Chapter 169 : The Hidden Clues of a Puzzling Case, The Best Witness
169: The Hidden Clues of a Puzzling Case, The Best Witness
"Whatever Ninth Young Miss wishes to know, you can ask me now..." Madam Chang looked at Qin Wan with red-rimmed eyes.
Pang Jiayun clung to Madam Chang dazedly, her body half-hidden behind her mother. Qin Wan looked at the mother and daughter pair, her lips parting, but for a moment she felt profoundly reluctant to speak.
Perhaps sensing Qin Wan's hesitation, a thin, bitter smile tugged at the corner of Madam Chang's lips. "Ninth Young Miss need not worry. Yun'er does not understand what we are discussing..."
Hearing this, Qin Wan's heart clenched even tighter. Facing Madam Chang's pained gaze, her words stumbled out haltingly. "I... I just... How did Young Lady Pang..."
The vague suspicions Qin Wan had initially felt were now ninety percent confirmed. She hardly knew what else to ask. Madam Chang tightened her arms slightly around Pang Jiayun before answering in a hoarse whisper after a moment. "Ninth Young Miss, do you see this small building? It is the most exquisite structure in the entire manor estate. I heard it was originally built for the daughter of some prince or marquis. After Jiayun turned nine, she was arranged to live here alone. Though it is exquisite and luxurious, it is also rather secluded. I was utterly opposed... but I hold no sway in this household. Jiayun's status in the Pang family is... special. I had only hoped they would not treat her as one of their own, yet still provide her with a life of comfort and tranquility... but I... I was mistaken..."
As she spoke, Madam Chang's gaze drifted towards the open window, the same window Pang Yiwen had leapt from just two cups of tea ago.
"This place became Yun'er's nightmare. And that beast Pang Yiwen... while I was away for three days... he committed an act upon Yun'er too vile for human words. By the time I returned, Yun'er's mind was already... unsettled. And the entire Pang household concealed it from me. I didn't know what had happened until... I discovered those marks on Yun'er's body..."
At this point, a single tear streaked down from the corner of Madam Chang's eye. "I wanted to report it to the authorities. But Pang Fuliang threatened Yun'er's life. At that time, the Pang family had already become one of the wealthiest families in the entire northwest, while the Chang family was declining rapidly. I had no way out. And there was also Jiayan... Yun'er did not receive timely treatment. Her mind... shattered completely. All these years, Jiayun has been imprisoned like a criminal in the northern rear courtyard. If I obeyed, I could see her. If I disobeyed, I wouldn't be allowed to see her for two or three months."
Madam Chang's tears fell like pearls. Beside her, Pang Jiayun merely hugged her tighter, seemingly oblivious to her mother's grief. Madam Chang turned, cradling Pang Jiayun's face with tender hands. "All these years, I've watched helplessly as Yun'er lived in this senseless state... only crying out in nightmares... Later, I thought that beast would leave her alone, now that she was like this... but I was wrong..."
Madam Chang wept pitifully. Pang Jiayun's expression remained vacant.
A heaviness Qin Wan had never felt before settled in her heart. Looking at Madam Chang, reduced to tears, Qin Wan even felt a flicker of frustration at her helplessness. Yet, she was not Madam Chang. She could not truly understand her position, nor could she ask why she hadn't fought back tooth and nail regardless of the cost. She could only look at Pang Jiayun's delicate, beautiful face. She should be at the age of budding youth, lively and graceful. But now, that face showed no emotional ripple save for a clinging dependence on her mother.
"Madam... do you intend to report this to the authorities now?"
Madam Chang shook her head. "Pang Yiwen... Pang Yiwen has met his retribution. This matter... it is enough that Ninth Young Miss knows of it."
Qin Wan opened her mouth, then closed it. Her own daughter had suffered such torment, and Madam Chang herself had endured Pang Fuliang's violent beatings. Did she still not consider leaving the Pang household? Even if Pang Yiwen was dead, Pang Jiayun was now in this state. Whether for her own sake or her daughter's tragic condition, Qin Wan could not fathom her continuing to live with Pang Fuliang for the rest of her life.
"Has Madam never considered petitioning the authorities for a divorce?" Qin Wan thought for a long moment before finally asking.
Madam Chang seemed momentarily stunned, a flicker of confusion appearing in her eyes. Then, she asked Qin Wan, "Would the authorities interfere in the Pang family's domestic affairs?"
Qin Wan's lips moved, but she could not utter a definitive assurance. Even for a divorce, valid grounds were needed. Truly amicable divorces were rare in the Great Zhou. Although she knew the Pang family was the foremost wealthy family in the northwest, she did not know the full extent of Pang Fuliang's influence and power. Therefore, she could not give Madam Chang a certain answer...
Seeing Qin Wan's hesitation, Madam Chang spoke again, "And will the authorities arrest the murderer?"
