Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Choking people

The officer's hands trembled uncontrollably as he held the wooden box, the rim of which rattled softly.

Xiao Yunzhan took the wooden box. This box was larger and heavier than the previous one, and the edges were still stained with undried blood.

He took a deep breath and slowly lifted the lid with his thumb against it.

As expected, the first thing you notice before the contents of the box is the strong smell of blood.

Next, what assaults the eye is a bloody, severed foot.

Covered in blood, the skin color was almost invisible, and the cuts at the ankle were jagged, with broken bones faintly visible.

Xiao Yunzhan's pupils suddenly contracted, and his hand gripping the box lid tightened sharply.

He turned his head to look at Pei Zhiwei, but before he could speak, he saw that Pei Zhiwei's face was ashen, and her eyes, which had been relatively calm, were now burning like a ball of fire as she stared intently at Zhang Xuren, who was surrounded by servants not far away.

Zhang Xuren had just been woken up by having his philtrum pinched. He hadn't fully recovered yet and struggled to get up.

The servants quickly supported his arms and half-carried, half-helped him to Xiao Yunzhan's side.

When his gaze swept over the severed foot in the box, he could only manage a "hoarse" sound in his throat.

Before anyone could react, his eyes rolled back, his body collapsed, and he fainted again, his head almost hitting the wooden box.

The crowd then swarmed around, pinching his philtrum and fanning him, repeatedly calling out, "Sir, wake up..."

Xie Ji's gaze swept over the severed foot, his brows furrowing tightly.

“This is different from the previous severed hand.”

He gently probed the skin of the severed foot with the tip of his dagger. "Look at the cut. It was cut off from a dead person."

The air around them froze instantly upon hearing this.

The officials looked at each other, none of them daring to speak.

Xiao Yunzhan closed his eyes, and the veins on his forehead throbbed as if a needle were pricking them.

Having not slept for three days and two nights, my nerves were constantly on edge, and now, hearing these words, my last bit of patience was gone.

He sternly addressed the servants surrounding Zhang Xuren, saying, "What's the use of so many people surrounding us?"

Quickly find a doctor to wake up your governor!

"Are you going to wait until Ding Jin has delivered all of Zhang Xiao's remains before you'll make a move?"

The servants trembled at his shout and quickly sent two of them to run to the nearest clinic.

Fortunately, Zhang Xuren's unconsciousness didn't last long this time, and he woke up before the doctor arrived.

The moment he opened his eyes, he grabbed the arm of the servant beside him and asked in a hoarse voice, "My son...is my son already...?"

Pei Zhiwei stood aside, looking at him like this, and after a moment of silence, she finally spoke up: "Lord Zhang, please accept my condolences."

"Condolences?" Zhang Xuren suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, as if he wanted to devour someone.

"How can I grieve? That was my son! My only son!"

He suddenly looked up at the sky and cried out, his voice piercing and echoing through the empty street.

After crying for a while, Zhang Xuren gradually stopped crying, his chest heaving violently.

Pei Zhiwei: "Lord Zhang, now is not the time to cry."

If you still want to find your son's body and bring Ding Jin to justice, then calm down.

Zhang Xuren's eyes instantly turned fierce, and his teeth gritted together, "I will definitely tear Ding Jin to pieces!"

"Pay for my son's life!"

Pei Zhiwei said calmly, "Ding Jin may not know that we have already discovered your son's death."

Since he dares to send severed limbs again and again, he must have something else going on.

We'll go back to the mansion and wait; then we'll arrest him immediately.

"Wait?" Zhang Xuren suddenly stood up, as if he had heard a joke.

"My son is already dead, what am I waiting for?"

I'm going to find Ding Jin right now and tear him to pieces!

He suddenly roared and shouted to the surrounding officials, "Guards!"

From this moment on, everyone will go door-to-door to conduct a thorough investigation!

Search every street and alley, every dilapidated house and wasteland!

Find my son's body and Ding Jin at all costs!

"I want to see the body, alive or dead!"

The officials looked at each other, but Zhang Xuren was the prefect, so they dared not disobey and could only reply "Yes" before turning around to make the arrangements.

