Qi Duolai immediately sneered coldly, “The person is in the hands of the Zhenhai Division, yet he actually still wants to get involved. Who does he think he is?”
The mockery in his smile was very strong, laughing at the young man for not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth, thinking that having a bit of money at home would let him turn the clouds and rain here. He was also laughing that the Zhenhai Commissioner had already taken a fancy to his family’s wealth and was already prepared to make his family bleed.
Qingya did not understand the situation, but observing the expressions, reminded him, “We can take this opportunity to make him pay a bit more money.”
Qi Duolai immediately spoke with rebuke, “Is this about money? Someone who dares to kill the ferryman jiao-ren and break into the Nether Temple, could they be an ordinary person? To kill such a person unclearly and unjustly within the Zhenhai Division, that would bring a heap of trouble. Do you think everything can be settled with money? You should also think about it. With the Wang family boy’s character, if they were truly easy to bully, do you think he would not dare to commit violence himself, and would need to borrow the Zhenhai Division’s hand?”
Having spoken to this point, Qingya could not help but probe, “That is right, Chief Officer, just who are those three fellows?”
He was indeed curious. It seemed that people who knew the three persons’ identities were unwilling to reveal them. What was the situation, all cloudy and foggy?
Qi Duolai said lightly, “When it is time for you to know, you will naturally know.”
“Very well.” Qingya had to settle for the next best thing. “That boy Wang Wentian is also worried that this matter will be difficult to handle in the Zhenhai Division. If they cannot be killed, he wants me to pull strings and get them released as soon as possible. He cannot wait to ruin them and destroy their reputations.”
Qi Duolai: “Pull strings? These three fellows smashed the Treasure Pavilion in front of everyone, and insistently claim that the Commander’s people kidnapped that child. Who knows how many people are watching openly and secretly? If they do not recant, the case cannot be closed. How do you suggest we pull strings? By the way, I was just about to ask you. That person you sent to carry out the kidnapping, who died there after failing, how much did he actually know? The three people said that before the deceased died, he told them that the Treasure Pavilion ordered them to carry out the kidnapping.”
Qingya was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly defended himself, “That is absolutely impossible. He was only temporarily called to handle the matter. He did not know any inside information at all, and it is even more impossible that he would implicate the Treasure Pavilion.”
“I suspected as much. You, Qingya, are not so loose-lipped as to gossip everywhere when handling matters.” Qi Duolai muttered, narrowing his eyes. “That is to say, those three fellows are indeed deliberately biting at the Treasure Pavilion.”
Hearing this statement, Qingya also became alert, and asked in shock and suspicion, “Why are those three people deliberately framing the Treasure Pavilion?”
Not to mention him, Qi Duolai was also weighing what was really going on behind this.
Qingya looked at his reaction. Apart from inner shock and suspicion, he also saw the Zhenhai Division’s dilemma here. He also grew increasingly puzzled in his heart about just what status those three people held. Logically speaking, since they had already discovered that the three were deliberately framing, with the Zhenhai Division’s methods, they could simply use torture to force a confession. Why would they still need to talk about reason? It was obvious that the Zhenhai Division clearly had some scruples and did not dare to use hard methods.
Of course, what he cared about now was not this. He tried asking, “Chief Officer, the corpse of my brother who died at the scene of the crime, I heard it has fallen into the Zhenhai Division’s hands. Can it be handed over to us to handle ourselves?”
At the time of the incident, an accident occurred. He had not expected that a small matter would cause so many problems. Nanzhu and Mu Aotie’s timely return meant that his side had not had time to remove the corpse left at the scene. At the time, he had not paid much attention because he felt the Zhenhai Division could cover it up. Now he realised that these were people that even the Zhenhai Division had scruples about. How could he not have scruples? What if the Zhenhai Division cast him aside after he had served his purpose?
As long as the corpse was identified as his man, the matter could immediately be traced to him. He naturally wanted to plug the leak.
“If the corpse is handed over to you, once it is discovered by others, given the relationship between the Commander and the Treasure Pavilion, would that not confirm that the Treasure Pavilion carried out the kidnapping?” Qi Duolai questioned him on the spot. He had probably also guessed his thoughts. Then he reassured him, “Rest assured, no one will be allowed to recognise him as your man. We will handle it properly.”
Qingya wanted to speak but stopped. The other party had already spoken to this point. He knew that saying anything more was useless. After all, the other party was the stronger side…
At the night-shrouded seashore, boat lights rippled on the waves.
On a ferry boat, Wang Xueting stood firm at the bow, approaching that vessel which other boats avoided.
Qi Duolai welcomed him aboard, invited him to the cabin alone, and did not accompany him.
Wang Xueting, stepping into the cabin, could not help but look back once more. After entering, he saw Zhu Xuan sitting alone in the cabin facing the lattice window. The outside light was mottled on Zhu Xuan’s still face, making it impossible to guess what this Zhenhai Commissioner was thinking.
“Lord Zhu.” Wang Xueting went before him and saluted.
Zhu Xuan turned his head and glanced sideways. The profoundness in his gaze made Wang Xueting’s heart tighten. Then he showed a faint smile, and stretched out his hand to indicate the position next to the tea table. “Brother Wang need not be so polite. Please sit.”
Wang Xueting slowly sat down, and probingly asked, “Lord Zhu summoned me here. I do not know what instructions you have?”
Zhu Xuan did not beat around the bush with him. “Has Brother Wang heard that my ‘Treasure Pavilion’ was smashed by someone?”