Qin Wan's brows immediately furrowed. "What does Madam mean by that?" After a slight pause, she nodded firmly. "That is certain. The murderer will definitely be caught..."
Madam Chang seemed to relax slightly. "In that case, why should I still report it?"
Qin Wan's heart gave a violent thud. "What does Madam mean? Are you saying... Master Pang will be arrested?"
Madam Chang looked at Qin Wan for a moment, then seemed to think of something and quickly lowered her head, her demeanor clearly fearful. Qin Wan couldn't help but take a step forward. "Does Madam know something?"
Madam Chang lifted her gaze, words seeming to catch in her throat. "Ninth Young Miss..."
Her tone was full of hesitation. Qin Wan hurriedly said, "Madam need not be afraid. If you know something, please speak it."
Madam Chang glanced towards the stairwell and lowered her voice slightly. "I only trust Ninth Young Miss."
Saying this, she took a small step forward. "That lady who died... she had come in previous years as well. Not only that, every year she came, Pang Fuliang would give her a large sum of gold and silver, far beyond just the Shuangqing Troupe's performance fee. The Shuangqing Troupe served two purposes. First, to provide cover. Second, with the troupe's rising fame, it indeed proved useful in social dealings."
Qin Wan's heart skipped a beat. "When did this start?"
Madam Chang said, "From the year I married into the family..."
"And it never stopped?"
Madam Chang shook her head firmly. "Never."
As Pang Fuliang's wife, though he treated her poorly, Madam Chang had, after all, borne him Pang Jiayan. Moreover, to the outside world, Pang Fuliang maintained the facade of a harmonious marriage. Thus, Madam Chang indeed had more opportunity to know things than others. Qin Wan took a shallow breath. "And this time?"
Madam Chang's eyes flickered slightly, as if recalling. "This time, that lady clearly came because she knew of Qingxi's death and came to demand an explanation. Furthermore, this time... she suspected Pang Fuliang was behind Qingxi's death."
"Why did she suspect that?"
Madam Chang pressed her lips together and looked towards Pang Jiayan. "Jiayan, you tell her."
Pang Jiayan, who had been standing beside Qingniang, finally stepped forward. He walked to Madam Chang's side and looked at Qin Wan. "That day, I heard Father arguing with that lady. I heard her demand the Shifang Inn from Father. Of course, Father refused. But the lady said if he refused, she would ruin his reputation..."
Qin Wan's heart immediately leapt into her throat. Ruin his reputation?!
"Did that lady say why? Why his reputation would be ruined?"
Pang Jiayan tilted his head, thinking. "No... I was standing outside. I couldn't listen for long..."
As he spoke, he added, "It seemed like she was saying... Father owed her so much gold... something like that..."
Gold?! Qin Wan immediately held her breath... If it involved gold, could it be related to the Great Gold Robbery?!
"What happened then?" Qin Wan pressed urgently.
Pang Jiayan shook his head. "Then I left..."
Qin Wan's heart pounded wildly. She had thought Pang Jiayan must have heard more, but his answer was so limited. A flicker of disappointment stirred within her. She turned to Madam Chang. "So... Madam believes there is some unresolved matter of interest or debt between Master Pang and that lady?"
Madam Chang nodded quickly. "Pang Fuliang comes from a lowly background. In his early years, his family ran a martial arts school. After that school failed, he couldn't make ends meet. Later, he somehow came into a sudden windfall, and that's when he started doing business. It was small-scale at first, then grew bigger and bigger. I don't know what underhanded methods he used. I suspect that lady not only had financial dealings with him but also held some secret of his. That's why she could threaten to ruin him."
Then, Madam Chang added, "And there's this Lord Liu..."
Hearing this, Qin Wan's heart tensed again. Madam Chang continued, "I don't know what Pang Fuliang told the authorities, but ever since I married into the Pang family, I've known of this Lord Liu's existence. At that time, Lord Liu was still an official far to the east, a great distance from here. Yet he would also come every few years. Pang Fuliang thought I didn't know, but I did. Every time he came, Pang Fuliang would give him large sums of gold and silver. That Lord Liu's smooth rise through the official ranks was likely largely due to the money Pang Fuliang gave him."
Qin Wan listened, her spine tightening, and the suspicions in her mind found increasing confirmation.
"That was over eleven years ago?"
Qin Wan asked urgently. Madam Chang nodded emphatically.
Qin Wan's brows drew together tightly. "Transport Commissioner Liu is from Dingzhou. Is Master Pang also from Dingzhou?"
Madam Chang shook her head. "I don't know Lord Liu's background. I only know he frequented the household early on. Back then, his official rank wasn't high. I even wondered why Pang Fuliang associated with such a person and supported him so heavily."
"And this time?"
