mama Sun replied with great certainty, "Yes, she was wearing it. I remember Madam was wearing it. Madam really liked that jade hairpin; she wore it all the time except when she slept."

Thinking that Madam might have died because of this jade hairpin, Mama Sun burst into tears again.

Mama Sun's words made A Chan frown. When she had looked earlier, Lady Xiao Lin's head had no jade hairpin.

Could the jade hairpin have run off on its own?

She suddenly thought of her encounter at the West Market last time. If the jade hairpin contained a Snow Needle Snake, it might indeed have run away on its own.

At this moment, a Mingjing Division guard also came to report, "My Lord, we've searched everywhere inside and outside the room, but we haven't found the jade hairpin."

Bai Xiuming grunted and turned to Jiang Kai, saying, "Please invite Lord Zhao back."

Thus, Zhao Ming was invited back to the main courtyard.

"Does Lord Bai have any further instructions?" Zhao Ming asked coldly, his face stern. Even though he was usually good-tempered with outsiders, as a victim's family member, being treated this way today made it difficult for him to suppress his anger.

"The case of your wife's murder is still under investigation. Until the investigation results are out, please ask Lord Zhao to keep the people in the manor in check," Bai Xiuming said calmly, as if he hadn't noticed the other's unfriendly attitude.

"Lord Bai doesn't need to remind me of this matter."

"As for Lord Zhao's son and daughter, both are involved in this case and need to be brought to the Mingjing Division for questioning."

Zhao Ming said in a deep voice, "I understand. I will keep a close eye on this case. I ask Lord Bai to investigate thoroughly as soon as possible and ensure no one is wrongly accused."

The investigation seemed to have temporarily concluded, but the case was far from clear. After all, the jade hairpin had not been found. A Chan had no clue who had used Zhao Wenyue's hand to deliver the jade hairpin to Lady Xiao Lin, nor what their intentions were.

The Mingjing Division guards withdrew in an orderly fashion. Zhao Ming finally saw A Chan, who was preparing to leave.

He walked up to speak with A Chan, his face still etched with grief. "You must be A Chan, right? Your aunt has mentioned you to me often these days."

A Chan stopped and stepped forward to pay her respects. "Greetings, Uncle. Please accept my condolences."

Zhao Ming looked at Bai Xiuming's retreating figure, surrounded by his subordinates, and sighed heavily. "My family has suffered misfortune. It's all my fault for raising such a beast who is neither benevolent, righteous, loyal, nor filial, leading to your aunt's tragic death."

A Chan felt a strange sensation. Her uncle seemed to believe that his son, Zhao Wensheng, was the main culprit, and his daughter, Zhao Wenyue, was innocent.

What he had said to Lord Bai earlier also emphasized this point.

However, from an outsider's perspective, it was Zhao Wenyue's jade hairpin that truly led to Lady Xiao Lin's death. Otherwise, Mama Sun wouldn't have been so provoked as to fight with the young mistress.

But why was her uncle's attitude different from others? A Chan suppressed her doubts and said, "This is not your fault, Uncle. Please do not blame yourself."

Zhao Ming shook his head, his expression still dejected.

A Chan glanced at the sky. It was definitely past curfew, but she was not suited to stay at the Zhao Manor. She spoke to take her leave, "Please forgive me, Uncle. It's getting late, I should be going."

Zhao Ming couldn't very well keep A Chan there, so he nodded. "I'll have the servants escort you back."

A Chan refused, "No need. I'm sure the adults from the Mingjing Division haven't gone far. I can leave with them."

Although the Mingjing Division and Changping Quarter were not on the same route, it didn't matter.

"Very well," Zhao Ming choked out. "I will send someone to inform you when your aunt's funeral is held."

"Thank you for your understanding, Uncle. Then I shall take my leave."

"Go," Zhao Ming said, only looking away after A Chan's figure had disappeared.

He glanced at the people in the main courtyard and ordered, "Seal off the main courtyard. The rest of you can go back and rest."

After speaking, he didn't linger in the main courtyard and walked towards the study.

A Chan hurried out of the manor. As expected, she caught up with the Mingjing Division members, who had not yet left, at the entrance of the Zhao Manor.

Bai Xiuming stood beside a tall horse, seemingly preparing to mount it.

A Chan walked around the crowd and stopped behind him, asking softly, "May I trouble you, my Lord, to escort this humble woman home?"

The Mingjing Division guards around them all looked at A Chan strangely. There were quite a few young ladies in the capital who had shown interest in their Lord, but none had been this bold.

"It's inconvenient," Bai Xiuming said, stepping into the stirrup and mounting the horse with practiced ease, refusing without any hesitation.

"But it's already curfew. Did you bring me here and now you're going to abandon me?" A Chan looked up at him, her bright eyes glistening in the dim night.

Bai Xiuming couldn't help but think, she looked like she was about to cry at any moment.

A Chan's pitiful appearance made Jiang Kai, who was standing by, unable to resist speaking up, "Master, why don't I escort her back first?"

