A letter delivered to the Jiao residence could not have simply gone missing, especially one addressed to Prefect Jiao. Even if the household servants had the courage of a bear, they would not dare to destroy a letter sent by Zhan Feiyu.
Thus, Madam Jiao sent someone to investigate again. Within fifteen minutes, the letter was found.
"My lord, it was my oversight. The letter was blown under the desk by the wind," the young servant responsible for cleaning the study in the front courtyard knelt and kowtowed to beg for forgiveness.
Madam Jiao said nothing, merely holding her teacup and pretending to drink. The two maids, two servants, and four guards in the study were all the Prefect's men. Madam Jiao had never thought of placing her own people in the study.
However, the mishap with the letter in the study indicated that someone among the eight servants in the study must have been bribed. Madam Jiao subtly glanced at Concubine Huang and Jiao Lianyu, noting how far their reach extended.
Prefect Jiao's expression was also extremely displeased. The study was a restricted area, and not even his most favored second son could enter and exit freely, let alone Madam Jiao.
"As the saying goes, the east wind is always the most understanding," Jiao Lianping sneered unceremoniously. With a gust of wind, the crucial letter had blown under the desk. His whipping had been in vain.
Logically, a letter delivered to Prefect Jiao, who was currently not at home, should have been reported to Madam Jiao for her to decide how to handle it.
Prefect Jiao was busy at the yamen. Madam Jiao would surely have sent someone to deliver the letter to the prefectural office. In that case, once Prefect Jiao saw Zhan Feiyu's letter, and if Zhan Feiyu did not pursue the matter of the Yipin Tower, Prefect Jiao would at most reprimand Jiao Lianping, and the punishment would not be too severe.
Prefect Jiao opened the letter without a word. He was first surprised by the handwriting. Although it was the standard official script used in the imperial examinations, the strokes already showed character and strength.
He then recalled that Lord Qiu had once mentioned that Mr. Qiu Zongxi was Zhan Feiyu's semi-mentor, and Mr. Qiu was most skilled in calligraphy. Zhan Feiyu's handwriting must have been guided and taught by Mr. Qiu.
Zhan Feiyu's letter was simple and clear. The matter of the Yipin Tower was merely a coincidence, and Young Master Jiao had no intention of offending anyone.
"Ultimately, it is my unfilial son's lack of discretion and poor choice of friends!" Prefect Jiao put down the letter and habitually reprimanded Jiao Lianping.
A group of dissolute young men indulging in feasting, drinking, and misbehaving – otherwise, how could they have acted so presumptuously, forcefully seizing something when they knew guests were present in the private room?
It was just that this time, he had encountered Zhan Feiyu and hit a hard obstacle. If they had encountered ordinary citizens, or people from less influential families, Prefect Jiao could imagine them enduring the humiliation in silence. In the end, it was their accustomed arrogance and bullying that led to this.
Jiao Lianping felt a little indignant but ultimately did not retort.
Chen An, who had spoken rudely, was kicked out by He Sheng. However, as a merchant, his audacity was still reliant on Jiao Lianping's influence, as he was Chen Shi's cousin.
Chen An stood to the side, burning with anxiety, eagerly looking at Madam Jiao and Jiao Lianyu. This was a golden opportunity. If they rigorously interrogated the eight servants in the study, they would surely discover that some of them had been bribed by Concubine Huang and Jiao Lianyu. This would lead the Prefect to be disappointed in Jiao Lianping, and it would be an opportunity for her husband.
But no matter how anxious Chen Shi was, Madam Jiao slowly sipped her tea, while Jiao Lianping leaned against the chair with a pale face, his eyes distant, as if lost in thought.
Seeing that the matter was about to be put aside after Prefect Jiao and Zhan Feiyu exchanged pleasantries, Chen Shi tightened the hand hidden in her sleeve and finally could not help but speak, "Father, my husband suffered injustice for no reason and was almost disfigured."
As she spoke, Chen Shi's voice choked, and she lowered her head, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. When she looked up and met Prefect Jiao's sharp gaze, Chen Shi's heart skipped a beat, but she still forced herself to finish speaking.
"Ultimately, it was the servants' negligence that caused my husband's injury. Father, your daughter-in-law only wants justice for her husband. Was this letter accidentally blown to the ground by the wind, or was it intentional? It must be investigated thoroughly." Chen Shi's words became more reasoned and louder.
