Chapter 11: Jiang Cheng
Rebirth : Grand Marshal's Wilful Fiancée-Chapter 11
The servant burst into the Prefecture Yamen, making a beeline for the Tongzhi Office where Jiang Cheng sat at his desk reviewing documents. The afternoon sun cast long shadows through the latticed windows, illuminating dust motes in the air of the official chamber.
"Second Master, urgent news! Young Miss is in trouble at the Ling family residence!"
Jiang Cheng frowned, setting down his brush with deliberate care. "Lower your voice. Such commotion is inappropriate here." His stern tone belied the immediate concern that flickered across his features. As a fifth-ranked official serving as Tongzhi, he was keenly aware of the necessary proprieties within the yamen walls.
Catching his breath, the servant bowed apologetically before continuing, "Lord Tao's attendant, Wang Ke, sent ten yamen runners to the Ling estate. He instructed me to inform you that Ling Yuanling has accused our young miss of adultery with Ling Yin's new concubine." The servant's voice trembled slightly, aware of the gravity of such an accusation against the Jiang family heiress.
Jiang Cheng shot to his feet, knocking his chair backward with a clatter that echoed through the office. Several clerks nearby glanced up from their work but quickly averted their eyes upon seeing their superior's expression. "What did you say?" His normally composed demeanor cracked, revealing the protective uncle beneath the official robes.
"But the plot was exposed," the servant hastily added, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Young Miss has filed charges against Ling Yuanling. Lord Tao himself dispatched runners to arrest her! The situation has reversed entirely."
Relief washed over Jiang Cheng ,cold sweat dampening his back from the emotional whiplash. He straightened his official cap and smoothed his robes. "Quickly then! We must go to the Ling residence at once." He gestured for two yamen guards to accompany them, knowing that his position demanded a certain decorum even in haste.
The streets of the prefecture were crowded with afternoon market-goers, forcing Jiang Cheng's small party to weave through vendors and carts. The spring air carried the scent of blooming plum blossoms, a stark contrast to the urgency of their mission. Halfway there, they encountered a procession led by Magistrate Tao Feng with Jiang Feng jia at his side. The yamen runners cleared a path through curious onlookers, their presence signifying official business.
Upon seeing her uncle, Jiang Feng jia's stern expression transformed instantly. Her eyes brightened with recognition, a flicker of something profound passing behind them.
"Uncle!" The single word carried volumes of emotion, laden with meanings that Jiang Cheng couldn't fully comprehend.
Though she had successfully turned the tables on her would-be accusers, nothing compared to the joy of seeing her uncle alive and well. Emotion swelled in Jiang Feng jia's throat, her eyes reddening with barely contained tears. For a moment, it seemed as though she was seeing a ghost, or perhaps the opposite, someone she had feared was a ghost now standing before her in flesh and blood!.
Jiang Cheng approached his niece, placing steady hands on the young woman's shoulders with a reassuring look. The unexpected intensity of his niece's reaction gave him pause, but he masked his confusion. Then he turned to Tao Feng, his expression hardening appropriately for the public setting. "Lord Tao, what happened here?"
Tao Feng, the prefecture magistrate, nodded solemnly. His official hat and insignia glinted in the afternoon sun as he addressed his subordinate with appropriate formality despite their acquaintance. "Lord Cheng , rest assured your niece was wrongfully accused. Justice will be served," Tao Feng replied, his voice carrying the weight of his position. Several bystanders had begun to gather, drawn by the unusual sight of so many officials and yamen runners in one place.
"My niece is a model of self-discipline and proper conduct," Jiang Cheng declared loudly enough for the growing crowd to hear. "How dare the Ling family make such accusations? What unconscionable bullying!" His indignation was both personal and calculated to establish the narrative of his niece's innocence in the public forum.
Tao Feng raised a calming hand, his long sleeves billowing slightly in the spring breeze. "The situation was witnessed by many reputable individuals. Ling Yuanling and others who actually committed adultery with the concubine have been apprehended. Your family's miss will not suffer injustice." He glanced meaningfully at the crowd, whose whispers had already begun to spread the news throughout the prefecture.
