Zhang hadn't had the chance to take a good look at the things prepared for them. Reluctantly, she put down the silver in her hand. She even picked it up and took a bite to make sure it was real silver before happily putting it down.
On the way there, Zhang asked curiously, "Hey, where are we going? What do they want us for?"
The servant replied coldly, "You'll know when you get there!"
Hearing such an unhelpful answer, Zhang's face instantly darkened. She thought to herself that she was a guest in this mansion, and this servant's attitude was unacceptable. If he offended her, he'd surely regret it in the future!
The servant led the family of three to the main hall. By this time, it was almost evening.
As soon as the family of three entered the door, they saw the entire family of the prime minister sitting at the dining table, waiting for them for quite some time.
"Sir, the people are here!" the servant said.
"Alright! Hurry up and sit down. Let's have dinner together!" Prime Minister Wei said.
Seeing this situation, Zhang didn't dare to sit and have dinner with the prime minister at all!
The family members glanced at each other. Zhang slowly said, "This... this isn't appropriate! How could a commoner like me dare to sit and have dinner with the prime minister? This just won't do!"
"Indeed, it's not very proper!" Mrs. Su, the prime minister's wife, said.
Hearing the wife's words, Zhang felt a bit embarrassed and lowered her head awkwardly.
Prime Minister Wei glanced at Mrs. Su and said sternly, "I told you to sit down. Just do it! We'll be family from now on. There's no need to stand on ceremony!"
"Yes, yes. The prime minister is right. We'll be family from now on. Then we won't stand on ceremony... Hurry up and sit down!" Zhang said as she sat down herself and motioned for her family to sit.
After such a long and bumpy journey, they were starving. Their stomachs were growling. Just as Zhang picked up her chopsticks and was about to start eating and picking up vegetables, Mrs. Su gave her a disdainful look and coldly said, "So unruly!"
Hearing this, Zhang's face turned ugly. She embarrassedly put down her chopsticks and forced a smile.
"Qingshan, this is Manman. She's older than you. You should call her elder sister!" Prime Minister Wei introduced.
"Elder sister!" Wei Qingshan said politely.
Although Wei Qingshan found it hard to accept this sudden adopted daughter in the family, since childhood, she had always obeyed her father's arrangements. Even if she opposed, it wouldn't change anything, so she could only accept it.
Qin Manman said, "Oh, we've met before, at the prince's mansion. Do you remember?"
Wei Qingshan gave an awkward smile but didn't say a word.
"By the way, Manman, from now on, you'll study with Qingshan... Qingshan, you should help Manman more!" Prime Minister Wei instructed.
"Yes, father!" Wei Qingshan replied.
Qin Manman thought that once she entered the mansion, she'd be a young lady. She didn't expect that she still had to study. She was a bit reluctant. What was there to learn?
She said reluctantly, "Ah? I still have to go to class? Can't I skip it?"
Zhang beside her nudged Qin Manman and said, "Don't be ungrateful! Studying is great! In our family before, we didn't even have the opportunity for you to study. Go and learn from Qingshan. Look at her. She's a real gentlewoman. You should learn from her!"
After persuading Qin Manman, Zhang said to Prime Minister Wei, "She should study. Learning more knowledge... is good! Am I right?"
"Alright, let's eat. If there's anything in the future, just tell the wife. We'll try our best to satisfy your requests. Eat, eat!" Prime Minister Wei said as he picked up his chopsticks and started eating.
Mrs. Su, looking at the family of three, lost her appetite. "I'm full. You guys eat!" she said and then turned around and left.
"Hey, you haven't even eaten much!" Zhang said embarrassedly.
"I'm full too. You guys eat slowly!" Wei Qingshan also left.
Prime Minister Wei said angrily, "It's okay. Let's eat!"
At night, a servant came to report.
"Sir, the people sent to investigate the Qin family have rushed back overnight!"
"Alright! What's the news? Hurry up and tell me!"
"Sixteen years ago, Qin Mo, the daughter of the Qin family, did give birth to a baby girl and then died in childbirth. Later, it was heard that the baby girl didn't live long and also died... Not long after, the sister - in - law of the Qin family also gave birth to a baby girl, who is now Qin Manman!" the servant said.
Prime Minister Wei thought deeply and carefully considered what Zhang had said at that time.
"At that time, my younger sister - in - law died not long after giving birth. Coincidentally, I was also about to give birth. But unfortunately, my unborn child died in my womb. So we treated her as our own child. To avoid gossip, we told others that my younger sister - in - law's child had died with her and that she was my own child!"
If what Zhang said was true, then Manman was his and Mo'er's child!
Or perhaps his and Mo'er's child had really died!
Facing these two possibilities, Prime Minister Wei naturally hoped that Manman was Mo'er's child!
On the other hand, Mrs. Su had also sent people to investigate the purpose of this sudden family entering the prime minister's mansion.
"Madam, we've sent people to investigate. There's a daughter in the Qin family named Qin Mo. She was once in a relationship with the sir... But this woman died sixteen years ago. It's said that she died in childbirth. Now this whole family is her relatives. I guess the sir feels guilty, so..." Rong Lan, Mrs. Su's personal maid, reported truthfully.
"So she was an old lover! Humph... She's already dead, but now this whole family is always in front of my eyes. What's this all about! No, I must drive these people out as soon as possible!" Mrs. Su felt annoyed just thinking about the relationship between these people and her husband's old lover.
Meanwhile, the family of three, Zhang, was still immersed in the joy of living in the prime minister's mansion.
On the other side, Bai Chen and Wan Ruo came to the Prince Pingnan's Mansion with Si Hongxi.
The three of them discussed in the mansion whether there were any similarities or common characteristics between the two cases. Was it the work of the same murderer? What on earth was going on?
Bai Chen was deep in thought and remained silent.
Si Hongxi, seeing that he wasn't saying a word, helplessly looked at Wan Ruo.
Wan Ruo said awkwardly to him, "At the crime scene, we did find some evil aura. This shows that this case is not an ordinary one. It's difficult without actual evidence!"
"If that's really the case, I can only report the truth to the emperor. But to avoid panicking the public, we probably need a reasonable conclusion for the case!" Si Hongxi said with a worried look on his face.
"But the main problem now is, what if such things happen again? We're completely in a passive position. How can we catch this devil or eliminate them to prevent them from committing crimes again?" Si Hongxi raised his concerns and looked at Bai Chen and Wan Ruo.
Wan Ruo also looked at Bai Chen at this moment. Not knowing how to answer, she stammered and scratched her head, saying, "This... this is really not easy to handle!"
At this moment, Bai Chen, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke.