Chapter 149: 156. Searching the Sword Shop

156. Searching the Sword Shop

"Why didn't you die sooner? Hmm? Why didn't you die sooner?"

Before the table, a man's voice echoed in the darkness.

"Since we were small, everything in the house was yours. Every good thing happened to you. From the wooden rocking horse in our childhood to the family fortune and women when we grew up, it was all yours!"

"Father and Mother doted on you the most, and that useless sack of trash—they just couldn't stand the sight of me, this sickly weakling."

"You inherited the entire family business, and a virtuous wife was arranged for you early on. Why? Why, tell me, why? Just because you came out before me? Just because you are the eldest son?"

"Then why didn't you go die sooner? If you had died sooner, wouldn't that have been fine? If you had died sooner, there wouldn't be so many problems!"

"What's most damnable—what's most damnable is that you insisted on leading us to be obedient dogs for the Wei clan. After toiling bitterly for over a decade, in the end, we still have to make wedding clothes for others."

"I came back and followed you for over ten years. You, a useless waste who couldn't even practice Qi, were willing to hand the Xin Dingjian to an outsider rather than give it to your own flesh and blood. In your eyes, what am I, your younger brother? What am I? Huh?"

"Are you afraid that if I obtained the Xin Dingjian and rode on top of your head, it would be better to let someone else benefit instead?"

"Chenjun Xie Ling, do you not want to give me anything at all? From childhood to adulthood, you had to take everything, calling it 'family harmony,' 'fraternal love,' and 'not dividing the household'..."

"Hahaha, divide! Why not divide? I'll take everything I want, and I'll take my share too."

The man's voice in the darkness of the room came to an abrupt halt.

There was a moment of silence.

The lamps in the room were lit one after another, and the room became brightly illuminated.

Chenjun Xie Ling sat upright at the table, fiddling with the tea set, pouring tea.

He moved in a leisurely manner, his face calm as he said:

"Big Brother, don't blame me. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for losing. You lost to Magistrate Ouyang Rong."

"If you don't die, Magistrate Ouyang Rong will burn this fire onto the Chenjun Xie clan. When that time comes, you will be the sinner in the eyes of the ancestors of the Chenjun Xie clan."

Chenjun Xie Ling picked up the teacup, took a sip, and looked at the Chenjun Xie family mansion outside the door and the distant Gu Yue Sword Shop, speaking softly:

"Now, all of this is mine."

Early the next morning.

Chenjun Xie Ling was dressed in clean white mourning clothes again as he walked out of the courtyard gate.

A few Chenjun Xie family servants passed by not far away. He lowered his head, then immediately raised it, his face weary and his eyes filled with grief.

"Good morning, Second Master." The servants bowed.

Chenjun Xie Ling squeezed a smile onto his weary face, nodded in acknowledgment, and turned to leave.

The servants turned their heads, looking at the desolate back of the Chenjun Xie family's second-in-command, and couldn't help but lean in to sigh:

"The Second Master and the Master really had deep brotherly love."

"Fortunately, we have the Second Master. Otherwise, after the Master passed, leaving only the Lady and the young master as orphans and widows with no one to rely on, what would happen to the family? And the Third Master has that ruffian temperament..."

Behind them, the servants' whispers drifted over intermittently.

Chenjun Xie Ling's expression remained unchanged. He glanced at the sun, changed his direction, and prepared to go to the back residence where his sister-in-law, Lady Xu, was, to show his concern.

Just at this moment.

"Second Brother!"

"Second Master! Something terrible has happened!"

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Shigui, leading Chenjun Xie Da and others, hurried over. The former's face was panicked, and he pointed down the mountain, saying hurriedly:

"I don't know where Magistrate Ouyang Rong's people popped out from. Early in the morning, they brought the county government office constables to forcefully break into the sword shop and search the sword furnaces."

"They said they received a report from the public that a female tassel-maker went missing at the Su Xian Sword Shop, and they want to come in to search for the person."

Chenjun Xie Ling's expression changed, and he rushed toward the sword shop down the mountain.

Gu Yue Sword Shop.

Today, a group of uninvited guests broke in.

However, not many of the craftsmen in the sword shop dared to stand out and block them.

The crowd of craftsmen looked on with awe at the group of constables who, led by a certain blue-clad head constable, were searching the sword furnaces one by one.

