Jiang Yan stepped in.
Wang Xiuzhen followed behind.
Su Chenggong, unaware of the events at Jiang Yan’s home, was surprised to see Jiang Yan and his own mother together.
Seeing Su Chenggong’s family arrive,
Master Zhou coughed and said, “I’m doing this for his own good. Perhaps he made a mistake this time. If he apologizes to Lin Yunsheng and gets his forgiveness, the academy will at most expel him, without further investigation.”
“Cousin Chenggong, did you do such a thing?”
Jiang Yan asked Su Chenggong.
Su Chenggong shook his head: “I didn’t. If I did, may heaven strike me down!”
Seeing his response,
Master Zhou’s expression soured.
Wang Xiuzhen then said, “Master Zhou, my Chenggong could never do such a thing. Our family might be poor, but he has never lacked for anything. Besides, this isn’t his first time studying; even when he was at the private school, there were well-off students, and he never took anything…”
“There are witnesses and evidence…”
Master Zhou frowned and said.
Jiang Yan narrowed her eyes, interrupting him: “Master Zhou, my cousin Chenggong has always excelled in his studies. How could he do something to ruin his future? I think someone might be jealous and framing him. What do you think?”
“This…”
Master Zhou didn’t know how to respond.
Jiang Yan then said, “Master Zhou, why don’t you tell us the whole story?”
“I’ll tell it.”
Su Chenggong stepped forward and said.
After speaking,
he recounted the events.
“Today’s second lesson was on archery. We weren’t in class; we were practicing outside. When I returned to the classroom first, I was alone, but soon others came back. That’s when Lin Yunsheng started shouting that his money pouch was missing.”
“Everyone started looking for it, including me. But then, Zhang Yi suddenly said I stole it, claiming he saw me quickly leave Lin Yunsheng’s desk and return to mine when he entered the classroom.”
“As soon as he said that, Lin Yunsheng gathered people around, and after searching, they found the pouch in one of my books. Then they said I stole it.”
Is this the so-called witness and evidence?
Jiang Yan said with a hint of sarcasm, “Just like that, they say you stole it? Zhang Yi must have excellent eyesight to see what others couldn’t!”
Master Zhou, who had previously thought there was no issue, now began to waver after hearing Jiang Yan’s sarcastic tone.
Jiang Yan immediately said, “Master Zhou, can we meet this Zhang Yi?”
“Yes.”
Master Zhou agreed, sending someone to fetch Zhang Yi.
Zhang Yi arrived quickly, his gaze falling on Jiang Yan and her group, but he quickly averted his eyes: “Student Zhang Yi, greeting Master Zhou.”
“Hmm.”
Master Zhou nodded and said, “They are Su Chenggong’s family, and they want to meet you.”
Without waiting for Zhang Yi to speak. Jiang Yan asked him, “Did you see my cousin Su Chengcheng leave Lin Yunsheng’s desk and quickly return to his own?”
“Yes!”
Zhang Yi replied loudly.
Jiang Yan then asked, “Did you see him with the money pouch?”
“Yes, he hid it as soon as he saw me, then took it back to his desk.”
Zhang Yi’s voice had noticeably softened.
Jiang Yan asked her third question, “Which hand did he use?”
“Left, right, right hand!”
Zhang Yi was clearly stammering.
Jiang Yan asked Master Zhou about the layout of their classroom, then walked to a nearby table, picked up Master Zhou’s brush, and started drawing on a piece of white paper.
“Zhang Yi, which door did you enter from?”
“This one.”
Zhang Yi pointed casually.
Jiang Yan reenacted the scene, then asked Zhang Yi coldly after finishing, “You said it was the right hand, but how could you see it when it wasn’t in your line of sight?”
“I, I remembered wrong, it, it was the left hand.”
Zhang Yi panicked.
Master Zhou’s brows furrowed deeply.
If he hadn’t realized something was off by now, he would truly be foolish.
