“Cheap life, cheap life—whose life is cheaper than another’s!” Qian Jiaoniang, furious, slapped him again and shoved him away hard. “Beast!”
She turned and left.
Qian Baogui stumbled, fell hard on his backside, but didn’t even cry out in pain. He scrambled up and almost threw himself at Qian Jiaoniang. “Third Sister, where are you going—are you not going to care about me? You must take me back to the Marquis’ estate!” If she left, wouldn’t he be thrown into prison?
Qian Jiaoniang shook him off. “You killed someone—where do you think you can go!”
Qian Baogui was thunderstruck, and shouted, “I want to go back!” Didn’t Sun Bai and the others say—even if he killed someone, he’d be fine? “Brother-in-law is here, you just have him speak to the Prefect, I don’t believe that petty Prefect would dare oppose him!”
Qian Jiaoniang sneered coldly. So that was the fine little scheme he relied on! No wonder he feared nothing, striking so viciously! Thinking she herself might have become an accomplice to that poor girl’s death, Qian Jiaoniang could hardly breathe. “Qian Baogui, how exactly did you treat her last night? Such a tender young girl, and so many wounds all over her body! And now you have no guilt, no remorse—are you even human!”
Qian Baogui, raised pampered since childhood, would wail over the smallest pain or hardship, utterly unable to shoulder responsibility. Last night he had his fun beating her, but this morning he was already scared witless, nearly bawling in panic. In his straw-filled brain there was only the thought of begging Qian Jiaoniang to save him. That pitiful little girl never even crossed his mind—he only hated that she couldn’t endure the beating!
“Third Sister, I was drunk! I… I don’t even know how it happened… I didn’t mean it, why would I kill someone for no reason, am I out of my mind!”
Qian Dafu panicked too. “Third Niang, save Baogui! He—he lost his head, but he’s still your only brother!”
Qian Jiaoniang looked at Qian Dafu with bitter disappointment. “Father, he killed someone. He cruelly murdered a thirteen-year-old girl. That girl was the daughter of one of Piaoxiang Pavilion’s courtesans—she only happened to live there.”
Qian Dafu was choked speechless. He knew it was Baogui’s fault, and that killing must be repaid with life, but must his son really pay with his life? Cold sweat poured down as the farmer realized the danger. His hands shook. “No, no, Third Niang, Baogui lost his mind, he’s a beast—but he’s the lifeblood of the Qian family! He hasn’t even taken a wife, our incense has not been continued. If something happens to him, won’t the Qian bloodline be cut off?” Wouldn’t that make him guilty of the greatest sin?
“Yes, Third Sister, you can beat me and scold me when we go home, I swear I’ll never dare again!”
Qian Jiaoniang knew well how important Baogui was to their parents. But that girl lying on the cold stone bed—she too was someone’s treasured child, and had been ravaged to death by this beast. If he didn’t face justice, how could her soul in heaven be comforted, how could her grieving mother’s tears ever dry?
“Father, the state has its laws, family its rules. Killing must be paid with life—that is only right. It will depend on how Prefect Xie rules. This matter, I cannot interfere!” Nor did she wish to.
Qian Baogui shrieked like a slaughtered chicken. “You can! Of course you can! You are the Marchioness, brother-in-law is Dingxi Marquis—if you say the word, you can interfere!”
Qian Jiaoniang sneered and refused to respond. She turned and walked out. Seeing her truly abandon him, Qian Baogui went mad, rushing after her, but the guards at the door barred him.
“Third Sister! Third Sister!” Qian Baogui screamed wildly. “I’m your brother, your only brother! You must save me, you must!”
Qian Jiaoniang ignored him, and went instead to Prefect Xie’s office. Xie Zhang and Xing Muzheng were talking, but rose when she entered. She glanced at Xing Muzheng, then turned to Xie Zhang, speaking calmly: “Lord Xie, thank you for allowing me to question Qian Baogui. I have asked what I needed. Handle the case as you see fit—the Dingxi Marquisate will not interfere.”
Xie Zhang quickly agreed, glancing at Xing Muzheng. Qian Jiaoniang also looked to him. “My lord, I intend to return to the estate. Do you have further matters with Lord Xie, or shall I go first?”
Xing Muzheng stood. “Go wait for me in the carriage. I’ll give Lord Xie a few more instructions.”
