Chapter 418

Jin Ling City, East, Apricot Blossom Lane, Yao Family Wine Shop.

The time had already reached the end of the eighth month, and the Yao family wine shop's famous Apricot Blossom Spring wine had already passed its peak season for brewing, cellar storage, and sale.

All afternoon, there were no customers in the wine shop, making it appear somewhat empty.

The wine shop's proprietress, Xu Qiniang, was a young woman over twenty, with a graceful figure, beautiful features, and a charming demeanor.

At this moment, she was calculating the shop's accounts at the counter, the old elm abacus clicking loudly.

A capable-looking shop assistant ran quickly into the shop, his expression appearing somewhat flustered.

Seeing Xu Qiniang, he said urgently, "Proprietress, things are not good. Something has happened on Miss Zou's side!"

When Xu Qiniang heard this, her face changed. She glanced at the entrance of the shop, confirmed there was nothing unusual, put away the account book and abacus she had in hand, and got up to enter the inner hall, with the assistant following closely behind.

Just as they entered the inner hall, Xu Qiniang asked urgently, "What happened to Miss Zou?"

The assistant wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Miss Zou was assassinated and died in the inner courtyard of Clear Sound Pavilion!"

Xu Qiniang's eyes widened in shock; she simply couldn't believe her ears: "What did you say? What on earth happened!"

The assistant said, "Yesterday evening, someone disguised as a maid of Clear Sound Pavilion snuck into the inner courtyard to commit the assassination. Miss Zou was stabbed in the chest and abdomen.

It is said that the Count of Weiyuan, Jia Cong, arrived in time. Although he invited a physician for emergency treatment, in the end, Miss Zou still died from her severe wounds.

This matter has caused a huge stir. The Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Ying Tian Prefecture, and the City Patrol Division have all been alarmed, and all have sent troops into Clear Sound Pavilion to investigate.

The secret posts we originally set up in Clear Sound Pavilion were transferred by Miss Zou to the various prefectures along the river, so the news didn't come through yesterday.

This morning, when I went to deliver intelligence to Miss Zou, I only then heard about this incident. Miss Zou's body was taken away by Jia Cong, and it is said that he is currently handling the funeral arrangements."

When Xu Qiniang heard this, her eyes turned red.

Although Zou Min'er was young and had little seniority, she was shrewd, cautious, diligent in her work, and quite courageous.

Since she arrived in Jin Ling, she often consulted with Xu Qiniang on business, and the two had a harmonious and compatible relationship.

She hadn't expected that someone so young would suddenly die so unclearly. Xu Qiniang felt very uncomfortable in her heart.

……

Moreover, Zou Min'er was a trusted aide of Du Qingniang, the head of the Central Vehicle Office, and was also her personal disciple in music and arts. She hadn't been in Jin Ling for long, and yet she had been harmed by someone like this.

Xu Qiniang truly didn't know how she was going to answer to Du Qingniang.

She asked sharply, "Have you found out who the killer is!"

The assistant replied, "It is said that after Miss Zou was assassinated, Jia Cong was the first to arrive, and he even exchanged blows with the assassin.

He described the assassin's appearance, martial arts, and the weapon used. The Embroidered Uniform Guard determined that the assassin was the Water Luo Sha who had recently snuck into Jin Ling."

Xu Qiniang raised her willow brows and said with a surprised expression, "Isn't the Water Luo Sha under the command of the great pirate Liu Ao of the East Sea? Why would she lay a poisonous hand on Miss Zou?"

The assistant said, "It is rumored on the streets that although this Water Luo Sha is under Liu Ao, she has always been unruly and has not always stayed at sea.

Five years ago, for some unknown reason, she began to frequently roam ashore. In recent years, she has committed quite a few cases. It is estimated that she takes people's money to help them buy lives."

Xu Qiniang said, "The Water Luo Sha has no connection to Miss Zou, and it is impossible for the two to know each other. It couldn't be a private vendetta assassination. She must have been hired by someone to sneak into Clear Sound Pavilion to assassinate her.

