Chapter 70

Seeing his mother's eyes filled with bloodshot and her face full of anxious concern, Zhao Jin cleared his throat and hurriedly explained what had happened.

Breakfast had been reheated several times, and upon seeing Zhao Jin return, it was quickly served. Mu Shulan, who had been frightened to the extreme, had been crying all along and had only fallen into a drowsy sleep from exhaustion.

While eating, He Cuihua did not ask many questions. Zhao Jin could roughly guess that his mother was also aware of what the Mu family had done.

The bundle containing gold and silver was directly placed by He Cuihua in the room where Mu Shulan was staying. Seeing this, Zhao Jin felt even more ashamed of his momentary misunderstanding.

There was nothing urgent at home, and Zhao Jin did not want to delay his martial arts practice. He said a word to his mother, shouldered his spear, and left the house. As he closed the courtyard gate, he saw a peddler with a drum on his shoulder walking over.

Today, he went to the courtyard a bit later. Wang Zhaojing and Chen Sheng, among others, were already waiting there. It was rare to see everyone gathered around Wang Zhaojing, listening to him talk enthusiastically. Wang Zhaojing saw Zhao Jin and immediately said excitedly, "Everyone, go ask Brother Zhao. I heard it from our family guard, but it's not as good as Brother Zhao's firsthand account."

The group of young brothers surrounded Zhao Jin again, their faces full of excitement and curiosity. Wang Zhaojing had heard about last night's incident from his family this morning. It was a late-night call and a murder case, and he knew that Zhao Jin and his father had rushed over. Upon arriving, he told everyone, and these young people, being in the age of curiosity and enthusiasm, were extremely curious. Seeing the person involved, they all asked Zhao Jin to tell them in detail.

When they heard that it was Mu Shulan's father who had been killed, their excitement waned. The sudden occurrence of such an event in the home of a close companion left everyone stunned, and their curiosity and eagerness to ask questions disappeared.

Wang Zhaojing, as usual, brought a few books, went into the room to recite and write for a while, and then came out to practice martial arts. He practiced for half the time Zhao Jin and the others did because he also had to prepare for the imperial examinations. He was the type of person who was both literate and martial.

Actually, not many people practiced martial arts. The others were mainly Chen Sheng, Sun Dalei, and Dong Bingfeng. Shi Manqiang and the others had already started helping at home and did not have much time to come over. The martial arts competition at the cargo yard was more like a break after lunch, and as for this courtyard, they only occasionally showed up.

Despite everyone practicing with dedication, the atmosphere in the morning was somewhat gloomy. At lunchtime, they agreed to meet at the cargo yard and then dispersed to go home.

Lunch was already prepared, but Mu Shulan was still in her room, unwilling to come out. He Cuihua, feeling sorry for the girl, prepared the meal and brought it to her, trying to comfort her. Zhao Zhentang and Zhao Jin ate and waited for her to return.

"The Mu family's situation is somewhat known by the authorities, but no one wants to expose it to avoid higher-ups' scrutiny. This matter will likely just pass by," Zhao Zhentang said solemnly.

A murder case was not a major issue, but a case involving the White Lotus or Fragrant Sect was tantamount to treason. Even if it was solved, the local officials would be implicated. The current Prefect of Xuzhou had been in office for three years and preferred to avoid trouble. The subordinates shared this mindset, and with the benefits they received, the matter was muddled through.

Zhao Zhentang, who understood the intentions of those above and below, carefully manipulated the situation to classify it as a murder case.

Zhao Jin could understand that if it were not for his father's efforts, the involvement with the White Lotus and Fragrant Sects would have caused trouble for Mu Shulan.

"Once Xiaolan recovers, give her the gold and silver. Her relatives and friends should come to pick her up in a few days, and then this matter should be resolved," Zhao Zhentang said, not really in the mood to eat, but just giving instructions.

