Di Ming

Chapter 129 Let's Gossip!

When Pharmacist Chen saw the child appear with a beaming smile, it was as if he had seen a ghost.

Jin Yunniang sneered, "You surnamed Chen, do you think I'm easy to fool? When I was seven years old, I was tricked out of two fish, so I learned my lesson long ago."

"You bitch! You lied to me!" Pharmacist Chen roared in fury. "You big-footed slut, you filthy bitch!"

Damn it, he actually got tricked by a woman.

He had barely uttered a couple of curses when he was subdued by a pair of large hands, like an eagle catching a chick, and could no longer move.

Once Lancha made his move, this scholarly and frail man had absolutely no chance to resist.

“Yunniang,” Zhu Yin said, “he just cursed at you.”

Jin Yunniang stepped forward and slapped Chen Yaoshi hard across the face.

With a "smack," a handprint appeared on Pharmacist Chen's handsome face.

Pharmacist Chen glared at Jin Yunniang with resentment, wishing he could devour her whole.

"You're still glaring at me?" Jin Yunniang was also furious. She started slapping Chen Yaoshi's originally handsome face into a pig's head, completely ruining his previous demeanor.
Zhu Yin laughed, "The fisherwoman's hand is really strong. Yunniang has been casting nets and steering the boat since she was a child, so she's quite strong. That slap was well done."

After slapping Zhu Yin enough times, Jin Yunniang retreated behind him.

Zhu Yin sat down on the bluestone millstone and felt a little cold on his bottom, but he didn't care.

Under the cold light, Zhu Yin's face looked somewhat sinister.

"You are the good-for-nothing second son of Chen Gui, a medicine merchant in this county," Zhu Yin said in a cold tone. "Your father hopes you will become a pharmacist and manage the family's medicine garden and pharmacy."

"But you stole from your concubine, and even tried to poison your father and brother to inherit the family business, only to be kicked out of the Chen family by your father and left to fend for yourself, right?"

Upon hearing this, Pharmacist Chen trembled all over, "You, you..."

Zhu Yin looked at him indifferently, as if he were already dead. "A person like you would even poison his own family. You are worse than a beast and deserve to die. Now, for some silver, you dare to plot against me."

"I'm worse than a beast?" Pharmacist Chen, his face swollen like a pig's head, chuckled bitterly. "That old man and his eldest son are the ones who are worse than beasts!"

"They made fake medicine that killed people, and then made my mother the scapegoat, leaving her with unresolved grievances in her death. They even went back on their word, refusing to give me any of their several medicinal herb gardens, treating me like a thief! The Chen family is incredibly wealthy, yet they only give me twenty taels a month for expenses, they deserve to die!"

“What’s wrong with me poisoning them! He kicked me out of the house and showed no fatherly affection whatsoever. He deserved it that I poisoned him before; I just regret that I didn’t succeed!”

Pharmacist Chen roared hysterically, filled with resentment.

Zhu Yin smiled slightly, "So, your father really deserved to die. The Chen family is the largest pharmaceutical merchant in Jiangning County. I heard they own eight medicinal herb plantations alone."

Pharmacist Chen, unaware of Zhu Yin's intentions, remarked, "Isn't that right? The Eight Great Herbal Medicine Estates have over fifty herbal medicine shops, including some in Japan, yet they won't give any to me!"

"Then your Chen family really is a major pharmaceutical merchant in Jiangnan," Zhu Yin said. "Your father also colluded with the Jesuits and Japanese pirates, plotting a rebellion. Did you know about this?"

"What?" Pharmacist Chen was taken aback. "Is that so? Really?"

He looked at Zhu Yin with a puzzled expression, and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

This child looks like a ghost!

Zhu Yin nodded. "Of course it's true. Would I lie to you? I'm not Yunniang."

At this point, he winked at Kangxi.

Kangxi immediately took out paper and pen, added ink, and placed them in front of Pharmacist Chen.

"What are you doing?" Pharmacist Chen asked.

Zhu Yin said, "Write down all the crimes your father and elder brother committed. Write them down carefully, and I will not kill you. I promise I will not lay a hand on you."

"Really?" Pharmacist Chen's expression brightened. "Are you serious? If you go back on your word, then I..."

