Chapter 33: Let's investigate and seek justice!
Bansha Pavilion is always the most bustling place in Dongqing County. Zhang Hu and several other laborers had just finished unloading the newly arrived goods, and they were all drenched in sweat and panting heavily.
He found a shady spot, plopped down on a bulging sack of rice, patted it casually, and listened to the rustling sound of the grains rubbing together inside, feeling a bit curious. He had been working for Manager Wang for several years; Manager Wang mainly dealt in cloth and general merchandise, occasionally taking on finer goods like tea, but this was the first time he had ever moved such a large quantity of rice.
Several familiar laborers nearby were eating dry rations from their water bags and chatting idly.
"Did you see him the other day? Manager Wang looks much better lately, he even stands up straight."
"He not only looks good, but I saw him heading towards Ruyi Fang yesterday evening!" A tall, thin man said in a low voice, with a hint of envy.
"Ruyi Fang? That newly opened gambling den?" someone exclaimed in surprise. "No wonder we haven't seen him much these past few days. He must have been making some ill-gotten gains there, enjoying himself?"
"Who knows? It certainly looks lavish..."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group each took out their lunch from home. Zhang Hu resignedly pulled out the earthenware pot his mother had prepared—it contained savory pickled vegetables that could kill you with their saltiness and rice porridge so thin you could see your reflection in it. He smacked his lips, and couldn't help but think of the hearty, fragrant bone broth wontons and flavorful multigrain pancakes from the Manxin Food Shop. His mouth immediately began to water uncontrollably.
"You guys eat first, I'm going to get some water." Zhang Hu really had no appetite, so he made an excuse to slip away, thinking he'd go see if there was anything cheap and filling nearby.
He turned into a quiet alley leading to the back of the market, intending to find a corner to relieve himself, when he suddenly caught sight of two figures deep in the alley.
He instinctively stopped, shrank back, and peeked out from behind the corner—he saw Manager Wang standing there, his face plastered with an almost obsequious smile he had never seen before, bowing and scraping to a person whose face was obscured and whose back was to Zhang Hu.
From a distance, the exact words couldn't be heard, but the man seemed very impatient, casually tossing a heavy-looking money bag to Manager Wang. Manager Wang hurriedly caught it, his smile widening as he bowed repeatedly, seemingly making some kind of promise. The man then seemed to whisper a warning, and Manager Wang immediately covered his mouth, nodding frantically.
Zhang Hu's heart skipped a beat; his intuition told him this was no legitimate business. He held his breath, not daring to make a sound, until the person with his back to him snorted coldly, turned around, and quickly left from the other end of the alley. Manager Wang also tucked his money bag into his pocket, looked around, and then walked off in the opposite direction with a smug look on his face.
Zhang Hu leaned against the wall, his heart pounding like a drum. Manager Wang had struck it rich? This wealth… it probably came from shady sources! He wondered what dirty deeds he'd done. If he were to use this to ask Manager Wang for some benefits… he'd better not. If he did that, he might lose his life. He didn't care much for himself, but he had an elderly mother to support.
He went back to work as if nothing had happened, and when he finished work and went home, he ignored his mother calling him for dinner. He collapsed onto the hard bed, his mind replaying the incident over and over again.
...
Yu Man was also looking for Manager Wang. Following the address Deng San Niang had given her, she went to the warehouse and teahouse where Manager Wang usually frequented. However, after visiting several places, she found no one there. The warehouse clerk said he hadn't been to the business for several days, and the teahouse manager also shook his head, indicating he hadn't seen him.
Her suspicions deepened. The fact that Manager Wang seemed to be deliberately avoiding her indicated that he was closely involved in this matter. Recalling the rumors she had heard about Ruyi Workshop, she hesitated for a moment but decided to go and see for herself.
Ruyi Fang is located deep in a narrow street where all sorts of people mingle. Its storefront is not ostentatious, but the people coming and going are all different, most of them with expressions of either excitement or dejection, clearly all people who are obsessed with gambling.
Yu Man pulled down his straw hat and followed the people in front to the door, where he was immediately stopped by a burly, sharp-eyed gatekeeper.
