Hu Tingzhi found it hard to accept Sun Miao'er's statement. He had always thought that whoever Xiaoxiao took a liking to was a person who was incredibly lucky.
Who knew that Shanqiu wouldn't appreciate it and would break Xiaoxiao's heart.
Although they served the King of Wei and Xiaoxiao had no choice but to work as a prostitute in Duhuanlou, he still arranged for her to live a life comparable to that of a court noble in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities, just in case she was wronged.
So what if Xiaoxiao is a geisha? He set such a high bar that very few people have actually seen Xiaoxiao's face, let alone touched her body.
Is Shanqiu bothered by this?
Hu Tingzhi, who had just been angry with others because his sister was in love with Shanqiu, suddenly felt a nameless rage upon learning that Shanqiu didn't like his sister.
Sun Miao'er drew an analogy to this feeling, saying it was like... She initially thought a pig had eaten the cabbage, and angrily went to the field only to find that the pig didn't even bother to eat the cabbage.
Adding fuel to the fire, the anger was compounded by a sense of shame.
"Now that Miss Xiaoxiao knows that Shanqiu Wuyi is innocent, she has thought it through. It is precisely because she knows that Manager Hu will be angry that she dares not come in person," Sun Miao'er quickly added upon seeing the situation.
Hu Tingzhi's fist gradually loosened, and he slowly closed his eyes. After a long silence, he said, "Fine, take him away. Tell him that if he dares to provoke my Xiaoxiao again, I will definitely not let him off!"
"Thank you, Manager Hu!" Seeing that he had agreed, Sun Miao'er felt relieved. She decided to visit Duhuanlou less often in the future, as neither she nor her brother were easy to offend.
Sun Miao'er turned and opened the door, and Hu Tingzhi's voice came from behind her:
"Wait, I'll go with Miss Sun. She doesn't know the way, so I'll show her the way."
Hu Tingzhi's feigned ease was all too obvious. He had been thinking of getting rid of Shan Qiu as soon as possible so he wouldn't have to see him anymore.
But suddenly he wanted to see what kind of extraordinary abilities Shan Qiu had that made Xiaoxiao take him so seriously!
His appearance was clearly only above average, he held no royal title, and his family was extremely poor; he simply didn't meet his standards.
The hidden chambers of Duhuan Tower lived up to their name. Hu Tingzhi led the way, passing from one pavilion to another, repeating the route four or five times. The paths inside Duhuan Tower were like a maze; although each place was extremely similar, they were not the same place at all.
After passing by dozens of similar rooms, we finally arrived at the outside of a side room.
This place is tucked away in a corner, and it's hard to find unless you're really looking for it; even if you pass by, you might easily overlook it.
Hu Tingzhi took out his key from his waist, and the lock clicked open with a crisp sound.
It was very dark inside, almost as dark as Hu Tingzhi's study.
With his hands and feet bound, Shan Qiu stood in the light. When he saw Hu Tingzhi arrive, he remained calm and asked, "Manager Hu, do you know what the punishment is for using torture on a government official?"
Hu Tingzhi scoffed, "Officer Shan, have you ever heard the saying, 'Even a mighty dragon can't defeat a local snake, and a tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs'?"
Sun Miao'er thought to herself: These are two sentences.
"I did not intend to offend Miss Dongli, but I hope that Miss Dongli can cooperate with the investigation." Shan Qiu's face was dignified, showing no fear despite being tied up.
He's definitely a tough guy.
Hu Tingzhi strode forward and walked to the vicinity of Danqiu.
Sun Miao'er watched from afar and noticed that the two of them were about the same height. Perhaps it was because Hu Tingzhi had been too easy to talk to before, but she subconsciously felt that Hu Tingzhi was shorter.
As Hu Tingzhi's lips twitched, his mustache also twitched. "Did Lord Zhang tell Chief Constable Shan that some cases can be investigated, and some cases cannot?"
"Why was Lord Zhang demoted to this place? Could it be that you, Shanqiu, are not involved?"
Dan Qiu froze, the surprise flashing across his face quickly concealed, and said, "You... you actually knew? Just who are you?"
Hu Tingzhi patted Shan Qiu on the shoulder and replied, "Me? I'm just an ordinary businessman who wants to do business honestly and responsibly. But there are people who just don't want me to have a good life. What can I do?"
"Haven't you learned your lesson yet?" Hu Tingzhi's tone was laced with mockery and provocation.
These words were like a sharp knife, piercing Shan Qiu's heart. He had investigated the case impartially, but it resulted in Lord Zhang being accused of lax management and being demoted from the capital to Yingzhou, reduced to a minor county magistrate.
Knowing he felt guilty, he followed him all the way, but Lord Zhang told him that one should strive to have a clear conscience in one's conduct and actions.
Enough is enough, one lesson is enough, but how can I betray my conscience?
Seeing that he remained silent, Hu Tingzhi continued, "If I remember correctly, Lord Zhang was a second-place scholar in the imperial examinations, riding high on his success, with a bright future ahead of him! All of that was ruined by you. If he hadn't been demoted, he would be a fourth-rank official by now."
"So, are you still going to investigate?" Hu Tingzhi suddenly tightened his grip on Shan Qiu's shoulder, shoving him against the wall.
Danqiu fell backward against the wall, his head hitting the wall hard with a dull thud.
Sun Miao'er knew that Shan Qiu could be hidden; his physique and skills were superior to Hu Tingzhi's.
But he didn't want to hide. It turned out that Lord Zhang had come to Pingnan City because of him.
Shan Qiu no longer wanted to know how Hu Tingzhi learned about these old stories. He had thought that once they were in a place where no one knew them, the matter would be forgotten.
But he was wrong. His conscience tormented him day and night. The adult often made small mistakes these days, but only he knew that the adult was pretending to be confused, after all, he had suffered the pain of being clear-headed before.
Lord Zhang, who once wholeheartedly sought justice and the principles of heaven, has gradually become more worldly-wise through the hardships of the world. Only by tempering his sharp edge can he protect them.
Lord Zhang appreciated him and recommended him for an official position, but his stubbornness brought trouble to Lord Zhang's family.
“If you continue investigating, you’ll only repeat the same mistakes.” Hu Tingzhi whispered in his ear, loosening the ropes binding his hands, without mentioning Dongli Xiaoxiao at all. “Captain Shan, you choose.”
The rope in Shan Qiu's hand fell to the ground with a thud. He looked up, his eyes clear, took two steps forward, and walked to Sun Miao'er's side. "Miss Sun is here too. What a coincidence. Let's go."
When they came out of the secret chamber, Wang Xueru and Wei Jingnian were already waiting.
"Officer Shan? What a coincidence, you're here to listen to music too?" Wang Xueru was still immersed in the heavenly music and subconsciously greeted Shan Qiu.
Dan Qiu's face was solemn, his calves felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and each step required a great deal of effort. He said in a low voice, "I won't come again."
"What's wrong with Officer Shan?" Wang Xueru asked Sun Miao'er as she watched Shan Qiu walk forward on his own.
Sun Miao'er couldn't laugh; she just forced a smile and said, "He's never always been like this."
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