Jing Xingzhi’s Daily Life in Ancient Times

Wang Zhuang climbed over the wall, exited the Wang house, and stood at the foot of the wall, exclaiming, “Young Master Jing, I found a money jar with thousands of taels of banknotes in it!”

Jing Xingzhi glanced at the oil-paper bag.

“Take it away and replenish yourself later with the teacher,” Jing Xingzhi suggested.

“No… Isn’t this evidence?” Wang Zhuang hesitated, feeling that the money was tainted.

“It’s evidence, but we’re not the officials. We won’t recognize this even if we find it!” Jing Xingzhi explained, wanting to understand why Wang Xiang confessed and then using this flaw to make him act honestly according to his ideas.

Jing Xingzhi smiled and continued, “Even if we bring those government officials over to search, Magistrate He won’t cooperate. Besides, the things are hidden secretly. You let them come to find them; they can’t find it either. They won’t believe it if we find it; then, it might be framed again.”

Wang Zhuang pondered, realizing it made sense. However, if this evidence wasn’t used as evidence and was taken back to help the chief, how would they solve this matter?

“What should we do?” Wang Zhuang asked.

Jing Xingzhi thought of Zhang Tong’s advice, “Go and reason with him.”

He reassured Wang Zhuang, saying, “The immortal has taught me how to persuade Wang Xiang. Don’t worry.”

While reasoning was a good approach, Jing Xingzhi made it clear that if Wang Xiang didn’t listen, he wouldn’t hesitate to take action. He emphasized that he would carefully approach but if the man didn’t want to do it, he wouldn’t shy away from using his abilities to ensure justice.

Wang Zhuang, recalling the immortal’s incident, felt reassured and agreed, “I listen to Young Master Jing!”

“Okay, let’s go to the next place, the Tan family,” Jing Xingzhi nodded, satisfied that Wang Zhuang didn’t ask more questions.

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The Tan family’s residence was in a much better condition than Wang Xiang’s. Situated in the west district where ordinary people lived, the alleys were paved with bluestones, and their shoes remained clean despite the rain.

As there were still people living in the Tan family, unlike the vacant Wang family, Wang Zhuang found his men to gather information about the Tan family.

Jing Xingzhi and Wang Zhuang sat in a private room on the second floor of the teahouse, observing the Tan family’s situation from the high window.

With Wang Zhuang’s limited eyesight, he struggled to see clearly, squinting to make out people and hearing voices vaguely. Meanwhile, Jing Xingzhi’s gaze seemed to pierce through the distance without effort.

Curious, Wang Zhuang asked, “Young Master Jing, can you see clearly what the other person is doing?”

“Yes,” Jing Xingzhi responded, initiating a live broadcast for Wang Zhuang. “The husband and wife are quarreling.”

“The older man, in brown clothes, is Tan Xingwang’s father. The woman, in blue clothes, must be Tan Xingwang’s mother.”

“His father is saying: You don’t care whether that kid lives or dies. Don’t you know how good Xingwang is to us?”

“The woman cried and said: Of course, I know that Xingwang is filial! But… But Jiabao is my biological son, the flesh of my belly! How can I not feel sorry for him? What’s more? Didn’t you also persuade Xingwang, who agreed to die for him!”

“The man shook his head, sat down on the steps, wiped his face, and started smoking a dry cigarette.”

Wang Zhuang, looking out the window, muttered, “I suddenly want to take the immortal statue and knock it on my head twice. If two knocks can be so powerful, let it smash my head!”

Jing Xingzhi looked back at him and remarked, “You have to let the immortal to hit yourself. Doing it on your own is useless. My wife has tried it.”

“Really?” Wang Zhuang touched his head, blushing and lowering his head.

“Enter the house,” Jing Xingzhi continued, “There was a young voice in the house shouting, let him out, let him die, and let his brother come back.”

“The woman cried, the man cried, the young voice… cried too.” Jing Xingzhi, finding it unbearable, stopped himself from listening further. He removed his spiritual power from his ears, rubbing them.

Eagerly, Wang Zhuang looked at Jing Xingzhi.

Before Jing Xingzhi could share more, a knock on the door interrupted: “Brother Zhuang, we are back from asking!”

Wang Zhuang gestured for them to enter.

Two men entered the private room, and Wang Zhuang asked, “What did you find out?”

“The Tan family’s eldest son is Tan Xingwang. When he was brought back, there was a belief that couple couldn’t give birth. A few years later, they had a biological son. Tan Xingwang couldn’t accept it and became particularly unruly, resulting in scars on his face from that time. The Tan family treated him well, ensuring he suffered no injustice. However, as the younger son Tan Jiabao grew up, he developed a gambling habit. Tan Xingwang, working hard to support the family, ended up contributing much of his earnings to cover the younger son’s gambling debts. This has delayed Tan Xingwang’s marriage plans,” they reported.

