36 Chapter 036
◎Surrogacy◎
In summer, lotus leaves grow in clusters in rivers and ponds, and fresh water chestnuts can be seen everywhere under the lotus leaves.
Ren Dali followed his boss to the southern suburbs village for an investigation today. On the way back, he passed by the river and saw a small piece of water chestnuts crowded on the shore, which made him interested.
The river bank is very steep and it is easy to slip and fall into the water. The water chestnuts have not been picked yet, which is a good opportunity for Ren Dali.
He was an excellent swimmer and was not afraid of the steep slope at all. After getting permission from his leader, he slipped down to pick water chestnuts.
Unexpectedly, before they had finished picking the fruits, seven people came to the riverside and occupied the precious spot under the shade of the tree.
Since the boss didn't say anything, he pretended not to hear and continued picking his water chestnuts. However, the story told by the young lady was too strange, and he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Now I can't hide anymore, so I have to go ashore.
Ren Dali held the river bank with one hand and held a lotus leaf with the other. The lotus leaf was full of fresh green water chestnuts.
Seeing that the seven people did not respond, he shouted towards the treetops not far away: "Boss, come and help me."
The dense leaves rustled.
Lin Fan swiftly leaped down from the tree trunk and clasped his fists towards the seven people. "I was just passing by and rested on the tree. I'm deeply sorry for disturbing your enjoyment."
He didn't show up in time when the seven people arrived, so it was even more inappropriate to jump in and interrupt the story later.
"It's Team Leader Lin," Yao Sanniang said with a smile. "We're the ones who disturbed your rest."
"Miss San, you're too kind." Lin Fan walked to the river and pulled Ren Dali ashore.
Li Jiuyue said at the right moment, "Thanks to the two officers last night, otherwise, when I opened the door early in the morning and saw a pile of dead rats, I would have been scared to death."
"Manager Li, you're too polite."
Yao Sanniang had also heard about this and couldn't help but smile, saying, "I suppose you two have finished your work. Why don't you sit down together and enjoy the scenery and chat? This will also give Jiuniang a chance to thank you two."
"Yes, yes," Li Jiuyue greeted enthusiastically, "Team Leader Lin, come and sit down. It's so hot out here. Have some cold tea to cool down."
Ren Dali was indeed hot and thirsty, and couldn't help but look at his boss.
It was hard to refuse such a kind offer, so Lin Fan looked towards Li Jiuyue subconsciously.
Xie Mingzhuo sat sideways, holding a fan, with a smile in his eyes. When he saw him looking at him, he nodded slightly in greeting.
Lin Fan nodded, looked away, and replied to Li Jiuyue: "Thank you, Shopkeeper Li, for disturbing you."
The two sat down outside the mat and two cups of cold tea were handed to them.
They sat at the bottom, far away from Li Jiuyue and Yao Sanniang. They were the ones who greeted them, but it was Yang Yunkai and Luo Qi who served them tea.
Lin Fan took it with both hands and said, "Thank you, Brother Yang."
"Why are you being polite?" Yang Yunkai said in a simple voice, "Team Leader Lin has helped us several times."
Lin Fan smiled and drank the cold tea in big gulps, and the original heat was instantly dispelled.
"Eat water chestnuts." Ren Dali had already finished mumbling and placed the lotus leaves on the mat. "They're freshly picked, tender and crispy. Let's eat them all."
Luo Qi and Yang Yunkai were the first to pick up the water chestnuts, rubbed them on their clothes, and bit into them, revealing the tender white crispy meat inside, which made a crunching sound when chewed.
Xie Mingzhuo and his friends were more particular. They washed the food with clean water before putting it in their mouths and biting it.
It is indeed crispy, tender and refreshing, with a unique fragrance spreading in the mouth.
"Team Leader Lin ran out of the city in the scorching sun. What kind of case happened?" Yao Sanniang chatted casually.
Lin Fan: "Missing woman case, here to investigate."
"Yes," Ren Dali kindly reminded, "You better be careful. Don't go out alone. It's best to find some companions."
