Chapter 110 Why choose this particular time?

Xie Ji was caught off guard when he heard "Zhang Xiao has been kidnapped," and he jumped up immediately.

"Ha!" he exclaimed with no small amount of schadenfreude. "That kid's really done for!"

I told you long ago that his lawless behavior would bring him big trouble sooner or later.

Tsk tsk tsk, retribution may be delayed, but it will surely come!

Liu Jingchang already loathed Zhang Xiao's lawless and arrogant nature, and now seeing Wei Wu's terrified state, his face darkened. "Wei Wu! What are you panicking about!"

It's just a kidnapping case, what kind of behavior is this?

What kind of behavior is this!

Wei Wu was startled by the shout, and after realizing what had happened, he hurriedly bowed to everyone.

Then he said, "Oh, Lord Liu! My Lord Liu!"

As you know, Governor Zhang cherishes Zhang Xiao more than his own eyes!

Now that he's been kidnapped, Governor Zhang has mobilized all his troops for a city-wide manhunt..."

Pei Zhiwei frowned and interrupted him: "Wait a minute, are you talking about his high-profile city-wide manhunt?"

Wei Wu was taken aback by her sudden question and stammered, "Yes, they're searching the whole city."

Pei Zhiwei asked doubtfully, "Are they so sure that Zhang Xiao was kidnapped and didn't just throw a tantrum and run away from home?"

Wei Wu: "I heard from the people in the governor's mansion that an hour ago, just as Governor Zhang was about to go out to look for Zhang Xiao, someone threw a wooden box in from outside the mansion."

Upon opening it, they found a gemstone and a severed hand inside!

Governor Zhang immediately recognized it as Zhang Xiao's personal belongings and ordered a city-wide search!

"Tsk tsk tsk!" Xie Ji clicked his tongue and stroked his chin in amazement.

"That's pretty ruthless!"

I wonder who this hero is; this is truly a service to the people!

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhang Xuren's furious roar, now distorted, suddenly rang out from outside the hall: "Xie Ji! Where is that brat Xie Ji!"

"Get out here, you official!"

Everyone was taken aback. Weren't they supposed to be conducting a city-wide manhunt for the kidnappers? How did they suddenly end up here?

Pei Zhiwei suddenly realized, "Oh no!"

They had just clashed with Zhang Xiao at Yuhuchun yesterday.

Now that Zhang Xiao is in trouble, Zhang Xuren's first suspicion will definitely be them!

She said helplessly, "Zhang Xuren is convinced that we did it!"

Xie Ji's smile faded, but he showed no sign of panic. Instead, he slowly sat back down in his chair, picked up the teacup on the table, brought it to his nose to smell it, and then took a leisurely sip.

He snorted, his tone full of disdain: "Zhang Xiao's brain is just like his father's. He's all looks and makes people think he's smart."

Pei Zhiwei didn't have time to argue with him, so she turned to look at Liu Jingchang and gave him a wink.

Liu Jingchang immediately understood, gestured to the constable beside him, and whispered, "Take Wang Heng back quickly, keep a close eye on him, and don't let him have any contact with anyone!"

They're tied up the same way as before.

The constables quickly helped Wang Heng, who was about to say something more, and hurried towards the back hall.

Xiao Yunzhan watched their retreating figures, gently rubbing his temples. He hadn't slept for two days and two nights.

Wang Heng's confession hasn't even been fully processed yet, and now this has happened. Can't Yangdu have a few days of peace?

He muttered to himself, "Why did they have to choose this time..."

Before he could finish muttering, Zhang Xuren led a group of yamen runners in.

His face was flushed, his eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was a mess; he was nowhere near as respectable as the governor of Yangzhou.

As soon as he entered, his gaze, as if tempered by fire, locked onto Xie Ji and rushed straight towards him.

No one expected him to make a sudden move. By the time they reacted, Zhang Xuren had already grabbed Xie Ji's collar and pulled him up from the chair.

"Xie Ji, you brat!" Zhang Xuren's voice was shrill and hoarse, with a sob in it, but it sounded even more ferocious.

How dare you treat my son so cruelly!

He only had a small argument with you, and you broke his wrist!

"Today I will tear you to pieces and avenge my son!"

Xie Ji, struggling to breathe, was momentarily stunned by these words, then cried out while still struggling, "Wait a minute!..."

"Where is my son! Where have you hidden my son?!"

"If you don't talk, I'll chop you up right now!" Zhang Xuren didn't give him a chance to speak at all, grabbing Xie Ji's collar and shaking him violently until Xie Ji was dizzy.

Zhang Xuren was now in a state of madness, and his strength was astonishing.

Xie Ji struggled several times, but couldn't break free.

And he kept shouting, his saliva relentlessly covering his face.

Xie Ji was not a good-tempered person to begin with, and after being tormented like this, he got angry and suddenly grabbed Zhang Xuren's wrist, using the force of Zhang's swing to twist it hard.

With a soft "snap," Zhang Xuren winced in pain and instinctively released his grip.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xie Ji raised his leg and kicked him in the stomach, sending him staggering backward before he landed on the ground with a thud.

"Have you lost your mind? Why did I tie him up?" Xie Ji roared, rubbing his crumpled clothes.

Zhang Xuren clutched his stomach, unable to stand up for a moment. His eyes were red as he said bitterly, "If it wasn't you, who else could it be?"

Who in the entire city of Yangdu dares to touch my son!

These words truly stumped Xie Ji and everyone else present.

Indeed, in the entire city of Yangdu, it seems that only Xie Ji and Xiao Yunzhan dare to kidnap Zhang Xiao so openly.

However, given Xiao Yunzhan's status, dealing with Zhang Xiao wouldn't require such trouble.

