The clash (Part 1)

“I think this place is quite isolated. The advantage of a small place is that there are few people, making it memorable,” Zhao Yi explained in detail, sharing his opinion. “I remember the address mentioned in Xiao Zhong’s notice. We can go there and investigate first.”

“I don’t agree.” Chen Zhuangmu shook her head and said, “Xiao Zhong did it for the family, so his accomplices must know what he did, and they must have moved to another place.”

"Moreover, Xiao Zhong was at the height of his power. If he succeeds, he will definitely have his accomplices move to a place where it is easier to strike."

“Our main goal is to find out if anyone has seen Xiao Zhong and his accomplices.” After Chen Zhuangmu finished speaking, she suddenly leaned closer to him and said solemnly, “I think we can do it in style.”

"I'd like to hear the details," Zhao Yi said, showing great interest.

“We’ve brought quite a few portraits of Xiao Zhong with us. Why don’t we set up a platform and put them up there so everyone in the area can see them? Don’t say anything bad about him; just say he’s become a high-ranking official. Anyone who can name him will receive something.” Chen Zhuangmu rested her chin on her hand and asked, “What do you think?”

"I'm wondering if everyone here is in cahoots?" Zhao Yi rubbed his chin and voiced his question.

These words made them both uneasy. Although it was unlikely, what if it was?

"Find the child!" Chen Zhuangmu slammed her hand on the table excitedly, her bright eyes radiating absolute confidence. "The child will tell his family that there are people who deliberately hide, but no one can hide it so well."

Zhao Yi nodded. "It's a feasible plan. There are still many unclear situations. Let's go and check out the local customs tomorrow and then adapt to the circumstances."

The two discussed their plan and decided to scout out the route the next day to figure out their escape route. The people here seem to be more united; there aren't any truly vicious individuals here.

Because they had things to do tomorrow, they went to bed early tonight. But Zhao Yi, lying on the soft recliner, heard the sound of Chen Zhuangmu turning over and over, and seemed to hear faint sighs.

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year.

He couldn't see anything inside, but Zhao Yi remembered the location of the bridal bed. He stood up and pushed it towards the bed, making the wooden floor creak.

"What are you doing?" Shen Zhuangmu turned over and asked when she heard the noise. Before she could finish speaking, she felt Zhao Yi's aura suddenly approach and then suddenly disappear.

"Zhao Yi." Chen Zhuangmu sat up, looking blankly at the darkness beside her.

Suddenly, her hand was grabbed.

"I'm here." Warm fingertips caressed her palm twice. "Go to sleep."

Chen Zhuangmu was surprised that he could sense even her subtle emotions. At this moment, their hands were clasped together, and the warmth between their inseparable palms seemed to overcome all difficulties.

She still couldn't sleep, and her hand moved slightly, but was suddenly grabbed. "Zhuangmu, go to sleep."

"good."

Following the path of the sun, people judged the time based on their own experience, and with each step they took, the light became a little clearer.

After walking countless steps, it was already daytime. The people here have almost no competitive spirit and little pressure; they all went out to stroll around and make New Year's decorations.

Even without any deliberate noise, the sounds of people chatting and hawking their wares drifted into the upper rooms of the inn.

The two quickly tidied up and went downstairs for a meal, taking the opportunity to see if there was anything special about the place.

Surely it couldn't be worse than the food outside the city, right? With the same thought in mind, the two sat down at the only table at the stall, and the owner immediately handed them the menu.

The two of them peered at the single piece of paper, which clearly listed three dishes.

"Jingdong stewed chicken, wontons, and pickled vegetable soup."

The two flipped the menu over, only to find that there were only three items on it. Their plan to satisfy their hunger as revenge had backfired.

"We want them all." They handed the menu to the shopkeeper.

But right after they finished speaking, the man they had met yesterday brought out the "Jingdong Stewed Chicken," and after putting it down, he brought out two bowls of wontons and a pot of soup.

The man still smelled strongly of oil, so it seemed he had just finished cooking.

They weren't people who indulged in gluttony, but after eating two days of unpalatable food, they inevitably needed something delicious to soothe their souls. The three dishes in front of them didn't smell good, and their colors were far from appealing.

I was thinking of quickly shoveling down a few bites of rice to get to work, but the moment I put the stewed chicken in my mouth, I really wanted to exclaim how unique it was. The chicken must have been deep-fried first, then stewed in a rich broth to retain its juices and tender texture.

Jingdong cuisine refers to a mixture of various pickled vegetables, but the vegetables selected here are all similar in flavor and stewed together, so the flavors won't mix.

The remaining two dishes were neither particularly good nor bad, but the stewed chicken awakened their taste buds and was devoured in no time.

"How was the food?"

