Yan Tongshu paused for a moment, then looked at the Qiao family. "You two speak first. Tell me everything about Qiao Qingqing and Ma Tianci’s past—leave no detail out, no matter how small."
Mr. and Mrs. Qiao replied, "Yes, sir."
Mrs. Qiao began to recount, slowly and methodically, how they had first discovered the secret affair between Qiao Qingqing and Ma Tianci.
It was about four months earlier, in the evening, when Mrs. Qiao’s cousin was dining on the second floor of Wangchun Tower. She happened to see Qiao Qingqing and Ma Tianci strolling together on the street.
That day, Qiao Qingqing wore a long dress the color of lakewater, delicate as a flower.
Ma Tianci, on the other hand, was dressed in a blue robe, his collar slightly open, a pendant dangling from his fingers and swinging back and forth—the very picture of a dissolute young rake.
Ma Tianci handed Qiao Qingqing a gold bracelet.
Qiao Qingqing thought the bracelet was far too valuable and lowered her head to refuse. But Ma Tianci shoved it into her arms regardless, then ran off quickly, tossing back a flirtatious remark: "See you tomorrow, dear Qingqing."
Ma Tianci was gone, and Qiao Qingqing, holding the gold bracelet, had no idea what to do. In the end, she had her maid, Tao Hong, put the bracelet away for the time being.
The Qiao and Ma families had long been at odds.
After Mrs. Qiao’s cousin returned home, she immediately told Mrs. Qiao everything she had seen.
When Qiao Qingqing came back, Mrs. Qiao’s face was stern as she ordered her daughter to kneel.
Qiao Qingqing obeyed, her voice soft and melodious: "What wrong has your daughter done, Mother? Why are you so angry?"
Mrs. Qiao slammed her embroidered handkerchief down on the table. "How dare you speak! The Ma family ruined our business, brought it crashing down, and yet you—my own daughter—were seen pulling and pushing with that Ma Tianci in the street! Have you no shame? Do you still remember your name is Qiao?"
Qiao Qingqing lifted her head, her eyes gentle as water, brimming with tears. "Mother... your daughter... your daughter has wronged you."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.
Seeing her daughter cry, Mrs. Qiao’s anger softened a little. She asked, "How exactly did you meet that Ma Tianci, and how far has this gone?"
Qiao Qingqing bit her lip. "Mother, actually, Ma Tianci is a good person."
Mrs. Qiao slapped the table. "I asked how you met! Not for you to judge whether he’s good or not."
Startled by her mother’s fury, Qiao Qingqing shrank her slender neck. "It was at the Midsummer Calligraphy and Painting Society. I was invited to attend, so I specially painted a piece called ‘Listening to Rain in the Pine Mountains’ to bring along. There were many paintings at the gathering, and mine was barely passable..."
This was an understatement. In truth, Qiao Qingqing’s paintings had always been highly admired among the young ladies of the capital.
Qiao Qingqing continued, "...and it drew some onlookers to admire and comment. Among them was Master Ma. When he saw it, he placed a twenty-tael silver ingot beneath the painting. The Spring Calligraphy and Painting Society was a charity event; all donations were meant to aid orphans. Since Master Ma had given so generously, I thought to thank him, and we chatted a little longer. After that, Master Ma would often happen to run into me. Gradually, I grew closer to him."
When Mrs. Qiao heard this, half of her anger dissipated. "So it was he who seduced you."
"No," Qiao Qingqing murmured in weak protest. "It was chance encounters."
Mrs. Qiao, who had begun to calm down, was reignited by her daughter’s defensiveness of Ma Tianci. "I don’t care whether it was chance encounters or his seduction. In any case, our Qiao family will never form a marriage alliance with the Ma family. From today on, you will cut ties with that Ma."
Mrs. Qiao extended her hand to Qiao Qingqing. "Did he give you a gold bracelet?"
Qiao Qingqing nodded.
Mrs. Qiao said, "Hand it over. And everything else too. Your mother will return it all to the Ma family."
Qiao Qingqing took out the bracelet but was reluctant to let it go. Mrs. Qiao reached out to snatch it. Qiao Qingqing clutched it tightly, but when her mother shot her a fierce glare, Qiao Qingqing yielded and loosened her grip.
She whispered weakly, "Mother, Master Ma is actually a very good person."
Mrs. Qiao snapped, "Silence! For the next few days, you will stay at home and reflect properly. You are not to leave this house."
Thus, Qiao Qingqing was ordered to remain confined to the residence.
