Chapter 175: This Heart Follows You Home

Jin Ling, Fengle Square, in an inconspicuous three-courtyard residence.

In a study filled with a clear, elegant, and refined atmosphere, a middle-aged man with an imposing manner sat peacefully, his expression leisurely and steady, his every gesture appearing calm and unhurried.

Standing before him was a respectful young man of medium build, with an ordinary appearance and half of his left little finger missing.

"My lord, we just received news that yesterday, a document from the Wuxian yamen in Gusu stated that Jia Cong was assassinated in Gusu. Today, the Yingtian Prefecture and the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Thousand-Household Station dispatched many men to Gusu.

Also, according to news from the Guard Station's Jingli Office, Jingli Cui Bowang requested leave four days ago and his whereabouts are currently unknown. His younger brother, Cui Boliang, was a confidant of Zou Huaiyi and was killed on the spot by Jia Cong at the birthday banquet in the Zou residence."

The middle-aged man frowned and asked, "Are you saying that Cui Bowang is the mastermind behind this assassination to avenge his brother?"

The young man replied, "There is currently no solid evidence, but it is highly likely to be his doing; otherwise, it wouldn't be such a coincidence that Jia Cong was assassinated in Gusu while he happened to be on leave and not in Jin Ling."

"Go investigate immediately. If it is indeed Cui Bowang's doing, find out if he left any traces. In any case, he must not fall into the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, otherwise, the implications will be huge."

"Jia Cong wasn't in Jin Ling, so why did he suddenly run to Gusu, and for what purpose?"

The moment the confession was obtained, the information was transmitted back to Jin Ling by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

On the third day after the Wuxian yamen's document was sent, the Jin Ling Yingtian Prefecture and the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Thousand-Household Station each dispatched men to arrive at the Wuxian yamen to take over the prisoner and related matters.

Thus, a massive search covering the three prefectures around Jin Ling was launched in full swing.

"It is said that at the consecration ceremony in the main hall of the Great Ci'en Temple, he took a fancy to a beautiful nun, so he requested the roster from the Monk Registration Office, searched the nunneries in Jin Ling city but couldn't find her, and then went to Gusu to search."

Furthermore, they interrogated the injured assassin overnight, and soon the man confessed the identities of the three assassins and the mastermind, Cui Bowang, a Jingli of the Jin Ling Guard Station's Jingli Office.

If he didn't go all out in this assassination case and retreated due to fear of the Guard Station's power, he would likely earn a reputation for being mediocre and corrupt as soon as he took office.

The middle-aged man looked disdainful and mocked, "What 'peerless in poetry and prose,' famous throughout Jiangnan—he's just a lecherous and lustful person!"

He had just been transferred from Shenjing to serve as the chief official of the Jin Ling Thousand-Household Station in the auxiliary capital, and he was full of ambition, urgently needing merit to establish his footing.

Jia Cong had been arranged by the Wuxian Magistrate in a small courtyard in the rear office, where he had recuperated for several days; his injuries had recovered somewhat, but it was still inconvenient to use his hand, and he was served by Jing Hui for daily tasks like drinking water and eating.

And the possibility of catching a bigger fish through this Cui Bowang was extremely high.

Ge Captain Ge Zhi Cheng, the newly appointed Thousand-Household of the Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard who received the news, was like a shark smelling blood.

The current Emperor most detested those who were petty and inactive in their duties; if that were the case, this lucrative position as the chief of the Jin Ling auxiliary capital's Embroidered Uniform Guard, which he had just obtained, would likely soon come to an end.

The mastermind behind the assassination of a hero in the major Water Surveillance Office case was actually a Grade 6 military officer of the Jin Ling Guard Station; this piece of information alone was enough to make the Jin Ling Guard Station subject to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Ge Captain Ge Zhi Cheng had just been transferred, and his foundation in the Jin Ling officialdom was still clean.

Therefore, he could only investigate to the end; as for whether this would poke a hole in the sky, that was not something he was considering now. Wealth and honor have always been sought in danger, and if the sky fell, there would be people above to hold it up.

For the past two days, she had accompanied Jia Cong without leaving his side; having walked through the gates of life and death that day, some things seemed to have changed.

People in the county yamen found it very strange that this pretty nun was taking such meticulous care of this Young Master Jia, neither nun nor layperson.

However, seeing that they were both calm and composed, as if it were only natural and right, no one said anything more.

