Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 20 Congratulations
The two lawyers looked at each other, then turned their gaze to Yang Mingjing, but Xie Yuyan blocked Yang Mingjing's view.

"Please speak freely," Xie Yuyan said. "Everyone in the house is family, and we will never reveal anything to anyone."

“Yes, it is,” said one of the lawyers, Liu Zhi, who felt it was alright to say something, “but it was never submitted to the yamen and was left unresolved.”

Xie Yuyan asked, "Is it also related to human trafficking?"

Liu Zhi shook his head: "No, that's not it." But he refused to continue.

Xie Yuyan pondered for a moment: "If Scholar Liu is unwilling to say, then I will not ask."

Xie Yuyan's expression clearly showed that he had misunderstood his words.

Liu Zhi hurriedly explained in a low voice, "It really has nothing to do with human trafficking. I'm sure Master Yang Er knows about this case. It's about Han Tong from Han Family Village, who led a group of bandits to rob merchants. Later, the government set up an ambush and killed Han Tong and his gang."

Yang Mingjing said, "This case is related to the Xie family..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xie Yuyan interrupted him: "Second Uncle knows about this matter, but he certainly doesn't know the inside story as well as Scholar Liu. Why don't we listen to Scholar Liu continue?"

Yang Mingjing frowned. He wanted to say that the Xie family had nothing to do with the case, but he was interrupted by Xie Yuyan and now he couldn't find a topic to bring up.

Before Yang Mingjing could come up with a solution, Liu Zhi's voice rang out again.

"That group of people were not mountain bandits at all, but local militia. They took advantage of their garrison post to pretend to be mountain bandits. When the government came to investigate, they hid in the army. Before being caught by the government, they had just robbed a lot of goods, so they were caught red-handed."

“A few days after Han Tong died, his wife came to me, wanting to write a petition to clear Han Tong’s name, saying that Han Tong had been wronged.”

As Liu Zhi finished speaking, he picked up his tea and took a sip.

“Han Tong was killed by the government officials,” Liu Zhi said. “Who would you sue in your complaint? Besides, with the evidence and the perpetrator caught red-handed, what else is there to say?”

"Before Han Tong and his group were captured, many people knew that there was a band of mountain bandits in the mountains who often came and went without a trace. Chenyao Village, north of the city, was robbed by this band of mountain bandits. The men in the village were killed, many women were kidnapped, and the rest were the old, weak, sick and disabled."

"Is this something the government office could fabricate?"

Xie Yuyan said, "So, Scholar Liu didn't write a complaint to the Han family?"

Liu Zhi shook his head: "I wrote it. At first, I wanted to send them away, but they just wouldn't leave. I just opened a bookstore and do writing for others, so I really couldn't refuse and had to agree."

"Did the Han family really sue the government?" another lawyer asked.

Liu Zhi looked at Xie Yuyan, which was why he brought up the case at this time.

Xie Yuyan said, "The Han family is suing the Xie family."

Liu Zhi nodded: "The Han family said that the Xie family and the deputy commander of the Xiang Army framed Han Tong and others. But it was just talk, and there was no evidence. Going to the yamen would be useless. I wrote the complaint according to their instructions, but I don't know why, they took the complaint but didn't go to the yamen."

Xie Yuyan pondered for a moment: "Liu Xiucai mentioned this case because he found some similarities with my case?"

Liu Zhi subconsciously lowered his voice: "That kidnapper is called Jiao Da. He used to be a member of the local militia, and Jiao Da knows Master Xie. Once, Master Xie won money at a gambling den, and the man who lost money wanted to take revenge at night. Jiao Da caught him, and the group ended up at the yamen."

Lawyers have frequent dealings with government offices and hear about many cases. Suddenly, these thoughts came to mind, and they blurted them out.

Xie Yuyan had heard about the Xiang Army soldiers pretending to be mountain bandits to plunder in his previous life. Merchants who wanted to travel smoothly on trade routes had to bribe the Xiang Army generals stationed there, which gradually led to collusion between officials and merchants.

He Tan and Wang Hechun came to Daming Prefecture to thoroughly investigate the military's business dealings. Together, they reorganized the local militia near Daming Prefecture, implicating a number of military officers and completely rejuvenating the militia in the Northwest. He Tan also gained a reputation in the Northwest.

Compared to those military generals, the Xie family, being merchants, was really nothing special. Therefore, Xie Yuyan, who later rose to power, did not find any records about the Xie family in his works.

Given the current situation, Xie Yuyan connected these events and deduced that the Xie family was inextricably linked to those military generals.

Perhaps He Tan and Wang Hechun had also investigated the Xie family in their previous lives, but her "resurrection" exposed the Xie family to them sooner. If used properly, it could allow them to obtain evidence of the military officers' collusion with merchants more quickly.

Xie Yuyan had little interest in investigating the case. Whether she was there or not, He Tan and Wang Hechun could find out everything. What she needed to do was to get what she wanted within the current circumstances.

The situation in the Northwest is about to change. Some people will be taken down, while others will rise to prominence. She wants to be one of those who rise to prominence and accumulate her own capital, which is why she entered this game.

As long as she could help, she would naturally receive protection from He Tan and Wang Hechun. Perhaps in the future, she could even become an important witness, and having established a relationship with these two would give her a foothold in Daming Prefecture and even the Northwest. Having lived an extra lifetime, Xie Yuyan knew all too well how to leverage power.

“Perhaps Jiao Da is the one who slipped through the net in Han Tong’s case,” Xie Yuyan said. “I, like those people in Chenyao Village, was harmed by them.”

After saying this, Xie Yuyan seemed to be thinking about something and took two steps forward: "So, Jiao Da may have been acting on the orders of the Xie family, and it wasn't that the Xie family bought the body through the midwife. Perhaps giving the midwife money was just a cover. If this is true, the Xie family is also involved in Han Tong's case. Jiao Da is not the only one who escaped the net, but also the Xie family."

“If these things are investigated and clarified,” Xie Yuyan turned to Yang Mingjing with delight, “it will prove that our Yang family has nothing to do with this matter, and Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt will be exonerated.”

"Second Uncle, look... Scholar Liu also made the same guess, exactly the same as what you said yesterday."

Yang Mingjing was pondering Liu Zhi's words when Xie Yuyan suddenly brought him up, startling him. He knew he couldn't get involved in the Xie family's case, and instinctively glared at her, saying, "When did I say any of that?"

Xie Yuyan seemed startled by Yang Mingjing's words and hurriedly changed her tune: "No, Second Uncle didn't say that."

The atmosphere in the room became tense.

The two lawyers' expressions changed simultaneously.

Liu Zhi realized he had said the wrong thing.

Xie Yuyan said, "Neither of you said anything today... Second Uncle... didn't mean anything else... It's better not to let others know some things."

Cold sweat beaded on Liu Zhi's forehead, and he felt a pang of regret. He didn't know what had gotten into him; he had unknowingly said so much...

Yang Mingjing was still angry and wanted to clarify again, but he didn't notice that Xie Yuyan had stepped aside, and his gaze met Liu Zhi's directly.

Liu Zhi was filled with trepidation. He ran straight into Yang Mingjing's murderous gaze and, in a panic, stood up, wishing he could leave the Yang family immediately.

Upon seeing this, Yang Mingjing clenched his fists. He suddenly realized that no matter how he explained, the two lawyers in front of him would not believe him.

"Second Uncle, Scholar Liu," Xie Yuyan stepped in to help the two out of the predicament, "What happened in the room today will never be heard from outside, neither the government nor the Xie family will know."

“Yes, yes,” another lawyer hurriedly chimed in, “I didn’t hear anything, Master Yang, Brother Liu, don’t worry.”

It's over. Yang Mingjing seemed to hear a loud bang, as if surging blood and qi rushed into his brain and exploded, instantly scattering his mind and leaving him unable to think.

Even if he went to the Xie family now, he probably wouldn't be able to explain himself clearly. The Xie family would never believe that he was framed by the Xie family and that he had never secretly plotted against them.

Xie Yuyan, understanding the situation, said, "I will see the two lawyers out and will definitely find another opportunity to invite them to visit."

Liu Zhiru was granted a general amnesty and hurriedly took his leave.

Xie Yuyan led the two toward the door. Just as they were about to step out of the house, Xie Yuyan said, "In the next few days, lawyers will continue to come to the Yang family's door."

“I know that lawyers also discuss cases. The more this case is discussed, the more speculations will arise. Since so many people are talking about it, it’s not impossible that someone will say something about the Xie family.”

"With so many lawyers and so many people, the Xie family probably can't figure out who said those things. They can't possibly hold all the lawyers in Daming Prefecture accountable."

"Don't you two agree with this?"

Liu Zhi's eyes lit up. This was a strange case in itself, and it was only natural that many people would talk about it. Everyone in the streets and alleys was discussing it, and even if the Xie family wanted revenge, they couldn't find the real culprit.

Thinking of this, Liu Zhi bowed to Xie Yuyan and said, "Then we'll go back first. If you have any further instructions, just send someone to look for us." He needed to go back immediately and spread the word about this case, so that people in every street and alley would be talking about it, and that way they would be safe.

Watching the two lawyers leave, Xie Yuyan turned and went back into the house.

Yang Mingjing, who was inside the room, also came to his senses, and his expression became even more ferocious: "Xie, how dare you frame me like this."

"Didn't Second Uncle also harm me?" Xie Yuyan's face darkened. "The Yang family almost buried me alive. Does Second Uncle think I would repay evil with kindness?"

“You…” Yang Mingjing suddenly stood up. He wished he could immediately put Xie Shi into a coffin, fill the hole with soil himself, and bury her forever underground.

“However, I truly repaid evil with kindness this time,” Xie Yuyan said. “Congratulations, Second Uncle, on soon obtaining the position of Deputy Envoy of the Ward.”

(End of this chapter)