Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 283: Throwing bricks to attract others
Upon hearing this, the expressions on the faces of those below were quite interesting.

They looked at each other, not daring to reply.

Seeing this, Lin Zhiqing frowned slightly.

Lin Yangyang snorted coldly: "I thought you were all gentlemen, how dare you question us about why we've locked you up?"

"I'm not as easy to talk to as my sister Qing. Now you'd better confess what you've done!"

"Have you gotten into any trouble lately, or taken anything you shouldn't have?"

As she spoke, she slung her large knife over her shoulder, the threat quite obvious.

Upon seeing this, the maid who had just admitted to stealing food suddenly fell to the ground and scrambled forward to beg for forgiveness.

"Qing-meimei only taught me how to intimidate them, not how to deal with this kind of thing..." Lin Yangyang licked her lips.

At the crucial moment, Lin Zhiqing spoke up:
“Thieves should have their faces tattooed and be punished with whipping depending on the severity of the offense. Since you have taken the initiative to admit your mistake, you will be exempted from punishment and will spend a month in the laundry room.”

This sudden, unexpected move—picking something up high and then gently putting it down—caught everyone off guard.

But Lin Zhiqing herself knew very well that this was bait she had thrown out.

Giving this young maid a lenient punishment would cause people to waver.

Taking the initiative to plead guilty can lead to a lighter punishment, but what will happen if one stubbornly hides the truth?

Lin Yangyang understood Lin Zhiqing's meaning and immediately placed the broadsword on the ground:

“My sister Qing is kind-hearted, but I am not a good person. If you still want to hide it, my knife will probably be stained with blood today.”

Upon hearing this, those below couldn't help but shrink back.

That broadsword was Lin Yangyang's signature weapon; it was heavy, large, and extremely sharp.

The knife, combined with Lin Yangyang's menacing appearance, was truly frightening.

Looking again, Lin Zhiqing, sitting next to her, seemed serene and content.

Even a fool knows what to choose!
After a brief silence, some people couldn't hold back any longer.

"Miss Zhiqing, I shouldn't have been associating with the Fourth Madam's maid in private. Please have mercy on me, Miss!" The servant who had been most dissatisfied with Lin Zhiqing just moments before dropped a bombshell.

In the Great Sheng Dynasty, maids and servants were considered the private property of their masters, and the right to marry them belonged to the master.

To visit someone privately is to transgress the Lord's rules, which is adultery and a grave mistake.

With one person leading the group, everyone else rushed forward to apologize, and the scene immediately descended into chaos.

"Miss, I shouldn't have kept the books. I just wanted to learn to read."

"Miss Zhiqing, I was wrong. I shouldn't have skimped on the servants' food. Please forgive me!"

“Miss, I shouldn’t have taken what belongs to others, but I found the beads so exquisite that I was tempted. I know I was wrong.”

……

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang narrowed their eyes and looked at a maid in red kneeling at the very back.

"Silence!" Lin Yangyang picked up the knife handle and tapped it on the ground.

Then, she pointed at the woman in red and said, "You, come with me. The rest of you wait here. If anyone tries to play any tricks, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Asagao, you stay here and watch over them."

Asagao nodded.

The maid in red was even more terrified; she walked with a trembling gait.

Lin Yangyang couldn't stand it anymore, so she grabbed the person and followed Lin Zhiqing into the inner room.

After entering the inner room, Lin Yangyang had just put down the maid when the maid knelt on the ground again, wanting to beg for forgiveness.

"Stop!" Lin Zhiqing frowned. "Where did you find your beads?" "In the garden!" the maid answered without hesitation.
"A few days ago, it was my turn to be on duty in the garden. While I was cleaning, I found that bead, and then I had a wicked idea. Please forgive me, Miss!"

"To be more specific, in which direction is the garden?" Lin Zhiqing asked calmly.

The maidservant recalled the events in her mind and quickly spoke again:
"In the grass along the path not far from the artificial hill."

Upon hearing the words "artificial hill," Lin Yangyang's eyes lit up, and she looked at Lin Zhiqing.

Lin Zhiqing frowned slightly: "At what time did you find it?"

Her gaze, seemingly casual, was actually incredibly oppressive, causing the maid to unconsciously begin to tense up.
"Miss... I don't quite remember."

She looked like she was about to cry when she said that.

But Lin Zhiqing had her own judgment.

According to psychology, if someone can answer a question fluently, it usually means that they are prepared, meaning they have prepared a lie beforehand.

The maid's speech was incoherent, and it was indeed difficult to get her to give a specific time.

But Lin Zhiqing did gain something; at least she knew the maid wasn't lying.

If the bead she found was the one that tripped Asagao, then they would have evidence.

Moreover, the maid's words matched Chaoyan's experience. Excluding the maid herself, they still needed to find the true owner of the bead in order to follow the clues and find the murderer.

Thinking of all this, Lin Zhiqing spoke again:
Where is that bead now?

The maid dared not hide the truth: "It's kept under the bedding in my room, and I've always kept it safe."

Lin Zhiqing gave Lin Yangyang a wink.

Lin Yangyang understood and left the room.

The maid knew that Lin Yangyang had gone to retrieve the pearl.

Having committed such a terrible crime, she didn't dare to lift her head.

Only when Lin Yangyang returned and placed a bead in front of her for her to identify did she dare to look up:

"Miss Yangyang, this is it."

Lin Yangyang then held the bead in front of Lin Zhiqing.

Lin Zhiqing picked up the pure white bead and examined it. He quickly confirmed that the bead was indeed the culprit that caused Chaoyan to fall.

Because one side of the bead is smooth, although it is not very clear, it is much better than the side that is covered with mottled scratches.

When the morning glory steps on the beads, the friction between the beads and the stone pavement increases, which is why these scratches are left.

This is not a valuable item.

Seeing that Lin Zhiqing remained silent, the maid's panic intensified, and she kowtowed repeatedly.

"Miss, I have always been dutiful, but this one time I was overcome by greed. I beg you to be lenient with me, and I will surely repay you!"

"Repay me? How do you want to repay me?" Lin Zhiqing put the beads away, a warm smile appearing on his face.

The maid was stunned. Lin Zhiqing actually agreed?
Before she could even think, she blurted out, "Miss, I'm willing to do anything for you, even die a thousand deaths!"

Lin Zhiqing's smile grew even brighter: "I don't need to die, but I do need your help with something."

"First of all, you are not allowed to tell anyone about what happened tonight."

"Secondly, if you know any of the gossipy old women in the household, tell them that you think you saw something that looked like beads in the garden while you were cleaning."

"Finally, you need to make a list of the people who deliberately approached you because of this bead. Can you do that?"

The maid nodded without hesitation: "Yes!"