TPATTHU Chapter 28
by VolareGovernor Yang replied smoothly, “I only learned of this this morning. I rushed to the yamen early in the morning to investigate the situation. It was the lazy jailer who dared to drink on duty, allowing the thief to escape. I have already punished those jailers and sent people to track down the thief.”
Xiao Zhinian was skeptical and pondered, “This official heard the thief’s tone as if he knew you. Tell me, do you know that person or not?”
Governor Yang’s eyes flickered imperceptibly, and he calmly replied with cupped fists, “This official does not know him.”
Shen Zhejiang keenly glanced at him, knowing that it was not appropriate for him to interrupt in this situation, so he touched the back of Xiao Zhinian’s hand under his sleeve to remind him.
Xiao Zhinian understood and grasped Shen Zhejiang’s hand in return, his tone as cold as ice, “Have you thought clearly about the consequences of deceiving this official?”
“This official dares not conceal anything!”
“Good, take this official to see the prison. There is no escape from justice. The thief must have left some clues behind.”
Governor Yang stepped aside, letting Xiao Zhinian go first.
Seeing that they were all leaving one by one, Han Weiwei had nowhere to cry out her grievances. Feeling that Xiao Zhinian’s words carried weight, she directly knelt before him, “Your Honor, please seek justice for the common people!”
Before Xiao Zhinian could speak, Governor Yang said grandly, “You also heard what I just said. The thief who killed your grandfather has already escaped. This official is doing his best to apprehend him. You should go home and wait for news. We will inform you when the person is caught.”
Han Weiwei said tearfully to Xiao Zhinian, “Your Honor! Please seek justice for the common people! If that thief cannot be found, my grandfather will not rest in peace. I am alone and helpless in this world and do not want to live anymore!”
Xiao Zhinian said, “This official knows. You should go back first.”
He then walked away.
Han Weiwei chased after him, shouting, “Your Honor! Your Honor!”
“Miss Han,” Shen Zhejiang couldn’t bear it, helped her up, and said in a low voice, “Here are fifty taels of silver. Take it to buy a coffin for Han Aweng and bury him properly. If it’s not enough, just tell me. As for catching the murderer, I will keep an eye on it for you.”
As he spoke, he took out a bamboo-green purse from his sleeve and placed it in Han Weiwei’s hand.
Xiao Zhinian glanced at the purse, somewhat displeased.
Why did Shen Zhejiang have to give his things to others? He wanted them too.
“No, Shen Zhejiang, I can’t accept it!” Han Weiwei refused.
“Take it.”
After pushing back and forth, especially seeing that her hand was about to stick to Shen Zhejiang’s, Xiao Zhinian became annoyed. He reached out and snatched the purse, then grabbed a handful of silver notes and slapped them into Han Weiwei’s hand, saying quickly, “It’s settled then, a thousand taels are here. Take it, and this official will give you an explanation for the rest. Alright, this official has official business to attend to.”
His generosity stunned everyone around him.
Han Weiwei was also stunned, at a loss.
Yang Shihui: “…”
Shen Zhejiang: “…”
On the contrary, Xiao Zhinian was secretly pleased. Exchanging a thousand taels for something Shen Zhejiang carried with him was not a loss, but a profit.
What a fool.
“Yang Shihui, lead the way.”
Xiao Zhinian cleared his throat, barely suppressing the corners of his mouth from rising to the sky.
–
Before long, the group arrived at the prison.
Yang Shihui led the way in front, taking them to the prison cell where the thief was held. The scene had not been cleaned up, as if waiting for Xiao Zhinian to come and inspect.
Xiao Zhinian found that the surroundings were in a mess. The iron locks were crookedly lying on the ground, and the prison door was not much better, broken in a large section. It seemed that there had been a fierce fight last night.
The jailer, due to drinking, accidentally let the thief escape.
“Call the people who were on duty yesterday over here.”
Xiao Zhinian looked around and said.
Yang Shihui said with difficulty, “I’m afraid that can’t be done. Those two made a big mistake. This official has already ordered people to beat them with a hundred strokes of the rod. One of them couldn’t withstand the beating and died on the spot, and the other also died shortly after being carried home.”
Covering his tracks so quickly, and with such clever methods.
Dead men can’t talk.
Xiao Zhinian said coldly, “You work really fast.”
Yang Shihui followed suit and replied, “Thank you for your praise, Your Honor. I hope you will give me guidance in the future.”
“Alright, step back. There’s nothing for you to do here,” Xiao Zhinian waved his hand. “Report back if there’s anything important. Everyone, step back.”
Before leaving, Yang Shihui was careful and signaled the jailers to keep a close eye on them before slowly walking away.
If you say that the thief’s escape has nothing to do with Yang Shihui, who would believe it?
Just as Xiao Zhinian was thinking, a rude roar sounded in the prison.
“What are you doing? Outsiders can’t touch things here! Get out!”
Turning his head, he saw a jailer grabbing Shen Zhejiang, who was caught off guard by the sudden brute force and staggered backward, bumping straight into Xiao Zhinian.
Xiao Zhinian quickly pulled him back, kicked the jailer away, and said angrily, “How dare you shout at my people? Step back!”
The jailer rolled to the side dejectedly.
Xiao Zhinian helped Shen Zhejiang up and quickly checked to see if he was injured, asking with concern, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Shen Zhejiang shook his head, squatted down, and carefully examined a mat in the corner. “Look.”
“What did you see?” Xiao Zhinian also squatted beside him.
“Dust.”
Shen Zhejiang lowered his head, rubbed the mat with his fingertip, and when he raised it, it was covered in dirty dust. He held it up to Xiao Zhinian.
Perhaps it was telepathy, but Xiao Zhinian instantly understood what Shen Zhejiang meant, “Does the teacher mean that this mat has accumulated a lot of dust and no one has slept on it?”
Shen Zhejiang nodded. To avoid being heard by others, he had to lean close to Xiao Zhinian’s ear and explain, “Luo City is usually very windy, but the prison is surrounded by high walls, so dust accumulation is inevitable, but it shouldn’t accumulate this much overnight.”
If that’s the case…
Then the thief wasn’t imprisoned here at all last night!
Xiao Zhinian turned his head and ordered someone to call Yang Shihui back, but Shen Zhejiang silently stopped him.
Without any evidence, they couldn’t do anything to Yang Shihui. They still needed to discuss a long-term plan to catch the thief.
“Forget it, we can’t rush it.”
Xiao Zhinian helped Shen Zhejiang up. Just as he was about to say something else, he heard a rumbling sound from a hungry stomach—
It was Shen Zhejiang who was hungry.
From last night until now, he hadn’t had a drop of water, and he had rushed here in a hurry. It would be strange if he wasn’t hungry.
“…” Shen Zhejiang looked embarrassed and turned his head, “I have something to attend to. I’ll take my leave first.”
Xiao Zhinian chuckled secretly, naturally taking Shen Zhejiang’s hand and walking out of the prison, saying, “I’m hungry. If you’re not in a hurry, let the teacher dine with me.”