Zhu Yin said, "If I break my promise, I will make the graves of my ancestor, Emperor Chengzu, be dug up."

Pharmacist Chen's expression changed. "You're actually a member of the royal family? No wonder..."

Zhu Yin nodded, "Of course. It's not too late for you to know now."

He sat cross-legged on the millstone, exuding an air of imperial nobility, his demeanor even more regal than that of the imperial family.

Pharmacist Chen immediately believed him. This was not only because of Zhu Yin's magnanimity, but also because very few people joke about their ancestors, and even fewer people randomly claim to be ancestors.

“Alright, what does the young master want me to write?” Pharmacist Chen asked, picking up his pen without hesitation.

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "Just write your father Chen Gui, and your brother Chen, Chen..."

"Chen Yun." Pharmacist Chen gritted his teeth.

"Yes, yes, Chen Yun." Zhu Yin slapped his forehead. "Chen Gui and his son Chen Yun colluded with foreign barbarians and Japanese pirates to organize an anti-Ming Esoteric sect and participated in detonating the Confucius Temple..."

"Furthermore, it should be written that Chen Gui sent medicine to the Japanese pirates, provided them with financial assistance, and even sent people to act as guides for them..."

Upon hearing this, Pharmacist Chen was momentarily dazed.

Is this really how it's supposed to be written? But the Chen family never did that. Isn't this just making something out of nothing?

His hand trembled slightly, and he couldn't put the pen down; he was very hesitant.

But when he looked up, he saw Zhu Yin grinning at him, and he couldn't help but tremble. He quickly and obediently began to write.

"Don't rush, write slowly," Zhu Yinqing said in a childish voice. "Write your characters neatly."

After finishing his writing, Pharmacist Chen wrote down the truly bad things that Chen Gui and his son Chen Yun had done.

For example, he repeatedly manufactured counterfeit medicine, made his own mother a scapegoat, killed a child prostitute, poisoned a pregnant nun who had committed adultery, and hired someone to kill the herbalist who led the riot...

Every single item was stained with blood. With each word he wrote, he was venting his deep-seated resentment towards his father and brothers.

He wasn't stupid. He knew that Zhu Yin had his eye on the Chen family's medicinal herb plantation, and that this child was a vicious and treacherous little wolf!

But so what? He'd rather the Chen family be destroyed!
As for Zhu Yin, we'll cooperate with him for now and then find a way to retaliate later.

Zhu Yin added, "Add the phrase 'putting righteousness before family ties'."

After he finished writing, Kangxi immediately handed him a box of inkpads.

Pharmacist Chen pressed his fingerprint to sign the document. Zhu Yin picked it up, looked at it, and laughed, "Good. Not bad, indeed, it's putting righteousness before family."

After saying that, he winked at Lancha.

Lancha immediately grabbed Pharmacist Chen, his face filled with murderous intent.

"Young master, you said you'd spare me and not lay a hand on me..." Pharmacist Chen was terrified.

Zhu Yin spread his hands, "I didn't lay a hand on you. I did spare you. I wasn't the one who did it."

Pharmacist Chen said in a trembling voice, "Didn't you want me to be a witness? If I die, who will be the witness?"

Zhu Yin laughed, "No need for that much trouble, physical evidence is enough. We don't need that much evidence this time. Hai Gong is gone."

Pharmacist Chen was both shocked and furious. Before he could beg for mercy, Lan Cha pressed his head down and slammed it hard against the millstone.

With a "thud," his head exploded.

Without uttering a sound, Pharmacist Chen lay dead on the spot.

“You’re committing suicide by hitting your head against a millstone.” Zhu Yin picked up a brush and, imitating Chen Yaoshi’s handwriting, wrote a suicide note.

The gist of the story is that he reported his father and brothers, and although he acted out of a sense of justice, he was still an unfilial son and could only atone for his sins with his death.

Imitation of handwriting was one of Zhu Yin's specialties, and his imitations were highly accurate.

Actually, it doesn't matter if the imitation isn't very accurate.

Because Hai Rui had already left Nanjing.

No one cares whether it's a case of injustice or not anymore.

Once the law is no longer upheld by those who take it seriously, it becomes a knife that the powerful can use at will.

For Zhu Yin, targeting the Chen family would be like killing two birds with one stone.

