Chapter 195: The Way of the World - Demons and Spirits
Although the Sheng residence covers less than a hundred acres, its population is even smaller. Since the three daughters married out and the eldest son was assigned an official position outside, only Sheng Hong and his wife, along with several concubines, remain in the main courtyard, along with the couple in the courtyard of Chang Feng and the Longevity Hall. The three infants still reside with their relatives.
As Chang Dong grows older, Sheng Hong allocated the small courtyard originally occupied by Mo Lan to him (to move into the courtyards of Ru Lan and Ming Lan would require the approval of the old lady and Wang Shi), leaving many vacant rooms. Therefore, it was not difficult for Ming Lan to find a secluded place with few people for the interrogation.
Aunt Kang was dragged for quite a distance by two maids, and in her daze, she arrived at a row of houses, vaguely recalling that this used to be a storage area. The two maids turned her around several corners and then pushed her into a small cabinet in the house. Aunt Kang was seething with rage and wished she could curse and beat those two maids, but her jaw was dislocated, and her body felt weak, making her unable to shout or break free. Just as she was full of resentment, she heard a commotion and looked up to see her archrival walking leisurely into the room.
Xiao Tao set down a stool in the empty space, and Ming Lan slowly sat down. Several burly men dragged four maidservants in from outside and forced them to kneel side by side in front of Ming Lan. These maidservants were disheveled, with several wounds on their hands and faces, evidently having struggled earlier. The first bold maidservant, restrained and unable to move, indignantly shouted, "We are from the Kang family. What do you mean, Miss? Even if my lady is not on good terms with you, there's no reason for you to take it out on us..."
With a loud slap, the brute shouted, "You can only speak when I allow it!"
The maid's face immediately swelled on one side, and with a cough, she spat out a mouthful of blood, mixed with a few teeth. Tears streamed down her face, while the three maidservants beside her fell silent, shrinking away and not daring to struggle.
Ming Lan looked up and said, "Thank you, Second Master Tu." This show of force was quite effective; he clearly understood the art of interrogation.
Tu Hu, with a stern expression, clasped his fists in salute.
Ming Lan turned back and stated bluntly, "My old lady is ill because your mistress poisoned her. I asked you here today to discuss this matter."
The faces of the four changed dramatically. Two were genuinely shocked, while the other two feigned surprise, rolling their eyes around. Aunt Kang in the small compartment also turned pale; these four maidservants were all her trusted aides, with two indeed knowing about the poisoning, while the other two probably had some vague understanding of the situation.
After a moment of exchanging glances, one kindly-faced maid, encouraged by her companions' glances, forced a smile and said, "Oh my Buddha, dear sister-in-law, please don't misunderstand. How could our mistress possibly be involved in such a huge matter...?"
Another heavy slap from Tu Hu landed on her face, and she immediately filled her mouth with blood, covering her face and sobbing softly. The room was tightly closed, allowing only a few beams of light to filter in. In the dim light, Tu Hu's face appeared as terrifying as a ghost. He coldly said, "Don't you understand? You can only speak when I allow it."
The four women turned pale with fear, their bodies trembling like sifted chaff, and no one dared to speak carelessly.
Ming Lan's heart was as hard as stone, not moved in the slightest: "The Sheng family is going to confront your mistress, so I've troubled you all. Please, if you have any connection to this matter, no matter how trivial, even a needle or thread, do speak up. I will reward you handsomely later."
The four women fell silent, and after a while, a young maid slowly straightened her back—she was the most composed among them. Proudly, she said, "Our mistress has treated us with such great kindness that we can never repay it! You want us to falsely accuse her for money? That is absolutely impossible!"
Ming Lan clapped lightly and smiled, "Well said, what a loyal servant!" Then, raising her voice, she commanded, "Bring her in."
Two guards dragged in the barely conscious Mama Qian and unceremoniously tossed her onto the ground. The four maidservants immediately turned to look, and upon seeing Mama Qian's bloodied fingers, their hearts began to race.
Tu Hu pointed at Mama Qian and said, "We pulled out four of her fingernails, and she told us everything."
Ming Lan coldly said, "The Sheng family has been bullied to this extent. Let me be honest: your mistress cannot return to her old life." Upon hearing this, Aunt Kang inside the partition was greatly startled.
"If you all are willing to speak honestly, I will ensure that you return in one piece, and there will be silver as a reward to calm your nerves. Otherwise..." Ming Lan's tone changed as she turned to Tu Hu, "Don't be too rough, just take her out quietly."
Tu Hu grinned widely and laughed, "Madam, don't worry. I won't harm their skin and flesh, but I have plenty of ways to make them wish they were dead."
The four maidservants were terrified and felt weak.
—At that moment, a low male voice came from outside: "Madam, we have returned."
Ming Lan recognized it was Tu Long's voice and quickly instructed someone to open the door. She saw Tu Long and several guards carrying in three writhing burlap sacks. They dropped the sacks heavily onto the ground and bent down to untie the ropes at the mouths of the sacks, slowly revealing the people inside. Everyone in the room turned to look, and they saw that all three had been tightly bound and had cloth stuffed in their mouths.
