I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 378 Abandonment
The Yang family steward silently retreated into the crowd.

Min Zhuang glanced back at the yamen runner, who quietly left, only to be tripped by someone and fall to the ground.

Min Zhuang's heart sank. He glanced at the crowd, but all he saw were ordinary people; he couldn't find the person hiding in the shadows.

Min Zhuang spoke first, "Where is the body?"

"Sir, the corpse won't run away. Let's hear the people's grievances first!"

Are there still survivors? Min Zhuang frowned slightly. "Who wishes to plead their case to this official?"

Yu Nu pushed away the woman who was helping her up, took two quick steps, and knelt at the feet of Min Zhuang. "I beg you, sir, to do me justice! Ming Jing invited me onto the pleasure boat under the pretext of listening to me play the pipa, but who knew," Yu Nu took off her outer garment, revealing her body covered in wounds, "Ming Jing is a beast in human form, using all sorts of means to humiliate me. If I hadn't been lucky, I would have died at the hands of this beast last night!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Ming Jing, looking disheveled, was shoved by a group of men in front of Min Zhuang.

Min Zhuang felt a wave of dizziness. Why was Ming Jing involved in this? And in such a disgraceful way?
No, he has to find a way to extricate Ming Jing from this predicament.

Min Zhuang opened her mouth to speak, but then heard Yu Nu say, "Last night, Ming Jing told me personally that I was not the only woman he had abused and humiliated!"

Min Zhuang's vision went black again. He almost couldn't suppress the urge to beat Ming Jing to death. This kind of thing should be kept to himself. Why did he have to go around telling everyone?
The people were outraged.

"What? This isn't the first time this beast has done something like this?"

"Oh dear, whose daughter is so unlucky! Sir, you must do justice for those girls!"

Min Zhuang bit his tongue, the sharp pain bringing a moment of clarity to his mind. "Ming Jing, do you plead guilty?"

Ming Jing raised his head, "I don't admit it!"

"With witnesses right here, do you still dare to deny it?"

"May I ask, sir, is there any law in the Great Yu Dynasty that states that servants are the property of their masters and can be beaten and scolded at will?"

Min Zhuang nodded, "There is such a law."

"Then what's wrong with me disciplining my own servants?"

Min Zhuang was taken aback, and asked what everyone was thinking, "She's your servant?"

"That's right, I've already bought Yu Nu from Qing Yan Fang."

Min Zhuang felt relieved and said, "Summon Qing Yanfang, the head of the department."

The constable obeyed and left, returning a moment later with a woman. "I am Mei Niang, the head of Qingyan Pavilion. Greetings, Your Excellency!"

"I ask you, is it true that Mingjing said he bought this woman's indenture from Qingyanfang?"

Mei Niang shook her head, "Yu Nu's indenture is still in my hands."

Ming Jing's expression changed. "Nonsense! That indenture is clearly..." Ming Jing stopped abruptly.

Min Zhuang clenched his fingers. "Where is the indenture?"

Mei Niang took out a piece of paper from her bosom, and Min Zhuang took it and saw that it was indeed Yu Nu's indenture.

Min Zhuang closed his eyes briefly. "The evidence and witnesses are all there. Ming Jing, what else do you have to say?"

How could this happen? Didn't Yang An say that everything was arranged properly? How could such a mistake still occur?

Ming Jing looked panicked, frantically searching for the Yang family steward in the crowd. The Yang family steward's expression changed, and he lowered his head, turned around, and hurriedly left.

"Please, Your Excellency, do justice for Yu Nu!" Mei Niang kowtowed to Min Zhuang. "Although Yu Nu sold herself to Qing Yan Fang, I have always treated her as my own daughter. Yu Nu is also very ambitious and has become famous on the Wusong River. I promise Yu Nu that as long as she earns 10,000 taels of silver, I will return her indenture to her."

