Chapter 495: 信

Upon hearing this, Dong Liangyi's gaze flickered towards Shi Chun. Meanwhile, Shi Chun, from the corner of his eye, was secretly observing her. Although he hadn't seen it directly, based on the family's character, he had a good idea who had sent the fruit platter.

He had considered silencing them before, but doing so suddenly, especially near Fan Wuzhe, would likely arouse suspicion. Weighing the pros and cons, and facing these ordinary people, he found himself uncharacteristically hesitant about whether to eliminate them. That momentary hesitation, however, now left him on edge. He was surprised that the issue had surfaced so quickly.

The young Dong Liangze was the first to shake his head, saying, "We had guests today, so no one went out." Dong Liangying shook his head, confirming he hadn't gone out. Dong Liangyu also shook her head. Fan Wuzhe chuckled, "No, we didn't." Dong Liangyi visibly hesitated. Her hesitation immediately sent Shi Chun's heart into his throat; he regretted his momentary leniency.

Fortunately, the next moment, with everyone's eyes on her, Dong Liangyi also shook her head. Shi Chun then quickly pointed to the bedding on his makeshift bed to divert attention, saying, "I was in the main hall the whole time, and I didn't see anyone leave." His words were carefully chosen; he didn't say he himself hadn't left while Dong Liangyi was present.

The leader of the investigation team said, "It's best if no one went out, but remember, you are responsible for what you say. The reward in Dazhi City is unprecedentedly high, and many people want to earn that money. If someone identifies you, I don't need to explain the consequences. If you truly did go out, it's not too late to regret it now. Explain the full story clearly, and once verified, there will be no issue. Are you sure you still insist that no one left?"

Dong Liangyi's brows furrowed slightly, and her lips tightened. She wasn't contemplating betraying Shi Chun but was afraid that not telling the truth would implicate her family later. Dong Wenshu interjected, "The Zhaoyue Pavilion's family tradition has always been upright. If we say no one went out, then no one is lying."

Hearing this, the team leader agreed. The Dongwen family's reputation for integrity in Dazhi City was well-known. He cupped his hands and said, "In that case, we won't disturb you further. If any of you discover anything suspicious or any suspicious clues, you are welcome to report them. The reward will certainly be substantial." With a gesture, he led his accompanying officers and turned to leave. With this method of inquiry, they didn't even expect to uncover anything; it was merely a formality to ensure everyone was informed.

Once the officers left, Dong Wenshu motioned for Shi Chun to close the main gate, then told the others, "Alright, it's nothing to do with us. Everyone, go back to your rooms and rest early." The group immediately began heading towards the backyard.

After closing the door, Shi Chun turned around and saw Dong Liangyi looking back as she walked away. Their eyes met, and Dong Liangyi, maintaining a profound silence, turned her head away. From her demeanor, Shi Chun was now 100% certain that she was the one who had brought the fruit platter.

After going to the counter and extinguishing the lamp, Shi Chun also fell silent in the darkness, remaining by the counter for a long time. Logically, as long as Dong Liangyi hadn't exposed him on the spot, the likelihood of her changing her mind later should be low. However, Dong Liangyi wasn't alone in the world, and he still felt somewhat uneasy. Yet, this was not his primary concern. The enormous reward of one hundred million yuan struck him as abnormal, creating a sense of urgency.

Returning to his makeshift bed, he lay down on his side, pulled the covers around himself, and took out a pair of communication talismans. Inside the covers, he sent an urgent message to Lou Xiu: "Have you got the item?"

Soon after, Lou Xiu replied: "Are you aware that the City Lord has offered a reward of one hundred million?" Shi Chun was slightly puzzled but replied: "Yes, I know."

Lou Xiu: "A reward of one hundred million just for information? Do you think that's normal? I know her better than you do. She's already suspicious of someone internally and is determined to unearth them. Do you think A-Xun's body can still be easily accessed? I need more time."

Shi Chun: "My patience is limited. Don't make me wait too long."

Trapped in the darkroom, Lou Xiu slammed his fist on the table, his face distorted, his breathing heavy. Lord A-Xun's body had been transported back to the mountain, but as Lou Xiu himself had mentioned, the City Lord seemed to be suspicious of internal staff. She had deployed her personal guards to strictly watch over it, saying they awaited the arrival of people from the Divine Mountain to handle the matter. This made it inconvenient for him to approach easily, let alone retrieve A-Xun's belongings. The problem was, if he couldn't get A-Xun's belongings to satisfy the mysterious person, that person would likely expose him. Even more critically, once the people from the Divine Mountain arrived and took A-Xun's body away, he would have no further opportunity. At this moment, his heart was filled with both anger and intense unease.

Lying in the study, Shi Chun took out the communication talisman he used to contact Lao Changtai and sent a message asking: "Have the city guards investigated Xunbao Zhai yet?" Lao Changtai quickly replied: "They've already investigated. I heard dozens of teams were dispatched to search various streets." Shi Chun didn't elaborate further, directly issuing an instruction: "Secretly deliver a letter to the Bai family's rice shop..."

Inside Xunbao Zhai, after confirming his task, Lao Changtai put away the talisman and immediately found paper to write a letter. Afterward, he disguised himself, donning a fake beard and other alterations, then called Xiao Sheng to join him. The two quietly left through the back entrance of Xunbao Zhai.

