CHAPTER 123: CHAPTER 123: MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

No, definitely not. The Commandery Princess possesses overwhelming divine power; she could kill Lu Junma with a single spear strike. She would never endure insults and abuse only to fight desperately.

Song Yuan questioned and answered himself in his heart.

Chen Zhuo coughed, breaking the silence: "Commandery Princess, this murder case is clear and simple; there is nothing suspicious about it. How should we judge and decide the verdict, please command, Commandery Princess."

The Da Liang Law is clear on how to rule a murder case. A life for a life in murder. Killing a parent, the crime is compounded; the sin cannot be forgiven.

Chen Zhuo was reminding the Commandery Princess not to show leniency at the moment and spare Zhou Ying, thus giving others room to criticize.

The personal discord between the Commandery Princess and Lu Junma was one thing, but bringing this case to light would be quite disadvantageous for the Commandery Princess.

Jiang Shaohua turned his head and said: "Chief Historian Chen, rest assured, I, the Commandery Princess, will judge the case impartially."

Chen Zhuo had not yet relaxed when he heard the Commandery Princess continue: "Commander Song, immediately send someone to the Prince Mansion to ask Yang Shi to set out for Ye County at once to interrogate this case. Also, ask Lu Junma to come along."

Chen Zhuo: "..."

Song Yuan did not hesitate, saluted, and arranged it.

As for whether the Commandery Princess was using this opportunity to warn Lu Junma, Song Yuan did not concern himself with such matters; Chen Zhuo was already worried enough about them.

Two personal soldiers carried the body of the wealthy merchant away, and Mrs. Zhou and her daughter Zhou Ying were also taken away to be detained and guarded, along with six or seven Zhou family servants, all being watched over together.

The bloodstains on the ground were washed clean, and the smell of blood quickly dissipated.

After all this, dawn was fast approaching.

Jiang Shaohua decided not to sleep either, called Qin Hu and other personal soldiers, rode out for a turn to relax, and then set out at dawn.

A convoy followed behind, filled with silk and hemp acquired from Ye County. The Zhou family was one of the top wealthy merchants in Luyang County, coming to Ye County to purchase silk and flax each year, then selling them to the Northern Provinces.

In the last carriage, sat mother and daughter Mrs. Zhou.

Mrs. Zhou’s eyes were swollen from crying, holding her daughter, her voice choked and obscure: "Ying Niang..."

Zhou Ying had also cried once. A ten-year-old girl, some are cherished darlings under their parents’ knees, some have grown like young trees, standing tall against the wind and rain.

"Mother, I don’t regret it." Zhou Ying’s eyes flashed with determination: "I’ve wanted to kill that scoundrel for a long time. In front of the Commandery Princess, I couldn’t even bring myself to say the most disgusting thing. A month ago, he tried to assault me when drunk; such a beast is not worth being my father."

Mrs. Zhou trembled all over, tears pouring like a spring.

To have lustful thoughts towards a young daughter, truly worse than a beast and a disgrace to human life!

In fact, it was his shameless words last night that led her to fight hard. As a result, her fiery-tempered daughter actually killed her biological father with a knife...

"It’s because of my weakness and uselessness. If I had known today, I should have put a bag of arsenic in his midnight snack years ago." Mrs. Zhou cried so hard she was gasping for breath: "At my age, I’m not worth saving. You’re still so young..."

Mrs. Zhou felt as if her heart was being cut by a knife, her intestines torn.

Zhou Ying’s eyes were red, taking out a handkerchief to wipe her mother’s tears: "Mother, stop crying. Things have come to this point; saying anything is useless. At worst, it’s just death, I’m not afraid."

After a pause, she murmured softly: "Mother, I have a vague premonition, maybe, the Commandery Princess will spare me."

Mrs. Zhou’s crying stopped suddenly, she gripped Zhou Ying’s hand tightly, her voice trembling: "Is what you said true?"

