Aunt Su looked rather perplexed. She patted Shen Zhen on the back comfortingly and said, "Zhen'er, what's wrong? Do you miss your brother so much? Don't worry. Your brother will be back tomorrow! Don't fret!"
Hearing this, Shen Zhen cried even louder. Aunt Su could only stroke her back gently to console her. After crying for a while, Shen Zhen finally calmed down. She raised her head from Aunt Su's embrace and said, "Aunt! I... I've made a big mistake! Look... look at this!"
Shen Zhen handed over the marriage contract and said, "Last night I overheard your conversation with Father. So I went to Second Miss and begged her to help plead with the Fourth Prince to save my brother. Then..."
With puffy eyes and biting her lips, Shen Zhen said remorsefully, "Second Miss asked me to agree to this marriage!"
While Aunt Su was looking at the marriage contract, Shen Zhen briefly told her what had happened.
"Going too far!" After reading it, Aunt Su slapped the marriage contract on the table with a "pop" and said, "Zhen'er! You're so naive!"
Aunt Su stroked Shen Zhen's face, with a look of heartache and pity, and said, "Silly girl!"
"Aunt, I know I was wrong! But what should we do now? I don't want to marry that man!" Just thinking of the lecherous and undisguised look in that Lord Ji's eyes on her made Shen Zhen's skin crawl.
"That Second Miss actually has her eyes on her own sister! She's really scheming! Poor Zhen'er, you're so innocent. How could you be a match for her? Now you've been tricked by her and have no way to fight back!"
With teary eyes, Shen Zhen looked at Aunt Su and said, "Aunt, what should we do now? That Lord Ji seems very powerful. Do you think they will... will force me?"
"Zhen'er, don't be afraid. This is all Shen Miao's scheme. She wants to use you to curry favor with others. Her plan is well - thought - out. But as long as I'm here, I won't let her succeed!"
"Now we'll save your brother first and then figure out a way. From now on, if Shen Miao asks you to go out or do something alone, don't go. Shen Miao has a devious mind. If you're with her, you'll only be deceived."
After Aunt Su finished speaking, she looked at Shen Zhen seriously. She didn't stop until Shen Zhen nodded in agreement.
Shen Zhen was now filled with remorse. She never thought that the Shen Miao she had always trusted would actually sell her out like this. Just half an hour ago, she was still thanking Shen Miao for helping to rescue Shen Zhang.
...
"Miss, people have been arranged to protect Second Young Master in the prison!" Han Yue reported to Shen Li.
"Good! They will definitely take action tonight! Protect Shen Zhang well and don't let anything happen to him. You can go down for now if you have nothing else to do!"
After Han Yue left, Ming Yue said to Shen Li, "Miss, Chun Nuan just sent a message saying that she saw Second Miss getting very close to a certain Lord Ji recently!"
"Lord Ji?" Shen Li quickly racked her brains to think of the Ji - surnamed officials in the court. "Do you know anything about this Lord Ji?"
Ming Yue told Shen Li the information about Lord Ji that she had retrieved from the Night Shade Division. "Actually, Lord Ji is the eldest son of the Prince of Pingnan. He has been kept in the capital for many years as a hostage to contain the Prince of Pingnan."
"The Prince of Pingnan? Hehe! This Shen Miao is really up to no good. I'm afraid she's planning something again!" Shen Li sneered and said, "What are this Lord Ji's hobbies or special quirks?"
Ming Yue hesitated for a moment, and her voice was filled with disgust and disdain as she said, "Lord Ji has had three official wives die, and God knows how many concubines and maids have died. I heard that Lord Ji seems to have some bad hobbies. He seems to like torturing people!"
Originally, Ming Yue didn't want to say the second half of the sentence, but she was afraid that what she had just said wasn't clear enough for Shen Li to understand, so she told it all.
"Likes to beat people!" Shen Li's fingers gently tapped on the table.
"Oh, right! Second Miss took Third Miss out yesterday. It seemed like they were going to meet someone. Miss, do you think Second Miss wants to..."
"Yesterday morning?"
"Yes! They had lunch at Feilaiju!"
Now Shen Li understood. Shen Miao was probably trying to use Shen Zhen to curry favor with Ji Denian and even get on good terms with the Prince of Pingnan through this matter.
It was truly a good plan.
"Tell Chun Nuan to keep a close eye on Shen Miao. Once she shows any signs of change, report immediately!"
...
The next day, Lord Liang held court again. This was the third trial of the case of Qin An. Many common people knew that the identity of the murderer of the scholar would be revealed today, so they came to watch.
"Bring the suspects Shen Zhang and Han Wei to the court!"
At Lord Liang's order, the yamen runners immediately went to the prison to fetch the suspects.
However, the yamen runners were gone for a long time and didn't return. Seeing this, Lord Liang felt more at ease, but the common people outside were all whispering and speculating.
"My lord, it's bad!" A yamen runner rushed in from outside. "My lord, Shen Zhang in the prison is d... dead!"
"Ah!" This was the collective exclamation of the on - looking common people. After the exclamation, the discussion among the common people became even louder.
"He seemed fine yesterday. How could he die after being put in prison?"
"Alas! Do you think this Shen Zhang knew he was guilty and committed suicide out of fear of punishment?"
"Well... I don't think so. I saw the progress of the trial yesterday. Shen Zhang clearly had no motive for murder. He was about to prove his innocence. How could he commit suicide out of fear of punishment? I think, most likely, someone wanted to kill him to cover up their tracks and frame him!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down. Don't let others hear you! I heard that the other young master yesterday was the son of a high - ranking official. Be careful what you say. If others hear you... Ha! You're done for!"
Hearing the news of Shen Zhang's death, Lord Liang was secretly delighted, but on the surface, he frowned tightly, looking nervous and worried. "What's going on? How could the suspect die for no reason?"
"Reporting to my lord, just now when I went to call Shen Zhang, I saw him lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth. I felt for his breath, and he was gone. It seems that he died of poisoning!" The yamen runner said hesitantly.
"What do you mean by 'seems'? You don't even know how the man died!" Lord Liang gave the yamen runner a dirty look and said impatiently, "Go and ask the coroner to check how this suspect committed suicide out of fear of punishment?"