Chapter 38: Confiscating from the national treasury yielded a slight amount of money.
The old man of the Sang family had three sons. His eldest son, Sang Yuyang, joined the army and followed the border troops south. He died on the battlefield. When the old man heard the bad news, he collapsed on the spot.
The second son, Sang Yuguang, was proficient in all sorts of vices, including drinking, gambling, and whoring. The old man was busy expanding his business at the time and neglected to discipline him.
The third son, Sang Yulin, is now in charge of the Sang family's affairs. The old man learned from his mistakes and loves his youngest son. Sang Yulin is well-mannered and of decent character, but he loves to eat and doesn't like to exercise, so he's a bit overweight.
The old man didn't care about his minor flaw of being overweight. He knew his second son's character well and had already stipulated in his will that after his death, the Sang family's assets would be handed over to Sang Yuyang and Sang Yulin, and the two brothers would be responsible for ensuring Sang Yuguang's normal expenses.
Unexpectedly, his eldest son passed away before his father, and he himself followed suit.
The Sang family's businesses were all taken over by Sang Yulin.
Sang Yuguang couldn't believe his father was so heartless as to leave him not a single penny. His fat younger brother was protected by the loyal servants left by his father. Helpless, Sang Yuguang went into hiding.
After being lost in a daze and immersed in the grief of losing his elder brother and father, Sang Yulin gradually cheered up.
His mother died from postpartum hemorrhage during his birth. Apart from the most distant relatives, his second brother was his only family.
With the help of his father's old friends, Sang Yulin was able to get the Sang family back on track, and he was also willing to support his second brother.
Now, my second brother is involved in human trafficking in his own neighborhood.
Sang Yulin almost couldn't catch his breath and collapsed on the spot, just like his father.
Wang Zhiyi noticed something was wrong and promptly pinched his philtrum.
Even as he was being held captive by the imperial guards, Sang Yuguang couldn't resist mocking his younger brother, "Ha, you fat pig! Father would rather hand over the family business to a fool like you than leave me a single penny. I'll show him that only I can make the Sang family rich! Hahahahahaha..."
The laughter stopped abruptly. With a single glance from Bai Yan, the guards gagged him.
Sang Yulin was too ashamed to hold onto Wang Zhiyi's leg any longer, so he half-lay on the ground and crawled backward.
The people in the last room on the second floor also came out.
A white dog and a tall woman.
The woman's composed demeanor almost made Bai Yan think he had mistaken her for someone else.
Fang Xiangshi...why are you dressed like this!
He was dressed like this: a strapless jacket and a long skirt. What a perfectly normal man!
No wonder my wife came here looking for me.
Jiang Yuzhi was also stunned. Hearing Suigu say it was one thing, but seeing it with her own eyes was another.
Di Ting and Fang Xiangshi were unaware that mortals could not see Jiang Yuzhi and the others, and naturally assumed that they were being arrested by Bai Yan.
Both of them lifted their legs and walked towards them, but were stopped by the imperial guards. Di Ting was about to explode on the spot, how could even his own dog be stopped? Fang Xiangshi was not to be outdone, his brows furrowed.
Jiang Yuzhi and Sui Gu knew them all too well. They glared at them and stopped the two from making a scene.
Bai Yan: "You've got some nerve, daring to even kidnap my dog."
The two Sang brothers trembled even more violently; one was speechless, and the other was overwhelmed with guilt.
The guards understood and released Di Ting back to Bai Yan's side.
Di Ting walked straight past Bai Yan, lay down at Jiang Yuzhi's feet, glanced at Bai Yan, and thought, "Hmph, he knows what's good for him."
Fang Xiangshi's face darkened even more.
Bai Yan: "Dog walkers... even maids are being kidnapped, are they crazy for money?"
Fang Xiangshi also walked demurely behind Bai Yan, standing close to Sui Gu.
Young Master Zheng, from the family of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, couldn't stand Bai Yan's preferential treatment. "Young Master Bai, why aren't your family members surrounded? Isn't this an abuse of power for personal gain?"
Bai Yan: "Don't worry, we'll go back to the prison together later. You can't escape."
