TGCFNM -Chapter 478 Luozhou

This time, the place Chu Ling and the others were heading to was Luozhou. As an important transportation hub, Luozhou saw frequent passenger ships coming and going. Combined with its strategic location, it had become the largest grain storage center in the entire Great Zhou.

It was also the best place to sell old grain at high prices and buy new grain cheaply.

But the prerequisite for this was having backing from government officials. Without such support, even the wealthy Wan family wouldn’t dare attempt such dealings.

However, because the previous scheme had been exposed, the prefect of Luozhou had hanged himself, and the rest of his family either fled or were imprisoned. Not a single useful clue could be obtained.

Therefore, they had come here under imperial orders.

——

After a long and arduous journey, the group finally arrived in Luozhou.

Since the local prefect had already died and all the relevant personnel in the government office had been thrown into prison, Chu Ling simply moved in with his people and stayed at the government office.

Wan Sanjin also gathered members of the Wan family, quickly cleaned the office, laid out new bedding, added food supplies, and only then withdrew.

As for Fu Qingyu and Young Master Xiao, they naturally had their own lodgings, so they politely separated.

Only Xuanwu, after some thought, also stayed at the government office, not bothering to avoid suspicion.

After everyone had rested, they should have immediately started the investigation.

But because Young Master Xiao was unwell, and Fu Qingyu had to visit one of his benefactors, Chu Ling and the others, along with Xuanwu, went together to the government office’s prison.

Through conversation along the way, everyone had become somewhat familiar with each other. Wan Sanjin finally asked a question he had long been curious about: “Xuanwu, how did he become Qinglong?”

Xuanwu: “…He was chosen after winning the martial contest.”

“Ah, just luck then,” Wan Sanjin said, enlightened.

Xuanwu wanted to correct him, but seeing how certain they were that Qinglong’s position was pure luck, he couldn’t help but wonder what Qinglong had actually done to make them so dismissive of his martial skill.

Chu Ling looked at Xuanwu and asked, “On this investigation, did His Majesty reveal anything? And Lord Fu and Young Master Xiao—are they hiding any clues?”

Xuanwu shook his head. “Actually, I brought troops over this time mainly to protect all of you, especially Master Chu. As for anything else, I’m not aware.”

Chu Ling glanced at Wan Sanjin and the others, speaking casually: “I somehow feel that this investigation will go very smoothly.”

Xuanwu was curious: “Very smoothly?”

Wan Sanjin nodded lightly: “Especially smoothly. You ask someone a question, and the cause-and-effect will appear. You search for someone, and the evidence will be found. Interrogate a little, and you’ll know exactly where the hidden grain is.”

Xuanwu thought Wan Sanjin was just speaking nonsense under stress, so he shook his head with a faint smile, not taking it seriously.

When they finally arrived at the prison, the jailer immediately brought up the first prisoner for interrogation.

The first to be brought up was the former Luozhou prefect Yang’s advisor, surnamed Du.

Du appeared completely terrified, staggering as he was brought forward and pressed to kneel.

Chu Ling studied Du carefully, frowning slightly.

However, after several days in captivity, he had lost a lot of weight, his back was hunched, his beard was unkempt, his eyes dull, his hair messy, and his clothes torn and foul-smelling. He looked as if he had suffered greatly.

“You are Advisor Du?” Chu Ling asked.

Wan Sanjin moved a chair for Chu Ling to sit. Once Chu Ling sat down, her eyes turned icy as she continued to ask, “Did Prefect Yang commit suicide out of fear of punishment, or was he killed to silence him?”

“He—He hanged h—himself… commit suicide…” Master Du stammered fearfully. “I… I know nothing, Your Grace. I didn’t do anything, I swear… spare me, please, spare me…”

“Nonsense! I was strangled to death!”

A furious voice roared. An official with two small mustaches gritted his teeth in anger and kicked at Master Du, but each time his kick passed right through him.

Chu Ling froze in surprise.

Master Du’s cries for mercy continued non-stop, while the official’s kicking never faltered.

Finally, the official seemed to notice Chu Ling watching him, then glanced at the pale-faced ghostly figures beside her—and suddenly let out a piercing scream.

“Ghosts—!”

The scream seemed to pierce eardrums and break through the dungeon walls; without any soldiers, it could almost kill everyone inside with sheer sound.

Bai Su, enraged, kicked him forcefully and ground her teeth, snarling, “What are you yelling for?”

The ghostly official was knocked to the ground, trembling and shrinking back in fear. Bai Su stomped on him, glaring fiercely: “Behave, or I’ll beat you until your soul is destroyed, and in your next life, you’ll be reborn as livestock.”

Seeing the ghost restrained, Ghost Scholar stepped forward, towering over him. “Former Luozhou Prefect, Prefect Yang?”

Prefect Yang lay there like a flipped-over turtle, too scared to move, nervously glancing at Ghost Scholar and Bai Su. “Y-you… what… what are you going to do?”

Ghost Scholar glanced at Chu Ling, signaling her to interrogate.

Chu Ling gave a slight nod and looked at Master Du. “Are you sure Prefect Yang committed suicide out of fear of punishment?”

Master Du nodded hastily.

Chu Ling pinched her brow, pretending to be impatient, and said, “Don’t wait for me to ask everything. I don’t have time to waste here. Just tell me everything you know, everything you’ve heard, carefully and in detail. But if I later find that you deliberately withheld a single thing, you’ll be dead.”

Master Du trembled and hurriedly recounted everything he knew.

It turned out that under Prefect Yang’s protection, the biggest grain merchants in Luozhou—the Zhou, Wang, Zhao, and Qian families—had all engaged in buying up new grain at low prices, passing off inferior grain, and selling old grain, all under the guise of official imperial tax collection.

By the time Prefect Yang took office, in just three short years, he had become incredibly wealthy. The four grain merchants were even richer, with their businesses said to reach as far as Dayuan.

Then, a righteous hero suddenly appeared, catching some of them in the act of maliciously raising grain prices. Coupled with a secret imperial dispatch ordering a full investigation, Prefect Yang realized he couldn’t escape and chose to hang himself.

The four major grain merchants quickly packed up and fled.

At this, Xuanwu added, “The Emperor has already sent people to pursue them. Once caught, they’ll be executed on the spot.”

Master Du shuddered in fear, his head drooping even lower.

Chu Ling tilted her head toward Su He. “Get him to sign the confession.”

Su He stepped forward, slashed Master Du’s hand to leave a blood print, and then added to the confession with a pen.

Xuanwu was astonished, while Chu Ling pulled him aside and lowered her voice: “So, the authorities already have evidence of the grain price manipulation and have sent people to arrest them?”

Xuanwu nodded. “Yes. This matter is under Prince Rui’s jurisdiction.”

Chu Ling turned her gaze from Master Du to the disheveled Prefect Yang, then looked at Xuanwu and asked quietly, “So, what Prefect Yang did is fully evidenced and just awaits arrest and trial, but no one knows about the rebels hiding the grain, correct?”

Xuanwu nodded.