Chapter 893: The Law Excuses the Ma.s.ses
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yu Youyao had hidden the fact that the ox bezoar from the People’s Relief Hall. was fake and did not have the medicinal effect that it should have. She had allowed Liu Dagan’s case to continue fermenting, giving the land-owning cla.s.s the illusion that Liu Dagan’s death had been arranged flawlessly. The People’s Relief Hall was deeply involved in the public opinion of selling low-grade medicinal herbs. As long as the government office could not find any new evidence, the Bai Residence would bear all the responsibility for Liu Dagan’s death.
The Bai Residence had taken the initiative to admit that they were selling inferior medicinal herbs and had launched all kinds of preferential activities, further creating an illusion for the land-owning cla.s.s to dispel their doubts. They had mistakenly thought that the Bai Residence was in a worrying situation. Thus, they had no choice but to break the jar and smash it. They wanted to use all kinds of preferential activities to win people’s hearts and restore their credibility.
The Han family’s victory was in their grasp, and they felt that their plan to deal with the Bai family had succeeded.
Under Princess Shaoyi’s guidance, Madam Bai was determined to be kind. This also became an excuse for the Han Clan to attack Princess Shaoyi. The notice posted in front of the Baiji Medicinal Shop was “iron evidence” that Princess Shaoyi was covering up for the Bai Residence.
Xia Tao was a little puzzled. “Ordinary people who aren’t scholars aren’t allowed to discuss the court’s politics in public, criticize the officials of the Imperial Court, and slander the emperor’s relatives. Their crimes will be increased and they’ll be punished with the crime of offending their superiors. Why do they still dare to criticize you?”
Yu Youyao said calmly, “The law excuses the ma.s.ses. When everyone says it, everyone will follow suit. In the face of so many people, they naturally have nothing to fear.”
After soaking in the frankincense for six hours, the water turned milky white, and the frankincense became soft. Yu Youyao placed the frankincense into a small stone grind and turned it, grinding the frankincense into juice. The grounded juice was like cow’s milk, with a faint fragrance.
This was one of the parts of making frankincense dew.
Xia Tao pursed her lips. Although all of this was part of Young Miss’s plan, she had done so much for the people of Liaodong. Not only were the commoners not grateful, but they also criticized her.
She couldn’t help but feel indignant for her Young Miss. “Don’t you feel aggrieved?”
“What’s there to feel aggrieved about?!” Yu Youyao added frankincense as she spun the stone grindstone. “l only do what I think is right and what I should do. As for what others think of me, let them do as they please.”
However, Xia Tao felt aggrieved for Young Miss. “But…”
Yu Youyao knew what she wanted to say. “Although I’m known for being kind and have indeed done many good deeds, I haven’t done much for the commoners. The commoners also think that I’m kind, but they actually haven’t enjoyed the benefits of my kindness. Why should I carry burdens like kindness and the t.i.tle of the living Bodhisattva to make myself uncomfortable?”
She had set up the Graceful Heart Hall. In order to help her gain a good reputation, her grandmother had to build momentum for her. The Yu Clan was happy to see this happen, so they naturally had to help to encourage it. The Xie Residence also used her name to cooperate with her in donating to the Zhejiang water disaster. When there was a drought in the north, in order to reduce the pressure of disaster relief, the Imperial Court also publicized her good name wantonly, collecting donations and launching disaster relief among the commoners.
It made her good reputation spread throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Later on, Yin Huaixi even used the sweet potatoes to alleviate the drought in the North and publicly asked the Imperial Court for credit for her. Only then did her reputation rise to the highest point.
They had deliberately spread the name of her kindness.
Xia Tao was indignant. “Why do you say that you didn’t do anything for the commoners? Just based on the fact that you tried to plant sweet potatoes, not only did you alleviate the drought in the North, but you also let the commoners in Xiangping and the surrounding counties eat their fill. They shouldn’t have said that about you. There are also more than a million refugees in Liaodong who can be resettled. How many of them are there because Young Miss is working with the Xie family to develop the silkworm industry in the North and promote the planting of sweet potatoes?”
There were still more than a million refugees gathered in Longcheng, and they were still waiting to be settled.
They were all counting on the sweet potatoes to save their lives.
Without sweet potatoes, who would dare to accept refugees? Furthermore, Young Miss had been busy dealing with the epidemic recently, as well as the locust plague in May and June.
Which of Young Miss’s actions wasn’t for the commoners?
Yu Youyao changed the topic helplessly and asked, “How’s my case going?”
Xia Tao hurriedly said, “Old Madam Zhang said that after interrogating Madam Zhang and the 18 hooligans overnight, according to their confessions, in less than three days, the suspects who instigated Madam Zhang and bribed the hooligans to frame Princess Shaoyi were arrested one by one. One of the masterminds has also been locked up in Xiangping. Lord He is tentatively suspected of colluding with the Han Clan, but we still have to go through the next round of interrogation to confirm it.”
Among the people arrested, they were not related to He Zhixian. However, a hooligan identified that one of them was the granddaughter of one of his relative’s aunts. That person was a secret prost.i.tute, and he had once seen He Zhixian’s trusted aide spend the night there.
This was a secret prost.i.tute.
Usually, they were all women from good families. Not only were they beautiful, but they also came from good backgrounds. Not only were they proficient in poetry, books, etiquette, the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but they had also been specially trained. When they were in bed, they would serve men, and when they were out of bed, they would write sentimental verses.
Officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty were not allowed to play with prost.i.tutes.
All the wives and concubines in the family were from proper backgrounds. However, serving others made them uncomfortable.
Thus, many serious officials outside had secret prost.i.tutes.
If they were discovered, they would be declared to have a mistress. Although it was not dignified to raise a mistress, it would not violate the law.
He Zhixian’s trusted aide had a secret prost.i.tute outside. No matter how secretive it was, no secret could be kept forever. Xiangping was only so big, and clueless hooligans were mixed in the streets. Such shady information was the best.
Yu Youyao was not surprised. If this case was handed over to He Zhixian, the Bai Residence would definitely be finished.
She pa.s.sed by He Zhixian and reported directly to the state government office to prevent the county office from dragging in the interests of the n.o.bles.
“From the looks of it, my case will almost come to an end in three to five days. At that time, it’ll be time to hear about Madam Zhangs husband, Liu Dagan’s case.”
Yu Youyao had an idea. She added charcoal to the stove and set up a porcelain distillation boiler. She poured the grounded frankincense juice into the distillation boiler and sealed it.
The earliest distillers were bronzeware, used to distill wine.
Later on, someone used gold, silver, porcelain, and iron to make distillers of different materials. The craftsmanship was also much improved, and the efficiency of distillation extraction was much higher.
Xia Tao nodded. “The government office has already transferred the case file regarding Liu Dagen’s death from the county office. They’ve begun to investigate and collect evidence.”
Yu Youyao’s lips curled up slightly. “The progress of the case is faster than I thought. Lord Ye is really swift and decisive.”
Her case was not complicated, nor was it a big case. It was also a piece of cake for the state government office.
The key was still the att.i.tude of the person handling the case.
Yu Youyao took out the dried rose flowers and shattered the dried flowers. She repeatedly grounded it into powder. After grinding it, she sieved the fine powder and added a few drops of lemon. The dark red color immediately turned bright red..