Chapter 16 Lure the snake out of its hole
At Wang Ju's call, all the people in Ruiqi Casino dispersed in an instant.
Only Boss Lin, Boss Zhang, and Song Qianzhao were left in the box, along with their respective followers.
Boss Zhang bowed and smiled, "So you are from the Song Mansion, little brother. I'm so sorry for the disrespect!"
Song Qianzhao clasped his fists and said in return, "Boss Zhang, you're welcome."
Boss Zhang nodded with a smile: "Please give my regards to Lord Song. Goodbye!"
After Boss Lin and Boss Zhang left, Song Qianzhao didn't dare to stay in the box any longer.
She asked the Song Mansion's entourage and Xunjiu to take the silver they had won, and the three of them left the Ruiqi Casino together.
As soon as Song Qianzhao stepped out of the door, he saw the Xiangyun Pawnshop next door crowded with onlookers.
The middle-aged shopkeeper slumped dejectedly in front of the door and burst into tears.
Wang Ju roared and ordered the gambling house's hangers-on to put out the fire.
When the government runners saw the fire, they immediately rushed over pushing a water hose cart.
Everyone rushed to put out the fire.
Song Qianzhao, however, stood calmly with his hands behind his back, watching leisurely on the street as the fire in Xiangyun Pawnshop grew more and more prosperous.
The flames spread from the warehouse of Xiangyun Pawnshop to the front yard and then to Ruiqi Casino.
In just a stick of incense's time, both shops were engulfed in flames.
Seeing that his plan was accomplished, Song Qianzhao turned and left.
As they walked, Xunjiu, who was panting, followed closely behind with his bag on his back, as loyal as a puppy.
The Song family's attendant was carrying a larger bag, and his eyes had never left Song Qianzhao since he left the gambling house.
Song Qianzhao felt uncomfortable being stared at by him, and turned his head away and said, "If you have anything you want to ask, just ask directly. Don't keep staring at me like this...it makes me uneasy."
The Song Mansion attendant pondered for a moment, then asked, "Did you set the fire at the Ruiqi Casino?"
Song Qianzhao laughed and said, "Why do you think that fire has something to do with me?"
"intuition."
"You've been following me closely since I left the mansion. Did you see who I ordered to set the fire?"
The Song Mansion attendant shook his head.
"No, but I feel like you set the fire."
Song Qianzhao smiled but said nothing.
You can do bad things, but you can't say anything about it.
Especially when others cannot find any evidence to hold against you, you should keep your mouth shut.
How many people have been defeated by their mouths, and often when they try to show off to their confidants, they are exposed by their own people.
In Song Qianzhao's view, this follower was one of his own who would betray his master at any time.
He might not inform the enemy, but he would definitely report Song Qianzhao's actions to elders such as Song Jian and He Jingyi.
Song Qianzhao doesn't like being betrayed, and he doesn't want others to see through all his cards.
Speaking of which, the method Song Qianzhao used to set fire to the pawnshop was actually very simple. Anyone who has a little knowledge of chemistry would probably understand the principle behind it.
After Song Qianzhao finished painting the fake "Brocade Book and Clouds and Geese", he coated it with a layer of yellow phosphorus.
Yellow phosphorus does not burn as soon as it comes into contact with air; it also has its own ignition point conditions.
In humid air, spontaneous combustion will only occur when the temperature reaches around 30 degrees Celsius; in a dry environment like Beijing, the temperature needs to rise to 40 degrees Celsius before a fire occurs.
Song Qianzhao had already inquired about the acceptance process of Xiangyun Pawnshop, so she knew that when Fan Zhiyu sold the fake "Brocade Book and Clouds and Geese" to the Wang family, the Wang family would definitely store the fake in the pawnshop's warehouse.
That's why she pretended to be confused and chose a box behind the pawnshop warehouse.
When she arrived at the box, she asked for two braziers to heat the pawnshop's warehouse.
Ruiqi Casino and Xiangyun Pawnshop are separated by only a wall, and it is an almost closed environment, so it is easier for the temperature to rise.