“Uh…” Wang Xueting was slightly startled. He had not expected that the other party would ask this as soon as he opened his mouth. He quickly weighed what the other party’s words meant in his heart, but for a moment could not figure it out. He immediately nodded and said, “To dare smash and loot at the Zhenhai Commissioner’s home, for such a thing to happen in the Sea Market is truly shocking. The news has probably already spread throughout the Sea Market. I have heard somewhat of it. I was also just thinking of taking the opportunity to ask Lord Zhu what exactly is going on.”
Zhu Xuan raised his hand and pushed a slip of paper on the tea table towards him. “Brother Wang might as well look at this first.”
Wang Xueting’s gaze fell on the slip. Curious, he picked it up and looked at it. He straightened the contents in his hand. Upon careful inspection, he realised it should be a list of various damaged items from the Treasure Pavilion. Each item had a price quote, and there were also costs for shop damage repairs and the like.
He was not very interested in the list items. His gaze fell on the final calculated total. The sum was over five hundred and ninety million taels.
This figure made his heart thump wildly. He did not know what it meant to show him this. Surely they would not want him to pay out of his own pocket to fill this hole? If that were truly the case, then that would be bullying too much. Although he was willing to spend money to befriend the other party, he was not some foolish victim to be slaughtered by anyone. With his background, he was not one to be manipulated by others.
He immediately put down the list, and pretended to be unconcerned as he said, “The villains are truly detestable. I heard they have already been captured. Lord Zhu must punish them severely, to recover the losses!”
Zhu Xuan asked lightly, “Severely punish? Hmm, if the true culprit is caught, then naturally they must be severely punished.”
Wang Xueting was surprised. “True culprit? Have they not already been caught?”
Zhu Xuan: “It seems Brother Wang truly does not know who smashed my shop.”
Wang Xueting heard that there was meaning behind the words, and immediately pressed, “Who?”
Zhu Xuan: “The Huiyuan who scored full marks in four subjects in the Jin Kingdom’s metropolitan examination, the Tanhua Lang known as the greatest talent under heaven. Brother Wang should have an impression of this person. I have already captured him, but he insistently claims that I kidnapped his family’s child, causing rumours to fly everywhere. Even Qianliu Mountain is watching. It has made me truly unable to step down. I had no choice, so I mobilised the Zhenhai Division’s power to investigate thoroughly what is going on. The results indeed uncovered some inside tricks. Therefore, I invited Brother Wang to pour out my grievances.”
Wang Xueting’s heart inexplicably thumped, though he did not know what was going on.
Sure enough, the next moment, Zhu Xuan pushed that list towards him again. “Brother Wang, you might as well show this list to your son. Perhaps he can see some tricks.”
A buzzing sound rang in Wang Xueting’s head. He urgently asked, “Does Lord Zhu mean that this matter is related to my son?”
Zhu Xuan: “Brother Wang need not think too much. It is just to show your son, to see if he can provide some clues to help my Zhenhai Division investigate the case. I still have important affairs to handle, so I must be neglectful.” Without allowing the other party to ask more, he turned back and shouted, “See the guest out!”
Qi Duolai outside immediately heard the sound and entered. He stretched out his hand and invited, “Sect Leader Wang, please!”
Wang Xueting’s complexion was not very good. He rose and cupped his hands towards Zhu Xuan to take his leave.
Zhu Xuan nodded in acknowledgement, and also pointed at the list on the tea table, indicating that he should not forget to take it with him.
Wang Xueting could only pick it up and take it with him.
The place he stayed was the Sea Market’s largest inn, “Langhuan Residence.” A place that was outrageously expensive for ordinary people, but to his financial resources it was nothing. To have a safe and comfortable living environment in the Sea Market, he did not mind spending a bit more money.
His mind had been thinking about matters the whole time. He himself did not know how he returned to his room.
He sat quietly and waited for quite a while. Only then was his son, Wang Wentian, found and brought back by the people sent to look for him.
As soon as Wang Wentian entered the door, he asked, “Father, what is the matter that you urgently called me back?”
Thump, thump, thump. Wang Xueting’s fingers tapped the list on the table. “Look for yourself.”
Wang Wentian did not understand the meaning. In any case, he felt his father’s complexion did not look good. He immediately approached the table, picked up the list and looked at it. After looking, he became even more puzzled, because the slip did not indicate which shop it was. He asked in doubt, “What is this about?”
Wang Xueting: “The Treasure Pavilion was smashed today. This is the list of losses suffered.”
Wang Wentian immediately became happy upon hearing this. His eyebrows could not help but rise. Previously, receiving Qingya’s reply that the matter was difficult to handle, he had been quite unhappy. Now, seeing that Zhu Xuan had suffered such a huge loss, he truly did not believe Zhu Xuan could easily let that A Shiheng off. However, he quickly became puzzled again. “Father, how did you get the Treasure Pavilion’s damage list?”
“Not long ago, Zhu Xuan sent someone to find me and arranged a meeting. After meeting, he showed me this, and also said a lot of sarcastic and insinuating words…”
Wang Xueting did not hide it from his son. He told him the whole course of events exactly as it happened, in order to learn the truth from his son’s mouth.
After hearing this, Wang Wentian’s whole feeling instantly turned bad. He also faintly sensed something. His expression showed some timidity.
Wang Xueting observed this. After finishing speaking about the list’s origins, he said in a deep voice, “You now only need to honestly answer me. The Treasure Pavilion being smashed, does it have anything to do with you?”
Wang Wentian did not dare admit it. “How could it be related to me? How would I dare smash Lord Zhu Xuan’s shop? Besides, that A Shiheng would not listen to me either.”
“Good.” Wang Xueting stood up. “It seems I was overthinking. It is good that it is unrelated to you. As long as it was not you who did it, Zhu Xuan would not dare to take your life.”