The people from the Yingtian Prefecture and the Embroidered Uniform Guard who came to Wuxian to take over the case were actually Jia Cong's acquaintances.

The person in charge from the Yingtian Prefecture was Yan Yuanliang, a trusted aide and advisor to Jia Yucun.

And the person in charge from the Embroidered Uniform Guard surprised Jia Cong; it was Liu Yong, the General Flag Officer of the Water Surveillance Office who had guarded the Great Ci'en Temple construction site.

It turned out that Ge Captain Ge Zhi Cheng, the newly appointed chief of the Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Liu Hai's second uncle, that Thousand-Household of the Shipping Office who died in the Longtan Port bloodbath, had been colleagues and close friends.

In this major Water Surveillance Office case, Liu Hai was also one of the few officers who was not implicated.

And because he had questioned the Longtan Port bloodbath earlier and was demoted by Zou Huaiyi to guard the construction site, it instead became the best evidence for Liu Hai to prove his innocence.

After the major Water Surveillance Office case was solved, a large number of officers in the office were arrested and imprisoned for involvement, while he was promoted from General Flag Officer to Thousand-Household, which could be considered a blessing in disguise.

After Ge Captain Ge Zhi Cheng was transferred to the Jin Ling Thousand-Household Station, he urgently needed to cultivate confidants with roots in Jin Ling, and Liu Hai became his best candidate, so a month ago, he pulled strings to transfer him into the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

According to the schedule, the two were to escort the prisoners back to Jin Ling tomorrow; before departing, they went together to the county yamen's rear courtyard to visit the injured Jia Cong.

Yan Yuanliang looked at Jing Hui drying clothes in the courtyard, his eyes showing surprise, and said, "Chengshi Lang, before departing, the Prefect gave instructions, suggesting that Chengshi Lang return to Jin Ling as soon as possible.

Now that the remnants of the Water Surveillance Office are not cleared, if another assassination occurs, the consequences will be unpredictable.

Jin Ling is the auxiliary capital, with strict security that can suppress petty thieves; if Chengshi Lang returns to Jin Ling, your safety can be guaranteed. If you remain in Gusu, once something happens, the Prefect will be beyond reach."

Liu Hai, standing to the side, also said, "Young Master Jia, before I came, the Thousand-Household also gave instructions. You are the victim of the Gusu assassination case, and the investigation of the case also requires your cooperation.

Moreover, once you return to Jin Ling, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has full confidence in ensuring your safety."

In fact, by this point, Jia Cong already had the intention to leave Gusu; Wu'er and Qingwen were still left in the old Jia residence, and the matter of returning to the capital to report the completion of the mission could no longer be delayed.

At this moment, Jing Hui came into the room with the dried clothes, and Yan Yuanliang and Liu Hai's words were all heard by her.

Yan Yuanliang and Liu Hai saw that Jia Cong didn't reply, but instead looked at the pretty little nun, his gaze filled with inquiry.

It was as if whether they returned to Jin Ling depended on what the little nun said; both of them felt a sense of strangeness in their hearts.

Jing Hui saw Jia Cong looking at her expectantly, her pretty face flushed, and almost without thinking, she said, "Jin Ling is more stable than here; I will go back to Jin Ling with you."

After saying this, she seemed a bit shy and went out of the room by herself; she seemed to be able to hear her own quickened heartbeat. Thinking of her master and senior sister, although Jing Hui was reluctant, there was more joy in her heart.

Yan Yuanliang and Liu Hai saw that as soon as Jia Cong heard the little nun's words, it was like hearing heavenly music, his face filled with a bright and triumphant smile, as if his heart were blooming with joy.

Both of them secretly let out a strange laugh.

That day at the Great Ci'en Temple consecration ceremony, Jia Cong lost his composure upon seeing a beautiful nun and searched the entire temple, which had long been spread as a joke by the officials present.

And afterward, he borrowed the roster from the Monk Registration Office to check the origin of the beautiful nun, and borrowed manpower from the Yingtian Prefecture to search every nunnery in Jin Ling city but couldn't find her, which was why he came to Gusu to search for beauty.

These things couldn't be hidden from anyone, and many people in the Jin Ling officialdom knew about it.

He actually really found the person he was looking for.

From the perspective of bystanders like Yan Yuanliang and Liu Hai, the little nun was also devoted to him; this Young Master Jia searching for beauty in a nunnery, so romantic, could be considered a unique and rare case.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 176 =====