Chapter 52 (Related to Relatives)

As Xiao Yunzhan followed Xiao Wanyao toward the Shangxin Pavilion on the west side, dusk had already enveloped the eaves of the Princess's residence.

Xiao Wanyao looked serious, as if she had encountered some difficult problem.

Xiao Yunzhan followed behind her, his mood growing darker and darker, just like the sky.

Wang Huai'an had just confessed when she rushed to see her alone. Was it because Gu Boheng was involved in the matter and had passed on a message to her, or had she figured something out herself, or perhaps...?

On the stone table in the Shangxin Pavilion, tea and snacks are laid out for the host to enjoy at any time.

Xiao Wanyao stood in front of the stone table for a while, calming herself down, before speaking: "A-Zhan, tell me the truth, what exactly is the purpose of your trip to Jiangnan this time?"

Xiao Yunzhan's heart sank suddenly, but his face showed just the right amount of doubt, "Doesn't Third Sister know? She came to investigate the Uyghur caravan."

"Does investigating a Uyghur caravan really require you, Prince Rui, to make the trip yourself?" Xiao Wanyao interrupted him.

“You are the youngest son of the Emperor, but you were raised and educated by His Majesty and have never left his sight for more than three days.”

"If it weren't something extremely serious, would he have let you leave the capital for so long?"

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Xiao Yunzhan didn't rush to answer. Instead, he leaned forward and asked, "Why did you suddenly ask this, Third Sister? Did your husband say something to you, or...?"

“I didn’t ask him.” Xiao Wanyao sighed and sat down on the stone bench.

"I figured it out myself."

During the days you and Pei Shaoqing have been in Suzhou, Boheng has never felt at ease.

I've been with him for over ten years. Do you think I can't tell if he's hiding something?

When she looked up again, her gaze was firm: "Tell me the truth, did His Majesty send you to investigate the Gu family?"

Xiao Yunzhan sat down as well, his voice softening: "Why do you think this way, Third Sister? Do you think the Gu family has done something inappropriate?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Wanyao's face darkened, and she slammed her fan down on the stone table.

"So you really are here to investigate the Gu family! Otherwise, you wouldn't be asking this question!"

His Majesty sent you here personally, so it seems the Gu family matter is more important than I thought.

"Third sister, don't be in such a hurry," Xiao Yunzhan quickly interrupted when he saw that she was getting sidetracked.

"I'm not here to investigate the Gu family."

The affairs of the Uyghur caravan are crucial to border stability, and His Majesty does not trust anyone else, which is why he sent me.

As for the missing persons case and Shen Chengzhang's case that are currently under investigation, Third Sister also saw them; they all happened to stumble upon them.

Who could have imagined that such depravity lurked beneath the walls of Suzhou?

Seeing that Xiao Wanyao's brows relaxed a little, he pressed on, "But why do you think I'm here to investigate the Gu family? Has the Gu family or your brother-in-law been doing anything unusual lately?"

Xiao Wanyao picked up the round fan and slowly waved it.

"It's not that he's acting strangely, it's just something I figured out myself. Take Wang Huai'an, for example, who was arrested this time. In terms of kinship, he can be linked to the Gu family and the Zhang family in the south of the city."

I just feel that while you're investigating the missing persons case, isn't Shen Chengzhang's death a bit too coincidental?

Could Wang Huai'an be involved in human trafficking?

He's related to the Gu family, so I can't help but worry.

The Gu family was a prominent clan in Jiangnan, with so many transport routes and shops, and so many diverse people coming and going; it was inevitable that some shady dealings would occur.

Xiao Yunzhan: "Third sister, you're overthinking it."

Based on our investigation today, Wang Huai'an instigated Shen Yi to poison Su Hetang in order to seize control of the company. There is currently no evidence linking him to any human trafficking case.

On the Gu family's side, we haven't found any evidence linking them to this matter.