Then the most likely candidate is Xie Ji.

In that short while, Zhang Xuren recovered and lunged at Xie Ji again.

Unable to bear it any longer, Xie Ji struck with both hands, delivering two solid slaps to his face.

He roared, "Calm down!"

If I wanted to kill Zhang Xiao, I would have done so openly and honestly yesterday at Yuhuchun when he threatened to kill Prince Rui, and then charged you with 'indulging your son in treason'!

Why would I go through all that trouble to tie him up? And even break his wrists?

"You dare to yell at me like that?"

Zhang Xuren seemed struck by Xie Ji's words and stood there stunned.

After a while, he suddenly sat down on the ground, grabbed his hair with both hands, and muttered to himself, "If it's not you... then who could it be?"

In the entire city of Yangdu, who dares to touch my son?

"Who dares to touch my son..."

Pei Zhiwei asked, "Lord Zhang, please explain the whole story to us first."

What exactly happened?

But Zhang Xuren seemed completely oblivious to her words, still immersed in his own world, repeatedly muttering "who is it?" and "who dares?" with a vacant look in his eyes.

Pei Zhiwei sighed, turned to Xie Ji and mouthed: Slap him!

Xie Ji understood and raised his hand to give Zhang Xuren another resounding slap.

The slap was quite forceful, and Zhang Xuren's already swollen cheek instantly became asymmetrical.

He finally snapped out of his daze and looked at Xie Ji blankly.

"Lord Zhang!" Pei Zhiwei quickly seized the opportunity to ask.

We are now helping you find your son!

If you don't make things clear and delay, what you receive next time might not be just a hand!

Do you want Zhang Xiao dead?

Upon hearing the mention of "Zhang Xiao's death," Zhang Xuren shuddered and finally reacted.

He raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed, his voice choked with emotion: "Yesterday...yesterday I brought him home from Yuhuchun, gave him a good scolding, and made him go back to his room to reflect on his actions."

He was indignant and argued with me, saying that we had killed his hunting dog and he was determined to get revenge, as he had raised that dog since it was a puppy…”

"Get to the point!" Pei Zhiwei frowned and interrupted him sharply.

The worst thing to do in a kidnapping case is to delay. Every minute and second could be a matter of life and death for Zhang Xiao. The kidnappers will not give Zhang Xuren time to ramble on about these trivial matters.

Zhang Xuren shrank back at the shout and quickly sped up his speech: "After he went back to his room, I thought he would stay put."

This morning I went to his room and found he was gone, leaving only a note saying he was going to find you and take revenge...

Just as I was about to go out to find him, and I reached the gate of the mansion to get into the carriage, a wooden box fell from the sky.

When I opened it, inside was the ruby, and... and a hand...

Those are Xiao'er's hands!

In the end, he couldn't hold back any longer, covered his face and cried, his voice so mournful that it made everyone's heart clench.

Xiao Yunzhan had been standing silently to the side, but seeing Zhang Xuren on the verge of collapse again, he frowned, grabbed a teacup from the table, and smashed it on Zhang Xuren's forehead with a "bang".

He shuddered in fright, and his crying stopped.

“Zhang Xuren!” Xiao Yunzhan shouted coldly.

"If you still want your son to live, then you'd better pull yourself together!"

Where is the box you received?

And where are the things inside?

Zhang Xuren then remembered his important matter and hurriedly turned to a servant behind him, his voice trembling: "Quick! Quickly show the things to the Prince and Lady Pei!"

The servant quickly handed over the wooden box with both hands.

Pei Zhiwei took the box and carefully examined its exterior. Finding no clues worth investigating, she cautiously opened it.

The box was opened, and a strong smell of blood wafted out. In the center of the box was a severed hand, next to a large ruby.

It was the same one from the dagger Zhang Xiao had been carrying yesterday.

Pei Zhiwei's fingertips were slightly cold. She handed the box to Xiao Yunzhan, then turned to Zhang Xuren and said very quickly, "You said the box 'fell from the sky' outside your mansion?"

Take us to the scene! Now!

Zhang Xuren dared not delay and scrambled to his feet as he rushed out.

Because Zhang Xuren had already sent many people to search the entire city, the streets were quite empty.

The group rode their horses at full speed and soon arrived at the gate of the governor's mansion.

Zhang Xuren pointed to the spot below the steps in front of the mansion gate, "This is it!"

I was just about to get onto the carriage when the box fell from above and hit me. I instinctively caught it!

Pei Zhiwei dismounted and, before anyone could react, lightly leaped onto the roof of the governor's mansion.

She stood on the roof ridge, looking down at Zhang Xuren, and raised her voice: "Lord Zhang, what was your posture at that time?"

From which direction did the box fall?

"Imitate it again!"

Zhang Xuren quickly walked to the bluestone slab, turned his back to the gate, and pointed to his upper right: "This is the direction!"

I had just turned around when I saw a dark shadow flash by, and then the box fell down!

Pei Zhiwei looked in the direction he pointed and saw an old tree not far away, with lush branches and leaves. The treetops overlapped with the wall of the governor's mansion, partially obscuring the wall.

She frowned, then leaped and landed on the old tree, observing it carefully.

Although the treetops are lush, they are not enough to support a person's weight.

However, if someone stands on the wall, they can indeed hide their figure by using the treetops as cover.

She jumped onto the wall again, squatted down, and examined it carefully.

Sure enough, there were marks on the wall that looked like someone had stood on it.

The walls of the Zhang residence are quite high; someone with average light-footed skills would definitely need to use leverage to leap over them.

She jumped back to the ground and, sure enough, found the marks of leverage on the wall.

Looking further down, there was a shallow footprint in the soil at the base of the wall.

Pei Zhiwei's heart sank. It was him!