USWHC -Chapter 404 If You Don’t Seek Death, You Won’t Die (Part 4)

“What’s going on? Why is Magistrate Xu arresting Ji Yi?” Zhu Jie frowned as she asked Uncle Ge.

Yes, with a situation like this, she could only turn to outsiders like Uncle Ge for advice. The Ji family? Not reliable at all.

The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Why would Magistrate Xu even bother investigating the lowest-scoring paper? There was no reason, and who would even report it? If anyone were to make a complaint, it would be about the top scorer. Complaining about the last place is useless. Besides, in ancient times, there was no system for substitutes—someone ranked at the bottom wouldn’t move up even if the top scorer was disqualified.

Uncle Ge said, “I heard Magistrate Xu is just using the soap incident as an excuse to arrest Ji Yi.”

“What do you mean?” Zhu Jie was momentarily stunned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s because of the soap you sent—Hua Feixue. She apparently angered Consort Li, and Magistrate Xu even got scolded over it,” Uncle Ge explained.

“So they’re deliberately targeting the Ji family? Then Ji Yi must be in danger in prison!” Zhu Jie immediately grew more anxious.

Manager Liao interjected, “Madam, you can rest assured. We’ve already made arrangements inside; he won’t suffer any injustice. But getting him out may be difficult.”

“Why?” Zhu Jie blinked. “Could it be that Magistrate Xu plans to hold Ji Yi indefinitely?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that Magistrate Xu wants to curry favor with Consort Li again, so he’s trying to have Ji Mei go to the capital once more. There may also be some other misunderstandings. Magistrate Xu probably thinks Ji Mei and Ji Yi are very close siblings, so he detained Ji Yi to pressure her,” Liao explained.

“Have Ji Mei go to the capital?” Zhu Jie’s eyes widened. “Then Ji Yi’s in even more danger!”

“Why?” Uncle Ge and Manager Liao were both confused.

Zhu Jie looked helplessly into the distance and said softly, “Consort Li isn’t after Ji Mei, I fear.”

Not Ji Mei? Manager Liao immediately understood. This was more than a simple blood feud caused by a bar of soap. He had always found it strange—just a bar of soap, and yet they were making such a big deal?

Someone was after the person who made the soap. Of course, that person couldn’t be Ji Mei, since everyone knew the soap was made by Zhu Jie.

“What do we do? Magistrate Xu has probably already gone to the Ji household!” Uncle Ge panicked. If they sent the wrong person again, who knew how Consort Li would react? And if Magistrate Xu got scolded again, he wouldn’t so easily let Ji Yi off.

Magistrate Xu had indeed gone to the Ji household. Just as they were discussing, he was already impatiently on his way there.

A loud, grandiose sound of gongs and drums followed. When Old Madam Ji opened the door, she froze. “Magistrate! Why have you come?” She immediately tried to kneel. “Your Honor! We really didn’t know about our second son’s cheating!”

Seeing her panicked expression, Magistrate Xu actually smiled in satisfaction. Then he said sternly, “You didn’t know? You didn’t know where the money came from? Wasn’t it you who gave it?”

“No, really, it wasn’t us! How could we have 500 taels of silver? We didn’t even pay for his exam fees!” Old Madam Ji hurried to explain.

Magistrate Xu, however, had already walked into the courtyard on his own, inspecting the Ji family home. “Where is Ji Mei? Is she here?”

“She’s here!” Old Madam Ji immediately replied, then her brain caught up, and she quickly added, “N-No, she’s not!”

“Is she or isn’t she?” Magistrate Xu’s voice turned cold. “Don’t try to lie to me again. Your Ji Mei clearly hasn’t gone to the capital!”

Hearing this, Old Madam Ji’s heart quivered. Could it be that he came to deliver punishment? She hurriedly said, “Your Honor! Please spare us! We were also deceived!”

“Deceived me again?” Magistrate Xu was furious. “Such a good opportunity to go to the capital, and you still don’t cherish it. Not only have you deceived me, but you’ve also tried to deceive Consort Li. Do you know how angry she is?”

Old Madam Ji shivered at once. Not the capital, and now involving the imperial consort? Had this escalated too far?