Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 286: Nothing?

An hour later.

"boom!"

Lin Yangyang threw the cloud-patterned paper on the ground.

Lin Zhiqing then sat down to the side.

Lin Congyan glanced at the cloud-patterned paper on the ground, then at his wife beside him, his brows furrowed.

"Suihe, what's going on?"

Fourth Aunt's name is Zheng Suihe.

Zheng Suihe looked at the cloud-patterned paper on the ground, then at Lin Zhiqing, feeling somewhat uneasy.

"Zhiqing, did this maid offend you?"

"A collision? Her crimes are far more serious than that." Lin Yangyang couldn't hold back any longer:
"Fourth Aunt, do you know that this girl overheard my sister and the others talking, and may even have committed a heinous crime of murder!"

"Murder? How could that be?" Zheng Suihe's legs went weak with fear, and she was about to fall over.

Lin Congyan helped her up, patted the back of her hand, and turned to look at Lin Zhiqing:

"Zhiqing, you speak. Yangyang's speech is incoherent, I can't understand her."

Lin Yangyang said discontentedly, "Fourth Uncle, who are you calling incoherent..."

"Cousin." Lin Zhiqing tugged at Lin Yangyang's sleeve, and only spoke when she remained silent:
"Fourth Uncle, my cousin is furious, but speaking of the evil deeds Yun Jian has committed, I am also very angry."

She remained calm and sat upright, showing no signs of anger whatsoever.

But Lin Yangyang knew she was telling the truth.

Faced with the potential killer of Aunt Mu, Lin Zhiqing was bound to be unable to remain calm.

Lin Congyan was not a fool after all; there were not many people or things that could make Lin Zhiqing angry.

Combined with Lin Yangyang's previous claims that Yun Jian had committed murder, he quickly guessed some clues:
"Zhiqing, Aunt Mu had an accident a few days ago... Could it be related to this girl?"

"What?" Zheng Suihe suddenly grabbed Lin Congyan's hand tightly:

"Congyan, are you saying that Yunjian killed Aunt Mu? That girl has delicate skin and doesn't even dare to hold a knife normally, how could she kill someone?"

Even though she was scared, Zheng Suihe still found it hard to accept.

Lin Zhiqing sighed slightly: "Fourth Aunt, even if she didn't kill the person herself, there's a high probability that she was an accomplice."

"Zhiqing, explain the whole thing to me. If there's anything we can do to help, your fourth aunt and I will definitely cooperate with you." Lin Congyan's expression was solemn, clearly indicating that he understood the seriousness of the matter.

Zheng Suihe nodded: "This maid is usually very kind, but I don't have a good eye for people. Zhiqing, just tell me what you want to say."

She knew that Lin Zhiqing definitely suspected her.

Lin Zhiqing observed the expressions and actions of the two men, and it was clear that they seemed unaware of the situation.

She gave Lin Yangyang a look, and Lin Yangyang quickly began to vividly recount how they captured Yun Jian.

After hearing the whole story, Lin Congyan and Zheng Suihe's expressions became increasingly serious.

Clearly, this matter is not just about Aunt Mu's murder; it is also intertwined with recent major events involving the Lin family and the imperial court.

Yun Jian's actions were completely unlike anything a maid would do.

What's more, this maid is their daughter Lin Jingya's maid.

Their unusual identities immediately made them anxious.

The love of the parents is far-reaching.

Zheng Suihe disregarded everything else and couldn't help but take a step forward:
"Qing, is this matter related to Jingya?"

"Probably not," Lin Zhiqing said honestly. Mentioning Lin Jingya, Lin Zhiqing thought for a moment before choosing to reveal that Lin Jingya harbored feelings for Jiang Liuyun.

"Absurd!" Lin Congyan's face flushed red with anger. "That's her nominal brother-in-law!"

"Someone, prepare the carriage! I need to go to Bianliang!"

Lin Congyan was truly enraged. Zheng Suihe stood frozen in place, as if she had lost her soul.
"She's so foolish, Jingya is so foolish!"

"Fourth Uncle," Lin Zhiqing stopped him, "What's done is done. I've had Grandfather lock her up. I hope you won't blame me."

"What I want to emphasize is that my cousin is, after all, a young lady from a sheltered family, and it is not easy for her to interact with others."

"How could she have fallen for Jiang Liuyun, and how could she have listened to his instigation and been framed for murdering her cousin?"

"I don't believe it without someone guiding me."

"Everyone used to say that this maid was innocent and had not been involved in those sordid things, but now that I think about it, it's more accurate to say that this maid is clever."

"Not only did she distance herself from the situation beforehand, but she also managed to stay by Fourth Aunt's side. What's in it for her?"

Lin Zhiqing's question left the others speechless.

The Lin family was already extremely unstable. When Lin Congyan had his accident, a large number of servants scattered and fled.

Yun Jian was one of the few who insisted on staying.

When this matter was mentioned before, Zheng Suihe was only moved, but some things cannot stand up to scrutiny.

Once suspicion arises, it will flow endlessly like a river.

Zheng Suihe's mind was in turmoil, with more and more things popping into her head.

Noticing the unusual expression on her face, Lin Zhiqing asked, "Fourth Aunt, have you thought of something?"

"The reason I let this girl come with me was because she said she had an older sister who was seriously ill, and she had to go back to visit her once a month," Zheng Suihe replied.

“I suggested that the imperial physician go and treat her sister, but Yun Jian refused.”

Zheng Suihe looked as if she had done something wrong, her face filled with fear and unease.

"After my attempts to persuade her failed, I offered her a day off each month to go back and see her sister, but she refused, saying that she would only need to go back for two hours each month."

“That way, we won’t have to deduct her wages for that day, and she can go back to see her sister.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiqing and Lin Congyan both frowned, while Lin Yangyang seemed somewhat puzzled:
"Did you find anything?"

Lin Zhiqing remained silent, but Lin Congyan clenched his fists.
"According to the Lin family's rules, if someone takes a day off, it must be recorded, the reason must be stated, and the day's wages will be deducted."

"Did she betray the Lin family for money?" Lin Yangyang asked.

“That’s not what I meant,” Lin Zhiqing interjected. “The important thing is, where did she go?”

"If someone takes a day off, the housekeeper needs to verify that they went there, returned there, went there, and went there for a reason. All of these things must be recorded."

"But if it's only two hours, then there's no need to register. In other words, nobody will know where she went or what she did."

“If the records are missing, her whereabouts are hidden, and even if we investigate, we won’t find anything.”

"Inviting the imperial physician also requires a record, so she will absolutely not agree."

"That sister might just be a complete fabrication."

Zheng Suihe clearly understood this as well; as if she had remembered something, she quickly spoke:
“I only thought she was a nice person because she often accompanied me, and I didn’t guard against her.”

“Once, I acquired a new medicinal herb. Yun Jian left quickly, so I sent someone to chase after her, intending to give her the herb.”

"But when the person who went out to chase after her came back, he said that she had gone to a strange place."

Lin Yangyang immediately became interested: "What strange place?"

Zheng Suihe recalled for a moment before speaking: "The gambling den, Zixiaofang in the East Market."