Chapter 116 Giving the Liu Family a Small Shock of Confiscating Their Property
Xie Lingjiang has been taking care of Ouyang Rong personally these past few days.
Wherever the latter went, she followed.
Except for Ouyang Rong sleeping at night.
Well, perhaps Xie Lingjiang is also taking care of him while he sleeps at night, even though they are sitting on a rooftop quite far apart.
However, Ouyang Rong was unaware of this.
besides.
Even when Ouyang Rong summoned Liu Ashan and Yan Liulang for a secret meeting, Xie Lingjiang stayed outside, leaning slightly against the pillar of the corridor with her sword in her arms.
As the sun sets in the west, in the west hall of Longcheng County Government Office.
Ouyang Rong glanced at the long, slender silhouette of his junior sister cast by the setting sun on the ground outside the gate.
He slowly withdrew his gaze.
Besides him, there were only two other people in the west hall.
Liu Ashan and Yan Liulang.
Ouyang Rong said to them:
"How's that matter going?"
“Master, it has been confirmed without a doubt that on the day we brought Aqing back, a female tassel worker who worked with Aqing did indeed go missing from the sword tassel workshop of Guyue Sword Shop.”
Liu Ashan's expression was serious, with a hint of lingering fear still visible on his face. He continued:
"The master had previously ordered me to withdraw all the brothers I had placed in the sword shop, so the information I gathered was somewhat slow. When the master sent me to inquire, the information I gathered was limited. I only knew that the news of her disappearance began to circulate the day after we brought Ah Qing back. Nobody knew exactly when she disappeared."
"Moreover, not many people know about this. It only circulates in a small circle, and no one cares. They don't even know the name of this female worker."
"but……
"Luckily, I asked A-mei, and she said that on the morning of the day we were brought back, a female worker from Sui disappeared. A-mei also said... that the missing female worker from Sui was named Zhang Qian, and that she was usually quite strict with her, which is why A-mei paid special attention to her."
"However, it wasn't until I told her about it that A-mei realized Zhang Qian had disappeared. Before that, she just thought she was skipping class again out of spite."
"I reckon that most of the managers and craftsmen at the Sword Tassel Workshop probably thought the same thing as A-mei, so the news of Zhang Qian's disappearance didn't start to spread until the next day, and it seems that some people kept it under wraps, and it only spread in a small circle."
The tall, thin, and taciturn man couldn't help but glance at the young magistrate, who was listening intently with a calm expression. He sighed.
“Such cases of missing servants happen every month in Longcheng and are generally hard to notice. It was only because the master is so meticulous and insightful that he asked me to investigate that we were able to find some clues.”
"Does the master believe that the Liu family did this in secret?"
Ouyang Rong neither nodded nor shook his head.
He got up, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth in the room.
He began to suspect this matter after urgently bringing Aqing back from the ancient Yue sword shop that day.
Looking back now, it may seem like hindsight, but it's not too late.
They had vaguely caught a glimpse of a connection between the Liu family and the Guyue Sword Shop.
Looking back now, Ouyang Rong's worries and speculations about A Qing that day were not wrong.
That morning, the inexplicable surge in merit points was related to Aqing, and it was very likely that she indirectly saved Aqing's life.
After all, if the sword tassel workshop could lose a female tassel worker named Zhang Qian, then it could also lose an A Qing.
As for how he indirectly saved Aqing, Ouyang Rong suspected it was the birthday gift he gave the little girl, which was the blue butterfly paper flower.
Later, I also heard from Aqing that the flower had been lost to an old craftsman at the Guyue Sword Shop and was not brought back.
This further confirmed his suspicions:
The old craftsman who took Aqing's flower was likely an important figure in the ancient Yue sword shop.
Or perhaps the blue butterfly paper flower, through this old craftsman's work, went through a strange experience unknown to Ouyang Rong, and ended up in the hands of a certain person in charge of the Guyue Sword Shop, such as Liu Ziwen or Liu Zian, and had some influence.
It indirectly saved Aqing's life.
Unlike that female worker named Zhang Qian, Aqing did not disappear that morning.