Seeing that the worry in her eyes hadn't dissipated, Xiao Yunzhan tentatively asked, "Third Sister, do you think the Gu family is hiding something? Otherwise, why are you so panicked as soon as there are signs?"

Xiao Wanyao sighed, "You and I are born into royalty. Haven't we seen enough of the struggles in the palace and the family affairs in the court?"

Which large family, once you peel back the layers, isn't a mess of problems? It's just a matter of degree.

The Gu family has deep roots and extensive connections in Jiangnan, so it wouldn't be surprising if something really happened to them.

My concern isn't about Gu Jia, it's about Bo Heng.

He may seem gentle, but he values ​​family above all else.

If something really happens to the Gu family, he will definitely risk his life to protect them, and then…

The conversation ended there, but Xiao Yunzhan understood. She feared that Gu Boheng might do something he shouldn't have in order to protect his family, ultimately leading to his disgrace and ruin.

Xiao Yunzhan sighed inwardly and gently comforted her, "Third Sister, don't think so much."

My brother-in-law is the Prefect of Suzhou. If there were something wrong, we wouldn't leave it uninvestigated, but we really don't have any evidence right now.

Besides, there's also Granny Li in the princess's residence; Sun Qiao'er is her own daughter.

Even if the Gu family were completely muddle-headed, they wouldn't go so far as to kidnap someone right at the princess's gates, much less allow Sun Qiao'er to be chosen by people from Yangdu at this time.

Xiao Wanyao paused for a moment, as if she hadn't quite grasped the concept, then nodded and slowly began to wave her fan again.

"Yes, I'm getting old, and I tend to overthink things."

Your investigation is important; don't let my worries distract you.

"Don't worry, Third Sister." Xiao Yunzhan stood up and shielded her from the wind.

"It's getting dark and the wind is getting chilly. You should go back inside soon and not stay here too long."

Xiao Wanyao also got up and patted his arm.

"Don't overwork yourself. Investigating cases is one thing, but you also need to take care of yourself. Madam Pei is still injured, so please keep an eye on her."

Xiao Yunzhan replied, "I know," and watched her figure disappear into the corner of the corridor before turning to go to Pei Zhiwei's courtyard.

Along the way, he kept thinking about whether Wang Huai'an was related to the Gu or Zhang families.

When I was investigating Wang Huai'an before, I was so preoccupied with the entanglements of the pharmacy that I didn't even think about this possibility.

If we follow this line of inquiry, we might be able to find the connection between Liu's Pharmacy and these two businesses.

As soon as he reached the courtyard gate, his sharp ears caught Pei Zhiwei's soft "ah" from inside the house.

He quickly pushed the door open and saw Pei Zhiwei lying on the bed, clutching a file in her hand. She was about to lean back and turn a couple of pages when her back was pulled, and she gasped in pain.

Yan Jinghong had just finished cleaning up the medicine bowl when he quickly reached out to help her.

"I told you not to move around recklessly, but you wouldn't listen."

If this wound reopens, you'll be in big trouble.

"I was just engrossed in reading the case files," Pei Zhiwei explained in a low voice, her eyes lighting up when she saw Xiao Yunzhan enter.

"Your Highness, have you finished talking with the princess?"

Pei Lin sat at the table, holding the file in his hand. "Is there something troubling the princess?"

Xiao Yunzhan pulled up a chair and sat down. "Third Sister was worried that we were here to investigate the Gu family, so I didn't tell her much. I just said we were investigating the Uyghur merchant caravan."

Oh, and she also mentioned that Wang Huai'an is related to both the Gu and Zhang families.

Pei Lin tapped the file in his hand on the table absently. "Does Your Highness think the princess is here to test us?"

"It's hard to say right now." Xiao Yunzhan shook his head thoughtfully.

“The princess’s residence has a grudge against Li Mama, and Sun Qiao’er is her own daughter.”

If the princess's residence were truly involved in human trafficking, it would never have implicated Sun Qiao'er, much less have she been chosen by the people of Yangdu at this time.