Mrs. Qiao personally searched Qiao Qingqing’s room, found the love letters and gifts Ma Tianci had given her, and packed them all up to return to the Ma family.
With that, the Ma family also learned of the affair.
Both Qiao Qingqing and Ma Tianci were grounded for a month before they were allowed out again.
That day, Qiao Qingqing visited Hongwen Temple to burn incense. She was alone under a tree, tying a prayer ribbon, when Ma Tianci appeared and blocked her path, pouring out his longing.
Qiao Qingqing’s eyes were red, but she firmly refused him. "Leave. Father and Mother won’t allow us to be together. I... I can’t be unfilial to them."
"Qingqing!" Ma Tianci rushed over and embraced her. "Qingqing, how can you be so heartless? Didn’t we promise to stay together forever, never to forget each other? Qingqing, I don’t believe you’re so cold to me."
He grabbed her small hand and pressed it to his chest. "Qingqing, listen to my heart. It’s telling you it loves you."
Frightened, Qiao Qingqing struggled. When Ma Tianci saw her resistance, he craned his neck to kiss her. Terrified, she pushed him away and fled.
Qiao Qingqing ran ahead, Ma Tianci chasing after her.
When they reached a secluded spot, Ma Tianci suddenly pulled out Qiao Qingqing’s bellyband. "Qingqing, if you run away again, this bellyband will end up in front of your poetry and painting society friends by tomorrow."
Qiao Qingqing’s face turned pale with fear. "How could you do this? You stole that bellyband from me when I was out shopping. I didn’t give it to you!"
Ma Tianci brought the bellyband to his nose and inhaled. "Qingqing, this bellyband even has your personal seal on it."
Qiao Qingqing stammered, "You—"
Ma Tianci pulled her into his embrace. "Qingqing, don’t be afraid. I won’t force you. I just want you to give our feelings a chance. As for your parents and mine, I’ll find a way to convince them. But, Qingqing, first—don’t push me away, okay?"
Qiao Qingqing was both frightened and at a loss, so she could only nod.
After that, they continued their secret meetings. But because the Qiao family had imposed a rule allowing Qiao Qingqing to leave the house for only one hour per day, their encounters were always rushed.
This lasted until a little over a month ago, when their affair was discovered again. This time, the Qiao family was furious. They locked Qiao Qingqing up completely and began looking for matchmakers to arrange her marriage.
When Ma Tianci heard the news, he escaped from his own home, bribed a servant heavily, and tried to take Qiao Qingqing away with him.
At first, Qiao Qingqing refused. She was an unmarried maiden; running off with a man would ruin not only her own reputation but also that of the Qiao family. She might bear people’s scorn herself, but her parents were blameless—she could not bear to hurt them.
Ma Tianci then drugged her with a sedative, knocked her unconscious, and forcibly took her away.
Afterward, he kept Qiao Qingqing locked up in Bixi Alley on the west side of the city. Later, when Qiao Qingqing found an opportunity to escape, she enraged Ma Tianci. In a fit of fury, he strangled her to death with his belt.
After the Qiao family finished their account, Yan Tongshu wore a look that said "words fail me." The narrative was far too one-sided.
Yan Tongshu asked, "Is everything you’ve said true?"
Mr. Qiao declared without hesitation, "Absolutely, every word of it."
Mr. and Mrs. Ma could no longer sit still. Mr. Ma said angrily, “You’re lying! Qiao Qingqing is nothing but a whore…”
Bang!
A strike of the gavel silenced Mr. Ma.
Yan Tongshu reminded him once more: “This official has said, one person speaks at a time.”
Mr. Ma shrank back. “Yes.”
Yan Tongshu then looked at Mr. and Mrs. Qiao. “This official and the coroner have just examined the body together and discovered that Qiao Qingqing had engaged in sexual relations with a man. Were you aware of this?”
Yan Tongshu keenly caught Mrs. Qiao’s evasive gaze. “You knew?”
Mr. Qiao sighed. “Since Prefect Yan already knows, we dare not conceal it. After our daughter’s body was brought back, we too feared there might be hidden circumstances, so we hired a female coroner to examine the corpse…”
As he spoke, Mr. Qiao began to weep. “Our daughter… I fear she was violated by that Ma Tianci while she was imprisoned. A woman’s chastity is of utmost importance. If this matter were to spread, she would find no peace even after death. That is why we were in a hurry to bury her. Prefect Yan, as parents, we acted only out of love for our daughter!”
Yan Tongshu asked, “You claim that Qiao Qingqing was strangled to death by Ma Tianci while trying to escape. At the time of the incident, you were not present at the scene, so how do you have this version of events?”