Once the temperature reaches the ignition point of yellow phosphorus, the painting "Brocade Calligraphy, Clouds and Geese" will catch fire.
Of course, Song Qianzhao did all this not just to set fire to Xiangyun Pawnshop, nor to cheat the Wang family out of money together with Fan Zhiyu.
The fire she set in the pawnshop was just a trigger.
Song Qianzhao led Xunjiu and the Song family's entourage and arrived at Jingming Street after many twists and turns.
At the intersection, a team of police officers were standing guard, as if waiting for someone.
Song Qianzhao stepped forward and saluted.
"Wang Yang is gone?"
The leading officer clasped his fists in return and said, "I just hurried out with the steward of the mansion."
Song Qianzhao laughed and said, "The pawnshop is on fire, and the Brocade Book and Clouds and Geese Painting is destroyed. Naturally, he can't sit still. Let's take action..."
"good!"
The leading officer led his men and rushed into Jingming Street under the gaze of Song Qianzhao.
The group went straight to the palace and knocked open the door.
The person who opened the door was an old gatekeeper.
Before the doorman could speak, the officers pushed him aside and rushed in.
Seeing this, the guys who were cleaning the yard ran away in all directions, and some of them hurried to the backyard to report the news.
Wang Yang's wife rushed over upon hearing the news and stopped the officers who were about to rush in in the front hall.
"Which government office are you from? Trespassing into an official's residence is a capital offense!"
Wang Yang's wife was also a person who had seen a lot of storms. Facing this group of aggressive officers, she did not show any fear, but instead shouted at them harshly.
The leading yamen runner clasped his fists and saluted, then said in a deep voice, "We are here to search your mansion on orders from the Tianfu."
After saying that, he showed a badge, waved it in front of Wang Yang's wife, and put it away before she could see it clearly.
Wang Yang's wife's expression froze. She asked coldly, "Why are the Fengtian Prefecture officials searching our palace?"
The leading yamen runner said, "A painting was lost from the Duke of Ying's mansion, and I heard it ended up in yours. The Duke of Ying has already filed a complaint against yours, and the prefect has specially sent us here to search the place."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yang's wife cried out in shock, "How could the Duke of Yingguo's paintings be in our house?"
The leading yamen runner said, "We'll know whether it exists or not after we search it. If not, your palace's Censor Wang will report it to you. If so, everyone in the palace, please follow us to the yamen."
"search!"
The leading officer gave an order and the other yamen runners immediately dispersed.
Wang Yang's wife wanted to stop him, but she was hesitant.
With Wang Yang away, she couldn't make up her mind.
This matter concerns the Duke of England and the Queen, and it is not something that a woman like her can decide.
In a panic, Madam Wang Yang had no choice but to turn around and order the servants in the mansion: "Go tell the master that people from Fengtian Prefecture are here to search for paintings. They say they are looking for paintings from the Duke of Yingguo's mansion."
Time passes.
About half an hour later, the officers returned from various parts of the palace and gathered around the leading officer.
One of the yamen runners nodded at him imperceptibly.
The officers reported back one after another, all saying that they had never seen the painting.
The leading officer bowed slightly to Madam Wang Yang and said, "Excuse me for disturbing you. We will return to the yamen to report that the palace does not have any paintings by the Duke of Yingguo."
Madam Wang Yang's tense expression finally relaxed, and she murmured, "That's good that it's not there... That's good that it's not there..."
The officer said no more, bowed again, and quickly left the palace with the other officers.
As soon as they left the palace, the officers hurried to the entrance of the alley.
At the corner, Song Qianzhao was already waiting there.
"Did you get it?"
“Got it!”
A rhinoceros belt wrapped in silk was handed to Song Qianzhao by the yamen runner.
Song Qianzhao took it and stroked it carefully, then turned to the Song Mansion attendant and said, "Is this the one?"
The Song Mansion's entourage nodded in astonishment.
Song Qianzhao put away the rhinoceros belt and bowed to the yamen runners, saying, "Thank you all for your hard work. I will host a banquet another day and I will definitely have a few drinks with you all."
