Chapter 21 Kunshan Jade Shattered
While talking, they arrived at Ji Manor.
Madam Ji was the wife of Marquis Ji. Marquis Ji lived in Wei City and was usually low-key. Madam Ji loved to plant flowers. She had been planting flowers all her life. The Ji Manor was full of various rare flowers, competing for beauty. Madam Ji held a flower show every season, and the flowers in each flower show were different. Whenever she held a flower show, young ladies, madams, masters, and young masters from various manors would come to appreciate it. It was quite lively.
Now it was the Autumn Flower Show. As the name suggests, it was an autumn flower show. As soon as one arrived at the entrance of Ji Manor, one could smell the fragrance of flowers, which was refreshing.
The Autumn Flower Show was mainly chrysanthemums, roses, and camellias. All the flowers planted in Ji Manor were rare varieties. Ordinary flowers cannot enter the flower show of Ji Manor.
When Luo Jin arrived, many people had already come to Ji Manor. These people were of noble status. They leisurely appreciated flowers, tasted tea, and chatted under the service of maids and servants.
As soon as Chai Jing entered the door, she attracted everyone's attention. Everyone came forward to greet her.
"Greetings, Princess!"
"Forego formalities!"
The Jiuyuan Continent didn’t have the strict etiquette between men and women as in the ancient times. The status of men and women here wasn't much different. It was common to visit the garden together.
Many nobles come here to visit the garden with the idea of blind dates, hoping to meet young ladies and young masters of equal status here and become connected by marriage if they were destined to be together.
Luo Jin didn’t care about those noble guests. As soon as she entered the door, she was attracted by the flowers in the garden. She pointed to one place and signaled to Chai Jing that she wanted to see it.
"Go see it." Chai Jing nodded.
Luo Jin left Chai Jing and went to see the flowers by herself.
It was a pity that she didn't have a mobile phone. She really wanted to take pictures.
While taking them in, a rebuke suddenly sounded behind her, "Get out of the way! My family’s eldest miss wants to see the flowers here!"
Luo Jin turned around and saw a maid with a proud face walking behind her, followed by a girl decked in jewels.
Luo Jin was too lazy to argue with her and stepped aside to observe the bouquet of flowers next to her. The maidservant still persisted, "My family’s eldest miss wants to see the flowers here, so don't ruin the view here! Go over there... Not going to serve your master, but come here to be lazy!"
Luo Jin was a little irked and raised her chin, "My master is beautiful and kind. She let me watch the flowers by myself. What? Jealous that I have a good master?"
This statement also dragged that eldest miss in, obviously saying that she wasn't a good master and wasn't beautiful or kind.
The eldest miss blushed and fumed, "Whose maid is so rude! Deserves to be beaten!"
Chai Jing came over and glanced at that Miss, "What's wrong? Does Miss Zhu have an opinion toward my people?"
Miss Zhu was furious, "Your Highness, you should be reasonable, right? This maid is really rude. Even if she is someone close to the Princess, she should be taught a lesson!"
Luo Jin defended, "How am I rude? I just praised my master for being beautiful and kind. What's wrong? Can't praise? You want to say that my princess is ugly and vicious, right? How dare you disrespect the Princess! How bold!"
"I... I didn't say that!" Miss Zhu was pale, "Your Highness, I really didn't mean that... I... I'll take my leave!"
After saying that, she turned around and ran away, not watching the flower show anymore.
Chai Jing laughed, "You are really good at arguing. No wonder Chen Changmo can't win against you..."
Luo Jin was proud, "Chen Changmo can't open up at all. He was too reserved. He will definitely not win against me."
Chen Changmo was originally admiring flowers with Chai Jing. Upon seeing Chai Jing walk away, he followed. He had just taken two steps when he bumped into someone who just turned around.
The man immediately exploded, "Who are you? How dare you bump into this heir!"
Chen Changmo clasped his fists, "Apologies, I was careless."
The heir sized him up, "Are you the one who followed the Princess? What do you do?"
"I am a musician at the Imperial Music House." Chen Changmo replied.
The heir said with contempt, "I was saying why you are so rude. Just a lowly person..."
Chai Jing was immediately annoyed when she heard it. She walked over with a frown, "Who are you calling a lowly person? You are... King Ruchuan’s Heir? Apologize to my qin player!"
