Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
âMaster, my stomach hurts. Why didnât you come and see me?â Ji Xiang hugged his stomach and pretended.
Zhou Jia held Li Yu and smiled without looking back. âStop pretending. If it hurts badly, go find Sir to take a look at you.â
Seeing Zhou Jia help Li Yu into the house, Ji Xiang held his forehead and sighed. âNo one loves a bachelor!â
Ruyi walked over to support him and teased, âCome, Brother Ruyi dotes on you.â
Ji Xiang rolled his eyes in disgust. âI find you clumsy.â
At this moment, Gu Yu and Xiaoyu walked in together. When Xiaoyu saw Ruyiâs lively appearance, she smiled and heaved a sigh of relief. Gu Yu looked worriedly at Ji Xiang, who was hugging his stomach.
Ruyi smiled at Xiaoyu and lowered his head to say in Ji Xiangâs ear, âJi Xiang, the person who dotes on you is here. Hurry up and groan more miserably.â
Ji Xiang looked at Gu Yu but couldnât cry out. He clutched his stomach as if he was constipated.
Ruyi waved at Gu Yu and said, âGu Yu, come and help your Brother Ji Xiang to Old Master to take a look.â
Seeing Ji Xiang holding his stomach in pain, Gu Yu hurriedly shouted to Ruyi,
âHold him. Iâll go invite Old Master.â
Ruyi glanced at Gu Yuâs back and watched as Ji Xiang spread his hands. He smiled and said, âBrother, I canât help you anymore.â
Xiaoyu walked over and patted Ruyi twice. She smiled and said, âThe two of you are always putting up pretenses. Hurry up and let Old Master take a look.â Ji Xiang gloated. âSister-in-law, hit him twice more to help me vent my anger.â
Zhou Jia washed Li Yuâs wound and bandaged it. He brought out a loose dress and helped her put it on. He said gently, âRest. Iâll go see if the hot water is ready. â
Li Yu smiled at Zhou Jia. âIâm fine. I have to get someone to get that dead thief out. I also have to lock the woman up and interrogate her when she wakes up.â
Zhou Jia nodded and replied, âAlright, lock that woman in the cellar. Get the constables to move the men outside.â The couple walked out together.
Su Xianyin had already woken up in the courtyard and realized that the courtyard was already brightly lit. She turned around and saw the mute lying motionless beside her. Su Xianyin sighed to herself and muttered to herself, âWho would have thought that the dignified magistrateâs wife would be so ruthless? Sigh! Who doesnât wet their shoes when they often walk by the river? Tiger Lei is still the smartest. He never earns money that he shouldnât have.â
Li Yu and Zhou Jia stood in front of Su Xianyin and looked down at her, who was tied up like a dumpling. Li Yu mocked, âStop pretending. Tell me! Who are you? Who asked you to come?â
Su Xianyin opened her eyes and looked at Li Yu and Zhou Jia coldly. âI advise you not to waste your breath. I was inferior to you and fell into your hands. Itâs up to you to kill me.â
Li Yu said indifferently, âEven if you donât say it, I know that you were sent by the Wang family.â Su Xianyin looked at Li Yu without changing her expression. âI donât know anything about the Wang and Li families.â
Li Yu squatted down and scratched Su Xianyinâs face with her nails. She sneered and said, âI wonder what it will be like after cutting this beautiful face a few times?â
Su Xianyin glanced at the extremely cold Li Yu and looked up at Zhou Jia. She begged sadly, âMagistrate, please give me a quick death!â
That voice would usually make people sad and weep in pity. Zhou Jia took a step back and patted his chest. âAiya! I just realized that thereâs a blood groove on your chin. You scared me to death.â
Li Yu couldnât help but laugh when she saw Zhou Jiaâs mischievous appearance. Su Xianyin looked hatefully at the couple flirting in front of her and gritted her teeth.
At this moment, Gu Yu walked in and reported, âMadam, hot water is ready.â
âComing.â Li Yu turned around and left. Zhou Jia pulled her back and instructed, âYour hand is injured. You have to be careful.â
Li Yu nodded and went to the bathroom. Ruyi brought two constables and a
guard into the courtyard. A constable looked at Su Xianyin on the ground and touched his head. âWhy do I seem to have seen this woman somewhere?â
Zhou Jia and Ruyi looked at him. Ruyi looked at him and said, âBrother He, donât panic. Think about it!â
Everyone quietened down and looked at Constable He. Constable He circled Su Xianyin a few times. âOh! I remember now. She sings in the theater at the end of Willow Flower Alley. She sang about the drunk consort very well. I even saw Second Master Wang of the Wang family enter the private room that day. â
Zhou Jia said happily, âWhen did you see Second Master Wang? How many theaters are there in Willow Flower Alley?â
Constable He cupped his hands and said, âSir, it was the day before yesterday that I accompanied my grandfather to Willow Flower Alley to watch the show. After the show started, I went out to relieve myself. I happened to see Second Master Wang enter the private room. At that time, I thought that these descendants of the aristocratic families were only so-so. His old master had a stroke and was bedridden, but he was in the mood to come out and watch a
show.â
Constable He paused for a moment and continued, âSir, there are two theaters in Willow Flower Alley. This woman has not been in Yunzhou City for long and is singing in a theater called Yunyin. They all call this woman Boss Su. Her singing voice and figure are not bad.â
Zhou Jia thought to himself, Iâm afraid Boss Suâs accomplice is still in the theater. He instructed, âConstable He, go back and arrange a shift with Protector Chen to protect the manor. Tell everyone that weâll return to
Yunzhou city tomorrow morning. As soon as the city gate opens, weâll go to
Willow Flower Alley to check on Yunyin Drama Theater.â
Zhou Jia pointed at Su Xianyin and said to Ruyi, âShut her mouth and lock her in the cellar.â
The few of them replied in unison, âYes, Master.â Ruyi carried Su Xianyin to the cellar. Constable Liu and his colleagues carried the mute out with a cloth covering him. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Zhou Jia went to Mr. Wenâs place to see Ji Xiang again. Mr. Wen leaned against the head of the bed and looked at Ji Xiang, who was with Yangyang. He smiled and said to Zhou Jia, âHis blood and Qi were blocked by the kick. I gave him a few injections and gave him a pill to calm him down. Heâll be fine after resting for two days.â
Zhou Jia whispered to Mr. Wen, âAre you going to make do here tonight or go back to your room to sleep?â
Mr. Wen looked at Ji Xiang and Yangyang and said lovingly, âIâll guard him here tonight. Itâs late and someone just died in your courtyard. Donât carry Yangâer away. Leave him here to sleep tonight.â
Zhou Jia looked at Yangyang and Ji Xiang and said, âAlright, Iâll listen to you.
Rest early too.â Mr. Wen waved his hand and watched Zhou Jia close the door and leave.
The old woman sat in the carriage and waited for Su Xianyin and the mute. She began to panic and muttered to herself, âDid something happen to Boss Su and the mute?â As she spoke, she slapped her mouth a few more times. âPfft, pfft, pfft. Touch wood.â However, she couldnât stop feeling that the two of them were doomed.
The old woman listened restlessly to the sound of voles chirping and eating in the grass and the creepy cries of owls in the forest. She suddenly shivered and had goosebumps all over her body. Fear surged into her heart like a tide. She could not wait any longer and led the horse toward the village at the foot of the mountain..
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