Chapter 122: Seeing Off

"My lord, tell me, if the people from those great families knew that their words and deeds while visiting a brothel had been recorded, what do you think they would feel?"

Fang Fengxian had originally intended to use his official rank to pressure the matter, hoping to quietly suppress it and make a comeback later, but upon hearing Liu Cheng speak like this, he dared not utter a sound. No matter how capable he was, he could not set himself against the officials and merchants of the entire city. If even a whisper of the Zuichun Pavilion affair leaked out, those wealthy families who had frequented the place would surely harbor deep hatred and seek to eliminate the source as quickly as possible. If he were implicated, it would not only yield no benefits but would instead invite suspicion.

Thinking of this, Fang Fengxian smiled and said, "Master Liu has been working hard; why trouble yourself with such matters? What is Head Constable Zhao even paid for? How could he let you work so laboriously?"

This old fox, he was implying that I am overstepping my bounds and have no authority to judge the case. Liu Cheng could not be bothered to respond, only listening as Fang continued, "Looking at the case files, this Zuichun Pavilion truly deserves its fate. The investigation was well-conducted; I shall certainly commend you before Magistrate Liu."

Liu Cheng felt a secret sense of alarm. He had known this man was patient, but he had not expected such a degree of restraint. He had hoped to goad him into losing his temper—a scene would have been ideal; if even a little wind of it reached the outside, those shrewd men would naturally connect the dots. Now, it seemed that path was blocked. It would be better to secure Mother Xie's confession as soon as possible.

Beside them, Fang Zhen was red-faced and panting with anxiety. Hadn't his father come to save the Zuichun Pavilion? Why had he changed his tune? Just as he was about to speak up, a fierce glare from Fang Fengxian forced the words back down his throat.

Having returned to his residence in silence with a dark expression, Fang Fengxian smashed a set of his favorite teacups at Fang Zhen's feet; several shards flew up and grazed Fang Zhen’s face.

"You unfilial son, do you know how much effort I poured into that Zuichun Pavilion? And look, how long has it been in your hands before you ruined it?"

"Father, it wasn't my fault."

"If it wasn't yours, was it mine? I have instructed you time and again to be cautious and not draw attention. And look at you—you even went to provoke the Earl of Huaiyang."

"I did not provoke him."

Could the Earl of Huaiyang have joined forces with the Liu family? Fang Fengxian shook his head. It shouldn't be. Although the Earl was a political rival, they had always respected each other's boundaries; he had no reason to act this way.

Then, had someone betrayed the Zuichun Pavilion?

The more Fang Fengxian thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Fortunately, he had kept a tight grip on Mother Xie, ensuring she dared not speak out of turn. But she could not be left alive. And that girl, Dongxue—she had ties to the Earl of Huaiyang and was the most likely to turn traitor. Then, he would deal with them together...

That very night, just as Magistrate Liu and Liu Cheng were settled in the outer study, a bailiff arrived to report that something had happened in the prison: Mother Xie and Dongxue had been poisoned to death. The woman responsible for delivering meals to the prison had also committed suicide by poison.

Liu Cheng was shocked. Just as he stood up to head over there, he heard Magistrate Liu say, "You need not go. Let the jailer have them wrapped in straw mats and tossed into the potter's field."

The messenger bowed and left. Liu Cheng looked at his father in surprise.

Magistrate Liu toyed with a chess piece and said lazily, "Did you truly think it would be that easy to topple the Fang family? Even if everyone knew the Zuichun Pavilion belonged to them, so what? Besides, Fang Fengxian would never leave behind any evidence. He is more ruthless and venomous than you; you cannot win against him."

After speaking, he looked up at Liu Cheng. "You have been restless lately, not even as composed as your little sister."

Liu Cheng lowered his head in shame, recalling when his little sister had first revealed the secret of the Zuichun Pavilion to him and their father, and proposed using the Earl of Huaiyang to handle it. It had left him astonished. Although his father and he had made arrangements for the specific execution, he still found his little sister's strategy hard to believe. Was this truly his little sister? Was this really just a seven-year-old child?

A dilapidated ox cart arrived near the potter's field. Two jailers cursed as they lifted the straw-matted bodies, tossed them impatiently onto the mounds, and hurried away; the job was cursed, they felt.

They did not know that, just as they vanished, two figures emerged from the shadows. They wrapped one of the bodies in a large, heavy black cloak, carried it to a carriage hidden in the nearby woods, and the carriage quickly departed.

Dongxue felt as if she were having a long dream. In it, there were her mother, her father, and her cousin. Her mother was smiling while wiping away tears. "Xue'er, Mother has finally waited for this day. I am so happy. My Xue'er has finally grown up and is to be wed."

Her cousin looked at her tenderly, promising to treat her well.

She herself blushed, her heart filled with such irrepressible joy that she felt as if she might fly.

It felt as though she really were flying, higher and higher.

Suddenly, before she could even feel fear, she plummeted downward, as if falling into the abyss of hell...

"Ah!" she screamed in terror, and Dongxue woke up with a start.

"Xue'er, you're awake? Thank goodness, you're awake."

The anxious face of Cheng Dong before her transformed into one of wild joy, and then he pulled her into his arms.

The warm, clean scent, the eager and steady embrace, the thumping of his heart against his chest—everything was so unfamiliar, yet so familiar. This scent and this feeling had entered her dreams so many times, only to be lost in the darkness of the night as she wept into her pillow. Now that she truly possessed it, Dongxue was too afraid to even reach out.

She feared that she would grasp at nothing as she had in the past, with only the breeze slipping through her fingers. She feared this was just another beautiful dream, and that upon waking, she would still be in a living hell. She feared...

"Xue'er, don't be afraid. Cousin will take you home. We are going home..."

The gentle, warm whisper seemed to intoxicate the night. In the silent darkness, only a single lamp cast a faint yellow glow, illuminating the figures locked in an embrace.

"Uncle Niu, hurry."

A carriage sped along the post road outside the North City Gate. Hearing the urging, the driver cracked the whip again, and the horses ran faster. Fortunately, there were few travelers in the early morning, so there were no obstacles.

Knowing that Cheng Dong and Dongxue were to be sent away, Liu Qin had felt the urge to see them one last time, hence she had urged Uncle Niu at dawn to chase after the two who had already left the city.

Having heard their story, Liu Qin was deeply moved. She had not expected that in this male-dominated society, there would be someone as devoted as Cheng Dong, who could overlook Dongxue’s defilement and ignore the judgment of the world, insisting on taking her as his wife. Such a person was rare even in the more open society of her past life.

Liu Qin wanted to see what kind of man Cheng Dong was, and even more, what charm Dongxue possessed.

Before long, they saw a carriage slowly moving ahead. Hearing the rapid hoofbeats behind them, the driver looked back, stopped the carriage on the side of the road, and jumped down to wait. He had good eyesight and recognized the carriage often used by the young lady of the manor.

Uncle Niu waited until the carriage was close before slowly pulling on the reins to come to a stop.

Two people jumped down from the carriage shafts, and three young masters emerged from the cabin behind.

Dongxue and Cheng Dong, who had curiously lifted the curtain, recognized one of them and called out in surprise, "Master Jia!" They hurriedly climbed down from the carriage to pay their respects to Changxing.

Changxing waved his hand, stepped aside, and smiled. "I am not Master Jia; my master is right here."

As he spoke, he gestured toward Liu Qin, then pointed to Jiang Li and Xiao Wu. "This is our eldest young master and second young master."

Cheng Dong and Dongxue were both a bit bewildered. How could the dashing and elegant Master Jia say he wasn't him, and who were these young masters?