Chapter 526: Search Them All!

"If there is suspicion, they must be summoned for questioning," Fu Fu Shanyue said unhurriedly. "This is standard procedure. Ask any of the commoners in Baishaqu; who doesn't understand this?"

County Magistrate Tian gave a signal, and the government runners stepped forward.

How could the Cen Estate just let it be? The guards drew their weapons with a clatter.

Commandant Lu waved his hand, and hundreds of soldiers likewise drew their swords and blades.

In less than half a quarter of an hour, the scene before the Cen Estate was once again bristling with swords. The onlookers retreated in unison, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

Fu Fu Shanyue sat upright on his horse and said grimly, "Cen Boqing, do you truly wish to defy the law and incite disorder before me?"

As his anger flared, an invisible, baleful aura spread in all directions. The small trees by the roadside, the grass in the cracks, and even the carefully planted flowers in the flowerbeds outside the Cen Estate walls withered and died on the spot.

The mounts of the crowd immediately whinnied and reared in unease.

He He Lingchuan also soothed the Great-Horned Rock Sheep beneath him, thinking to himself that this fellow Fu Fu Shanyue's cultivation had actually improved again in such a short time.

The Imperial Flow Nectar of the Three-Heart Plain was certainly not eaten in vain.

In a standoff like this, the ones suffering the loss would certainly not be Fu Fu Shanyue and the Chiyan officials; one look at Fu Fu Shanyue's composed demeanor made that very clear.

Conversely, Cen Boqing had sweat on his brow, his gaze shifting uncertainly.

He took a deep breath and suddenly said, "Wu Kai is not here."

"Oh?" Fu Fu Shanyue's gaze sharpened. "Where did he go?"

"I sent him back to Lingxu City; he has already taken the lead," Cen Boqing said with a dark face. "By now he should have already left the city; you won't be able to catch him."

"You are also planning to flee, yet he could get a step ahead of you?" Fu Fu Shanyue was greatly surprised. "Why should I believe that?"

He glanced at He He Lingchuan, who shook his head.

Of course, not a single word of Cen Boqing's could be trusted.

"Believe it or not, as you please," Cen Boqing said coldly. "I can swear to the heavens that he is truly not here; otherwise, may I die by nine thunders piercing my heart."

"Believe it or not, as you please," Fu Fu Shanyue flicked his whip. Believe his oath? Pfft. He only trusted his own eyes. "Search the place for me! Commandant Lu, anyone who dares to resist, strike them dead on the spot!"

"Yes, sir!" With the Crown Prince backing him, Commandant Lu was overjoyed. With a wave of his hand, the Chiyan soldiers puffed out their chests and charged into the Cen Estate.

If the Cen Estate guards dared to block them, they were met directly with spears, pikes, swords, and halberds.

These were people from Lingxu City; usually, the common soldiers had to bow and scrape and walk around them. When had they ever felt so triumphant?

Thinking of this, they thrust their weapons with double the ferocity.

The Cen Estate guards originally wanted to resist, but they ended up being swarmed by four or five of the enemy at once. Two fists could not fight ten hands, and in no time at all, they were beaten black and blue.

Seeing that a bloody conflict was brewing and that his side was the one suffering, Cen Boqing said with an ashen face, "Stop, all of you! Let them search!"

The last few words were squeezed through his teeth, wrapped in resentment.

The Cen Estate was large, but it was no match for five hundred soldiers who swarmed everywhere like wolves and tigers.

These soldiers were also quite crude; they were supposed to be searching for someone, but they often accidentally knocked over furniture, trampled flowers and plants, and broke vases and jars...

The onlookers outside, hearing the crashing and banging coming from behind the high walls, were all filled with amazement. The nosy ones climbed directly onto large trees, stretching their necks to peek inside.

By the time these five hundred men finished their frantic search of the Cen Estate, many gold-painted tenons were missing, beautiful ornaments on the rockery had vanished without a trace, and even two roasted geese that hadn't finished cooking in the kitchen were inexplicably lost.