Moreover, it's possible that the missing female worker was originally Ah Qing, but due to some cause and effect, her identity was altered, resulting in the outcome we see now.
But this raises another question: he saved Aqing, but does that count as indirectly causing Zhang Qian's death? If so, his merits should be deducted, but instead, his merits increased.
Does it not count, or have the increase and decrease already canceled each other out?
Or is it because this Zhang Qian wasn't a good person? It's not a pity that she died. For example, when Ouyang Rong personally cut off the traitor's head last time, he didn't lose any merit. There's a mechanism similar to a red name, where killing someone with negative merit doesn't deduct merit.
If none of these apply, then there's only one possibility: the blue butterfly paper flower was used elsewhere, and the merit accumulated due to other events. It wasn't the key factor in determining Ah Qing's life or death; even without it, Ah Qing would still be fine...
Ouyang Rong was deep in thought.
He wasn't sure if his entire set of guesses was correct; there might still be some deviations, after all, he wasn't a god who could calculate everything perfectly.
However, this was the only relatively self-consistent explanation that Ouyang Rong could think of after gradually gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the Tower of Merit.
Of course, there are also some loopholes and doubts.
For example, Ouyang Rong couldn't understand why the blue butterfly paper flower he gave to A Qing could have such a great effect.
It's just a simple paper craft, isn't it? It involves some basic geometric principles.
What huge impact could it possibly have?
This is neither a plagiarized poem or song, nor a new technology that drives productivity.
Or perhaps... it stirred up fond childhood memories for Liu Ziwen and Liu Zian?
That's a bit far-fetched.
In addition, there are two more questions.
First, who exactly is the old craftsman? According to Aqing's description, he seems to be just an ordinary old swordsmith, only a bit eccentric.
Secondly, what exactly happened to the missing female worker named Zhang Qian, or rather... how did she die, and what was she used by the Liu family for?
Ouyang Rong always believed that the truth was hidden in the most basic reality.
From the simplest logical point of view.
Think about what the old craftsman's job was for, and what kind of place the Guyue Sword Shop was.
The Liu family, which prioritizes profit, certainly won't tolerate idlers.
The answer is then obvious.
Sword forging.
The ancient Yue sword shop is the core asset of the Liu family.
The ancient Yue sword shop was used for forging swords.
Sword forging requires swordsmiths.
So, is it possible that the old craftsman helped the Liu family forge some important swords? This matter involves the core interests of the Liu family, so the old craftsman has a superior position in the Guyue Sword Shop and can influence the decisions of Liu Ziwen, Liu Zian and others. Thus, he indirectly affected A Qing's fate that day.
Adding to the mix is the disappearance of female craftswoman Zhang Qian, and the fact that the Jia San sword furnace was completed and shut down that day, with the sword-washing ceremony held at Longshoutai... So all these things combined...
Is it possible that the old craftsman forged a weapon resembling the legendary Ding Sword in the Jia San Sword Furnace, and then used the female craftswoman Zhang Qian in place of A Qing to perform a ritual sacrifice for the sword?
Ouyang Rong was highly skeptical of this.
However, his junior sister repeatedly told him that the forging of the cauldron sword was not something that a single family could handle, and that it did not require evil magic sacrifices, which were only used by sorcerers.
In addition, legend has it that the emergence of the Ding Sword will bring strange phenomena, and on the day the Jia San Sword Furnace was completed, the sky over Longcheng was clear and there were no strange sights.
The possibility of the Dingjian sword seems unlikely.
My thoughts stopped there, as if I had hit a wall.
This puzzle piece, which Ouyang Rong had mentally constructed, was still missing many fragments and clues.
Wait... a sorcerer?
Inside the west hall, in the sight of the taciturn, tall, thin man and the blue-clad constable, the young county magistrate, who had been pacing inside, suddenly stopped, looked out the window, and frowned slightly.
He was muttering something softly:
“I remember… last time the East Treasury burned down the tents… Junior Sister had a thief who we couldn’t catch… who seemed to be a sorcerer… and suddenly burning down the Liu family’s tents… it was probably sent by the Liu family.”