Originally, he only intended to kill Pharmacist Chen and had no intention of harming the Chen family. However, when he learned of the Chen family's misdeeds, he changed his mind.

They might as well raid the Chen family's property as well, and seize their medicinal herb garden and herb shop.

This is a gift he gave to Ning Qingchen. Qingchen will definitely like it.

Moreover, as a major pharmaceutical merchant in Jiangnan, the Chen family had medicinal herb shops in places like Japan, making them excellent overseas intelligence outposts.

Zhu Yin killed Pharmacist Chen before leaving the mill.

The autumn wind was bleak, and he gazed at the dark night sky, his eyes ashen.

The Wang family, and the unfortunate Chen family, will soon be wiped out.

What is wealth in the face of power? It's nothing but fish and meat!
Back at the red building, Ning Qingchen asked in her childish voice, "Little Tiger Brother, was the Chen family's herbal medicine shop prepared for me?"

Zhu Yin nodded. "Yes, who else would we give it to? Your sister and I aren't interested in herbs. Qingchen, you're going to be the owner of the herb garden."

Ning Qingchen smiled sweetly, "Really? You're such a nice person."

Zhu Yin patted her little head and mimicked her childish voice, "Of course."

Ning Qingchen opened her two tender, lotus-root-like arms and said, "Hug me."

.........

The Wang Family Courtyard.

The Wang brothers in the inner courtyard are still waiting for news.

In order to acquire the land of the Zhou family's villa as soon as possible, they did not hesitate to deal ruthlessly with Zhu Yin. Over the years, there have been few things the Wang family would not dare to do for profit.

Of all those fields, gold, silver, and shops, which ones are truly clean?
But so what?

Murder and arson bring wealth and honor. As long as you're not caught red-handed, you can do whatever you want without consequence.

At midnight, Ba Si entered the study with a grim expression, knelt down, and said:
"My lord, I have failed. The man I sent to set the fire has not returned, and there has been no news of Chen Ji, who was responsible for the poisoning."

What? You messed up?
The smiling tiger, Wang Chaoque, immediately stopped laughing.

The Wang brothers' faces immediately turned ashen.

How could they miss when the other side only had one child?

Damn piece of trash!
Ba Si didn't dare look at his lord's face, and said in a trembling voice:

"It's possible that the secret was leaked. That brat from the Zhu family must have been prepared in advance. The worst outcome is that the people I sent have fallen into his hands."

Wang, the registrar, had a grim expression. "He's just a ten-year-old child, how can he be so precocious?"

Ba Si was covered in cold sweat. "I underestimated this child. He can make Kong Jiulang disappear without a trace, whether alive or dead. He's no ordinary child."

Wang Chaoque narrowed his eyes and said in a low, eerie tone:

"You've really underestimated them. If that brat from the Zhu family were to hand them over to the authorities and his backer, Zhuang Tingjian, they would trace the clues back to you."

At this point, he gave his younger brother a wink.

Wang, the registrar, coughed and said, "You two talk, I'm going to sleep. I'll go see Zhuang Tingjian in person tomorrow; there are some things we can discuss."

After saying that, he stood up and walked out of the study.

He left his study and quickly summoned his trusted guards.

Inside the study, Ba Si knelt on the ground, suddenly kowtowed to Wang Chaoque, then took out a medicine bottle from his bosom and poured the entire bottle of medicine into his mouth.

"Old Ba, you..." Wang Chaoque never expected that Ba would take medicine.

Ba Si's face was ashen, and he kowtowed again, saying:

"My lord, I will certainly not implicate you. Even if Zhuang Tingjian finds out something, there will be no way to verify it. What can he do? Without key witnesses, he can't do anything to the Wang family."

Wang Chaoque was taken aback, opened his mouth, and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Ba Si said, "Fifteen years ago, I offended a powerful person and was stripped of my academic title, expelled from the county school, and never allowed to take the imperial examination again. At that time, I was abandoned by everyone, destitute, and survived by stealing offerings from the temple. Even a dog would be better off than me."

"It was our lord who took me in, providing me with a life of luxury for fifteen years, making me obedient and a trusted confidant. Unfortunately, I underestimated him for this last task and failed to complete it..."

At this point, he clutched his stomach, "I have no way to repay you, and I cannot implicate my lord. I can only atone with my death..."