King Ruchuan's Heir didn’t give in, "Your Highness, you also know that I am King Ruchuan's Heir. I was born in the royal manor and have a noble status. This person is born in a humble family. Compared with me, how can he not be a lowly person?"
Chai Jing fumed angrily, "You..."
She wanted to refute, but couldn't find the words to say for a while and stamped her feet angrily, "Damn it, I can't argue..."
Then she turned around and looked at Luo Jin, "You argue!"
Luo Jin remembered that there was such a character in the novel; a villain with a low IQ, who once tried to rebel. His strength wasn't good, while his momentum was strong. He was defeated by He Xiao in a second when they fought. He was just a clown who came to make jokes.
She snorted coldly, "This Mister Chen is the honored guest of her Highness, Princess. Princess has always treated him with great courtesy. How come from Heir’s mouth, he’s a lowly person? Can it be said that... Heir thinks he is more noble than Princess?"
King Ruchuan’s Heir was slightly stunned, "This Heir didn’t say that..."
Luo Jin kept at it, pointing at him and said loudly, "That's what you think, right? You are more noble than the Princess. Which means your father is more noble than Princess's father... OK, King Ruchuan wants to rebel!"
King Ruchuan’s heir blurted out, "How do you know... Ah no, don't talk nonsense. It's not true!"
"..."
The whole audience was silent. Everyone's eyes were fixed on King Ruchuan’s heir who accidentally let the cat out of the bag.
Chai Jing was silent for a while before waving her hand, "Grab him!"
A few hidden guards flew out from the shadow and rushed up to hold King Ruchuan’s heir down.
Prince Ruchuan shouted loudly, "I am innocent! I am innocent!"
Luo Jin: "Princess, I... just said it casually."
She knew that Prince Ruchuan might be a fool, but she didn't expect him to be so stupid. It was unbearable to watch.
Chai Jing: "You seem to have made great contributions..."
"En... it shouldn't be that great. With his IQ, treason is a little too much thinking for him."
"That's true..."
With such a big incident, the Autumn Flower Show instantly became lively. The prefect immediately sent people to surround the Ji Manor and strictly investigate all those who had spoken to King Ruchuan’s heir, suspecting that they were accomplices in the conspiracy of rebellion.
Luo Jin saw that Prefect Yang was in such in a merry mood that his mouth was almost grinning to the corners of his eyes. Definitely happier than the New Year. After learning the whole story, he ran over to thank Luo Jin, "I will also report the merits of Deputy Envoy Luo. Of course, the Princess is the first to be credited! Princess is indeed a discerning person. This minister admires you!"
"Okay, you work away!" Chai Jing was too lazy to bother with him.
"Yes! I'll take my leave!"
Chen Changmo didn't speak all the way until he returned. When he got off the carriage, he suddenly asked Chai Jing, "Princess, were you angry just now?"
"Of course I'm angry. This is treason!" Chai Jing responded.
"I mean... when that Heir called me a lowly person..."
Chai Jing said, "I was angry too. What right did he have to say that to you? You are my people! Humph, I get angry just thinking about it!"
...
When going to Imperial Music House the next day, Chai Jing still got Luo Jin to go upstairs to copy the scriptures, on the grounds that she had not finished copying.
Luo Jin was about to go upstairs with a bitter face, when Chen Changmo suddenly said, "Your Highness, Deputy Envoy Luo just made a contribution yesterday. Although the case of treason hasn’t been finalized and the emperor hasn’t yet rewarded her, can she be exempted from copying the scriptures?"
Luo Jin didn’t expect Chen Changmo to plead for her, but soon felt that this man must be harboring bad intentions. He had seen through her true purpose?
"It can't be exempted! This princess means what I say. It's not over until the copying is finished! You practice yours, don’t mind her!"
Chen Changmo stopped talking, sat in his seat, and continued to practice the qin.
Luo Jin went upstairs and continued to search for clues.
For few continuous days, she searched the second and third floors, but didn't find any clues.
"Either it was handled too cleanly, or... the crime was committed on the first floor?" Luo Jin guessed. Chai Jing shook her head, "It's impossible that the murder was committed on the first floor. The door is always open and passers-by outside could see it. Besides, there are always many people on the first floor. How could the murder be committed on the first floor?"