"Does the Liu family have any practitioners of Taoist arts or cultivation techniques...? Is the practice of human sacrifice related to them?"
Ouyang Rong looked thoughtful.
"The Liu family of Longcheng... what exactly is hidden beneath this calm lake surface... it's truly mysterious..."
After a while, Ouyang Rong slowly and forcefully shook his head, as if trying to shake off these doubts.
He snapped out of his daze and turned to ask one of the blue-clad constables:
"Liu Lang, how are things on your end?"
Yan Liulang stepped forward and said:
"The missing female worker was named Zhang Qian. Once we had her name, it was easy to find her. I led a group to check the archives of the Household Affairs Bureau and finally found Zhang Qian's family in the southern part of Cuiying Street in the south of the city."
"Besides her 70-year-old mother, she also has two older brothers. Her eldest brother is married and his family is doing well, while her second brother is a gambler and womanizer who often relies on his family for financial support."
"To avoid being discovered by anyone with ulterior motives, I contacted them privately in casual clothes and subtly inquired about it. Zhang Qian's two brothers were quite wary of us and kept their mouths shut, refusing to mention their sister's disappearance."
"Later, our people learned from the neighbors that not long ago, around the time Zhang Qian disappeared, people from the Guyue Sword Shop had come to the Zhang family's house."
"We also found out that Zhang Qian's second brother has suddenly started spending money extravagantly in the gambling dens and brothels in the south of the city these days."
Yan Liulang paused for a moment, then chuckled at Ouyang Rong:
"My lord, it seems the Liu family sword shop has given quite a lot."
Ouyang Rong glanced at the smile on Yan Liulang's face, seemingly understanding, and nodded, asking, "And then?"
"Then we found a breakthrough with Zhang's mother. Zhang Qian's two older brothers may be satisfied with the hush money from the Liu family, but Zhang's mother is not. She wants to find out the truth about her young daughter's disappearance and find her daughter."
Yan Liulang smiled slightly:
"But before this, no one cared about the plea of a seventy-year-old woman, and she was not in charge of her family. But fortunately, she met us and met the Ming family."
"My lord, what do you mean? What should we do now?"
The constable in blue stared intently at the young magistrate, somewhat eager to try his luck.
Ouyang Rong turned and returned to his seat, leaning back in his chair, his hands flat on the table, feeling the coolness of the nanmu wood surface. He took a deep breath and slowly nodded.
"Missing, what a 'missing'! Dead and no one can verify it? No, it's a matter of life and death unknown. If the Longcheng County government receives the report, of course they will investigate and give the Zhang family an explanation. They must find the person alive or dead. That's what justice is."
"However, if we want to conduct a thorough investigation, justice alone is not enough; we also need power."
Ouyang Rong leaned back in his chair, tilted his head back, and stared at the wooden ceiling, his expression serious as he described something that was about to happen:
"When the Inspector General of Jiangnan Circuit, Lord Shen, inspected Longcheng, he showed concern for the local floods and the people's plight. He also attended the grand ribbon-cutting ceremony at Di Gongzha. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, county officials, powerful gentry, clan elders, and local worthies from several counties gathered together in a joyful atmosphere."
Suddenly, some good citizens knelt down and cried out their grievances before Lord Shen, who loved the people like his own children. They tearfully accused the Liu family's sword shop of abducting female workers. Later, onlookers revealed that the tyrannical Liu family had cleverly set up a soup kitchen and orphanage for profit, causing harm to the area for many years and taking advantage of the flood to seize fertile land, which was full of evil deeds.
"Lord Shen and the officials of Jiangzhou naturally wouldn't stand idly by. They immediately ordered the Longcheng County government to temporarily detain the three Liu brothers and then thoroughly search the Guyue Sword Shop to find the missing female worker. Unfortunately, it seemed that the body had already been destroyed to cover up the crime, and the search yielded nothing. However, new evidence was discovered one after another, which was irrefutable. The entire Liu family had no chance to defend themselves, and the three brothers were all imprisoned. The Longcheng County government confiscated the Liu family's property, and the people of the whole county rushed to spread the news, and everyone was overjoyed..."
