Chapter 406 - 404: He Will Be More Than Willing to Cooperate (Part 2)

Chapter 406: Chapter 404: He Will Be More Than Willing to Cooperate (Part 2)

This Hua Wen was actually the long-term follower who betrayed the Zhou Family over three years ago, revealing the whereabouts of Zhou Qi’s father, which led to his death!

Zhou Qi once said that the reason he was certain his father’s death was related to the Lin Family was precisely because not long after, the long-term follower who had been beside his father blatantly went to work at Guangming Hall and was quickly valued by Lin Chengzhao, becoming someone close to him.

Unexpectedly, that person is Hua Wen!

If it was him, it would make sense why he suddenly bribed Shi Wenfeng to poison them in their medicinal soup!

He wasn’t really targeting their Xinglin Hall, but the Zhou Family, which had close ties with Xinglin Hall!

Xu Jing’s eyes darkened slightly; she quickly said goodbye to Cheng Xianbai and walked into the government office.

Mr. Yao had been waiting for Xu Jing in his office for some time. Upon seeing her, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Miss Xu, I have discovered a very important clue..."

"The steward named Hua Wen was previously with the Zhou Family."

Before Mr. Yao could finish his sentence, Xu Jing coldly interjected.

Mr. Yao’s open mouth froze, his face full of incredulity: "How... how did you know?!"

Xu Jing replied, "I have my sources of information. I also know that the death of the previous head of the Zhou Family was likely caused by a collaboration between Hua Wen and Lin Chengzhao. If it was Hua Wen, he would have a motive to instruct Shi Wenfeng to poison. He is well aware of how much animosity his former employer harbors against him. The reason he has been thriving these years is entirely due to the existence of the Lin Family. Once the Lin Family is gone or overshadowed by the Zhou Family, he will have no support. By then, the Zhou Family will certainly settle the account over their former head’s murder.

So, even if there is only a slight possibility, he cannot allow the Zhou Family to surpass the Lin Family. Besides, he is well aware of how much the current head of the Zhou Family detests the Lin Family. Once his revenge begins, he will not be satisfied with merely surpassing the Lin Family; he will definitely push the Lin Family to their downfall!"

Mr. Yao looked at Xu Jing in a daze for quite a while before he said, "After learning that Hua Wen was previously with Tianyi Hall, I purposely visited Mr. Zhou this morning. The matters Miss Xu mentioned, I also learned from Mr. Zhou. But Hua Wen should be targeting the Zhou Family, why then did he act against Xinglin Hall?"

Xu Jing twitched her lips slightly, mocking as she said, "The Cheng Brothers and Sisters have always cooperated with the Zhou Family. This time, the military medicine supply rights were contested by Xinglin Hall, but Tianyi Hall would definitely take a share. Furthermore, what he truly fears is probably not who wins the military supply rights but... the forces behind Xinglin Hall!

Hua Wen, always beside Lin Chengzhao, clearly knows that Guangming Hall’s rapid development in recent years was due to the Jiang Family’s support. The Lin Family has always firmly suppressed the Zhou Family, preventing the Zhou Family from reopening their Western Capital branch of Tianyi Hall, also because of the Jiang Family’s existence.

But what if the Zhou Family also found a powerful backer, one not inferior to the Jiang Family, and even potentially surpassing them?"

Mr. Yao’s eyes opened slightly, suddenly understanding Xu Jing’s words.

Behind Xinglin Hall stands the Zhao Family and Vice Minister Xiao! And with the close association between the Zhou Family and the Cheng Brothers and Sisters over the past year, the forces behind Xinglin Hall are effectively the forces behind Tianyi Hall!

Hua Wen, having witnessed how unstoppable the Lin Family was with the Jiang Family’s support, feared that the Zhou Family would also gain a powerful backer!

Thus, his first objective was to destroy Xinglin Hall.

Mr. Yao couldn’t help but let out a light sigh and said, "Indeed, considering this, Hua Wen has more motive than other suspects. In fact, just now, Mr. Zhou also told us something. While Hua Wen was working at Tianyi Hall, he had interacted with Shi Wenfeng.

At that time, Hua Wen was the long-term follower beside the former Zhou Family head. When Shi Wenfeng joined Tianyi Hall, it was the former Zhou Family head who personally assessed him, and back then, Hua Wen was also beside the former head.

