Chapter Six: Establishing Authority

Shen Yian was quite startled by what Shen Qianmo had just said. He’d always believed the fire was an accident—how could it have been deliberate arson? He looked at Shen Qianmo with uncertainty and asked, “Mo’er, have you discovered something?”

“Yes,” Shen Qianmo nodded. “Yesterday, while I was tidying up the courtyard, I came across a few things that prove the fire wasn’t an accident, but was set by someone.”

Shen Yian glanced at Nanny Ning and asked, “You’ve seen the Old Madam?”

Shen Qianmo nodded in reply. Shen Yian said, “Since the Old Madam has sent Nanny Ning here, she must believe you. With her support, show me your evidence. If it’s credible, as your father, I will see justice done for you.”

“Thank you, Father.” After expressing her gratitude, Shen Qianmo turned and signaled to Lvzhu. Lvzhu shouted to the assembled servants below, “Zhao Sanhuai, come forward.”

The crowd was utterly silent. After a pause, a man in his thirties limped out. He was of average height, with plain and honest-looking features—hardly the face of a villain. Shen Qianmo was a little surprised.

The man bowed to the assembled company, his voice trembling as he said, “I am Zhao Sanhuai. Greetings, Master, Madam, Young Miss.”

He looked easily startled. Shen Qianmo’s expression grew cold as she demanded sternly, “Zhao Sanhuai, do you know your crime?”

Zhao Sanhuai trembled, then dropped to his knees with a thud, stammering, “Young Miss, I... I don’t know what crime I’ve committed. Please, enlighten me.”

Shen Qianmo gave a cold laugh. “Let me ask you: where were you on the day of the fire?”

“I... I was sleeping in my room. I only woke up when I heard a commotion, and then I rushed over to help put out the fire with everyone else.”

“Is that so?” Shen Qianmo pressed. “So, you’re saying you never went near the small courtyard that day?”

“That’s right,” Zhao Sanhuai insisted.

Shen Qianmo nodded, composed and calm. “In that case, yesterday I found some footprints outside the small courtyard, and had them taken as evidence. Lvzhu, have him remove his shoes and compare them to the prints.”

Lvzhu stepped forward with a piece of white cloth, upon which a large footprint was clearly stamped. Zhao Sanhuai hesitated but, seeing no way out, removed his shoes for Lvzhu to compare.

“Young Miss, they are a perfect match,” Lvzhu reported loudly.

“How do you explain this, Zhao Sanhuai?” Shen Qianmo demanded.

“How can you say that a footprint on a cloth proves it’s mine? Young Miss, I’m innocent! I truly didn’t do it!” Zhao Sanhuai knocked his head against the ground in desperation, soon splitting his forehead and covering his face in blood. Several timid maids and concubines turned away, unable to watch. The other servants murmured in disbelief—none could imagine the usually honest Zhao Sanhuai capable of such a thing.

Shen Qianmo’s expression did not change. She took a small bamboo tube from Lvzhu and played with it, speaking calmly, “There’s no need for this, Zhao Sanhuai. Do you recognize this bamboo tube? We just found it in your room. There’s still some white powder inside. I’ve had the physician test it and confirmed that it contains the same kind of sedative as the powder found on my courtyard window sill. How do you explain that?”

Zhao Sanhuai looked up at the small tube in Shen Qianmo’s hand and collapsed in despair, deeply regretting not disposing of it. He hadn’t been in the household long, and everyone said the eldest young miss was dull and easy to fool, but today she was clearly anything but. Where had he gone wrong?

Seeing Zhao Sanhuai speechless and limp on the ground, Shen Yian grew furious. A servant in the household had dared to start a fire in the courtyard of the legitimate eldest young miss—what kind of disorder was this? He roared, “You wretch! Why did you commit arson? What were you after?”

Zhao Sanhuai could only knock his head on the ground, begging incessantly for mercy.

Seeing that he might kill himself if he kept this up, Shen Qianmo interceded. She had no intention of taking Zhao Sanhuai’s life, only of making an example, so all would know that she, the legitimate eldest miss, was not to be trifled with. Now that her aim was achieved, she said to Shen Yian, “Father, since he’s so tight-lipped, why not lock him up and question him again later?”

Shen Yian, weary of such bloody affairs, agreed. “Guards, take him away, lock him in the woodshed, and watch him closely.”

After Zhao Sanhuai was dragged away, Shen Qianmo addressed the assembled servants in a clear voice, “You’ve all seen what happened. From now on, I expect everyone to do their duties properly and honestly. The Marquis’s estate will treat you well if you’re honest, but if you try any tricks, you’ll find the household is not merciful. That’s all—dismissed.”

“Yes, Young Miss,” the servants replied in unison and quickly dispersed. From that day forward, they looked at the eldest miss with new respect. Meanwhile, Cui-shi, Shen Qianxue, and the other concubines wore uncertain expressions, each with their own thoughts. Shen Mingxuan, who had come to watch after his lessons, gazed at Shen Qianmo with admiration, wondering when his eldest sister had become so formidable.

That very night, Zhao Sanhuai, locked in the woodshed, died. The next morning, when the guard brought him food, they found him lying in a pool of blood among the firewood, a blood-stained hatchet beside him.

Shen Qianmo went to examine the body herself. From her initial inspection, he had died between one and two in the morning—the hour of the ox. The fatal wound was a ten-centimeter gash on his neck; he had bled to death. The wound matched the hatchet lying nearby. Judging from the depth and angle, it was clearly suicide—Zhao Sanhuai had slit his own throat with the hatchet.

Looking at Zhao Sanhuai’s corpse, Shen Qianmo sighed quietly. She had not meant to harm anyone—she only wanted to protect herself in this unfamiliar place. Zhao Sanhuai was no true villain; he’d even saved Lvzhu.

Lvzhu had been drugged and fainted that day, but woke up outside the room, so Zhao Sanhuai must have rescued her.

But why had he set the fire? Who had put him up to it, and why had he obeyed? Now that Zhao Sanhuai was dead, the trail had gone cold. Judging by Shen Qianxue’s behavior that day, she seemed involved, but with her personality and abilities, could it really have been her idea?

Shen Qianmo frowned slightly, lost in thought, while beside her, Lvzhu was unable to stop retching.

The poor girl had never seen such a bloody corpse and had only come in to protect her mistress. Seeing Zhao Sanhuai’s wide-eyed, unseeing face, she couldn’t help but scream and retch. She couldn’t understand how her young mistress could remain so unflinching in the face of death.

With a helpless glance at Lvzhu, Shen Qianmo instructed the servants, “Give him a proper burial. Also, find out about his family and give them extra compensation.”

“Yes, Young Miss,” the servants replied. They, too, were surprised: not only did the eldest miss remain unmoved by the sight of a corpse, but she even arranged a decent burial and aid for the man’s family. Such generosity and benevolence were rare indeed.

Thus, Shen Qianmo’s reputation in the Marquis’s household soared, and the servants no longer dared to take her lightly as they once had.

After returning, Nanny Ning gave the Old Madam a detailed account of the day’s events, praising Shen Qianmo throughout. The Old Madam was greatly pleased and instructed Nanny Ning to look after the girl closely from now on. Cui-shi and Shen Qianxue, though seething with anger, could do nothing about it.