Chapter 71
County Magistrate Zhen raised his hand and patted Qiao Shengyao on the back to calm him down.
The stutterer spoke intermittently, his hands anxiously clutching County Magistrate Zhen's official uniform, causing wrinkles to form. "Father, mother...elder brother, and sister-in-law are...seven months pregnant, and our nephew hasn't even been born yet...and then..."
County Magistrate Zhen was not angry at Qiao Shengyao's transgression, and his eyes were filled with a hint of kindness:
"Good boy, don't cry, don't cry. It was your uncle's weakness that caused your father to be wronged. Don't worry, once the murderer is caught, your uncle will reopen the investigation into the Qiao family fire."
The sound of footsteps caught the attention of County Magistrate Zhen. He looked up, revealing a haggard, tired, yet relieved smile: "A Ming, you're here."
Li Ming paused: "Uncle Zhen..."
Before Li Ming could finish, County Magistrate Zhen spoke first: "A Ming, you're here to see Zhu Dayong, right? Let me speak first."
"Zhu Dayong is with me. I plan to use him to lure out the murderer. Ah Ming, you and your men should stay out of the Yinshi case."
"I'm not trying to compete with you for credit." County Magistrate Zhen curled his lips. "I've actually been thinking a lot these days. I've been avoiding things for too long. If I'd been braver, perhaps the Yinshi Case wouldn't have happened, and justice could have been served to Lord Li, Mr. Qiao, and the servants of the Qiao Mansion who died unjustly."
"I've lived for so many years now, and my children have their own lives. Even if something happens to me, my wife has them to take care of her. I can't run away anymore, otherwise how can I face Lord Li and Mr. Qiao in my afterlife?"
"A Ming, you are now the captain of the Six Gates. You have a bright future and don't need to be bound by the past. Let me reinvestigate the Yinshi case, the fire case, and Lord Li's corruption case."
"If anything happens to me again, it would be the first spark. Ah Ming, you should stop getting involved. Take Ah Yao and leave Fengshui County as quickly as possible. Go back and find your master."
"Your master is one of the four great captains of the Six Gates. With his protection, I believe the truth will eventually come out."
County Magistrate Zhen had made up his mind, and Zhu Dayong was also persuaded by County Magistrate Zhen in advance to make meritorious service while serving his sentence.
County Magistrate Zhen patted Li Ming's shoulder and said, "Now is the day to arrest the murderer first to prevent him from committing further evil. Afterwards, we can make Zhu Dayong tell the truth."
Before Zhu Dayong was released, he looked at Li Ming and then at County Magistrate Zhen: "You are sure you will protect my safety, right?"
"As long as you obey my orders, I promise."
After Zhu Dayong left, County Magistrate Zhen raised his hand and touched Li Ming's shoulder. "We'll wait until the criminal is brought to justice before we review what happened back then. Ah Ming, do you understand?"
Li Ming nodded: "The first priority is indeed to catch the criminal to prevent him from continuing to do evil."
County Magistrate Zhen nodded with satisfaction: "Now the city has set up a tight net, and we must make sure that the criminal will never return." As he spoke, County Magistrate Zhen revealed a rare murderous aura.
"Zhu Dayong was thrown out as bait. Will it work? Will the criminal really take the bait?" Tieyi was a little uncertain.
"We'll know soon whether he comes or not." Tie Er was more open-minded: "Even if he doesn't come, he can't escape. If we investigate slowly, we'll eventually catch him."
However, no one expected that an accident would happen again.
As soon as Zhu Dayong left the county government office and before the plan began, he disappeared right under the nose of the secretly supervising government officials.
Or he ran away on his own, but this is unlikely. The whole city is under martial law. Unless he finds another way to leave the city, it is only a matter of time before he is caught. If he is arrested again, the crime will only be more serious.
Or, he was captured by the criminal.
However, Zhu Dayong had been detained before. How did the prisoners know that Zhu Dayong would be released today and knew his route so clearly? There is only one answer -
[Oh my god, the crime was committed by an acquaintance, and the culprit is inside the government office.]
Who is it?
