Hope in Madam Yao's eyes turned to utter despair. "My daughter said she met a girl named Xiaju at Brocade Workshop, and the first pattern that girl taught her to embroider was sweeping plum blossoms."
She secretly embroidered on the inside of her skirt to practice, and even showed it off to me when she came back. I told her then, "If you're going to be a maid, you should be a proper maid. Don't keep running to the embroidery shop. If the master finds out she's been secretly learning, she'll be punished."
As Madam Yao spoke, tears welled up in her eyes again. "She said it was nothing... Xiaju only taught ordinary needlework techniques, different from those taught at Brocade Workshop."
Yuniang's father's eyes were bloodshot, and his knuckles were clenched so tightly they turned white. He had long suspected that Cloud Brocade Workshop had harmed his daughter, but the other party was extremely powerful, and even the government was their backer. Despite his grievances, he had no way to seek redress.
Jin Shanyao close to Madam Yao's ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Two days later, go to the prefectural government office to find Zhu Huaizhang... He is the prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture and is here to investigate the cause of Bai Yunjin's death... Bring as many people as you can."
It would be best to gather the entire village and make the whole prefecture know about it... Just sit in front of the prefectural government office, and remember, you must go two days later. Going too early or too late won't get you revenge..."
Madam Yao bit her lip tightly, her heart pounding like a drum... She repeated to herself over and over, "Two days later, I'll take some people to the government office to find Zhu Huaizhang Zhu Huaizhang."
Jin Shanyao up and said to Madam Yao, "I've told you where your daughter is, so you won't have to pay for the seafood processing."
As she spoke, she took out ten taels of silver and placed them on the table, then picked up a basin full of seafood. "I'll buy this wooden basin..." she said, before calling the two children to get into the carriage and head towards the inn.
Yuniang's father helped Madam Yao kneel down in the courtyard with a thud, and kowtowed heavily in the direction Jin Shanyao had left.
They can finally avenge their daughter.
On the oxcart, Jin Shanyao put her arm around Fang Rui's shoulder and laughed, "You heard everything just now, didn't you? What are you thinking?"
Fang Rui glared at her, thinking... "I'll go back and tell Lord Zhou... arrest those two old bastards and lock them up in jail."
Jin Shanyao her tongue, "Judging from your eyes, I knew you were up to something," then turned to Meng Anzhi, " Anzhi... what should you do with disobedient people?"
A chilling glint appeared in Meng Anzhi's eyes, "Poisoned..."
Jin Shanyao head disapprovingly, "Look at you, child... shouting for violence, don't you know that murder is illegal? You're just a cripple..." After she finished speaking, she stepped aside to make room for her.
Fang Rui tried to escape, but he was stuck on the oxcart and couldn't move.
Meng Anzhi took out a brown pill from her purse, pinched Fang Rui's chin, and threw it into his mouth.
After swallowing the pill, a dense, needle-like pain spread from my stomach throughout my body; in the blink of an eye, even the bones began to ache...
Fang Rui sat upright on the oxcart, his face contorted in pain, his mouth agape as if he were screaming in agony.
Jin Shanyao took out a handkerchief and moved closer to him, tenderly wiping his forehead. "Be good... listen to me, we won't say anything..."
This matter will remain unresolved for today. We'll provide the solution after we're gone. And if we unfortunately perish...
Jin Shanyao sighed, "My Rui'er... in the end, I'll have no choice but to have you buried with me."
Fang Rui's eyes surged with anger as he stared intently at Jin Shanyao.
Jin Shanyao hand to cover his eyes, "That look in your eyes is like poison; it sends chills down your spine."
Meng Anzhi took out half an antidote, pried open Fang Rui's mouth, and threw it in. " Anzhi Hall always keeps his promises. As long as you don't say anything out of line, you'll get the antidote when you leave."
Once the antidote was swallowed, Fang Rui's pain vanished instantly, but a belated sense of fear washed over him. He realized that Jin Shanyao wasn't afraid of offending the authorities; she had never intended to kill him at all.
