Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 20 The Rashomon of the Eldest Son

Yi She has been feeling depressed ever since he went to the foot of Panshan Mountain.

He felt that if he hadn't tried to show more respect to the clan leader than the head steward and the second steward, and had arrived at Phoenix Mountain several days in advance to attend the eldest son's wedding, he wouldn't have been sent to receive the coffin.

If he hadn't been sent to receive the coffin, he wouldn't have interrogated the bandit, and as a result, the bandit learned a secret he dared not reveal.

Now that he knows, he can no longer pretend not to know, so he has no choice but to bite the bullet and report to the clan leader.

As expected, his desire to remain uninvolved was merely wishful thinking...

When he entered Mingde Hall, the rain was almost over, but Steward Yi's mood was still wet and chaotic.

He knew that the show orchestrated by the patriarch and the second master of the Suo family was intended to kill multiple birds with one stone, and he was one of those birds.

The lord is using this public occasion to force him to take sides.

As long as he personally says that "Yu Huanhu is the murderer of the young master," even if the phrase "according to the bandit's confession" is added before it, he will have no choice but to side with the clan leader.

Butler Ke Yi didn't want to take sides; he wanted to try again.

Therefore, when they arrived at Mingde Hall, Yi She tried to avoid the conversation and spoke vaguely, hoping that Yu Huanhu would see through his perfunctory attitude and not treat him as an enemy.

However, Deacon Yi's evasiveness greatly displeased Yu Xinglong. Could it be that even this could not force Deacon Yi to take the initiative to side with him?

In the eyes of my retainers, how could I, the head of this clan, be so unworthy of their reliance?

Seeing that Yu Xinglong's expression was getting increasingly ugly, and Suo Hong was pressing him aggressively, Yi Zhishi was really unable to cope and had no choice but to "shift the blame."

Yi She said, "Second Master Suo, since you said that it was Granny Tu who heard it with her own ears and then reported it to the young mistress, why don't you ask the young mistress to come here in person and explain it clearly?"

Yi was sent by the clan lord to receive the coffin, and was unaware of the details of the young master's murder. He had only briefly interrogated the bandit, and there was really nothing more to say.

Yu Huanhu said coldly, "I didn't know that my niece-in-law actually thinks I'm the murderer of her husband. Lord, why don't you invite her here? I want to ask her about it in person!"

……

The rain stopped, and Yang Can opened the window, where a fresh breeze after the rain rushed in.

The apricot blossoms after the rain are even more beautiful, a tree full of charm.

Suddenly, Suo Chanzhi, accompanied by two old women and two pretty maids in green, came out from the second gate.

She had already changed into hemp clothing. The residents of Longshang were deeply influenced by nomadic peoples and did not have the custom of observing mourning.

Among the many ethnic groups in Longshang, there are those who kill their wives to be buried alive with them, and those who can remarry immediately, but there is no concept of mourning.

Therefore, Suo Chanzhi is only unsuitable for wearing bright red or purple and overly flamboyant clothing now; otherwise, it doesn't have much of an impact.

Her outfit at the time was mainly black and white, which made her bright eyes and white teeth stand out even more, making her even more beautiful and incomparable.

Suo Chanzhi walked gracefully along the cobblestone path. When her eyes met Yang Can's, her gaze darkened slightly before she walked past without looking at him.

However, Qingmei, the pretty little maid in green who was following behind her, took advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention and gave Yang Can a quick, sly look.

It wasn't a flirtatious glance; she had something to say to him.

Yang Can's heart skipped a beat. The moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived!

……

The plaque of Mingde Hall was still golden after the rain.

When the young mistress, Suo Chanzhi, entered Mingde Hall, everyone in the hall looked at her.

Everyone's eyes fell on the young mistress's abdomen.

The situation is now very delicate for the eldest son of the main branch of the family.

Logically speaking, once the eldest son dies, this lineage can be discontinued.

However, no one can be sure now whether Yu Chengye has truly died without an heir.

They need to check if the young mistress is pregnant, but that will take about half a month.

Nowadays, even highly skilled doctors can't feel a pulse.

If the young mistress is pregnant, then everyone will have to wait another nine months to determine whether she will give birth to a boy or a girl.

The feeling of opening blind boxes is quite...exciting.

However, at a glance, everyone could tell that, at least for now, the young mistress's waist was still so slender that it seemed impossible to encircle her, and there was no sign of her being pregnant.

As soon as Suo Chanzhi arrived, he began to recount the events of the day Yu Chengye was murdered.

At the time, the wedding procession was setting up camp, so their formation was scattered and their defenses were weakest.

The timing of the bandit attack was precisely at this optimal moment.

This gives the impression that there is indeed an inside informant, and collusion between insiders and outsiders.

She then mentioned that many of the Su family's dowry items were scattered and piled up in the camp.

Because the goods were to be loaded onto trucks and set off early the next morning, they were not gathered at the camp center.

However, the bandits, who were supposed to be there for the loot, ignored the valuables and went straight to the center of the camp.

After killing Yu Chengye, they immediately began their breakout. The valuables they stole were just things they grabbed while fleeing. Although Suo Chanzhi didn't explicitly say that Yu Huanhu was the murderer, these unusual circumstances, combined with the bandit's confession, were practically tantamount to pointing a finger at Yu Huanhu and saying that he was the murderer.

Yu Huanhu said with a gloomy face, "Niece-in-law, there were no bandits attacking at the foot of Panshan Mountain. So, who killed your Suo family's Granny Tu?"