Yes, who is it?
Li Ming had also thought of what the audience was thinking. His eyes swept over the faces of several people who knew the complete action plan one by one, and what he saw were faces that were equally angry and puzzled.
"Boss? What now?"
"Proceed as planned." The voices of Li Ming and County Magistrate Zhen sounded at the same time.
Li Ming turned to look at County Magistrate Zhen. He stroked his beard, put his hands behind his back, and said in a deep voice, "The murderer took the risk of capturing Zhu Dayong. It's impossible that he did it to treat him well."
"The Yin hour must have a significant meaning to the murderer. If he wanted to kill Zhu Dayong, he would definitely choose this time, let him die as a sinner repenting, and make it public."
"Starting tonight, teams of two will search the entire city for suspicious individuals. Use the whistle as a signal to pursue them!"
That night, the yamen runners lurking in various places all held their breath and concentrated. They didn't know what the prisoner looked like, but they had all heard of his cruelty.
Of course, the county magistrate did not let the two of them catch the murderer. Even if he asked them to do so, they would not dare to do so. All they had to do was send out a signal as soon as they discovered the whereabouts of the criminal. After the task was completed, they would receive a large reward. With the reward in front of them, the yamen runners mustered up the courage to actively participate in the operation.
The night watchman's voice echoed in the silent night: "It's dry, be careful with fire."
Second watch at Hai Hour: "Close doors and windows to prevent theft."
Time is approaching little by little.
At three o'clock in the morning, everything is peaceful and safe; at four o'clock in the morning, it is freezing cold.
The third watch started, and before the fourth watch, a spark ignited the long night.
"The fire is——"
"Someone come and help with the water."
The night is chaotic.
The firelight coming from the direction of Qiao Mansion caught the eyes of Li Ming and Han Jianchun, and they were both shocked.
They didn't expect that the murderer would actually attack Qiao Shengyao. Perhaps it was just a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain, or perhaps all their previous inferences were wrong.
At this time, there is no time to think too much.
Han Jianchun looked at Li Ming. Li Ming tightened the long sword beside him and ordered in a cold voice: "Tie Er, you and Jianchun take people to Qiao Mansion to put out the fire!"
The fire at the Qiao Mansion disrupted the county government's deployment. Fortunately, during the fire-fighting process, everyone found that there were not many people in the Qiao Mansion, and they were awakened by the old housekeeper's shouting shortly after the fire broke out.
It was Young Master Qiao, Han Jianchun, who brought his men to find Qiao Shengyao who was trapped in the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
The old butler who was always by Qiao Shengyao's side was gone, and he seemed to be frightened by the familiar firelight. Even though Han Jianchun was by his side to comfort and accompany him, he just had a pale face, looked into the distance without listening or saying anything.
Facing the direction of Qiao Mansion, a figure covered in a black robe was dragging a man who looked like a dead dog. The man's hands were empty.
The man in black robe was about to make Zhu Dayong kneel down, but suddenly, he took a quick step and dodged the blade coming from behind.
The hood fell off, revealing a demonic mask covering his face.
Li Ming jumped down from the roof. While everyone was putting out the fire, he had been waiting nearby. Li Ming's guess was correct, he waited.
As soon as they started fighting, Li Ming judged from the opponent's body shape and steps that the criminal was a master.
If the opponent's left hand holding the knife was not his dominant hand and his right hand was not weak and drooping, Li Ming would not be able to hurt him.
The nightgown and the flesh on the back were torn apart by the knife.
The man in black staggered, and suddenly, despite being hit by Li Ming's palm, he waved his hand to break Zhu Dayong's neck, and then he slipped into the night without any reluctance.
Li Ming gave an order: "Chase!"
On the other side, Han Jianchun was trying to comfort Qiao Shengyao, but Qiao Shengyao's eyes were always fixed on the direction of the fire.
"Xiao Qiao, why are you alone in the lake? Where is Uncle Yi?"
Suddenly, Qiao Shengyao stood up and looked into the distance: "I catch, catch insects, uncle accompanies me, fire, uncle goes to save, back, back."
