Chapter 176

176. Chapter 176: Shen Que's Little Selfish Motive

"Hurry and gag her mouth!" Master Yuan, seeing Shen Que frown, shouted in a panic, terrified that these filthy words would displease this lord.

The two yamen runners hurriedly found a piece of rag and stuffed it tightly into Widow Xu's mouth as she cursed; she could only make muffled wailing sounds.

Finally, several yamen runners respectfully reported to Shen Que: "The person was found at the foot of the mountain; she was already in this state of mental confusion when we caught her."

After a pause, the yamen runner added: "We also found some unused Monghan Powder on her..."

Shen Que nodded, glanced at Widow Xu, and ordered indifferently: "Bring her back to the yamen to report the conclusion of the case."

Ordinarily, he wouldn't have needed to come in person for such a murder case, but there were two victims at once, and the state of their deaths was extremely cruel; if it wasn't resolved in time, it might cause panic in Yong'an County and the surrounding villages.

Furthermore, his coming to Yuhe Village this time indeed had a little selfish motive of his own.

Having thought this through, he took a long stride and walked toward the Jiang mother and daughter.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was watching with great interest, secretly thinking that Widow Xu had really solved a big problem for her family, when the next second, her line of sight was blocked by a tall "wall."

Jiang Wei pulled her behind herself and said indifferently: "Is there anything else, Lord Shen?"

"May we speak in private?"

Under the big locust tree in the village.

The people sent by the yamen had left one after another, and the villagers had all gone to busy themselves with their own affairs.

Because of this business at Zhao Wulai's house early in the morning, everyone had been delayed for quite some time.

In the past, some of the older grandmothers in the village liked to gather under the big locust tree in the village to chat and gossip, but today, everyone stayed obediently at home, seemingly frightened by today's events. Those who had work went to work, and those who didn't stayed honestly at home mending autumn and winter clothes, preparing for the winter.

For a time, not a single person could be seen on the village roads.

Therefore, the mother and daughter and Shen Que stood under this big locust tree, and no one else paid them any attention.

"Lord Shen, if you have something to say, feel free to speak plainly." By now, Jiang Wei had roughly guessed that Shen Que's visit to Yuhe Village was not purely to handle the case.

Shen Que didn't speak; he just reached into his bosom, took out a letter, and handed it directly to Jiang Xiaoxiao, who was standing to the side.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was caught off guard and froze for a moment.

When her gaze fell on the envelope, the large characters "To be opened by Jiang Xiaoxiao personally" immediately came into view, and her joy instantly beamed from her face.

It was a letter sent by Jiang Yu!

She hurriedly reached out to take the letter, saying with a smile: "So Jiang Brother's reply was sent to you, My Lord."

No wonder she hadn't been able to receive it...

Shen Que rarely curled his lips into a smile: "It is not easy for him to send letters from the capital; this letter was carried inside the documents sent to me."

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao paused.

She suddenly remembered the things Shopkeeper Zhou had said.

Shen Que and Jiang Yu's identities, as well as the brothers' situation in the capital...

Jiang Xiaoxiao's happy mood instantly dropped; she imagined that Jiang Yu must have put a lot of thought into sending this letter while avoiding prying eyes.

She thanked Shen Que solemnly: "Thank you, Lord Shen, for delivering this letter to me."

Shen Que didn't speak, but shifted his gaze to Jiang Wei opposite him.

Jiang Wei smiled: "Lord Shen, your visit this time is probably not as simple as just delivering a letter, right?"

Hearing this, Shen Que didn't beat around the bush and said directly: "What is your relationship with the Huang family?"

Jiang Wei raised an eyebrow and said indifferently: "Not familiar."

Shen Que continued: "Then do you know about the Huang family bribing the examiner to pull strings for the Li family's eldest son?"

Jiang Wei shook her head: "I do not."

She truly didn't know about this.

But Jiang Xiaoxiao, standing to the side, couldn't help but change her expression; she secretly glanced at Shen Que.

How did he know about this too...

The Huang family did this very secretly; if she hadn't read the original work and known the plot, she probably wouldn't have known either.

It seems Shen Que's identity is not as simple as Shopkeeper Zhou described; if he were really just a demoted County Lieutenant, he shouldn't know about such a secret matter regarding the Huang family...

But why would this Shen Que suddenly bring this matter up?

And what is the purpose of his trip?

"I have investigated the relationship between you mother and daughter and the Li family." Shen Que glanced at Jiang Xiaoxiao, "Your daughter has been bullied by the Li family; you must also..."

"Lord Shen." Jiang Wei interrupted Shen Que, "Regardless of what relationship we had with the Li family in the past, we are now strangers with no relationship whatsoever. If their family has offended you in any way, or if you have any business with them, please find the right person; please do not involve us mother and daughter."

These words could be described as showing absolutely no mercy.

Shen Que's expression rarely darkened, but in the end, he only said "I have disturbed you" in a low voice, and then turned and left.

After Shen Que left, Jiang Xiaoxiao whispered: "Mother, will we be a bit too..."

After all, he is also Jiang Yu's brother in name.

Jiang Yu has business cooperation with their family, and Shen Que has helped them before; is it really okay to not leave any room for grace like this?

"This person is not simple." Jiang Wei watched Shen Que's departing back in the distance and only said: "It is better for us to have less contact with him, so as not to be implicated if something happens in the future."

Since her mother had said so, Jiang Xiaoxiao could only nod in agreement.

Anyway, listening to her mother is never wrong; her mother is the big female lead of the original work, not to mention having luck on her side and being able to live until the finale, even her sixth sense is always accurate!

It's possible that Shen Que really had some bad intentions; otherwise, he wouldn't have deliberately brought up their relationship with the Li family to make a point...

The mother and daughter returned home, and Shen Que also rode his horse away from Yuhe Village.

But he didn't return directly to the yamen; instead, he went to Yuelai Restaurant.

Seeing his brows tightly furrowed, Shopkeeper Zhou hurriedly had someone prepare a few bowls of Lychee Syrup Golden Thread Plum Juice and brought them into the second-floor private room.

Shen Que glanced at it, uninterested: "Is there no more ice cream?"

Shopkeeper Zhou wiped the sweat from his forehead: "It's gone; the Jiang family has stopped sending goods to the town. If you want to eat it, I will have someone go to the Jiang family now..."

"Forget it." Shen Que sighed lightly, "Since the season has passed, let it pass."

This meant he didn't want to eat it.

Shopkeeper Zhou felt a weight lift from his heart.

With the urging from above becoming more and more urgent, Shen Que's mood these past few days had become increasingly irritable, and he himself was also somewhat afraid; even though it was already autumn, whenever he faced this great Buddha Shen Que, he still couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.

Shen Que looked coldly at the Lychee Syrup Golden Thread Plum Juice in the bowl without moving, only saying indifferently: "The Jiang family is unwilling to help."

"Have you asked for their family's opinion?" Shopkeeper Zhou asked cautiously.

Shen Que shook his head, then gave a scoff: "They guard against me like a thief; their vigilance is not small."