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墨書 Inktalez
The Yard Officer escorted them along the way, sharing some stories about the Zhang Family. The Zhang Family was one of the top three merchants in Meizhou. Zhang the Official was a great philanthropist; much of the work at the Charity Hall in the city was supported by his family.
The Zhang Family had two sons and a daughter. The sons were sent far away by Zhang the Official at a young age, fearing that something might happen to them. With their business rooted in Meizhou City, the elderly couple continued to manage their affairs with their daughter.
Their youngest daughter, Zhang Linglong, was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted, showing great talent in business. At a young age, she took over most of Zhang the Official's business and managed to double its size in just two years.
She was married to the youngest son of the Chen Juzi family from the neighboring county. At just eighteen, he had already passed the scholar examination and was set to take part in the provincial exam in two months, with a bright future ahead. However, things took a turn for the worse.
After Chen Xiucai went missing, her parents fell ill and repeatedly instructed their daughter not to inform her brothers. Miss Zhang had to care for her sick mother while also going out to inquire about Chen Xiucai's whereabouts, which caused the Zhang Family's business to suffer significantly.
Not long ago, people often saw Miss Zhang waiting at night for the wedding procession. They wondered if she was home so late.
In Goldfish Alley at night, it felt somewhat eerie amidst the silence. As a group approached, they could even hear echoes of their footsteps.
The Yard Officer continued, saying that after the incident with the Zhang Family, many neighbors had moved away.
Li Cu asked, "Wasn't the incident outside the city? What are these neighbors afraid of?"
During Chen Family's wedding, the new official title was welcomed outside the city and did not appear within it. When returning home, it took less than an hour for him to travel from entering to exiting the city; he was only visible for a brief moment before being targeted.
Everyone said there must be spies nearby; who would want to live under such scrutiny?
The two ladies present appeared even more attractive than Chen Xiucai and certainly should not stay overnight in the city. However, it was late and leaving the city wasn't safe either.
They needed to be alert while sleeping at night. The officers would arrange for more patrols nearby; if something did happen, they could respond quickly but couldn't guarantee safety.
They hoped for a peaceful night and urged them to leave as soon as dawn broke.
As they spoke, they arrived at the entrance of the Zhang Family home. The outer walls and gate bore numerous signs of damage, with filthy words scrawled everywhere.
"This is what happened with the Chen Family," explained the Yard Officer. "Especially after Chen Xiucai's mother came by frequently. We tried mediating before, but given what happened in their family, we couldn't be too forceful."
After knocking on the door of Zhang Family, it took a while before a small opening appeared. An elderly man peeked out; he recognized the Yard Officer immediately. "Xu! What brings you here? Do you have news about my son-in-law?"
Xu shook his head regretfully and quickly introduced Sang Qingxiao and others to the old man. "Zhang Butler, these people say they knew your master in the past. After entering the city, they heard about what happened with your family and wanted to come visit you and perhaps stay for a night."
"Known my master?" Zhang Butler expressed skepticism but then thought about it; everyone was avoiding the Zhang Family now. It was indeed strange that anyone would want to stay with them during such times.
"Wait a moment, I will report to my lady first."
The Zhang Butler returned quickly, opening the door a bit wider. "Since you are not afraid, come in. The Zhang Family can only accommodate you for one night. As soon as dawn breaks, you must leave promptly."
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