Beili
The Sizhou branch of the White Flame Gang.
"What? Doctor Chen's house was smashed?"
Aruo stared at Qin Zhi, who was sitting opposite him with his arms crossed, in amazement, not quite believing what he had heard.
"Two days ago, Doctor Chen's house was smashed, and Miss Chen... the girl that Fang Jingsheng placed under the coffin, disappeared." Strictly speaking, it seemed like she was silenced. When Qin Zhi went there, there was only a mess and blood on the ground. If Doctor Chen hadn't been out seeing patients, he would probably have been silenced as well.
"Just say you want to silence me..." Yiyuan calmly dispelled the misunderstanding caused by this wording.
Aruo held his forehead and said, "But, before Fang Jingsheng left, Lord Su and I went to find Miss Chen and confessed everything, and she forgave us... How could she suddenly silence us?"
No! Wasn't it two days ago when she met that witch and Su Zirui?
Aruo's heart skipped a beat. She had been so distracted that day that she had forgotten to ask him where he had been. How did he happen to be there?
Standing up suddenly, Aruo said hurriedly, "I'll go find Su Feng."
After saying that, he rushed out the door. The other three looked at each other and quickly followed him out.
After Xiao Man's seventh day, Aruo was taken to the government inn for custody. Cai Xin also moved in from the Fang family. She still felt that Lord Su was deliberately provoking Aruo in front of her. Especially in the past two days, even though they didn't touch, the atmosphere when their eyes met made Cai Xin blush inexplicably. But every time she saw him pinch Aruo's cheeks, only satisfied until they turned red, Cai Xin wanted to poison his food.
"Why are there so many people gathered over there?" Qin Zhi asked curiously.
The group looked up and saw a lot of people gathered in the direction of the official post station. Near the inside were several rows of armored guards, and the atmosphere was a bit solemn.
Qin Zhi and Yiyuan looked at each other, and Cai Xin cleverly asked the people gathered on the side.
After a while, Cai Xin came running back, her face pale. "Aruo, something's happened! They say Doctor Chen's daughter committed suicide, leaving behind a suicide note accusing Master Su of secretly condoning others to practice witchcraft, humiliating her, and shielding the murderer... Now the people from the Dali Temple want to escort Master Su back to the capital for trial!"
The expressions of the three people changed drastically. Cai Xin didn't understand the twists and turns inside, but the three of them felt suspicious when they heard it.
How did this news suddenly spread? Miss Chen died, and the person suing was Su Zirui, not Fang Jingsheng. This is a contradiction in itself. Moreover, the Dali Temple wanted to escort him back to the capital instead of collecting evidence in Sizhou to await trial?
The four of them ran towards the official post station at the same time, but were stopped by two rows of guards armed with machetes.
Aruo peered through the crowd and saw the figure standing tall in the middle of it. He stood alone in the crowd, fighting against all those surrounding him...
With a ridiculous and ridiculous charge, a life was pinned on him...
She felt inexplicably anxious, as if a rope had twisted around her heart in her chest, pulling it tightly and causing her to feel a dull pain that was almost suffocating.
"Lin Ziyan!" Cai Xin caught a glimpse of the handsome man in red official robes, and quickly jumped up and shouted, raising her hands.
The people who were called out were startled. Lin Ziyan turned around and saw them. After a moment's hesitation, he walked over and waved to the people who were blocking them to move aside. Frowning slightly, Lin Ziyan reminded them, "Don't make trouble here. Later... Hey!"
Before he could finish his words, the girl in pink stepped past him and ran inside.
The two guards beside him reacted quickly and drew their swords to stop them, but were stopped by the man and monk who followed closely. Lin Ziyan glared angrily at Cai Xin who was pulling him, and quickly turned around and waved away the guards.
Aruo didn't care about all this. All she saw was the calm man in the moon-colored brocade robe. She walked towards him without stopping and with her arms open.
With his cold eyes slightly open, Su Zirui watched as his girl passed through the crowd and flew into his arms like a butterfly. The cold aura dissipated the moment she entered his arms, leaving only a look of absurdity.
Bei Li watched in amazement as his master's face softened, his tense nerves suddenly relaxing. When he learned that Aruo had been taken to the official post station, Bei Li had thought that there was some case to be investigated, but the scene before him told him that there was no such thing as a case. This was clearly abuse of power for personal gain... His master had grown up!