The two wandered through winding streets, expending some effort, until they found the Bai family's rice shop. Seeing the door closed, Lao Changtai went to deliver the letter as Shi Chun instructed, while Xiao Sheng remained nearby to observe. There were no elaborate tricks; it was a direct visit, a direct knock on the door. To be honest, this straightforward method of secret delivery felt very unaccustomed to him. Wasn't it a bit too crude? Could it still be considered 'secret'? But Shi Chun had said that merely dropping it off would be even less secure, instructing him to deliver it directly.

The door opened slightly, and an attendant poked his head out, rubbing his eyes drowsily. "We're closed," he said. "If you want to buy rice, come back tomorrow morning." Lao Changtai directly handed over the letter. "I just met someone on the road who asked me to deliver this letter to the proprietress here." The attendant who received the letter paused, then asked, "Who was it?" Lao Changtai replied, "They were veiled, couldn't see their face. They gave me a couple of coins to run an errand; I didn't bother to ask who they were." With that, he turned and walked away, quickly retreating into a nearby alley.

The attendant who had received the letter hesitated for a moment, then tucked it into his clothes, locked the door, and quickly set off. Xiao Sheng, observing nearby, immediately followed. He trailed the attendant to the foot of the mountain in the city center, where he saw him ascend the mountain from a distance. Realizing he couldn't follow further, he turned to leave. On the way, from a secluded spot, he transmitted a message to Shi Chun, reporting the situation.

In a pavilion atop the mountain, Bai Qiru, the proprietress of the Bai family's rice shop, and City Lord Li Xianghong were seated opposite each other, sipping tea. As they gazed at the myriad lights of the city below, Li Xianghong suddenly mused, "I still can't understand why you would take someone like Huang Yingying as a live-in son-in-law. What exactly about him caught your eye?"

Bai Qiru puffed on her pipe and said, "Everyone knows their own business; others don't need to understand it. Just help me rescue him."

Li Xianghong replied, "The Divine Mountain's envoy is dead. This matter is no longer solely up to me. The Divine Mountain will certainly send people to investigate. It's difficult to conclude right now what connection Huang Yingying's abduction has with Lord A-Xun's death. I hope you haven't concealed anything from me, and I hope Huang Yingying was simply abducted. Otherwise, even you might find it hard to escape this." Bai Qiru remained silent, exhaling smoke.

Just then, a maid hurried over and reported, "City Lord, the attendant from the proprietress's rice shop is here. He says he has an urgent matter to discuss." Bai Qiru was slightly startled. What urgent matter would bring him all the way up the mountain? Her first thought was that it concerned Huang Yingying. Li Xianghong's eyes flickered; she shared the same thought and immediately nodded, "Let him come in."

After the maid left, Bai Qiru also stood up and went to stand at the bottom of the steps outside the pavilion. She didn't want her own attendant to see her on equal footing with the City Lord. Soon, the attendant arrived quickly. After bowing, he pulled out a letter and explained that someone had delivered it to him. Bai Qiru immediately opened the envelope and read the contents, which astonished her. She then told the attendant, "You may return now."

After the attendant left, she returned to the pavilion, placed the letter directly on the table in front of Li Xianghong, and said, "This letter says it's for me, but I believe you will need to decide on it." A look of confusion flashed in Li Xianghong's eyes as she picked up the letter. It contained only two sentences: "Lou Xiu has designs on A-Xun's body and appears to be making a deal with the abductors."

Those two brief sentences made her ponder deeply for a long time, her cherry-red lips pursed into a tiny dot. After a period of silence, she slowly mused aloud, "Why would Lou Xiu have designs on A-Xun's body? What is there to gain from a corpse? Surely he wouldn't use the body for a transaction. Are these abductors the ones who kidnapped Huang Yingying? What is the sender's intention?"

Bai Qiru asked, "Could Lou Xiu be the internal spy you suspect?" Li Xianghong picked up the letter again, holding it up to the light to examine it. "Based on the message about your relocation, the mole in Dazhi City must be of a considerable rank, at least someone aware of your capabilities. Lou Xiu could be a possibility, but he had an alibi at the time of the incident." Bai Qiru suggested, "Why not just show this letter to Lou Xiu?"

No sooner had she spoken than the maid on duty outside the pavilion returned, bowing and reporting, "City Lord, Commander Lou is here and says he has something to report." Li Xianghong acknowledged with a hum. The maid departed, and Bai Qiru again rose and stood to the side.

A short while later, Lou Xiu approached quickly from a distance. He saw Li Xianghong holding a piece of paper up to the lamp, examining something. Before he could get close, Li Xianghong casually placed the paper on the table. Upon reaching the pavilion's exterior, he cupped his hands in a salute. "City Lord."

Li Xianghong, facing him from inside the pavilion, cast a sideways glance and asked, "What is it?" Lou Xiu bowed, keeping his hands cupped. "Reporting, City Lord. Based on the feedback from investigations by all parties, there have been no significant findings so far, and it's unlikely we'll make much progress on this matter in the short term. I'm thinking that merely focusing our search within the city might not be the only solution; we should probably conduct inquiries outside the city as well. Furthermore, regarding the bodies of Lord A-Xun and the other deceased, perhaps we should bring in more experts for another thorough examination to see if any clues can be found."

At his words, the two women in the pavilion instinctively exchanged glances. Li Xianghong was silent for a moment, then her gaze fell on the paper on the table. She picked up the letter, folded it, put it away, and said indifferently, "Since you have an idea, I'll entrust you with arranging the re-examination of the bodies."