In the ancestral hall, the brother was enjoying himself while the sister was freaking out. But in the major house of Sheng Family, Jinxue House, everyone seemed somber.

“Haven't Miss Wu pleaded guilty?” Senior Master Sheng asked wearily, “Are you sure it was her? She's only a daughter of a scholar, at the bottom. And the scholar actually pa.s.sed away a few years ago. How did a family like that… reach out to the second branch?”

Miss Wu was the woman for whom Sheng Lanci wanted to divorce Madam Bai. After Yamen's staff thought Sheng Lianlian suspicious, they tracked down the servants that Sheng Lianlian had contacted and finally found her.

However, though Miss Wu was a woman, she was a tough one. Since she was put into prison at noon, she had experienced two rounds of torture, fettered and handcuffed. But she gritted her teeth and wouldn't confess that she was the one who had plotted to murder Madam Bai and frame Sheng Lansi!

Instead, she claimed that Sheng Family was abusing their power to make her confess to those charges under torture so that she could bear Sheng Lansi's blame, “Though I'm a scholar's daughter, since my father's death, my family had been falling. So, my brother and I count on each other to make a living. We are too poor to pay for my brother's teacher. Finally, I got Second Master Sheng's affection, and I was really enraptured! Even I desired Madam Bai's death out of envy, how could I act when Second Master Sheng was at home?! In this way, even if I weren't put into prison today, I would kill Second Master Sheng! Is there any good to me?”

Her words were reasonable in the sense of both logic and humanity. Accompanied by the toughness that she manifested during the torment, when hearing about her condition from the others, Senior Master Sheng was skeptical that the staff in Yamen had mistaken it, and the real murderer was his son. Was Miss Wu wronged?

“The commissioners in charge of this case are all experienced. And they have been carrying out such duties for generations. So how could they be neglectful? They must have their own reasons for torturing her.” But hearing that, Sheng Lanci just shook his head and said, “As for how Miss Wu reached out to the second branch, I'd rather say that the servants in the second branch reached out to Miss Wu spontaneously.”

Senior Master Sheng's brows twitched, “Go further!”

“Second Sister-in-law wasn't kind enough to her servants.” Sheng Lanci said curtly, “Especially in comparison to Sister Ao.”

After Mrs. Ao got remarried, it wasn't proper for Sheng Lanci to stick with the appellation of sister-in-law. But with Mrs. Ao's father and Senior Master's former connection, he could call her a sister.

Senior Master Sheng wore a sulky face. After a while, he let out a sigh, “What a pity!”

He understood what Sheng Lanci meant. Ao Family could have been involved in this case!

Though Mrs. Ao didn't stay here for a long time as Sheng Lansi's wife, when she had been here, she served well the parents-in-law, showed respect for her eldest sister-in-law and was very kind to the servants. Except for Sheng Lansi, who always preferred a new mistress, n.o.body had ever said anything ill of her!

Meanwhile, though she went away, she had the eldest legitimate son Sheng Weide leaving in the second branch. At the time, Sheng Weide was a baby in a cradle who didn't have any ability to protect himself.

So even though she was aware that Senior Master Sheng and Old Madam Ming would protect their grandson from Madam Bai's mistreatment, as his mother, Mrs. Ao wouldn't have taken away all her trusted servants. Instead, she must have left some of them to her son.

So, even though Madam Bai had been Second Madam of Sheng Family for over a decade and she had managed the back yard for several times longer than Mrs. Ao, Ao Family wouldn't lack in approaches to set her up and act inside the second branch!

As for why Ao Family did that, it wouldn't be merely to revenge Mrs. Ao. Because as Sheng Weiqiao said, Mrs. Ao had been leading a life not bad after her remarriage, and she wasn't in a predicament because of Sheng Lansi and Madam Bai. So neither Ao Family nor Mrs. Ao would hold so much hatred against Madam Bai as to kill her, even though the old grudge remained.

They decided to kill Madam Bai, probably for Sheng Weide.

“Though after the birth of Weixing, Second Brother took another two concubines, had Nianxian and Nianjie, and was much colder to Second Sister-in-law than before.” Sheng Lanci said slowly, “He once loved her sincerely. So, though the two concubines got his affection for a time, the hostess of the second branch was always Second Sister-in-law.”

“Meanwhile, though Second Sister-in-law did her wrong at the time when Sister Ao left Sheng Family, knowing Second Sister-in-law's behaviors all these years, she didn't feel guilty about it, but held secret hostility against Weide.”

“But Weide was the eldest legitimate son of the second branch, while Second Sister-in-law also had her own son Weixing.”

“Based on her manner, she certainly hoped that Weixing could overtake Weide and inherit the second branch, didn't she?”

“Ao Family cares for their children, even though Weide is a grandson living in Sheng Family, they have been giving him attention. If they have foreseen the possible situation, with the grudge in the old days….”

Expressionless, Senior Master Sheng got stiffened as if he were a statue. After a while, he said, “So… Ao Family bought Miss Wu?”

Seeing Sheng Lanci nodded slowly, Senior master closed his eyes heavily and seemed speechless, “No wonder Miss Wu a.s.serted that we're abusing our power and forcing Lansi's crime on her! Ao Family… they distrusted not only Madam Bai but also Lansi. They wanted the deaths of them both, so Weide wouldn't be troubled by his parents!”