He Cuihua nodded, then asked a bit puzzled, "Xiaolan and her father were the only two, and they came in the middle of the night. How could her relatives and friends know?"

"How could they not know? I told the authorities that the victim's daughter is here with us. Think about what her family does; those people already know the news," Zhao Zhentang said impatiently, and He Cuihua nodded in realization.

Zhao Jin, hearing Zhao Zhentang's words, knew that the Prefect's office was like a sieve, and any news would leak out. He did not expect that the Mu family's relatives and friends could also get the information from there. The Fragrant Sect was indeed resourceful.

After lunch, Zhao Jin went to Mu Shulan's room. He called out from outside and, hearing a weak response, stepped in.

In less than six hours, Mu Shulan looked even more haggard than the night before. Her face was pale, and her eyes were bloodshot. She was huddled in the corner of the kang, calling out weakly, "Brother Xiaojin," her voice already hoarse.

Seeing the girl's pitiful state, Zhao Jin felt a pang of heartache but did not know what to say. Finally, he said, "I'm here, don't be afraid."

Hearing Zhao Jin's words, Mu Shulan paused for a moment, then buried her head in her knees and started crying. He Cuihua, standing outside, quickly came in upon hearing the crying.

Young men and women playing outside was fine, but inside the inner chambers, they had to be cautious about propriety. He Cuihua was very mindful of this and stayed outside while Zhao Jin visited.

Seeing the situation inside, He Cuihua wiped her eyes and whispered, "Xiaolan, you don't need to be afraid here. Your uncle said your relatives will come to pick you up soon, and then you can be at ease..."

For the sorrowful and lonely Mu Shulan, Zhao Jin's visit and He Cuihua's comfort made her feel a bit relieved, and the girl, who had been tense, burst into tears.

He Cuihua knew that this was a sign that the girl's emotional burden was being released, and it would prevent her from being overly affected by grief.

In this situation, Zhao Jin did not feel comfortable staying any longer. He said goodbye to Mu Shulan and left, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden series of strange events. He only wanted to relieve his emotions through martial arts practice.

Walking down the street, Zhao Jin felt a bit better. It was the beginning of spring, and everything was coming to life. Even Xuzhou City seemed less desolate. He had this thought because the street lined with closed shops had more people moving about than usual, and their attire suggested they were merchants interested in those shops.

Normally, Zhao Jin might pay more attention, but seeing Mu Shulan's state at noon left him with no mood to understand. He only wanted to go quickly to the courtyard left by his second uncle to practice martial arts.

By the afternoon, many people had heard the news. The Wang family would inform them, and the Chen family, being the head of the constables, had even more reliable information. When Zhao Jin arrived, they were discussing in low voices.

There was nothing new, just that a wanted notice had been issued, the city gates were strictly checked, the constables were patrolling the city, and a reward of ten taels of silver was offered for information leading to the arrest of the culprit.

Chen Sheng knew more than just this. He said it was likely a familiar person who did it, and the stab was precise and deadly, indicating that the perpetrator had strong martial skills.

After saying this, everyone was very concerned about Mu Shulan's current situation. Hearing Zhao Jin's account, Wang Zhaojing nodded and said, "It's good that she can cry it out; it means she's releasing her pent-up emotions."

Scholars generally had some knowledge of medicine. Wang Zhaojing, who read a lot and had broad knowledge, could make this judgment. However, after saying this, he added thoughtfully, "From what Brother Zhao said, Mu Shulan ran over in the cold night and was greatly frightened. Brother Zhao should remind Aunt to prepare some herbal medicine to prevent any sudden illness."

Grateful for the advice, Zhao Jin quickly agreed. However, during martial arts practice, he thought about how Mu Shulan, despite crying and being extremely sad, did not show signs of complete emotional collapse. Reflecting on the past few years, he realized that while he was practicing martial arts, Mu Shulan was also learning, indicating that she was not just a simple, weak girl.

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