Xie Mingzhuo noticed that a moment of stiffness passed across Yao Sanniang's face.
"How did he get lost?" she whispered softly. "Now that we know, we can be more prepared."
The details of the case itself are not convenient for public disclosure, but what she said makes sense.
Lin Fan concealed the identity of the victim and only revealed what he could.
"These women all got lost outside the city. Most of them were alone, but some were in groups of two or three. Miss Meng, please try not to leave the city. There is no peace outside the city."
"Thanks for the reminder." Xie Mingzhuo nodded. "I wonder if you've found any trace of them?"
Lin Fan shook his head: "I am ashamed."
"It has nothing to do with the boss," Ren Dali said, "If it weren't for the western suburbs..."
"Da Li," Lin Fan interrupted him casually, "There are no more water chestnuts left. Do you want to pick some more?"
Ren Dali looked down and said, "So fast? Then I'll pick some more!"
Without thinking much, he stood up and rushed to the river.
Xie Mingzhuo lowered his eyes and sipped the cold tea.
Ren Dali mentioned the western suburbs just now. Did the investigation encounter resistance in the western suburbs?
Lin Fan interrupted deliberately. Was he hiding something, or was it simply because he couldn't mention the prince's mausoleum?
He has worked in the county government for many years. How much does he know about Anlu County, or rather, about Prince Liang's Mansion?
She feigned confusion, "If this was just one case, Squad Leader Lin wouldn't have issued such a serious warning. But if it were multiple cases, why haven't we heard anything about it in the county?"
This question hit the nail on the head, and Lin Fan couldn't help but be stunned.
He avoided Xie Mingzhuo's gaze and replied, "The government was worried about causing panic among the people, so they suppressed the news."
"I see." Xie Mingzhuo tilted his head again, "Sanniang, you know a lot of people, have you ever heard of this?"
Yao Sanniang suddenly came to her senses, avoided her gaze, and replied, "I haven't heard of it."
"The kidnapped women are inevitably insulted and abused. They are really pitiful." Li Jiuyue sighed. She was sold at the age of nine and had no idea how many times she had been beaten and scolded.
Yao Sanniang hesitated and said, "If, I mean if, they are well taken care of and live a life even more prosperous than before, can they still be considered pitiful?"
"Sanniang, kidnappers are heartless," Li Jiuyue retorted immediately, "They can't possibly treat their 'goods' well."
"I mean if."
"There are no ifs." Li Jiuyue looked at her and said seriously, "Even if I treated you well at first, it was only to get a better price."
"Can……"
"Sanniang, have you forgotten?" Xie Mingzhuo reminded her, "Freedom is the most important thing."
Otherwise, why would she come out to escort the goods instead of following her father's wishes and marrying a "rich businessman"?
Yao Sanniang was speechless.
She stared blankly at the calm river surface, her mind in turmoil for a moment, as if some self-deceiving thoughts in her mind were ruthlessly shattered, peeling off her gentle appearance to reveal her cruel nature, making her feel ashamed.
Xie Mingzhuo knew her true identity and almost instantly thought of the Prince of Liang.
The prince has no son and he is going crazy because of the longing for a son. However, he will not look for the reasons in himself, but will only think that it is the woman's fault.
What kind of woman can give birth to a son?
Naturally, women who have given birth to multiple sons are the most intuitive.
Xie Mingzhuo suddenly felt a little nauseous and was too lazy to pretend to be gentle and shy. His eyebrows and eyes were slightly sharp as he looked at Lin Fan.
"Team Leader Lin, do the missing women have any common characteristics?"
Lin Fan also noticed Yao Sanniang's unpleasant expression and secretly noted this anomaly. He turned around and replied, "If we're talking about common characteristics, does being married and having children count?"
"Are most of them sons?"
Lin Fan was surprised: "How did Miss Meng know this?"
The others also looked at Xie Mingzhuo.
