readytorunbook Chapter 218 The unknown secret
Chapter 218 The unknown secret
However, fate seemed to play a joke on her. The city gates were closed, keeping her thousands of miles away.
She tried to get closer and ask for the gate to be opened, but she only saw the sentinels on the city wall looking vigilantly through the night, sternly warning anyone not to approach while the gate was closed, otherwise they would be treated as spies.
The warning was accompanied by two longbows ready to shoot, the arrow tips flashing a cold light, which made people feel chilled.
Han Yue'er was furious, but helpless. She could only secretly regret why she was in such a hurry to travel day and night.
Along the way, she almost exhausted the lives of two fast horses. After finally reaching her destination, she could only look helplessly at the ruthless city gate, unable to move forward or backward.
In desperation, she had to find a secluded place outside the city, lean against an old tree, close her eyes, and wait for the dawn.
The night wind was getting colder, and dew soaked her clothes. She endured the cold and sleepiness, but she could not resist the heavy eyelids and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight penetrated the mist and shone on her face, she opened her eyes and was greeted by two dark circles under her eyes, which were the traces of nightmares from the night before.
In the dream, a tender child's voice wailed in my ears, and every word pierced my heart: "You are not my mother!"
And that distorted face, with its fingers like iron clamps around her throat, accused her of murdering his wife with resentment.
The elderly couple standing nearby had eyes as cold as ice, and their resentment was so deep that it was enough to make one feel cold in the heart.
In contrast, Sheng Junwei's night was peaceful and she had a good sleep.
When she woke up the next day and learned that Pei Yu had not returned home yet, her heart did not feel the slightest ripple.
She no longer cared about him. Whether he would return or when he would return was just an insignificant mark on the calendar to her.
In the morning light, she completed her daily exercise, had breakfast, put on her official uniform, and walked firmly towards the gate of the Ministry of Justice.
The case in Nanping Village has theoretically come to an end, and she should have quickly compiled the files and sent them to the Dali Temple, but considering that Han Yue'er still had key figures in her hands, she chose to stay put for the time being, thinking that Han Yue'er might show up tomorrow.
Before leaving, Sheng Junwei specially drew a few healing spells in case of emergency, then changed into formal official uniform and hurried into the palace.
At this time, the emperor was busy with the morning court. Sheng Junwei handed the talisman to Eunuch Yu and left quietly.
Arriving at the Ministry of Justice, she pulled out a file from the pile of files. It was a file that recorded an old case from thirty years ago. The case was straightforward, the evidence was solid, the confession was clear, and even the murderer frankly admitted his crime.
However, the only variable was that the murderer mysteriously escaped during the escort.
The murderer was named Zhang Yuanshun, a seemingly weak scholar.
The victims turned out to be his entire family, with no one of the seven members spared.
Zhang Yuanshun was smart and clever since childhood. Although his family was poor, it was enough to support his dream of pursuing knowledge.
The Zhang family is a typical farming family of eight, including grandmother Li Wang, mother Zhang Chen, father Zhang Erniu, and Zhang Yuanshun's two elder brothers, a younger brother and an older sister. They firmly believe in the ancient saying "more children, more blessings", and have worked hard for generations to accumulate some family wealth.
However, in this seemingly harmonious family, Zhang Chen seemed particularly different.
She was not a native member of the Zhang family, but an outsider who came here to seek refuge a few years ago.
Before this, Zhang Chen came from a prominent family, had many servants at home, and lived a comfortable life.
However, a sudden disaster broke all of this. The family was displaced and encountered various misfortunes on the way. Relatives died one after another. There were even evil servants who tried to kill their master and seize the family property...
Zhang Chen's parents, a gentle and well-known couple in the local area, were tragically betrayed by a vicious servant in their home and died, leaving behind only a desolate bloody sunset.
In this sudden catastrophe, the reason why Zhang Chen was able to escape by chance was all thanks to the extraordinary courage and wisdom shown by her mother at the critical moment of life and death. She risked her life to protect her and hid her in a secret room, which enabled her to escape.
The road to escape was long and arduous. When Zhang Chen finally staggered to the small town on the edge of Zhangjia Village, she was already ragged and dusty. Her thin body trembled in the cold wind, and her eyes flashed with glimmers of hunger and despair.
One day, she fainted on the bank of a winding river due to exhaustion. Unexpectedly, she fell into the water and her life was in danger.
At this moment, Zhang Erniu, a kind-hearted and strong young farmer, happened to pass by. He jumped into the freezing river regardless of everything and pulled her back from the brink of death.
In that era of strict feudal ethics, physical contact between men and women was not allowed, and physical contact was even considered a prelude to marriage.
Zhang Chen knew very well that her unexpected encounter with Zhang Erniu had cast a shadow on her reputation.
Faced with the gossips from people around her and the constraints of traditional ethics, she felt helpless, but she found a glimmer of comfort in the simple yet warm environment of the Zhang family.
Finally, under the pressure of reality and considerations for the future, she chose to compromise and agreed to this sudden marriage, although the pride and reserve of a rich lady in her heart had not completely dissipated.
However, the peaceful life did not last long.
On that stormy night, Zhang Chen became the last person in the family to lie in a pool of blood. Her experience was like a silent tragedy that made people sigh with regret.
Her story seems to foreshadow the fickleness of fate and the cruelty of the world, making people wonder whether there are unknown secrets and hardships hidden behind all this.
On the other hand, the conversation between Sheng Junwei and Rouer gradually revealed the mystery of Zhang Yuanshun's case.
Sheng Junwei frowned as she made a detailed divination of the eight characters, as if she had discovered something unusual in the intertwined fate of Zhang Chenshi and Zhang Yuanshun.
Although Rou'er had a limited understanding of the complexities of the world, she was deeply shocked by this shocking case, and could not help but feel a trace of sympathy and doubt in her heart.
The appearance of Yuanwailang added a bit of vicissitudes and reality to this period of history.
His words revealed his nostalgia and emotion for the past years, which was a memory of his youth and an unforgettable shock to the entire town.
What he tells is not just the story of Zhang Yuanshun, but also a microcosm of an era, a complex narrative about talent, honor, betrayal and sacrifice.
In Yuanwailang's narration, Zhang Yuanshun's image becomes fuller and more contradictory.
A gentle, philanthropic young talent, but he bears the crime of destroying his family with his own hands.
This huge contrast not only made the officials at that time unbelievable, but also filled future generations with curiosity and confusion.
Zhang Yuanshun's shocking escape and 31 years of escape have added a legendary touch to this unsolved case, making people wonder what unknown secrets and motives are hidden behind it.