“Recently, their youngest son has been gambling excessively, and individuals from the gambling shop, who have always been relatively friendly, actually came to threaten him, scaring the people in Tan’s family half to death due to fear of being implicated. This incident occurred just a few days ago. In the past few days, a major incident involving the Tan family has unfolded. If Tan Xingwang were to plead guilty to a crime he did not commit, it would probably be for the sake of the Tan family.”

After hearing this, Wang Zhuang sighed, “He is a good man, but what is the use? He wants to do this! He wants to admit it, and let the culprit escaped. Could it be that our Young Lady Qi’s death was in vain? Young Lady Qi was kind to him before, and he is the only child in the academy who has the favor of Young Lady Qi!”

“Did the Tan family used to live in the academy? Do he know senior sister?” Jing Xingzhi did not hear the trial details and was unaware that Tan Xingwang was selected due to several coincidences.

Wang Zhuang added, “Yes, the Tan family used to live in the academy. Later, Tan Xingwang’s father, Tan Mingfa, left because another academy offered more monthly money. Around that time, an incident involving Young Lady Qi occurred. The Tan family continued living near the Zhang family.”

“If the chief hadn’t discovered the flaw in the collusion with the bandits, other places could have forced the case. If this case were submitted, the prefect would dare to approve it!” Jing Xingzhi rubbed his chin, feeling that Tan Xingwang was not as easy to deal with as Wang Xiang.

Wang Xiang, not quite well-off, but wouldn’t mind a lot of money. He was deceived into taking the blame, trusting County Magistrate He Zhifang’s guarantee.

Tan Xingwang, however, went in voluntarily for his family’s sake, even knowing Qi Xinlan who died. This suggests he would rather feel guilty and choose to die, making him a tough nut to crack.

“Twenty-four years old, is Tan Xingwang married? What are his hobbies?” Jing Xingzhi asked.

The informant replied, “He’s unmarried. I heard he works on the dock all day for his younger brother. Tan Xingwang is strong, they said he got paid well. Many like him, but knowing he’ll prioritize family, no one dares to marry their children to him.”

A gambler who kept gambling, was a big problem. If not addressed now, it would grow, leading to irreversible consequences.

Getting into a gambling house was known to ruin families!

“By the way, he likes tofu pudding and goes there every day! No other hobbies. Such a filial child.”

“Eating tofu pudding?” Jing Xingzhi asked thoughtfully, “The one selling tofu pudding. Do they look good?”

In ancient times, having several children was common. It would be odd if someone didn’t want company at home. Even if not wanting to be a burden, they would likely consider a marriage.

As Jing Xingzhi asked, a commotion below the teahouse window ensued.

The informant lowered his head, squinted, and pointed to a shuanger dressed as a married person in front of the Tan family’s house.

The man blocked most of the window, so Jing Xingzhi had to stick his head out to see. “What’s happening?”

This was not what Jing Xingzhi was looking for, but he guessed based on experience.

He hadn’t heard about tofu flower or pudding.

But whhen these things were sold by a shuanger or a woman with good craftsmanship and good looks, people easily took a liking. Since Tan Xingwang went there daily, it was no wonder Jing Xingzhi thought he was obsessed with love

No matter how delicious the food was, people couldn’t endure eating it every day unless they didn’t go there for food but for another reason.

In front of the Tan house, the shuanger was pushed to the ground, and Mother Tan stood at the door with a stern expression.

“What are you doing in my house? You’re a widow, and our family can’t afford it!”

After delivering this sarcastic remark, Mother Tan frowned and scolded the onlookers, “Stop staring, what are you looking at? This widow? It’s none of our family’s business if liked someone!”

Mother Tan revealed the shuanger status as a widower, diverting the attention of those watching and giving them a juicy topic for gossip. She let the neighbors speculate whether the young widow had developed feelings for Tan Mingfa, the old man of Tan family or any of her sons. Despite Tan Mingfa being quite old, he appeared youthful to scholars.

Once the spectators dispersed, Mother Tan forcefully shut the door. Through the closed door’s crack, Mother Tan’s fierce expression was visible, clearly indicating her strong disapproval of the young widow.

Chen Fulang sat on the ground, beating the ground with frustration. Forgetting any etiquette, he cried and cursed, “Fool! You didn’t do it, yet you confessed!”

Hearing this, Jing Xingzhi, touched by an unusual sentiment, patted the dazed Wang Zhuang and said, “Let’s go down quickly!”

He had uncovered the tactic that led to Tan Xingwang changing his mind.