The Xu family's mourning hall had barely been set up when the constables entered.
"Is the person in charge of the Xu family present?"
The butler, thinking the officials had come to investigate the recent events concerning the Xu family, was about to weep for his master. However, he heard the constable say in a cold voice:
"Someone has accused the Xu family of forcing women into prostitution, cheating at gambling, printing private currency, and causing the deaths of dozens of people. Bring out the person in charge of the Xu residence and accompany us to the yamen to face trial."
The butler felt his vision darken.
Because everything the constable said was true.
But he couldn't admit it and was about to cry out in protest.
The constables, however, had no patience for his wailing. They shoved him aside, saying, "If the person in charge of the Xu residence does not come forward, we will force our way into the Xu mansion and apprehend them!"
Madam Xu, dressed in mourning attire, stumbled out of the residence.
The leading constable waved to his colleagues behind him. "Since Master Xu is dead, please accompany us, Madam Xu."
Before Madam Xu could even speak, she was forcibly escorted away by the constables.
They paraded her through the streets, attracting the attention of the people of Yao County, who gathered to watch the spectacle.
Madam Xu, a woman who had always lived in seclusion and never experienced such a scene, was both terrified and ashamed, on the verge of fainting from distress.
For generations, the Xu family had lorded over Yao County, profiting from the lives and deaths of countless families. When the Xu family fell, the people of Yao County rejoiced.
Although Madam Xu had not directly participated in those affairs, as the matriarch of the Xu family, no one showed her any sympathy.
The evidence that Jiang Wan had anonymously submitted to Magistrate Cheng was extremely compelling, with a clear and concise chain of proof. Each incident was precisely detailed with dates and the individuals involved.
Even Jiang Wan herself had not anticipated that her helpers could uncover so much useful information in such a short period.
And this was only for recent events!
There were many more matters from earlier times that were difficult to verify.
The Xu family had indeed committed too many wicked deeds.
Madam Xu was merely a woman from the inner chambers and had never encountered such turmoil. Faced with Magistrate Cheng's interrogation and intimidated by the evidence, she confessed everything she knew, spilling it out like beans from a bamboo tube.
Magistrate Cheng was thrilled. If he could resolve the Xu family case, his reputation in Yao County would soar, and he might even get promoted.
Therefore, Magistrate Cheng immediately dispatched all available personnel to vigorously dig for evidence and facts of the Xu family's crimes.
All members of the Xu family were taken into custody. Master Xu's corpse remained in the mourning hall, unattended.
Master Xu had wronged and harmed too many people. Consequently, the unfortunate individuals whose families had been ruined by him banded together and stormed the Xu residence.
The constables guarding the Xu residence feigned a stern warning: "You cannot act recklessly. Be careful that the magistrate does not punish you."
Someone in the crowd shouted, "The law does not punish the masses! The Xu family has harmed so many of us, why should they be allowed to get away clean! Drag him out and whip his corpse!"
The crowd was incited. They pushed aside the constables who were feigning obstruction, stormed into Master Xu's mourning hall, overturned his coffin, dragged out his body, whipped it, and then threw it into a ditch.
Some opportunistic individuals also tried to sneak into the Xu residence amidst the chaos to take advantage, but none succeeded. They were all caught red-handed by the constables and thrown into prison.
Meanwhile, on the surface, the gentry and merchants of Yao County began to seize the opportunity to annex the Xu family's businesses and influence.
Within just a few days, most of the Xu family's resources were divided among the various families in Yao County.
Magistrate Cheng's efficiency in handling the case was remarkable. Within a few days, all the necessary arrests were made.
Master Xu's death brought an end to his actions, but it did not mean that his deeds would be absolved.
None of his sons were clean-handed, and the collateral branches of the Xu family were also found to have committed various offenses.
Soon, all of Master Xu's direct descendants were imprisoned, awaiting exile. The cases of the collateral branches were still under investigation, but the outcomes were unlikely to be any better than those of the direct descendants.
Immediately after Madam Xu and her associates were imprisoned, the Xu residence was raided.
On the day of the confiscation, almost the entire population of Yao County came to witness it.
Seeing chests upon chests of gold and silver jewelry being carried out of the Xu residence, the people of Yao County felt both envy and anger.
How many people had to be harmed to accumulate such immense wealth?
All of the Xu family's property was confiscated and turned over to the public. Their residences and shops were also taken by the yamen, awaiting auction after the liquidation was complete.
Those who had hoped to seize the Xu family's assets along with everything else could only glare in frustration.
Achieving this was thanks to Magistrate Cheng's swift action in requesting a large contingent of personnel from the prefect.
Why would the prefect be so eager to send people? Naturally, he had his own calculations.
Magistrate Cheng did not mind this. After all, Yao County was already a chaotic place, and whose influence was not influence?
As long as the prefect could provide him with overt assistance, that was enough.
The fall of the Xu family was dramatic.
In less than half a month, the Xu family, which had been prominent for nearly a century, vanished without a trace, leaving only the grand mansion to testify to their past glory.
But soon, even that mansion would have to change its name.
After the situation subsided, the people of Yao County belatedly began to wonder where the Jiang family had gotten the ability to so thoroughly uncover the Xu family's secrets.
After all, the Jiang family had only arrived in Yao County a few months ago.
Those who knew the inside story were even more astonished.
They knew that not long ago, the Xu family had secretly plotted against the second daughter-in-law of the Jiang family, nearly causing the young woman to lose her chastity.
Unexpectedly, less than half a month later, the Jiang family had completely brought down the Xu family.
What was the true background of this Jiang family?
Did they target the Xu family precisely because the Xu family had plotted against their second daughter-in-law?
If that were the case, this Jiang family was too terrifying.
If the Xu family had known the severe consequences of offending the Jiang family, they would never have resorted to such methods against them.
This Jiang family was truly formidable.
From now on, they must never cross the Jiang family, otherwise, the fate of the Xu family today would be their tomorrow.
Which prominent family could claim to have a completely clean slate, without any hidden dirt?
While the various powers in Yao County were busy trying to fathom the Jiang family's background, the Jiang family had long since put the Xu family's affairs behind them and returned to their own business.
The renovation of the restaurant was already halfway done. Following Jiang Wan's ideas, the backyard was divided into about a dozen open-air seating areas using plants and rockeries.
The first floor had about ten tables and a counter, while the second floor featured eight private rooms. The space was not large, but its rustic decor style was completely different from the current restaurants.
Over ten waiters had been hired, but the matter of finding a chef remained unresolved.
Jiang Wan decided to make another trip to the prefectural city.
This time, she went alone, without bringing Jiang Pan.