Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 5 Three Generations of Court Officials
Looking at his mother, Xu, who was covered in dust from her journey, Zhou Zhao felt a pang of sadness in his palms.

She quietly wrapped the bamboo slip even more securely and carried it on her back.

Having already suffered the pain of losing a son once, how could she bear to let her see the relics stained with her brother's blood again and cause her to suffer that pain once more?

How could he bear to tell her that if the memorial text that appeared out of nowhere was real, she would die in Tianying City a month later?

The mother is about to bury her son once again.

"When did you return to Chang'an? Did things go smoothly?"

Xu did not answer these questions, but stared intently at Zhou Zhao's neck. "You're injured? Chang Zuoping tortured you? How did you get arrested as a murderer?"

Zhou Zhao was taken aback; she had forgotten about that.

She gave an awkward laugh, then raised her chin and said confidently, "In this Chang'an city, besides myself, who can hurt me?"

"The victim had been stabbed in the throat. I was gesturing and trying to figure out the angle at which the murderer stabbed him, and for a moment I forgot all about myself."

"It's just recording a confession at the Court of Justice. How could it be as strange as the Northern Army said? Mother, look at me, I'm perfectly fine."

Xu looked at Zhou Zhao suspiciously, but then remembered how Zhou Zhao would go crazy when she was thinking about cases, and finally believed her.

She reached out and tenderly touched the top of Zhou Zhao's head.

"We had just arrived at the gate of the mansion when we met Zhu Li, a young general of the Northern Army who had come to deliver a message. Mother immediately turned the carriage around and came over."

Zhou Zhao felt a warmth in his heart. He helped his mother, Madam Xu, onto the carriage, and then jumped on himself.

"Your second sister is coming too, but I don't allow her to."

As Xu spoke, she glanced at Zhou Zhao with some shame.

"Don't blame your father for what he said. He hasn't figured out how to meet these old friends yet."

He's very worried about you.

Zhou Zhao lowered his eyes and didn't respond to the question.

"Mother, who did you ultimately choose to adopt?"

The carriage fell silent for a moment before Xu Shi finally spoke, "I've chosen Cheng'an from your third uncle's family."

“Your father tested the knowledge of the other brothers from the same branch of the family, and Cheng’an came out on top. Moreover, he is kind and easy to get along with. After discussing it, we chose him. We have already opened an ancestral hall and included him in the family genealogy.”

“He is a bit older than you, so you can call him Second Brother from now on.”

"Don't blame your father... He always thought that three generations of the Zhou family could serve as Minister of Justice."

Zhou Zhao noticed Xu's worried expression, shook her head, and comforted her, "Why should I blame him? Mother, it's enough that you don't blame him."

Zhou Buhai and Xu Shi were childhood sweethearts, and after they got married, they had three daughters and one son.

The eldest daughter, Zhou Xuan, was already married; the second daughter was named Zhou Wan; and the third daughter was Zhou Zhao; while Zhou Yan was their only son.

The Zhou family has had two generations in charge of the Court of Justice. Zhou Yan was originally a man of both virtue and talent, and even His Majesty praised him highly. Given time, he would surely become the third Minister of Justice in the Zhou family.

But then again, four years ago, in the tragic Shanming Changyang massacre, Zhou Yan was tragically murdered…

Zhou Buhai was dejected for a long time, until this year when he finally listened to the advice of Old Madam Zhou and decided to adopt someone from a collateral branch.

Unfortunately, with a genius like Zhou Yan, it's already a huge disaster for the Zhou family to produce one; how could they possibly produce a second one?
"I hope Father didn't bet on the wrong horse this time, and that Zhou Cheng'an will truly have a bright future."

As Zhou Zhao spoke, he raised an eyebrow and turned to look out the window.

The night wind blew, making Zhou Zhao's hair fly wildly. She tilted her head, seemingly lost in thought.

Xu looked at the black hair ribbon that was fluttering haphazardly in her hair, and reached out to press it down, but the four characters "No Taboos" on it seemed like an unyielding rebellious spirit that couldn't be suppressed, flying straight towards the roof of the carriage. Just like Zhou Zhao herself.

"Ah Zhao, your mother only hopes that you will be safe and well, and that you will live a good life."

Zhou Zhao turned around, smiled at Xu Shi, and raised her arm. She had a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes, and when she smiled, they sparkled with an air of arrogance.

"Didn't I tell Mother before? In this entire Chang'an city, who could possibly harm me?"

"When I'm old, I still want to eat the lotus seed soup my mother makes for me! The kind with the lotus hearts removed and red beans added and chilled..."

Perhaps thinking of that scene, Xu's somewhat troubled face suddenly relaxed.

She reached out and poked Zhou Zhao's forehead with her finger. "You child, you're just talking nonsense! When you get old, your mother will be long gone. Then your husband... or your second sister, will cook it for you. She's a good cook."

Zhou Zhao smiled and nodded.

Since Zhou Yan passed away four years ago, the greatest wish of his mother, Xu, has been for a black-haired person to bury an white-haired one.

The Zhou family and the Court of Justice were located in the same neighborhood. Although they were not far apart, it was already late at night when the carriage arrived at the mansion.

The candlelight flickered in the mansion, and from a distance, Zhou Zhao could see his father, Zhou Buhai, dozing off, propping his head up against the table.

The long journey over the past few days had left his eyes with dark circles and his chin covered in stubble, making him look like a wild man from the mountains.

Beside him, a young man dressed in blue was kneeling.

He stood tall and straight, holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand. Hearing Zhou Zhao's footsteps, he stood up somewhat awkwardly.

He hesitated for a moment, then greeted her respectfully, "Mother, Third Sister..."

Zhou Zhao was no stranger to Zhou Cheng'an; she had met this cousin from her third uncle's family when she returned to her hometown for the Spring Festival before.

She nodded and quietly returned the greeting, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Father and Second Brother."

Zhou Buhai had already woken up. He stood up and shook his head. Despite being born a civil official, he was exceptionally strong, as if he could kill a bull with a single punch.

In the past, when Zhou Buhai interrogated criminals at the Court of Justice, he could terrify them with just a glance.

Zhou Zhao's phoenix eyes are just like his.

Zhou Buhai opened his mouth as if he had a lot to say, but what came out of his mouth was a stiff "Get some rest."

Zhou Zhao nodded, said nothing more, cupped his hands in farewell, and left.

As soon as she returned to the courtyard, she slammed the door shut, not bothering to change her shoes which were covered in red mud. She threw the blue bundle on the table and quickly took out the bamboo slips and spread them out...

Although she had already expected that the bamboo slips would be empty, she still couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Zhou Zhao knelt blankly in front of the table, carefully recalling the "Letter to My Deceased Wife".

This is definitely not a dream.

She actually saw words appear out of thin air on the bamboo slips.

Although I didn't have time to read it all, it was clearly Su Changying's handwriting; it must have been a eulogy he wrote in memory of Zhou Zhao.

This at least proves that Su Changying is not dead.

As Zhou Zhao thought about it, his hands, which were resting on his lap, trembled with excitement.

But if Su Changying hadn't died, why didn't he return to Chang'an?

Why didn't you come back and tell her what exactly happened at Shanming Villa that day?
Who killed her brother, Zhou Yan?

(End of this chapter)