Although Nianli and Siyan didn't quite understand the adults' pain, seeing everyone's serious expressions, they also bowed obediently. Nianli whispered, "Grandma, Nianli will give you the golden pepper, and you won't feel any pain."
After leaving the ancestral hall, Prime Minister Su's eyes grew even more resolute. He looked at his family and said, "We can't just sit there and wait for death. Jiang Yan, you'll investigate the Zhouji Silk Shop tomorrow, and you must proceed with caution. Jin Li, continue sorting out the previous clues to see if there's anything you've missed. Young Marquis, strengthen the security at the Prime Minister's residence, just in case."
Jiang Yan nodded and said, "Don't worry, father-in-law. I will investigate carefully."
Su Jinli said: "Dad, I will check it carefully."
Young Marquis Su clenched his fists and said, "Father, I will definitely protect the Prime Minister's Mansion."
A night passed, and the next morning, sunlight shone through the clouds, illuminating the streets and alleys of the capital. Jiang Yan rose early, changed into casual clothes, and headed for Zhouji Silk Shop in the East Market. The East Market had always been one of the most prosperous places in the capital, bustling with people. Jiang Yan weaved through the crowd and quickly found Zhouji Silk Shop.
The silk shop wasn't large, but it was beautifully decorated. Jiang Yan walked in, pretending to select silks while secretly observing the goings-on. The shop assistants greeted him warmly, and Jiang Yan chatted with them while keeping an eye on the surroundings.
"Business at your silk shop seems to be good." Jiang Yan said with a smile.
The waiter smiled and said, "Thank you for your compliment, sir. Our shop relies entirely on the care of our regular customers."
Jiang Yan pretended to be casual and asked, "I heard that you guys have a special amount of money deposited into your account on the 15th of every month?"
The waiter was slightly startled, a trace of vigilance flashed in his eyes, and he said, "Where did you hear that, sir? We don't have any special money in this shop."
Jiang Yan knew in his heart that this clerk must know something. He calmly took out a silver ingot from his pocket, placed it on the counter, and said, "I'm just curious. If the clerk can tell me something, this silver ingot is yours."
The clerk looked at the silver on the counter, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. Finally, he succumbed to the temptation and said in a low voice, "Since you're asking, you must know something. To be honest, every fifteenth day of the month, a mysterious person does come to deliver silver, but I don't know who it is. I only know that the amount is quite large."
Jiang Yan's heart moved, and he continued to ask: "What does this mysterious person look like?"
The clerk frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "That man always covered his face, so I couldn't see his appearance clearly. However, I remember he was tall and walked with a slight limp."
Jiang Yan nodded, asked a few more questions, and then left the silk shop. He knew in his heart that this mysterious man was likely connected to the conspiracy of Minister Gao and Doctor Zhou. He decided to continue his investigation along this clue.
Meanwhile, Su Jinli, in the Prime Minister's residence, carefully reviewed the clues she had gathered. She sorted through all the information related to the Zhou family, trying to find some connections. She discovered that the Zhou family seemed to have connections with some powerful people in the capital, but these connections were extremely secretive and would have been undetectable without careful investigation.
Young Marquis Su, meanwhile, was inside the Prime Minister's residence, directing the servants to strengthen the security. He personally inspected every corner of the residence, ensuring nothing was overlooked. He knew that Minister Gao would not give up, and the Prime Minister's residence could be in danger at any moment.
As the days passed, Jiang Yan's investigation made new progress. Through his secret guards' investigation, he discovered that the mysterious man who sent money to Zhouji Silk Shop on the 15th of every month was similar to a steward in Minister Gao's residence. Moreover, this steward was in charge of some secret affairs in Minister Gao's residence.
Jiang Yan told Su Jinli and Prime Minister Su the news. Prime Minister Su's face grew grave upon hearing this. "It seems Minister Gao's relationship with the Zhou family is even more complicated than we imagined. We must find solid evidence as soon as possible to bring Minister Gao to justice," Prime Minister Su said.
Su Jinli nodded and said, "Dad, I think we can start with this housekeeper. Perhaps we can dig out more clues from him."
Jiang Yan pondered for a moment and said, "Madam is right. But this steward must be a close confidant of Minister Gao. It may not be easy to get him to speak. We need to come up with a comprehensive plan."
Young Marquis Su said from the side: "Brother-in-law, how about I bring people to capture him and torture him severely? I don't believe he won't speak."
Jiang Yan shook his head and said, "Young Marquis, don't be reckless. Minister Gao must be wary of his steward. If we act rashly, we might not only alert the enemy, but also make the steward deny it. We need to outsmart him."
After some discussion, they devised a plan. Jiang Yan assigned secret guards to closely monitor the butler's every move, looking for the right moment to lure him out of the mansion. Meanwhile, Su Jinli prepared fabricated evidence, attempting to trick the butler into believing Minister Gao was abandoning him, thereby forcing him to reveal the truth in order to protect himself.
Finally, one night, the butler left Minister Gao's residence alone. Upon learning the news, Jiang Yan immediately led his secret guards to ambush the butler on the way, captured him, and took him to a secret location.
The butler was led to a dimly lit room. Seeing Jiang Yan and the others, he immediately understood everything. He feigned composure and said, "Who are you? How dare you kidnap me? Aren't you afraid of Minister Gao's revenge?"
Jiang Yan sneered and said, "Butler, at this point, you're still being stubborn. Do you think Minister Gao will protect you? We already have enough evidence to prove that you and Minister Gao conspired to poison Madam Su. In order to protect himself, Minister Gao has already planned to push you out as a scapegoat."
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