"It's really weird. How did the body get out without being discovered? Or was it not transported out at all? Or the person isn't dead, and he went out in disguise without being discovered?"
"If he isn't dead, why doesn't he show up? I still think he was murdered, otherwise he couldn't ignore his wife and children, right? His son is only two years old!"
"That's right. A civil servant who doesn't gamble or visit a prostitute, works honestly, has a wife and children, generally won't suddenly run away from home. I guess he discovered the true face of the bad guys and was silenced. Now we have to figure out who the bad guys are. Humph, Chen Changmo and Ruan Qin are definitely wolves. There is a high probability that there are more than two wolves. I guess there are at least three to five!"
A maid came to report that Prefect Yang had arrived. Luo Jin found it strange, "It's not appropriate for him to come to the Princess in the middle of the night, right? Why not come during the day?"
Chai Jing smiled, "It's appropriate! It's not appropriate to come during the day!"
Luo Jin was full of doubts. When Official Yang entered the yard, Chai Jing dismissed all the servants and closed the door.
"Princess, I only found this." Marquis Yang took out a cloth bag from his arms, "I haven't found that thing yet."
Chai Jing took the cloth bag and opened it with some disappointment, "Why was it only this hairpin found? There was also a golden Buddha!"
"I will go back and continue to look for it. Even if I have to dig three feet deep, I will find it for Princess!"
"Okay, go back!"
Seeing Luo Jin's puzzled expression, Chai Jing explained, "I lost it to King Ruchuan’s Heir last year when I gambled with him. If Royal Father saw it during the confiscation search, he would definitely scold me to death. Royal Father disallows me from gambling."
"This..." Luo Jin pondered, "I think his Majesty is right. Gambling isn't a good matter. Princess, it is better not to gamble. Nine out of ten times you lose. Princess can't withstand gambling even if you are rich."
"You also said this..." Chai Jing seemed to be pondering, "Okay, I'll try not to gamble."
"Not try, but definitely!"
"Oh, I know, I know! No matter what, the Golden Buddha must be found. It's a gift from Royal Father. If he sees it, I'm done!"
"Prefect Yang said he’ll dig three feet deep..." Luo Jin was suddenly stunned when she said this, "Dig three feet deep...Princess, I think I guessed who the murderer is!"
Chai Jing was immediately energized, "Who is it?"
"It's hard to say now. We have to go to the Imperial Music House to verify it."
"Then go now!" Chai Jing said and ordered a carriage.
Seeing that it was already late, Luo Jin was a little worried, "Let's take people with us tomorrow, just in case there is danger..."
"It’s fine. Didn't Jiang Mo leave? Who else is so bold as to attack this princess? Aren't there still secret guards following us?" Chai Jing impatiently urged, "Let's go!"
Luo Jin followed Chai Jing into the carriage and rushed to the Imperial Music House.
With no moon or stars, the sky was dark. It was late at night and was pitch black everywhere.
The door of the Imperial Music House was locked. Chai Jing took out the key to open the door, lit an oil lamp, and went upstairs with Luo Jin.
"It's here!" Luo Jin said. She squatted down, "I saw this wooden board was relatively new during the day. Thinking it might had been broken and replaced, I didn't think much about it. Now I consider it... there must be something wrong with this wooden board."
"The person is hidden... under the floor?" Chai Jing asked in confusion.
"I also thought that a person couldn't be hidden under the wooden board and didn't look closely." Luo Jin pried open the floor with a dagger.
Under the dim oil lamp, one could see a black thing under the wooden board.
"This is..."
"Dried blood!"
"But why did the blood seep into the bottom of the wooden board?" Chai Jing was puzzled.
Luo Jin said slowly: "If the body was cleaned in time, the blood would not have seeped so deep. But if the body was left from day to night, the blood would have seeped deep by the time it was discovered, right? The wooden floor was soaked with blood and couldn't be cleaned, so this piece was replaced on purpose, but the floor underneath couldn't be replaced."
"Leaving it there from day to night? No one noticed it?"
"That's my guess," Luo Jin took a deep breath, "The whole Imperial Music House... is full of wolves! So there's no need to hide the body!"
Chai Jing widened her eyes in shock.
A sigh suddenly came from the window, "Ah, it is... discovered, what should I do?"
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