Chapter 342 - 213: The Fake Passes for the Real, The Waters of Wu River (3)

Chapter 342: Chapter 213: The Fake Passes for the Real, The Waters of Wu River (3)

"Excuse me, I have urgent business with Lord Yao. Do you know where he is?"

The two government officials exchanged a look. They were well aware of the unspoken relationship between the local kingpin and the County Magistrate, but for him to show up directly at the county office... that was rare.

One of the government officials said politely,

"Gang Leader Meng, please follow me. Lord Yao is in his study."

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin entered the county office without any trouble. When they reached the door to the County Magistrate’s study, they watched the official knock and announce,

"Lord Magistrate, you have a visitor!"

"Who is it?"

Yao Zhizhang’s voice came from within.

"It’s... Gang Leader Meng of the boat gang. He’s here."

The official hadn’t made Meng Hesheng wait outside or in the main hall. It wouldn’t look good if all the people coming and going from the county office saw him.

Footsteps sounded from inside, followed by a CREAK as Yao Zhizhang opened the door. He was frowning. His eyes flickered to Xie Yuan, then he nodded at the official.

"Good work. You’re dismissed."

The government official clasped his hands in a salute and took his leave.

Yao Zhizhang’s expression remained neutral. He first ushered Meng Hesheng into the study, then glanced left and right down the corridor. Seeing no one else, he shut the door and, with a deep frown, asked Meng Hesheng,

"What are you doing here? Is there something you couldn’t discuss outside?"

He looked at Xie Yuan, his expression searching.

Xie Yuan held Situ Qin’s hand. The two of them stood before Yao Zhizhang, but it was clear that Yao Zhizhang’s abilities were even weaker than Meng Hesheng’s; he couldn’t see through their disguise at all.

Xie Yuan put on a look of panic and said,

"Lord Yao, this is bad! It’s a disaster!"

"What’s a disaster?"

Yao Zhizhang’s face darkened, and his frown deepened. He had worked with Meng Hesheng for a long time and knew the man always acted with discretion. For him to come directly to the county office like this, so out of character, meant it couldn’t be a small matter. And from the sound of it, he was right.

Xie Yuan sucked in a sharp breath and said hurriedly,

"I received a message from Mr. Qian... he sent someone to find me..."

"Mr. Qian?"

Yao Zhizhang looked surprised and couldn’t help but blurt out.

"Yes, Mr. Qian! He sent someone straight to me. This is serious..."

Xie Yuan nodded emphatically and lamented,

"He was asking about the last two shipments. He said there’s a problem, a big problem! Ai..."

"What problem? Spit it out! Get to the point!"

Seeing Xie Yuan stammering and beating around the bush, looking utterly panicked, Yao Zhizhang felt a growing sense of foreboding and became increasingly impatient.

Xie Yuan saw that Yao Zhizhang was taking the bait. He felt a mix of disdain and indignation. ’So this business really is that important to them,’ he thought.

He lamented,

"Mr. Qian said... oh, Mr. Qian’s man said, that in the recent shipment, there might have been someone who shouldn’t have been taken..."

"Shouldn’t have been taken? How is that possible? I personally vetted the targets myself. Their family backgrounds are clean. For three generations, they’ve been nothing but commoners. At most, they were well-off, but they can’t make any waves."

Yao Zhizhang said in a low voice,

"Unless they came from Yanzhou..."

"Right, right! Lord Yao, you are so meticulous and perceptive. It’s possible they came from there!"

Xie Yuan didn’t know the exact significance of someone coming from Yanzhou, but from Yao Zhizhang’s words and attitude, it was clear he was far more invested in this matter than in hearing cases or governing.

’This crooked official.’

The hands Xie Yuan and Situ Qin were holding tightened.

Yao Zhizhang paused, a little puzzled. But the "Meng Hesheng" before him seemed genuine enough, so he didn’t dwell on it and asked,

"Why would Mr. Qian’s man go to you first... Never mind. Did he say specifically who it was that shouldn’t have been taken?"

"Mr. Qian wanted to know if the shipment had been sent off and where it went, so he sent someone in a hurry to ask me. But the previous batches were all sent off on the schedule you gave me; they wouldn’t be with me! Ai, the messenger didn’t say much, but I thought I overheard something... something about..."

Xie Yuan lowered his voice, dropping it to nearly a whisper.

"It has to do with the King of Pingxi! Sweet mother of mine!"

"The King of Pingxi? The King of Pingxi has been dead for years... Wait. Could it be... Situ Qin?"

Yao Zhizhang thought for a moment, then his eyes shot wide open. He had actually said Situ Qin’s name.

Both Xie Yuan and Situ Qin were slightly surprised. Although those with a certain status within the Great Li dynasty knew Situ Qin’s identity, it was an open secret that ordinary people would never hear about.

And to someone of Situ Qin’s station, a mere County Magistrate was, of course, an ordinary person.

Xie Yuan feigned a look of utter confusion.

"Situ Qin? Who’s that?"

"She’s the daughter of the King of Pingxi. Could we have captured her? Impossible..."

Before Yao Zhizhang could finish, Xie Yuan yelled,

"What! We captured the King of Pingxi’s daughter!"

"Keep your voice down!"

Yao Zhizhang barked, frowning. ’This guy is as noisy as ever.’

Xie Yuan, still wearing a look of shock, muttered,

"The King of Pingxi’s daughter? Sweet mother of mine! Hiss—"

A sharp pain shot through the soft flesh of his waist, and he couldn’t help but hiss. However, Yao Zhizhang just thought he was overly shaken and shook his head in dissatisfaction.

"Of course it couldn’t be her. If we really had captured her, hmph, that would actually be a good thing. Spiriting her away quietly would be a monumental achievement, worth more than everything else from the past two years combined..."

Yao Zhizhang’s eyes glinted, but he failed to notice the cold light that flashed in the eyes of the man before him.

He pondered for a moment, then said decisively,

"In that case, we’ll go find Mr. Qian right now and ask him about the situation."

Hearing this, Xie Yuan was secretly overjoyed, but he put on a timid expression and said,

"I’m going too?"

"Things have come to this. Of course we go together."

Yao Zhizhang nodded. He immediately led Xie Yuan and Situ Qin out of the study, had an attendant prepare a carriage outside, and left through a side door.

Xie Yuan saw the unmarked carriage, exchanged a look with Situ Qin, and smiled faintly.

Just as he was about to step into the carriage, Xie Yuan’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and he froze.