Chapter 119: The Mystery of Disappearance (Pink Ticket 320 Additional Update)

  In the following days, Liang Jifen often went to Shen Muqing's side with or without reason. Shen Muqing knew he was feeling guilty for being late that day, but her mind was all on Songshu Hutong - worrying about Mrs. Li's body and thinking of Shen Zhen, wondering when he could be released, so she was naturally very cold to Liang Jifen.

  Li Qiming's face was hot with anger, and after several days, he couldn't help but feel a bit resentful. Coincidentally, the Chen brothers were dividing their family property, and Chen Yazhi had received over 10,000 taels of silver as his inheritance. He spent 600 taels to buy a small villa on the outskirts of the capital city and asked Li Qiming to help him renovate it. However, Li Qiming thought that since his father-in-law was still in prison, and both his grandmother and mother had instructed him to take good care of Shen Muqing, if he were to move into Chen Yazhi's villa to help with the renovations... he might end up getting scolded later on.

  He returned home, Shen Mu Qingzheng directed the efficient maids such as Luo Mei and Zhu Ji to arrange the house - the weather turned cool, the curtains and decorations all needed to be changed.

  Seeing Liang Jimin coming in, Shen Muqing gave him a slight bow and smiled, saying "Welcome back". Then he turned around to carefully examine the hanging bottles on the powder wall. Several maids saw him come in, stopped their work, followed Shen Muqing's lead to give him a slight bow, then each went back to their own tasks.

  The little maid brought in a cup of tea and stepped forward with her feet together.

  She smiled and handed the tea to Shen Muqing, then turned back to Liang Jimin and said with a smile: "Third Master, would you like some tea? I'll pour you a cup too!"

  Liáng Jìmǐn's eyebrows furrowed.

  Shen Mu Qing saw him standing there without moving, and couldn't help but look up at him, just in time to see him frowning.

  She paused for a moment and smiled: "Is there something you want from me, sir?"

  Liang Jimin heard a faint tone in Shen Muqing's voice, and couldn't help but think of Lin Bingcheng's smug face: "This woman is not one to be pampered. Look at me, every two or three years I take in a new concubine, everyone is afraid of losing favor, and they all greet me with smiles... even my father-in-law fears that after I pass the imperial examination, I will divorce my wife, so he bought me a five-room, three-section mansion in Baipu Fang for over 3,000 taels of silver..."

  An idea flashed through his mind, and the unease in his heart decreased a little, and he also gained some confidence: "Brother Chen bought an estate in the suburbs of Beijing and asked me to help him tidy it up, I agreed."

  "Brother Chen?" Shen Muqing couldn't help but feel a little strange, as Liang Jitian rarely explained things to her. "Which Brother Chen?"

  "Oh," said Liang Jimei, "it's Chen Yazhi."

  His tone was light, and Shen Muqing's careless attitude earlier was exactly the same, "I won't be back for a few days - I'll just live in his villa." After finishing speaking, he turned around and returned to his own east wing house.

  Shen Mu Qing gazed at his back, her face filled with confusion.

  "What made you think of telling me all this today?"

  ******

  The next day, Wang's mother brought eight-color pastries from Mapozi's house to pay respects to the old lady.

  "The lady wants to take her aunt back home for a visit."

  Old Mrs. Wang had someone send over the red lacquer box with gold trim, filled with eight-colored pastries, to the Treasured Pavilion and handed it to Zi Juan: "A reward for you all."

  Shen Mu Qing was surprised to see Wang's mother: "But what's wrong, ma'am?"

  "Ah, Madam is doing well. I was just thinking of our dear lady, let me come pick you up and take you back to play for a day."

  Shen Zhen has no news until today, I'm afraid Li is feeling uneasy in her heart and wants to find someone for company.

  Shen Mu nodded and went to Feng's place.

  Feng didn't stop her but instead helped her plead with Old Mistress that she be allowed to return to her natal home for three days.

  "Something like this happened at home, and your brother is still young, go back and live for a few days, the lady of the family will also be bolder."

  Shen Muqing was very grateful for Feng's tolerance and said many words of thanks.

  When the Shen family came to pick up Shen Muqing the next day, Liu Niang arrived. She walked back and forth several times, looking around left and right, sizing up her trunks.

  Shen Mu Qing saw her and smiled: "Aunt Liu, what are you looking for?"

  Aunt Liu smiled somewhat awkwardly and repeatedly said: "Nothing, didn't find anything!"

  The Shen family is not what it used to be; Madam is probably afraid she'll take things back to her natal home!

  Shen Mu smiled quietly and didn't say anything more.

  There were 13,000 taels of silver notes in her sleeve.

  That day, after returning to Songshu Hutong, Shen Muqing went to find Pang Debao to settle the account according to Li's instructions. At this time, she knew that Xiao Sa had sent them off on horseback and hurried back to the Five Armies Commander's Mansion, saying that he had an appointment with the Right Army Commander's Mansion's Deputy Director and Secretary to drink at the Baifang Building. After Pang Debao learned of Shen Muqing's intentions, he used various excuses to shirk responsibility, also saying that some accounts were unclear and needed to be asked about by Xiao Sa... In the end, Shen Muqing still didn't figure out how much money the Shen family owed Xiao Sa.

  Just as Madam said, this money belongs to the Xiao family, but not to Xiao Saos... This time when she goes back, she will take the opportunity to settle accounts with Xiao Sao. Thinking back, he had already taken out 1,000 taels of silver from the bank beforehand, and such a large expenditure on buying Fu Rong Gao, it's unknown how he managed to scrape it together... Can't let him be in trouble!

  ******

  Back to Songshu Hutong, the carriage stopped at the back door.

  Wang's mother smiled and said: "Pang Shi let people send furniture home - it's chaotic outside!"

