Chapter 51 Do you think we're "fools"...
As Shen Yizhi was being dragged out by the yamen runners, he didn't forget to turn back and yell at Wang Huai'an, his whole demeanor exuding a madness.
"Hahaha... You won't have it easy either! If I die, you'll be buried with me!"
Pei Lin stepped forward, lightly touching Wang Huai'an's arm with the tip of his shoe, and looked down at him.
“Wang Huai’an, you’ve been in the Suzhou pharmacy business for decades, and you hold the livelihood of all the pharmacy shops in the city in your hands.”
Whether you want to open a new shop or take over another one, there are always ways to do it.
Why resort to such deadly methods?
Is Suhetang so special that other stores can't do it?
Wang Huai'an tried to get up, but collapsed to the ground after two attempts, his voice weak: "No other place... that won't do."
He took a breath and continued, “Suhetang is the oldest pharmacy in Suzhou. Just as Shen Chengzhang said, it’s his family’s ancestral business. I reckon it’s been around since the Shen family was founded.”
Controlled medicinal materials like *Misty Grass* and *Cold Food Powder* required meticulous record-keeping of all purchases and sales by other businesses. The Maritime Trade Office would conduct regular monthly audits and occasional spot checks.
But Suhetang was different. They could buy more goods, and the inspections were less stringent. The government said, "Old shops have a good reputation and won't sell indiscriminately."
There were also foreign medicinal materials, such as tranquilizing incense from Persia. If a new shop wanted to import them, it had to submit three documents, and the government could investigate for half a month.
But Suhetang didn't need that; they had been dealing with Persian caravans for decades, and the officials would simply glance at the manifest and let them pass.
Pei Lin raised an eyebrow: "So what you want isn't just a certain pharmacy, but the government permit that Suhetang has?"
"Yes...no," Wang Huai'an murmured, his eyes unfocused.
Xiao Yunzhan, who was at the head of the table, suddenly spoke tentatively: "Is it you who wants this permission, or is it from Yangzhou..."
Before he could finish speaking, a series of urgent cries suddenly came from outside the courtyard, each one louder than the last, until finally it was a shout.
"Your Highness! Lord Pei! Your subordinate Zhang Chengye has urgent news to report! Your subordinate Zhang Chengye requests an audience!"
Wang Huai'an, who was originally slumped on the ground, seemed to be burned by the sound. His body suddenly stiffened and then trembled.
His eyes, which had previously held a hint of hesitation, instantly turned into a frenzy.
He struggled to his feet, but the constables held him down tightly. He ignored them and kept struggling, shouting at the top of his lungs, "It was me! I did it all!"
It has nothing to do with anyone else! I just wanted to poison Su Hetang; it was I who instigated Shen Yi to administer the poison!
"I did it all! I did it all by myself..."
His reaction was too much and too abnormal.
Xiao Yunzhan and Pei Lin exchanged a glance, both seeing the key point in each other's eyes—he was afraid of Zhang Chengye.
Xiao Yunzhan stood up, walked up to Wang Huai'an, and grabbed his collar: "Look carefully, I am Prince Rui of the Great Liang Dynasty."
According to the laws of my Great Liang, patricide is punishable by death by a thousand cuts, but if the instigator has a hidden reason, such as being coerced, then the punishment is different.
If I inform His Majesty on your behalf, I can reduce your sentence.
But if you're afraid of someone and insist that you're the mastermind, not only will you be executed immediately, but your wife and children will be exiled three thousand miles away, and your seventy-year-old mother will have to endure a hundred strokes of the cane and serve a year of hard labor.
Think it through: do you want to bear this alone, or reveal the truth?
He originally thought these words would make Wang Huai'an hesitate, but unexpectedly the other party became even more excited.
He forcefully pushed Xiao Yunzhan's hands away, then waved them wildly in front of his chest, shouting repeatedly, "No need to think! I did it! There's no secret! I did it all..."
"What are you afraid of?" Xiao Yunzhan pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him to look at him.
"Afraid of Zhang Chengye? Does he have some leverage over you? Is there something going on between you two? Did he ask you to take over Suhetang?"
"No!" Wang Huai'an suddenly roared, forcefully shaking off Xiao Yunzhan's grip.
Because of the excessive force, his hair was even pulled down and became a messy mess on his face.
“I have nothing to do with him! I did it myself! I deserve to die…”
As he spoke, he rushed toward a nearby pillar, as if he wanted to smash his head against it and die.
Seeing this, the constables rushed over and pinned him down. He was still struggling, repeatedly saying, "I did it, I deserve to die!"
Pei Lin sighed, knowing that he wouldn't get any more information by asking, and waved his hand at the guards.
"Take him to the woodshed and keep him under separate guard. Don't let him have any contact with anyone, and don't let him hurt himself."
The guards swiftly and efficiently carried the still-swaying Wang Huai'an out.
Wang Huai'an's shouts grew fainter and fainter until they disappeared completely outside the courtyard gate.
The side hall had just quieted down when Zhang Chengye strode in.
He bowed as soon as he entered and said urgently, "Your Highness, Lord Pei!"
My subordinates just told me that you led men to raid the Taihu Gang's headquarters last night?
"I've been secretly investigating this gang these past few days, and I was just about to report to you!"
Xiao Yunzhan sat back down in his chair, picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and didn't rush to reply or ask him to get up.
After a long pause, he slowly asked, "Oh? What did you find out?"
Zhang Chengye hurriedly took out a small booklet from his pocket and handed it over with both hands.