“Ba Si!” Wang Chaoque couldn’t help but support Ba Si, tears welling up in his eyes, and said, “Why, why did you do this?”

Ba Si gritted his teeth, "I cannot put my lord in a difficult position. My lord is destined for great things, and this matter can only be resolved by me..."

Wang Chaoque sighed, "Brother, you could have gone far away, why did you do this?"

He rarely shed tears, but at this moment he couldn't help but cry. "A scholar will die for one who understands him, my lord, I'm going..." Ba Si had ingested too much poison; he convulsed a few times in agony and then died.

As Wang Chaojue watched his chief strategist, who had followed him for fifteen years, commit suicide by poison, he suddenly felt a little dazed.

Footsteps came from outside the door; it was Wang, the registrar, arriving with several trusted guards.

This was obviously someone who killed Ba Si to silence him.

"What happened?" When Wang, the registrar, came in and saw Ba Si's body, he was also taken aback.

Wang Chaoque sighed, "He committed suicide by poisoning himself. He was a smart man, a loyal and grateful person. What a pity, what a pity."

"Second brother, give him a proper burial tonight, and treat his wife well."

Registrar Wang nodded, "Don't worry, brother, I'll arrange it right away."

Soon, Ba Si's body was carried away.

"Brother, in my opinion, we should just go for it before dawn," said Wang, the registrar. "Send men to storm the Zhu family, kill them all to silence them, and then burn everything down."

Wang Chaoque shook his head. “It’s no use. The Zhu family brat must already know that it’s related to the Wang family. How can we not take precautions? If we make a big fuss, we won’t be able to keep it a secret, and it will be even more difficult to clean up the mess.”

"Besides, even if we send troops to force our way in... Gong Ji may not be reliable."

Wang, the registrar, said, "Really? Old Gong was once the chief constable of Jiangning. He was dismissed because he was framed. Back then, he was my subordinate. He is highly skilled in martial arts and conscientious in his work. This kind of person is the most reliable."

"My brother says he might not be reliable, but what evidence do you have?"

He was somewhat dissatisfied because Gong Ji was someone he had strongly recommended.

“I have no evidence,” Wang Chaoque said. “But as soon as he arrived, he said that the family soldiers were incompetent and that they should be eliminated and re-recruited and trained.”

"What's wrong with that?" Registrar Wang shook his head. "Old Gong is meticulous in his work. Back then, he would reject the patrolmen he didn't think much of and then recruit them again. But he is indeed a master at training soldiers."

Wang Chaoque said, "It was precisely because of your strong recommendation that I trusted him and delegated all authority to him. Otherwise, how could I feel at ease letting him replace his family troops? But now, the more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel. I don't have any evidence, but I'm just not at ease."

"Think about it, he hasn't been the chief constable for seven or eight years, right? In these seven or eight years, he hasn't been a government official. What has he been doing? What has he been eating?"

Wang, the registrar, was taken aback and couldn't help but frown.

He thought he knew Gong Ji well and was aware of his background, which was why he trusted him so much. But his elder brother was right; Gong Ji had been away from the government for seven or eight years after all, and it was hard to guarantee that things hadn't changed.

Wang Chaoque said, "By the time I realized something was wrong, he had already started training new servants, and they were very good at it, indeed better than the previous servants."

"Therefore, I could only remain wary and did not remove him from his position as coach for the time being. I hope I am just being paranoid."

"But since suspicions have not been dispelled, it is not advisable to let him participate in confidential matters. It is not too late to use him with confidence after he has been tested."

"In short, we can't take a hard line right now, or things will get out of control."

.........

The light in Wang Chaoque's study stayed on all night.

It wasn't until almost dawn that Wang Zhubu left Wang Chaoque's study, looking exhausted.

To prevent the situation from escalating, he should immediately go to the county government office to take charge.

But as soon as he stepped out of the inner courtyard, he saw several servants rushing out of the ceremonial gate, all of them looking terrified.

"Second Master! Something terrible has happened! A troop of soldiers and eunuchs have arrived outside, and they want us to open the gates immediately!"

what? !

Clerk Wang was startled. Who would dare?

"Go and report to the magistrate! I'll go take a look!" Wang, the registrar, arrived at the fortified compound and, seeing a troop of brightly armored soldiers outside the gate, shouted down from his elevated position:

"What are you going to do!"

