Chapter 366: Double-Dealing (Part 3)

Tonight, Qingshui County was exceptionally noisy. The streets, which ought to have been silent, were ablaze with light, and the sounds of hoofbeats, footsteps, and shouts mingled together.

County Magistrate Luo Hai, riding a chestnut horse and dressed in official attire with a longsword at his waist, led over a hundred government officials and soldiers in a grand charge towards Wei Dabao’s house in the east of the city.

The torchlight reflected on his stern face, deepening the furrows between his brows.

Zhao Zun and Han Lei, dressed as government officials, followed behind Luo Hai. Han Lei was not following out of curiosity or playful intent but wanted to see what could be done with the confiscated Wei Dabao’s house.

“Quick! Surround the front and back gates of the Wei Family residence; don’t let a single person escape!” Luo Hai’s voice was loud, especially piercing in the night.

The government officials quickly dispersed, surrounding the Wei residence completely.

At the gate, two Protectors were shocked when they saw what was happening. Just as they were about to turn around to report, they were pinned to the ground by the officials rushing forward.

“What is the meaning of this?” shouted one struggling Protector, “This is the residence of Mr. Wei of the Wei Family!”

Luo Hai dismounted, strode swiftly to the gate, pulled out a roll of yellow silk from his chest, lightly coughed, and raised it high.

“By the court’s order, Wei Dabao has been charged with harming royal kin, and the evidence is conclusive. He is now detained at the Ministry of Justice, waiting for execution after autumn! I am ordered to confiscate the Wei residence; anyone who dares to obstruct will be charged with defying the decree!”

Inside the gate, chaos erupted as the cries of maids and servants resounded one after another.

Soon, the steward of the Wei residence hurried to the front courtyard with a dozen Protectors. The steward was about fifty years old, with a thin, sharp face, and his small eyes glinted with intelligence.

Standing on the steps, he forced himself to remain calm, raised his hand in salute, and said, “Mr. Luo, there must be some misunderstanding. Our master has always been lawful, how could he harm the royals? I beg you to postpone the action and discuss it when the master returns.”

“Return?” Luo Hai sneered, flashing the decree before the steward’s eyes then retracting it.

“Wei Dabao is currently in a Ministry of Justice cell, and you expect his return? As the steward, are you planning to lead in defying the decree?”

Cold sweat appeared on the steward’s forehead; he only glimpsed the vermilion seal on the decree but hadn’t seen what was written on it before Luo Hai put it away.

The steward’s complexion turned pale as the Protectors behind him gripped their batons, yet none dared step forward.

“Lord County Magistrate,” the steward’s voice trembled, “there are many women in the residence, please consider…”

“Spare the nonsense!” Luo Hai interrupted sharply, “Come, search the place! Leave no inch untouched! All valuables are to be confiscated.”

The officials surged into the residence like wolves, beginning to rummage through trunks and cupboards.

Among the crowd, two “officials” stood out; their movements were agile but not overly rough, their sharp gazes sweeping all corners of the residence. These two were Zhao Zun and Han Lei in disguise.

“Look over there,” Han Lei lowered her voice, gesturing with her eyes at a row of side rooms on the east side, “those rooms have a peculiar structure, the outer walls are thicker than they should be.”

Zhao Zun nodded subtly, pretending to search as he approached the row of side rooms. He carefully examined the walls in the firelight, lightly tapping them with his fingers, hearing a dull echo. “There’s a hidden chamber inside,” he whispered.

Just as the two were about to investigate further, a Protector rushed forward, blocking their path: “Esteemed officials, those are the lady’s rooms, it’s inappropriate to search them!”

Zhao Zun raised his eyes at the Protector, who was burly with bulging temples, evidently a skilled fighter.

Feigning official displeasure, Zhao Zun frowned and said, “We have orders to search the residence; what inconvenience is there? Move aside!”

The Protector remained unmoved, his eyes showing a hint of menace: “Only if you step over my corpse!”

The tension in the air instantly rose. From a distance, Luo Hai noticed the commotion and approached with large strides: “What’s going on?”

“Reporting to you, my Lord,” Zhao Zun immediately bowed and saluted, “this man is blocking the search, saying we must step over his corpse.”

Luo Hai’s eyes flashed with cold light: “Such audacity! Get him down!”

Four or five soldiers surged forward; the Protector attempted to resist but was cleverly tripped by Zhao Zun, falling to the ground and promptly being securely bound.

“Who else dares defy the decree?” Luo Hai scanned the surroundings, his voice like thunder, “Take them all down!”

The Wei residence crowd froze in fear, no one daring to resist further.

Zhao Zun and Han Lei took the opportunity to enter the row of side rooms, discovering a secret door behind a wardrobe as expected.

Just as Han Lei was about to push it open, Zhao Zun held her back, shaking his head: “Now isn’t the time. Just remember its location.”

The two retreated, continuing their pretense of searching.

Inside the residence, cries persisted as everyone gathered in the courtyard, trembling as they watched their belongings being removed piece by piece.

Various gold and silver utensils, silk fabrics, antique paintings, gold ingots, silver in bulk… the Wei family’s wealth far exceeded what an ordinary gentry should possess.

“Mr. Luo,” the steward knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, “The masters went to the Capital City, the servants here are innocent, I beg for your mercy!”