Following Qiao Shengyao's gaze, Uncle Shouyi, wearing clothes that were somewhat torn by the fire, with blackened face and hair, and walking with a limp, was approaching from a distance.
Han Jianchun breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder Uncle Shouyi was not there. From what Xiao Qiao said, the child must have been unable to sleep and was making a fuss about catching bugs. Uncle Shouyi had no choice but to bring him out.
As a result, the Qiao Mansion caught fire again. Uncle Shouyi hurried back to take charge. He was afraid that the fire would spread and that Qiao Shengyao would make mistakes in the chaos, so he simply left everyone in the pavilion in the middle of the lake and sailed away.
Han Jianchun was relieved when Uncle Shouyi came back. If Uncle Shouyi had an accident while putting out the fire, Han Jianchun turned to look at Qiao Shengyao, who was looking very happy at the moment, and his eyes softened. He was afraid that silly little Qiao would not be able to bear the blow.
Uncle Shouyi, who was standing on the shore, got on the black-sailed boat, which was slowly rocking and getting closer and closer to the center of the lake.
However, at this moment, Li Ming appeared on the shore with Tie Yi and the yamen runners.
Tieyi raised his voice and said, "Tieer, don't let the murderer get close to Master Qiao."
Tie Er was stunned for a moment, but reacted quickly. He drew the big knife from his waist and jumped in front of Han Jianchun and Qiao Shengyao. He took a protective posture and looked coldly at the black-sailed boat and the old man on the boat.
Uncle Shouyi looked at Tie Er who was on high alert, then turned to look at Li Ming, the officials and others who were already forming a siege around the small lake behind him.
Pausing to row, the old man's honest face showed confusion: "What happened? What murderer? Has the murderer been found?"
No one responded, so the old man spoke again, even with a hint of amusement on his face: "What do you mean, Master Li, Master Han, and the officials? You don't mean to say that this old slave is the serial killer you found, do you?"
"Master, do you think so too?" Uncle Shouyi finally looked at Qiao Shengyao behind Tie Er and said with a smile, "Young Master, do you believe in this old slave?"
"Uncle, I, I think... um." Qiao Shengyao was stopped by Han Jianchun, interrupting his eye contact and communication with Uncle Shouyi.
Uncle Shouyi sighed, still smiling, and turned to look at Li Ming and his group behind him: "Young Master Li, why do you say that this old slave is the murderer? You wouldn't just grab someone to get the job done, like you did with Wang Hu, right?"
"How dare you! How dare you slander my master." Tie Yi glared angrily.
Li Ming raised his hand to signal Tie Yi to step back, then he looked at Uncle Shouyi and spoke calmly, "Qiao Shouyi, formerly known as Bi Haijie, was from Guangyang County. He was a knight-errant in his youth and learned from Xiaoyao Dao, earning the reputation of being a loyal and righteous swordsman."
"You were then involved in a dispute in the martial arts world and disappeared from sight. Some say you were seriously injured in that dispute and died shortly thereafter."
Li Ming flicked his wrist, and a letter appeared in his hand. "However, I asked a trusted friend in the underworld to help me investigate, and I got some different information."
"Friends in the martial arts world?" Uncle Shouyi chuckled. "In the eyes of the martial arts world, Master Li, you come from the Six Gates, so you're a lackey of the imperial court. Your reputation in the martial arts world isn't very good. Friends aren't always true friends. Be careful not to be deceived and lead to another false case."
Li Ming choked back Uncle Shouyi's words with one sentence: "Uncle Shouyi, or should I call you Uncle Bi? You are indeed a veteran of the martial arts world. Even after so many years away from it, you still understand the rules of the martial arts world clearly."
"Then you should have heard of my friend, Bo Wenzi of Qianjimen. The information he releases is true."
Uncle Shouyi's face twitched, and he fell silent. Li Ming continued, "Since ancient times, it has been difficult to be both loyal and filial. People in the martial arts world only know that Zhongyi Dao fights for justice, acts as a hero, and stands up for his friends. However, they don't know that Zhongyi Dao has a loving mother at home waiting for her son to return home from his long journey."
