Tianliangyuan

Chapter 171 Silencing

Jiang Yanhui had an oxcart driven out of the city at a leisurely pace.

In fact, Jiang Yanhui was exiled to a village outside the city, but after arriving there, he stayed for less than three days before moving directly into the border town.

Jiang Yanhui was exiled, but the emperor spared him further punishment out of respect for Grand Tutor Jiang. Therefore, strictly speaking, if Jiang Yanhui had the financial means, he could have easily built a residence in the city.

However, Jiang Yanhui's household registration was in the village, where two of the Jiang family's old servants lived.

After leaving the city, Jiang Yanhui switched to a horse-drawn carriage, while the oxcart continued to slowly make its way to the village.

"Shut up!"

The carriage was stopped, and the driver turned around and said, "Second Master, we've arrived."

After the carriage came to a stop, Jiang Yanhui stepped out. He had changed into a magnificent robe, and anyone who saw him would have assumed he was an official or the patriarch of a wealthy family.

"Second Master, you've arrived. Everything has been arranged inside. Mr. Qi has been tied up in the front hall, awaiting your judgment."

Jiang Yanhui nodded and went inside expressionlessly. As he entered, the grand door quickly closed behind him.

Who would have thought that Jiang Yanhui, who was exiled, not only had money and businesses, but also had so many trusted confidants to do things for him?

A middle-aged man with his hands bound knelt in the front hall, his waist bent and his head bowed to the limit.

After Jiang Yanhui sat down, he slowly sipped his tea, not even glancing at Mr. Qi on the ground.

The more this was the case, the more afraid Mr. Qi became.

Before anyone knew it, Mr. Qi's chin was already dripping with sweat.

"Second Master, please spare my life!"

Jiang Yanhui gave a light snort, just a single note, but it contained utter contempt!

"Second Master, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time. I will serve you faithfully from now on and never dare to have any disloyal thoughts again."

Jiang Yanhui seemed to have heard something amusing, his expression nonchalant with a hint of indifference.

"You're quite an interesting person. When the Jiang family needed you to do things before, you were very arrogant! But after you got benefits from the Jiang family, you became dependent on my Jiang family. But Xiao Qi, you shouldn't have had the slightest thought of betraying my Jiang family. Your life is definitely not going to be spared."

Mr. Qi was pale-faced; he had actually expected this outcome.

But he was unwilling to accept this; he wanted to live a more upright and radiant life.

But his background meant he could never turn his life around, and he hated it!

"Second Master, you can take my life if you want, but please spare my family. I'll agree to anything you ask as long as they can live."

"Xiao Qi, you're a genius, but you're also so naive. At this point, do you think you still have the leverage to negotiate with me?"

Mr. Qi was so frightened that his lips turned white.

Where is it?

Mr. Qi's lips were trembling, and perhaps due to extreme fright, he couldn't utter a sound for quite some time.

"Hand over the items, and I'll guarantee your family's survival. However, you'll have to live in anonymity from now on, and you'll never leave this place again, nor can you set foot in the capital. Once you agree, this matter will be settled."

"We agree! We agree!"

Jiang Yanhui shook his head: "Your opinion alone doesn't count. I need them all to nod in agreement."

"I will definitely persuade them."

"Very good, now go and get the things."

The rope behind Mr. Qi was still not untied. A servant from the Jiang family followed him out, but returned in less than a quarter of an hour.

The attendant handed a small box to Jiang Yanhui and then stepped aside.

After confirming that the thing was real, Jiang Yanhui smiled slightly and said, "Kill it!"

"Yes, Second Master."

Mr. Qi's eyes widened suddenly: "Second Master, you promised to release my family members!"

"What did I promise?"

A look of disbelief flashed across Mr. Qi's eyes, then he seemed to have figured everything out. Just as he was about to let out a bitter laugh or a plea, he felt a chill on his neck, and everything in front of him became increasingly blurry.

Jiang Yanhui walked out of the courtyard and whispered, "Remember, leave no survivors. It's best to make it so that no one can find any evidence."

"Yes, Second Master."

Although this is a border town, and the Jiang family has some influence here, there's no guarantee that some foolish people won't come knocking on their door.

Therefore, it was essential for Jiang Yanhui to erase all traces of the crime.

After returning home, Jiang Yanhui sent someone to summon his trusted confidants.

"Go back to the capital and send a message home, saying that the item has been found and that they can rest assured."

"Yes, Second Master. Should we take the letter back?"

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Yanhui went to the table and wrote a few letters home. What he wrote were nothing more than ordinary expressions of longing, and no one would have any other guesses after reading them.

Important matters cannot leave evidence, which is why Jiang Yanhui sent a message home through his trusted confidant.

Just two days after the people Jiang Yanhui sent out left, the gifts that Old Madam Jiang and Madam Song had arranged to be delivered arrived.

Song knew that her husband's life in the border town wasn't too bad, but as a daughter-in-law, she still had to show her parents-in-law that she cared for her husband and was devoted to him.

Only in this way could she have an easier time living in the Jiang family.

After seeing that they were all everyday items, Jiang Yanhui waved for the people to enter the storeroom.

"Second Master, this is something the Old Madam specially asked me to bring for you."

Jiang Yanhui took them and looked at them. They were two silver ingots, which was not bad. They could be exchanged for copper coins here.

Jiang Yanhui is no longer an official, so if he takes silver ingots out to spend, he will be questioned by the government. Although he is not afraid of being investigated, he still feels it is a bit troublesome.

The Song family was very thoughtful and specially prepared two large boxes of copper coins for them. So many coins, it was pleasing to the eye.

After reading the letter written to him by Song, Jiang Yanhui felt that his son Jiang Wenxiang really needed a way out. With such a stain on his reputation, it would be difficult for him to get along in the court, and it was even uncertain whether he could even enter officialdom.

However, Song's idea is good and worth a try.

At this moment, Jiang Yanhui regretted that he had sent the message too early.

If I had known they were coming, I should have waited two more days.

Jiang Yanhui wrote a response regarding his eldest son's future, and in the letter he specifically instructed him to listen to his father's teachings.

This was actually a subtle hint to Mrs. Song that her father wouldn't just stand by and do nothing.

At this moment, Jiang Yanhui had no idea what a huge surprise his wife was about to bring him.

The Jiang family residence in the capital, a thousand miles away, is now in complete chaos, with chickens and dogs running amok.

Deng even threatened to ask the elders of the clan to make a decision and to sue Jiang Yanping for the crime of favoring his concubine over his wife!