He was the one who brought her, so it wouldn't be a problem for him to take her back, right? Anyway, with the speed of the Dragon Blood Horse, they would arrive very soon.

Bai Xiuming's gaze swept over him coldly, and Jiang Kai immediately shut his mouth.

A Chan drooped her head in disappointment, "If Master really finds it inconvenient, then this humble girl will have to walk back by herself."

She slowly turned around, and with a pat, a drop of water hit the ground.

Bai Xiuming's hand, which was gripping the reins, loosened and tightened. Finally, he instructed Jiang Kai, "You take the others and go first."

"Yes."

Although they were all curious, who would dare to risk their life to watch the Commander Master's drama? After receiving the order, they quickly formed ranks and left.

Bai Xiuming dismounted and asked A Chan, who had said she would leave by herself but hadn't taken a step for a long time, "Can you ride a horse?"

A Chan immediately turned around, "I've learned, but I don't dare to gallop."

"Get on."

A Chan stepped forward, but because the Dragon Blood Horse was too tall, she climbed for a long time and couldn't get onto its back. The Dragon Blood Horse snorted, as if mocking her.

Seeing A Chan, whose upper body was hanging off the horse, still persistently trying, Bai Xiuming finally showed mercy and reached out to support her waist, pushing her onto the horse's back.

A Chan got on the horse. Bai Xiuming didn't ride with her, but instead led the horse from below.

The hoofbeats were frequent, and the Dragon Blood Horse was not slow. Bai Xiuming, leading the horse, still walked as if strolling in a leisurely garden.

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After leaving the Zhao Manor, there were no people on the street. Lights were placed far apart to illuminate the road. Besides the sound of hooves, there was only the sound of the wind.

The Dragon Blood Horse had been walking for a long time when A Chan tentatively spoke, "Master?"

"What is it?"

She asked, "If what the Zhao siblings said tonight is true, what kind of punishment will they receive?"

"For using monsters to harm others, Zhao Wensheng's sentence will be at least five years."

"What about Zhao Wenyue? Isn't she the same?"

"She can only be convicted after the stall owner is apprehended. If she was guided and used, her crime will be much lighter."

"What if the stall owner can't be found?" A Chan paused, then added, "If even the jade hairpin can't be found, will she not receive any punishment?"

If the Mingjing Division couldn't find evidence, Zhao Wenyue could retract her statement at any time. She might not have thought of this, but Zhao Ming certainly would.

"It's possible."

A Chan suddenly understood Zhao Ming's different attitude from others. Zhao Wensheng would serve five years, rendering him useless. He had already become an abandoned child of the Zhao family.

But Zhao Wenyue still had value, so Zhao Ming's words were as they were.

"I thought Uncle would be angry with his son and daughter because of Aunt's death, but it seems the result is not what I imagined. Uncle gives me a completely different impression from what Aunt said," A Chan said softly.

At this point, she could still differentiate between her son and daughter based on their usefulness. She couldn't help but wonder if the good man in Lady Xiao Lin's eyes was real or a fabricated lie.

Bai Xiuming's lips curved up, "You see things more clearly than your aunt."

His words undoubtedly confirmed A Chan's guess. Zhao Ming's deep affection for Lady Xiao Lin was not as sincere as it appeared.

"Perhaps it's because I've seen too many heartless people, I'm unwilling to believe that there are any truly good men in this world anymore," A Chan said with a hint of mockery in her tone.

She didn't know if Lady Xiao Lin was lucky or unlucky. At least, until the last moment before her death, her lie had not been exposed.

Bai Xiuming turned his head, "Were you deceived by someone?"

A Chan was startled and forced a smile, "Master is joking. I just remembered... Marquis of Jinyang. Before my mother passed away, wasn't he just as affectionate as Uncle?"

Just as A Chan thought he would say something, Bai Xiuming spoke, "We're here."

They had indeed arrived at Changping Quarter. However, because there were no lanterns for light, A Chan almost didn't recognize her own door.

She tightly gripped the reins and slowly slid off the horse's back. After standing firm, she bowed to Bai Xiuming, "Thank you, Master, for escorting me home tonight."

Bai Xiuming gave a perfunctory "Mm" and mounted his horse.

He turned his horse to leave but heard A Chan's voice again, "Tonight is the third time I've met Master."

Bai Xiuming already had a premonition of what she was going to say. He was surprised that he had the patience to wait and listen to her.

"Can I really not know Master's name?" she looked at him expectantly.

"My name is not a secret. You can ask someone."

"But I want to hear Master tell me himself."

"You have quite a few demands."

A Chan blinked and stubbornly looked up at him. In the darkness, she could only make out his silhouette. But every subtle expression of hers was clearly imprinted in Bai Xiuming's eyes.

Since she didn't get an answer, the corners of her lips turned down, and her lips pouted slightly.

"...Bai Xiuming."

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The sound of hooves rang out, almost drowning out his voice.