Jiang Yan gave Zhang Yi a disdainful look and said, “I was just making things up. Your school desks aren’t even as tall as you; how could you not see clearly? Zhang Yi, you’re lying!”
Chapter 14: What Are You Going to Offer in Exchange?
As soon as Jiang Yan finished speaking, Master Zhou, with a face full of anger, glared at Zhang Yi, “Still not telling the truth!”
Zhang Yi fell to his knees with a thud, “Master, I was wrong, I was wrong, the money pouch was, I put it in Su Chengcheng’s desk during archery class when I went to the bathroom.”
“Why did you do that?!”
Master Zhou asked angrily.
Zhang Yi looked up with a flicker in his eyes and said, “Because I was jealous of Su Chengcheng, jealous that he didn’t have to work hard to be better than me in studies. I wanted to ruin him, to see him in disgrace.”
“Scoundrel!”
Master Zhou felt like giving him a beating.
He was almost convinced.
Jiang Yan looked at Zhang Yi and said, “Zhang Yi, do you know what you’re saying? This is your only chance; if you don’t tell the truth, you’ll never be able to study again.”
“I’m telling the truth!”
Zhang Yi said, his neck stiff.
He was planning to stick to his story, was he?
Fine!
Since he had made his choice, they wouldn’t be polite to him.
Suddenly remembering she hadn’t asked Su Chengcheng, Jiang Yan called him outside to talk, “Cousin Chengcheng, what do you think? You won’t let him off, right?”
“Hmm.”
Su Chengcheng nodded and said, “Actually, he probably didn’t do this out of jealousy towards me; someone must have instructed him.”
“That’s likely the case. There are things you don’t know; let me briefly tell you.”
Jiang Yan explained to Su Chengcheng about their severed ties with the Jiang family and how they offended someone by not selling a recipe.
After listening, Su Chengcheng spoke, “You suspect it’s because you didn’t sell the recipe that they targeted me?”
“Not just you, but also Cousin Jixiang.”
Jiang Yan also told him about Su Jixiang being fired.
Su Chengcheng’s fists clenched instantly; he truly wished he was at least a scholar or a candidate for the imperial examination.
That way, those people would think twice before dealing with them.
Jiang Yan said apologetically, “It’s my fault; I shouldn’t have dragged you into this…”
Su Chengcheng came back to his senses and said, “No, you’re not wrong; the one who’s wrong is the person coveting your recipe. If this is considered a fault, then wouldn’t anyone who wants someone’s recipe or property just take it?”
…
Because Su Chengcheng and the others chose not to forgive, Zhang Yi was reported to the authorities.
The town magistrate handled the case impartially, not only revoking Zhang Yi’s student status but also banning him from ever participating in the imperial examinations again, plus sentencing him to thirty lashes and a fine of five taels of silver.
Just as they left the magistrate’s office, a carriage stopped in front of them.
Jiang Yan looked over as the curtain was lifted, and Ouyang Siyun glanced at them and asked, “Is the matter resolved?”
He told Su Chengcheng and the others to go back first.
Jiang Yan approached and said, “It’s only half resolved…”
“Get in the carriage.”
Ouyang Siyun said this and let the curtain fall.
Jiang Yan climbed into the carriage, lifted the curtain, and sat opposite Ouyang Siyun. As soon as she sat down, she smelled the aroma of tea.
“Want some?”
Ouyang Siyun asked.
Since he had offered, she wouldn’t be polite, “I’ll have a cup.”
Jiang Yan took the cup, sniffed it, and gulped it down; she was indeed quite thirsty.
“Any more?”
Ouyang Siyun reluctantly poured another cup, “You drink tea like that? You should sip it, savor it…”
“Mr. Ouyang, I’m just a country girl; I can’t appreciate tea.”
Jiang Yan drank another cup in one gulp.
Ouyang Siyun raised an eyebrow, “A country girl who can’t appreciate tea but writes well.”