Suo Chanzhi shook her head and said, "My niece-in-law is also completely baffled by this. To be honest, Granny Tu was just a maid who came with me during my dowry. Who would kill her, and why would they kill her?"

Yu Huanhu laughed in anger: "Niece-in-law, your second uncle underestimated you. Your mouth is more powerful than swords!"

Suo Chanzhi was on the verge of tears and said in a mournful voice, "My niece-in-law is just telling the truth about what she knows and sees in front of the elders of the clan. The one whose husband has died is my niece-in-law, and the one who has to bear the name of bad luck and remain a widow for life right after getting married is also my niece-in-law. Do you think my niece-in-law has any reason to wrong you?"

At this point, Suo Chanzhi finally shed two streams of tears.

Everyone in the hall was moved by what they heard. Indeed, the one who hated the culprit the most should be the bride. Even if she was misled and her accusation against the murderer was false, she shouldn't be accused of having ulterior motives.

Yu Huanhu looked up at the sky and laughed bitterly: "Hahaha! Nephew's wife, you have no reason to wrong me, but how wronged am I?"
According to you, my nephew lives in the center of the camp and is protected by your family.

Then tell me, what means do I have to bribe someone in your Suo family to be my inside man?
The murder of Granny Tu is even stranger. Who was it, and for what reason, that they wanted to kill the head maid of the Suo family?
"There shouldn't have been anyone from the Yu family in the center of that camp at that time, right?"

Upon hearing this, Suo Chanzhi turned her beautiful eyes toward Steward Yi.

She didn't say a word, but her eyes spoke volumes.

Just as he was secretly rejoicing at finally escaping the vortex with the "shifting the blame" strategy, Steward Yi's face turned ashen. "No! You're coming again?"
The patriarch wants to use this to force me to take sides, Second Master Suo is stirring things up again, and now even the young mistress won't let me off the hook. I...

Under the suspicious gazes of some clan leaders and elders, Steward Yi, who was in a great hurry, suddenly remembered someone else.

Master Yang!

Yang Can once said that the Suo family was the most suspicious party in Yu Gongzi's death.

That's utter nonsense. What reason would the Suo family have to kill their young master?

However, at this moment, it might be worthwhile to bring him out to defend the situation.

With that hothead causing trouble here, wouldn't I be able to get away again?
Steward Yi immediately used another tactic of "shifting the blame," bowing to Xinglong and saying, "Lord, I suddenly remembered someone who has a different perspective on the young master's death."

……

When Yang Can stood in front of Mingde Hall, the spring sunshine was bright and beautiful.

The wind is fresh, carrying the fragrance of green grass and spring flowers.

The three gilded characters "Mingde Hall" on the lintel gleamed brightly.

The copper threshold on the ground was over a foot high, gleaming and shiny.

Yang Can took a deep breath and stepped over the gleaming bronze threshold.

He stepped forward with his left foot first.

At that moment, everyone in Mingde Hall looked at Yang Can.

At this moment, it felt as if all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Vajras in the sacred temple were looking at a young novice monk who had come in to add incense, creating an immense, invisible pressure.

Suo Chanzhi sat in the seat that originally belonged to the eldest son, Yu Chengye. She glanced at Yang Can only once before quickly looking away.

There were too many people here, and they were all shrewd and experienced; she was afraid that someone would notice something about her.

Yu Xinglong said in a deep voice: "Yang Can, you are my son Chengye's advisor and also my son's best man when he got married. Chengye was unfortunately killed by villains, and the real culprit is still elusive."

I've heard you have a unique perspective on Chengye's murder. Now, in front of the Yu family and Master Suo, please share your thoughts."

"Your subordinate obeys!"

Yang Can bowed deeply to Yu Xinglong at the head of the table, then calmly walked to the center of Mingde Hall and stood still.

Nervous? Of course he was nervous.

However, his nervousness was not because of the people in the hall.

Feeling uneasy and nervous stems from a lack of relevant knowledge and experience.

How much knowledge did Yang Can have in his previous life? Although most of it came from the internet, indirect experience is still experience.

Moreover, he had privately considered this countless times and mentally prepared himself for stepping into Mingde Hall today.

He was nervous simply because the day would be the day to see if his unconventional approach was correct!

Yang Can stopped and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Clan leader, Second Master Suo, esteemed heads of branches and elders, I am honored that you have taken me in as your advisor. I accompanied you to Jincheng to fetch the bride and served as your best man, following you all the way..."

Yang Can began his story from the moment they picked up the bride, Suo Chanzhi, and left Jincheng. He recounted how the Suo family was arrogant and self-important, how they took charge of everything, and how they made arbitrary decisions regarding the journey and camping.

Even when resting and defending, the people who closely guarded the young master were all guards from the Suo family. Apart from him, a scholar who was powerless, everyone from the Yu family was forbidden from approaching the center of the camp...

Some of what Yang Can said was what Suo Chanzhi had just mentioned, and some was not.

Even though Suo Chanzhi said something, because the two of them had different positions and perspectives, their interpretations and descriptions of the same thing were completely different.

According to Suo Chanzhi, many inconsistencies seem to point the finger at Yu Huanhu as the real culprit.

But now, from Yang Can's perspective, the Suo family has become the biggest suspect.

For a moment, Yu Huanhu, the second master of the Yu family, looked at Yang Can with much gentler eyes.

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(End of this chapter)