Chapter 1463: Mutual Suspicion

It's terrifying to think about, everyone is in danger.

Under such circumstances, can Tianshui City's security not be strengthened? Every big family also added manpower to guard their residences.

Qingyang asked again: "Are people still watching you when you enter and leave You Lake Cottage?"

"Yes."

Since Xue Zongwu died, Qingyang's subordinates often get watched when they go out to do things, which is very inconvenient.

Those are not just sent by the Yao King.

This environment is too unfriendly to Qingyang.

If He Xiao, whom the Yao King clearly wants to protect, suddenly dies, others will naturally suspect Qingyang again. After all, more and more officials know about the past grudges between her and He Xiao.

"He Xiao himself said that he was invited by the Yao King to attend the ceremony." Qingyang's mouth revealed a cold sneer, "The Yao King invited him, it might be aimed at me. You first find out what the two of them want to do."

"Yes!" He Yang was about to take his leave, when a flapping sound came from the window, and a brown-backed shrike stopped there.

He Yang walked over, paid the postage, and then took a small bamboo tube from its mouth.

There was a note stuffed inside the bamboo tube, He Yang unfolded it and looked at it, and presented it to Qingyang with both hands:

"Message from the Master of Red Hut."

The content on the note was only one sentence: A month ago, the Hinge-Tailed Tiger and the Woodlouse Porcupine were captured and taken away by the Black Armored Army at Green Intent Shanzhuang, and their whereabouts are unknown.

There was no signature, but there was a red mark.

It only took two breaths to finish reading this sentence, but Qingyang pondered for a long time.

Several meanings here: First, the Master of Red Hut indicated to her that Xue Zongwu and Qi Yunsheng were not killed by him, he just lost two demon puppets some time ago.

Secondly, the father-in-law and son-in-law Qi Yunsheng really died at the hands of the Black Armored Army leader.

Thirdly, the two demon puppets taken away by the Master of Red Hut appeared at Little Peach Shanzhuang hundreds of miles away more than a month later, attacking Qi Yunsheng.

The Master of Red Hut denied being the murderer, Qingyang knew his background and didn't think he needed to lie.

Then there was only one question: "What did the Black Armored Army do to those two demon puppets?"

Regarding the so-called Ghoul Beasts and demon puppets, Qingyang also had some understanding in the past, knowing that a major characteristic of these things is that their physical and mental states are very unstable, sometimes irritable, sometimes crazy, and difficult to control.

As strong as the Master of Duyan, when controlling the Ghoul Beast "Release Chenyuan" to intercept the Great Fire Spirit Quju, his soul was backlashed and he was seriously injured. Even with various spiritual pills, he recuperated for a year and a half before barely recovering.

What the Master of Red Hut is doing, she knows a little bit. His demon puppets are also unstable, and the demon puppet master must be nearby to control them.

"The Black Armored Army took away two demon puppets and transported them hundreds of miles away to Little Peach Shanzhuang by water and land. How was this done?" Mang Prefecture is the hinterland of the Yao Nation, not some deep mountains. How could those demon puppets with strange appearances not attract the vigilance of others?

Especially since the Yao Nation has crisscrossing waterways, with rivers and lakes everywhere. If the demon puppets go to Mang Prefecture, they have to take a big detour if they don't take a boat.

"If drugs or magical powers are used to make the demon puppets fall into a deep sleep, maybe the Black Armored Army disguised them as tributes and hid them in boxes." He Yang also pondered, "At that time, there were many teams going to the capital to attend the birthday celebration, disguising them as birthday celebration teams, it was not easy to attract attention."

"Did the Black Armored Army just put these two demon puppets into Little Peach Shanzhuang and let them kill after they woke up, or can they directly control the demon puppets?"

He Yang replied: "According to eyewitnesses, Qi Yunsheng led people to rush to the north, passing by the lychee garden of Little Peach Shanzhuang, and the demon puppets rushed out from the bushes by the road to attack the team."

Is this a coincidence, or a deliberate calculation?

If it is the latter, it means the Black Armored Army can control the actions of the demon puppets; can control the demon puppets? Hmm...

But still the same old saying, the possibility of the first type of accident cannot be ruled out. After all, Qi Yunsheng later chased the Black Armored Army leader and the whole army was wiped out.

"Just assume the Black Armored Army can control the demon puppets, Red Hut didn't mention it in the letter, which means he has no clue either." Qingyang murmured, "Demon puppet masters are very rare, even if there are more on the Flash Gold Plain than elsewhere, Red Hut should know."

"Red Hut didn't say what he plans to do either, heh, cunning." Does the Master of Red Hut want her to exert effort?

At this time, a servant reported that General Zhong Wu was visiting.

General Zhong Wu's transfer order had already arrived, and he was going to take office on the northern border in a few days.

Suddenly falling into a great responsibility, General Zhong Wu didn't expect that he would become the biggest beneficiary of Xue Zongwu's death. This joy was no small matter. And he also knew very well who fought for this position for him. Three days after the transfer order was issued, he brought thick gifts to visit and thank her.

Many officials and merchants actually enter and leave Qingyang's You Lake Cottage.

Qingyang glanced at the gift list casually and put it aside: "That position is also what you deserve. Yao people are xenophobic, otherwise your qualifications would have been enough."

The two of them were already very familiar in Lingxu City, so they didn't need to be so polite.