Upon hearing that he was going to jail, Young Master Zheng turned pale. His father was very strict with him, and he had sneaked out tonight. What if his father found out what he had done…
Wang Zhiyi: "Young Master Bai, I'll take them back to the government jail first. Should I leave a few men for you?"
Bai Yan: "Keep a close eye on the outer perimeter of the entertainment district and the back courtyard. Take everything else away, including the guests from the entertainment district. Don't you agree, Young Master Zheng? We can't show favoritism." He chuckled as he glanced at Young Master Zheng's stiff face.
The guests present erupted in cheers.
"What does this have to do with me!"
"I'm just here for tea..."
"Young Master Zheng wants to go himself, but I still have other commitments tomorrow..."
"that is……"
"Shut up! What are you yelling about? You'll all go to jail with me. It's none of your business, we'll investigate and release you. What are you shouting for? If you keep yelling, you're obstructing official business." Wang Zhiyi was extremely impatient, and before leaving, he glanced at the mulberry grove on the ground.
"Let's go, Sang Laosan, go to the jail with your second brother for some tea."
"...General, I really don't know anything."
"Come with me first."
Di Ting and Fang Xiangshi naturally wanted to leave, both of them looking very reluctant. Jiang Yuzhi saw that Bai Yan was still there, so she didn't want to leave either, and Zhong Yuxiu hadn't been found yet.
Sui Gu sighed, "Young lady, stay here." She pulled a bright yellow rice stalk from her hair and handed it to her, "If there's anything you can't solve, just pick one grain, and I'll be able to sense it."
Jiang Yuzhi: "Thank you, fairy."
Di Ting was barely satisfied.
Jiang Yuzhi watched them leave.
Bai Yan: "The rest of you go outside and keep watch. Make sure they are well-guarded."
Imperial Guard: "Yes."
The place fell silent. The moonlight was exceptionally bright tonight. The golden embroidery on the fiery red flying fish robe shimmered with a soft glow. The night breeze gently caressed Bai Yan's robe, and his cloak was placed on the table.
"Tamaori?"
Jiang Yuzhi was sitting on the bench directly opposite him, with a dining table between them.
The human and the ghost met each other's gazes unexpectedly.
Bai Yan stopped pretending not to see her.
"Huh? You could see me the whole time?"
"I don't know why you got here either?"
That's right. Bai Yan is no longer an ordinary person. The illusion only works on mortals who don't know magic.
Jiang Yuzhi: "Diting and Fangxiangshi encountered kidnappers and came here by chance. Yuxiu has been missing for several days. I came to find Diting to help me find Yuxiu, but we don't have any clues yet..."
Bai Yan sat down. Jiang Yuzhi's hair had recently turned back to black, and her nails had returned to normal, a healthy light pink. Only her eyes remained, a captivating crimson.
At that moment, those eyes were fixed on the table, not looking at him, but Bai Yan could still clearly hear the "thump, thump, thump" sound, which was particularly noticeable in the lonely night.
Bai Yan let his heart beat irregularly, taking advantage of Jiang Yuzhi not looking at him, and stared straight at her.
Bai Yan: "Don't worry, Yuxiu was rescued by the undercover imperial guards. They didn't let her go so as not to alert the enemy."
Jiang Yuzhi: "That's good. The women at the orphanage were very worried about her."
Bai Yan: "Shall we go inside and take a look? We only took the person away earlier."
Jiang Yuzhi: "Shouldn't we call the Imperial Guards along?"
Bai Yan revealed the smile Jiang Yuzhi knew best, "The two of us are enough."
Jiang Yuzhi stopped talking and instead looked around at the familiar yet unfamiliar little building.
The last time I came here, the person in charge was Sang Shiyun, a man of integrity and a very traditional businessman.
So many years have passed, I wonder if Steward Sang is still around.
She sometimes likes to come to the entertainment area.
The first and second floors were mostly ransacked by the guards, but they only took people with them.
Jiang Yuzhi quickly found a rough pottery bottle in a room on the first floor that clearly did not belong to the tile family, and was about to open it to check it.
It was a bottle of elixir. Bai Yan quickly grabbed her hand. "It contains white stone powder."