Zhang Xuren then turned to Xiao Yunzhan and Pei Zhiwei, giving them a perfunctory bow: "Thank you for your help, Prince Rui and Lady Pei."

You need not trouble yourselves with the rest of the matter.

"The capital city of Yang is currently in turmoil. Please board your carriages and return to Yaoguang Garden as soon as possible to avoid being implicated."

After speaking, he instructed a group of officials: "You must escort Prince Rui, the heir of the Marquis of Ding'an, and Lady Pei back to Yaoguang Garden. You must ensure the safety of these nobles and prevent any mishaps!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Ji's anger flared instantly. He had just opened his mouth to curse "You..." when Xiao Yunzhan interrupted him.

"Then please take care of yourself, Lord Zhang." Xiao Yunzhan's voice was cold and devoid of emotion.

After saying that, he directly pulled Xie Ji into the carriage.

The carriage slowly drove away.

Sitting in the car, Xie Ji looked at Xiao Yunzhan, who was resting with his eyes closed, and couldn't help but say angrily, "Zhang Xuren is just using you and then discarding you!"

We kindly helped him investigate the case, but now that his son is dead, he actually forced us to return to Yaoguangyuan!

You actually managed to put up with it?

Xiao Yunzhan opened his eyes, his eyes filled with exhaustion.

“Young Master Xie,” his voice was a little hoarse.

"I haven't slept for three days and two nights."

It's not that I don't want to help him, it's that Zhang Xuren won't let us get involved.

He's gone mad. If we stay there, we'll just be led astray by him and it will only delay our important business.

Xie Ji then looked at Pei Zhiwei, who was sitting to the side with a frosty expression, and said, "Didn't you just say that you wanted to save people first?"

Now that he's dead, why aren't you saying anything?

"Aren't they going to arrest Ding Jin?"

Pei Zhiwei: "The person is already dead, what's the point of saving them?"

Besides, weren't you still feeling guilty and unwilling to help these beasts?

Now that they're telling you not to get involved, why are you getting angry?

Xie Ji was speechless for a moment, and felt even angrier.

He suddenly flung open the carriage curtain and shouted angrily at the driver, "How dare you drive this carriage?"

Why is it so slow!

The driver trembled at his shout, and unconsciously swung the whip harder.

The horse was startled and suddenly accelerated forward.

Caught off guard, Xie Ji swayed and nearly fell off his seat.

His anger flared even more, and he shoved the driver aside, shouting, "Get out of the way!"

He leaped up, kicked aside the official on horseback following the carriage, and landed steadily on the horse's back.

With a squeeze of his legs, the horse neighed and galloped off towards Yaoguang Garden, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

The driver turned pale with fright and cautiously looked at Pei Zhiwei, afraid that she might take her anger out on him.

Pei Zhiwei simply sighed, her voice gentle: "It's alright, don't be afraid."

Your Highness is tired. Just drive the carriage steadily; there's no need to rush.

The driver breathed a sigh of relief, his hand on the reins became steadyer, and he slowly adjusted the speed of the carriage, heading towards Yaoguang Garden.

When the group arrived at the entrance of Yaoguang Garden, they saw the horse that Xie Ji had previously stolen standing at the gate, without even a rein.

Pei Zhiwei and Xiao Yunzhan got off the carriage. Seeing his tired appearance, she said, "You should go back to your room and rest first. There's no rush for the rest of the matter."

As for Ding Jin, since Zhang Xuren wants to investigate, let him investigate first. We can take this opportunity to organize the previous evidence.

Xiao Yunzhan rubbed his temples and nodded.

"You should go and rest too," he said, looking at Pei Zhiwei with concern in his eyes.

"Have you had a proper rest these past few days? Don't exhaust yourself."

Pei Zhi smiled slightly but didn't say anything.

The two walked side by side into Yaoguang Garden, their figures gradually disappearing behind the door.

As the gates of Yaoguang Garden slowly closed, the officials who had escorted them back finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The leading officer wiped the sweat from his brow and muttered under his breath, "My God, this journey has scared me to death."