Xie Mingzhuo said coldly, "I've read in miscellaneous books that the practice of 'pawning wives' is common in many places. Man without children and man with many children profit from trading wives. One uses a surrogate mother to bear a child, the other gets money and food in exchange."
In this world, fertility can be traded, plundered, and exploited.
"I've heard of that, too." Li Jiuyue pursed her lips, her eyes suddenly turning cold. "These things are worse than animals."
Lin Fan understood: "Miss Meng, what you mean is that someone has taken a fancy to these women's ability to bear children and kidnapped them to use as surrogate mothers?"
"Who wants to use a surrogate mother to bear a child?" Ren Dali climbed ashore again, carrying the water chestnuts in his arms, and said loudly, "If you ask who wants to have a son the most, it must be the Prince of Liang."
Everyone: “…”
What nonsense are you talking about!
Lin Fan held his forehead and smiled bitterly.
Li Jiuyue tried to smooth things over: "The wind was so strong just now that I didn't hear anything."
"I didn't hear it either." Luo Qi immediately agreed.
Everyone covered their lips and laughed.
Lin Fan clasped his fists in gratitude: "Da Li is very straightforward. Thank you very much."
If these words were to reach the ears of the prince, Ren Dali would not only lose his future but even his life.
Everyone agreed.
Xie Mingzhuo raised his glass of cold tea and said, "I hope that Team Leader Lin can quickly investigate this case and rescue the missing woman."
"Thanks to Miss Meng's good words, I will do my best." Lin Fan also raised his cup and promised solemnly.
Yao Sanniang kept her head down in thought and did not participate in their conversation.
Xie Mingzhuo knew why she was conflicted.
As the daughter of a prince, no matter how unhappy Yao Sanniang's life was, she could never put herself in the shoes of an ordinary woman.
When King Liang wanted to rebel, she worked hard to transport goods and strive to gain his favor. It was impossible for her to report the incident.
She could even convince herself that the people in the palace were rotten anyway, and it would be better for her father to be the emperor.
She was also unable to stop the prince from doing what he wanted to do. In order to feel at ease, she had to deceive herself that being the prince's woman was a blessing that many people could not ask for.
Sumptuous clothes, delicacies from land and sea, everything you want, isn't it more comfortable than a life of plain meals?
But what I said today completely exposed this illusion.
She could no longer deceive herself.
Although Yao Sanniang is a generous and magnanimous person who is willing to save others when she sees injustice, she still has the sense of superiority and limitations of the privileged class.
"Sanniang, do you still remember the story I just told you?"
Yao Sanniang looked up: "Princess Mary?"
"Yeah." Xie Mingzhuo's eyes were calm and gentle. "Everyone wanted her dead, but she didn't kill them, nor did she lie down and wait for death."
Ren Dali interrupted: "Lie flat? That's a good word."
Lin Fan blocked his mouth with a water chestnut.
"Only when you hold your own power can you have more choices. Relying on the charity of others is like fine porcelain. Although it is cherished by others, it will break if you are not careful."
Yao Sanniang stared at her deeply and suddenly asked, "Second Mother, then why are you so afraid of those rumors that you came here to hide?"
"Because it's easier said than done," Xie Mingzhuo replied calmly, "I don't have Princess Mary's courage."
Yao Sanniang murmured, "Then do I have it?"
A gust of wind blew, and the leaves rustled.
"Ouch!" Ren Dali suddenly jumped up, reached back with his hands, and said anxiously, "Boss, help me! There are bugs falling in!"
He shook his clothes vigorously, wishing he could take them off completely in an instant, but unfortunately there were several young ladies present, so he couldn't do it.
Lin Fan reached out, pinched out a caterpillar, and threw it on the ground.
"Maybe it fell from a tree. Do you want to move it to another place?"
Ren Dali crushed the bug to death with one foot, and felt itchy all over his body. He hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, let's change places quickly."
"Second Mother, Ninth Mother, it's getting late. I want to go back first." Yao Sanniang said.
Li Jiuyue was stunned for a moment, then said, "Team Leader Lin just told us not to go alone, why don't we go back together?"
