"Sir, they must have bribed the Dong Family. I’ve never heard of the Dong Family selling this kind of silk paper before," Hui Zi argued.
The Dong Family sent a young man to co over with the officer, just in case the officer had additional questions.
The young man was initially reluctant to make this trip, but now he felt he had co for a good reason.
"Bullshit!" The young man grew up in the Market, so his speech was much more blunt.
"How long has the Dong Family been around? When have we ever been bribed by anyone? Besides, I heard you suddenly ca to the Governnt Office today to complain, and the envoy was summoned directly. Even if they wanted to bribe us, there wouldn’t have been ti, right? Can they predict the future?"
The young man rolled his eyes, "Failing to slander others and still trying to sar the Dong Family with false accusations just because you’re a Noble Lady, that doesn’t an you can falsely accuse people!"
He spoke in Fusang Language, but Bai Ruozhu could understand, and couldn’t help but laugh.
Sa Tian also spoke up beside him, "Sir, this young fellow is absolutely right. I am Sa Tian, I often help the envoy with translations, and today I bumped into the officer on the road, so I ca with Bai to the Governnt Office. In this short amount of ti, she hasn’t left at all, there’s simply no ti to buy off the Dong Family."
"Indeed, if you’re going to complain, just complain. Don’t drag the Dong Family into this, or we might accuse you of slander!" The young man spat with contempt.
The officer disliked the young man’s Market deanor, but seeing Hui Zi’s face turn red, he didn’t reprimand the young man.
For a mont, Hui Zi didn’t know how to argue back, her face turned red.
At this ti, a frivolous voice ca from outside, "Hey, isn’t that Hui Zi? What did she accuse soone of tarnishing her reputation?"
It was a richly dressed nobleman speaking with a loud voice, followed by a drunken hiccup, which attracted much attention.
The nobleman laughed, "Oh, co now, last year she rolled around with several tis. What reputation does she speak of? Later, she played around with the She Family’s eldest son for so ti. Such a woman has the audacity to speak of reputation, it’s hilarious!"
The crowd outside was in uproar, and soone asked curiously, "Really?"
"A nobleman like , why would I lie to you? I wouldn’t ntion such things but I’ve heard that so ti ago she publicly rolled around with Watanabe, it really makes you sick." The nobleman spoke bluntly and his face displayed contempt, "I once thought she was a straightforward woman when I was with her, if I had known her character then, I wouldn’t have touched her!"
"He’s lying, he was bribed by Bai Ruozhu, how can you believe soone who’s drunk in broad daylight?" Hui Zi shouted, her face turning pale.
Fang Zi glanced at the distant nobleman, then at Hui Zi, her eyes filled with disdain.
The nobleman was sowhat famous in aristocratic circles. His family wasn’t particularly high-status, but he was known for his affairs. These unmarried young ladies wer careful not to marry such a man, otherwise, life wouldn’t be good.
She recalled that last year, Hui Zi spoke of this man with teeth gritted angrily, especially filled with righteous indignation, many other Noble Lady also hated him, thinking Hui Zi was brave to speak out so directly.
Now she understood that Hui Zi had questionable affairs with him, and probably resented him for refusing to marry her, leading to rumors.
If it weren’t for Hui Zi’s frequent remarks, many Noble Lady wouldn’t know about this nobleman’s reputation. Their negative impression started when Hui Zi began gossiping.
"What’s wrong with drinking during the day? Which fusang man doesn’t drink? Only after a few drinks can you speak the truth. What I said is true, go ahead and verify. Aside from being with , she also flirted with the She Family’s eldest son, and several other noblen. No one wants to marry her, so they talked about it."
The nobleman laughed, "I’m a rogue, I say what’s on my mind. She’s been through several other guys, I wouldn’t even take her as a foot-washing maid!"
The Onlookers laughed loudly, their gazes towards Hui Zi devoid of the previous sympathy.
Bai Ruozhu also watched Hui Zi with a slight smile, then spoke, "Sir, find soone to inquire about who witnessed her indecent affair that day. Those with keen eyes can naturally see she is no longer a maiden."
The officer imdiately ordered soone to proceed, this ti without even looking at Hui Zi or asking her anything.
Hui Zi had been kneeling upright, showing she was neither humble nor haughty. But now she slumped, continuously saying, "He’s lying, he was bribed, I don’t even know him!"
"What do you an you don’t know ? When you used to invite , you personally wrote love letters to , which I still have at ho. I can send soone to fetch them!" The nobleman beca excited, suddenly becoming serious.
Hui Zi felt a bit relieved, as she had always been cautious, having her maid write the letters during those etings, not in her own handwriting.
The officer at the court also said, "Send soone to Miss Hui Zi’s house, to fetch so of her usual writings for comparison."
"Yes, sir." The officer imdiately responded and left.
Waiting was dull, Bai Ruozhu leisurely chatted with Fang Zi. Since she saw Jiang Yichun, she knew she wouldn’t have to worry about anything.
"You haven’t been married yet, being slandered like this is truly improper. Those commoners outside only sympathize with her, without considering that you’re a Noble Lady being deliberately frad." Bai Ruozhu said.
Fang Zi thought of Hui Zi’s true intentions during the Poetry Conference, her eyes reddened, "She’s hard not just once. This person’s heart is too malicious."
"That’s why one should not have the intent to harm others, but always guard against being hard. In your life, you may encounter sinister people, be careful yourself." Bai Ruozhu advised, she would soon leave, only helping Fang Zi montarily. Fang Zi would have to stand up on her own afterward.
Many years later, when Fang Zi had beco a famous female rich rchant in Fusang Country, she would recall Bai Ruozhu’s encouragent to her. If it hadn’t been for Bai Ruozhu, her life path would have been different and probably a hundred tis worse.
Soon, the nobleman’s servant fetched the love letter, which read, "Searching for him among countless others, turning abruptly, there he is, under the dim lights."
What a waste of such a fine verse!
The officer also brought Hui Zi’s letter over, which alard Hui Zi’s mother, who followed after spotting her daughter.
Hui Zi’s mother seed unaware of her daughter’s complaint, her face turned pale with fright. Seeing Hui Zi with a wound on her head, she cried and rushed over.
----
Ling Chen crash updates, late sleepers can enjoy reading it, and early birds can catch up tomorrow morning~
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