It's just that Miss Zou's identity in the Central Vehicle Office is very secret. On the surface, she is just a musician in the Music Office. Why would someone lay a poisonous hand on her...?"

The assistant said, "Could it be related to the great Zhou Zhengyang case? Perhaps Miss Zou leaked her identity, or she knew something she shouldn't have, and was assassinated to silence her?"

Xu Qiniang's voice became fierce: "Regardless of the reason, our people in the Central Vehicle Office must not die in vain!

Mobilize all our manpower in the city to search for the Water Luo Sha's tracks. As long as we capture this person, we will know the purpose of the assassination.

In addition, dig out all of Liu Ao's eyes and ears and files in Jin Ling City.

These people are all remnants of sea bandits, hiding in the city to set up shops, fencing stolen goods, and collecting and passing on information about port sea vessels to support pirates in their plundering on the high seas. In short, none of them are good people.

Perhaps we can find out the Water Luo Sha's whereabouts from these people's mouths. If they have any concealment or resistance, leave none of them alive!"

When the assistant heard Xu Qiniang's murderous words, he was startled and asked, "Proprietress, relying only on the manpower in the city might not be enough."

Xu Qiniang said, "Transfer the twelve blade-wielders we keep in Liuhe into the city. These people are all good hands from the border army. They received the grace of Head Du back then and are our most reliable armed force.

Although it's unclear if Liu Ao instigated the murder, the Water Luo Sha is under his command, and he cannot escape the blame. If he dares to touch people from the Central Vehicle Office, we must pay him back in kind!

Otherwise, if Miss Zou dies innocently and we do nothing, how can we answer to Head Du!"

……

Jin Ling, Dazai Gate, Xin Chun Hao Jiangnan General Store.

In a room on the second floor of the shop, Keqing was checking the account books sent by the various branch stores.

It was just that today she was constantly restless. She flipped through a few pages of the account book and then stopped, appearing somewhat uneasy.

Qu Hongxiu, standing to the side, saw her restless appearance, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly, and said, "Why are you thinking of Brother Cong again? You don't even have the heart to look at the account books."

Keqing's pretty face flushed, and she said, "Sister Xiu, don't you think it's a bit abnormal? He hasn't been to Yumin Ward for almost three days. Could something have happened to him?"

Qu Hongxiu smiled and said, "Don't worry. Brother Cong is a person who knows his limits. It must be that something is holding him up. Maybe we'll know when Baozhu comes back after waiting at the Jia residence in Unlike Xinglong Fang these few days."

The two were just talking when they heard hurried footsteps coming from the stairs. The two looked at each other and smiled. The only person in the shop who could make such a commotion on the stairs was Baozhu.

A figure flashed at the door, and sure enough, they saw Baozhu run in.

She was wearing a lake-blue embroidered vest on her upper body, soft silk lantern pants on her lower body, a pleated short skirt tied around her slender waist, and a pair of onion-green embroidered shoes on her feet. Her small face was flushed, her brows and eyes were beautiful, and she was lively and cute.

"Sister Xiu, Miss, I just went to the old residence in Unlike Xinglong Fang. Steward Jin said that Brother Cong hasn't returned to the residence for almost three days."

When Keqing heard this, a look of worry appeared on her face.

Qu Hongxiu had just comforted Keqing, saying that Jia Cong hadn't been to Yumin Ward for two days and must be at the Jia residence, but she hadn't expected that he hadn't returned to the Jia residence for three days. Where exactly had he been staying these past few days?

Even with Qu Hongxiu's understanding of Jia Cong, she felt that things were somewhat unusual and began to worry in her heart.

"Baozhu, did you find Jiang Liu? Isn't he always following Brother Cong?"

"Jiang Liu is also not at the Jia residence. I haven't seen him for several days either."

When Qu Hongxiu and Keqing heard this, they looked at each other, and the worry in their hearts grew deeper.

They both knew that Jia Cong always gave an account of his actions and had never been out of touch for several days, and even Jiang Liu, who was by his side, had lost contact.