Sighing and putting his arms around the person, Su Zirui lowered his head to comfort the person who was hugging him tightly, "Why did you come back so soon?"
"They bullied you..." Aruo buried her face in his arms and said in a muffled voice.
Lin Ziyan, who was walking over, heard this and glared at his mortal enemy unhappily.
Su Zirui couldn't help but smile, and touched her head with his big hand, "Don't worry, they don't dare. You forgot, I have a backer."
Aruo raised her head and saw that he didn't look upset. Then she pursed her lips and said, "But the Dali Temple didn't even investigate this kind of trumped-up crime? This is clearly..."
As she spoke, her heart ached even more. A thorough investigation of this charge would undoubtedly bring Fang Jingsheng back, but with Miss Chen dead, the witchcraft incident was impossible to prove. Furthermore, her suicide note claimed she committed suicide out of humiliation, making it difficult to obtain evidence. He was such a proud man, yet he refused to defend himself and surrendered without a fight. Wasn't it simply because he didn't want Fang Jingsheng to be implicated?
"Su Feng, I'm sorry..."
His fingertips caressed her trembling red lips, and she was not allowed to say any words of apology. Su Zirui tapped her forehead lightly before extending his arms to hug her tightly.
"Don't be afraid. When I'm not around, listen to Beili." Thinking of the restless person in his arms, his tone became serious. "Don't be impulsive, don't act recklessly, and don't take risks. Remember?"
Aruo shook her head and wanted to refute but he raised his finger to his lips.
"Don't make me worry, and don't distract me, okay?" The coldness in her cold eyes melted into an ocean, and she unscrupulously showed her special tenderness, and even her voice was as gentle as coaxing.
When had she ever seen him plead so softly? Aruo's already uncertain heart became even more worried.
"It's okay, Lord Su, I will go back to Yangzhou to find Qin Shuang. Qin Shuang is omnipotent, she must have a way." At this moment, Aruo only thought that Qin Shuang might be able to help.
"Oh? More versatile than me?" Su Zirui raised his eyebrows.
Aruo didn't notice the change in his voice at all, and nodded, "Of course."
"Hmm?" Su Zirui narrowed his black eyes dangerously, feeling unhappy. One Shen Nan was not enough, and another Qin Shuang came?
"Lord Su, Qin Shuang can even give birth to a child herself." Aruo said seriously.
Su Zirui was speechless. If that were the case, he was indeed more capable than him. However, Yangzhou's salt administration was currently at a critical juncture, and the Qin family's position was sensitive. If they were involved, it would only cause more trouble.
"No matter how useless I am, I don't need a woman to save me. Be obedient and don't do anything rash." Su Zirui's eyes were deep and he said seriously, "This is not a simple matter. Don't get involved lightly."
Aruo bit her lip, unable to resist at all, and could only nod under his gaze.
Unable to bear it any longer, Lin Ziyan interrupted their conversation unhappily, "Alright, we at the Dali Temple don't arrest people for no reason. Don't make it seem like a life-or-death separation."
As soon as he finished speaking, Aruo and Caixin glared at him simultaneously. Lin Ziyan touched his nose and said, "This matter has been reported to the capital. The impeachment memorial against you probably contains more than just these trivial matters, but we have to return to the capital to see everything. You and I know that there are many calculations involved here. The right thing to do is to return to the capital as soon as possible to grasp the situation."
No matter how inappropriate it is, Beijing is their base. Even without mentioning their background, Su Zirui is an important official in the Ministry of Justice, and it is not easy to plot against him with just a vague case.
Su Zirui nodded, handed Aruo to Beili, and said to Lin Ziyan, "Let's go, Master Lin."
"Sir Su, please." Lin Ziyan returned the greeting formally and took the lead.
Although they were extremely anxious, the current situation did not allow them to act recklessly.
Inside the official post station, Beili handed Aruo a scroll of documents. As an official from the Ministry of Justice, he naturally had to accompany the group back to the capital, so he could only hurriedly explain the matter.
"Is this... the confession of that Hu Shang?" Aruo took a look at it for a few seconds, then looked up at him in surprise.
