OBS Chapter 177 The Turmoil Outside the City
Chapter 177 The Turmoil Outside the City
Meng Fuqing was naturally aware of this. Once this matter was exposed, the Han family would be highly suspicious of them.
But I'm not entirely satisfied if I don't expose this matter.
"Do you think the Zheng family will publicize the theft after the account books and letters are lost? Don't forget, after we entered the city, we only had contact with the Han family, and it was the Han family who invited us in a grand manner."
In other words, they and the Han family are in cahoots. Even if the Han family suspects that they were responsible, they will not expose them. As for the theft at the Zheng family's house, only someone with a screw loose would put the stolen money out in the open.
After a pause, Meng Fuqing recalled what he had seen earlier and added, "I didn't look carefully just now. The Zheng family may also be involved in accepting bribes."
Xie Jin trusted Meng Fuqing's judgment and simply put away the account books and letters. "To be on the safe side, we'll send the evidence to the Han family via the post station after we leave Qingzhou City tomorrow."
Knowing he was worried about unforeseen circumstances, Meng Fuqing nodded, "That's fine."
Before the city gates opened, the current head of the Zheng family, Old Master Zheng, was hurriedly awakened from his sleep. Just as his anger was rising, the steward's words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing his anger and leaving him feeling chilled to the bone.
His concubine, who was sleeping with him, was stunned. After realizing what was happening, she quickly reminded him, "Master, before the city gates open, we must quickly order a city-wide manhunt to catch the thief!"
As if he had just realized something, Old Master Zheng turned ashen-faced in an instant. Before he could even straighten his clothes, he staggered two steps and, ignoring the questions from his beautiful concubine behind him, hurriedly went to the study.
He opened the mechanism under the desk, and the confidential letters and ledgers that were usually kept there, concerning the life and death of the Zheng family, were nowhere to be found. He instantly turned pale, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Master! What's wrong, Master?"
The manager was shocked and rushed forward to help him up.
With trembling fingers, Old Master Zheng commanded in a hoarse voice, "The theft at our home must not be publicized. Have someone secretly search the entire Qingzhou Prefecture, paying particular attention to anyone who left the city today! Investigate! Arrest them!!"
By the end, he was hoarse and his neck veins were bulging; he was furious to the extreme.
Meng Fuqing and his group were unaware of this. As soon as the city gates opened in the morning, they tried to line up to leave the city. Strangely, when they came in, it was easy to leave the city but difficult to enter, but now even leaving the city would be subject to strict checks by the soldiers.
Meng Fuqing and Xie Jin both knew perfectly well that the guards at the city gate were probably acting on orders from the Zheng family.
Looking at the letters and ledgers stored in the space, Meng Fuqing couldn't help but feel glad that she had asked Xie Jin for them back yesterday because she was worried.
When it was their turn, all the items they had just bought were unloaded from the car and inspected one by one.
Everything was normal inside the vehicle, but the items that had been unloaded had to be reloaded.
Just as they were about to leave the city after packing their things, they suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves behind them.
A man whispered a few words to a soldier, and it's unclear what the soldier replied, but the man raised his voice and said, "Nothing?! Did you not check carefully enough? A bunch of good-for-nothings! Let me tell you, if you can't find the item, you'll be in big trouble!"
The soldier was humble and looked troubled, while the man was irritable. He saw the carriage about to leave the city and strode over to it.
He asked the soldiers, "Were their carriages thoroughly checked?!"
"Young Master Zheng, we've already checked. It's all food, nothing unusual."
"Search again!" The man known as Young Master Zheng, seemingly venting his anger, pointed at Meng Fuqing's carriage. "I want to see with my own eyes how you search! Search everyone who hasn't been searched, regardless of gender!"
Although the soldiers were in a difficult position, they had no choice but to obey the orders of the young master of the Zheng family. Just as they were about to re-inspect, they were blocked from their way.
Xie Jin stood in front of the soldier, his eyes cold and his body radiating a dangerous aura, as if he could draw his sword and chop the man up at any moment.
"Sir, we've checked our carriage inside and out. We're in a hurry to leave..." Shan Qiyu realized that they seemed to have become the target of that young master's anger. Although he was afraid of the other party's power, he couldn't help but speak up to remind him.
Young Master Zheng sneered, "In such a hurry to leave? Is there something fishy going on? What are you standing there for? Investigate!"
By this time, a large number of people had gathered at the city gate to watch. Some of them recognized Zheng Er and were whispering to the people next to them.
"I've heard that the Zheng family is a highly respected philanthropist in Qingzhou City," Meng Fuqing said loudly. "Is the Second Young Master Zheng going to do something that would bring shame and disgrace to the family?"
"What's wrong with doing your duty?!" Zheng Er was already furious after his house was burglarized and he had been searching for a long time without any progress. Seeing that Meng Fuqing, a young woman, dared to talk back to him, his anger intensified.
He sneered, "You've probably never been searched, have you? Why don't you take off your outer garment to prove your innocence?"
Upon hearing this, a commotion erupted around them.
Meng Fuqing stopped Xie Jin and Yan He with a look, then suddenly laughed, "Will everyone leaving the city have to take off their outer garments? Does Young Master Zheng hold any official position? In what capacity will he issue orders?"
"I……"
Before he could speak, Xie Jin suddenly raised his voice and said, "Could it be that Young Master Zheng intends to bully us homeless vagrants?"
The displaced people in line empathized and chimed in, "Don't our lives matter? It's bad enough to be homeless, but to have to suffer this humiliation just to leave the city!"
……
The refugees were furious, and Zheng Er was enraged. Just as he was about to order his soldiers to suppress them, a man riding a tall horse galloped to the city gate and said coldly, "I had no idea that Young Master Zheng Er had taken over my job?"
The visitor was none other than the city gate captain of Qingzhou City.
Zheng Er's face flushed red and then turned pale, all his anger dissipating. Just as he was about to explain, he saw the captain looking in one direction with surprise and saying, "It's you?"
Last night, Xie Jin happened to see this man leaving on his way to the Han residence. At that time, he did not know that he was the city gate guard. He bowed and said, "Sir."
The captain nodded and looked at Zheng Er again. "This man is a guest of Lord Han. May I ask what trouble Young Master Zheng and his party have caused you to be so relentless?"
"Lord Han?" Zheng Er was surprised. Only then did he take a proper look at the group of people. He never expected that a group of refugees would have dealings with the Han family.
Only now did he regret not controlling his temper.
He was always kind and gentle in front of outsiders, and he wouldn't have acted so rudely if his vast fortune hadn't vanished.
“My father lost a jade pendant that he always carried with him. The pendant was left to him by my grandmother before she passed away. I suspect that it was lost during the chaos in the city after the influx of refugees…”
The captain declined to comment, only asking his men if they had questioned Xie Jin and his group. Upon learning that there was nothing amiss, he waved his hand and let them leave the city.
"That scoundrel who treats people differently based on their status! If I ever see him again, I'll make him suffer!" Yan He was still indignant even from a distance from the city gate.
As she spoke, her eyes darted around, and she leaned closer to Meng Fuqing, whispering, "I didn't even realize I bought you some clothes. Did you and Xie Jin do something bad last night and get watched?"
Meng Fuqing said frankly, "No, it's just bad luck."
Putting everything else aside, running into Zheng Er's matter was truly unlucky.
After successfully meeting up with the convoy outside the city, they left Qingzhou without stopping.