“We can’t do that.”
Inside the dartboard, after hearing Qi Wu’s words, Qi Run objected.
He knew why his parents were insistent on betrothing his little sister, and if they did get the Song family’s formula, it would be tantamount to breaking her back.
But the temptation of the Duke of Qi’s words is too great, and the guilt he feels towards the Song family has long since been washed away by the thought that “the family can go far away”.
“How can we trust their words?”
“Why not? As long as we still have the recipe in hand, we can make a deal with the Third Prince and ask them to send Qian’er over first, and then give him the recipe after our family has left.” Mrs Qi said.
“Does Mother think we can leave?”
“Gone.” Qiwu’s voice sank.
After all, this matter was not honorable, and if word got out that the Third Prince’s reputation was finished, he would not lose his reputation for the sake of small things, and would certainly let us go.
“Father and mother think too simply, let’s not talk about Song Si, the Xu family alone, we can’t afford to mess with them either, I advise father and mother to think twice.”
“Listen to me and your mother on this matter.”
Qi Wu was resolute, “Even if we don’t have to marry that trash Song San Xiao for Ying’er, it’s still worth the risk.”
……
The following morning, Qi Ying went to the marketplace.
Song Shu and the others had just arrived and Song San Xiao, who was setting up a stall and was moving tables and stools, first stared at her and then came forward with a grin, “What brings you here?”
When he thought that they would be engaged in a few days, the corners of Song Sanxiao’s mouth could not be closed.
“Came to see you.”
Qi Ying said graciously.
Song San Xiao blushed instead, “What, what is it?”
“I’ve been looking at a pair of earrings and I want you to accompany me to have a look, it won’t take much time.”
“Okay, I’ll tell second sister-in-law.”
“I’ll say it.”
Qi Ying walked over, “Second brother, second sister-in-law.”
She used to address her uncle and aunt, and at first hearing her shout, Song Shu and Liu Cui Lan still froze in discomfort, and then Liu Cui Lan revealed a smile, “Miss Qi.”
“I want him to accompany me to look at the earrings, I’ll be back in a while.”
“Go on, go on, there aren’t many people today, let him accompany you for more shopping.”
“Thank you, second sister-in-law.”
The two of them were just about to leave when Li Cui Lan called Song San Xiao aside again and gave him five taels of silver, this was the pocket money given to her by Grandma Song, she brought it today and wanted to give it to her parents after the stall closed.
“Take this, if you don’t have enough for the earrings, ask the shopkeeper to go to your sister-in-law’s house to settle the bill and we’ll pay her back later, don’t let Miss Qi pay for it herself.”
Song Sanxiao took it with a smile on her face, put the silver in her arms and skipped off with Qi Ying towards the jewellery shop.
“How is business now?”
Qi Ying asked.
“Pretty good, earning a tael of silver a day, Si ……”
Wanted to say Song Si now does not spend the family money, earn these can save all, words out, realized wrong, Song San Xiao hurriedly swallowed back the latter words, “than the family of those two businesses, but also can save a lot of money.”
“The weather is hot, the hotpot base is not selling well, right?”
Qi Ying asked casually.
Song San Xiao nodded, “Yes, a large portion of the women in the workshop have gone to the Gu family to make herbal tea, I heard Shen’er say that the herbal tea is selling very hot, the daily production is not enough to sell.”
Only here did he remember that he hadn’t sent any herbal tea to the Qi family yet, and said, “Tomorrow I’ll send some over to my aunt and uncle to try.”
Qi Ying didn’t say no, “Then I’ll thank you in advance on their behalf.”
Song San Xiao smiled happily and quietly moved closer to Qi Ying.
Qi Ying just ignored it and continued with the conversation, “There are people working on both sides, so wouldn’t Shen’er be running back and forth every day?”
“Not every day, my father is in charge of the herbal tea side, if he has something to do, let sister-in-law Ming keep an eye on it.”
“Sister-in-law Ming?”
“That’s my second uncle’s daughter-in-law, but we broke off relations with her last year, so you don’t know. By the way, Erma is her child.”
Qi Ying understood and asked no more questions.
The two of them went to the jewellery shop and Qi Ying showed Song San Xiao the earrings he had spotted. Song San Xiao thought they wouldn’t look good on her and carefully suggested them, which Qi Ying gladly accepted and let him pick out a pair for him. Song San Xiao was so happy that his heart was floating and he grabbed the silver and paid for them.
Song Sanxiao sent her all the way from the jewellery shop, and only after Qi Ying’s repeated urging did she turn around and go back to the market.
When he was far away, Qi Ying took the earrings off and went back to the dart shop to tell her family what Song Sanxiao had just said.
Qi Wu immediately decided to start with Song Ming’s daughter-in-law.
“Let’s send someone to poke around Song’s village pretending to be a goodsman and see if we can catch her in a soft spot.”
……
Gu Wen and his wife were not aware of what happened last night, and after breakfast, they got up with their children and left for Jiangnan. After Gu Yi saw them off, he arrived at the county town in a carriage and had just entered the city gates when he saw the fellow who had been sent to inform Qin Qian’s parents returning on horseback, followed by a carriage whose driver was desperately waving his whip to drive the carriage as fast as he could.
“Follow it!”
The coachman drove the carriage to keep up, following it all the way to the entrance of the county office.
Qin Qian’s parents got off the carriage and barged straight into the magistrate’s office. After being stopped by the magistrates Qin’s mother sat on her buttocks and bawled, “My poor Qian’er, you died so unjustly!”
People passing by were attracted by the commotion and gathered around.
The mother cried even more. They had known about the plan to poison the old man to attract the Duke of Qi to come over and thought it would be foolproof, but they had never expected that it would cost Qin Qian’s life. She was determined that even if she could not get justice for her son, she would have to bring Song Wan Yue’s reputation into disrepute.
“My poor son, you were so careful and kind that you couldn’t even step on an ant when you walked, so how could you poison the old man? Poor you, you were always kind to others, but in the end you were unjustly killed for nothing!”
More and more people gathered.
The county magistrate, having received the report, hurriedly came to the front court and ordered the magistrates to bring them in, but he could not tell her that Qin Qian was still alive in front of so many people.
“My Lord ……”
Qin’s mother knelt straight, “I would like to ask you, have you found any evidence of my son’s poisoning?”
“Since, naturally, I have not.”
“Since there is none, how could you listen to a maid and decide that my son was the murderer, beating him to death alive?”
“Shut your mouth!”
“I won’t!”
Seeing that her revenge was about to be avenged, but her son had lost his life, Qin’s mother was in a state of grief, “If you don’t give me an explanation today, Your Excellency, I will die in this court, so that everyone in the world can see how you have taken a human life!