Bei Li nodded. "The master had previously thought there might be something suspicious about Constable Li's death, so he retrieved the confession and inspection records from that day. Two days ago, he also went to the horse market for a secret investigation."
Aruo understood. No wonder he was also on the outskirts of the city that day. The horse market was not far from where she was going to the tea stall.
Qin Zhi went over the confession with her, "But it doesn't look unusual."
"No, Hu Shang only said that the horse was frightened and suddenly went crazy, but there is no record of the cause of the fright. He and the horse were in the market for nearly half an hour before the accident happened. Logically, there must have been something that triggered the horse to go crazy."
"Captain Li thought so too." If Aruo could spot the flaw in the confession, then Captain Li and Su Zirui would surely be able to as well. Beili's face darkened. "There was an extremely fine needle stuck in the horse's abdomen. The horse was killed, and its body was stiff, making it difficult to notice. Thanks to the greed of the person who cleaned up the horse, they sold the carcass to a butcher, and we were able to track it down and find it. Unfortunately, before this evidence could be submitted, this happened to the lord."
"Xiaoman... wasn't that an accident?" Aruo's fingers turned white from gripping the file.
"I don't know. The horse's madness is human-caused, but it's hard to control who is in trouble." Beizao said pertinently.
Aruo lowered his eyes, and a trace of murderous intent suddenly appeared in his eyes.
Thinking back to Fang Jingsheng's words, they had been targeted long ago. Even if Xiao Man escaped this disaster, there would be other things waiting for her death.
How hateful... For his own selfish desires, he disregarded the lives of the entire market and shattered the bright future of two lovers.
"I've handed this matter over to Lord Zhu to investigate. Don't worry too much." Su Zirui had already arranged the follow-up for Sizhou before the Dali Temple arrived. The only person who hadn't been properly settled was the girl in front of him.
Beili glanced at Aruo and said skillfully, "Aruo, it's safer for you to return to the capital than to stay in Sizhou. Why don't you go back to Yangzhou and wait?"
"There will be no results if we continue investigating Xiao Man's case." Aruo raised her eyes, her dark eyes cold and bright. "I have to go to the capital to settle these accounts."
"Aruo, the officialdom is complicated. Why don't we go back to Yangzhou first and meet with Shuangshuang and brother-in-law before making a decision?" Qin Zhi took the file with disapproval. Now that the enemy's purpose is unknown, it would be inappropriate to act rashly.
Yiyuan glanced at Qin Zhi and said to her, "If you want to go, go ahead. It's almost time anyway."
Qin Zhi couldn't understand the anomaly, but he and Aruo had a vague idea. If they returned to Yangzhou, the Qin family wouldn't be able to rest in peace. The incident of military funds being diverted to Jiangnan wasn't resolved, and the Qin family's position was extremely precarious. If someone used it to settle accounts, the Qin family wouldn't be able to compete with the entire Yangzhou government and business community. Even if they managed to escape unscathed, they wouldn't be able to escape unscathed.
Qi Shao was indeed A'ruo's senior brother, but Qin Shuang was his beloved wife. Even if we take a step back, compared to A'ruo, the junior sister he recognized halfway, Shen Nan was the sister he had doted on since birth.
Yiyuan never doubted their relationship, but Aruo couldn't possibly be Qi Shaozhen's first choice. Su Zirui probably knew this, so he didn't ask Aruo to return to Yangzhou.
Qin Zhi quickly came to his senses and gritted his teeth, "Then... you want to go back to Beijing with them?"
"They are official ships and will be faster than the official road. I will leave later. I want to go back to Yangzhou to find someone." Aruo rolled up the file, his eyes shining.
"Qin Shuang?" Cai Xin asked curiously.
"No." Su Zirui was right. The Qin family was being closely watched by the Yangzhou salt merchants, and they couldn't easily intervene. Moreover, Qin Shuang couldn't do what she wanted. "I'm going to find external help."
At this moment, Jing Lan, who was discussing scriptures and arguments with salt officials in Yangzhou, felt an inexplicable chill down his spine.
"Aruo... let's go back to Beijing together." Cai Xin didn't understand their code words, but she knew that she must follow Aruo.
After staring at her quietly for a while, Aruo smiled and said, "Of course."
The road ahead is unknown, but for the people she trusts and those who trust her, she doesn't mind doing certain things in advance.
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