TGCFNM -Chapter 94 It Was My Own Intention

Before anyone arrived from the capital, the study could only be locked up for the time being. Mei Gao had no choice but to station men there to stand guard.

That day, Chu Ling and the others prepared to go inspect the fields.

After a period of catching and driving away the locusts, their numbers had drastically decreased. Although there were still some around, the common people were no longer afraid—they had already found ways to deal with them.

Wu Xiaoxiu had grown tremendously in a short time. She had begun using her family’s idle land to conduct composting experiments. Every day it smelled terrible, yet more and more people gathered around her, willing to learn.

Wan Sanjin and the others had nothing better to do, so they went to help.

Chu Ling did not join them. She simply stood on the ridge between the fields, gazing at the busy figures ahead before turning to look at the male ghost beside her.

The male ghost, Song Shisheng, slowly stepped forward. His eyes were filled with relief as he watched the captured insects, the freshly turned soil, the weeds that had been hoed clean and piled to one side. He saw Wu Xiaoxiu and the others carefully and painstakingly carrying manure to fertilize the land. Then he slowly turned back, a faint smile on his face.

Song Shisheng said gently, “My lord… is a good person.”

Chu Ling’s nose stung. “You are a good person too. You were just unlucky.”

Song Shisheng shook his head. “It was my own intention. I was not forced.”

Su He’s autopsy results had already come out. Each person had died differently, but all had been killed before being thrown into the dry well.

Song Shisheng had suffered the worst fate. Because he was interrogated about the whereabouts of the gold, he endured inhuman torture. He was even framed with charges of embezzlement, and in the end, he was simply made to “disappear.”

Chu Ling sniffed and said softly, “Your remains will be properly buried. As for the others… I don’t dare to move them recklessly for now.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Song Shisheng cast one final, lingering look at the land before his figure slowly dissipated.

Chu Ling could not hold back her tears. She quickly turned her head and wiped them away.

Ghost Scholar said quietly, “My lord, according to what the storyteller said, Song Shisheng must have pretended to defect back then. That was why his clothes became more lavish during that period. He likely used that opportunity to switch out the gold. But after it was discovered, he was tortured to death.”

“So the so-called ironclad evidence back then was merely one side of the story. The stolen goods were never found, were they?” Chu Ling looked at Ghost Scholar, indignant. “Even so, the former Crown Prince still died. Why?”

“When the ruler wants a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. Even a Crown Prince is no exception.” Ghost Scholar gently placed his hand on Chu Ling’s head and patted her softly. “My lord, let this matter be considered past.”

“But, Master…” Chu Ling fell silent for a moment, tears pooling in her eyes. “Even when that widowed mother bit back and accused him, Song Shisheng still held fast to his principles and remained a good official. He never wavered. He kept doing his duty as a good magistrate. He was a good official. So why did he end up like this?”

Just because of so-called imperial power struggles?

“Sometimes I think Bai Su may be right—perhaps the Great Zhou would be better off destroyed. It’s rotten to the core.” Ghost Scholar tilted his head back and let out a long breath. “But I also don’t truly want it destroyed.”

“Xiao Ling, just do what you can within your power,” Bai Su said softly, giving her a light embrace.

Chu Ling let out a long breath, as if trying to expel all the pent-up gloom from her chest, then turned and went down into the fields to help.

For small people like them, doing what they could was enough.

Ten days later.

Chu Ling and the others had arrived in Changzhou and worked nonstop for many days. Only today did they finally get some time to rest.

So Zhang Dong and Xiao Hua went into the streets to buy some daily necessities—of course, with Wan Sanjin footing the bill.

Su He remained shut inside his room, studying the Myriad Poisons Manual.

Chu Ling moved a reclining chair beneath the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, with pastries and fresh tea beside her. It was truly a comfortable scene.

Mei Gao came by midway to ask for a cup of tea. “My lord, the people are already on their way. They should arrive in two or three days.”

Chu Ling picked up a piece of pastry, leaned back in her chair, and swung her legs lazily. “Official Mei has worked hard during this time.”