The young maidservant exclaimed, "Manager Qi! Second Manager Qi... Manager Song..."
Ming Lan smiled and said, "Well done, Master Tu, to have returned so quickly."
Tu Long pointed at Manager Song and said, "I inquired a bit, and this fellow is one of the most favored among Madam Kang. So I simply brought him back with the others."
Following Ming Lan's instructions, Liu Kun's maid went to deceive them by going directly to the door and seeking out Mama Qi's two sons, saying that Wang Shi had fainted and the Sheng family was in chaos. There weren't enough trusted hands from Aunt Kang, so she specially called for the Qi brothers to come help.
The Sheng family was wealthy and well-off, and even in the midst of chaos, taking advantage of the situation was a good opportunity. Everyone was tempted, but Liu Kun's maid insisted that Aunt Kang only trusted those she knew best. With Tu Long and a few others disguised as Sheng family servants to play along, they managed to convince them.
As soon as the Qi brothers and Manager Song stepped out the door, they were covered with a burlap sack, which was then lifted onto a horse-drawn cart.
Ming Lan pointed at the three men and said to the four maidservants, "If you don't speak, they will definitely talk." At this, two of the maids exchanged glances, their expressions shifting uncertainly.
"Done. You may go about your business now." Ming Lan's expression was calm. She turned to Tu Long and asked, "Is one day enough?"
Tu Long glanced at the few people huddled on the ground and replied with a smile, "Two or three hours will suffice; I guarantee they'll spill everything!"
Ming Lan pointed at the previously arrogant young maidservant and said to Tu Hu, "For this loyal one, please let Second Master do it personally." The more loyal she was, the more she probably knew.
Tu Hu laughed heartily and grabbed the young maidservant. "For the sake of your own black heart, poisoning a good old person—how despicable! Even the corrupt officials' lackeys can be loyal! Fine! I want to see if my old Tu's methods are tougher or if her bones are tougher!"
The young maid's face turned ashen, filled with pain, as she bit down hard on her lips. The few people on the ground were filled with terror; one maid had her eyes roll back and fainted. Then the guards began dragging the people out one by one.
Once the room was cleared, Aunt Kang was pulled out from the small partition by the two maids. One maid lifted Aunt Kang's chin while the other helped to stimulate her circulation and loosen her up a bit. Ming Lan stood up, smiling as she watched.
Aunt Kang leaned against the chair, half of her face numb with pain. After a moment, she hoarsely said, "Alright, I underestimated you! I never expected there would be someone like you in the Sheng family! This time, I've really fallen for it!" She never dreamed that she had come to collect the fruits of victory, only to find herself in a situation where her efforts had gone to waste.
Ming Lan hated her to the bone, digging her nails into her palm. "You should have thought of this when you sent my cousin to the Hou residence."
Aunt Kang trembled with anger, filled with both hatred and regret. She was angry that this person was so difficult to deal with and regretted not being more cautious. In truth, she had considered what might happen if people found out, but she figured that it would first arouse suspicion against Wang Shi, then implicate herself, followed by a round of questioning and dodging... It should at least take a day or two to unfold.
She never expected that within a single night, this little girl would act so swiftly, arrange everything so thoroughly, and take the initiative in such a shocking way—she had truly been incredibly bold, catching her completely off guard.
This was no longer a young lady from a prestigious family; it was clearly a seasoned investigator! Who would have thought?!
"Don't think that just because you've captured a few servants, you're so impressive!" she said resentfully. "Coercing a confession won't convince anyone! If you want me to admit to anything, dream on! If you have the ability, then go ahead and torture me! I want to see how you explain this to the Wang family and the Kang family!"
Ming Lan chuckled softly, "Who said I wanted you to confess? Whether you confess or not doesn't matter."
Aunt Kang was taken aback. "You don't want me to confess? Then how do you plan to deal with me?"
"We both know whether you did it or not," Ming Lan said, her expression darkening as she slowly continued, "I only regret being overly cautious, thinking of the feelings between us as siblings and the grace the Sheng family has shown me. If I could really let go, I would directly stab you with three or six knives, hang you from the beam, slowly drain your blood, making you suffer painfully to death, then wrap you in a sack and toss you into a mass grave to feed the dogs!"
Aunt Kang felt a chill in her heart and was filled with fear. She then let out a cold laugh, "Good! If you get rid of me, you can silence the rest of them, and my sister will be clear of any suspicion. You really are filial to your stepmother!"
Ming Lan raised an eyebrow and replied, "Who said I would let her off the hook?" As for the few who knew the truth under Aunt Kang, there was no need for her to act; it was likely someone else would be even more eager to keep things quiet.
Aunt Kang was momentarily stunned, then she burst into a frenzied laugh: "Hahaha, silly little sister, do you think that by throwing your sister under the bus, you'll be in the clear? You don't realize you've raised a wolf cub...!"
