Remarrying Chun Yuan

Chapter 450 Black Money

"You've come because of Song Dajia's matter?" Xu Xianglan asked, seeing her anxious face as she searched for someone. "Song Dajia has been taken away by the Imperial Household Department and isn't here, but he's truly innocent. Someone is deliberately causing trouble for him."

When she spoke the second half of the sentence, Xu Xianglan deliberately lowered her voice, afraid that someone would hear her.

Liu Yuechu sensed something was amiss. "Injustice? What exactly happened? Was he taken away by the Imperial Household Department? If you know, tell me clearly." The information she had was relayed by Song Liu'er; she genuinely didn't know the specific reason for the conflict.

Just as Xu Xianglan was about to speak, several people suddenly approached from a distance. Liu Yuechu took one look and saw that it was Eunuch Hua.

After retiring from his position as Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department, he was assigned to manage the royal gardens. Liu Yuechu came several times before, but he always made excuses and did not show up.

"So it's the Duchess of the State. I apologize for the late greeting." Eunuch Hua said with a forced smile.

Liu Yuechu frowned. "Where is Song Ziwen? I need to see him immediately."

“He injured not just one royal guard, but a very serious crime. Even though we are an old man in the palace, we can’t let him go against our conscience, can we?” Eunuch Hua said with a forced smile.

Liu Yuechu scoffed coldly, "Didn't you hear what I said?"

Hua Gonggong was taken aback, not expecting Liu Yuechu to stand up to him.

"As the Duchess knows, my family no longer works in the Imperial Household Department and is not qualified to go there to retrieve him. You would have to go yourself... But this man injured the official, as everyone knows. Even if you bring him back, you have to consider the people below you. You can't let a murderer win the carving competition, can you? That would be too disheartening." Eunuch Hua also spoke his mind.

Xu Xianglan's eyes narrowed, and she immediately moved closer to Liu Yuechu, "Song Dajia wasn't in the Imperial Household Department; she was taken away by this eunuch."

"You little hussy, what did you say?" Eunuch Hua was instantly enraged, not expecting Xu Xianglan to dare to interrupt at this moment.

Liu Yuechu was also wondering why the Imperial Household Department would be so clueless.

It seems there's more to the story?

Without further ado, she beckoned to the person beside her, and the servant immediately pinned down Eunuch Hua!

Eunuch Hua panicked, "What is the Duchess doing? I'm just a servant, I didn't get involved in this..."

"You weren't even involved, yet you dare to swagger around in front of me and convict him? Who do you think you are?"

Liu Yuechu looked at Xu Xianglan behind her, "You just said that Song Ziwen is innocent?" She also sensed that things might not be so simple.

Xu Xianglan was originally timid, but seeing that Liu Yuechu had already become angry, she mustered up her courage and stood up, "Yes, Lady Song is innocent, I can testify."

"Pah! Who do you think you are, daring to testify for that murderer?" Eunuch Hua's tone was full of threat. "You'd better think carefully, because if you give false testimony, you'll face legal trouble!"

"Do you think I'm blind? You dare threaten these sculptors right here and now?" Liu Yuechu really didn't know where Eunuch Hua got such audacity. Was he really tired of living?

“I don’t know where Song Ziwen has been taken, but I’m starting to keep track of the time.” Liu Yuechu sat down on a rosewood stool. “If I don’t see Song Ziwen return unharmed within a quarter of an hour, I will beat Eunuch Hua to death.”

"As for whether Soong Tse-ven is innocent, I need to review his case before I can make a decision."

"Who doesn't know he's the pillar I invited to participate in the carving competition? How dare you undermine me at this time? I think you're really tired of living!"

For the first time, Liu Yuechu revealed a strong murderous intent. The servant beside him tied Hua Gonggong's feet with a rope in one hand and hoisted him up a tree, head down.

Grandpa Hua was so frightened that he screamed in terror, his cries sounding like ghosts wailing and wolves howling.

Liu Yuechu didn't order anyone to gag him, hoping that he could shout so that everyone could hear him.

Hua Gonggong struggled desperately, pointing at the little eunuch beside him and shouting, "What are you waiting for? Go find someone!" His voice was hoarse and extremely unpleasant.

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs immediately ran away, but they ran in the wrong direction, circling around several times before finally heading to the woodshed at the back.

Liu Yuechu felt utterly cold inside.

If she hadn't met Xu Xianglan, and hadn't been able to find Song Ziwen in the royal gardens, she might have actually gone to question the Imperial Household Department, and perhaps caused another huge scandal.

Only then did she have time to ask Xu Xianglan what exactly had happened.

Xu Xianglan also briefly recounted what had happened, "...You added a final ten-place competition to the carving competition, and naturally you rewarded the best wood with it. Everyone knows Master Song's abilities, so he came first to find the best wood, wanting to familiarize himself with the feel of it. He selected a piece, but unfortunately the officials wouldn't give it to him."

"As you said, Song Dajia could choose any place in the royal gardens. He mentioned this, but the officials cursed him as a poor, good-for-nothing, saying he deserved to be widowed for life and that he had given his son away as a servant... Song Dajia couldn't control his emotions and tried to snatch the timber, and then the officials pushed him to the ground... After that, the two sides started fighting."

Those people were indeed beaten senseless and fled in terror by Soong Tse-ven alone.

But the instigator was that group of corrupt officials, not Song Ziwen who provoked them.

The more Liu Yuechu listened, the colder she felt. She looked at Eunuch Hua and couldn't help but let out a sinister sneer.

"I have worked diligently and tirelessly for His Majesty, yet I never imagined that someone would dare to undermine me behind my back?"

"Which piece of timber did Song Ziwen choose?" Liu Yuechu asked directly.

Xu Xianglan shook her head. "I don't know, but the lowly people can't just choose any timber here. In fact, they've hidden all the good timber..." Since she had already offended Eunuch Hua, she might as well expose everything.

"Actually, it's not just me; many people know that Grandpa Hua has started taking money! He doesn't dare to manipulate the rankings, but he can give us the flawed wood and leave the good wood for those who have paid money."

"I swear to God that I will never lie about this matter. If I do, may I be struck by lightning, die a horrible death, and never be reincarnated!" Xu Xianglan had already made a solemn oath.

Several other carving masters also stood up to confirm that what Xu Xianglan said was true.

Liu Yuechu never expected such an absurd mistake to happen. She came over almost every few days, yet she never discovered such a sordid thing.

Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did you have to wait until now?