In the room, Zhao Jiaqi angrily slapped the coffee table and got up, rushing out. The two met at the door and looked at each other.
Zhao Jiaqi’s face was grim. Raising an eyebrow, she asked coldly, "My hearing isn't very good. Repeat what you just said. If you dare to say it wrong, be careful of your skin!"
With knife-like eyes shooting at him, Fan Zehao’s mind became much clearer.
He hurriedly said, "Well, my father and I are here to tell you that starting tomorrow, our daughter will learn etiquette. She must learn it, and not only learn it, but learn it well!"
This sounded like a human.
She snorted coldly, "If you spoil her any further, I'll get angry with you. From today on, the child is with me, and you're not allowed to take her!"
Under her nose, this child had become so arrogant. How could this be tolerated!
Fan Zehao was intimidated, nodding repeatedly. He didn't dare to linger, holding the child and turning to leave. After a few steps, he whispered to Yu Meng, "Daughter, I'm afraid of your mother. When she gets serious, she shows no mercy. If it doesn't work, let's just endure it. Afterwards, Dad will secretly teach you to ride a horse, okay?"
Yu Meng seemed to have already expected this outcome, lowering her eyes and nodding slightly.
But in her mind, she wondered if she should try to appease her mother a little. After all, if even her father dared not provoke someone, she must be very powerful.
The engagement banquet at noon went smoothly. Both families were old acquaintances, and there were no reservations in their conversations.
Everyone at the feast was cheerful, while Xiao Ce looked worried and seemed to have unspeakable troubles.
He had just returned to his manor in the afternoon when he heard from Brother Sheng that a death had occurred at his Tianxiang Wine House at noon. The victim's family had already gone to the prefect, and he had no choice but to seek their help.
"Brother Zehao, I swear, the ingredients at Tianxiang Wine House are fresh. How could anything there cause someone to die? This is clearly a frame-up by the Ji family!" Murong Sheng said angrily.
Zhao Jiaqi found the matter of someone dying from food a bit unbelievable, but she also harbored doubts. Food can have interactions.
"Brother Sheng, are you sure the deceased ate at your establishment? Do you remember what dishes and wine they ordered? When did they eat, and when did they leave?"
Murong Sheng was a bit stunned when he was asked so many questions. He recalled what the shopkeeper had said and replied, "The shopkeeper said he came to Tianxiang Wine House alone and ate in the Peony private room on the second floor. He ordered all signature dishes and drank a small pot of Nüer Hong wine. He left after the meal. He didn't die until not long after he got home!"
"Then why did the shopkeeper remember him so clearly?" Zhao Jiaqi continued to ask.
"Because his clothes were all patched, yet he ordered all signature dishes. This meal would cost at least forty to fifty taels of silver. The shopkeeper was afraid he would skip out on the bill, so he paid close attention to him! And he paid the money before he ate."
Otherwise, he wouldn't have such a clear memory!
"Has the coroner been there? Have they figured out how he died?"
Murong Sheng wasn't very sure about this matter and said, "I heard the servants talking about it and hurried out through the back door. Otherwise, if I had been caught, I wouldn't have been able to come out to find evidence!"
Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi exchanged a glance. What he said made sense.
The prefect would naturally not ignore a matter of life and death.
"Brother Zehao, Sister-in-law, if my wine house truly had something unsanitary that could cause death, I would absolutely not seek your help. But this is clearly a frame-up by Ji Shiyi. I am unwilling to accept this, which is why I did not cooperate with the yamen runners and slipped out through the back. I only hope for a fair judgment and to clear my name!"
Fan Zehao heard the name Ji Shiyi of the Ji family again. Sheng Ge had mentioned it twice in such a short time. He asked, "Why do you say the Ji family framed you? Do you have any evidence?"
"The Ji family approached me a few days ago, saying that they were opening wine houses in this inner city and that everyone had to pay a monthly tribute of silver. I refused. They then found fault with me a few more times, but I ignored them. Who knew that today this problem of a dead person would arise? Do you think if this wasn't arranged by Ji Shiyi, who else could it be?" The more he spoke, the angrier Murong Sheng became, trembling all over.
His hands, as he picked up the teacup, were shaking, indicating how furious he was.
This was simply a predatory clause!
"You scoundrel, I'll go and bring people now..." Fan Zehao was about to lead people to the prefect's yamen, but Zhao Jiaqi stopped him.
"Even if you go to the prefect now, what can you say? Is it possible to bring someone down with no evidence?" Zhao Jiaqi's two consecutive rhetorical questions left Fan Zehao stunned.
"Then we can't just do nothing. The prefect in this inner city is in league with the Ji family. The coroner in the yamen might even be their man. It would be easy to pin a charge of causing death on Tianxiang Wine House!"
Even if it was eventually settled with compensation, the reputation of Tianxiang Wine House would be ruined. Who would dare to eat at the wine house in the future?
Zhao Jiaqi sighed softly. Even though the situation was like this, she still did not agree with going to them like this.
She got up and said, "While Brother Sheng hasn't been arrested, there's still time to find evidence. If you go now, it will undoubtedly show your connection with Brother Sheng to Ji Shiyi and the prefect. Wouldn't it be easy for them to destroy the evidence then?"
Murong Sheng and Fan Zehao both felt that what she said made sense, but how to find evidence now?
"Let's split into two groups. One group will look for evidence, and the other will stall for time!" Zhao Jiaqi came up with this idea.
"Husband, you go to the prefect immediately and personally preside over the matter. Say that this is the first murder case in your fiefdom and you want to see how Prefect Qian Lai will handle the case!"
Fan Zehao nodded heavily. "I'll go now. I'll only listen and not speak throughout, and gather information along the way!"
This time, he was finally a bit clever. Zhao Jiaqi didn't need to tell him anything else and directly let him leave.
As for Murong Sheng, it was even simpler. Zhao Jiaqi said, "I'll give you a token. Take the token and ride the official boat directly to Yulin Town to find Doctor Qi Xuan. Bring him back as quickly as possible to examine the body. Leave the rest to me!"
Murong Sheng nodded like a garlic pounder, and quickly went to change into disguise with the butler.
She then called Qiu Fen and Wang Cai. "You two, change into clothes worn by villagers. Make them as tattered as possible. After that, go out and inquire about the deceased's home. Go and investigate secretly, to find out about the deceased's family background and character. Try to get a clear picture, but be careful of your own safety, to prevent any of Ji family's informants from appearing at the deceased's home!"
The two quickly understood their mistress's intentions and replied in unison, "Your servant understands."
This task was dangerous, and Zhao Jiaqi couldn't help but remind them again, "If you encounter danger, don't hesitate. Quickly reveal your identities and say that the prince sent you to investigate, understand?"
The two smiled foolishly after hearing this, "Don't worry, Princess Consort, your servants know!"
They knew, but Zhao Jiaqi felt uneasy. Who knew how many informants the Ji family had in the inner city, and who was allied with the Ji family?
None of this was known!