Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 178

“Clang! Clang! Clang! Dong! Dong!” Following the loud beat of gongs and drums, the storyteller strides confidently onto the stage, clasps his hands in greeting to the audience, and begins.

“Last time, we leave off as the brave hero Hu Jiao sneaks into the bandits’ stronghold under the cover of night, only to be surrounded by the bandit leader and more than a dozen men. Truly, even if he sprouts wings, he’ll find it hard to escape…”

In a teahouse in Chengtian Prefecture, a middle-aged man with a mustache sits. Dressed in a long gown, he appears scholarly, but the occasional sharp gleam in his eyes lends him a hint of a mercenary air.

He listens leisurely to the storyteller, occasionally tapping his knuckles on the table when particularly entertained, signaling the waiter to bring over the reward tray. He tosses a few copper coins in, but if you watch closely, you’ll notice his gaze frequently drifts toward the entrance, as though waiting for someone.

Suddenly, a group of yamen runners marches in. Their stern expressions and furrowed brows, coupled with piercing gazes scanning the passing crowd, send unease rippling through the air. They soon stop in front of the teahouse, blocking its entrance completely.

The teahouse manager’s expression shifts, and he quickly approaches with a fawning smile. “Officers, the weather’s quite dry today. Why not come in and have some tea?”

“No need. We’re here on official business.” The leading yamen officer waves a hand, and the others file in, inspecting each table one by one.

“Officials, I still have a business to run. May I ask what business you’re handling today? Could you allow me to ask the guests to leave first?” The teahouse manager is on the verge of losing it. Such a commotion will ruin business for days.

Just as the lead yamen officer is about to respond, one of the yamen runners inside suddenly shouts, “Here he is, sir!” while grabbing the arm of a seated patron.

The lead yamen officer approaches, unfurls a scroll, and compares the image on it to the man. Sure enough, the resemblance is unmistakable.

“Take him away!”

“Yes, sir!”

The group leaves as abruptly as they arrive, the only change being that the table beneath the storyteller’s stage is now missing its mustached guest.

The moment he is caught, He Gui’s heart nearly stops beating. But he quickly realizes that panicking is the wrong reaction. In such a situation, staying calm and unyielding is the best course of action.

Thus, he remains silent until he notices that the yamen runners aren’t taking him to the courtroom but are instead forcing him into a carriage. Only then does he cry out in alarm.

“What are you doing? Why are you arresting me? I demand to go to the court and seek justice!”

“You’re He Gui, correct? Is this your travel permit?” The lead yamen officer pulls out a very familiar-looking bundle in front of him and then retrieves a paper stamped with an official seal from within.

“You… you all!” He Gui exclaims.

That is his bundle, left behind at the inn. These men have clearly gotten hold of his belongings in advance, showing this is a premeditated operation targeting him specifically. But he has only been in Chengtian Prefecture for two or three days—why have these yamen runners taken an interest in him?

“Enough talking! Get inside!” With a shove, the yamen runner pushes He Gui into the carriage, shuts the door, and even adds a lock on the outside for good measure.

He Gui racks his brains but still can’t figure out where these people are taking him. They give no explanation for his arrest, leaving him utterly terrified.

The carriage begins to move slowly. He Gui loses track of how long he has been inside. He only remembers that, halfway through, they open the window to throw in two steamed buns and a bamboo flask of water before leaving him alone again. He even spends the night resting inside the carriage, and at dawn the next day, the journey resumes.

“Get out!” The yamen runner’s voice startles He Gui so much that it takes him a moment to react. He climbs out of the carriage in a daze. After being confined in the cramped space for so long, his entire body is sore and stiff, as rigid as a piece of wood.

Once he recovers slightly, he finally looks around at his surroundings. What he sees leaves him dumbfounded. Where does he think they have been taking him? Now it’s clear—this is Cangzhou! These men have gone to such great lengths to bring him all the way back to Cangzhou?

“Magistrate Lin, thank you for the efforts of your men. Without your assistance, it would have been impossible to bring He Gui back so quickly.” Pei Che has been waiting at the yamen’s entrance. Smiling, he courteously thanks Magistrate Lin.

Seeing Pei Che, Magistrate Lin can’t help but marvel at how striking the young noble’s appearance is, just as the rumors say. However, as a man of experience, he quickly regains his composure after a brief moment of astonishment.

“This matter falls under the jurisdiction of Chengtian Prefecture, so it is only right for us to take responsibility and capture the fugitive. By the way, how far along is the case now?”

When Magistrate Lin receives the case, he wants to grow wings and fly over immediately. Unfortunately, there are many affairs in the prefecture, and he has to ensure everything is in order before he can leave. This back-and-forth causes several days of delay.

It so happens that he received a message via carrier pigeon yesterday, stating that an important criminal is currently in Chengtian Prefecture. The message details the man’s name and appearance and requests their assistance in the case.

“Reporting to you, sir, we have thoroughly investigated the identities of the stone quarry workers. They are all deceived into coming here. The Datong Trading Company uses various aliases to lure these people with promises of unimaginable wealth within three years. The simple-minded villagers believe them and only realize they’ve been duped after arriving here. May I request that letters be sent to the families of these people in the neighboring prefectures so they can be properly returned home?” Pei Che explains. The Datong Trading Company often targets impoverished areas like Cangzhou, using false identities to deceive the residents, and they are successful almost every time.

“Truly, there’s no merchant without deceit! In the past, they only swindled money, but now they’ve become bold enough to traffic in human lives. To commit such heinous acts against their conscience—this official will not spare them!” Magistrate Lin is obviously very angry.

“Your Excellency is wise. As for the guards at the quarry, they are recruited from various places. However, they collude with evil, regularly committing atrocities against the workers. Over a hundred people have died at their hands, including nearly half of the missing residents of Cangzhou. When I interrogate them, they refuse to reveal the mastermind behind these operations.” The people of Cangzhou, so close to home yet unable to return, resist more fiercely than others, leading to even harsher treatment.

“Outrageous!” Magistrate Lin roars. “To commit such vile deeds is inhuman! And to conceal the truth and protect those behind it only adds to their crimes!”

“Indeed. While following the trail, we discover the grain supplier to these people over the years. It’s a business called Datong Grain Shop, whose connection to Datong Trading Company is obvious. During interrogation, the shopkeeper denies any secret grain sales, instead claiming the matter is related to their accountant. That accountant is none other than the man you arrested—He Gui.”

“So it’s him…” Magistrate Lin, who has no objections about helping earlier, now feels fortunate that he agrees, realizing the case’s significance.

“He is selling grain from the shop to the people at the quarry and likely knows their origins and where the stones are being transported. I believe interrogating him will reveal everything.” Pei Che explains.

Before arriving in Cangzhou, Manager Zhu shared much about He Gui. He is highly calculating and unwilling to fall behind others. How could someone like him willingly remain an accountant for five or six years?

“There’s no time to lose. Let’s convene the court and interrogate him immediately to prevent him from making up excuses to fool us.” Magistrate Lin has never felt such urgency as he does now.

“Your Excellency is truly dedicated to your duties and serves as a role model for all officials. I deeply admire you!” Pei Che praises.

Magistrate Lin feels secretly delighted but outwardly maintains his impartial demeanor, urging for the court to be convened with an expression of utmost loyalty and devotion to the imperial court.