As he said, he felt indignant and poignant. He was outraged that the old subordinate to whom he would entrust his life should intend to kill his son, and even have acted! And he was poignant that considering Ao Family's stance, it was hard to say they did it for no reason.

Because as a typical immoral father and a ruthless step-mother, even with the pressure from seniors, Sheng Lansi and Madam Bai weren't very kind to Sheng Weide at present. If Senior Master Sheng and Old Madam Bai pa.s.sed away one day, the two surely would spare no effort to set up Sheng Weide.

Sheng Weide wasn't a complex type who would be good at making plots. With his parents, his life could be totally ruined.

As Sheng Weide's uncle, he might have acted with Mrs. Ao's consent. For Sheng Weide's future, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate Sheng Lansi and Madam Bai, would he?

“The staff in Yamen said that the deer's footprints were very conspicuous. If it hadn't been so abrupt as to stun everyone, they wouldn't have suspected Second Brother and cause a deep impact.” Sheng Lanci comforted him gingerly, “Which is to say Ao Family wasn't intended to kill Second Brother. It was merely a warning, wasn't it? Their trap was so covert that none of us noticed it. If they really meant to kill, how could they have left behind such an obvious flaw?”

Senior Master Sheng kept silent for some time. Then he said gloomily, “Still, I failed in family education. So, my grandson would ever need their help for his future…. Let alone that b.a.s.t.a.r.d is alive, even if he was set up to death by them, would I be unabashed enough to call Ao Family to account?!”

Sheng Lanci said promptly, “Second Brother just wouldn't learn to be decent. Third Brother and I are never so troublesome!”

“A boy is better unborn than untaught. If my son is filthy, I should be blamed. I can take it. Don't worry!” Senior Master Sheng looked as if he was several years older. With his eyelid drooping, he said feebly, “Alright. We shall close the topic. For the current situation… what are you going to do with it?”

“I think… the doer should undo what he has done.” Sheng Lanci pondered, “Miss Wu wouldn't plead herself guilty. Even if we forced her to fingerprint, she would keep claiming her innocence in public when being executed! With Second Brother's notoriety, the uninformed outsiders would believe her in turn. So, I think we need to contact Ao Family.”

He paused, “Meanwhile, now that we know this case was started by Ao Family, even though for the old friends.h.i.+ps you didn't want to hold them accountable, you shouldn't keep silent as if nothing happened, should you? As you said, after all, Weide is Sheng Family's offspring. Could we have no idea about his future as his seniors? Without any discussion nor information, Ao Family acted by themselves. Shouldn't we ask for an explanation?!”

Senior Master Sheng stared at the nearby silver hook for hangs for a while and nodded subtly, “Go for it!”

Before Sheng Lanci responded, he said, “This is between you and me. As for others… especially your mother, she mustn't be told!”

Though Old Madam Ming could do nothing to Ao Family, Senior Master Sheng wouldn't be glad if she took it out on Sheng Weide.

What's more, the comrade love of over a decade wouldn't be severed by a fallen second branch.

Sheng Lanci said understandingly, “Don't worry! I sent my trusted men to find out this thing, so even the staff in Yamen knew nothing about it! Miss Wu was tough, and I just ordered Yamen to be merciful with her in case she died, and we lost the witness. I suppose she wouldn't leak anything!”

So, the truth was secretly hushed up under this father and son's agreement.

Others only knew that Sheng Family's business in the neighbor county met with some intractable problems. Because as the master, Sheng Lanci left behind his brother in prison and the ill parents and went all the way to deal with it by himself.

The round trip took about five or six days. Upon his return, without going back, he directly paid a visit to Sheng Lansi in prison.

As for where his close man Sheng Fu had gone in the middle of the trip, n.o.body noticed it. Even if someone did, he had willingly zipped his mouth with a check thrust into his sleeve.

Anyway, the next morning, in front of the people stuffed shoulder to shoulder in the court, Miss Wu finally confessed. She took advantage of Madam Bai's unkindness to her men, bought off the servant in the second branch, and murdered Madam Bai by cooperating with him.

At the time, all people throughout the county believed that Sheng Lansi was the mastermind, so instead of being convinced, the crowd in the court began an uproar!

County Chief pounded his gavel. The staff on both sides thumped the ground with their black and red rods and howled “your honor”, and then the buzzing was suppressed. County Chief asked immediately, “According to my investigation, on the day when the crime was committed, Madam Bai once ordered the near men to quit and not to go back until twilight. Was it also your plan?”

“Could a lowly woman like me be so capable?” Miss Wu sneered. She originally had a charming face, or Sheng Lansi wouldn't have been so infatuated with her that he wanted to abandon Madam Bai and remarry her. But having undergone all the torture and prison life in the past few days, she was like a withered flower, and her temperament was devastated. However, as she smiled, the glittering eyes somewhat brought out her old demeanor. And she said arrogantly, “Because Madam Bai started with her evil will first, and she conspired against me purposely. I have been Second Master Sheng's woman for long. If I did not marry him, his family surely wouldn't tolerate me, either. Then what else could I do unless committing suicide?!”

“Madam Bai left me no choice. So, shouldn't I act first to have the upper hand and end her life?!”

Then all people in the court were curious. Might Madam Bai had foreseen that Miss Wu would act on that day, so she had decided to be the decoy and caught Miss Wu on the spot?

Then why did she die, still?

County Chief also asked, “What do you mean by Madam Bai's evil will?”