"Please cooperate and line up against the wall outside."

Yan Yan Liulang said efficiently.

The craftsmen who had been temporarily driven out of the sword furnaces looked at each other.

A few days ago, the public trial was grand. The massive Chenjun Xie family had its industries dismantled, compensated, and divided.

After Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang died, the only thing left in the hands of Chenjun Xie Ling and Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Shigui was this Gu Yue Sword Shop.

They had thought the County Magistrate was showing mercy.

Two days ago, Chenjun Xie Ling had even specifically come to the sword shop to gather everyone for a speech to soothe their hearts.

But looking at this formation now... could it be that the Chenjun Xie family sword shop is also about to change?

Just as Yan Yan Liulang led his subordinates to search the sword furnaces burning by the river, and the craftsmen were in a state of panic.

By the riverbank not far away, three figures were slowly walking over from behind, following them.

"Rong, what is the meaning of this? Early in the morning, you bring this official here to watch the constables search the Chenjun Xie family's sword shop."

Shen Shen Xisheng turned his head and asked curiously.

He was not at all annoyed by having his morning sleep disturbed.

This Inspector of the Jiang Nan Circuit, who came from the position of Censor, wore a clean and noble scarlet official robe.

Standing together with Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who wore the water-green official robe of a Grade 7 County Magistrate, he appeared very striking on the monotonously colored Su Xian Sword Shop street, and was also the focus of the awe-filled gazes of the surrounding craftsmen.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong wore a white sandalwood jade-hilted saber on his left waist; the new long sword he had accidentally obtained the day before had been tossed to the Xiao Shimei behind him.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang held the sword with a cold face, silently following behind Magistrate Ouyang Rong and Shen Shen Xisheng.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled and explained patiently:

"I've disturbed Magistrate Shen. Actually, as I just said, it's just that a family surnamed Zhang in Longcheng County reported that their youngest daughter, who was a tassel-maker at the Gu Yue Sword Shop's tassel workshop, went missing not long ago. They entrusted our county government office to look for her, so we came."

"Oh, is it really that simple? You called this official over..." Shen Shen Xisheng glanced at the smiling Magistrate Ouyang Rong. "Could it be that there is some surprise you want to show this official?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, turned his head, and laughed:

"It's not that. I saw that Magistrate Shen has been staying and resting in Longcheng for the past two days and happened to have nothing to do, so I thought I'd invite Magistrate Shen to come and observe, which can also be considered an inspection of this subordinate's work."

"As for a surprise... this subordinate doesn't know either. Let's see. What if we find something while searching?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong spoke casually, his eyes not forgetting to look left and right at this Su Xian sword shop.

In the past, he had only looked at this place from the opposite side at Peng Lang Du, across the Butterfly Creek.

This could be considered Magistrate Ouyang Rong's first time coming here.

Previously, he hadn't really paid much attention to this sword shop under the Chenjun Xie family.

But just as Magistrate Ouyang Rong had said to Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang two days ago, there is no place in Longcheng County that is outside the law.

Although, right now, the family business accumulated by the Longcheng Chenjun Xie family over several generations had already been dismantled by him, and the chief culprit, the family head Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang, had been beheaded, Chenjun Xie Ling, Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Shigui, and others looked obedient, running to the Longcheng County government office every day to cooperate with the various instructions issued by him, the County Magistrate.

However, the incident of bringing Saving Aqing back, and the strange long sword he had recently obtained by chance, seemed to vaguely point to this Su Xian Sword Shop he had never been to before.

He only believed what his own eyes saw.

So today, Magistrate Ouyang Rong gathered his men and invited Shen Shen Xisheng, deciding to come over personally to find out the truth.

Because after the rain at the end of this plum rain season stopped completely and the second phase of the Zhe Zhe Yiqu resumed its normal track, he was preparing to leave.

Before leaving, Magistrate Ouyang Rong did not want to leave behind any potential hidden dangers.

And it just so happened that the disappearance of the female tassel-maker Zhang Li Qian, which he had laid out before the ribbon-cutting ceremony, gave him a handle to come over and seek justice, which could be considered a legitimate reason.

Then he would bring people in to search.

What if they found something?