"During that conflict, Zhongyi Dao was indeed severely injured. He had his right hand severed while avenging his friend, and he also suffered severe internal injuries. Before his death, he looked at the clothes his mother had personally sewn for him, and remembered her face, which was always worried yet forced to smile, and tears welled up in his eyes."
"Zhongyi Dao lived for loyalty and righteousness for the first half of his life. For the rest of his life, he just wanted to serve his elderly mother. He was lucky enough to meet a group of people, led by the philanthropic Mr. Qiao."
"Before leaving, Zhongyidao said to Mr. Qiao: I owe you my life. Mr. Qiao smiled and waved his hand. He had helped too many people and did not take Zhongyidao's offer of repayment to heart."
"The Loyal Sword disappeared, and the Bi family relocated to a small village in Guangyang County, surrounded by lush green mountains and clear waters. From then on, they cultivated the land, and the mother and son were filial and devoted to each other until her death. After the mourning period ended, you, now middle-aged, packed your bags and headed for Fengshui Town, intending to repay Mr. Qiao's kindness."
After a pause, Li Ming continued, "When you arrived in Fengshui City, it had been two years since the Qiao family fire. You didn't expect that your benefactor and his family had already passed away. Fortunately, Mr. Qiao's youngest son survived."
"Before you could feel relieved for long, you discovered that Young Master Qiao was not doing well. After Mr. Qiao passed away, his distant relatives came to visit him. They ostensibly wanted to take care of the young master, but in reality, they were greedy and wanted to take over the Qiao family fortune for themselves."
"They took advantage of Xiao Qiao's lack of intelligence and beat and scolded him at every turn, allowing the young master to be bullied by servants. Furthermore, they even plotted to get rid of the young master."
"At that time, you had the intention to kill."
"After getting rid of the evil relatives, you were still worried about the young master's safety. You took the alias Shouyi and came to Xiao Qiao in person, taking care of him for more than ten years."
"During this time, you may have heard rumors from the neighborhood, or perhaps discovered other clues, and noticed the clues to the fire at the Qiao family that year, and began a multi-year investigation."
"The cook and the wet nurse were your first targets. The Qiao family treated them well, but they were ruthless and even worse than pigs and dogs, selling out their masters for personal gain. You killed them to avenge your benefactor, and before they died, you got the names of the people who ordered them."
"I found out that the official sent by the prefect at that time died of illness several years ago. Before the first Yinshi case occurred, you went on a long journey and found yourself at the place where this official was. I guess, if he is not dead, he is the first victim of the Yinshi case."
"Because of the Li County Magistrate case, and the friendship between County Magistrate Li and Mr. Qiao, Mr. Qiao even arranged County Magistrate Li's funeral and sent me away. He even wanted to spend all his family wealth and run around seeking justice for County Magistrate Li... and for my father, that's why he was murdered."
"The mastermind is dead, but many accomplices remain. They have returned to Fengshui Town. The government cannot reveal the truth, and the hidden accomplices within the government, you must personally send them to hell to repent and atone for their sins."
Uncle Shouyi clapped his hands. "I have to say, Master Li tells stories really well."
"Loyal Knife, if Master Li hadn't mentioned it, I would have really forgotten this old name. Master Li was right, my real name is Bi Haijie, and I came to Fengshui Town to repay my gratitude. Now that the Qiao family has only the young master left, I secretly decided that from now on, there will be no Bi Haijie in the world, only the old butler Qiao Shouyi."
"I will take good care of the young master on behalf of my benefactor and wait until he grows up, gets married, has children, and has many children and grandchildren."
The old butler looked at Qiao Shengyao again, his face as kind as ever, making it impossible to connect him with the vicious serial killer. The young master who was stopped by Han Jianchun seemed to realize something, and said hoarsely with red eyes: "Uncle..."
"As for the other things Master Li said, I don't understand, old man."
"You still don't admit it?" Li Ming sighed slightly. "When I received the news earlier, I also hoped that the person was not you. Uncle, can you take off your shirt? I clashed with the murderer before and injured him. Whether you are the murderer or not, we will know after a test."