"Okay." Xie Mingzhuo nodded.
Everyone had no objection.
"Boss, let's go back to the city too," said Ren Dali.
Lin Fan: "Yeah."
The two men had to rely on their feet to go in and out of the county town to do their work, as they had no cars or horses.
Li Jiuyue smiled and invited: "Team Leader Lin, Officer Ren, if you don't mind, why not take our car?"
"this……"
"I'd like to borrow your help to prevent any troublemakers." Li Jiuyue extended her hand in invitation. "Could you please grant me a favor?"
Lin Fan thought about it and said, "Thank you, Manager Li. Just call me by my name. 'Team Leader' is too unfamiliar."
"Me too, just call me Dali." Ren Dali took the lead and sat next to Luo Qi.
Sitting in the carriage behind Luo Qi were Feng Caiyu and Jiang Qing. Li Jiuyue had planned to ask Lin Fan to take this car for a "blind date", but unexpectedly, it was occupied by Ren Dali.
She couldn't ask anyone to change seats, nor could she ask Lin Fan to take Yao Sanniang's car, so she could only accept the current situation.
Anyway, Her Royal Highness the Princess is sitting in the carriage, so the two of them won't have any interaction.
Lin Fan followed suit and sat next to Yang Yunkai.
The carriage started and slowly drove towards the county town.
After entering the city, Yao Sanniang parted ways with them. They accompanied the Buddha all the way to the west, all the way to the gate of the county government office.
Lin Fan swiftly jumped off the carriage, suddenly turned around to look at the carriage curtain, and asked, "Miss Meng, what is magic?"
"It's similar to the magical powers in the storybooks." Xie Mingzhuo's voice penetrated the curtains, weakening the disguised gentleness, and became as cold as the snow on the top of the mountain.
Lin Fan smiled and said, "Thank you for clearing up my confusion."
"polite."
"Boss." Ren Dali stepped onto the stairs and shouted.
Lin Fan: "Manager Li, Miss Meng, I'm leaving."
He strode up the steps, and when he reached the threshold, he couldn't help but look back at the carriage that had started again.
Xie Mingzhuo felt bored, so he pulled aside the curtain on the side wall, and his gaze happened to meet his.
Both of them were stunned, then smiled and nodded.
The curtains fell, blocking the view again.
"Boss, what are you looking at?"
Lin Fan stepped over the threshold: "Nothing."
After returning to his residence, Xie Mingzhuo called Yang Yunkai.
"The case Lin Fan is investigating may be related to the Crown Prince of Liang."
Yang Yunkai: "What are your plans, Your Highness?"
Xie Mingzhuo pondered for a moment and said, "If it's really related to Xie Yu, the county government doesn't have the ability to continue investigating. Ren Dali must be saying that he encountered obstacles in the western suburbs."
"Could the clue be in the western suburbs?" Yang Yunkai immediately understood. "Is it someone from the Inspection Office?"
Xie Mingzhuo smiled and said, "Since Lin Fan wants to get to the bottom of this case, let's help him. You can secretly distract the patrol officers and let them pass through smoothly."
"I understand." Yang Yunkai agreed, then hesitated and asked, "Your Highness, if Lin Fan and others were silenced while investigating a case, would you..."
Xie Mingzhuo lowered his eyes: "If he can escape on his own, then there is no need for the Jinyiwei to intervene. If he can't, we should rescue him."
"yes!"
"But your own life is the most important thing." Xie Mingzhuo warned solemnly.
Yang Yunkai was touched and said, "I'll make a note of it."
Two days later, Lin Fan caught a petty thief from the street, threw him into a cell, and planned to go home after his shift.
"Brother Fan," Zhang Zhide called him softly, "Have you forgotten something?"
Lin Fan smiled and said, "I haven't forgotten. I remember it."
"What are you thinking?" Zhang Zhide winked. "I heard that it was the Li family's carriage that brought you back that day. Did you meet in private?"
Lin Fan was helpless: "And Dali."
"I don't care, you must give me an answer today."
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