The governor actually ordered us to forcibly send these three ancestors back; I thought I'd never see the sun rise again.

"That's right, my heart was pounding when Prince Xie snatched the horse just now."

Fortunately, he only stole the horse and came back on his own; he didn't cause us any trouble.

Otherwise, our lives would be in danger.

The group chatted amongst themselves, not daring to linger, and quickly turned and left, still shaken.

Meanwhile, chaos reigned in Yangdu City.

Zhang Xuren gave a strict order, and all the officials were mobilized to search for Ding Jin's whereabouts from house to house.

The sounds of gongs, shouts, and knocking on doors mingled together.

The people were so frightened that they dared not go out and could only cower in their homes, listening intently to the sounds outside.

The officials searched from dusk till midnight, turning Yangdu City upside down, but they still couldn't find Ding Jin's whereabouts, nor even Zhang Xiao's body.

Zhang Xuren stood at the entrance of the governor's mansion, his face so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

He looked at his officers and said coldly, "After investigating for so long, you haven't found a single clue?"

What are you all good for?

The officials kept their heads down, and no one dared to speak.

One of the bolder officers stepped forward and whispered, "Sir, we have searched the entire city, but we have indeed not found any trace of Ding Jin."

However, the southeast dilapidated area is closer to the east gate, so Ding Jin may have already escaped through the east gate.

"How about we go check around the East Gate?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuren immediately ordered, "Everyone, go to the East Gate!"

Search along the route; we must find Ding Jin!

The officials dared not delay and quickly ran towards the east gate.

But by the time they reached the east gate, it was already closed.

The general guarding the city stood on the city tower, looking down at the dense crowd of officials and soldiers below. He frowned and shouted, "It is past midnight now. The city gates are closed. No one is allowed to enter or leave."

What brings so many of you here?

"We need to go out of the city to investigate the case!" The leading official shouted to the general on the city wall, looking up.

"Ding Jin has kidnapped the governor's son!"

We must leave the city to pursue Ding Jin. Please, General, open the gate!

"No!" The city's garrison commander refused without hesitation.

"Without an order from the imperial court or a written edict from the military governor, the gate shall not be opened."

Zhang Xuren walked up from behind and shouted angrily at the general on the city wall, "My son has been taken hostage by Ding Jin and may have already left the city!"

If you don't open the door and delay the pursuit, can you bear the responsibility?

The general guarding the city remained expressionless: "Your Excellency, it is not that I intend to obstruct the investigation."

The city gates were locked, and no one was allowed to enter or leave without orders.

"I was merely following orders; please do not make things difficult for me."

Zhang Xuren was trembling with anger. "I'm telling you, today you have to open this city gate, whether you like it or not!"

As he spoke, he shouted to the officers behind him, "Guards!"

Open the city gates! Anyone who dares to obstruct them will be treated as an accomplice of Ding Jin!

"They can be killed on the spot!"

The officials, already enraged by Zhang Xuren's words, rushed forward and began fighting with the soldiers at the city gate.

The defending general didn't hesitate, shouting to the soldiers on the city wall, "Prepare! Anyone who dares to force their way through the gate will be shot on sight!"

The soldiers on the city wall immediately raised their bows and arrows, aiming the arrows at the officials below.

But Zhang Xuren rode his horse into the crowd and said, "I am the Prefect of Yangdu, and I have urgent official business to attend to. Let's see who dares to shoot an arrow."

The soldiers on the city wall hesitated, fearing that they might accidentally injure the governor in the chaos, and dared not fire their arrows for a long time.

Seeing that they were hesitant, the officials took advantage of their numbers to disperse the soldiers in front of the gate, and together they pushed open the heavy city gate.

The city gate slowly opened a crack, and then it opened completely.

Outside the city gate, Xie Ji, holding a long spear, was riding on horseback, with Pei Zhiwei and Xiao Yunzhan standing slightly behind him on either side.

Behind them followed a troop of Huainan soldiers clad in armor, each with a serious expression, holding weapons in their hands, exuding an imposing aura.

"Lord Zhang, young master Zhang, you have kept me waiting for quite some time."