Zhou Ying wasn’t sure either; it was just a fleeting intuition that she used to comfort Mrs. Zhou. Seeing her mother finally stop crying, she began to make things up without hesitation: "If the Commandery Princess wanted to kill me, it would be just a word. Since she didn’t last night, perhaps she wants to spare me."

"Mother, you were the only daughter of the Zhou family back in the day, married into the family, and after giving birth to me, there was no other issue."

"Grandfather and grandmother passed away in illness one after another, and that unworthy husband and father of ours began scheming to seize the Zhou family."

"Doesn’t this situation evoke a sense of pity and compassion in the Commandery Princess?"

Mrs. Zhou trembled slightly, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes, muttering to herself: "Indeed, back then, when the Nanyang Prince Mansion recruited a son-in-law, it alarmed the entire Nanyang County. It was also then that your grandfather became interested and chose a son-in-law for me."

"It’s quite a coincidence, you and the Commandery Princess were born in the same year; the Commandery Princess’s birthday is on January fifteenth. That day, the Prince Mansion released Kongming Lanterns throughout the city. Every year during the Lantern Festival after that, the Prince would have people release Kongming Lanterns."

Mrs. Zhou’s words sped up, and light shone brighter in her eyes: "The Prince has been deceased for over a year. Lu Junma might also harbor some shady thoughts... the Commandery Princess understands your anger and resentment. She definitely knows!"

"Ying Niang!"

Mrs. Zhou suddenly gripped her daughter’s hand too tightly, leaving several blood marks on the back of Zhou Ying’s hand: "Remember this, during the public trial, be sure to reveal all the evil deeds your father has done... as long as there’s a way to survive, as long as you can live, I wouldn’t care about reputation or family business."

Zhou Ying sniffed and nodded heavily.

...

On the other side, Qin Hu and a team of ten people galloped rapidly towards Nanyang County.

In fact, errands like delivering letters originally didn’t require someone like Qin Hu, a personal guard. However, Qin Hu missed his good brother Meng Sanbao, recuperating at the Prince Mansion, and grabbed the errand.

Galloping rapidly all day, they arrived at the Prince Mansion by nightfall.

Qin Hu dismounted, and the first thing he did was to find Chief Historian Feng and handed Chen Zhuo’s letter to him.

Chief Historian Feng single-handedly takes care of the internal affairs of the Prince Mansion, exhausting both mind and labor, with several strands of white hair appearing.

Feng Wenming did not rush to read the letter, first asking: "You’ve been sent back by the Commandery Princess, for what matter?"

Qin Hu immediately recounted the murder case at the post house in the middle of the night: "... I’ll thus deliver the message to Yang Shi and Lu Junma. Tomorrow morning must set out for Ye County."

Feng Wenming listened to the whole story, and his expression was somewhat subtle, only speaking after a while: "The errand is urgent, you should quickly deliver the letters."

"Is Yang Shi in the Criminal Room?"

Feng Wenming glanced at Qin Hu: "It’s already dark; Yang Shi should be back in the Courtyard."

While the Commandery Princess was in the Prince Mansion, Yang Zheng pretended to be busy until it was dark every day. Once the Commandery Princess left, Yang Zheng restored himself to the usual routine, clocking in and out strictly at quitting time.

Diligent and tirelessly working Chief Historian Feng naturally did not favor Yang Zheng.

Qin Hu also pursed his lips and went to the Courtyard, indeed finding Yang Shi drinking.

Yang Zheng’s alcohol-induced daze vanished upon hearing the Commandery Princess’s words: "Set out first thing tomorrow morning?"

"Exactly. The Commandery Princess commands, please prepare your luggage immediately, and depart at the fifth hour tomorrow."

After Qin Hu finished speaking, he saluted and walked away, he still had to deliver the Commandery Princess’s message to Lu Junma.

Yang Zheng contemplated the case silently, feeling like a huge dark cauldron was hanging over his head... he indignantly spat out a curse.