General Zhong Wu bowed to the end: "Without the Overseer's help, no matter how good my qualifications are, this position wouldn't have been my turn for another twenty years."

Leading troops to guard the northern border of the Yao Nation, with his background, this was a beautiful thing he couldn't even think about before.

His gratitude to Qingyang was overflowing.

"Do things well, that is the best thanks to me."

General Zhong Wu immediately answered yes.

Qingyang asked casually: "Where did you come from this time, Mang Prefecture?"

"No, there are too many people in Mang Prefecture, so I went to Zhuo'an. The distance is shorter, and food and lodging are not a problem."

"Zhuo'an?" Qingyang's hand holding the teacup paused.

This place was just mentioned by someone? Yes, He Xiao also seemed to say that he took the Zhuo'an route.

"That saved a lot of trouble. Fortunately, you were not in Mang Prefecture."

Qingyang just mentioned it casually, General Zhong Wu saw that she was not interested in this topic, so he hurriedly smiled: "Yes, yes, if I were in Mang Prefecture, it would be troublesome, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to leave for a while."

This was leisure time, Qingyang was originally indifferent, "Zhuo'an is a small place..."

Small place, there are not many good inns and post houses, and nobles and rich people will squeeze into one or two places. Thinking of this, her heart moved, and she asked one more question: "Nothing happened there, right?"

"Compared to Mang Prefecture, Zhuo'an is truly peaceful." General Zhong Wu also used a little technique in speaking. The theft of tribute was his own business, and it would be embarrassing to say it out. "It was raining and thundering that night, so I stayed at the largest post house in Zhuo'an. There were many officials and nobles there, and I even grabbed a table with Fan Shuang, with Zhao Commandant Zhao, and with the President of the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce, and then—"

Qingyang's gaze froze, and she raised her hand to interrupt him: "Who of the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce?"

"President He of the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce, the King invited him to Tianshui City to attend the ceremony."

"He Xiao." Qingyang's gaze flickered, "You met him in Zhuo'an."

"Not bad, the four of us sat together in a private room drinking and talking about the war on the Flash Gold Plain, Fan Shuang paid the bill."

It seems that He Xiao was indeed in Zhuo'an that night, and even had an eyewitness like Zhong Wu.

Qingyang nodded.

At this time, other officials came to visit, General Zhong Wu knew the situation and stood up, bowing to Qingyang to say goodbye.

He would definitely be seen coming to You Lake Cottage, so it was not suitable to stay long.

Yao King's Palace.

The palace attendants were driven away, and the doors were closed. The Yao King said coldly to the guard Liu Wu kneeling in front of him: "You mean, before General Xue set off to return to the country, some of his subordinates did die in Shuangxi?"

"Subordinate followed your order and went to Shuangxi County to investigate. Seven days before General Xue set off to return to the country, his accountant Qian Yu was robbed and killed in the tribute land Shuangxi, and then someone sneaked into the document library of Shuangxi County and set fire, burning many important documents."

"Accountant killed?"

"Qian Yu was a servant born in General Xue's mother's mansion, and had managed finances for General Xue for over ten years. Shuangxi County said that for many years, General Xue had always sent Qian Yu to the county to check accounts."

The Yao King knew there was something fishy as soon as he heard it: "It seems that Qian Yu knows the accounts between Shuangxi and Xue Zongwu for many years best. Which documents in Shuang

Guard Liu lowered his head: "It is the income and expenditure ledger from the past few years. Income, surplus, expenses, and so on. When the fire started, the county government saw someone jump over the wall and flee from the document warehouse, still clutching several account books in their hands."

"Kill Qian Yu, seize the account books, burn the warehouse." The Yao King's eyes flickered. "Xue Zongwu must know by now, right? What was his reaction?"

"General Xue's aide, Tong Shi Huan, told me that half of the account books in the Shuangxi County document warehouse were burned, so for the next few days, General Xue was very nervous. He ordered the Shuangxi County government to complete the missing accounts, and for this, he lost his temper several times and dealt with several officials."

The Yao King seized the keyword: "What was he nervous about?"

"Tong Shi Huan said General Xue was afraid the Royal Court would order him to rebuild the accounts!"

"If they rebuild the accounts..." The Yao King stroked his graying beard, suddenly realizing, "Some accounts might not be able to be reconciled. With the old ones burned, the special commissioner heading to Shuangxi could demand they be rebuilt. Hmm, good plan, good plan."

Liu Wu didn't know who he was praising as having a "good plan," but continued: "Those few days, General Xue was also very anxious because the special commissioner auditing the accounts was about to arrive in Shuangxi."

"That's right, the candidate for this special commissioner was suggested by the Regent Qingyang." The Yao King gave a low scoff. "The county government's document warehouse didn't burn early or late, but happened to encounter a fire just before the special commissioner arrived in Shuangxi. What a coincidence."

"General Xue was still somewhat restless until the moment he departed."

The statement Tong Shi Huan gave was quite skillful.

Why was Xue Zongwu restless? It was because he was afraid the accounts would have problems and be discovered during the audit.

How could someone who has done no evil be afraid of ghosts knocking at the door?

So... the Yao King sighed. This Minister Xue of his was brave, resourceful, and loyal, but he was just a bit too greedy.

"Then, were these Shuangxi accounts finally completed?"

"Basically, they were completed," Guard Liu replied. "Before General Xue set off to return to the country, he sent Tong Shi Huan and two of his deputy generals to Shuangxi to supervise the work."