Chapter 808: Finding the Missing Evidence

Chapter 800: Elusive Evidence

“General He is diligent, spending most of his time either in the palace or the military camp, even eating his meals there,” Qiu Hu reported. “It took me some effort to infiltrate the camp.”

He Lingchuan gave him a thumbs-up.

A military camp is not like other places; the risk of exposure is high.

“What about the rest of the time?”

“The day before yesterday, he spent the entire day inspecting supplies. In the evening, he suddenly left the camp without his guards, taking Steward Wu’s plain carriage to Sitong Town,” Qiu Hu added. “The carriage was very ordinary, indistinguishable from one from a typical livery stable, and it didn't have your family’s emblem. Only Steward Wu and the coachman were in the carriage.”

“Sitong Town?” He Lingchuan had no recollection of the place.

As they spoke, the food arrived.

He had ordered quick dishes or pre-prepared ones, so the kitchen made them very fast.

“It’s fifteen li west of the capital, a town with fewer than two thousand people, rich in agricultural produce.” The roast duck with old ginger and sesame oil was so fragrant that Qiu Hu instinctively swallowed. “Your family has a large manor in Sitong Town, and in the evening, there are only about a dozen people there.”

Many of the long-term and temporary workers hired by the manor were locals from the town who would go home for meals after work, leaving only a few caretakers for the gates and gardens.

Lying even to his wife.

He Lingchuan grunted in acknowledgment.

Qiu Hu had a demon spirit accompanying him and possessed a beast-like spiritual perception. If he said the mansion was dangerous, there was an 80% chance something extraordinary was there.

He thought for a moment and asked Qiu Hu, “In your opinion, what was my father doing in the mansion?”

Last night, He Chunhua had come home and told Lady Ying that he had been stuck in the military camp for days, unable to leave for even half a step.

They were all smart people; they understood immediately.

“Alright, I understand. Eat your meal.”

What Qiu Hu had seen the night before last largely confirmed his deduction.

“I sneaked in and observed General He sitting in the main building while Steward Wu went straight to the back kitchen. That kitchen was quite large, probably meant for preparing meals for hundreds of people,” Qiu Hu paused. “Steward Wu went out and gave some instructions, and then someone led a cow, a sheep, and a pig into the kitchen.”

He Lingchuan couldn't help but interrupt, “Live ones?”

“They were all alive and could walk on their own,” Qiu Hu recalled. “Then Steward Wu dismissed the workers. After everyone else had left completely, Steward Wu invited General He into the back kitchen, closed the doors and windows tightly, even sealing the gaps with paper, and then he stood guard outside.”

Is bringing a few live animals into the kitchen and then closing the door considered evidence? A kitchen is a place where both live animals and slaughtered meat are regularly brought in.

“There might have been a barrier set up inside, because the fat pig's grunting suddenly stopped,” he continued. “I didn't go closer, because at that moment I had a sudden premonition, as if there was something dangerous in the kitchen, and it was best not to approach. So, I held my breath, stayed quiet, and focused my mind.”

“About half an hour later, the kitchen door opened again, and a plume of gray smoke billowed out, carrying a heavy, acrid smell, as if there had been a fire. If no one had been nearby, the workers would likely have come with buckets of water to extinguish it.”

“General He also coughed a few times when he came out and instructed Steward Wu to open the windows. I took the opportunity to glance inside; the kitchen was empty.”

“What about the pig, cow, and sheep?” Had they vanished?

“They were gone,” Qiu Hu continued. “Before General He walked through the manor and boarded his carriage, he spoke a few words to Steward Wu. The first thing he said was, ‘I’m entrusting the family’s backyard to you.’ Steward Wu assented, and then mentioned that Shan Youjun also wanted to join your expedition.”

“General He then said, ‘Let him stay and accompany Chuan’er; he was originally Chuan’er’s subordinate.’ Then he chuckled coldly twice, saying that military merits were hard-earned, and everyone wanted to compete for them.”

In the current state of Yuan, the best and fastest way to achieve merit and establish a career was to earn military achievements through warfare. As long as you won, promotion was as fast as a rocket. However, to do this, one had to follow the right person. For example, accompanying General Changning south to suppress the rebellion offered a good chance of success. It was no wonder Shan Youjun was tempted; having established his family and career, he naturally desired a good future.

“My father took time out of his busy schedule to go to a rural manor?” He Lingchuan scratched his head and sucked on a stir-fried snail.

He Lingchuan nodded, “Well done.”

This man’s mind was remarkably astute. His order had been to keep a close eye on He Chunhua, but Qiu Hu didn't follow it rigidly.

He Lingchuan nodded, satisfied.

“After that, General He boarded his carriage and returned to the military camp. I didn't go in; instead, I turned to follow Steward Wu. But Steward Wu merely got into another carriage and quickly returned to the He family mansion.”

Night fell, and Steward Wu finally dragged his weary body back to his quarters. He also lived in the He family mansion, in a small, detached courtyard less than 35 meters west of the He couple's residence, closer to the parents than the He brothers themselves.

By the time he returned, the old woman had already warmed the wine and prepared the dishes. Steward Wu most enjoyed dipping water radish in Dunyu’s spicy sauce, then having two cups of aged wine and nibbling a few grains of raw rice, which relieved half of his weariness.

The old woman asked, “We have money now, why are you still eating these things?”

From Xia Province to Yuandu, He Chunhua had given Steward Wu a raise, a reward for his unwavering loyalty and hard work. There were only four masters, yet there were endless affairs to manage in the mansion. Before returning to his courtyard that night, he had even dealt with two servants who were fighting. This also meant that Steward Wu was the busiest person in the mansion.

He Lingchuan was silent. The question was, when did He Chunhua start worshipping Naraka-Heaven?

Why the He family was almost wiped out back then, combined with He Chunhua’s inherent caution, meant he naturally wouldn’t reveal any flaws for others to exploit. Even if Qiu Hu suspected him of worshipping a deity, there was no concrete proof, so he couldn't say it. Is closing the door and burning incense considered evidence? Don't be ridiculous; many old ladies in the capital do that. Why did the live animals vanish without a trace? It's none of your business; perhaps they were put into He Chunhua’s storage ring. He wasn't conducting a trial; whether the evidence was conclusive wasn't that important to him.

“That's it for now,” He Lingchuan took a sip of wine. “What comes next is my own affair.”

With the task complete and the young master’s instructions given, Qiu Hu finally reached out, grabbed the much-coveted old ginger and sesame oil roasted duck, and tore it apart.

“Young Master, any more tasks?”