TGCFNM -Chapter 19 The Hypocrite

The wife-swapping case was thus brought to a close.

The evidence had been discovered personally by Prefect Cheng himself. His wife had directly confessed as well, even recounting the details of the crime process so thoroughly that it sent chills down one’s spine.

Wu Lianzhi’s remains were taken out of the mortuary and personally buried by Prefect Cheng. As for Madam Cheng, Feng Zhen, her body was wrapped and transported by boat back to Yunchuan for burial.

After regaining consciousness, Miss Cheng could not bear the blow and fainted once again.

The arena outside the Confucian Temple had now been cleared away without leaving a single trace. Sishui County seemed to have returned to its former calm and uneventful days.

Only Chu Ling, after leaving the courtroom, went to the back courtyard of the yamen. She threw away her official hat, kicked over tables and chairs, and smashed several teacups in succession.

“M-My lord, the people of Sishui County are all saying you have sharp insight. They’re praising you everywhere,” Qi Da said, scratching his head, utterly unable to understand why his lord was so furious.

Could it be that he was angry that his limelight had been stolen by Prefect Cheng?

But thinking about it, perhaps it made sense. A man so deeply affectionate was rare in this world. Whether it was Wu Lianzhi, who had faithfully waited in hardship for years, or Feng Zhen, who had accompanied him for more than a decade afterward, both were women he could not bear to part with. Truly, he was a good man.

Chu Ling suddenly turned her head toward Qi Da. With a flick of her sleeve, she took out an embroidered pouch.

Wan Sanjin found it familiar, but before he could react, he saw Chu Ling remove a jade bi disc from the pouch.

“I found this pouch beneath the apricot blossom tree a day earlier than Prefect Cheng did. This is precisely the other half of his jade bi!” Chu Ling’s gaze burned with anger as she clenched the jade disc tightly in her palm.

Wan Sanjin was completely stunned. “Then… where did Prefect Cheng’s half come from?”

“Heh.” Chu Ling let out a cold laugh. “Wherever Feng Zhen’s half came from, that’s where Prefect Cheng’s half came from.” It was all fabricated.

Wan Sanjin fell silent.

Qi Da felt as if a basin of icy water had been poured over his head. He couldn’t recover his senses.

“Th-Then… shall we arrest him, my lord?” Qi Da asked.

Chu Ling shook her head, her voice suddenly turning heavy. “Even if we arrest him, it’s useless. There’s no evidence, no witnesses. Feng Zhen took all the blame upon herself. There’s no chance now.”

Wan Sanjin let out a long sigh. “My lord has already done enough. Besides, you’re only a county magistrate. How could you possibly touch a prefect? Not to mention, Prefect Cheng’s teacher is Grand Tutor Sun.”

“Does Grand Tutor Sun have an unmarried daughter?” Chu Ling suddenly asked.

Wan Sanjin was taken aback by the question but answered at once, “Grand Tutor Sun has only one daughter. She was married years ago, but her husband died of consumption.”

Chu Ling exhaled deeply. Her expression gradually settled into calm. She put away the jade bi and said in a low voice, “I understand now. You two should go and rest.”

With that, she ushered them out and shut the door tightly.

Inside the room, Wu Lianzhi let out a bitter laugh. “Lord Cheng, you truly are a hypocrite! I served you like an ox and a horse, yet you are unworthy! I curse you to die a miserable death!”

The Ghost Scholar looked at Wu Lianzhi and asked, “You remember everything now?”

Wu Lianzhi shut her eyes in pain and, using all her strength, nodded.

Feng Zhen’s testimony was half true and half false. Together with Lord Cheng’s feigned devotion, the case could only be concluded this way.

“From the very first day I married him, I knew he had recognized that I was not the young miss. That’s why he was extremely cold toward me. At the time, I thought, marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. So I endured everything without complaint, took on extra work, and tried to ease his burdens so he would have no worries. After doing so for a year, his temper toward me finally softened a little.”

“My mother-in-law treated me poorly too—she likely knew my true identity. She cursed the Feng family, tormented me, forced me to wash clothes in the bitter cold of winter to earn money so Lord Cheng could buy books and ink, and would not allow me to get close to him. Only after she accidentally fell into the water and drowned did I finally conceive my daughter. Soon after that, he passed the provincial examination. He said he had to go to the Feng family to share the good news. I couldn’t very well stop him, so I went along.”

What followed matched Feng Zhen’s account. But hearing the many details from Wu Lianzhi herself, Chu Ling finally understood what it meant to be a true hypocrite.

Wu Lianzhi’s fall at the Feng residence had not been accidental—someone had smeared oil on the stone steps. After the incident, the Feng family insisted they stay and summoned a physician. The medicine Wu Lianzhi drank had all been personally brought to her by Feng Zhen, who claimed to be concerned for her “younger sister.” Wu Lianzhi believed her.

Later, Master Feng personally escorted the entire family to send them back to the Wen Temple in Sishui County, saying it was to take care of Wu Lianzhi. Feng Zhen slipped in among them.

Once Lord Cheng left for the capital, Wu Lianzhi was murdered and buried beneath the Zhang family’s coffin. Feng Zhen then took her place and became Madam Cheng.

As for why Master Feng would do such a thing—it was because Lord Cheng, while drunk, had boasted that his teacher was a high-ranking official in the capital. He claimed this examination trip was almost certainly a success and that this teacher valued him greatly.

Between a bloated wastrel and a future high official, the choice was obvious.

The truth, however, was that the so-called teacher had only met him once.

“In front of me, he was completely unguarded. He told me everything—about the ambitions he couldn’t fulfill, his resentment that the world honored aristocratic families above all, his hatred that the Feng family looked down on him, and his bitterness that I could offer him no help.” Wu Lianzhi’s expression grew almost serene. She had been dead for more than ten years; what use was hatred now?

Chu Ling opened her palm and looked at the jade bi disk in her hand. “I hate that I am powerless.”

Ghost Scholar advised gently, “My lord, Wu Lianzhi cannot appear in court to testify for you. Feng Zhen is already dead. After more than ten years, no evidence remains. This case can only end here. It is not your fault.”

Wu Lianzhi echoed softly, “My lord, it is not your fault.”

Chu Ling looked at her. “Do you want to see your daughter?”

Wu Lianzhi’s nose instantly stung; tears of blood streamed down her face. “My lord… my daughter died long ago. The one now is Feng Zhen’s daughter. Otherwise, how could Lord Cheng have allowed Feng Zhen to bear all the blame alone?” He had used her daughter to threaten her.

Chu Ling suddenly turned, flung open the door, and stormed out. Ghost Scholar and Wu Lianzhi followed at once.

Qi Da and Wan Sanjin had not gone far when they saw Chu Ling rush out with storm clouds across her face. Both were startled.

“Qi Da, you’re fast on your feet. Bring Coroner Su to Feihe Mountain. If he asks, tell him I need to verify blood relations. And you, Wan Sanjin—I hereby appoint you as my legal advisor. Immediately bring Feng Zhen’s personal nanny to Feihe Mountain. I will force that hypocrite to reveal his true form!”

After issuing her orders with blazing fury, Chu Ling headed to the stables and led out Zhuifeng.

“Zhang Dong!”

“My lord, I’m here.”

“Notify the townspeople—bring as many as possible. Tell them to go to Feihe Mountain and watch a good show!” With that, Chu Ling led her horse and ran out of the rear yamen.

Wan Sanjin understood the urgency. With a sharp whistle, he gathered several men and hurried off to find Nanny Zhao.