Lin Qingge's gaze shifted to Xing Wanli, who had been dragged in by An Er. She asked in a deep voice, "And you?"
Xing Wanli, awakened by the pain, looked around in confusion. After Lin Qingge repeated the question, he stammered, "Reporting to Your Excellency, today the esteemed daughter of the treasure house owner tossed an绣球 to choose a groom. As a talented young man, I naturally had to attend. After the绣球 throwing, I dined with friends at the treasure house and only just returned home. If Your Excellency doesn't believe me, you need only dispatch constables to the treasure house to inquire."
"Even so, you could have taken a shortcut home, avoided the servants, murdered Magistrate Li through some unknown means, and then slipped away. Finally, you could have returned as if nothing had happened, swaggering back."
"This student did not! I implore Your Excellency to see clearly!"
However, Lin Qingge impatiently waved her sleeve. "Enough, you may all disperse. Do not leave the residence for the time being. I will summon you again if I require anything. Also, Master Hua, please remember to handle the matter of buying and selling official positions."
"Your Excellency, rest assured, this student will immediately send a pigeon to Feng Sifei~"
...
Lin Qingge felt that if Feng Qingchen were to suffer any harm, Lin Moyuan and this fellow would share equal credit. After instructing Yan Tinghao to stay and guard, Lin Qingge pulled Leng Ningyue to a small street stall to appease her hunger. She then had Leng Ningyue lead her over the back wall and return to Magistrate Li's mansion.
Arriving at the rear courtyard, Lin Qingge effortlessly made her way to the private chamber of Magistrate Li's daughter, Li Xiaolian. To her surprise, she heard voices speaking within. Lin Qingge skillfully lifted a roof tile and saw Li Xiaolian sitting by the bed, sobbing with 'wuwu' sounds. Madam Xing stood by the table, angrily fanning herself with a handkerchief, as if to relieve the anger that had accumulated in her chest. During this, she did not forget to cast fierce glances at Li Xiaolian on the bed. Xing Wanli, meanwhile, stood by the bedside, smiling lewdly and obscenely.
"You wretched girl, I'm telling you, whether you are willing or not, you must marry Wanli!" Unlike before, Madam Xing now had her hands on her hips, exuding a fierce and shrewish demeanor.
But Li Xiaolian repeatedly shook her head, unable to bear it any longer, and cried out, "I disagree! We are not mutually in love, and we are related by kinship. If I were to marry him, I would surely become a laughingstock among the neighbors! In this life, I would have no face left to stand in the world!"
Crystal tears rolled down Li Xiaolian's eyes, dripping onto the ground and splashing tiny droplets of water. Her tear-streaked face, her mournful accusations, coupled with the suppressed stubbornness in her brows, truly evoked pity and a desire to protect from the bottom of one's heart.
Xing Wanli gazed at the beauty before him and said with a smile, "Xiaolian, don't cry. You are merely an adopted daughter whom your uncle brought back from outside, with no blood relation to the Li family at all. But it is different for me; I am the nephew of your uncle and aunt. Therefore, only by marrying me will you become a true member of the Li family and be rightfully able to remain in the Li residence."
"Hmph, what a righteous claim?" Li Xiaolian, forced into a laugh by such a twisted logic, snorted and bluntly exposed them: "You want to marry me simply to inherit the family fortune under my father's name, and to leverage the connections he made in official circles during his lifetime, hoping to rise rapidly and bring glory to your Xing family."
"Not at all, not at all. Besides the Li family's fortune, I have also long coveted you, my cousin." With that, Xing Wanli reached out and caressed Li Xiaolian's smooth, fair cheek, then smacked his lips with lingering desire. "I originally thought it would take more effort, but I didn't expect that old man to die. Now, I can finally relieve my longing."
Xing Wanli said with a sinister smile and made a move to undress, but was stopped by Madam Xing. "Wanli, this little girl will be yours sooner or later. The constables are still in the mansion, so you must endure for now. After the funeral matters of the master are handled, I will immediately arrange your wedding."
"You… you are shameless! I would rather die than marry you, you beast!"
"Slap—"
As the loud sound of a slap echoed, Li Xiaolian's cheek swelled visibly. Xing Wanli attempted to strike again, but Madam Xing held him back. "Enough, there will be plenty of time later. As long as you get through these next two days, you'll have ample opportunity to do as you please. If you really wish to play, I can find an excuse to buy a couple of maids later."
"Aunt, it's better you didn't mention it! Speaking of maids makes me angry! You bought so many maids, Aunt, but only Yin Tao was to my liking. Yet you didn't keep a good watch on her, letting that贱人 slip through the cracks. Actually, after playing with her for so long, I'd grown tired of that贱人, but that贱人 actually dared to go to the treasure house to seek death! She embarrassed me in front of my friends, what bad luck!"
"You have the audacity to mention this!" Madam Xing's eyes erupted with anger, and just as she was about to continue, she glanced at Li Xiaolian beside them and quickly changed the subject. "You wretched girl, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! To be frank, your father discussed with me before his death about betrothing you to the Prefect of Chengtian Prefecture as a concubine. If you continue to be obstinate, I will reveal this matter. As the saying goes, it is the parents' command and the matchmaker's word, so just wait to soar to the branches and become a phoenix!"
The magistrate of Jingzhou knew that the Prefect of Chengtian Prefecture had been in trouble, but Madam Xing, a mere woman of the inner chambers, was unaware of this and even used it as a threat. Li Xiaolian, after hearing this, forgot even to cry and said with disbelief, "Impossible! My father loves me the most; he would never do something so rash!"
Madam Xing shrugged and pouted impatiently. "What's impossible? If I heard it with my own ears, how could it be false? However, I heard that the Prefect of Chengtian Prefecture is no longer young, while my Wanli is young and promising, a handsome man. I'm afraid any normal person would know whom to choose."
"Pfft—"
"Tsk, you can stay here and ponder it. Remember to inform your mother before tomorrow, and I will not disturb your rest." With that, Madam Xing pulled the displeased Xing Wanli and walked out. Li Xiaolian wept alone for a while, tidied her appearance, and then left the room.
Lin Qingge, hidden on the eaves, saw Li Xiaolian walk towards the courtyard and finally stop by the lotus pond in the yard. Confirming that Li Xiaolian would not be back for a while, Lin Qingge looked at Leng Ningyue beside her. The latter, understanding, leaped down from the eaves with her.
Arriving at Li Xiaolian's room, Leng Ningyue asked with some confusion, "You suspect her?"
"At this stage, it's not quite suspicion, but it's certainly suspicious," Lin Qingge said. Then she squatted down by the wastepaper basket next to the desk, carefully collected the torn paper scraps from the basket, and muttered to herself, "Tsk tsk, Master Hua has finally done something a human should do."