Chapter 167 Seven Days
With wine on his face, Chen Gong was very confused.
The shabby scholar wasn’t surprised any more. He had a few coughs and then he noticed that Chen Gong’s face was covered with wine. He picked up a rag at once, wiped Chen Gong’s face, and persuaded Chen Gong in whisper,
“My dear brother, stop investigating the case and leave it to the Supreme Judiciary. Otherwise, you will be in trouble. At that time, even I can’t save you!”
Hearing that, Chen Gong changed his expression. He grabbed the hands of the shabby scholar and said, “The Majesty ordered me to find the murderer within eight days. It can’t be delayed!”
The shabby scholar picked his ears and hinted, “Don’t you already arrest a family of scapegoats? My dear brother, you are a cruel official of the Dahan Country. Don’t you have any means to let the Su Family plead guilty?”
“I have.”
Chen Gong stared at the shabby scholar and replied seriously, “But I don’t want to do that.”
The shabby scholar prepared a gla.s.s of wine for himself slowly. Suddenly, he smiled gently, saying in a soft voice, “You want to know the secret of martial arts circle at the very first moment you are here. If you don’t tell me the truth, I can’t help you.”
Chen Gong said nothing. Actually, he didn’t know who the shabby scholar was. He just knew that the shabby scholar’s surname was Xuan and he operated the winery for many years in Yunjing. Several years ago, Chen Gong was inclined to seek solace in drink every night, but he didn’t want others to know that. So, he found this winery and then he was familiar with the couple as time went by.
When Chen Gong was in great trouble in dealing with a tough case of the Ministry of Penalty, he told his trouble to Brother Xuan. It was unexpected that Brother Xuan told him an unannounced secret about the martial arts circle, which helped him solve the case successfully.
At that time, Chen Gong understood that the winery he came in by chance wasn’t ordinary.
After six to seven years, Chen Gong became the Minister of the Ministry of Penalty. Since then, he seldom came here, but they were still intimate and called each other brother. Even so, Chen Gong couldn’t trust the couple totally.
It was because of an ordinary man’s natural fear and alert to the unknown martial arts circle.
But this time, Chen Gong knew that he had to tell the shabby scholar the truth.
Chen Gong took a deep breath and said, “Thirteen years ago, my wife died on the street because of my mistakes. I haven’t found the murderer yet. Later, the medical examiner told me that my wife had been pregnant for two months then.”
The murderer took two lives!
Hearing that, the shabby scholar stopped his movement. His wife who just came in also walked slightly and looked at them seriously. Chen Gong still immersed himself in his recalling and didn’t notice her.
“There was another case in the same day. Members of the Yi Family in Yunjing were killed at one night. There were so many corpses that the morgue were almost filled. My wife’s corpse was ignored, so, I took her corpse home out of my selfishness…”
Chen Gong continued in sorrow, “Taking this step is right, but it is also a big mistake!”
“The next day, the Ministry of Penalty caught a big fire. More than 100 corpses were burned beyond recognition. There was no clue about the case. I took my wife’s body home and avoided the disaster. But when I returned to the Ministry of Penalty, I found that all people related to my wife’s death died in that big fire. And the file also couldn’t be found! Except for me… no one in the Ministry of Penalty remembered that my wife died in the same day with the case of the Yi Family!”
Chen Gong’s hand holding the wine gla.s.s trembled. The shabby scholar sighed and touched his wine gla.s.s with Chen Gong’s. He said, “You are her husband, so, what you said is in vain. Although you are the Minister of the Ministry of Penalty, you can’t expose this secret. I am afraid that the murderer thirteen years ago will also kill you. Then it is impossible for you to find out the truth.”
The landlady squatted and cleaned the vegetables in the back hall. Hearing Chen Gong’s words, she was still very calm.
Chen Gong’s sufferings in the martial arts circle were quite common. If they didn’t consider their six to seven years’ friends.h.i.+p, the shabby scholar wouldn’t even show any sympathy for Chen Gong.
Chen Gong took a deep breath. He made a fist and palm salute and said, “I have nothing to do with the Su Family except Su Li… She is so kind and innocent. She shouldn’t be involved in the trick. I must save her! Perhaps, my wife gives me this opportunity to atone for my guilt. I know you two are understated seniors. I don’t force you to help me, but I hope you can tell me the origin of the poison!”
The shabby scholar was a little hesitated. He glanced at his wife, but the latter shook her head slightly.
He thought for a while and then patted Chen Gong’s shoulder, replying helplessly, “I want to help you. But even if you know the origin of the poison, it is impossible for you to check it. Every senior sect in the martial arts circle is more powerful than the Dahan Country. You should be careful to oppose them.”
Hearing that, his wife shook her head helplessly and continued cleaning vegetables. She thought that her husband had told Chen Gong a clue.
Chen Gong understood, but showed a disappointed expression. He didn’t expect that the shabby scholar should tell him the important clue. But when the shabby scholar told him the clue, he still felt disappointed.
“Thank you, old brother. I will have a try whether I will be successful or not!”
Then Chen Gong left the winery. The shabby scholar’s wife stood up and pointed at the bad vegetables on the ground, “Clean up here quickly! You even can’t tackle your own problems, and how could you interfere other’s business. Xuan Jingzhou, when can you get rid of this habit?”
The shabby scholar put down his wine gla.s.s and picked up the broom as he sighed helplessly, “I am afraid that I can’t.”