The old butler's expression finally changed. Tie Yi and Tie Er also held long swords in their hands, ready to guard against the old butler's desperate move at any time.
In the silent stillness, all movements are magnified before my eyes.
The old butler slowly took off his hat, revealing the gauze that had been simply treated and soaked in blood.
The moment the scar on his back was exposed, the old butler lightly hooked his toes on the board, and the board flipped open. A cold light flashed, and a long knife was held in the old butler's palm.
Everyone's heart skipped a beat following the old butler's action.
"You should know you can't escape."
"Escape? Why should I run away? I'm avenging my benefactor and wanting those villains to pay with blood. What's wrong with that? You lackeys are forcing me to do what I want. But no one has come to redress the injustice of the 28 members of the Qiao family who died unjustly."
"You, Li Ming, the son of County Magistrate Li, your father was also murdered by those people. Zhu Dayong personally strangled County Magistrate Li in prison and fabricated the scene of his suicide by hanging."
Uncle Shouyi looked at Han Lichun again. Han Lichun lowered his lip corners and said, "Cao Li knew that Magistrate Li did not commit suicide. The Qiao family and the guards had consumed the soup spiked with ingredients beforehand and were burned to death in their sleep. Yet, he pretended to be deaf and dumb, turned a blind eye, and gave a false autopsy result."
"Master Han, do you know that the good old man you see has actually done so many things that desecrate the dead?"
"It's wrong for me to kill people, but the people I killed were all people who deserved death, yet they were still enjoying wealth and glory."
"They don't understand the simple principle of being loyal to the people you work for. Don't you understand it either?"
"And Qiao Yuanshan's family. Yes, I killed that beast too. Do you know what he did to the young master? He took advantage of the young master's muteness and made him live in the woodshed in the snow and ice, covered with straw."
"When I found the young master, his hands and feet had frostbite and bruises. This whole family, from top to bottom, actually took pleasure in bullying him. Even the three-year-old child would let out a ringing laugh when being held by an adult and kicked at him. They are a family of bad people and deserve death!"
"How hateful! I was so angry back then that I let them die so easily!"
Qiao Shouyi was loyal for avenging his benefactor, while the corrupt officials in the county government office, the treacherous wet nurse, and the cook were evil. However, this does not mean that he can disregard the law and commit serial murders.
However, before Tie Yi and Tie Er could make a move, the old butler turned his blade around and placed it across his neck instead of facing outwards, laughing loudly:
"The Qiao family's vengeance has been avenged, and all the criminals have been executed. Benefactor, I have avenged you, and I die with no regrets!"
The only thing I can’t bear to do is…
"Master, please take good care of yourself in the future. This old servant will leave first."
The old man's body fell softly into the lake, splashing bloody ripples.
“Nooo ...
Qiao Shengyao took advantage of Han Lichun's distraction and stumbled into the water.
"Xiao Qiao!"
It was a chaotic night. First, all the staff of the county government were dispatched to capture the murderer. Then, a fire broke out in the Qiao family. The prisoner, the old housekeeper of the Qiao family, surfaced and it took another hour to salvage him.
The sky was turning pale as the body, already dead, was finally salvaged ashore.
After the matter came to an end, Qiao Shengyao wore mourning clothes for the old butler and guarded the coffin. No matter whether the old butler was good or evil, for Qiao Shengyao, he was a family member who took care of him and grew up and made up for the family affection.
He stayed indoors and the only people who could visit him were Li Ming, Han Lichun and County Magistrate Zhen.
With the departure of the old housekeeper, the cheerful little stutterer who used to be happy every day seemed to have grown up overnight, becoming even more silent and rarely speaking.
County Magistrate Zhen patted Qiao Shengyao's back gently and sighed to comfort him.
The Yinshi case was solved. Even though Li Ming stayed for a few more days for Qiao Shengyao, it was time for him to return to his post.
Before leaving, the three of them sat again in the restaurant where the film began. Because Qiao Shengyao was still keeping vigil for the old housekeeper, the three of them drank tea instead of wine.