Later, Shi Wenfeng went on to work at the main store of Tianyi Hall. The former Zhou Family head appreciated him and would always take a moment to encourage him whenever visiting the main store.

Afterwards, I specifically asked Lin Chengzhao, and he said Hua Wen never mentioned to him that he had interacted with Shi Wenfeng while at the Zhou Family."

This was intriguing.

Hua Wen worked for the Zhou Family for many years, and naturally, he wouldn’t need to, nor could he, mention everyone he interacted with there to Lin Chengzhao.

But Lin Chengzhao had already bribed Shi Wenfeng two years ago. Since then, Hua Wen had been instructed by Lin Chengzhao to interact with Shi Wenfeng several times, yet he concealed past events, making it somewhat deliberate.

It’s just...

Mr. Yao hesitated for a moment before speaking Xu Jing’s inner thought, "It’s just that although many clues now point to Hua Wen, there isn’t concrete evidence yet to prove he orchestrated the poisoning and murder of Shi Wenfeng.

I asked Lin Chengzhao, and he said that because Hua Wen was someone close to him, he had been living in the Lin family’s mansion in the Western Capital ever since he arrived. Only yesterday, everyone in the Lin Family was busy preparing to flee the Western Capital, and Lin Chengzhao had no time to monitor this steward, thus Hua Wen stayed in his room from yesterday afternoon to this morning and didn’t come out.

I asked the doorkeepers of the Lin Family, and they all said they hadn’t seen Hua Wen leave."

Xu Jing frowned slightly.

There’s no alibi for Hua Wen, but no one can confirm that he left the Lin Family during that time either.

And during that period, it was precisely when Shi Wenfeng was killed.

Mr. Yao seemed a bit helpless as he said, "Should I just bring Hua Wen in for questioning?"

"No, without solid evidence, if he denies everything, the case would be at a deadlock."

Xu Jing said, "Instead, it’s better not to alert him just yet, it might even be easier to catch him off guard."

Mr. Yao was slightly stunned, asking, "Could it be that Miss Xu has thought of a way?"

Xu Jing’s lips curled slightly, "More or less, but this plan requires the cooperation of Mr. Zhou. I believe he will be eager to do so."

The citizens of the Western Capital never expected that Xinglin Hall, which caused such a stir at its opening that it emptied the streets, would fall so rapidly in just a few days. Now, Xinglin Hall’s doors have been closed for several days, with no sign of reopening.

It was as if a calamity had struck suddenly, causing an unpredictable and unprepared fall.

So, when people passed by the now desolate storefront of Xinglin Hall, intrigued or not, they couldn’t help but chat —

"Oh, thinking about the grand scene when Xinglin Hall opened, who would’ve imagined that in just a few days, it would become like this!"

"It’s said that it closed because their owner poisoned the medicinal soup for refugees, but what reason would their owner have to do such a thing? Sabotaging his own reputation, or is his life too smooth, and he deliberately causes trouble for himself?"

"I don’t believe their owner would be that foolish! But since it happened at Xinglin Hall, the authorities are bound to investigate thoroughly. Even if they reopen now, until it’s proven that they weren’t involved in the poisoning, who would dare consult with or buy medicine from them?

And I heard that Xinglin Hall was secretly competing with Guangming Hall for the military medicine supply. That’s why they did so much before opening to attract attention. Yet, now that qualification won’t likely fall to them."

"Guangming Hall? You must be joking! Didn’t the Lin Family that runs Guangming Hall run into trouble yesterday? It’s said that last night, the Western Capital government office and the Ministry of Justice simultaneously sent people to surround the Lin Family, taking everyone away and leaving only a bewildered group of servants behind! The Lin Family estate has been sealed off!"

"I’m not joking with you on a full stomach. My second uncle’s brother is a minor official in the Capital. He told me about it, and it’s the real deal! They even find it strange, wondering if the military medicine supply rights are cursed, bringing misfortune to whoever competes for them!

But that opportunity is lucrative, salivating just thinking about it. If it were me, knowingly courting misfortune, I’d still compete for it. Winning it would be a glory for the ancestors, securing prosperity beyond this lifetime!"

"So... now with both Xinglin Hall and Guangming Hall down, who will this great opportunity fall to?"