Ming Lan didn't want to hear any more of her crazy talk and calmly instructed, "You two matrons, go ahead."
The two matrons complied and immediately took out a bundle of fabric from a large package on the floor. With a gentle shake, they revealed a piece of coarse gray-black cloth that was half a foot wide and over ten yards long. Aunt Kang's eyes widened in panic as she hurried to get up and run, but one of the matrons grabbed her and pressed her back onto the chair.
Then, the two of them worked swiftly, wrapping the wide cloth around her limbs and body. They first secured her hands and feet, then continued to wrap, binding her tightly to the chair and eventually wrapping her around a pillar, layering the cloth dozens of times.
Aunt Kang was firmly bound to the chair, her back against the pillar, resembling a silkworm cocoon. The coarse cloth was incredibly sturdy, and she couldn't even move a finger. She couldn't help but exclaim, "What are you planning to do? Are you... do you intend to torture me?!" Her voice rose high, but inside, she was already frightened.
Ming Lan looked around with satisfaction and said, "Quite the opposite. I'm afraid Aunt might feel hopeless and harm herself." If this stubborn woman chose to go all out and slammed her head or harmed herself, the ensuing act would be difficult to carry out.
She turned her head and smiled, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, matrons. The methods of the Wang residence are indeed impressive."
One of the matrons replied, "This is actually a trick that came from the palace, specially designed for those clueless nobles to prevent them from self-harm."
Aunt Kang, furious, opened her mouth to scream again, but the matron next to her quickly stuffed a piece of rag into her mouth, preventing her from making any sound.
Ming Lan nodded and instructed, "Give her some soup and water every couple of hours, but no food. Let her handle her business in her clothes." As long as she didn't become dehydrated, going a day without food wasn't a big deal.
The two matrons acknowledged her order and then escorted Ming Lan out, leaving two guards at the door so that they could take turns resting.
By this time, it was nearly noon, and the kitchen staff had begun to bustle about. Under Wang's strict orders, no one dared to say a word, nor did anyone approach the back courtyard's row of houses. Wang was both frightened and anxious, mumbling as she returned to her room, while only Madam Hai was busy, coordinating everything within the household and preparing a resting place and meals for the visitors from the marquis's residence.
She was naturally cautious, and despite the various abnormalities that had begun the night before, she didn't utter a single question. Facing the many guards who appeared out of nowhere, she treated them as if they were her own younger relatives visiting, exuding warmth and gentility.
After a while, when the sun had started to dip in the west, she finally returned to her own room to prepare some food. A young maid, who had been waiting inside, hurried out and whispered into Madam Hai's ear, "The people have been sent out."
Madam Hai let out a sigh of relief but was still worried and asked, "Are those the few yellow steeds my family brought?"
The maid replied, "Rest assured, madam, each person has two steeds to alternate between riding. They can cover most of the distance in half a day."
Madam Hai pressed her hands together and said a prayer, "Heaven bless us. Our family is going through such turmoil; I only hope the master arrives quickly!"
...
That day, the Sheng residence was particularly quiet. In a secluded row of houses at the back of the estate, faint sounds of cries and pleas could be heard, carried softly by the wind to the western side of the courtyard.
Chang Feng raised his neck to look out the window and murmured, "Why hasn't there been any sound for half the day?"
Liu Shi was sitting on the bed, gently playing with the child. Hearing his words, she looked up and said, "Husband, you're really amusing. When there's noise, you can't sit still, and when it's quiet, you're still worried."
Chang Feng gave a wry smile and sat down by the bed. "It feels like there's a cat scratching at my heart."
"It's likely that they've already gotten to the bottom of it," Liu said, adjusting the swaddling cloth and gently cradling her daughter. She whispered, "Husband, don't think too much about it. The less we know about this, the better. Even now, my father hasn't said a word to you, which I believe is also his intention."
The baby cooed softly, her chubby pink hands waving, her big eyes staring directly at her father. Chang Feng felt a surge of love and affection, reaching out to hold her gently, saying softly, "What you say is true, my dear."
…
As the sun set and the moon rose, a night passed, and as dawn approached, a maid hurriedly ran to Shou'an Hall and whispered a few words to Mama Fang. Then Mama Fang walked to the door of the inner room and said, "Miss, someone from the Wang family has arrived."
Ming Lan got up from her recliner, stretching lazily. "Has no one come from the Kang family?" That would be even better.
Mama Fang replied quietly, "Only Young Master Jin from the Kang family came, but many from the Wang family have arrived."
Ming Lan walked to the old lady's bedside and saw that her complexion had gradually improved, showing a bit of color. She felt somewhat relieved. Happy in her heart and feeling energized, she raised her voice, saying, "Bring me some clothes to change into."
Recalling what Xiao Tao had reported last night, her voice carried a hint of laughter. "Have my dear aunt change her clothes as well."
After spending the whole night covered in filth, it was time to vent her anger and finish dealing with her today.