It seemed even the jars of pickled vegetables were two short...

In short, Commandant Lu reported loudly, "Your Highness, we have searched every corner of the Cen Estate and did not find Wu Kai."

Fu Fu Shanyue nodded, then said to Cen Boqing, "It seems Wu Kai really greased his heels and slipped away. In that case, Magistrate Cen, please return; I will come to find you for a drink later."

Cen Boqing flicked his sleeves, didn't even look at him, and turned to stride back into the estate.

The Cen family's carriages and horses also arrived one after another, slowly driving back into the residence. The Cen Estate remained guarded by men sent by Commandant Lu, three layers inside and out, impenetrable.

The signal conveyed by these actions was practically the Crown Prince pointing at Cen Boqing's nose and cursing him as a "murderer"; no one could mistake it.

The onlookers were no longer satisfied with just pointing and whispering; adults laughed, children played, and the itinerant peddlers selling melon seeds, steamed buns, and candied haws also rushed over to join the crowd.

"This is giving the Cen Estate absolutely no face at all."

"The Crown Prince is the Crown Prince; he doesn't indulge these bastards."

"The Crown Prince's special envoy is also impressive; he actually managed to drag the Cen Estate out into the open!"

"It should have been like this long ago. They've been throwing their weight around for years and no one could do anything about them! I heard that when the Cen family's dog bit someone, the person bitten had to go to their door to apologize... Hey, give me a sesame cake!"

There were also those who were worried: "Will this work? Won't there be trouble later?"

"Even if there is trouble, it's none of your business; the Crown Prince is here."

Fu Fu Shanyue acted as if no one else were present, first ordering Commandant Lu to conduct an emergency search for Wu Kai throughout the city, and only then did he pat He He Lingchuan on the shoulder:

"Find a place nearby; let's talk."

Immediately, six or seven officials stepped forward, vying to invite the Crown Prince to stay at their own residences.

"The coming and going at your places is inconvenient." Fu Fu Shanyue turned back and pointed casually at the inn with the largest sign on the street. "I'll stay there."

No one dared to object.

A quarter of an hour later, the Tongyun Inn had cleared its guests and became the Crown Prince's lodging.

From now on, the Crown Prince had booked the place; idlers were to keep away.

Fu Fu Shanyue's guest courtyard was at least twice as large as He He Lingchuan's guest room. Both inside and outside the inn were heavily guarded.

Compared to Fu Fu Shanyue's current style, Lord Zhongsun Mou's previous airs were like a dwarf standing before a giant.

He He Lingchuan had no choice but to pack up his bedding and move over. Before checking out, he handed the basin containing the broken lotus root to the inn waiter, telling him to take the basin to County Magistrate Tian to claim a reward, saying the water spirit might still be salvageable...

Mindful that Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life, and also because He He Lingchuan was grateful for the beating it had given Fan Sheng, he dropped some spiritual medicine into the basin. Whether it could live later would depend on the lotus demon's own fortune.

The fierce tiger Jiao Yu walked into the Tongyun Inn with He He Lingchuan and immediately sat down by the door.

An attendant moved to serve tea, but Fu Fu Shanyue waved his hand: "What tea? Bring wine."

He grabbed two cups and personally poured a full cup for He He Lingchuan: "Come, this cup is to honor you..."

"For solving the case?"

"No, for venting my anger for me." Fu Fu Shanyue slapped the table and laughed, "Lord Zhongsun Mou always wanted to oppose me. Now he's dead, and well-deserved, dead in his proper place!"

Is "dead in his proper place" used like that? He He Lingchuan sipped the wine: "This is facing the street; aren't you afraid it will spread that you are using public power for private revenge?"