……

Baozhu appeared to be hesitating. Qin Keqing was meticulous and saw that she had something to say, so she asked, "Baozhu, is there anything else?"

Baozhu appeared somewhat embarrassed and said softly, "On my way back from Unlike Xinglong Fang, I stopped by Clear Sound Pavilion."

Qu Hongxiu was full of curiosity: "What did you go there for?"

She and Keqing both knew that Baozhu was naturally active. If she helped in the shop, she couldn't sit still after a long time and often ran out alone, and there were many strange things.

However, although Baozhu was young, she was born with great strength and had been practicing martial arts since she was young, so there was no need to fear that she would suffer outside. Qu Hongxiu and Keqing had never restrained her.

It was just that hearing she had gone to a place like Clear Sound Pavilion made them truly curious.

Baozhu said, "You both forgot. When Brother Cong first came to Jin Ling, he asked me where Clear Sound Pavilion was and even said he was going there to handle official business."

Qu Hongxiu naturally knew about this. At that time, she had even mocked Jia Cong for talking nonsense. Clear Sound Pavilion was full of women, yet he actually wanted to go there to handle official business. Who would believe that?

Qin Keqing was intelligent and immediately understood Baozhu's thoughts, asking with a strange expression, "So, you think Brother Cong hasn't been home these past few days because he's been at Clear Sound Pavilion?"

Baozhu giggled: "Miss is the smartest; you understood as soon as you thought about it."

Qu Hongxiu scolded with a smile: "You little ghost, you're full of tricks. How did you think of that? You actually thought of going there to find him."

Baozhu said, "Sister Xiu, don't say that. I went to Clear Sound Pavilion to find Brother Cong, and I really went to the right place. I asked someone there casually.

They all said that after Brother Cong came to Jin Ling, he became intimate with a Zhou Niangzi in Clear Sound Pavilion. Many people know that he often goes to the pavilion to listen to that Zhou Niangzi play the pipa, and the two would spend half a day in the elegant room."

When Qu Hongxiu heard this, her brows furrowed slightly, and she said with a shy and angry tone, "This little bastard is actually so dissolute. Could it be that he's been flirting at Clear Sound Pavilion these past few days...?"

Qin Keqing said somewhat sourly, "Sister Xiu, it seems I wasn't wrong. He hasn't returned for days; there must be a reason. Hmph."

Baozhu said from the side, "Although Brother Cong often went to Clear Sound Pavilion before, he hasn't been there these past few days because a major event happened at Clear Sound Pavilion the day before yesterday.

That Zhou Niangzi who was intimate with Brother Cong was suddenly assassinated in the inner courtyard. They said Brother Cong rushed over, but he didn't save her, and then Brother Cong left with that lady's body.

No one has seen him return since."

When Qu Hongxiu and Keqing heard this, they were both startled.

Qu Hongxiu thought for a moment and said, "Keqing, this matter is not right. Brother Cong, even if he flirts with women, is not a person without limits.

On his first day in Jin Ling, he asked where Clear Sound Pavilion was. At that time, he must not have known that Zhou Niangzi in the pavilion yet. It's as if he had planned to go there before he even came to Jin Ling.

But this doesn't look like flirting; it looks like he was specifically looking for someone or handling some matter, just like he said, to handle official business.

That Zhou Niangzi was just a musician. Who would specifically go to assassinate her? Afterwards, Brother Cong even took the person's body, and there has been no news for several days."

Qin Keqing suddenly realized: "He came to Jin Ling with a secret decree to handle matters and also said he went to Clear Sound Pavilion to handle official business. Could it be that Zhou Niangzi is related to his errand in Jin Ling?"

Qu Hongxiu said, "It must be like this. Even if he went to Clear Sound Pavilion to flirt, there's no need to make it known to everyone, otherwise how would Baozhu ask and people say that?

I think he did this mostly to cover people's eyes and ears. That Zhou Niangzi was suddenly assassinated, which is very likely related to his handling of the Zhou Zhengyang case."