Qian Jiaoniang simply nodded, saluted Xie Zhang, and left.
Once she was gone, Xing Muzheng’s face turned ice-cold. “Give Qian Baogui the heavy tortures!”
Qian Jiaoniang had waited in the carriage less than a quarter of an hour when Xing Muzheng came in. She had been lost in thought, and only startled awake when he entered. Qian Dafu still lingered at the yamen, unwilling to leave. Qian Jiaoniang left him a carriage, and told her own to drive off.
Seeing Qian Jiaoniang’s lifeless eyes, Xing Muzheng’s heart ached. Her hands were cold as snow despite the summer heat. He wanted nothing more than to cut Qian Baogui down himself! Qian Jiaoniang had, so carefully, opened her guarded heart again and again, only to be wounded again and again.
Xing Muzheng knew that though Qian Jiaoniang always seemed indifferent toward her family, in her heart she was happy to have them—happy enough that she never spoke of the past, only wishing to begin anew. Yet Qian Liniang betrayed her, Qian Baogui hurt her, and Qian Dafu and Mother Qian, wanting to save Baogui, would surely wound her again! That drunken confession of her clinging obsession—how bitter it must be.
Qian Jiaoniang tried to pull her hand away; Xing Muzheng’s was burning hot. He didn’t let go, and spoke hoarsely: “Jiaoniang, Qian Bao can be spared death.” To keep him locked in prison for life—so she would not be forced to tear herself apart from her parents in the end.
Qian Jiaoniang, however, shook her head. “That kind of beast… he doesn’t deserve it.” His death would not even be a pity.
Qian Meinang and Carpenter Zheng had been anxiously waiting in the manor. As soon as they heard news of their return, they rushed to Honghu Courtyard to find Jiaoniang. Qian Jiaoniang invited them to sit in the main hall; Xing Muzheng was there as well. This was the first time Qian Meinang laid eyes on him, but she could not be bothered with such things at the moment. Qian Jiaoniang told them everything about Qian Baogui, and both Qian Meinang and Second Brother Zheng turned pale with shock.
“Baogui, he… he killed a young girl?” Qian Meinang could not believe her younger brother had been so cruel—whipping and then violating a girl, until she died.
Qian Jiaoniang gave a heavy nod.
“Baogui has confessed?” Second Brother Zheng asked. “He’s always been timid. He couldn’t do such a thing. Could someone have framed him?”
Qian Jiaoniang replied, “He confessed to me himself. And there are both witnesses and evidence—he had drunk a great deal of alcohol.”
The last shred of hope drained from Qian Meinang. Her eyes reddened. “That beastly… such a crime, must it be punished by death?”
Qian Jiaoniang nodded once again.
The blow to Qian Meinang was no less than to Qian Jiaoniang. She was the eldest sister; when their parents worked the fields, it was she who had practically raised Qian Baogui. All these years, she had always been by his side. Though she resented her parents’ preference for sons, she had still done her utmost for her brother. Now, hearing he had killed someone and would have to pay with his life, how could her heart not ache? She also knew the Dingxi Marquis was the ruler of Yuzhou; they said even the emperor himself did not meddle in Yuzhou’s affairs. Jiaoniang could save Baogui.
Clutching her husband’s arm, Qian Meinang thought for a long time. She looked at Qian Jiaoniang, then at Xing Muzheng, and at last gritted her teeth and called, “Jiaoniang.”
Qian Jiaoniang’s body stiffened. Xing Muzheng’s fierce gaze, full of killing intent, shot toward Qian Meinang. But she did not notice; she only said to Jiaoniang: “Jiaoniang, let us leave this matter to fate. Let the yamen decide as it will. In any case, you are the marquis’s wife; the yamen dares not make a reckless judgment. If Baogui really killed and must pay with his life, then it is his own sin he must repay!” As she spoke, she wept, but still forced the words out.
The stiffness in Qian Jiaoniang’s shoulders eased a little. She had thought her elder sister, being closer to Baogui, would plead for him. She had not expected her to still be mindful of her instead.
The killing aura around Xing Muzheng finally dissipated. At least there was still one clear-headed person in the Qian family.
But Qian Meinang and her husband’s clarity was not shared by Mother Qian. When Qian Dafu returned, he went straight to his wife’s room to deliver the bad news. Having not stepped out for days, Mother Qian now burst into Jiaoniang’s courtyard, wailing all the way.
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