They turned around at the sound, only to be startled by what they saw behind them. The shopkeepers peeked out from behind the counter, their faces beaming as they eagerly asked, "Is it delicious?"

Startled by Chen Zhuangmu and Zhao Yi's attitude, she remained silent, her eyes flashing with wariness.

"The menu is new today! There wasn't one before!"

The two breathed a sigh of relief; so that's what it was. They had thought it had been drugged.

"Delicious! You could open a shop specializing in stewed chicken." Chen Zhuangmu praised repeatedly, drinking the last sip of soup.

"Shopkeeper, where's the liveliest place in the city?" Almost forgetting her business, Chen Zhuangmu hurriedly asked.

"Oh dear, it's not very lively there. But there's a place called East Corner. It's a big area, and they hang red lanterns and flower lanterns there during the New Year. Just walk to the end and then turn east." The innkeeper kindly came out to give directions. The two understood, thanked the innkeeper, and set off on their journey.

Today was noticeably more lively than yesterday, mainly due to the abundance of different shades of red.

Red lanterns, red flags, and red candied hawthorns. The laughter of children playing in groups filled the air. The east corner was indeed more lively, with more people. But it wasn't a place specifically for playing; rather, because of the large space, everyone gathered together. A small tree nearby was covered with red ribbons, probably for praying for blessings.

Since they were here to support Xiao Zhong, they definitely needed some kind of stage, but there was no need to look here, and there wasn't one anyway. But then Chen Zhuangmu had a sudden inspiration: surely there must be weddings in the village? And surely the people who sell wedding-related items would have some.

So after they took a walk around the east corner to get the news, they hurriedly went to buy a table. As it turned out, all the customs here were very simple.

No platform was needed for the wedding; a sedan chair was carried out. Zhao Yi, being tall, noticed several tall wooden stools in the corner, so he rented two and bought a large red cloth.

After arranging the long wooden benches and covering them with a red cloth, it actually looked quite presentable. The two exchanged a glance and both smiled.

An unprofessional con artist.

Because of this, they had a quick lunch. Zhao Yi ate a little something, while Chen Zhuangmu simply drank some soup. She had a problem: she couldn't eat the same dishes for breakfast and lunch, but she could eat them every other meal.

The two arrived at the east corner early, set up the place, and then other people gradually arrived.

Chen Zhuangmu covered the entire wall with Xiao Zhong's portrait. Xiao Zhong probably never expected to become so famous in his hometown.

"Come, come, come..." Zhao Yi was greeting people, but he couldn't help laughing as soon as he said it. He quickly turned around and lowered his head, afraid that someone would see through his act.

He was strange indeed. In the imperial court, he could feign compliance and speak of human and ghost matters with ease. Not to mention lying, if he kowtowed to someone at midnight, he might have evidence of that person's crimes in his hands at the very next second.

He thought it would be an easy task, but it was clearly not for him.

Chen Zhuangmu was much better. She deliberately avoided looking at Zhao Yi and focused on attracting the children, taking out a small piece of candy from her pocket to coax them to find their parents.

The sugar was coarse, with a prickly surface; you had to lick it in your mouth to detect even a hint of sweetness. You couldn't buy good candied fruit here, but sugar was also scarce; even the shops didn't sell much.

The adults, perhaps hoping to get something and join in the fun, formed a circle around them.

They looked around and realized it was time.

They abandoned all pretense of dignity and started shouting wildly.

"Come and see! Lord Xiao Zhong has brought rewards! Eggs, rice, sweet dumplings, you name it!"

There was no need to shout so loudly; everyone was so close that they heard it long ago. People looked at the picture on the wall, their expressions as if they were looking at a complete stranger. They glanced at it quickly and then reached for the prize next to it.

Most people are extremely polite and will never take more than they are entitled to. If they do take something, they will simply thank them immediately and then step back.

As the number of people dwindled until only a few scattered groups of three or five remained, just when everyone thought the method was ineffective, Chen Zhuangmu happened to spot a person wearing a gray cloth hat fighting in the distance.

He stood on the opposite side of the road, frowning and squinting as he tried to make out the image in the painting. After staring at it for a moment, he was horrified, lowered his head, and slipped away.

Something's definitely fishy! The two exchanged a glance, Zhao Yi ripped the painting off the wall, Chen Zhuangmu hastily finished dividing the remaining items, and chased after the person who had left.

The advantage of a small place is that you can't go anywhere.

Zhao Yi flipped over and stood on the edge of the tiled house. Chen Zhuangmu waited by the wall for him to bring the person over. She rested against the wall with her hands on her knees.

The sound of her loud shouting echoed in her ears, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud. She didn't know what was so funny, but she was just happy.