At Qin Wan's question, Madam Chang said, "I only know that after that lady died, he was extremely angry with Liu Yuntong for a couple of days. After returning, he even cursed Lord Liu, saying Lord Liu had ruined his plans and didn't know how to restrain himself even in front of His Highness the Heir Apparent."
As she spoke, she turned again to Pang Jiayan. "Jiayan, you tell her."
Pang Jiayan thought for a moment and said, "I only heard Father speaking with Steward Pang. He said he was growing more and more dissatisfied with Lord Liu, that Lord Liu's appetite had grown bigger after being an official for so long. He also said Lord Liu couldn't handle matters properly, that he always had to clean up his messes. He also said that with this trouble in the household, Lord Liu was probably the one who would cause the most damage. And he said he was afraid... that something about what happened back then wasn't handled cleanly."
A thin layer of sweat had formed on Qin Wan's palms. She looked at Madam Chang, then at Pang Jiayan, her expression solemn. "Everything Madam and Third Young Master have told me today... is it all true?"
Madam Chang nodded. She glanced down at Pang Jiayan, who also nodded quickly.
Qin Wan took a shallow breath, then spoke with calm determination. "If one day you are required to testify before the authorities, would you dare?"
Pang Jiayan showed a hint of bewilderment, as if he didn't fully understand what Qin Wan meant. Madam Chang, holding Pang Jiayun with one arm, reached out with her other hand to grasp Pang Jiayan's. She looked at her son and daughter beside her, then nodded gravely. "I would dare."
Qin Wan nodded slowly, digesting everything she had just heard. A moment later, she inclined her head again. "Good. I understand. Does Madam have anything else to tell me?"
Madam Chang's lips moved a few times, but in the end, she said nothing more.
Qin Wan nodded, turned, and walked towards the stairwell. Qingniang had been waiting by the stairs all along and immediately bowed her head respectfully upon seeing her. Qin Wan acknowledged her with a slight nod and hurried down the steps. Just as she was about to descend the final step, her gaze caught on a smear of black ash, complete with a burnt hole, on the hem of Qingniang's skirt.
She frowned slightly. "Qingniang, the hem of your skirt is soiled."
Qingniang snapped back to attention and looked down. Her expression instantly changed.
She hurriedly bowed to Qin Wan again. "Thank you, Ninth Young Miss, for pointing it out. It must have happened when I came upstairs just now, being careless."
Qin Wan murmured an acknowledgment and hurried down to the second floor.
On the second floor, Yan Chi and Yan Li stood waiting, but Wang Huaiyu was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing Qin Wan descend, Yan Chi took a step forward. "Well?"
Qin Wan looked at Yan Chi, then at Yan Li, her tone turning serious. "Madam Pang told me some things."
Seeing the exchanged glance between Yan Chi and Qin Wan, Yan Li scratched his head. "Um... should I go down and wait?"
Qin Wan quickly shifted her gaze to Yan Li, feeling somewhat hesitant. Seeing Yan Chi remained silent, Yan Li winked at Qin Wan with a grin and bounded cheerfully down the stairs. Once Yan Li was gone, Bai Feng and Fuling also moved away to stand at a distance. Yan Chi glanced towards the passageway between the two second-floor rooms, tilting his chin slightly, indicating Qin Wan should go there.
The passageway was flanked by the rooms on either side, with a latticed window at the far end. Yan Chi walked to the window and pushed it open. Instantly, the cold wind carrying the scent of charred wood rushed in, dispersing some of the smoky smell in the room. Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan. Qin Wan stopped before him and, after a moment, recounted word for word everything she had just heard from Madam Chang.
Downstairs, Wang Huaiyu sighed. "Master Pang, please accept my condolences."
He glanced upstairs. "I went up earlier. Only the Eldest Young Lady was found hiding in the wardrobe. So there were only the Eldest Young Master and the Eldest Young Lady in the building at the time. Everyone present saw clearly that the Eldest Young Lady was on the first floor. That means the Eldest Young Master was alone on the third floor. Never mind why the Eldest Young Master and Eldest Young Lady were together... I surmise... the Eldest Young Master, knowing a fire had broken out below while he was on the third floor, pushed open the window to look down, but lost his balance and fell... Thus, this tragedy occurred. Master Pang, you…"
Before Wang Huaiyu could finish, Pang Fuliang suddenly released Pang Yiwen's hand and stood up.
Wang Huaiyu was taken aback. "You!"
Pang Fuliang raised his head and shot a venomous glare towards the third-floor window. Just as he was about to speak, Yan Chi emerged from the building. Pang Fuliang's expression stiffened. He watched as Yan Chi strode closer. Wang Huaiyu, seeing Yan Chi come out, immediately stepped forward to meet him.
Yan Chi glanced at Wang Huaiyu. Ignoring Pang Fuliang, his gaze instead fell upon Pang Youde.
"Take Steward Pang back for interrogation."