Chapter 116: Ah Hua Moves House (First Update)

Should Widow Yang be interrogated? From the perspective of the Sin-Cleansing Bureau, of course she must be, given her close contact with a key suspect.

But when Xu Yuan, near dusk, sent Fu Jingyu, he clearly intended to tease the Fu Young Master.

Xu Yuan would not tell the Fu Young Master that Widow Yang ran a half-open door.

As soon as Fu Jingyu, accompanied by two Captains, entered Widow Yang's door, a delighted cry rang out: "Oh, a big business has arrived! But I must make it clear to you three officials first: if you come together, the price goes up."

After Xu Yuan and the others finished eating and drinking, Fu Jingyu finally returned, and he had even brought Widow Yang back with him.

Although Widow Yang's hands and feet were shackled, Fu Jingyu feared her like a snake or a scorpion, keeping his distance.

Xu Yuan then called out to everyone: "Hurry back; night is falling."

Fu Jingyu was still thinking about the interrogation just now; he walked out with his head down. Only when he was nearly at the Zhao Fur Shop did he suddenly realize: I paid for the meal, yet Xu Yuan ate and drank while I did the work, and in the end, I got nothing to eat?!

Inside the Zhao Fur Shop, with the door closed, Xu Yuan finally asked: "Why did you bring her back?"

"This woman is a secret lookout for the Demon-Suppression Army," Fu Jingyu said gloomily. "Although she knew nothing about the Zheng Rongkui matter and merely helped pass messages, we cannot simply leave her be."

Yan Lao felt it was somewhat tricky: "Arresting someone from the Demon-Suppression Army without authorization is difficult to handle."

Fu Jingyu said: "Following her will allow us to find out exactly to whom Zheng Rongkui passed the message!"

Xu Yuan nodded; this was indeed a clue.

Yan Lao thought for a moment, then shook his head: "It cannot be found. The Demon-Suppression Army will surely have already severed all of this woman's connections."

"Then they will erase all traces of Zheng Rongkui within the Demon-Suppression Army and absolutely deny such a person ever existed."

"By the time we have searched for a long time and found no clues or evidence, the big shots from both our sides will suddenly meet by chance at some event; then the Demon-Suppression Army will yield some interests, and our side will also know when to stop, ceasing further investigation."

Yan Lao was actually imparting his decades of experience and insights to Fu Jingyu and Xu Yuan.

Fu Jingyu frowned tightly, very unwilling to accept it, but as a young master from a great surname family, he understood this was almost an inevitable outcome.

Xu Yuan, on the contrary, remained calm; in any case, he had at least prevented this earth-shattering conspiracy within Ghost Wushan.

As for failing to "eradicate evil completely"... that was because the capability did not yet exist; forcing the issue would only lead to one's own destruction.

Once I possess such capability, I will make those scum know that the bottom line of me, Young Master Xu, cannot simply be bought by yielding some interests!

Several Captains sized up Widow Yang; the woman then lifted her head and said sharply: "You five hundred coins each! But if it is that clean and fair Young Master..."

Widow Yang gazed at Fu Jingyu with seductive, spring-like eyes: "I will only charge him one hundred coins."

Fu Jingyu rose and hurriedly climbed the stairs with a clatter; Widow Yang let out a loud, coquettish giggle.

Xu Yuan followed him upstairs, took an oil-paper package from his robe, and handed it to Fu Jingyu: "Eat something."

Inside the oil-paper package was a roasted chicken and two steamed buns.

The two Captains who went with him had some too.

Fu Jingyu ate silently; after finishing one steamed bun, he suddenly said to Xu Yuan: "Come to the Sin-Cleansing Bureau; you can handle cases and save many people!"

A new day began; Ah Hua leaped onto the roof ridge and let out a loud, clear "Cock-a-doodle-doo," dispelling the ill omens of the night.

The sun rose; the sunlight was soft and warm, a rare fine day in early winter.

Xu Yuan got up and first checked the almanac; today was forbidden for:

Wading through water, reciting texts, singing joyfully, and gazing at the moon.

On days when "reciting texts" is forbidden, the abilities of literary cultivators are suppressed.

Downstairs, the Captains were already busy preparing breakfast; after a simple meal, they prepared to return to Huicheng.

Xu Yuan said: "Send a few people to help Grandmother Ying move house."

It had been agreed beforehand to bring Grandmother Ying to the county town.

Four Captains volunteered and followed Xu Yuan to Grandmother Ying's home, only to be stunned: Grandmother Ying had already packed her belongings, which were piled into a small mountain in the courtyard!

All sorts of clutter: old clothes, scraps of cloth, needles and threads, pots and pans...

She was unwilling to throw any of it away.

Plus, Grandmother Ying had a habit of buying things and then forgetting them, only to buy more later...

Xu Yuan even spotted a bellows used on the stove among them; he wondered how Grandmother Ying, at her age, had managed to dismantle it.

Just as several Captains were about to advise the old lady not to bring so much, Xu Yuan raised a hand to stop them and sighed: "Go try to hire two large carts."

Xu Yuan knew Grandmother Ying; she could not be persuaded.

In fact, Grandmother Ying herself knew deep down that nine-tenths of these things would likely never be used again, but asking her to throw them away... would hurt her more than killing Ah Hua.

Although Young Master Xu was still not yet an "Investigating Officer," the several Captains were very obedient; they ran quickly to the Xi Yazi Restaurant at the west end and negotiated with a merchant caravan having breakfast, asking if they could spare two large carts.

The Captains were actually quite shrewd; merchant caravans usually set out early, and if they delayed a bit longer, they might not find anyone.

Displaying the Sin-Cleansing Bureau's badge, there should rarely be any matter that could not be settled.

But this was indeed putting them in a difficult position; the four Captains tried every possible means and finally spent ten taels of silver before the merchant caravans squeezed out one large cart.

These ten taels of silver would naturally be reimbursed as forty taels on the public account later.

The four Captains drove the cart back and said shamefacedly: "Young Master Xu, there was truly no other way..."

Xu Yuan knew they had done their best; he waved his hand, telling them to go back and fetch a few horses.

The owners of these horses had already died in the line of duty; they were perfect for use as pack horses. The other Captains also came to help; after two hours of hard work, they finally managed to load everything.

The Fu Young Master, from beginning to end, stood aside with his hands folded, watching.

It was not that he did not want to help the old lady; he simply did not know how to get involved, having never done such things since childhood.

Once everything was loaded, Fu Jingyu stepped forward and bowed with clasped fists to Grandmother Ying: "Old lady, please ride in the cart with me."

Grandmother Ying cast a reluctant glance at her house before climbing into the cart with Xu Yuan's support; Xu Yuan also told her: "I have asked Ah Guang and Xi Yazi to come often to help clean."

Xu Yuan still sat outside the cart with the driver; Ah Hua flapped its wings and leaped onto the roof of the cart. Discovering its old enemy was also there, it raised a circle of feathers on its neck and prepared to charge upward.

Grandmother Ying called out: "Hua Hua, come down."

The great rooster, like a bird, flew down and squeezed into the carriage through the window.

This instantly left Young Master Fu Dagong at a loss for what to do.

Old Lady Ying held her great rooster, her wrinkled face smiling: "Does Young Master mind?"

Fu Jingyu's face went stiff: "N-no, I don't mind. Elder, please feel free."

Ah Hua held his head high and chest out, feeling he had won: I am inside the carriage while you are outside.

Da Fu, arrogant and disregarding others, also felt he had won: I am above while you are below!

(End of this chapter)