Da Bao shook his head helplessly and sighed, then turned to leave.
"Wait, who do you want to see?"
Sun, the jailer, strolled leisurely out of the prison. Chen Qingqing had just told him to run an errand to find it for his brother. Unexpectedly, he overheard the conversation between the jailer and Chen Dabao as soon as he reached the door, so he quickly called out to Dabao.
Da Bao was overjoyed. "Sir, I want to see Chen Qingqing. She was locked up two days ago."
"Who are you to her?" Prison Chief Sun raised an eyebrow and sized up Chen Dabao.
Da Bao answered truthfully, "I am her younger brother, Chen Da Bao."
"Sure, come in with me."
"Boss, this won't do. After all, the county magistrate specifically instructed that no one is allowed to visit..." the jailer cautiously reminded him.
The jailer's face immediately fell, and he said irritably, "What kind of visit is this? This is my friend. He came to see me? Do you have a problem with that?"
"No, no, no, I wouldn't dare." The jailer subconsciously shrank his neck. He regretted it deeply. If he had known that the jailer would let him in, he would have been better off accepting that silver ingot just now.
Da Bao followed Warden Sun straight into the prison, where the cells were a gloomy and terrifying sight.
The cold, damp ground was covered in filth, and the stench of decay in the air made him want to vomit.
Every now and then, mice would squeak and dart past your feet, which was terrifying.
This place is simply uninhabitable. I have no idea how Sister Qingqing has managed to get through these past two days.
Da Bao secretly resolved that no matter the cost, even if it meant going to the capital to appeal to the emperor, he would rescue Qingqing from this awful place as soon as possible...
Looking at the prison cell so close at hand, Chen Dabao felt as if his feet weighed a ton, and every step he took required all his strength.
He couldn't bear to see Chen Qingqing's miserable state; he was afraid he wouldn't be able to bear the heartache.
Seeing that Da Bao had slowed down, Warden Sun turned around and called out, "Hurry up and go, your sister is in the innermost cell."
"Okay, I'm coming right now."
Da Bao composed himself, took a deep breath, and walked to the cell door.
Just as his tears were about to fall, he froze.
Chen Qingqing was holding a large chicken leg, eating it with great relish, her mouth greasy.
The table was laden with large pieces of fish and meat, making it look like a lavish meal at a restaurant.
Da Bao stared wide-eyed, his jaw practically dropping to the floor.
"Miss Chen, I've brought your brother. If you have anything to say, please do so as soon as possible. We can't linger here too long," Chief Sun kindly reminded her.
Chen Qingqing was taken aback. She hadn't expected that Warden Sun would be so efficient. He had just told her to bring Da Bao over, and Da Bao had already arrived.
"Okay, I understand." Chen Qingqing said, taking out a silver ingot. "Take this and buy some wine for the brothers."
"Alright, thank you, Miss Chen." The jailer Sun took the silver and left happily.
Da Bao snapped out of his shock and stammered, "Qing, Sister Qingqing, you, you, what... what happened?"
Chen Qingqing smiled happily, "Dabao, you've kept me waiting for so long!"
Da Bao quickly explained, "I've come many times, but the jailer at the gate won't let me in."
"Alright, come in quickly, I have something to tell you."
"Go in? How am I supposed to go in?" Chen Dabao glanced at the wooden door of the cell, looking troubled.
"The door wasn't locked; it opened with a push."
Chen Dabao pushed open the door and walked in, looking around. "My goodness, this isn't like being in jail. The conditions here are too good. We were worried about you outside."
He was somewhat incredulous, momentarily forgetting the purpose of his trip, and asked with a look of surprise, "Sister Qingqing, what, what exactly is going on?"
Chen Qingqing smiled and said, "What's so strange about that? Money makes the world go round. To avoid suffering, I bribed the jailer here as soon as I came in."
“So that’s how it is. No wonder he let me in today.” After saying that, Chen Dabao felt something was wrong. “Sister Qingqing, where did you get the money? I’ve heard people say that the jailers here are incredibly ruthless. They won’t serve you willingly unless they’re well-fed.”
Hearing his question, Chen Qingqing gave a haphazard explanation, "Luckily, I had some banknotes with me, so I gave them all to them."
"That's great, we're relieved that you're not suffering. Qingqing, just bear with it for a few more days. No matter how much it costs, I'll find a way to get you out of here."
“Da Bao, this matter is not as simple as you think. Jishengtang’s medicine has killed people. The person who framed me has done this so perfectly that if we can’t find any evidence, I probably won’t be able to leave here for the rest of my life.”
"What should I do? What should I do?" Chen Dabao asked anxiously.
Chen Qingqing frowned slightly. "Don't panic. Listen to me. The suspicious point in this matter lies with Hu Yuniang."
"You mean Hu Yuniang is the key? But she's dead and there's no way to verify it, so how can we investigate?" Chen Dabao was a bit confused.
Chen Qingqing has been thinking about this problem for the past two days. She thinks she must have affected someone's interests, such as the sugar shop, the clinic, or the restaurant, but she has no clue who it is.
She is currently imprisoned and cannot pay attention to what is happening outside. In order to prevent a bigger conspiracy by the person behind her, she made a tough decision.
“Da Bao, after you go back, you must do three things as soon as possible. First, investigate Hu Yuniang’s interpersonal relationships and tell me as soon as you find out. Second, suspend the sugar shop and hide the valuables in the house. Finally, tell my elder brother not to rush to open the branch in Anyang County. Let’s lay low for a while first.”
Upon hearing that the sugar mill was going to be shut down, and recalling the events of the past two days, Chen Dabao suddenly realized something. His face filled with lingering fear, he asked, "Sister Qingqing, you mean...?"
He didn't say it aloud, but he vaguely realized the seriousness of the situation.
Chen Qingqing nodded solemnly, "It's exactly what you think."
"No wonder Qin Shousheng, who always liked to accept bribes, refused the money I sent through someone. So that's what they were planning. It's terrifying."
"Yes, that's why merchant families spend a lot of money to cultivate scholars."
After Chen Qingqing finished speaking, she shook her head and sighed.
"Alright, you don't need to be too scared. The person they're targeting is me. There shouldn't be any danger at home for the time being. I'm just being cautious."
Remember my words: when you get back, you don't need to do anything. First, investigate Hu Yuniang's interpersonal relationships thoroughly, then come and tell me.
"Okay, Sister Qingqing, I've got it. Please take care."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