As the cups clinked, Han Jianchun spoke first: "After this farewell, I don't know when we will meet again. I wish you a bright future in advance, and I also hope that you can overturn the case for Magistrate Li as soon as possible."
"Thank you very much. After I leave, Jianchun, Xiao Qiao will be left in your care."
"I, I can take care of myself." Reunited with his friends, the haggard young master finally emerged from his grief a little, his signature dimples reappearing on his cheeks.
"Da Li... has a bright future!"
Li Ming curved the corners of his lips: "Yeah, Brother Li will protect you two when the time comes."
Qiao Shengyao: "When you have time, come back and take a look."
Han Lichun: "It's okay if you believe it."
Li Ming: "I know you miss me. I'll come back when I'm on vacation and buy a house. When I can't work anymore, I'll come back and be neighbors with you two old men. It'll be so nice to play chess and walk the birds."
[Alas, the Yinshi case is over. I feel a little lost.]
[A very good script. Uncle Shouyi is a criminal, but he is also a very affectionate and kind person.]
[The case of Dali's father hasn't been solved yet. There will be a second part, and the iron triangle will work together to solve the case again, right? It must be!]
[My friends really don't pay attention to the progress bar when watching movies. Highlight, it's not over yet! ]
After being reminded by this colorful barrage, the audience who were immersed in the compact plot subconsciously clicked on the progress bar.
【Oh my god, why is there still some left? 】
[Postscript? Is this too long?]
[Who cares? Just watch it. Zhi Leng, it's directed by Huan. I love watching it even for daily scenes.]
As the audience was expecting, the scene changed. In County Magistrate Zhen's mansion, all the servants were dismissed. In the study, County Magistrate Zhen sealed a letter he had just written with beeswax.
With the flickering candlelight, the shadow of County Magistrate Zhen reflected on the window frame looked a little ferocious.
Some sensitive viewers rubbed their arms. Was it an illusion?
County Magistrate Zhen, who was originally fat and had only a line of eyes, gave them the impression of being cowardly and weak. As a half-informed person, he chose to protect himself. Fortunately, he stood up in the end.
However, at this moment, there were lightning and thunder outside the window. Lightning split the sky in the polar day and fell down with a loud bang. Against the backdrop of light and shadow, that amiable face looked so gloomy and cruel.
[Wow, this look scared me to death.]
The scene shifted again, showing a reverse sequence. Previously, County Magistrate Zhen sent out a letter accusing the former prefect in front of Li Ming and others, but inside was a stack of blank papers!
At the same time, the fierce bandits entrenched in the Daqing Mountains received a big deal. A mysterious man asked them to kill three Six Gates constables and leave no one alive in exchange for a box of silver.
What's going on? The robbers were hired by County Magistrate Zhen. Why did he kill Li Ming? Is he the villain boss?
[Ahhh, it itches so much, it feels like a brain is growing out of it.]
【Da Li, run! 】
[Fuck, what else is he going to do to Xiao Qiao?]
The audience's hearts were lifted again as the plot unfolded. In the Zhen Mansion, County Magistrate Zhen carefully took out a wine pot that looked like an old man of longevity from the deepest part of the study cabinet.
As County Magistrate Zhen cleaned and tried it out in advance, the audience also learned the purpose of the wine pot - the Qiankun Pot.
There are Qiankun Yinyang Gallbladders in the pot, which can be used to hold different liquids. There are holes on the body of the pot. When pouring liquid, you can pour out the liquid in different inner pots by pressing different holes with your hands.
County Magistrate Zhen filled the two inner pots in the pot with wine, and poured white medicinal powder into one of the pots.
County Magistrate Zhen half-closed his eyes, swirled his wine glass, and muttered something that sent chills down one's spine: "If you don't remove the grass at its roots, it will grow back with the wind. I should have gotten rid of those two little bastards back then. Fortunately, it's not too late now."
"Hand over the visiting card and invite Master Qiao to visit our home tonight."
"Yes, sir."
The author has something to say:
There will be one last bit of finishing touches tomorrow, and the Yinshi case will be over.
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