"White Stone Powder?" What a disgusting banned drug! How come it hasn't been destroyed even after the change of dynasties?
"Harmful powder."
"I know."
“There should be more than one bottle. I’ll have the guards come in and check again.”
"Alright."
Bai Yan walked a few steps into the courtyard, held up the pottery bottle to show it, and said, "Someone, we've found the magic water. Find all the pottery bottles, don't miss any."
"yes."
The guards filed in.
Jiang Yuzhi has already made her way to the kitchen. She hasn't broken free of her illusion yet, so only Bai Yan can see her.
Bai Yan: "Why didn't you wait for me?"
Jiang Yuzhi was skeptical that the Sang family was hoarding Baishi San and attempted to find other clues.
Sang Shiyun's father died from Baishisan, and he feared that this was the substance he hated most.
Jiang Yuzhi: "Do you know Sang Shiyun?"
Bai Yan: "Why bring him up all of a sudden? The old man of the Sang family passed away a few years ago."
Jiang Yuzhi: "Passed away?" Counting the time, Sang Shiyun is almost sixty years old this year, and his family is not poor, so how could he have passed away?
Bai Yan also rummaged around the stove, checking, "Hmm, things before my uncle ascended the throne. His eldest son died on the front lines, and the old man couldn't hold on and passed away too."
Jiang Yuzhi stopped moving, tilting her head to look intently at Bai Yan's profile. "Bai Yan, the Sang family couldn't possibly be hiding Bai Shi San. I know Sang Shiyun, his father... because of Bai Shi San, we were friends. I understand him. There must be some misunderstanding."
Just then, Bai Yan pulled aside a piece of straw used to start a fire, and underneath was a brick with a larger gap. He used a clever trick to pry the brick out.
There's a small box underneath.
Bai Yan took out the box. "Yu Zhi, there is no doubt about Old Master Sang's character, but his sons are independent."
Jiang Yuzhi: "Okay, I just..."
Bai Yan: "I know, I know. The prefect will investigate and see if we gain anything else from this trip."
The wife was always prone to self-blame, so Bai Yan opened the box to distract her.
The neatly arranged silver notes, a thick stack of them, each worth one hundred taels, were accompanied by an account book.
The first person arrested from the ghost market was a junior manager in charge of the kitchen, who happened to be one of Sang Yuguang's confidants.
He's a soft-hearted coward who's good at flattery and sweet talk, but he can't withstand torture and confesses everything after a little interrogation.
Sang Yuguang trusted him completely. Sang Yulin didn't want her brother to interfere in other areas, so Sang Yuguang pretended to be pitiful and thus gained control of the seemingly insignificant kitchen.
The ledgers and silver were all hidden here, because the kitchen was his first step into the Sang family business.
Bai Yan: "Let's go. We'll have the results by tomorrow night at the latest. This money will be deposited into the national treasury. Then we can discuss with my uncle how to use it."
Jiang Yuzhi: "Can I too?"
Bai Yan: "Of course, my uncle and I trust you very much."
The guards were far away and could only vaguely hear Young Master Bai muttering to himself, his attitude utterly unfamiliar.
Does the young master have some terrible plans?
"Young master, we've found several more boxes of Baishi powder."
"Carry it away with the 'miracle water,' pack up, and head back to the government office."
"yes."
Many nearby residents witnessed the people being taken away from Sangjiawazi, and kept their doors tightly shut, fearing that they would be implicated.
The next day, notices and announcements of the court hearing were posted at the entrance of the government office.
Prohibited drugs were found in Sangjiawazi, involving serious crimes of human trafficking. The trial will begin in three days at Chenshi (7-9 AM).
The yamen runner had barely finished reciting the words when...
"Finally caught! My neighbors finally had a child, only six years old, and he was kidnapped. Oh my god, the couple is in their thirties and only has one child. They almost hanged themselves at home."
"Don't those kidnappers have any brothers or sisters? My daughter was getting married after the New Year, and she was kidnapped more than half a month ago and still hasn't come back. Waaaaah, those bastards..."
"He should be sentenced to death by a thousand cuts!"
"That fat Sang usually seems quite amiable, how could he do something like this?"
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Author's Note: [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
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