His wife glared at him but didn’t pinch his ears like before. She just whispered, “I don’t want to stop you, but don’t forget the reason why we come to Yunjing.”
The shabby scholar turned around and nodded. He signed silently, “Can we trust the old man? Seven years pa.s.sed. We haven’t found the brother-in-law, not to mention Xiao Yun’s daughter.”
“When the agreed period of ten years is due, we will go to Mount Chan to ask clearly!”
…
It’s in the Linli Building. Qu Qingning and others glanced at the Poisonous Man Hunting Insect in Fang Yuan’s hands. Then they looked at each other and said nothing.
Fang Yuan put away the poisonous insect. His Personal Poisonous Insect also improved a lot after he broke through the inborn hurdle. It not only expanded the track scope from 5,000 kilometers to 15,000 kilometers but could detect all sounds within a hundred feet (about 33 meters).
Today, he just tried his Personal Poisonous Insect and didn’t expect to hear the important message of the Zhouyue Winery. It was an unintentional positive outcome.
“Although we don’t know the value of the message we heard, we should tell Su Li as soon as possible.”
Yin Xuetong made the decision and said, “The Linli Building should open in August 15, but Su Li won’t come because of the case. So, we should talk about that after Su Li comes.”
“That’s settled then!”
Qu Qingning laughed. Seeing Yin Xuetong’s worried look, he patted his chest and persuaded, “Don’t worry! This is just a piece of pie for Su Li. The situation in the Dasu Town is more serious than that in Yunjing, but Su Li solved it easily. This time, Chen Gong also helps her, so, everything will be okay!”
“Really?”
Yin Xuetong breathed a sigh of relief. She was still worried, but Qu Qingning’s words convinced her. Actually, Qu Qingning was also very worried. They were in Yunjing now not the small Dasu Town.
“I’ll go to practice.” Fang Yuan showed an angry but helpless look and left.
Qu Qingning sighed, “He has broken through the inborn hurdle, and he is still unsatisfied? I am afraid that he practiced too much to think clearly…”
…
The calling lingered in the crowded and noisy street. What a prosperous scene!
Chen Gong walked along the street. In the past, he often showed a heartless look, but now he was a little helpless. He was just a cruel official who could only use cruel tortures. Faced with the powerful sect forces and the oppression of two princes, he found that he couldn’t…save Su Li.
There were still eight days, but Chen Gong was really desperate.
Bang!
At the corner of the street, Chen Gong b.u.mped into a person carelessly. He still stood there, but the person tumbled over forwards.
“s.h.i.+t! Didn’t you see me? Be careful!”
Seeing that Chen Gong wasn’t a man to be trifled with, the person cursed and ran away.
Chen Gong was expressionless and about to go. But he felt there was one more thing in his arms. He brought it out in surprise.
It was a roll of files!
Chen Gong turned his head quickly and looked at the bustling crowd. At this moment, he couldn’t find the person he b.u.mped into. He lost in thought at that moment and didn’t even have any impression of the person’s look.
“Who? …”
Chen Gong was really puzzled. He didn’t open the file immediately but put it away quietly. After returning to the Ministry of Penalty, he went to the empty underground torture room and opened the file.
“The Mingsheng Winery’s business of Wu Xiuxiu was stolen by other wineries, so, Wu Xiuxiu was jealous of them. The First Childe, Wu Jin, loved his sister and thought of a perfect plot! He deployed a mysterious plan with the Deadly Powder of the Hehuan Sect…”
There were only more than a thousand words in the file. The more Chen Gong read, the more shocked he was. The owner of the file seemed to see the whole case personally. He or she not only described Wu Jin’s motive clearly but also wrote the Hehuan Sect that Brother Xuan forbade mentioning before.
Who was helping him in secret?!
Chen Gong frowned. He had no powerful origin and special connections. He couldn’t think of anyone except the couple in the Zhouyue Winery.
“Does Brother Xuan tell me in this way because he is unwilling to tell me personally?”
Thinking of this, Chen Gong bestirred himself. No matter whether it was Brother Xuan who helped him secretly or not, Chen Gong had the opportunity to argue for Su Li finally with this detailed file!
Chen Gong left the Ministry of Penalty excitedly without telling Su Li. He went to the street where the Baiwei Building was located.
The spy saw that Chen Gong left and returned to the Hongyan House immediately to report.
Hearing the spy’s report, Qu Lu breathed a sigh of relief and said, “I finished my task finally.”
She had been finding the opportunity to give the file to Chen Gong, but Chen Gong was an acquired senior, even if she did this personally, she didn’t have the confidence to succeed. Fortunately, she got the news that Chen Gong walked alone in the street absent-mindedly, so, she seized this opportunity.
At this time, Qu Lu didn’t know that she was mistaken as the person of the Zhouyue Winery. Anyway, she did what Su Li ordered and didn’t need to be anxious and frightened.
Seven days pa.s.sed quickly.
During these seven days, Su Li received the special messages Fang Yuan sent. She also arranged Fang Yuan to do several trifles. Chen Gong was busy alone, so, Su Li practiced boldly in the Minister’s room of the Ministry of Penalty at other time.
At one night, she was taken back to the dungeon by Chen Gong and changed the prison uniform.
They did everything they could. If Su Li couldn’t be released tomorrow, they would have no other choices but kill…