"Stop! What are you doing?" The man looked her up and down in an unfriendly tone, his gaze sweeping over her old but neat clothes.
Yu Man steadied himself and tried to make his voice sound calm: "Excuse me, sir. I'm looking for my husband, surnamed Wang, who works as a manager in Bansha Pavilion. I wonder if he's here today?"
The man scoffed, "Looking for someone? We have plenty of Manager Wangs and Boss Lis coming and going here every day, who knows which one you're looking for? Besides," he said with a hint of frivolity, "little lady, this isn't a place for you. If you're itching for a game, I can take you inside to see for yourself?" Another gatekeeper nearby also let out a malicious laugh.
Yu Man took the opportunity to peek inside a few times. There were quite a few people, but he couldn't tell if Manager Wang was there.
As for going to gamble, she hadn't considered it, after all, she had a backup plan.
She gave a forced smile, then turned around decisively and left the alleyway without any hesitation.
She didn't go far, but instead circled around to a quieter, even somewhat dirty, street where the gambling den's back alley was located. Here, clutter was piled up, and the air was filled with a faint musty smell and the stench of sewage. She found an inconspicuous corner and waited patiently, her sharp eyes scanning the gambling den's back door and the other possible exits nearby.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a gray figure, as swift as a raccoon, silently leaped over the high wall of the gambling den's backyard and landed lightly in front of Yu Man. It was Gu Qiu. Unlike usual, his face was covered with a dark mask, obscuring his mouth and nose.
Yu Man raised an eyebrow at his somewhat abrupt attire: "Do you think that by covering your face, people won't recognize you?" In her opinion, it only made him more noticeable.
Gu Qiu pulled down his face mask, revealing a blank expression, his voice still flat: "It's not a pretense. The air inside is too stagnant, the smell of smoke, sweat, plus... a bit of unclean stuff, making people uncomfortable." He explained with a straight face.
Yu Man: "..." She was speechless for a moment, so she ignored the answer, which was a bit beyond her comprehension, and got to the point: "How is the situation inside? Have you found Manager Wang?"
Gu Qiu shook his head, his tone certain: "We searched carefully, but there was no one who looked like the manager surnamed Wang. We also didn't find him in the several secret rooms or near the gambling tables that he frequents."
Although she had expected it, hearing Gu Qiu confirm it himself still sent a shiver of disappointment through Yu Man. It seemed the connection with Manager Wang had been temporarily severed. She pondered for a moment, then decisively decided, "Since it's not here, let's go back and see how Aunt Xiang is doing with her inquiries."
Gu Qiu nodded and was about to leave when he heard Madam Yu suddenly ask, "Has he returned?"
"No." At least he hadn't received any news.
Yu Man nodded. To be honest, having bodyguards is quite nice, like having the best assistant. So this is the kind of good life Pei Ji lives.
Gu Qiu, who was about to say a few words to comfort Yu Man, thought, "..." Why does Yu Man's smile look a little creepy?
...
Deng San Niang's situation went relatively smoothly. She first went to Aunt Zhang's house. Aunt Zhang, upon hearing that the shop might reopen, was still somewhat hesitant, but considering the increased wages and remembering how well the shop had treated her in the past, she finally agreed. Next, she approached Li Xiao Er, the waiter, and Wang Da Niang, the dishwasher. Both of them were of modest means, and upon hearing that they could return to work and that their wages would be paid regardless of business, they were relieved and expressed their willingness to come back.
However, when Deng San Niang arrived at the home of Granny Sun, who was usually quiet and reserved and responsible for kitchen chores, she was turned away at the door. Granny Sun's neighbor spoke through the crack in the door, saying that Granny Sun had gone back to her hometown in the countryside a couple of days ago, saying that her grandson was sick and she had to go take care of him for a while, and she wouldn't be back for a while.
Deng San Niang returned to the courtyard and told Yu Man everything that had happened.
“Aunt Zhang, Li Xiaoer, and Aunt Wang are all willing to come back, but Granny Sun said that her grandson in the countryside is sick and she went back to her hometown, so she's afraid she won't be able to make it in time,” she said while drinking water.