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and followed Wang's mother through the small courtyard behind to the inner house.

  As she walked past the flower hall, Wang's mother suddenly stopped in her tracks.

  "Auntie, picking you up is actually my idea!"

  Shen Mu Qing's heart skipped a beat as she listened intently, and with one swift motion, she grasped Old Lady Wang's hand, her face filled with uncontainable anxiety: "Is it the mistress..."

  "Wang's mother shook her head: 'No, no.'"

  Wang Ma's loyalty is beyond doubt.

  Shen Muqing was very confused: "That..."

  "It was Xiao Qi who asked me to pick you up."

  Suo Suo?

  Deeply shocked and saddened.

  "Wang's mother had already whispered: 'It is said that the fourth daughter of the second house has something wrong... I dare not tell the madam, Xiao Qi asked me to bring you back, and everyone will discuss what to do together?' After finishing, she pointed to the tightly closed door of the flower hall."

  Calm and clear-headed.

  She pushed open the door and entered the flower hall.

  The hall was empty, and the tables, chairs, screens, and flower stands that were originally placed here had all disappeared, but the window frames and floor were swept very clean.

  Xiao Xiao was still wearing a coarse linen robe of dark color, standing beside the half-open window frame with a somewhat serious expression. Standing opposite him was a man about his height, with a white jade hairpin on his head and a lotus-colored satin robe.

  Hearing the noise, the man turned around.

  Shen Mu Qing was shocked and didn't expect it to be Ren Xiang.

  "You're here!" Xiao Saodan greeted Shen Muqing calmly, and Shen Muqing heard the sound of the door closing behind him.

  She turned around and saw Old Lady Wang quietly closing the door.

  "Auntie, things have been chaotic at home these past few days, unlike when we were in Ming Shi Fang. Let's be more careful," Mrs. Wang said apologetically with a smile, explaining, "so as not to let the mistress know and get hurt!"

  Shen Mu nodded quietly, and the four of them stood in the center of the flower hall, discussing Shen Yuesong's matter.

  "That day, I invited colleagues to drink and had Dai Gui brought along. After getting drunk, he stayed at his house. His family uses many male servants. Two maidservants are by his side, both around 12 or 13 years old, not only do they look ordinary, but also act foolishly. I joked with him, asking if he has any concubines serving him, he said that the border areas are poor and simple, without such luxuries. Later, I asked colleagues again, everyone said that he is extremely cautious when it comes to women." Xiao Sa finished speaking, looking at Ren Xiang.

  Ren Xiang's eyebrows furrowed: "Yesterday, a little brother in Taicang found me and said that he had found someone in charge in Kunshan not far from Taicang, but the person was already dead."

  "...Someone's dead!"

  Wang's mother also heard the news for the first time, and she trembled as she grasped Shen Muqing's hand: "This...this is terrible...there's been a murder..."

  Ren Xiang's face didn't look good. He nodded and said in a low voice, "Not only that, but my little brother also said that after Guan Shi arrived in Kunshan, he was generous with his money, making people envious... Someone was planning to make a move on him, but who knew he would suddenly die in the ji courtyard!"

  It's already clear that someone paid for this expelled housekeeper to continue impersonating a member of the Shen family and take away Shen Yuerong.

  Everyone looked at Wang's mother.

  Mrs. Wang's face was as pale as plain paper, and she made a great effort to maintain her usual calmness and composure: "After the Second Master returned, he had been to our house for a drink. At that time, Wang Gui asked him about his experience when he went back to Taicang. The Second Master complained that the Second Old Master was very arrogant, not even giving him a single copper coin as a reward. Moreover, he didn't even have a sip of tea... So he got angry and left for Kyoto overnight."

  "Impossible!" Ren Xiang refuted, "Since Shen Si came to Kyoto, I've been living with the Yue family. If the Kyoto official comes to visit Father Yue, no matter where I am, Father Yue will always ask me to go and keep him company. How could it be that there's not even a single reward?" As he said this, he looked at Wang Mama with a suspicious gaze, "When he said this, didn't anyone in the family suspect anything?"

  Wang's mother was enraged by Ren Xiang's gaze and coldly told what happened back then.

  Ren Xiang's face turned pale as he listened.

  Xiao Xiao raised an eyebrow at Shen Mu Qing.

  Shen Mu Qing was greatly perplexed.

  Xiao Xiao leaned in and whispered: "Our family has fourteen rooms up to my generation, but no one dares to do such a thing!" The tone was very sarcastic.

  "Let you see some excitement!"

  "No, no, absolutely not!" Xiao Sa said with a seemingly urgent but actually teasing tone, looking at Wang Mama who was telling Ren Xiang with a face full of indignation. "It's not that our family doesn't have such things, it's just that nobody in our family dares to be as blatant as yours... shouldn't you at least cover it up a bit?"

  Shen Muqing's face turned cold and her eyes narrowed slightly.

  Xiao Xiao saw him and took a step back, saying: "A gentleman uses his mouth, a petty person uses his fists."

  "Haven't you heard that it's difficult to raise only daughters and petty men? Sometimes, women are just like petty men..."

  "Oh!" Xiao Sa immediately put on a look of sudden realization, "So it's because I'm standing too far away... Why didn't you say so earlier? No need to beat around the bush like that."

  Shen Mu Qing was about to retort, but felt a sudden silence all around.

  She looked around in bewilderment.

  Just then, Wang's mother and Ren Xiang looked at them with surprise on their faces.

  Shen Mu's back was slightly sweaty.

  She glared at Xiao Sa, took a step forward, and was about to speak when Xiao Sa quickly stepped in front of Shen Muqing, clearing his throat and saying, "I think this matter is too suspicious, let's discuss it thoroughly, let's discuss it thoroughly!"

  Haha ~... Added another update!