Part 1: A Dream Within A Dream / Rebirth of Ill Fated Concubine

Chapter 017 Murder Part 2

The moon was like a hook, the dusk was deep, and the cold wind rustled the branches in the deserted backyard. The jackdaws perched on the top of the branches, cried twice, and flapped their wings and disappeared into the night sky.

The maid carrying the laundry basket hurriedly walked by the yard. She heard a muffled "thump" sound coming from the patio. She turned back in surprise. There were rustling sounds in the darkness, and there were faint cat calls. Thinking that it was a wild cat outside that came in to catch mice, the maid tightened her clothes. She felt that the yard was full of ghosts, so she quickened her pace and left in a hurry.

Outside the Pear Garden, Lian Qiao was holding a large paper bag in her hand, and said to Jiang Ruan happily: "Today, Xiao Yuan sent some lily cakes bought outside, saying that they taste very good. Let's go back to the house and try a few pieces later." Jiang Ruan nodded, and then looked up at the sky. 

The dark clouds covered most of the moon. The light outside was hazy. There were only a few bleak red lanterns on the road. The festive colours in the cold and lonely atmosphere added a bit of weirdness to the night. 

Lian Qiao followed Jiang Ruan's gaze and thought for a while: "It's really dark early, and it's getting cold outside. Miss, be careful not to catch a cold." 

"It's a dark and windy night for murder," Jiang Ruan suddenly smiled: "It's really a beautiful scene." 

This was strange. Lian Qiao looked over and didn't understand why, but saw a person hurriedly walking in the dark. When he got closer, he could see clearly that it was Chen Zhao. Chen Zhao also saw the two people and stopped hurriedly. Jiang Ruan nodded slightly. Chen Zhao bowed: "Miss."

Lian Qiao protected Jiang Ruan nervously. It was dark, and it was inevitable that something unexpected would happen when she met this person.

Jiang Ruan's eyes followed Chen Zhao's nervous expression to his exposed neck. There was a bright red scar on it that was particularly eye-catching, but Chen Zhao himself was unaware of it. Jiang Ruan curled the corners of her lips, but did not speak, just staring at him meaningfully.

Under the bleak moonlight, Jiang Ruan's eyebrows were illuminated by the lights and looked more demonic, as if she had just grown into a vampire spirit in the flowers under the moon. It was clearly a young face, but it seemed like a demon who had lived for a long time, looking down at all living beings struggling in the world. 

Her charming eyes were locked on Chen Zhao with a smile, and Chen Zhao felt that he was being stared at by those eyes, as if his soul was hooked. But when he looked at her again, he felt like it was an abyss, with a kind of heart-pounding fear. This kind of mood, which was sometimes cold and sometimes hot, finally changed in front of his eyes and turned into a smile on Jiang Ruan's red lips.

Chen Zhao gritted his teeth, and a little fire suddenly flashed in his eyes. He thought that he had provoked Chun Ying for Jiang Ruan. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have to kill anyone. Now that he has killed someone, Jiang Ruan is still staying there. Thinking about it, he is full of resentment. How can he lose everything?

Glimpsing the hungry wolf-like eyes in Chen Zhao's eyes, Jiang Ruan glanced at Lian Qiao and said lightly: "Let's go, it's dark, don't provoke anything unclean."

Chen Zhao's body stiffened, as if a bucket of cold water was poured on his head, and the heat in his heart was immediately driven away. He only felt a gust of cold wind, and Chun Ying's eyes, which were wide open before her death, were right in front of him. Chen Zhao shuddered fiercely, and when he came to his senses, Jiang Ruan and the others had already walked away. He clenched his fists and left angrily.

When the two returned to the room, Lian Qiao had just put down the lily cake when Zi Su hurried over, looking nervous: "Miss..."

Jiang Ruan waved her hand, signaling Lian Qiao to close the door, and then sat down beside the bed: "What's wrong?"

"Chun Ying is dead!" Zi Su said.

"What?" Lian Qiao was surprised: "How did she die?"

"Chen Zhao was straightforward," Jiang Ruan sneered: "Chun Ying was stupid."

Seeing Jiang Ruan's calm expression and no surprise at all, Zi Su was stunned: "Miss... already know?"

"Chen Zhao has a bad temper and Chun Ying is head strong. The two must have a dispute. I wanted to use their dispute to make a fuss, but I didn't expect Chen Zhao to be so cruel and murderous." 

Jiang Ruan said lightly: "But Chun Ying is also to blame."

Lian Qiao frowned: "That Chen Zhao is really not a good thing, he is so ruthless, and Chun Ying keep asking him for money, which was to seek the skin of a tiger, and she deserved to lose her life!"

Zi Su disagreed: "After all, it's a human life. This Chen Zhao is too scary. Fortunately, the girl is smart, otherwise it would be a disaster for us today."

"How did you know?" Jiang Ruan asked Zi Su.

Zi Su paused and said softly: "Qiu Yan told me that she saw Chen Zhao kill someone with her own eyes."

"Qiu Yan?" Jiang Ruan raised an eyebrow: "She is a smart person."

"Girl, Chun Ying is dead, and it has nothing to do with us. Chen Zhao killed someone, can it just be let go?"

"Chen Zhao planted a seed of disaster for himself." Jiang Ruan chuckled: "We don't need to take the initiative, someone will soon report it, and the truth will be revealed."

Lian Qiao said: "I always feel a little uneasy in my heart, and I always feel that this matter is not so simple. Although Chun Ying's death was not intentional by us, it still has something to do with us."

Jiang Ruan picked up the book on the table: "What are you afraid of? The two of them had an affair and quarrelled and someone got killed. Could it be related to me? It's not easy to throw dirty water on me. You can't say that I asked them to have an affair. If they want to investigate, just investigate it. What can they find out?"

Lian Qiao slapped her forehead and said, "Yes! I was confused. We didn't expect this. What does it have to do with us? Chun Ying and Chen Zhao have no friendship with us. Even if the officials come, we can stand up straight!"

In this way, Zi Su and Lian Qiao were relieved and got up to get hot water. Jiang Ruan sat under the oil lamp, slowly flipping through the book, but her eyes fell on them.

She lied. She was not surprised by Chun Ying's death because she had known this ending.

Everyone has their own weaknesses and bottom line. Chen Zhao is irritable and suspicious. 

Chun Ying's repeated demands will only make his patience run out. He no longer believes that Chun Ying will be satisfied one day. Dissatisfaction gradually increases and will always reach a critical value. When anger and guilt reach an extreme, Chen Zhao's violent nature will be stimulated, and killing is a natural thing. 

But to make all this happen, Chun Ying's cooperation is also required. Chun Ying's greed is innate. If there is a chance to get something for nothing, she will not give up.

What Jiang Ruan did was to let Zi Su bribe a few servants and ‘accidentally’ mention Chun Ying's cunning and greed in front of Chen Zhao.

With the right time, right place and right people, Chun Ying had to die.

But she must not tell the two maids about this. In their eyes, she was just a poor lady who was forced to the extreme and resisted, and she was kind at heart. 

But only she knew what kind of rotten heart was under this skin.

(End of this chapter)

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