USWHC -Chapter 409 If You Don’t Seek Death, You Won’t Die (Part 9)

Magistrate Xu immediately understood. “Ah! So she’s anxious and blindly trying to attach herself, huh?” He let out a sigh of relief. He certainly wouldn’t dare send a she-tiger like this into the capital to meet Consort Li—better not upset her, or she might tear someone to pieces before even being placated!

But Zhu Jie pushed away Old Madam Ji’s hand, which was holding her arm, and spoke with utmost seriousness: “Magistrate Xu, do you know what kind of person Consort Li is looking for?”

“A soap maker?” Magistrate Xu stammered. “Isn’t that right?”

Zhu Jie let out a cold laugh. “Yes… and no. Consort Li is looking for the person who gave her the same soap back then—the very person… is me!”

“The same soap she received back then? She knows you?” Everyone was momentarily stunned. Old Madam Ji’s face darkened as she immediately scoffed, “Stop babbling nonsense! Who in the world does Consort Li know? You have some personal connection with her? Sent her soap? You’ll never see Consort Li in your life!”

Zhu Jie bit her lip stubbornly. “Magistrate Xu, haven’t you heard the news from the capital?”

“The capital? What news?” Magistrate Xu asked, surprised.

Seeing his puzzled expression, Zhu Jie sighed. Clearly, he hadn’t heard anything. She sighed again. “Do you know that Princess Pingning has come to our region?”

“Who doesn’t know that?” Magistrate Xu rolled his eyes at her. “It’s such a big commotion, how could anyone not know?”

Old Madam Ji’s face turned green at the mention of Princess Pingning. She sneered sarcastically: “What? Don’t tell me Princess Pingning knows you! Who do you think you are? Some county lord yourself?”

“No!” Zhu Jie hesitated but sighed. “But Princess Pingning must know me. If you don’t believe it, you can call her to ask.”

“Who do you think you are, huh? Princess Pingning knows you?” Magistrate Xu laughed in contempt. “Let me tell you, Sun Ge’s whole family left long ago—almost half a month! I even escorted them myself!”

Suddenly, Magistrate Xu laughed. “Ah! I almost fell for your bluff. So you were just making a fuss! You knew Princess Pingning had left and deliberately said that? Who do you think you are? Tell me now—let’s see if I’ll believe it!”

Princess Pingning has left? When? Could it have been while they were at Qishan? Zhu Jie’s heart sank. Should she reveal it now?

Seeing his face filled with disdain, Zhu Jie fell silent. Clearly, he wouldn’t believe her. Saying anything might just make her the laughingstock.

Yet she wanted to try. No matter if they believed her or not, if there was even a glimmer of hope to save Ji Yi, she had to try. She raised her voice: “I am—”

But before she could finish, a loud shout came from behind: “You must be one of the rare liars of today!” Constable Hao strode out of the magistrate’s office.

His face was still bruised and purple, somewhat swollen, covered in thick ointment, looking like a figurine. He shouted furiously: “Sir, do not believe her! A group of frauds was caught in the town ahead, selling Shanglu as ginseng. And she is the daughter of that group of frauds. Can you trust a word from such a person?”

Zhu Jie panicked. “They are frauds, yes, but I am not their daughter! Really! They are lying!”

“Lying? I think you’re the one lying. If you weren’t their real daughter, how could you be here now? If we were fooled, you’d already be sold off to the kiln!” Constable Hao scolded.

Unexpectedly, Old Madam Ji chimed in, agreeing: “So your parents are frauds? I knew it! You weren’t being betrothed, you were being sold! Fraudsters have no humanity!”

“They aren’t my parents! My father is—” Zhu Jie quickly interjected.

“What? A high official in the capital? A wealthy man of Qi? The Jade Emperor in heaven? Lies without a draft!” Old Madam Ji fumed. “I remember when you first came, you said your father was a wealthy man from Qi. So what? Where is your wealthy father now? Only a fraudster came!”

“Exactly! A dragon gives birth to a dragon, a phoenix to a phoenix, and a rat’s child digs holes!” Constable Hao mocked. “Fraudsters are born silver-tongued!”

At this moment, Constable Hao and Old Madam Ji had unexpectedly formed a united front against Zhu Jie.