Yu Man paused slightly upon hearing this: "Grandma Sun? Back in the countryside to take care of her grandson?" She pondered for a moment and asked, "Aunt Xiang, do you know how old her grandson is? Which village does he live in?"
Deng Sanniang thought for a moment: "Her grandson? He seems to be only three or four years old. He lives in Xiaoli Village on the edge of the county town, not far away. If he is really sick, she can come to work during the day and go back to take care of him at night. Why does she have to go back to her hometown to live?" After Yu Man asked her this, she also felt that something was wrong.
Yu Man thought about it carefully. Those people rushed into the kitchen with such certainty, as if they knew there was something dirty there. Now that he thought about it, what if there was an inside man? If someone was working together from the inside, wouldn't everything be much easier?
Granny Sun was mainly responsible for cleaning and organizing the kitchen. She had every opportunity and means to place rotten cabbages and dead rats in a specific location in the kitchen beforehand without attracting attention.
“Grandma Sun…” Yu Man slowly repeated the name, her mind rapidly processing the information. “She usually looks honest and unassuming, not saying much, and has a very low profile in the shop. That’s why if she does something small, it’s not easy for anyone to notice her.”
Her suspicion of Granny Sun was like a pebble thrown into a lake, rippling outwards. But she knew that it would be rather hasty to conclude that Granny Sun was an inside agent based solely on the somewhat hasty excuse of "returning home to take care of her grandson."
So, after Aunt Zhang, Li Xiaoer, and Aunt Wang successively expressed their willingness to return, Yu Man did not immediately begin preparations for reopening. Instead, she found a quiet time to talk to each of them individually. She did not directly question Granny Sun about the incident, but instead guided them to recall the events of the day before the incident, especially the afternoon before and after closing time, focusing on the details in and around the kitchen.
She first approached Aunt Zhang, who was more thoughtful and perceptive.
"Aunt Zhang, think again, was there anything unusual in the kitchen the day before the incident? Or did anyone do anything different from usual?"
Aunt Zhang tried hard to recall, and after a moment's hesitation, she added, "It seems... when Granny Sun was tidying up the chores that afternoon, she stayed a little longer than usual? I remember after I finished washing the last batch of dishes, she was still lingering in that corner where the cabbages were... I didn't pay attention at the time, but now that I think about it, she's usually quite efficient."
Yu Man noted it down, then turned to Li Xiao'er, who was in charge of serving food but also frequently went in and out of the kitchen. "Xiao'er, before closing time that day, when you went in and out of the kitchen, did you see anything unusual?"
Li Xiaoer scratched his head: "Unusual? Hmm... It seems like Granny Sun left particularly early that day? Yes! About half an hour earlier than usual! I was wondering about that, she usually waits until we're all ready before leaving together."
Finally, there was Granny Wang, who shared the responsibility of managing the kitchen with Granny Sun.
"Aunt Wang, you and Granny Sun live close by. Was there anything wrong with her that day?"
Aunt Wang thought for a moment, then lowered her voice and said, "Madam, now that you mention it, I remember. That afternoon, Granny Sun seemed a bit restless, constantly looking towards the window in that back alley. I even asked her what she was looking at, and she said... she thought she heard a stray cat meowing and was afraid it would come in. But I didn't hear any cat meowing at the time... Moreover, she later went to check the latch on that window. Isn't that strange? We don't usually open that window."
Combining the statements of these three people, Granny Sun's unusual behavior was no coincidence, and the reason for the appearance of those unclean things became much clearer.
But what we lack most right now is witness testimony.
Aside from news from Pan Yue, it would be best to find Granny Sun and Manager Wang as well. She asked Deng San Niang to go to Xiao Li County to inquire, and told her her guesses as well. The latter was stunned, then filled with boundless rage: "That heartless, rotten old hag! What have we done to wrong her?! How dare she... how dare she help outsiders harm us like this!"
"Leave this to me, I'll go find her tomorrow!" Deng San Niang agreed.
Yu Man also planned to go somewhere, but Manager Wang wasn't at his usual haunts, and he couldn't find anyone at the gambling den. So, the most direct place left was that so-called money exchange!