"Liu Lang, A Shan, what do you think of this script?"
Yan Liulang and Liu Ashan exchanged a glance and nodded vigorously in unison: "That's how it should be!"
Ouyang Rong opened his eyes, but compared to Yan and Liu, whose faces were filled with joy, his brows were still slightly furrowed.
Seeing this, Yan Liulang's smile faded, and he couldn't help but ask in surprise:
"What is the Prefect worried about?"
"It's alright."
Ouyang Rong put aside his thoughts, shook his head, and turned to give him some instructions:
"There are two things that need to be done before Lord Shen and his entourage arrive in Jiangzhou."
"Sixth Brother, regarding the case of the missing female worker, you also need to bring Zhang Qian's second brother into the picture to seek justice for his sister. Having only Zhang's mother might not be enough."
"I have just learned that, in addition to Inspector Shen, the newly appointed Governor of Jiangzhou, the officials who came to cut the ribbon at Di Gong Gate this time also include the newly appointed Governor of Jiangzhou, Lord Wang."
"This official did not invite us, and Lord Shen's reply did not mention that he invited us. His stance is unclear; he may be neutral, but we cannot rule out the possibility that he will make things difficult for us. Therefore, all our actions must be reasonable, justified, and aboveboard."
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
Yan Liulang thought for a moment, then said seriously:
"There are plenty of ways to deal with those petty thugs who indulge in drinking, gambling, and whoring. I'll go back and think of a way; it shouldn't be too difficult."
That would be best.
Ouyang Rong then turned to Liu Ashan and instructed him:
"Ah Shan, regarding the various crimes committed after the disasters, such as the annexation of fertile land, the extortion of money and harm to the people by soup kitchens and orphanages, and the bullying of men and women by the three young masters of the Liu family, please go back and fill in the gaps in the evidence I prepared beforehand. Just like I just told Liu Lang, make sure the evidence is conclusive, aboveboard, and hard to find fault with. Even the smallest crime, once it is weighed, can make the Liu family suffer a lot."
"Yes, sir."
Ouyang Rong slammed his hand on the table and said in a serious tone:
"This time, taking advantage of the opportunity of the Jiangzhou officials' inspection, we must settle accounts with the Liu family."
"The disappearance of the female worker is just an appetizer to test the officials' attitude. With Lord Shen's cooperation and the righteous cause on our side, as long as we can successfully search the Guyue Sword Shop, the rest will be a matter of course. Other evidence will be thrown out one by one, and we can't stop it!"
"Besides... who knows if the Ancient Yue Sword Shop might uncover something unexpected."
He paused, then chuckled softly:
"I hope everything goes well. I'll leave the rest to Liulang and Ashan."
"yes."
Yan and Liu prepared to leave.
"Wait... Ah Shan, stay behind." Ouyang Rong suddenly raised his head and shouted, "There's one more thing."
"Please speak, sir."
"How's it going with the cleanup of the 'rats' in the county government office that I asked you to do last time?"
Liu Ashan said earnestly:
"Master, we have eliminated almost all of the Liu family's spies we discovered, but according to your wishes, we have left behind only one clerk surnamed Yuan. Last time, when you made the decision on the phased dismantling of the Zheyi Canal, this man tipped us off... Right now, he probably thinks we haven't discovered him yet."
Ouyang Rong calmly said, "Arrange for him to join the county government's sluice gate repair team, and give him some authority, such as being in charge."
Liu Ashan frowned slightly: "Master, what do you mean by this...?"
Ouyang Rong didn't answer, but continued, "Have someone keep an eye on him these next few days, and notify me immediately if there's any movement."
"Yes, sir."
Afterwards, Ouyang Rong gave a few more instructions, and Yan and Liu filed out.
Only the young county magistrate remained, sitting alone in the hall.
He held onto the chair with both hands, closed his eyes, and muttered to himself:
"What exactly is hidden in this ancient Yue sword shop...?"
(End of this chapter)
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