"Today it was just a letter from Miss Zhan, and it's acceptable that my husband suffered. But if it were an important letter concerning court affairs in the future, how could such servants be so negligent? Father, it would be best to interrogate them thoroughly. Perhaps there are spies planted in the residence."
Zhan Feiyu looked at Chen Shi, whose eyes flashed with calculation. The wife of the eldest son Jiao did not seem very intelligent.
Madam Jiao's expression remained unchanged, but she placed the teacup in her hand back on the table with a click. That fool Chen Shi!
The mishap in the study was obvious. However, it was a family scandal that should not be publicized. Yet, Chen Shi, thinking she was clever, revealed it in front of an outsider like Zhan Feiyu, stripping the Prefect of his dignity.
Jiao Lianping looked back at the fidgeting Chen Shi with an exceptionally calm expression. This was the wife his father had painstakingly chosen for him!
Although he had been tricked at the time, if his father had been willing to protect him, this matter could have been covered up. At most, he would have married a few years later; many men established their careers before starting a family.
But his father had forced him to marry Chen Shi in a hurry. With her vision and格局, if he were a minor official, it would be fine. But if he wanted to advance in his career in the future, such a wife would only be a burden. Not to mention the entire Chen family dragging him down.
No matter how angry Prefect Jiao was, he could not scold his daughter-in-law. He could only sternly deal with the matter first. "Guards, take Li Li away for interrogation. From the moment the letter was delivered to the residence, did Li Li ever leave the study? Where did he go, whom did he meet? Anyone who dares to harbor him will be severely punished!"
After having Steward Niu drag Li Li away, Prefect Jiao felt utterly humiliated. "My failure to manage the household properly has made Miss Zhan laugh."
"Your words are too kind, Your Excellency. It was my oversight," Zhan Feiyu smoothed things over. She should have sent someone to deliver the letter to the prefectural office.
However, along with the letter was a small gift. It was not appropriate to send it to the prefectural office, so it was sent to the Jiao residence. Who would have thought that the servants in the residence would dare to brazenly hide Prefect Jiao's letter?
Within fifteen minutes, Li Li was brought into the hall again by two guards. At first glance, his clothes were intact, and he did not look like he had been tortured. Yet, Li Li could barely stand. As soon as the two guards let go, he collapsed to the ground, showing the effectiveness of Steward Niu's interrogation methods.
"Reporting to my lord, Li Li did not confess. He only admitted to opening the window to ventilate the study and did not notice the letter being blown under the desk..." Steward Niu reported everything, his face dark and grim. Knowing there was a problem but failing to uncover it was not only a reflection of his inadequate ability but also prevented him from helping the Madam and the eldest young master.
"I am wronged..." A single cry of "I am wronged" exhausted all of Li Li's strength.
In the sweltering summer heat, Li Li was covered in cold sweat. This meant he was either wrongly accused or was a loyal subordinate who would not confess even if it meant death.
Soon, the questioning of the other servants also concluded. From the moment the letter was delivered at the main gate to its final delivery to the study in the front courtyard, Li Li had not left, nor had he met anyone in secret.
Moreover, the study was a restricted area, and the household servants dared not enter casually, as there were two guards stationed in front of the study courtyard.
Seeing that the situation was turning in favor of Concubine Huang and her son, Chen Shi clenched the handkerchief in her hand. At such a crucial moment, Madam Jiao and Jiao Lianping still appeared indifferent, which made Chen Shi both anxious and angry.
Chen Shi was not foolish. She understood that Prefect Jiao intended to smooth things over. However, given the situation, if the matter was downplayed and resolved easily, her previous words would have been utterly embarrassing. How could she establish herself in the residence in the future? The servants in the front courtyard would likely resent her for this.
Gritting her teeth, Chen Shi decided to go all out. However, her expression remained delicate and somewhat suspicious as she said, "Since you didn't contact anyone else, perhaps this was all your doing, Li Li!"
This letter was useful to her husband, so he deliberately opened the window. If the wind was not strong enough, Li Li would throw the letter under the desk. Anyway, he was the only one cleaning the study, so it was a secret known only to heaven and earth.
"Young Madam." Li Li's face showed indignation at being suspected. He struggled to straighten his kneeling posture and said word by word, "Even if I had the courage of a bear and the gall of a leopard... I would not dare... dare to open my lord's letter privately..."
When the letter was delivered just now, Prefect Jiao had opened it in front of Zhan Feiyu. At least Prefect Jiao had not discovered that the letter had been privately opened; the seal on it was intact.