"No need. We are acting on the orders of the young master, not for you. Even if there is a reward, it should be given by the young master. We brothers have things to do, so goodbye!"
The leading bailiff turned and left after he finished speaking. Song Qianzhao opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but saw that the group had already left quickly.
She could only swallow back the praise that was on the tip of her tongue and sighed, "These soldiers and family generals are really useful. They get things done so efficiently and effectively."
After sighing, Song Qianzhao put his hands behind his back and said leisurely: "Let's go back. The rhinoceros belt has been obtained, and my father's problem has been solved. Next, I will wait for the Wang family to be destroyed."
The Song Mansion's entourage and Xun Jiu suddenly came back to their senses, staring at Song Qianzhao with wide eyes.
He frowned in thought, still unable to understand: the young master had clearly only visited a brothel, painted a few pictures, and gambled a few times, and had never done anything related to the rhino belt, so how could he have gotten back the rhino belt that had been stolen by someone?
Seeing Song Qianzhao walking towards the Song Mansion, the follower suddenly panicked.
He couldn't help but panic. He was the spy placed by the Song Mansion next to Song Qianzhao. After returning to the mansion, he had to report Song Qianzhao's every move to Song Jian truthfully. If he hesitated and couldn't answer, according to the master's temper, he would definitely be punished.
"Young Master, please stay! I have something important to ask you."
"If you have any questions, ask me when you get home."
"It will be too late by the time we get back home!"
After Song Qianzhao and others left Jingming Street, Wang Yang, who was still standing at the door of Xiangyun Pawnshop with a sad face, received a message from the servants in the mansion and returned late.
Jingming Street.
Palace.
Wang Yang got off the sedan chair and hurried into the mansion. Before he even reached the main hall, he eagerly shouted, "Where are the people from Fengtian Prefecture?"
"In reply to the master, the people from Fengtian Prefecture just left not long ago."
The maid waiting at the main hall door saw Wang Yang returning home and hurriedly bowed in response.
Wang Yang frowned, his face livid, and shouted angrily, "Did Fan Sheng really sue me?"
Wang Yang showed no respect for his uncle Fan Sheng in his words.
Although Fan Sheng was also a duke, holding the power of 100,000 imperial guards, he was in the highest position among officials.
But Wang Yang felt that he was just an upstart who made his fortune by relying on his status as a relative of the emperor. How could he compare to himself, who had passed the imperial examination with real talent and knowledge?
What made Wang Yang even more angry was that he always felt that Fan Sheng had tricked him this time.
Fan Zhiyu, the second son of Fan Sheng, had just come to Xiangyun Pawnshop to pawn his painting "Brocade Book and Clouds and Geese", and then Xiangyun Pawnshop went bankrupt.
As soon as he arrived at the fire scene of Xiangyun Pawnshop, before he could ask the details of the cause, someone from the government came to inform him that Fan Sheng had sued him.
These series of strange things seemed like an elaborate scheme, and the more Wang Yang thought about it, the more suspicious he felt.
What he regretted most at this moment was that he had not been able to control his greed. He should never have wanted to get close to the Queen when he was about to get close to Li Shufeng.
In this way, you won’t fall into the trap set by Fan Sheng.
Faced with Wang Yang's harsh questioning, the maid was so scared that she lowered her head and dared not answer.
Seeing the maid like this, Wang Yang became even more angry and raised his hand to teach her a lesson.
At this moment, Mrs. Wang arrived and hurriedly stopped him: "If the master is angry, he should be directed at the master, why bothering the servants? Besides, isn't everything fine in the mansion? The people from Fengtian Prefecture searched the mansion and found nothing.
The king's uncle sued you, but he couldn't find any evidence.
This is a false accusation. When you go to court tomorrow, I will report him and His Majesty will make the decision for you."
"You are just a woman from the inner chamber, what do you know!" Wang Yang scolded angrily.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wang's face suddenly darkened.
"Great! Wang Yang, have you become so capable? How dare you yell at me!" She tugged at her husband's sleeve. "If my father hadn't funded your studies and exams, you wouldn't be where you are today. Now that you're an official, have you forgotten my father's kindness?"
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