Chapter 186: I'm telling you to win people's hearts, not to crash into my heart.

Pei Yuan coughed until his face turned red.

Chen Chu was startled and quickly went over to him, patting him on the back.

Are you alright?

He felt Chen Chu's palm gently land on his back, the warmth of his palm seemed to burn through his skin and strike his heart.

Pei Yuan coughed even more violently.

Chen Chu poured a glass of water and handed it to her.

"Hurry up and drink some water."

After drinking two glasses of water, Pei Yuan finally managed to swallow the pungent spiciness.

My throat is burning and sore.

But I wasn't really panicked.

He glared at Chen Chu and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Who's jealous?"

Shen Chu said confidently, "It's you, you're just jealous."

"I don't."

"You do have it, otherwise why would you choke? This is a sign that you're guilty."

Shen Chu's eyes widened. "You're jealous that I'm more popular with girls than you are."

We came to Anhua Prefecture together, and I already have girls who like me, but you don't.

Pei Yuan was stunned for a moment, and suddenly his heart was not so panicked anymore.

So that's what she meant by jealousy.

He thought...

Why?

My heart started racing again.

Pei Yuan dared not think too deeply and snorted coldly: "This prince would not be so petty as to be jealous."

Everything I said to Zhang Lan was for your own good, yet instead of being grateful to this prince, you harbor unfounded suspicions.

It seems I've been too lenient with you lately.

I've already said it all along, and you still say you have nothing to hide?

Forget it, I won't expose his pride.

Thinking she had guessed his thoughts, Shen Chu changed the subject, saying, "Anyway, Your Highness ruined my plan, so what should we do now?"

Pei Yuan scoffed, "At a time like this, you still have the mood to go out and eat noodles with a beauty."

"Aren't you just trying to tell the person behind the scenes that Yao Sihai's death won't affect our investigation?"

Shen Chu nodded.

Pei Yuan indeed understood her thoughts.

They just arrested Jiang Hongzhi this morning, and Yao Sihai died. At this moment, someone must be secretly watching her and Pei Yuan.

She made a point of having dinner with Zhang Lan to send a signal to the person behind the scenes.

Yao Sihai's death had no impact on them.

In this way, the people behind the scenes will definitely suspect that they have other evidence, or that Jiang Hongzhi has confessed to some other information.

Shen Chu said, "Although we now have the ledger and Lei Ying's testimony, Yao Sihai's suicide note also says that Jiang Hongzhi was threatened into participating."

If it cannot be confirmed that Jiang Hongzhi was a major participant in the illegal salt trade, then he can only be convicted of murder for profit and mistreatment of salt workers.

Even if he is sentenced to death, the trail goes cold when it reaches Yao Sihai, and it will be very difficult for us to find out who is behind it all.

This is the only way I can use to fish for prey. As long as the person behind it has doubts, they will inevitably take action, and once they do, we can catch them red-handed.

Pei Yuan remained noncommittal, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her.

"You speak so eloquently, it seems you already have someone you suspect. Tell me more."

Shen Chu's gaze shifted slightly.

Despite all that she had said, Pei Yuan remained calm and composed.

It seems he must have had doubts for a long time.

She chuckled, "Why should I speak first? Your Highness is so clever, you must already have a direction in mind."

Why don't we write it down on the table at the same time?

"What? Trying to test me?"

Can I take the exam?

"able."

Pei Yuan looked at Shen Chu, who was smiling broadly across from him, and smiled helplessly.

"Let's begin."

The two exchanged a glance, dipped their hands in tea, and began writing on the table.

A moment later, the two stopped and looked at each other.

On the clean desktop, the same word is written on both sides.

Feng.

The two of them paused for a moment, then looked at each other simultaneously.

Their eyes met, and Pei Yuan noticed a hint of amusement in them.

"It seems that Lord Shen and I are becoming more and more in sync. Would you say we are on the same wavelength?"

Shen Chu's face inexplicably felt hot.

If it's just tacit understanding, why say we're of one mind?

It makes your heart race.

She tried to focus all her attention on the case and said:

"The fact that someone could drive a fourth-rank prefect to his death shows that the person behind the scenes must have a higher position and power than Yao Sihai, so much so that Yao Sihai didn't even dare to turn himself in and be tried, and would rather choose to commit suicide by swallowing gold."

Looking across Changsha Prefecture, only the Feng family held more power than Yao Sihai.

Pei Yuan nodded, "I've already had someone investigate. In Changsha Prefecture, the Feng family is led by Master Feng the Second."

He is the younger brother of Grand Secretary Feng and the Empress. He has not served in any official position in recent years, but has been managing the family business.

With the Feng family's power, it wouldn't be difficult for them to interfere in the salt administration.

There are two things I'm particularly curious about right now.

The initial question was, "First, the distribution of smuggled salt; second, why the Feng family would protect Jiang Hongzhi."

Jiang Hongzhi refused to confess, and Lei Ying didn't know where the smuggled salt was sold.

They had only been in Leigongzhai for a little over two months transporting smuggled salt.

This is the first shipment yet.

Before the goods had even left the Xijiang Wharf, Shen Chu and Pei Yuan arrived in Anhua County.

Pei Yuan laughed, raising his eyebrows and smiling broadly.

"I told you we're on the same page, didn't I? I've only just started, and you already know what I'm going to say."

Chen Chu...

We can't avoid the topic of mutual understanding, can we?

"Your Highness, we are discussing the case."

Pei Yuan looked completely innocent. "I was talking about the case too. What else did you think I was talking about?"

Shen Chu opened her mouth, but was speechless.

Pei Yuan put away the jade-bone fan and chuckled softly.

"Your fishing scheme may be well-intentioned, but it may not be effective. The fact that the Feng family has been able to maintain their position in the court for so many years shows that they are patient and will not be easily fooled."

Ordinary tactics won't work against this kind of person; you have to win their hearts and minds.

"Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy? What does Your Highness intend to do?"

Pei Yuan said nothing more, got up and walked out.

"If you want to know, just think about it yourself."

Shen Chu quickly chased after him, "Your Highness, how can you only say half of what you mean? Who does that?"

This is just plain suspense.

"You really want to know?"

Pei Yuan spoke, but his pace did not slow down.

Chen Chu had no choice but to quicken her pace to catch up. "Of course."

"Heh, you want to know, so you have to tell me? You're the presiding judge, I'm just here to suppress bandits."

"How can Your Highness say that? His Majesty has entrusted the task of cleaning up the salt administration to the two of us. This is a matter for the two of us."

Pei Yuan kept walking.

Shen Chu gritted her teeth and chased after him.

"Sixth Brother, please teach me."

Pei Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Shen Chu didn't have time to stop and crashed headfirst into it.

His nose slammed straight into Pei Yuan's chest.

The pain made her gasp, and she covered her nose, glaring at Pei Yuan.

Before she could speak, Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow and smiled.

There was a hint of malice in his laughter.

"I'm telling you to win people's hearts, not to crash into my heart."

Shen Chu covered her nose, her face turning red.

That's a statement that really makes one's imagination run wild.

"Who bumped into your heart? If you hadn't suddenly stopped, how could I have bumped into you?"

You...you're clearly just teasing me on purpose."