"Yesterday, the steward of the Yang family came to my door and asked Yu Nu to play the pipa. Because the price he offered was high, I agreed. Who knew that Yu Nu did not return home last night? I was very anxious, but I did not dare to go to the Yang family to ask. It was not until this morning when the yamen runners came to my door that I learned the reason."

"Nonsense!" Ming Jing said without trying to hide anything when Mei Niang implicated the Yang family. "The Yang family has clearly bought Yu Nu and given her to me. My lord, I demand that the Yang family steward be summoned for a public confrontation!"

Seeing that the Yang family had been dragged into this, Min Zhuang was at a loss for what to do when Yang An led his family over and bowed to Min Zhuang.

Min Zhuang nodded. "Ming Jing said that the steward of the Yang family went to Qingyan Pavilion to buy Yunu. Is that true?"

“Your Excellency, this is a false accusation,” Yang An shook his head. “The steward of the Yang family only went to Qingyan Pavilion to invite Miss Yu Nu to play a song; he did not buy her indenture.”

Ming Jing was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage, "Yang An, what did you say?"

Yang An turned around and said, "Mr. Ming'an, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. You said that the Yang family steward sent someone to buy Yu Nu's indenture and give it to you. Do you have any evidence?"

Ming Jing's lips trembled. This kind of thing had always been done privately by the Yang family, and he had always been very at ease. Where was there any evidence?
"Even if what you say is true, that the Yang family bought Yu Nu's indenture, did the Yang family order you to abuse Yu Nu?"

Yang An flicked his sleeves and said, "The Yang family has passed down the tradition of poetry, books, and etiquette. Whether they are noble families or commoners, they are all treated with courtesy. Even if the servants in the family make mistakes, they are never overly harsh!"

"How dare you use such methods to bully a weak woman? Do you even deserve to be called a gentleman or a human being?"

Ming Jing opened his mouth to curse, but when he saw the murderous intent flashing in Yang An's eyes, he immediately trembled.

The Yang family is planning to abandon him.

On what grounds? How much has he done for the Yang family over the years? Why should the Yang family just abandon him like that?
Since the Yang family is so heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless!

Ming Jing opened his mouth to reveal the sordid affairs of the Yang family that he knew, when he saw the steward behind Yang An take out a gold lock inlaid with jade from his pocket.

Ming Jing's eyes flickered; that gold lock was a gift he had given to his grandson, who had just turned one year old.

The steward of the Yang family held the golden lock in his palm.

Mingjing closed his eyes and after a long while said, "It was me. I like to listen to pipa music, so I asked Master Yang to invite Yu Nu here. Who knew that the wretch was not good at serving and angered me. I was so angry that I taught her a lesson."

Yang An felt a weight lifted from his heart.

Sneers rose from the crowd, "Isn't Mr. Ming'an a great scholar? What kind of skill is it to bully a weak woman?"

Hearing the ridicule and curses of those around him, Ming Jing clenched his fists and tightly closed his eyes.

Min Zhuang said, "Alright, now that things are clear, let's disperse!" He looked at Yang An, "As for the corpses on the pleasure boat..."

Yang An bowed and said, "My men went to identify them, and they were all servants of the Yang family."

Since they were not law-abiding citizens, they were not within the scope of the government's responsibilities. Min Zhuang was happy to avoid another trouble, only reminding them, "After all, it's a few lives. The sooner we find out, the better, so that we can give their families an explanation."

"Rest assured, Your Excellency, I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly," Yang An bowed deeply to the people present. "Today's incident was caused by the negligence of the Yang family's steward, which has disturbed you all. Please forgive me."

The simple, honest people waved their hands, saying, "Sir, there's no need for that. The Yang family has suffered an undeserved calamity."

Amidst the words of comfort, a voice suddenly spoke up, "I've heard that Mr. Hongru and Mr. Ming'an are close friends. I wonder if Mr. Hongru and Mr. Ming'an share the same ideals?"