Keqing was full of worry and said, "Sister Xiu, he took Zhou Niangzi's body and there has been no news for several days. Could he be in danger?"

Qu Hongxiu said, "Brother Cong is quick-witted. When Zhou Niangzi had an accident, he must have been prepared. He's not some scholar without the strength to truss a chicken. Protecting himself is always no problem.

I'll go to the farmstead east of the city now and transfer some manpower into the city to search, just in case."

……

Jin Ling, Longtan Port Wharf.

A carriage with the Zhen family emblem slowly drove into the wharf and stopped near the dock.

Zhen Fangqing lifted the carriage curtain and watched as three Zhen family sea ships left the dock one after another, breaking through the waves and sailing out of the wharf toward the distance where the sky and water met.

Liu Xian, sitting on the carriage shaft, asked, "Third Miss, that island is isolated a hundred miles outside the estuary. The old master built several storage houses on the island back then as a transit point for sea transport.

However, it has been abandoned for many years. Why is Miss so concerned about that deserted island?"

Zhen Fangqing said, "When I was still in the Love Shenjing accompanying the Empress Dowager, I often received letters from my father. In his letters, he mentioned this island many times.

To the west of this island is a large forest with many birds and beasts. The east side of the island has flat terrain, which can be reclaimed into fertile fields. There are also two freshwater lakes on the island, and there are springs flowing from the ground in many places.

My father praised this island in his letters, which left a deep impression on me.

Moreover, the hydrology around this island is complex, with dense reefs, which is very dangerous. Ships cannot get close.

But my father once told me in a letter that he had obtained a sea chart showing a narrow waterway without reefs to the west of the island, which could successfully enter the island.

Back then, I was young and curious, and I asked about this sea chart in a letter. I didn't expect my father to really attach the sea chart to the letter and send it to me.

Not long after that, my father went to sea with the ship and had an accident....

For the past few years, I have always wanted to fulfill my father's wish back then and build a Zhen family ship port on that island for the transit of sea trade business.

The things that Third Brother caused some time ago made this thought of mine even more urgent."

Liu Xian said, "Does Third Miss feel that the main branch has risks and wants to build an escape route on that island?"

Zhen Fangqing did not answer Liu Xian's question. She looked at the three sea ships sailing away and said faintly, "This time I visited the Jia family's Grandmother in the Love Shenjing and heard about the Ningguo Jia family being stripped of their titles and having their home raided.

I once heard my father say that the first Duke of Ningguo had the special merit of opening up the territory and building the country, and the descendants of Ningguo also once held high positions like the Commander of the Capital Battalion.

But the grace of a gentleman is cut off after five generations. The descendants are unworthy, leaving behind handles and crimes. Isn't it raided and stripped of titles in an instant, with a century of noble status falling into the status of commoners?

My Zhen family is a prominent family in Jin Ling and has been wealthy for several generations, but the Zhen family descendants are inevitably uneven in quality. The Ningguo Jia family is a warning from the past.

I hope these three sea ships can build a place for the Zhen family to shelter from the wind and rain. If one day something happens, it will be a place to stay."

When Liu Xian heard this, he was silent in his heart. This Third Miss of his, as a woman, had meticulous thoughts and planned for the long-term future of the family, which was truly far superior to the men of the Zhen family.

Zhen Fangqing asked again, "Uncle Xian, my mother has been feeling unwell these past few days. I wanted to ask Physician Zhang to write a prescription for nourishment. I asked you to invite him yesterday. Did Physician Zhang say when he would make a house call?"

Liu Xian replied, "I went to Fushou Lane to invite him yesterday, but the courtyard door of Physician Zhang's house was tightly closed. I asked the neighbors nearby, and they said that a carriage came to pick up Physician Zhang for an emergency visit the day before yesterday.

After Physician Zhang went out, he hasn't returned. I suppose that emergency visit was very tricky, and he was delayed outside."

Zhen Fangqing felt somewhat rare when she heard this and said, "With Physician Zhang's such superb medical skills, what kind of emergency visit could actually delay him for three days?" (End of chapter)