The oxcart returned to the post station.
The gatekeeper looked at them Ghost One, and scrambled inside to report. Soon, Zhou Yan and Zhu Huaizhang rushed out.
Halfway there, Jin Shanyao handed a basin of seafood shells to the gatekeeper, saying, "Pour them out... the wooden basin is yours."
Seeing her arrogance, Zhou Yan's temper flared. " Jin Shanyao, I spared your imprisonment out of respect for Lord Zhu, and instead of staying at the inn, you dared to sneak out?"
And Fang Rui, you should stick a talisman on your head... to ward off evil spirits.
As he spoke, he stepped forward, grabbed the talisman, and with a sudden jerk, pulled Fang Rui off the oxcart. Fang Rui clutched his forehead, wincing in pain.
Zhou Yan was surprised that a piece of paper could be stuck so firmly. He squatted down to examine it closely and saw that he had torn a small gash in the skin on Fang Rui's forehead.
Shocked and furious, she exclaimed, "Who put this up for you?"
Fang Rui covered his head, pointed at the Jin Shanyao, his mouth opening and closing but no sound came out. Zhou Yan's heart skipped a beat. Although Fang Rui arts were not top-notch, he was still one of the best in Jing'an Prefecture.
Unexpectedly, he was being manipulated by a woman. Thinking of how she could come and go freely in this inn, he felt a cold sweat break out on his back for some reason, and his tone softened a bit.
" Shopkeeper Jin, could you please take the talisman down?"
Jin Shanyao at Zhu Huaizhang and asked earnestly, "My lord... should we take it down for him?"
Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhu Huaizhang was at a loss for words and could only weakly say, "Take it down." As soon as he finished speaking, the talisman automatically floated down and spontaneously combusted in mid-air.
Everyone who witnessed this scene was deeply shocked.
" Fang Rui, where have you been?"
Fang Rui finally regained his voice and was about to complain when the excruciating pain surged into his mind, and his instinct for survival overcame his loyalty.
He lied to Zhou Yan for the first time, "Your Excellency, Shopkeeper Jin said the child had never seen the sea before, so he took the child to see it."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan and Zhu Huaizhang simultaneously took a deep breath. "Fine, fine... We've been locked in a fierce battle all day, and you've gone out to see the sea."
Zhou Yan angrily flung his sleeves, " Fang Rui, you don't need to guard Shopkeeper Jin anymore. Tomorrow you can stay by Lord Zhu's side."
Fang Rui glanced at Meng Anzhi, then quickly followed Zhou Yan, and the two left together.
Zhu Huaizhang stared at the Jin Shanyao for a long time without speaking, then sighed, "Come in with me..."
Inside the room, Zhu Huaizhang closed the door, his voice low and filled with anxiety and confusion, "Since you can get out, why don't you head straight for the capital? We're trapped here like turtles in a jar."
Jin Shanyao didn't answer, but instead rummaged through Meng Anci's bag and pulled out a conch shell, handing it to him with a smile, "This is for you..."
"You..." Zhu Huaizhang stared at the inappropriate gift, a lump forming in his throat.
Jin Shanyao placed the conch shell into Zhu Huaizhang's hand. "This case started because of me, so naturally I'll be the one to finish it. If you want to solve the case, continue searching for evidence. If you're tired, just straighten your back and hold on for two more days."
"Two days?" Zhu Huaizhang contracted slightly as he caught the precise number. "What will happen in two days?"
Jin Shanyao glanced outside, then leaned closer and whispered mysteriously, "A master has his own ingenious plan..."
"Go to hell..." Zhu Huaizhang shoved aside the Jin Shanyao, yanked the door open with both hands, and swung it away with a loud bang.
Jin Shanyao looked at the wide-open door, sighed softly, and said to the siblings, "What did I tell you? Zhu Huaizhang is just rude. How can he leave the door open like that?"
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci looked momentarily taken aback.