After being murdered on Xiyu Street in Huijing, she felt uneasy being alone outside, but now, leaning against the wall, she feels at ease. She couldn't say which was better, the bustling and lively Huijing or the remote and quiet Xiyao County.

"Hey hey hey... Young master, why are you pulling me?" The clattering sound of cloth shoes on the ground was particularly noticeable. When Chen Zhuangmu turned her head, Zhao Yi had already come over by lifting the clothes off the man's shoulder.

"You...you've gone too far!" The man in the gray hat was so angry he almost jumped up, glaring at the two of them with his head held high, but he was too short and too embarrassed to turn away.

"Why are you running?" Zhao Yi crossed his arms and blocked his way, his relaxed smile gone, replaced by an aggressive attitude.

"You're chasing me, but I'm not running away?"

"You must be quite familiar with Xiao Zhong, right?" Chen Zhuangmu asked slowly, lowering her voice. She walked around behind the man and began to explain.

"This area was thoroughly investigated by the imperial court two months ago. Just when life was about to improve, Xiao Zhong committed a crime in the city. We need to capture the people who protected him before we can release him."

A few simple words quickly ran through his mind, enough for him to figure out the purpose of the young man and woman in front of him.

Zhao Yi had appeared behind her without her noticing, his eyes meticulously tracing her slightly raised head, her raised eyebrows, and her smiling eyes.

Noticing Zhao Yi's gaze, she closed her mouth after speaking. She forcibly suppressed her pounding heart and breathed slowly.

It seems the poison has penetrated deeply.

"What were you trying to do just now? Report a message?" Zhao Yi strode towards the man, who was forced to retreat further and further.

“He’s only been in the court for twenty years, and not everyone in the village has died yet. If you don’t confess the truth, you can die on this land where you’ve lived most of your life.” Zhao Yi’s voice grew louder and softer as he spoke. The man didn’t hear what he was saying at all; he only knew that the situation was getting more and more dangerous, so he could only turn to the woman beside him for help.

Chen Zhuangmu saw the signs and grabbed Zhao Yi's hand, but it was suddenly squeezed into his palm and stroked forcefully again and again.

What's going on? Confused, she let him hold her hand, thinking she should finish the important business first.

The old man couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Are you interrogating me or just being all lovey-dovey? Who said I ran away? I'm going to my job!"

Taking up a new job? Now it was their turn to have doubts.

Although the Kingdom of Qun desires to ensure that all land within its borders is protected and that every inch of land bears the official seal of the Kingdom of Qun, it has been unable to achieve this goal for many years.

This place is so remote that there shouldn't be any government offices here. This is probably why the emperor sent them here to investigate.

"You don't believe me?" He put his hands on his hips, raised his head defiantly, and said, "My surname is Huang, and I can take you to see for yourself."

Chen Zhuangmu stared at him for a while, but couldn't see through his act. Curious, she nodded. The two then followed Old Man Huang to see the government office.

Putting everything else aside, on their very first day there, they had already explored the entire county. Although it was a county, its system was no different from that of a small village.

I thought it was a system of deputies, but I didn't expect there to actually be a government office here.

They were standing in front of the government office, but to be honest, none of them recognized it. The small house in front of them was obviously smaller than the neighboring houses, with only two bare stone steps above the entrance, not even a plaque.

Could this tiny house, even more shabby than the average neighbor's, be the government office?

"Uncle, where are the words 'government office' written?" Chen Zhuangmu asked after scanning the room.

Old Huang, looking humiliated, took two steps toward the wall with a gloomy expression, pointed to a blurry spot on the wall, and said, "Here!"

They leaned closer to look carefully and finally made out a square outline on the wall. The edges were curled and tattered, but the two characters "府衙" (Fuya, meaning government office) were barely legible in the center.

This is a plaque made of paper.

The two of them fell silent, completely unsure how to start a conversation. To put it bluntly, who knows if someone is real or fake? If he is real, then they should be able to get some useful information out of him.

A cool breeze began to blow, making the already tense situation even more delicate. The three glanced at each other every now and then, each secretly calculating their own moves. With the rustling of the breeze, the other two became somewhat flustered.

"Aren't you going to invite us in?" Zhao Yi took a step forward, raising an eyebrow and smiling.

Old Huang didn't answer. He clenched his grayish-yellow clothes and silently blocked the doorway, his hostility obvious.

Chen Zhuangmu watched as Zhao Yi approached Old Man Huang more and more closely. Old Man Huang's back was already against the wall, and he opened his mouth to shout something, but Zhao Yi quickly covered it with the red cloth he was holding. Then Zhao Yi swiftly demonstrated how to kidnap someone.

"Where did you find this place?" Chen Zhuangmu asked, watching him tie the knot. "It's still unclear, so don't tie it too tightly."