Organizing his thoughts, Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded slightly. Beside the young County Magistrate, the thin and straight-backed Shen Shen Xisheng seemed to have heard some overtones.

"If it's really that simple, then why choose such an early time to come and search?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled and said nothing.

Shen Shen Xisheng twisted his beard and turned his head, looking at Magistrate Ouyang Rong beside him with deep meaning.

During these two days in Longcheng County, although he had been silently handling matters entrusted by a good friend, he hadn't just been staying at his residence; he had personally observed the methods of this good friend's high-achieving disciple.

It is no exaggeration to say that Magistrate Ouyang Rong's clever operation of dismantling the Chenjun Xie family opened his eyes.

However, what Shen Shen Xisheng appreciated most was Magistrate Ouyang Rong's restrained use of public power within his duties.

Don't look at how insignificant it seems right now.

It seems redundant for a Grade 7 County Magistrate, and he is not some Prime Minister of the imperial court who holds great power and needs to be cautious in everything.

However, didn't the Master Di of the past also climb up from such a sesame-seed official position?

Therefore, on this point alone, Shen Shen Xisheng felt that he had already surpassed most of the young talents he had seen at the Censorate in Shenjing Luoyang.

The wind rises at the end of the duckweed, and the waves form between the tiny ripples.

The details reveal the clues.

Shen Shen Xisheng stroked his long beard and nodded slightly, but he seemed to have thought of that old friend, and his mouth felt a little sour.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong didn't know what Shen Shen Xisheng was thinking.

Right now, in the morning, the craftsmen and servants of the Gu Yue Sword Shop arrived one after another to start work. Frightened by the momentum of the blue-clad constables searching the sword shop, they stopped and gathered.

Every time a sword furnace area was searched, Yan Yan Liulang would return to report. Right now, more than half had been searched, and there were no abnormalities.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong listened for a while, then personally stepped forward to arrange and coordinate.

The core sword furnaces of the Gu Yue Sword Shop were all near the river. The wind by the river was strong, and it was quite cold on the body.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong tightened his sleeves.

While Magistrate Ouyang Rong was busy, Shen Shen Xisheng turned his head and spoke a few words to Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang, the daughter of his old friend. The latter replied politely, her eyes occasionally glancing at the back of her Ru Shixiong in front.

"Niece..." Uh.

At one moment, Shen Shen Xisheng called out again, but didn't see Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang respond. He turned his head and saw that Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's figure had disappeared. His expression froze.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang had only disappeared for a short while before returning.

It was just that there was something extra in her robe sleeve.

"Here."

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's robe sleeve was bulging. She walked up, reached out, took out a sugar-oil pancake wrapped in her robe sleeve, and silently handed it to Magistrate Ouyang Rong.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who was looking into the distance, was stunned and lowered his head to look.

"This is..."

The hot pancake held in Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's fair, small hand was pushed forward again, signaling him.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong raised his hand to take it. "Thank you, Xiao Shimei."

He took a bite of the hot sugar-oil pancake and subconsciously asked, "By the way, aren't you eating?"

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang shook her head, continued to hold her sword with a cold face, and looked around.

Just at this moment, she seemed to feel a certain gaze and turned her head to look.

It was Shen Shen Xisheng's rather resentful gaze.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang: "..."

"Cough, cough."

Shen Shen Xisheng, who had been silently watching for a long time, couldn't help it anymore. He covered his mouth and coughed, taking a few more looks at the pair of handsome young man and beautiful young woman in front of him.

Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's eyes dodged slightly, and she asked in a low voice, "Uncle Shen didn't eat this morning either?"

As she spoke, she prepared to turn around and go to the morning market in the sword shop she had just passed not far away to buy more pancakes.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong realized, put down the hot pancake, broke off a small piece of the part he had eaten, and handed the remaining large piece to Shen Shen Xisheng. "Magistrate Shen, fill your stomach."

Shen Shen Xisheng waved his hand to decline and also called out to Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang: "It's fine, it's fine. This old man isn't hungry at all."

He was indeed fed full.

Shen Shen Xisheng took another look at his niece. This girl is quite attentive, remembering so clearly whether your Ru Shixiong ate this morning.

Just as the awkward atmosphere between the three eased slightly.

A group of hurried figures appeared on the street in the direction of the sword shop gate. The person in the lead was Chenjun Xie Ling.

