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

Chapter 019 Dirty Water

The sudden news made Zi Su and the others angry and shocked, but Jiang Ruan was not in a hurry, and even had the mood to continue drinking porridge. Xiao Yuan couldn't help but say: "Miss, you should make plans early. Those people look very confident, as if... as if they are sure that Miss has killed someone."

This was said cleverly, and it seemed that there was some deliberate leak in it. Jiang Ruan smiled slightly: "It's okay. The right and wrong in the world will never be confused forever. Yes is yes, no is no. We didn’t do it, and we’re not afraid of the officials coming."

Xiao Yuan gritted her teeth and made up her mind: "To be honest with you, Miss, I have been working in the farm for so many years, and I know a little about these things. Miss doesn't know the depth of it. This... is really a dead end. If you are convicted, even if you are really innocent, you are still guilty. Miss, why don't you make plans early and let the master know."

Zi Su also nodded: "Yes, young lady, these people are coming in a fierce manner this time, why not ask the master for help, the master will never stand idly by."

Lian Qiao also nodded: "Young lady, things should be dealt with according to their urgency."

In the eyes of everyone, Jiang Ruan shook her head gently: "No, Xiao Yuan, thank you for your reminder about this matter, but the officials have come here, you can't stay for long, otherwise you will be implicated. You leave first, I will let Zi Su come to you if I need your help."

Xiao Yuan looked out the window and nodded: "Miss, you don't have to be so polite. Miss is the master, and it is natural for the servants to obey the master's orders. I will leave now. If the lady needs me, I will do my best."

After Xiao Yuan left, Jiang Ruan knocked on the table and said lightly: "When the officials come later, no matter what happens, you are not allowed to reveal a single thing to the Shangshu Mansion, let alone ask my father for help."

"Why?" Zi Su didn't understand: "After all, the girl is the master's biological daughter. Blood is thicker than water. If the master can help, the girl will not suffer some torture. Girl, now is not the time to be angry with the master. There is no overnight hatred between relatives."

Jiang Ruan shook her head: "You think it's simple, but if something really happens to me, you ask my father for help, I'm afraid it's not help, but a burden."

Lian Qiao frowned: "What does the girl mean?"

"Think about it," Jiang Ruan stared at his fingertips: "If I am really slandered for killing someone, what will my father do when he knows it? I'm afraid it won't clear my grievances, but find someone to smooth things over and suppress this matter. But now everyone knows that the officials sent people to arrest me, and this matter can no longer be suppressed. Even if it is suppressed openly, rumours will only say that I killed someone and borrowed my father's power to quell the matter. From then on, I will have a bad reputation."

Zi Su and Lian Qiao were sweating profusely after hearing this, and both were still frightened. Lian Qiao asked: "If asking the master for help doesn't work, what should we do?"

"This situation seems like a dead end, but in fact there is life everywhere. There is no obstacle. It is a desperate situation and then it will be reborn. The final winner is still unknown. I have an idea, you don't have to worry."

With Jiang Ruan's words, Lian Qiao and Zi Su gradually calmed down. Zi Su said: "I know, girl, let's pretend nothing happened now."

Jiang Ruan took out a piece of paper from the book next to her and handed it to Lian Qiao: "You will give it to Qiu Yan tomorrow."

Lian Qiao nodded, thought for a while, and poured a cup of tea for Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan was not in a hurry to drink it, but just gently stroked the corner of her sleeve.

The proposal of the two maids to ask Jiang Quan for help was rejected by Jiang Ruan at the beginning. In addition to her explanation, there were other reasons. 

In the final analysis, there was no need to write a letter by herself. The Shangshu Mansion would also know the news at the first time. Zhang Lan's family would definitely report the matter to the superiors. Xia Yan and Jiang Susu were eager to see her unlucky, so they would naturally not miss this opportunity to add fuel to the fire. 

They could do a lot, and Jiang Quan would not stand up for her. Since she looked at her father’s face and thought that she was a scourge of the country and murdered the emperor during the palace coup in her last life, and looked at his indifferent eyes when she was imprisoned, she knew that Jiang Quan had never regarded her as his own flesh and blood. His only daughter was Jiang Susu.

Even if she died, she would not ask for help from Shangshu Mansion and Jiang Quan. Besides, after this incident, she still had a great gift to give to Jiang Quan and Jiang Susu, mother and daughter, as a gift to repay them for sending her to live in the manor for the inhuman life in the past few years.

The play still had to be performed, but the performers had already changed.

When she was lost in thought, there was a noisy sound outside the yard. Before Lian Qiao could react, the door was knocked open with a bang. Several yamen runners with swords on their waists walked in and said in a rough voice: "Where is Jiang Ruan?"

Jiang Ruan stood up and bowed slightly.

The leading yamen runner looked up and looked at Jiang Ruan. He saw that the other party was a beautiful girl. He was a little surprised, but he still said seriously: "Miss Jiang, I'm sorry, someone said that they saw when you killed someone."

Jiang Ruan looked at her in surprise: "Oh, I don't know who it is?"

Her voice was soft and gentle, just like the willow catkins in spring, gently brushing across people's hearts. There was an unintentional moving feeling. The yamen runner couldn't help but soften his voice, as if he was afraid of disturbing this crystal-like person: "It's the youngest son of the manager of this farm, Chen Zhao."

Lian Qiao couldn't help but reply: "Our girl is so weak, how could she kill someone? It's obviously those villains who are trying to throw dirty water on the girl!"

The yamen runner was also a little hesitant. Seeing Jiang Ruan looking at him with a smile, there was an indescribable charm in the corners of her eyes. 

She was clearly a little girl, but she had the charm of a mature woman, and her gentle temperament, but there was an indescribable indifference. Such contradictions were mixed in her, making her like a goblin who had strayed into the backstab, attracting people's attention to her.

Jiang Ruan said: "Lian Qiao, there is no need to say more. The adults will make a clear judgment on right and wrong. We just need to watch."

The yamen runner's impression of Jiang Ruan improved by three points after hearing this, and he just clasped his fists and said, "It was our recklessness to disturb the young lady. There is a search outside. Please leave the house to facilitate everyone's investigation."

Jiang Ruan smiled and asked Zi Su and the others to follow her out of the house.

As soon as they left the room, they saw yamen runners everywhere outside. The small courtyard was instantly squeezed into a narrow space. Chen Zhao stood beside Zhang Lan and saw Jiang Ruan with a flash of his eyes.

Before Chen Zhao could speak first, Lian Qiao jumped up and pointed at Chen Zhao's nose and cursed, "It's obviously you who killed someone, and you want to blame it on our girl. You are blinded by lard! You are a beast in human form!"

Zhang Lan sneered, "What are you talking about, Lian Qiao, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. You want to frame our Zhao'er, be careful not to get into trouble!"

Chen Zhao also looked at Jiang Ruan with great sorrow, "Miss, Zhao didn't want to tell this matter, but Zhao couldn't go against his conscience. I hope you don't resent Zhao."

Jiang Ruan smiled slightly: "Conscience? I naturally won't hate you. After death, people have souls, especially those who died unjustly. They will definitely find the person who hurt them to take revenge. I am not afraid of ghosts seeking revenge, but I don't know if you are afraid."

(End of this chapter)

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