Chapter 428: Lord, I Was Wronged
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Liu Tiezhu looked at Yan Er greedily, waiting for him to give him the silver.
Madam Qu lowered her voice and said ferociously, “Where do 1 get the money? 1 don’t have it!”
There were only 10 taels of silver left in the retirement stash that she had saved up. Even if she took them all out, she did not have enough!
Yan Er hid the hostility in his eyes and said to Liu Tiezhu, “We only have this much silver on hand, we still have to gather more.”
Liu Tiezhu frowned. Yan Er said, “We have our weakness on you, so we definitely will give it to you. We really don’t have any money left. 20 taels of silver is really not a small amount. Even if we sell the land for you, we have to take some time to recover, right?”
When Liu Tiezhu heard this, he said with much reluctance, “Alright, then I must see silver the day after tomorrow!”
Yan Er agreed immediately. “Sure!”
After Liu Tiezhu left, Song Tianxian smashed the bamboo chair at the door. “1 can’t live like this anymore!”
Yan Er suddenly said, “If we let him continue to pester us, we will be captured by the government sooner or later. There’s only one way now!”
When Madam Qu saw the cold glint in his eyes, she trembled in fear. “This, this won’t do!”
The others objected. “No! No!”
Yan Er said coldly, “Do you have a better idea?”
Everyone fell silent. There was indeed no better way.
Xia Dongmei had had enough of being on tenterhooks for the past few days. “We will die no matter what. Why don’t we forcefully make a way out?”
“Anyway, we’ve already stolen the grenade. What’s there to be afraid of!”
Song Tianxian said fearfully, “You’re all crazy!”
Xia Dongmei said coldly, “Then you can fork out this money!”
Song Tianxian stomped her feet. “What money do 1 have? 1 have already given you all the money! At most, we will sell the land. There’s no need to take action!”
Yan Er mocked, “Then what if he comes to us and asks us to sell the house too?”
It was easier to arouse the suspicion of others if they suddenly sold their land and house.
Song Tianxian’s face turned pale. She bit her lip and finally agreed to Yan Er’s decision.
The army was well-disciplined and everyone was not allowed to be late.
Liu Tiezhu had not reported to the army for a day.
If he still did not come, he would be severely punished by the army.
The captain sent someone to Liu Tiezhu’s house. There was no one at home, so he did not know where this guy had gone.
On the fifth day, still no one saw Liu Tiezhu.
The captain felt that something was wrong. A few days ago, Liu Tiezhu had excitedly told his brothers that he was getting married and would treat them to a wedding banquet.
If Liu Tiezhu did not come to the camp, how could he raise his wife without his monthly salary?
The captain sent someone to Liu Tiezhu’s house to check on him again. The surrounding neighbors said that they had not seen Liu Tiezhu for a few days.
Sensing that something was wrong, the captain asked the old man in charge of the apartment to open the door.
The door was opened. Liu Tiezhu was not around, and it did not look like anyone had returned home.
Regardless of whether this person was dead or what, there was no one left. The captain had to report it.
Liu Tiezhu’s disappearance was a missing person case on the Carefree City wall.
Everyone discussed fervently. You Huaijie was in charge of the case and immediately investigated the last person who had seen Liu Tiezhu.
The apartment master had seen him leave the apartment in the evening. No one had seen Liu Tiezhu again in the direction the apartment master had pointed.
It was as if this person had disappeared into thin air. The discussion about his disappearance reached Bai Wutong’s ears. Bai Wutong looked at Xiaobai, who was playing in the gra.s.s, and immediately got someone to call You Huaijie over. She called Xiaobai back and asked Xiaobai to help You Huaijie find someone.
The small pests in the field had been chased away by Xiaobai’s family. Just as it was feeling bored, Bai Wutong arranged work for it. Its blue eyes immediately lit up as it sniffed Liu Tiezhu’s smelly shoes.
After a while, Xiaobai brought You Huaijie into the mountain.
Everyone could not help but wonder if Liu Tiezhu had gotten lost in the mountains and was trapped.
What was he doing in the mountains at night?
Although they were puzzled, they followed Xiaobai around and arrived at the edge of a cliff. Below was the turbulent sea.
Did Liu Tiezhu jump off the cliff after entering the mountain?
Xiaobai looked up at the sky and howled. You Huaijie frowned and sized up the surroundings. He found a trace of cloth on the surrounding branches.
He picked up the cloth and placed it under Xiaobai’s nose. Xiaobai sniffed and started running again.
Everyone chased after Xiaobai crazily. It actually took another path and they returned to Carefree City and arrived at the military courtyard.
Xiaobai rushed in and bit Yan Er’s arm.
Yan Er was shocked and subconsciously kicked Xiaobai.
Xiaobai pounced on him and bared its teeth at him as a warning.
The people around them were extremely afraid that Xiaobai would bite them as well.
In the end, after a while, You Huaijie rushed in with the soldiers.
Just as everyone thought that You Huaijie was here to chase Xiaobai away, You Huaijie ordered someone to capture Yan Er. “We suspect that you are related to Liu Tiezhu’s disappearance.”
Hearing this, Yan Er’s legs immediately went weak. He stammered, “Sir, I’m innocent. 1 have no grievances with Liu Tiezhu. Why would I harm him?”
You Huaijie’s gaze suddenly turned sharp. “Who told you that Liu Tiezhu was killed?”
Yan Er hurriedly said, “I, I guessed it. That’s what everyone is talking about.”
You Huaijie sneered. “Really?”
“Take him away!”
Yan Er was brought into the government office for interrogation. You Huaijie showed him the strip of cloth. “Tell me, why did you kill Liu Tiezhu and throw his corpse off the cliff?”
Yan Er gritted his teeth while trembling. “I didn’t.”
“Then why are the strips of cloth on your clothes on the cliff?”
Yan Er said, “I went to the mountain previously and might have left it there unintentionally.”
He felt guilty and couldn’t meet You Huaijie’s eyes. The ident.i.ty of the murderer was obvious, but there was no direct evidence.
You Huaijie looked at him coldly. “Do you think that without a body, there’s no way to investigate the case?”
Yan Er clenched his fists. “1 don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve really never seen Liu Tiezhu.”
You Huaijie said unhurriedly, “The body has just been found.”
Yan Er suddenly looked up in panic.
You Huaijie continued, “The night Liu Tiezhu disappeared, someone saw you and Yan San leave the house sneakily. 1 advise you to confess to avoid further torture.”
Yan Er’s entire body was trembling, but he was still holding on. “I was just going to the beach with my brother to pick some seafood.”
“Do you have witnesses?”
“It’s just the two of us.”
“Sir, if you want to abuse your power on me, I’ll just hold on!”
You Huaijie chuckled. “Alright, I’ll ask your brother.”
Yan San was pitifully timid, but he had one strength – he was obedient. They had previously discussed that if they were investigated, they could not admit it at all.
Faced with You Huaijie’s interrogation, Yan San muttered a few words, “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know…”
In this situation, without direct witnesses and evidence, Yan Er and Yan San could only be considered suspects.
Now, they could only find the motive for their crimes and make them take the initiative to tell the truth or find other key evidence.
You Huaijie brought his men to the Yan residence to check. At the same time, he sent someone to investigate Liu Tiezhu’s relationship with them..