The money exchange was located in the west of the city, with the words "Huitong" written above it. Its facade was more respectable than that of the gambling den, but it still exuded an inexplicable gloomy atmosphere. She observed for a moment at the street corner across the street and saw several men dressed in shorts and with fierce eyes loitering nearby. They were clearly the people who had come to collect debts that day.
Just then, three men who had been loitering seemed to notice her, a woman wearing a straw hat who had been lingering nearby for a long time and acting suspiciously. They exchanged glances, then surrounded her with ill intent, blocking her way.
"Hey, young lady, you've been wandering around here for ages. Who are you looking for?" The leader, a man with a scar on his face, grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, his eyes lewdly lingering on Yu Man.
Yu Man: "Not looking for anyone, just passing by."
"Just passing by?" another skinny man sneered. "This isn't a place to just pass by. You're acting suspiciously; could you be a spy sent by the government?" He reached out to lift Yu Man's straw hat.
Yu Man took a step back and said coldly, "What do you want to do in broad daylight?!"
"What are you doing?" Scarface chuckled. "Invite the young lady inside for a cup of tea and a chat!" With that, the three men surrounded her, ready to use force.
Just as the skinny monkey's hand was about to grab Yu Man's arm, a gray shadow shot out from the shadow of the eaves beside him! It was so fast that it brought with it a gust of wind!
There was a sharp, teeth-grinding crack, followed by the skinny monkey's heart-wrenching scream—his wrist was bent at an odd angle, clearly broken!
Before Scarface and the other man could react, the gray figure—it was Gu Qiu—had already moved like a tiger among sheep, his movements clean and swift, without the slightest hesitation. He dodged Scarface's swinging fist, his elbow slamming into the man's ribs like a hammer. Scarface groaned, his face turning deathly pale as he curled up in pain. The other man, terrified, turned to run, but Gu Qiu kicked him in the back of the knee, sending him sprawling to his knees with a thud, clutching his leg and howling in pain.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. The three thugs who had been so arrogant just moments before were now lying on the ground, groaning in pain, unable to resist. The few pedestrians on the street had already fled in terror, and the few thugs remaining at the entrance of the money exchange were also stunned by this sudden turn of events, and dared not step forward for a moment.
Gu Qiu stood still, expressionless, not even glancing at the three people on the ground, as if he had merely swatted away a few mosquitoes. He turned slightly to the side and whispered to the still-shaken Yu Man, "My wife, you've been frightened."
Yu Man looked at the three people screaming on the ground, then at Gu Qiu, whose breathing was steady and who seemed completely unaffected. Her heart was still pounding, but she felt a strange sense of satisfaction. She sheathed her machete. Composing herself, she looked at Gu Qiu and said, "Thank you."
She took a deep breath, her gaze shifting to the scarred man on the ground, sweating profusely and temporarily incapacitated. She walked over to him and knelt down.
"Now, can we have a proper talk? Tell me, who instructed you to forge the IOU and frame Yu Chengfu? What did Manager Wang do? And... what exactly is the Chen family, the Chen family of Fengyulou, involved in this matter?"
With each question she asked, her tone grew more forceful, and her clear eyes were now so sharp they seemed to see right through one's thoughts.
Scarface looked at Gu Qiu, knowing that if he didn't speak, this man would really kill him. Enduring the excruciating pain in his ribs and wrists, drenched in cold sweat, he haltingly recounted the entire story he knew:
It was indeed the Chen family who were behind it. They found Manager Wang, who had a past relationship with Yu Chengfu and ran a warehouse, and promised him a large sum of money to lend them one hundred taels of silver when the Yu family needed it. Finally, Scarface and his gang of thugs from the Huitong Money Exchange came to the door and arrested the man under the pretext of a debt.
"...How exactly was that handprint pressed on? What method was used?" Yu Man pressed for the most crucial question.
Scarface was deathly pale, shaking his head frantically: "Grandma, this... I really don't know anything about this! It was all handled by Young Master Chen's trusted confidants and Manager Wang. We were only responsible for the final debt collection and arrest... Even if you kill me, I can't tell you!"
"What about Manager Wang?"
"I didn't know! Really! If I'd taken so much silver, I probably would have run away long ago." Scarface said, regretting that he should have run away too.