"Otherwise what?" Fu Fu Shanyue sneered. "When Fushan Ji was still around, everyone thought he would eventually inherit the throne. People like Lord Zhongsun Mou in Lingxu City treated me with neglect and disdain; who would have thought of today's disaster? Give them a lesson, otherwise these fools, relying on their family background, would know no reverence!"

He He Lingchuan frowned: "The messenger case is a mess; why did Lord Zhongsun Mou want to shield Cen Boqing?"

"Only he himself knows the real reason, but I suspect it probably has to do with his great-grandfather." Fu Fu Shanyue stroked his chin. "His great-grandfather is over two hundred years old and retired long ago. I heard he was seriously ill twice in the past few years and nearly didn't make it, but somehow he slowly recovered and is still alive today."

There was no need to say everything; He He Lingchuan understood: "You think his great-grandfather used an anti-aging elixir?"

"How else could he prolong his years and extend his life?" The lifespan of a merman is already longer than a human's; with an anti-aging elixir, he could extend it even further at over two hundred years old. "This old man has extensive connections in Lingxu City and frequently interacts with officials; he is still the pillar of the Lord Zhongsun family. Is it strange that he obtained an anti-aging elixir?"

"I reckon Cen Boqing used this matter to blackmail Lord Zhongsun Mou, forcing him to take Fu Fu Songhua back to take the blame and close the case. That way, the truth about Cen Boqing killing demons for their pearls and secretly refining anti-aging elixirs would sink back to the bottom of the water."

A treasure like an anti-aging elixir, if consumed without imperial favor, must have been obtained through illegal channels.

"The Cen Estate had already prepared the evidence to frame someone."

"Right. If you hadn't stuck your foot in, with the nature of these Chiyan officials, their scheme would have gone smoothly." Fu Fu Shanyue raised his cup again. "Come, to you."

He He Lingchuan did not decline: "Before arriving at Baishaqu and before meeting Cen Boqing, Lord Zhongsun Mou had already intervened in the messenger case. Why was that?"

"Why else would I say this person is despicable?" Fu Fu Shanyue sneered. "He must have heard that this case was handed to me to handle, so he rushed over to snatch the case, wanting to give me a taste of his power. And the result? He ended up with a handful of shit he couldn't shake off. He must be regretting it to death now."

Saying this, he drank three cups in a row.

"The inspection envoy was abducted and his whereabouts are unknown; I have already sent this news flying to Lingxu City." Fu Fu Shanyue also knew that such matters could not be delayed. "This is a major issue; Lingxu City will definitely send someone down to investigate thoroughly."

"With his son-in-law being investigated, the Grand Minister of Agriculture in Lingxu City can't just have no reaction, right?"

"He's not just a decoration. You were right to find me." The progress of the matter to this point had already exceeded the scope of a so-called Crown Prince's special envoy. "We must hurry in these next few days; arrest who needs to be arrested, and interrogate who needs to be interrogated."

"Can't you report it to Lingxu City a few days later to buy some time?"

"No! Cen Boqing has likely also sent people to Lingxu City to ask for help. The earlier this is reported, the better; otherwise, we will be on the defensive." Fu Fu Shanyue scoffed. "Besides, it's hard to say when Lingxu City will send someone down. I estimate it won't be very fast."

"Why?"

"They'll have to bicker over the choice of special envoy, then argue back and forth; that will take at least several days, right?" Fu Fu Shanyue laughed. "And it will take several more days for the special envoy to walk from Lingxu City to Baishaqu, right?"

Thinking of Fu Fu Shanyue's background, He He Lingchuan believed he understood these things very thoroughly.

At this point, Fu Fu Shanyue's smile also vanished: "I just asked a few guards by the lake; after Lord Zhongsun Mou was swallowed by the Snail Toad, they saw Wu Kai still accompanying Cen Boqing as they retreated and left. That is to say, Wu Kai was still there at that time. Less than an hour and a half later, Cen Boqing claimed Wu Kai had been sent by him to Lingxu City, so he had taken the lead."

(End of chapter)