Miss Truth
Chapter 253 - 159: Another Murder Case

Chapter 253: Chapter 159: Another Murder Case

"Shilang? Did you have someone plant these flowers?" Ran Yan exclaimed in surprise.

Ran Yunsheng smiled and said, "Indeed, I could not keep it a secret from you. It didn’t actually take much effort, as there were already clumps of flowers here. They just weren’t joined together. Because of this case, many merchants were stuck at the inn, unable to unload their goods. Since it’s not the peak season, many workers and boatmen were idle, so I spent some money to have them dig and plant the flowers here."

"I am pleased to see it, but Shilang, you should keep your money for yourself instead of always spending it on these things. Even a wealth of money may run out someday." Ran Yan had never imagined that one day a man would go through so much trouble to bring her flowers, even if that man was her brother. It was indeed a rare fortune to have such a brother.

"As long as you are happy, money is a trivial matter." Ran Yunsheng had been busy all morning, first finding people to dig and plant flowers, then going to comfort Sang Chen. It was only now, seeing Ran Yan’s smile, that he felt it was worth it.

Wan Lu, who had known Ran Yunsheng for more than a decade, sighed, "If only Lady’s future husband could cherish her half as much as Shilang!"

"A brother should indeed dote on his sister, but a husband and wife must take care of each other." Ran Yunsheng smiled and patted Ran Yan’s shoulder, asking, "Would you like to go see other places?"

"This place is beautiful; let’s walk around here." Ran Yan was not willing to leave a place where so much thought had been invested.

For Ran Yunsheng, the main goal was to make Ran Yan’s mood more pleasant. Since she was happy, even a brief glance was enough; it didn’t matter whether it was cherished or not.

Wan Lu quickly brought a large cloak for Ran Yan to wear, and the group strolled amongst the flowers.

Ran Yunsheng had chosen the location excellently; there was a slightly elevated mound that just blocked the wind, and the area was not too remote, with some households nearby, so there was no need to worry too much about encountering danger. The air was crisp and the sky was clear and expansive. It was just after noon, the temperature was comfortable, making it perfect weather for sightseeing and picnics.

From time to time, Ran Yunsheng recounted interesting stories of Chang’an, and bursts of laughter were heard among the flowers.

On the road, a passing carriage seemed to hear the laughter and gradually slowed down. The curtains were lifted slightly, and a delicate voice inside exclaimed, "Mother! When did this place get so many flowers? How beautiful... Mother..."

The last "Mother" was drawn out in a lingering tone, soft and imploring.

"Go on, but don’t wander far. Spring will accompany you," a graceful voice said indulgently yet authoritatively.

Soon, a girl of about ten years old jumped down from the carriage. She had pigtails on both sides of her head, and below her neatly trimmed bangs was a round little face; not very beautiful, but very likable, her eyes nearly invisible when she smiled, her eyebrows light, and her lips and nose small, with deep dimples on her chubby cheeks when she laughed.

Ran Yan noticed the little girl the moment the carriage stopped. She flitted about like a fluttering little bird among the flowers, followed by a maid of about sixteen or seventeen years old, who anxiously said, "Lady, please slow down!"

Ran Yan watched the little girl with interest for a while. The maid, as if aware of their gaze, quickly pulled the girl aside and said softly, "Lady, the flowers are right here, and Madam is tired today. Why don’t you accompany Madam back to rest and come out to play tomorrow?"

The girl glanced at the carriage and immediately nodded, saying, "Hmm! But no guards tomorrow."

"Alright, I will tell Madam," the maid replied.

Still excited, the girl picked many flowers before obediently walking away with the maid.

The flowerbed was vast, and although Ran Yan was standing over thirty feet away from them, she could feel the Maid all tensed up, hurriedly leading the girl back to the carriage.

"That child belongs to the Su family of Jushui County," said Yunsheng, noting Ran Yan’s interest.

Ran Yan withdrew her gaze and asked curiously, "Yunsheng, how do you know?"

"It’s getting windy, let’s get back in the carriage," Yunsheng said as he reached out to adjust the fox fur on the edge of her cloak.

As they walked side by side towards the carriage, Yunsheng explained, "I often have to detour through here and sometimes encounter some trouble that requires seeking help. Thus, I am somewhat familiar with some of the prominent families in Jushui County. We even use a dock that belongs to the Su family. But the reason I remember them is not just that; it is because the lady who heads the Su family is truly memorable."

"For you to speak so highly of her, she must be an impressive lady indeed." The Tang Dynasty had never lacked heroic women, yet Ran Yan was still very intrigued by the first female head of a family she encountered.

"The entire Su family relies solely on her..." Yunsheng continued, "We should have paid her a visit, but I heard she went out this morning. Now that she is back, would you accompany me to visit her?"

They say seeing is believing, and Ran Yan also wanted to see for herself what the demeanor of a strong woman of the Tang Dynasty was like.

Yunsheng wrote a visiting card in the carriage and sent it to the Su residence.

When they returned to the inn, just as they disembarked from the carriage and before they could enter, they already saw a Constable blocking the entrance.

The Constable held his sword across in front of Ran Yan and the others, barring their way, and said coldly, "Who are you?"

Yunsheng answered, "We are guests of the inn. May I ask what has happened here?"

"Guests?" The Constable, seeing Yunsheng’s good appearance and affable smile which hardly left room for dislike, slightly softened his tone and said with some reluctance, "Another death occurred inside! Since you are guests, you may indeed enter, but thinking about leaving could be tough, so consider it carefully."

Ran Yan paused. If Xing Lady and the others were inside, they had to go in. But they couldn’t all be detained either. Hence, she turned to Yunsheng and said, "Yunsheng, why don’t you take a few Guards and lodge a complaint somewhere else? We shouldn’t delay our visit to the Su family this evening..."

The Constable interrupted Ran Yan, "You know the Su family?"

Yunsheng instantly understood and signaled to a Servant with a glance, who approached the Constable with a sleeve-covered hand and a beaming smile, "We do. My master has long been a regular client of the Su family, and we often have business dealings. We’re even due to discuss business this evening. Perhaps, you see..."

The Government Official quickly pocketed the money into his sleeve and spoke more amiably, "Since you know the Su family, there’s probably no issue. But I’m not the one who decides here. Whether you can leave tonight is still up to your own luck."

Yunsheng, with a gentle smile on his face, expressed his gratitude with a bow, "Thank you."

Since even a minor Constable had loosened his stance, it showed that the freedom to come and go was still negotiable, depending on one’s willingness to pay. This time, the deaths were just some inconsequential people. If the County Magistrate wished, he could simply declare them to have died from natural causes and not formulate a case. After all, the emperor was far away, and no one would care how several insignificant commoners died.

Darkness and corruption were everywhere, and at this moment, Ran Yan was not in the mood to dwell on these issues. With successive deaths in Jushui County, was it a coincidence, or was it the act of the same person? If it were a coincidence, it was too much of a coincidence! (To be continued. If you like this book, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)

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