"My brother - in - law was passing by the bandit mountain at that time. A bandit broke his leg, and this gold - inlaid jade lock was also snatched away by the bandits."
As soon as the woman finished speaking, an old man wailed, "Isn't this double - sided embroidered brocade the one that Granny Shu next door embroidered for eight long years until she went blind? I heard that after the owner took it away, both the person and the cloth disappeared into the bandit mountain!"
These people's accusations were like a spark that instantly ignited the terrifying memories that everyone present shared about the bandit mountain.
The savings they had counted on for their later years, the treasures they had dedicated all their efforts to, had all been mercilessly taken away by those bandits.
Perhaps before, when Bai Zheng mentioned that the woman's elder brother she was looking for was a bandit, they didn't have a personal feeling.
But now, when these stolen goods were truly laid in front of them, everyone truly realized that the word "bandit" was not just an identity. It represented countless crimes, represented looting, killing, and all sorts of evil deeds, and represented the unbearable pain they had once suffered.
And Bai Zheng, along with the Bai Mansion, clearly detained the bandits for their safety.
The woman's face turned deathly pale.
How could this be? The person was supposed to be detained in the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion, and all the things were supposed to be there. How could the Bai Mansion possibly produce these stolen goods dug out from the bandit mountain?
Clearly, that person had said that Feng Linyuan was not in the marquis's mansion at the moment, and no one could help Bai Zheng.
Even if Bai Zheng refused to admit that the Bai Mansion had detained the person at this moment and in a panic shifted the blame back to the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion, it would be of no use.
As long as she caused a ruckus, and the Bai Mansion was branded with the label of forcibly robbing good citizens, that person had promised her that he would surely help her rescue...
She shook her head, her almond - shaped eyes wide open as she stared at Bai Zheng.
It had only been a moment, just a moment since Bai Zheng showed up. She had already fetched the evidence from the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion and rushed here!
These pieces of evidence were all genuine. The servants of the Bai Mansion were holding them respectfully with their heads down and expressionless faces. But in the woman's eyes, these pieces of evidence were like a huge slap in the face.
Bai Zheng watched coldly, knowing that the woman was extremely flustered at this moment.
The corners of her lips curled slightly. Looking at the woman, she said in a clear voice, "Since you dared to come to the door of my Bai Mansion to splash such dirty water, you should be prepared to bear the consequences."
Hearing this, for some reason, although the thin girl in front of her was speaking in a very calm voice, the woman still felt her heart tighten.
"Have all the people I invited arrived?"
Bai Zheng signaled Zhuling beside her with her eyes.
Zhuling nodded, "Qingshao has brought them to the street corner."
"Bring them all here." Bai Zheng waved her hand.
"Yes."
As Qingshao's voice faded, a bustling sound suddenly came from the street corner.
The woman frowned tightly and tried to look forward through the crowd.
The moment she saw clearly, her eyes widened in shock. Then she took a hasty step back until she was firmly grasped by the black - clothed man beside her. With nowhere to retreat, she simply covered her face with her wide sleeve and trembled.
"The sun is rising from the west! It's rare for Miss Bai to invite me, Song Yiqing, to visit. I wonder what good tea Miss Bai has prepared. I'm really looking forward to it!"
The first to come was a flamboyant red - clothed figure, Song Yiqing, who hadn't been seen for a long time.
Waving his silk fan that he never left with all year round, he showed his teeth in a big smile. Before he even reached Bai Zheng, his somewhat rascally voice had already drifted over from afar.
Bai Zheng looked at him quietly and couldn't help but smile.
"Honored that Young Master Song would grace us with his presence. The Bai Mansion is truly fortunate. I've already ordered someone to prepare the top - grade Longjing tea picked before the rains. Young Master Song can enjoy it after watching this show." Bai Zheng replied in a loud voice.
"What a special day! There's a show to watch and tea to drink. Miss Bai has put so much effort into this. I'm really ashamed." Song Yiqing said as he walked up to Bai Zheng. Smiling at her, he tilted his head towards those behind him and said somewhat regretfully.
"However, it's really inconvenient today. I've already made an appointment with some friends to play polo. I'll have to taste Miss Bai's Longjing tea next time."
But before he could finish his words, a dissolute young master hugging a beautiful woman behind him said with great interest, "I'm not interested in Longjing tea, but I'm quite curious about this show."
"Yes, Miss Bai, have you set up a theater stage in the Bai Mansion today?" Another gaudily - dressed young master said with a lecherous look at Bai Zheng.
Song Yiqing frowned slightly and took an almost imperceptible step forward to block the lecherous young master's view of Bai Zheng.
Seeing that he couldn't see the beauty anymore, the young master gave Song Yiqing a disdainful look. Then he simply turned around and pinched the equally beautiful woman in his arms.
Looking at this group of rich young masters who exuded an air of extravagance and debauchery even from ten meters away, and the one or two beautiful women almost every one of them was holding in their arms, Bai Zheng's smile deepened.
"You've all come just in time. This show is just reaching its climax. But I'm so dull - witted that I can't recognize the famous actress who has put on this wonderful show. I really don't know her name." Bai Zheng's words were full of regret.
As soon as she said this, it really piqued the curiosity of the young masters and the women in their arms that Song Yiqing had brought.
The daily routine of these dissolute young masters was to hang out in brothels. In Yongding City, which famous prostitute, famous actress, or beautiful actor didn't they know?
"What kind of grand show are you putting on today in your mansion, Miss Bai? Since you don't recognize her, let me help you take a look." A young master in a round - collared brocade robe laughed.
"Yes, there's no famous actress that our Zhou Xiaoqi doesn't know." Song Yiqing also laughed.
Seeing this, Bai Zheng didn't beat around the bush. Pointing forward with her slender hand, she said clearly, "It's that girl."
Everyone followed the direction she pointed. Their eyes passed through the crowd that hadn't completely dispersed, and only then did they see that there was a woman sitting on the blue - brick ground in front of the Bai Mansion, covering her face with her sleeve.
Song Yiqing slapped his silk fan into his palm and asked, "Miss Bai, what kind of play is this?"
But Bai Zheng didn't answer. Instead, she said to the woman who was covering her face tightly and trembling all over, "Why are you covering your face, girl? You didn't look like this when you were making a big fuss at the door of my Bai Mansion, demanding that I return the bandit leader you managed to get close to."
By this time, almost everyone that Song Yiqing had brought understood what Bai Zheng meant.
Although these people all hung out in brothels and only knew how to be dissolute on a daily basis, since they all came from noble families or wealthy merchant families, they weren't so stupid that they couldn't understand the subtext.
So after Bai Zheng's words about watching a show, everyone present understood her intention.