Mei Gao looked like he was on the verge of tears. He had not slept properly for nights on end and truly could not endure much longer.

“Oh, by the way, Official Mei,” Chu Ling asked casually, “the order you received—was it to bind Sun Wu and take over the city gate guards?”

Mei Gao shook his head. “No, I have a transfer order. I was commanded to come.”

Chu Ling looked speechlessly at the sky. A transfer order, yet he still had to seize control—this Prince Rui clearly intended to fight for power openly now.

“Oh right, my lord,” Mei Gao added, “a carrier pigeon message came from the capital. It said there’s no need to worry about the Sun family matter anymore.”

Bai Su leaned against the side and said lazily, “Looks like they’ve had to swallow their broken teeth along with the blood. This little clever ghost really does have her ways.”

Mei Gao edged closer and asked cautiously, “My lord… you really emptied out the Sun residence?”

Chu Ling immediately sat upright and declared righteously, “How could that be? I didn’t take the stone lions at their gate, and I didn’t take the firewood in their woodshed either.”

Mei Gao: “……”

So it really was emptied.

Mei Gao stood up. “My lord, please continue enjoying your tea. I’ll head back and stand guard.”

Chu Ling gave a hum of acknowledgment and waved her hand casually, lying back down leisurely once more.

Ghost Scholar sat to the side, looking at her helplessly.

“My lord, burying the Golden Dragon Token and the scroll is useless. They need to be destroyed.”

“I didn’t bury them later on,” Chu Ling said. “I gave them to Su He and told him to put them together with the autopsy report. Didn’t he say this morning? They’ve all been smeared with poison—perfectly safe.”

Ghost Scholar: “……”

“Master, deal with the Feng family’s eldest young master tomorrow. Then sell the Feng residence and exchange it for a sum of money,” Chu Ling said, crossing her legs.

Ghost Scholar nodded. The Feng family’s eldest young master had committed countless evil deeds; it was indeed time to handle him as soon as possible.

Still, he couldn’t help but sigh. “Who would’ve thought that the once-prominent Feng family of Yunchuan would fall so low after coming to Changzhou—losing even their brocade-weaving craft.”

“My lord! My lord!”

The courtyard gate was suddenly flung open. Xiao Hua rushed in like a gust of wind, eyes brimming with tears as she grabbed Chu Ling’s sleeve.

Startled, Chu Ling jolted upright.

“My lord, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai turned into butterflies and flew away! But butterflies are so easy to catch, and they don’t live long! My lord, what should we do?”

Chu Ling blinked. “Huh?”

Zhang Dong’s eyes were red as well. “My lord, they’re so tragic.”

Wan Sanjin looked hesitant, glancing at Chu Ling as he muttered, “Cross-dressing as a man and all that… My lord, you—you can’t do that…”

Chu Ling: “Huh?!”

“My lord, we all know now. The storyteller said you told him—it’s a storybook written by a gentleman from Huaxia.” Wan Sanjin sighed deeply at Chu Ling, his eyes filled with disappointment, as though lamenting iron that refused to become steel.

Seeing his expression, Chu Ling suddenly understood and immediately shouted, “Zhu Yingtai loved studying, so she disguised herself as a man to attend school!”

Wan Sanjin gasped and covered his mouth. That’s right—their lord didn’t love studying. The county magistrate post had been bought through donation, and even his handwriting was poor.

Chu Ling gritted her teeth, anger surging.

“You guard your friend so closely—you might as well tie him up at home and worship him… No, better yet, just marry into his family.”

“My lord, I am the dignified magistrate’s secretary of Sishui County. I do not marry,” Wan Sanjin said, then looked at Chu Ling again with pitiful eyes.

What should they do? Was it inconvenient now for their lord to get married?

Chu Ling read the look in his eyes, picked up a small stone by her foot, and hurled it at him.

Wan Sanjin dodged nimbly and said excitedly, “My lord, my speed has improved again recently!”

Chu Ling laughed in exasperation, grabbed several more pebbles, and charged out in an instant.