Chapter 57: Keqing, Do Not Be Afraid (Part Two)

Jiang Nian, He Yun, Meng Xiong, and Peng Zhizhong arrived at the Qin family residence.

Passing through the inner courtyard, the group reached the entrance of the west wing. The room was packed with distant relatives of all ages and genders. Qin Zhong was among them, and Qin Keqing along with her maid Ruizhu was cornered by the crowd.

Qin Keqing was sobbing as she said, "What is the meaning of this? My father's bones are not yet cold, and you already come to force me to hand over the family property. If you were close blood relatives, it might be somewhat understandable, but you are all distant relatives who rarely interacted with my father in ordinary times. Yet now you come to loot a burning house..."

At this point, Qin Keqing abruptly stopped. Her gaze swept over the crowd and landed on Jiang Nian at the doorway. Her tear-filled eyes instantly lit up, as if she had caught sight of a savior.

Seeing Jiang Nian and He Yun, the distant relatives either showed expressions of dread or put on a brave front.

Jiang Nian shouted angrily, "What are you doing?"

Startled by the furious roar, Qin Zhong's body trembled as he immediately lowered his head.

The room fell into an instant silence, with no one daring to answer Jiang Nian's rebuke.

With a gaze as sharp as a blade, Jiang Nian swept his eyes coldly over the crowd and spoke in a chilling tone, "Master Qin has recently passed away, and his funeral is not yet concluded. Yet you come to coerce his daughter and plunder Master Qin's estate. This is a total disregard for the laws of the realm!"

A middle-aged man spoke crudely, "This is the domestic affair of the Qin family. Even if you have been ordered by the imperial court to help manage the funeral, you have no right to interfere in our family matters! My brother's property rightfully belongs to his legitimate son, Zhong'er, not to an adopted daughter taken in from the orphanage!"

Shifting his gaze, Jiang Nian looked at Peng Zhizhong and asked, "Is this man Qin Fan?"

Peng Zhizhong nodded and replied, "Indeed, he is."

Peng Zhizhong had already reported to Jiang Nian that Qin Fan was the ringleader stirring up trouble.

Qin Fan puffed out his chest and boomed, "I am Zhong'er's uncle. Helping my nephew take back the property that rightfully belongs to him is only natural and just! Even with your extraordinary status, you have no business meddling here!"

The corners of Jiang Nian's lips curved upward into a cold smile. "If Miss Qin were to hand the estate over to Qin Zhong, I wonder how much silver you intended to borrow from him?"

Qin Fan retorted roughly, "That is none of your concern either!"

Turning back to Qin Keqing, Jiang Nian asked, "Miss Qin, tell me the truth, how much silver did this Qin Fan originally intend to borrow from you?"

Hesitating slightly, Qin Keqing gathered her courage, raised her eyes, and said, "Five hundred taels."

Jiang Nian then looked at Qin Zhong and rebuked sternly, "Qin Zhong, your father's funeral is not yet finished. Though you are young and should be in proper mourning, you allowed yourself to be instigated by this distant relative Qin Fan, who is using you to seize your family's fortune! Do you know you are in the wrong?"

Having kept his head bowed all along, Qin Zhong was shaken to his core by the stern reprimand. Not daring to meet Jiang Nian's eyes, he stammered, "I... I... they told me to come and ask my sister for the family property..."

Qin Zhong was of a slender build, with delicate eyebrows, clear eyes, a fair face, and red lips. Usually timid and bashful, he possessed a feminine air. Panic-stricken at this moment, that feminine demeanor became even more pronounced.

Jiang Nian said coldly, "Very well. Later, when the government soldiers take you away to the yamen, you will tell them the exact truth—say that Qin Fan instigated you and tried to use you to plunder your family's estate. Only then can you escape safely. Do you understand?"

Hearing these words, Qin Zhong was frightened out of his wits and trembled, "I... am I going to be arrested by the soldiers?"

Qin Keqing's expression also changed drastically in shock.

Though she was angry at Qin Zhong's behavior today, he was, after all, her younger brother and Master Qin Ye's legitimate son; she could not bear to see him come to harm.

Jiang Nian turned and instructed He Yun and Meng Xiong, "The two of you guard this place."

With that, he strode out of the west wing.

Before long, Jiang Nian returned, accompanied by Ma Peicheng and four personal guards. Ma Peicheng was clad in military attire, looking imposing and majestic, while the four guards wore armor and exuded an intimidating aura.

The distant relatives walked out of the west wing one after another. Seeing that government soldiers had indeed arrived, they grew panic-stricken and uneasy; even Qin Fan was badly frightened.

Qin Zhong's face was plastered with terror.

Qin Keqing hid near the window inside the room, watching the scene through the lattice.

Raising a hand to point at Qin Fan, Jiang Nian said to Ma Peicheng, "General Ma, this man is Qin Fan. He is the ringleader who instigated Qin Zhong in an attempt to plunder Master Qin's estate."