"My subordinates have discovered that the Taihu Gang colluded with several minor officials in the canal transport to smuggle prohibited drugs, such as bewitching herbs and cold food powder, from Yangzhou and then sell them to brothels and gambling dens in Suzhou."
"I've compiled a list of all the corrupt officials who colluded with them. Take a look."
Xiao Yunzhan took the notebook, flipped through two pages, and found more than a dozen names written on it, including their positions and the time of their collusion.
He looked up at Zhang Chengye and asked casually, "Is the only thing you found out about is illegal drugs?"
Zhang Chengye was stunned for a moment, his face immediately filled with surprise, his eyes wide open: "Is there something else? I've been investigating for half a month and only found out about drug smuggling, nothing else!"
"Didn't you notice?" Xiao Yunzhan put the notebook on the table.
"Didn't your subordinates tell you before you came?"
We rescued dozens of women from the secret passages of the Taihu Gang.
They've all been missing for the past six months; some were detained for three months, others for only a few days.
Zhang Chengye's surprise instantly turned into anger. He clenched his fist and slammed it heavily on the table: "How could such a thing happen! These beasts!"
What do you want to do with so many women?
Should we sell it to another place, or...?
He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, as if he had considered an even worse possibility, and his expression darkened further.
"It's not clear yet," Pei Lin interjected.
"Ding Jin has run away, and his cousin Jiang Yong has been kidnapped and has not been found yet."
You should also send people to help find Jiang Yong's family, and while you're at it, track down Ding Jin's whereabouts.
As for this list, keep it; we'll have someone investigate those minor officials in charge of the canal transport."
Zhang Chengye nodded quickly, "Most of those minor officials are on duty at the Xumen Water Gate, responsible for inspecting the grain transport boats. Ding Jin's medicines passed through their hands."
My subordinates have already ordered someone to keep an eye on them, and haven't dared to alert them.
Xiao Yunzhan waved his hand: "I understand, you can go back now. I'll let you know if there's any news."
Zhang Chengye responded, bowed, and hurriedly left.
His steps were even faster than when he came in; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was rushing to investigate those minor officials.
After Zhang Chengye left, Xiao Yunzhan sneered.
"It's a real waste of Zhang Chengye's talent that he doesn't join a theatrical troupe to perform."
His skill level is even higher than that of the famous actors in Beijing.
Pei Lin looked at Xiao Yunzhan with a smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Last night, troops were deployed to surround the Taihu Gang's headquarters. How many hours have passed since then?"
He didn't show up when Zhu Qing was being interrogated, nor was he there when Shen Yizhi was being interrogated, but when it came to Wang Huai'an's interrogation, he suddenly rushed over to deliver the list.
His tone was laced with sarcasm, "Your Highness, does Zhang Chengye think we're both fools?"
Xiao Yunzhan's smile was forced and insincere, which looked quite eerie.
"This is the first time since I was born that someone has 'you're an idiot' written all over their forehead and is waving it around in front of me."
"That's great..."
He stood up and patted off non-existent wrinkles on his body.
"Let's go see Madam Pei first. She must be anxious because she can't come to hear the case."
Pei Lin nodded: "Alright, tell her about the current progress so she won't overthink things."
As soon as the two arrived at the courtyard gate, they smelled a faint medicinal fragrance.
Yan Jinghong was sitting on a small stool by the bed, holding a small white porcelain bowl in her hand, slowly feeding Pei Zhiwei soup spoonful by spoonful.
Pei Zhiwei lay on the bed with medicine on her back. Her face was still a little pale, but she was in better spirits than in the morning.
"Father, Your Highness."
Pei Zhiwei saw them come in and tried to look up, but Yan Jinghong pressed her down.
"Don't move. I just applied medicine to your wound. If you move, it will dissipate and all the effort will be wasted."
Yan Jinghong put down her bowl, smiled, and said to the two of them, "I just drank a little bit of pigeon soup, and I feel much better. You two chat, I'll go to the kitchen and get some more." With that, she took the bowl and went out.
Xiao Yunzhan walked to the bedside, pulled up a chair and sat down, then recounted the day's proceedings to Pei Zhiwei in detail.
Upon hearing that "Jiang Yong has been kidnapped," Pei Zhiwei hurriedly asked, "Are there any leads? Can you find out who kidnapped him?"
Xiao Yunzhan sighed, his voice softening slightly: "I've already sent people to investigate; they've searched all the alleys near Xumen, but there's still no news. However..."
He stopped himself in time, not saying "I'm afraid the chances of survival are slim," and only said gently, "We will do our best to search and will not let any clue slip by."
Pei Zhiwei bit her lip tightly and didn't say anything more. Jiang Yong's son was only five years old. What could he know?
These people are utterly depraved.
Seeing her expression, Xiao Yunzhan knew she was anxious, but he had no other choice but to gently comfort her, "Don't worry."
The secret guards have already gone to investigate Jiang Yong's neighbors; they might be able to get some clues.
"You should focus on recovering first. Once you're healed, we'll get checked together."
Pei Zhiwei nodded, and was about to say something more when she saw Xiao Wanyao walk in hurriedly, her face extremely grim.
"Third Sister, what's wrong?" Xiao Yunzhan went up to her. "What happened?"
Xiao Wanyao didn't answer immediately. She first glanced into the room and saw Pei Zhiwei lying on the bed. She asked about her injuries with concern, and only felt relieved after Pei Zhiwei repeatedly assured her that she was fine.
Then he turned to Xiao Yunzhan and said, "Come with me."
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