"Magistrate Shen, Magistrate, the two of you have graced us with your presence. Why didn't you let this Chenjun Xie know? Hahaha."

Chenjun Xie Ling walked closer with an awkward laugh, turned, and gestured with his hands toward the Chenjun Xie family mansion:

"Come, come, come. The humble abode has already prepared tea. I invite the two of you to move your residence. Your presence makes the humble abode shine."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes, finished the hot pancake without leaving a crumb, did not move his feet, and had no intention of taking Shen Shen Xisheng, Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang, and others to move. Then, the words he said lightly made Chenjun Xie Ling's smile freeze for a moment.

"No trouble for Second Young Master Chenjun Xie. We just came over to find a missing person. The public security in our Longcheng County hasn't been very good lately. I don't know if Second Young Master Chenjun Xie has seen this woman..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned his head and calmly recounted the matter of the Zhang family reporting the case and him bringing people to search for the female tassel-maker Zhang Li Qian.

Chenjun Xie Ling smiled reluctantly and shook his head, saying:

"Magistrate, this commoner has heard a little about the disappearance of this woman, but I really haven't seen her. For the past few days, I have also been letting the managers of the sword shop look for her, but there has been no news..."

"Magistrate, she is definitely not in the sword shop. We have also checked many times. Why don't you let the constables change to another place to look."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled and also shook his head seriously: "It's better to search more. What if we find the person? Second Young Master Chenjun Xie won't let us. Could it be that there is some unspeakable secret? Or, is there something in this Gu Yue Sword Shop that is inconvenient for everyone to see?"

"Haha, of course not, of course not. What is there that cannot be checked? Magistrate, please feel free to check the sword furnaces by the river."

Chenjun Xie Ling waved his hands repeatedly and said with a laugh.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong glanced at him, turned his head, and instructed Yan Yan Liulang and others to continue searching the remaining sword furnaces by the riverbank.

Behind him, Chenjun Xie Ling, who couldn't get a word in, waited with the sword shop managers, occasionally looking at each other helplessly.

After a while, the search was completed, and Yan Yan Liulang and other constables returned.

The former glanced at Chenjun Xie Ling, who was silent behind Magistrate Ouyang Rong, and bowed:

"Reporting to the Magistrate and Magistrate Shen, we did not find the figure of the female worker Zhang Li Qian."

Chenjun Xie Ling, hearing this, felt a huge relief in his heart and silently glanced at Magistrate Ouyang Rong's expression.

The young County Magistrate nodded slightly, suddenly turned around, and wanted to leave.

Chenjun Xie Ling smiled and followed:

"Magistrate, it's normal not to find the person. This commoner has also sent people to look several times before. Sigh, I don't know where she went... Why don't the two Magistrates go to the humble abode to drink a cup of hot tea first..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong did not stop his steps and took the lead to walk toward a certain place inside the sword shop.

"Magistrate, what are you..."

Chenjun Xie Ling was stunned when he saw this. However, the next second, when he saw clearly the direction Magistrate Ouyang Rong was going, his face was first confused, then turned pale in an instant.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong followed a certain matter he had heard of in his memories and silently walked into a morning market not far away, where Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang had just bought a sugar-oil pancake.

At the moment, perhaps because of the bailiffs who had come from the county government office, the morning market, which should have been very lively at this hour, was much quieter; however, there were still two or three diners who looked up and stood up one after another, gazing toward Magistrate Ouyang.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong stretched out his palm to the side, and Yan Yan Liulang silently handed over a pot of yellow wine that had been prepared long ago.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong walked forward alone, arriving in front of a dining table in the back of a breakfast shop.

With a light "thud."

A jar of wine landed on the tabletop in front of an old craftsman who was bowing his head and silently eating his noodles.

The old craftsman bowed his head and ate for a while longer in silence before slowly raising his head to meet the gaze of Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who was watching him calmly, then turned his head to glance at the pot of yellow wine on the table.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who had specifically rushed to the morning market today, said with a smile:

"I heard Saving Aqing mention you; she entrusted me to bring you a pot of yellow wine, and I hope you will kindly accept it."

The old craftsman nodded silently.

Recent transcoding is severe, giving us more motivation to update faster. Please move your little hand to exit reading mode. Thank you.