Jiang Cheng's eyes widened. He had assumed his niece was merely framed, a target of false accusation. He had not expected that Ling Yuanling herself had committed the very transgression she sought to pin on Jiang Feng jia. The irony was not lost on him, nor was the political implications for the Zheng faction that backed the Ling family.
Jiang Feng jia tugged gently at her uncle's sleeve, the gesture intimate and familiar despite the public setting. "Uncle," she said, her voice faint with emotion that seemed disproportionate to the situation. "We shouldn't delay Lord Tao. He must return to the Prefecture Yamen promptly to record testimonies while memories remain fresh."
Understanding dawned in Jiang Cheng's eyes, his niece was thinking several moves ahead on the political chessboard. He stepped aside with a formal bow to his superior. "Of course. Please proceed, Lord Tao. Justice awaits."
Tao Feng nodded, casting an appreciative glance at Jiang Feng jia before leading his procession toward the yamen. The crowd parted reluctantly, hungry for more details of the scandal that would soon be the talk of every teahouse in the prefecture.
Walking alongside his niece through the gradually dispersing crowd, Jiang Cheng lowered his voice. "Tell me everything. Leave nothing out." His gaze scanned his niece's face, noting changes he couldn't quite define—a new sharpness in the eyes, perhaps, or a certain set to the jaw that spoke of hardship beyond her years.
After Jiang Feng jia recounted the day's events with remarkable clarity and strategic insight, she added, "Uncle, we must invite the Tongpan to the yamen immediately." Her tone suggested this was no mere suggestion but a calculated move in a larger game.
Jiang Cheng frowned, guiding his niece toward a quieter side street away from prying ears. The shadows lengthened as afternoon edged toward evening. "Jia'er, you know the Tongzhi has been bought by Zheng Wei. Even if he comes, he won't help our case." He spoke with the weary certainty of a man long navigating the treacherous waters of provincial politics.
"I don't expect justice from him," Jiang Feng jia whispered close to her uncle's ear, her breath forming small clouds in the cooling air. "But consider this: the Tongpan returns to the capital in a month. If he learns of this case at such a delicate time, won't it destabilize his arrangement with Zheng Wei? Both men will harbor suspicions about each other."
A merchant passed by with a cart of vegetables, forcing them to pause their conversation momentarily. After the man had moved beyond earshot, Jiang Cheng responded with alarm, "Are you suggesting rebellion? Such implications could be dangerous beyond measure."
Jiang Feng jia chuckled lightly and squeezed her uncle's hands reassuringly, drawing him deeper into the shadows of a ginkgo tree. "No, Zheng Wei won't revolt. We merely plant seeds of doubt with our words." Her eyes darted to ensure no one was within hearing distance. "Uncertainty is our ally here."
Seeing her uncle's confusion, she continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "Our immediate problem is that Zheng Wei will certainly intervene to save Ling Yuanling. We must give him reason to hesitate, to question the wisdom of open intervention. Otherwise, everything I've done today becomes meaningless against his influence."
Comprehension dawned on Jiang Cheng's face as he considered the layered strategy. "Will it work? The risk seems considerable."
"We have the advantage in this case. Everyone present serves as my witness, and I've already laid groundwork."Jiang Feng jia explained the calculated words she had spoken to Wang shi earlier, words designed to echo in precisely the right ears at the right moment.
Jiang Cheng was stunned by his niece's foresight. The sharp intelligence gleaming in Jiang Feng jia's eyes forced him to reevaluate the young woman before him. This was not the same niece he had known, something fundamental had shifted, as if years of political acumen had been acquired overnight.
"Uncle, time is short. You must hurry," Jiang Feng jia urged, her gaze intense. "Every moment gives Zheng Wei time to mobilize his resources."
Jiang Cheng had rushed here expecting to protect his vulnerable niece, to shield the family name from scandal. Instead, he found a strategist who had already orchestrated a masterful countermove that could potentially weaken their most powerful adversary. Against all expectations, he found himself convinced by the young woman's plan, though questions about this sudden transformation lingered in his mind.
"Very well," he agreed, seeing his niece with new eyes that reflected both pride and uncertainty. "I'll do as you suggest. The Tongpan will receive word within the hour."