Yu Man stared at him for a moment, confirming that he wasn't faking it, before slowly standing up. She quickly went through all the information in her mind, like untangling a tangled mess, and gradually, a clear outline emerged. The Chen family was the mastermind, Manager Wang was one of the key executors, her second aunt's family might have been pawns being used or coerced, Cao Daniu and others were tools, and Scarface and his ilk were the final henchmen.
On her way back, she kept thinking about these things and came up with a solution.
The next day, news spread like wildfire in Dongqing County—the Manxin Food Shop, which had been closed for many days due to rumors of "eating dead people," was actually going to reopen!
This news was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples everywhere. Many people, with the intention of watching the spectacle, questioning, or even waiting to see the joke unfold, gathered outside the food stall on the day it opened.
Together with Deng Sanniang, Yu Man personally removed the last door panel. Facing the pointing and whispering crowd outside, Yu Man's expression remained unchanged. She stood on the steps, her gaze calmly sweeping over the crowd, her voice clear and composed:
"Fellow villagers, you have all heard the various rumors circulating about our Manxin Food Shop recently. I am standing here today not to argue in vain, but simply to tell you one thing—the innocent will remain innocent, and the guilty will remain guilty!"
She paused, then continued, "Our Yu family has always acted with a clear conscience. This restaurant was built up bit by bit by me, my elders, and all the employees who have helped us. We would never dare to be negligent in the slightest, much less do such a heartless and harmful thing! I will definitely investigate the recent events thoroughly and give everyone a clear explanation!"
There was much discussion among the crowd, with some scoffing and others remaining skeptical.
Yu Man abruptly changed the subject, dropping a bombshell that surprised everyone: "I'm offering a reward for any leads! Anyone who can provide concrete information about the people who caused trouble at my shop a few days ago, or the true situation of the so-called 'eaten-to-death' person, or any other valuable clues related to this incident, will be rewarded with twenty coins for each verified lead!"
Twenty coins! For ordinary people, that's no small sum! Enough to buy several pounds of meat! The crowd immediately stirred. A generous reward always brings forth brave men, especially since this was just for providing information.
"Madam Yu, is this true?" someone asked loudly.
“Absolutely true!” Yu Man said firmly.
For the next three days, although business at Manxin Food Shop remained slow and deserted, Yu Man and Deng Sanniang were not idle. The news of the reward spread throughout the county, and people came in droves to provide clues.
This information is a mixed bag, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood. Some people confidently claim to have seen one of the troublemakers drinking somewhere, while others mysteriously reveal that the dead person was actually cured a long time ago. Still others make extravagant claims, clearly fabricating stories for a reward.
Yu Man and Deng San Niang carefully examined each person's words and then wrote them down.
"Someone saw Cao Daniu gambling in a neighboring village the night before last, and he lost a lot of money..."
"Old Granny Sun from the West Market said that those nasty remarks about the food stalls originated from Li Laizi, who was involved with Liu Mazi..."
"The neighbor next door to Manager Wang's house said that he heard arguing coming from his house late at night a few days ago, and it seemed like they were talking about 'handprints'..."
These scattered rumors, though not directly admissible as evidence in court, gradually confirmed Yu Man's earlier deductions. For example, the argument about Manager Wang's risks and the handprints made her even more certain that Manager Wang was not without inner turmoil and might be a breakthrough point. She still needed to wait until she found these people.
On the afternoon of the third day, the crucial news that Yu Man had been waiting for finally arrived. Pan Yue rushed to the food stall, panting, and lowered his voice, unable to hide his excitement: "Sister Man! Cao Daniu is back! He sneaked back to the village this afternoon, and I caught him red-handed."
A glint of light flashed in Yu Man's eyes; the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived!
She stood up and said in a deep voice to Deng Sanniang, who was tidying up the stove, "Auntie, pack up and bring the things we prepared earlier."
Upon hearing this, Deng San Niang immediately put down her work, wiped her hands, and asked, "Aman, is it...?"
Yu Man suddenly banged on the gong that the food stall usually used to announce its orders.
"Let's go, let's get justice!"
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