With a gaze as piercing as lightning, Ma Peicheng glared at Qin Fan and shouted harshly, "I am the General of the Left Division of the Constabulary. Guards, take this Qin Fan into custody!"

The four guards immediately stepped forward and seized Qin Fan.

"Let me go! I... I am Qin Ye's younger brother, I never meant to plunder Qin Ye's estate..."

Terrified, Qin Fan cried out at the top of his lungs, yet he did not dare to resist arrest.

Qin Fan's wife was also present. Being a timid woman, she had already turned pale with fright; far from resisting, she did not even dare utter a single word.

With a cold sweep of his eyes, Jiang Nian surveyed the remaining distant relatives. "You are all accomplices, having been instigated by Qin Fan. Choose two among you to accompany Lord Ma to the yamen to record your testimonies and bear witness to Qin Fan's instigation. Only in this way can the rest of you avoid being implicated!"

The crowd of distant relatives looked at one another in dismay, with no one willing to step forward voluntarily.

Seeing this, Jiang Nian pointed at a middle-aged woman and a young man—both of whom wore terrified expressions and were clearly cowardly by nature.

Jiang Nian said coldly, "You, and you, accompany Lord Ma to the yamen to testify to Qin Fan's crimes!"

Both the middle-aged woman and the young man were so frightened that their legs turned to jelly, and they did not dare to step forward.

Upon seeing this, Ma Peicheng shouted sternly, "Seize the two of them!"

The guards stepped forward once again and captured the pair.

Looking at Qin Zhong, Jiang Nian said in a deep voice, "Qin Zhong, you will also go to the yamen to record your testimony and bear witness."

Qin Zhong was trembling all over.

Hiding behind the window of the west wing, Qin Keqing was filled with anxiety and longed to go out to plead on Qin Zhong's behalf. However, with unfamiliar men and government soldiers outside, it was improper for her to show her face. She could only swallow her unease and watch in silence.

Ma Peicheng waved his hand as a signal, and the four guards escorted Qin Fan, the other three distant relatives, and Qin Zhong as the group headed straight for the yamen of the Left Division of the Constabulary.

Jiang Nian walked toward the west wing. Seeing him approach, the remaining distant relatives hastily retreated and cleared the path.

Ordering He Yun and Meng Xiong to keep watch at the door, Jiang Nian stepped into the room.

Ruizhu, the senior maid who had been staying in the room with Qin Keqing, tactfully withdrew to the doorway.

Only then did Jiang Nian carefully examine Qin Keqing's bedchamber.

The west wing was furnished with exquisite taste. By the window stood a carved dressing table, upon which rested a bronze mirror accompanied by several boxes of rouge and powder. In the corner stood a tall sandalwood bookcase filled with various books. In the center of the room was an embroidered bed draped with a brocade quilt, the surface of which was stitched with several sprays of plum blossoms.

Glancing around the room, Jiang Nian sighed inwardly, "Truly the bedchamber of an unmarried maiden from an official's household—so refined!"

He walked slowly up to Qin Keqing, his gaze gentle as he said softly, "Keqing, do not be afraid."

Qin Keqing froze for a moment, staring blankly at Jiang Nian, wondering if she had misheard.

Jiang Nian repeated softly, "Keqing, do not be afraid. With me here, you can set your mind at ease. Your family's property will not fall into the hands of others, and no one shall bully you."

This time, Qin Keqing heard him clearly—Jiang Nian had used her childhood nickname with such intimate familiarity!

Her heart began to race like a drum, and she was overcome with such shyness and embarrassment that she did not dare meet his eyes. She felt her earlobes burn with heat, and even her neck was tinged with a faint blush.

Overcoming her shyness, Qin Keqing offered a graceful bow to Jiang Nian and said, "Many thanks, Elder Brother Jiang."

Raising her eyes to look at him, she asked anxiously, "Will my younger brother be able to return safely?"

Jiang Nian replied, "Qin Zhong is merely going to the yamen to record his testimony. He will return safely, so there is no need for you to worry."

Qin Keqing nodded, then asked again, "Will Qin Fan be punished?"

Jiang Nian smiled playfully. "Of course."

After all, he had shifted all the culpability of today's events onto Qin Fan, making him the ringleader who instigated the attempt to plunder the Qin family estate. Such a minor case could be judged right there in the Left Division of the Constabulary without needing to be transferred to another yamen. Jiang Nian had already spoken with Ma Peicheng; Qin Fan would find it difficult to escape imprisonment this time and would be locked away for a long time.

As for the other distant relatives, after this incident, they would surely not dare to harass Qin Keqing ever again.

Jiang Nian instructed Qin Keqing, "Guard your family's property well. If anyone dares to come and harass you again, send someone to call for me immediately, and I will personally back you up."

Qin Keqing nodded gently, her heart still stirring with turbulent emotions, and murmured in a low voice, "The great kindness of Elder Brother Jiang is something I can never hope to repay..."

Jiang Nian thought to himself, *How could it be unpayable? You can repay it with yourself!*