Gong Ji, who was guarding the fortified village, said, "Secretary Wang, they say they are tracking down a fugitive and are demanding that the gates of the mansion be opened."

Almost simultaneously, a eunuch riding a tall horse said in a shrill voice:

"Open the gate immediately! We are ordered to search for the fugitive!"

"A fugitive?" Registrar Wang sneered. "My Wang family is a hereditary commander of the Imperial Guard! I am Wang Chaobi, the Registrar of Jiangning! The Wang family is an honest family, we have no fugitives, disperse now!"

How could he not see that the visitor had ill intentions?
"How dare you!" the eunuch roared. "Your Majesty, how dare you refuse to open the door!"

"You're the one who dares to be so audacious!" Registrar Wang roared. "Who gave you the nerve to be so insolent in front of me! Are you trying to rebel, Instructor Gong?!"

"Yes, sir!" Gong Ji accepted the order.

Wang, the registrar, pointed at the soldiers outside the fortified village and said, "They are bandits posing as government troops! Pass on my order: guard the fortified village strictly, and kill anyone who dares to attack!"

"Yes!"

"Sound the bells! Beat the drums!"

At Wang Zhubu's command, all of Wang's servants, guards, and able-bodied men in the clan began to mobilize.

"Dong dong dong!" The drums of the Wang Family Manor sounded.

“Secretary Wang,” Gong Jiu said, “are these people really thieves impersonating government troops? It doesn’t seem likely.”

Wang, the registrar, said, "How many government soldiers have turned into bandits these past few years? Old Gong, don't you agree?"

Gong Jiu said, "Secretary, what you say makes sense. Whether they are soldiers or bandits, they cannot cross the line. Secretary, the bandits only number two hundred; they cannot possibly breach the fortified village."

Wang Zhubu snorted coldly, "Wang Family Fortress has five hundred able-bodied men. Even if they bleed to death, they won't be able to break in."

Having listened to his elder brother's words, he no longer dared to completely trust Gong Ji. But for now, he could only rely on Gong Ji, hoping that his elder brother was just being overly suspicious.

Soon, Wang Chaoque, dressed in the hereditary armor of the Imperial Guard and carrying the embroidered spring knife passed down through generations, arrived at the gate of the mansion under the protection of a group of servants.

He looked at the soldiers outside the fortified village and moat, and shouted sternly:
"You audacious bandits! Are you trying to rebel? I am Wang Chaoque, the hereditary commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard! How dare you act so wildly!"

Wang Chaoque waved his hand, and a large group of young men, holding bows and arrows, aimed at the soldiers outside.

Such a commotion had already alerted the surrounding villagers, and more and more people gathered around.

They watched as the Wang family and the government troops confronted each other, and almost all of them showed a gloating expression.

Behind the villagers watching, Zhu Yin, holding Ning Qingchen, led Lan Cha and others, leisurely watching the excitement.

The stools have all been brought over.

Ning Qingchen hugged the little tiger's neck and whispered in his ear, "Something's missing."

Zhu Yin asked in a low voice, "What's missing?"

Ning Qingchen uttered a single word in her childish voice in her ear: "Gua".

Zhu Yin couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Kangxi!"

"My lord!" Kangxi quickly stepped forward.

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "Go buy some melons to eat."

"Melon?" Kangxi thought for a moment, looking troubled. "Your Majesty, there are no watermelons or cantaloupes this season."

Zhu Yin asked seriously, "What melons can we eat in September?"

"Your Majesty," Kangxi replied with a wry smile, "Perhaps only autumn cucumbers are available."

"Alright," Zhu Yin waved his hand, "Let's buy a few autumn cucumbers."

"Yes!" Kangxi accepted the order and left.

"Hehehe!" Ning Qingchen couldn't help but laugh.

My brother-in-law is really good at making people happy.

.........

The leading eunuch outside the moat below the fortified village couldn't help but feel a headache when he saw the grand fortified village with its high walls and deep moat.

He took out a token and held it high: "Look carefully! This is the token of the Garrison Command and the Directorate of Ceremonial!"