Furthermore, there is currently no evidence to link the Princess's residence, the Gu family, and the Taihu Gang.

He paused, then said, "However, the relationship between Wang Huai'an and the Gu and Zhang families that she mentioned is a new clue."

Previously, when investigating Wang Huai'an, we only focused on his entanglements with the pharmacy, without considering any familial connections. If we investigate in that direction, we might be able to find the connection between Liu's Pharmacy and them.

Pei Lin nodded, picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip: "There are no other more useful clues right now, so following this line is also feasible."

By the way, I've looked at the list of minor officials in charge of the canal transport that Zhang Chengye sent. They're all low-level clerks at the Xumen Water Gate; none of them hold any real power.

“He must have picked through the selection process to hand it over voluntarily,” Xiao Yunzhan echoed.

"Either it has nothing to do with the core issues, or even if it is found out, they can claim that 'that kid embezzled it himself.'"

We don't need to waste our energy on these people; it will only make them wary.

Let him handle it himself; we'll just keep an eye on things.

Pei Lin hummed in agreement, then turned to Pei Zhiwei with a stern face, "Stop looking at the case files. Focus on recovering from your injuries. We'll handle the investigation."

Pei Zhiwei pouted and reluctantly pushed the file onto the small table next to her. "I know, but you have to tell me what you find out. Don't treat me like an outsider."

Xiao Yunzhan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't hide it from you."

In the following days, the pace of the investigation in Suzhou slowed down a bit, but it didn't stop.

These past few days, Zhou Wenbin has devoted all his energy to finding Jiang Yong's family. He led the constables to search every alley near Jiang Yong's house and asked the neighbors door to door.

That morning, Zhou Wenbin rushed to the princess's residence again.

"Your Highness, Lord Pei, an old man selling vegetables said that on the morning Jiang Yong disappeared, he saw two men dressed in black stuffing Jiang Yong and his family into a carriage and heading towards Xumen!"

But the guards at Xumen Gate said they hadn't seen any carriages like that leaving the city, nor had they seen Jiang Yong's family.

"Could they have taken the waterway?" Pei Zhiwei, lying on the bed, couldn't help but ask upon hearing this. "If they took a small boat through the water gate, how would the guards have seen them?"

Zhou Wenbin slapped his thigh, suddenly realizing, "Oh dear! Why didn't I think of that! I'll go to the water gate and ask the boatman right now!" With that, he turned and ran outside.

Xiao Yunzhan watched his retreating figure, but he wasn't very confident. Jiang Yong had been kidnapped for so many days; if he had really traveled by water, he would have already left Suzhou.

Moreover, the people who kidnapped him most likely wanted to get Ding Jin's whereabouts out of him. Now, either they have already gotten the information, or Jiang Yong doesn't know or refuses to say. In either case, the situation of Jiang Yong's family is not optimistic.

On the other side, Zhang Chengye was dealing with the affairs of the minor officials in charge of the canal transport.

According to his report, all the dozen or so minor officials on the list were summoned for questioning, and two others who were said to have "conclusive evidence" were detained and to be taken back to the capital for questioning.

But the secret guards that Xiao Yunzhan sent to keep an eye on things returned and reported that Zhang Chengye had just gone through the motions, asking only trivial questions, and hadn't actually touched anyone who was really involved with the Taihu Gang.

Pei Lin: "Zhang Chengye is trying to get away with this."

Xiao Yunzhan said, "Let him be. We don't have the energy to waste time with him right now. Let's find out the relationship between Wang Huai'an and the Gu and Zhang families first."

That afternoon, Xiao Yunzhan and Pei Lin were pondering the clues they had just found.

Wang Huai'an visits the Zhang family ancestral hall to pay respects every year, and he is particularly close to the collateral branches of the Zhang family...

Suddenly, a bodyguard rushed in, his steps faltering, his face filled with panic.