Xu Zhuohua was furious.
Chen Hede kept spewing out news like popping beans, each message precisely hitting Cheng Muyun's sore spots. His target was clearly Cheng Muyun!
"Alright, judging by this, it's unlikely I'll be going home early today." Cheng Muyun narrowed his eyes slightly. "What do you mean?"
He also guessed that Chen Hede's purpose was not to ask Xu Zhuohua to write any documents or reports.
Chen Hede smiled slightly, "I think it must feel bad to be kept in the dark. If the young marshal has time to chat with me for a while, he might be able to figure some things out."
Cheng Muyun asked, "Is the opium seized the same as that from Tiger Wolf Mountain?"
The Tiger Wolf Mountain Opium Case was the trigger for Cheng Muchuan's murder.
When Cheng Muyun heard Chen Hede say that the opium was of high purity, he was already suspicious.
"The purity is basically the same, the sales methods are identical, and the packaging is exactly the same."
That's the same!
Xu Zhuohua felt Cheng Muyun's hand suddenly tighten, gripping her so tightly that her knuckles ached.
They had already destroyed the entire transport line a year ago, and even raided the opium dens of those foreigners, which dealt a heavy blow to the opium traffickers. How could they possibly make a comeback so quickly?
Cheng Muyun felt a surge of anger rising in his heart, which kept burning, and the flames seemed to be about to escape from his eyes.
Cheng Muyun didn't realize what was happening until Xu Zhuohua cried out in pain.
The man immediately let go, then rubbed Xu Zhuohua's hands together. "Zhuohua, go to the side hall first and wait for me. I have something to discuss with Deputy Director Chen."
Xu Zhuohua didn't want to hear about these things either. The more she knew, the more dangerous it would be. It was best to remain a fool.
After Xu Zhuohua entered the side hall, Cheng Muyun sat down, his eyes fixed on Chen Hede.
Chen Hede felt uncomfortable under his gaze. "Young Marshal, just ask whatever you want."
Cheng Muyun had countless questions in his mind, "Did the trail go cold in the military?"
The police station wields immense power and is practically tyrannical in New Sea City. Anyone who dares to oppose the police station is guaranteed to die before the next day.
But those in the military are an exception; the military and police have always kept to themselves, maintaining a semblance of peace.
For Chen Hede, the deputy director of the police station, to condescend to seek out Cheng Muyun, the lead must have been lost in the military, and by a very powerful figure at that.
Chen Hede clapped his hands and said, "As expected of the young marshal, you hit the nail on the head."
Cheng Muyun didn't have time for flattery with Chen Hede, "Who is it?"
Chen Hede did not speak directly, but said, “For some time now, I have been investigating the silver outflow case. A large amount of silver was sent to foreign ships and sailed to the West. The documents were complete and there were no flaws. Does the young marshal know what the only unusual thing is?”
Cheng Muyun lost his patience: "What?"
"The front of those silver ingots all bear inscriptions indicating that they were paid in silver."
Local chambers of commerce regularly paid pure silver. To make it easy to identify, they would stamp their own mark when melting the silver. This silver was then distributed to various places through the treasury. Generally, the inscription could be used to determine where the silver was distributed to.
Cheng Muyun felt a chill run down his spine. "What inscription?"
“Min Baocheng, double longevity pattern.”
The New Sea City Bao Cheng Silver Shop was a place where many chambers of commerce built their silver shops. The double longevity pattern is a stamp with two round longevity characters.
Cheng Muyun immediately recalled the large amount of silver Liang Shaozun had given to foreigners, as recorded in the account book.
Silver ingots with double longevity symbols were often used as military pay.
The man's alarm bells rang: "What do you want to say?"
Chen Hede shook his head, "I went through great lengths to capture a man who knew the inside story, but I couldn't get him to talk. In the end, he was killed by the young marshal."
The man in the theater.
Cheng Muyun frowned. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
He didn't want to know anything that wasn't related to opium.
"Chen knew that Young Marshal Cheng and Young Master Liang had always been on good terms, so he wouldn't have approached the young marshal unless he was absolutely certain."
The man who died at the theater last time was one of Leung Siu-Chun's men. He was investigating a silver embezzlement case, and the lead ended with Leung Siu-Chun.
This investigation is about an opium case. The lead went cold in the military, and Liang Shaozun is the person Chen Hede wanted to investigate but couldn't.
Chen Hede was unsure whether Cheng Muyun would stand against Liang Shaozun, but this time, regarding opium, he was certain that Cheng Muyun would investigate to the end.
Since he can't reach into the military, let's find someone who can.
Cheng Muyun, who hated opium to the core, was the perfect candidate.
Cheng Muyun frowned. "Is it related to Liang Shaozun?"
Upon hearing this question, Chen Hede finally felt relieved. Since Cheng Muyun had asked this question, it meant that he already suspected Liang Shaozun.
Chen Hede was worried that Cheng Muyun would protect Liang Shaozun, but now it seems unlikely.
"Opium transportation doesn't follow commercial routes, it follows military routes. Whoever controls the grain transport route from Dongzhou to Xinhai City is implicated."
It's under the jurisdiction of the quartermaster department.
The quartermaster's son was sending silver out and smuggling opium inland.
Everything connected.
Cheng Muyun, however, was not so convinced, saying, "Shao Zun doesn't touch opium."
Chen Hede slowly picked up a cup of tea. “I used to not touch it, but things are different now. Fortune favors the bold. Hasn’t the young marshal noticed? The Liang family is not what it used to be. There are all sorts of people and Westerners among them. In chaotic times, those who have no conscience live well.”
Cheng Muyun clenched his fists. Could it be that the Liang family had already started an opium business?
The military pay lost in the army was all used by the Liang family to buy opium.
The soldiers were confiscating opium, but the biggest opium dealer turned out to be the quartermaster.
How ridiculous!
How pathetic!
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