A eunuch standing nearby also took out a plaque and displayed it:
"This is an arrest warrant issued by the garrison headquarters! Someone has accused Wang Chaoque and Wang Chaobi of colluding with foreign barbarians and Japanese pirates to plot a rebellion!"

"If you don't open the door, this is truly a rebellion!"

What? The young men on the wall looked at each other in disbelief at the sight, their legs going weak.

Could something have really happened to the head of the family?

Many people wished they could immediately lay down their weapons and flee the fortified village.

They had no problem resisting bandits, but they dared not defy the imperial court!

"Nonsense!" Wang Chaoque shouted. "Don't listen to him! The Wang family swears by our ancestors that we have never colluded with foreign barbarians and Japanese pirates to plot rebellion! They are bandits in disguise!"

Wang, the registrar, also shouted: "Even if you are government soldiers, you do not represent the imperial court! Even if you are government troops, you are being used by others to abuse your power for personal gain and to bend the law for personal reasons! How dare you!"

"The Duke of Hai has barely left, and you dare to act so presumptuously! You even dare to forge official documents and tokens! You besiege the official residence! This is outrageous!"

Wang Chaoque shouted, "That's right! You didn't dare to move when Lord Hai was still in Nanjing! The moment Lord Hai left, you arrived. Such sneaky behavior, you are truly cowards!"

"Who sent you? If you don't confess, I'll come out and take you all!"

Seeing the Wang brothers' tough stance, the young men who were initially timid suddenly became bolder.

Yes. Hai Qingtian left not long ago, and today these government troops have arrived.

It's obvious these people live in the shadows. Even if they aren't thieves in disguise, they can't represent the imperial court.

The two eunuchs looked at each other, both with furrowed brows.

The Wang family is really shameless; they actually said directly that the tokens and documents were fake.

We can't just storm in, can we? Because we definitely can't break through the fortified village.

Zhu Yin, who was eating cucumbers outside, was also stunned when he saw this.

He originally thought that once Tian Yi's raiding team arrived, they could enter the Wang family's residence simply by revealing their identities. He thought that if the Wang family opened their doors, it would be all over.

Because the Wang family had already buried evidence: letters of collusion with Japanese pirates, crosses, English Bibles, and other items.

These false testimonies are certainly insufficient to convict someone.

But now that Hai Rui is gone, does the truth still matter? Does it still matter whether it was a miscarriage of justice?
If Tian Yi says the evidence is complete, then the evidence is complete.

But to Zhu Yin's surprise, the Wang brothers refused to open the door!
Zhu Yin was holding half a cucumber with a mouthful of it in his mouth when he almost spat it out.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but turn his gaze to Gong Ji.

At this moment, the Wang brothers were extremely anxious.

He was just using toads as bedposts to keep going.

The two brothers were both seasoned veterans; how could they not know that the tokens and orders were genuine?
These people are from the naval base!

Only then did they realize that Zhu Yin's backer was not just Zhuang Tingjian.

And Tian Yi too!

No wonder, a eunuch escorted Zhu's son back earlier. Damn it, his backer is Tian Yi!
That despicable brat is a venomous snake, hiding his true nature so well.

He's playing dumb to lure us in!

These people stormed the Wang family's residence; it must be related to Zhu Yin, and they've been accused of colluding with Japanese pirates to cause trouble.

This is a capital offense, punishable by confiscation of property and execution.

How dare they open the door?
Tian Yi is taking advantage of Hai Rui's departure from Nanjing to abuse his power and fabricate a wrongful case.

Wang Chaoque's eyelids twitched. He quickly summoned two trusted confidants and gave them instructions:

"You take my token, sneak out of the mansion, and chase after Hai Rui along the official road!"

"Hai Rui is old, so the carriage can't go too fast. We're not far from Nanjing, so we can still catch up! When you see Hai Rui, tell him that Tian Yi has abused his power and fabricated a wrongful conviction! Please, Lord Hai, return to uphold justice..."

Wang Chaoque knew that, given Tian Yi's intervention, only Hai Rui, who had recently left, could save the Wang family.

Previously, Wang Chaoque disliked people like Hai Rui, but he realized how important people like Hai Rui were now that he was being oppressed and wronged by those with greater power!

P.S.: It arrived today. Thank you for your support! Even those who hate honest officials the most now have to rely on them—isn't that ironic?

(End of this chapter)