Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 198 Confession
Feng Chuan did not emerge from the study until half an hour later.

Liu Erniang hid behind the moon gate, watching Feng Chuan hurry away. Her furrowed brows relaxed slightly. Judging from Feng Chuan's light steps, her father must have agreed, right?

Just as he was pondering this, the study door opened again, and this time it was his elder brother, Liu Shizhang.

Liu Shizhang instructed his servant to bring two cups of hot tea, and as he spoke, he glanced in the direction of Liu Erniang.

The brother and sister looked at each other, and Liu Shizhang nodded slightly. Liu Erniang immediately smiled. Now that she was certain the matter was settled, Liu Erniang did not linger any longer and turned to walk towards the inner courtyard.

After the two entered the house, Liu Erniang began to give instructions: "Prepare things for my trip to the capital. Once things are settled here, I will go to the capital to see my maternal grandmother."

The headmistress responded.

Overjoyed, Liu Erniang forgot about her injury and touched her cheek, then immediately exclaimed in surprise.

"Second Madam!" The head housekeeper was extremely distressed and quickly cupped her hands to check on the situation.

Liu Erniang was filled with resentment. Fortunately, her elder brother helped her deal with the woman; otherwise, even if her hand injury healed, she would still have nowhere to vent her anger.

What's more, she also sent Xie Erniang a clay stove and rushed someone to the capital to deliver a message to prevent Xie Erniang from using the clay stove.

If the clay stove burns out and injures Xie Erniang, then she can never enter the Xie family again.

After she arrived in the capital, she told Xie Erniang about how to deal with Xie Yuyan, and thus regained the face she had lost.

"What a pity about that clay stove." Liu Erniang was still thinking about it. After all, it was a nice toy, and she would have something to talk about with the women in the capital.

“Madam Xie will not escape execution in the future,” the head housekeeper said. “When that time comes, won’t someone have to clean up the Yang family’s pottery kilns? We can just have the Xie family rebuild the clay kilns.”

Using the same kiln and craftsmen, you can naturally produce the same clay furnace.

Liu Erniang will be able to go and play as she pleases then.

The stewardess was fined half a year's wages for the clay stove, and her son's job was also ruined. She wished that Madam Xie would suffer the same fate.

Liu Erniang smiled and said, "I wonder if that woman will be able to go to jail today?"

Not only Liu Erniang was hoping for this, but Zhao Shi from the Xie family also knelt on a prayer mat, constantly turning her prayer beads and chanting scriptures, hoping to realize her heart's desire as soon as possible.

The entire Daming Prefecture was busy hunting down the criminal, but she knew where he was; it was just a matter of when the imperial court would make the arrest. Once the man was caught, the case would be closed, and she would no longer need to worry.

After Zhao finished reciting the Buddhist scripture, Xu helped her up so she could rest. Just then, someone knocked on the door, and the head housekeeper came in.

Both Zhao and Xu stared intently at the steward's face.

Without wasting time, the head maid said directly, "The villain who harmed Seventh Master has been caught. Someone from the county government just informed us that the villain has been taken into jail for interrogation."

Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, but because she was so excited, her legs went weak and she fell down.

The head maid stepped forward, calling out, "Quick... someone come here! The lady has fainted because she is too heartbroken over Seventh Master's death."

In the front yard, Xie Chonghai was much calmer. He went into the inner room, took out an account book, and opened it to find that it contained only numbers.

As for why they don't write things down? It's to prevent the accounts from falling into the wrong hands.

What's written on it is all shady stuff.

Those figures represent the amount of bluish-white salt that was brought in from Western Xia each time. Western Xia's bluish-white salt was cheap and tasted good, but unfortunately, the Great Liang had long ago issued a decree prohibiting its sale.

But who could pass up such a lucrative deal? The imperial court thought it was a matter of strict defense, but in reality, the military commanders at the passes were openly allowing them to trade with the Western Xia.

However, they had to give half of the profits to the officials. Even so, after bribing everyone involved, they would still make a considerable amount of money.

Over the years, the Xie family openly made porcelain, but secretly helped officials transport smuggled goods, making a fortune and climbing the social ladder, almost reaching the level of the Xie family of Kaifeng.

A large family like the Xie clan cannot conduct business openly; they need people to do things for them in secret.

They sent money several times, and Xie was very satisfied. Just as Xie was about to agree to take them as collateral relatives, He Tan came to Daming Prefecture to work as an inspector.

He Tan arrived too quickly, and they still had some salt left to sell, but they dared not transport it out as before, so they distributed it to small merchants like the Yang family.

After the Yang family was arrested, Xie Chonghai was constantly worried that He Tan would use the clues to investigate further. This is why his elder brother was so eager to get rid of Xie Yuyan; they were also afraid that He Tan would use Xie Yuyan as a pretext to cause more trouble.

Now everything's fine; the salt they didn't have time to sell is now being falsely attributed to the He family.

Xie Chonghai put the accounts back with a smile on his face, but he quickly composed himself, turned around and walked out of the room, instructing the steward: "Let's go to the county government and see who exactly tried to kill Shao Ge'er."

The Xie family is the aggrieved party this time, and he has to keep urging the county government to expedite the interrogation.

……

In the dark, damp prison, screams of agony echoed, followed by the smell of burnt flesh.

A bucket of cold water was poured over the person bound to the rack, who shivered incessantly.

Hu Tongpan, the prefect of Daming Prefecture, took the whip from the jailer and raised his hand to strike again. The prisoner finally made a weak sound: "I confess, I confess everything."

Judge Hu's voice was icy: "Who ordered you to assassinate Xie Zishao?"

The villain tried to raise his head, but he had no strength left. He could only weakly say, "It was... Madam Xie from the third branch of the Yang family. She gave me gold and silver and told me to make a move against Xie Zishao."

She said that after the matter was settled, she would give me money to leave Daming Prefecture and settle down.

Hu Tongpan smiled and looked at the county magistrate and the county assistant magistrate beside him: "Your Excellencies, the interrogation is complete. Shouldn't we arrest them now?"

The magistrate and the assistant magistrate looked at each other. The assistant magistrate said, "I will take men to the Yang family for questioning."

The county magistrate had only taken one step forward when Hu Tongpan stopped him with a gesture of his hand: "Last time, I went to the Yang family with the county magistrate, but we failed to catch anyone. This time, I will try myself."

After speaking, without waiting for the county magistrate and the county assistant magistrate to respond, Hu Tongpan immediately called to the military officer next to him: "Take your men and come with me to the Yang family."

As Judge Hu strode out, the county magistrate looked at the prisoner being tortured, noticing that the way the prisoner had been arrested was rather strange.

More soldiers were deployed to patrol the city gates, but this man still tried to force his way through. After he was caught, he confessed to the existence of Madam Xie.

"Your Excellency," the county magistrate said, "shouldn't we have allowed the prefectural judge to arrest people?"

"What can you do?" The magistrate shook his head. "Inspector He isn't in Daming Prefecture. Who else can stand up against them?"

Unless He Tan suddenly returns to the city and appears before everyone, they can only watch.