By the time Ji Zhaoxi and Fu Xianyan returned to the inn, Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng had just gotten up.
After washing up and getting dressed, the two of them ate breakfast while reading through the documents.
They had nearly worn the documents thin from constant handling. Ji Zhaoxi suspected they could recite the contents by heart.
Qin Qiwu sipped her porridge and smiled at Ji Zhaoxi. “Thank you for bringing Young Master Xu and me breakfast again today, Miss Ji.”
Xu Ancheng smiled as well. “Everything you bring us is especially delicious, Miss Ji.”
Ji Zhaoxi coughed awkwardly.
She suddenly remembered what her parents had said to her. Looking at the two of them, she said earnestly, “As long as the two of you are doing well, I’ll be happy.”
“Pfft—”
The porridge in Xu Ancheng’s mouth sprayed out. “Cough… cough, cough…”
“Young Master Xu, careful!” Qin Qiwu hurriedly handed him a handkerchief.
Xu Ancheng’s face turned bright red. It was impossible to tell whether it was from coughing or because of Ji Zhaoxi’s words.
He avoided Qin Qiwu’s concerned gaze, his entire body stiff with embarrassment.
Qin Qiwu also suddenly became aware of how close they were. Her ears flushed red, and she quickly returned to her seat, sipping her porridge in tiny mouthfuls.
Ji Zhaoxi had not expected such a strong reaction. Hesitantly, she asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
Fu Xianyan leaned against the window and lazily fanned her. “Miss Ji said it perfectly. Miss Qin and Young Master Xu are just shy.”
Hearing that, Ji Zhaoxi felt rather pleased.
Seeing how well they got along truly warmed her heart.
“The children have finally grown up.”
Fu Xianyan choked as soon as he heard that. Looking at Ji Zhaoxi solemnly saying such things, he suddenly found it rather amusing.
But he knew that if he laughed out loud at that moment, he might very well meet his end.
He lowered his head and drank his tea, trying to calm himself down. But the moment he looked up and saw Ji Zhaoxi, his shoulders began to tremble despite himself.
“What’s wrong, Fu Xianyan?”
Fu Xianyan’s tragic past was still fresh in Ji Zhaoxi’s mind, so she decided to be more forgiving toward him.
“Nothing.”
Fu Xianyan lowered his head and gripped his teacup tightly. The veins on his hand bulged from the force, while the corners of his lips refused to stop twitching upward.
Ji Zhaoxi immediately became annoyed and reached out to hit him.
“You’re not allowed to laugh!”
Fu Xianyan was being utterly unreasonable!
“I won’t laugh anymore.”
Although he said that, the smile on his face only grew wider.
He dodged her blows while supporting her, afraid that she might fall. The two of them ended up tussling by the window. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves and fell upon them, while the breeze slipped between their bodies, carrying away a trace of heat.
Watching the two of them fool around by the window, Qin Qiwu could not help laughing.
“Don’t fall out the window.”
Xu Ancheng had already finished eating. Holding the documents, he shook his head with a smile.
The group soon arrived at the county office.
It was their first time formally stepping inside, and all of them wore solemn expressions.
Two stone blocks stood outside the county office. Yamen runners guarded the entrance, and beside them was a large drum covered in cowhide. The drum looked brand-new, as though no one had ever used it.
Qin Qiwu handed the documents to a clerk. The clerk had initially looked rather inattentive, but the moment he saw the wording on the document, his expression changed.
He sized up the people before him. “Please wait a moment.”
With that, he hurried inside.
Watching the clerk’s retreating back, Ji Zhaoxi frowned. “Do you think he’ll inform the magistrate?”
It looked like a fierce battle was about to begin!
Fu Xianyan’s eyes curved slightly. “That’s exactly what we want him to do.”
He had been here with Ji Zhaoxi for so long, yet he had never once seen the county magistrate show his face.
If they deliberately made a commotion this time, perhaps they could force the person behind everything to reveal himself.
The county magistrate inside the office had already received the news.
His expression was unpleasant. He had never expected this group to make such a fuss over minor matters and actually bring the trouble right to his doorstep.
“My lord, they want to see the men who transported the government silver.”
The county magistrate sipped his tea, his gaze cold.
“Let them see them. Send someone to notify Zhou Cheng now. He knows what he should and shouldn’t say.”
If he tried to stop them at this point, it would only make him look guilty. He had clearly underestimated these young upstarts.
The county magistrate waved the clerk closer and whispered something in his ear. After listening, the clerk’s face took on a ruthless look.
Whether Zhou Cheng talked or not, there would no longer be any place for him in this county office.
Qin Qiwu questioned the four men from that night one by one.
“On the seventh day of the month, during the hai hour, where were you?”
The first man trembled nervously. “I… I don’t remember. I should’ve been by the silver cart.”
Who could remember what they had been doing on the seventh day? He could only remember which days he had to work and which days he received his wages.
Qin Qiwu questioned the second man.
The man scratched his head. “This humble one is called Li Shun. I was in my room at the time.”
Then came the third man.
“I went to the kitchen to get something to eat.”
Qin Qiwu kept her eyes fixed on their expressions.
Although these three men were merely going through the motions, they could not be overlooked.
At last, it was Zhou Cheng’s turn.
The moment Zhou Cheng stepped into the courtyard, he knew that today’s matter was aimed directly at him.
He clenched his fists and looked at the people before him.
“My lords, may I ask why you summoned this humble one?”
Qin Qiwu regarded him silently.
Zhou Cheng stood where he was, the blazing sun making him sway unsteadily on his feet.
Ji Zhaoxi stood in the shade of a tree, watching with interest. Fu Xianyan handed her some snacks, and she accepted them without looking away.
Fu Xianyan then passed her some water. Ji Zhaoxi took a sip, her eyes still fixed on Qin Qiwu.
Seeing how intently she was watching, Fu Xianyan could not help wiping the sweat from her forehead.
In the past, Qin Qiwu had always taken care of that task. But now, Fu Xianyan had taken it upon himself.
“Where did you go during the hai hour on the seventh day?” Qin Qiwu asked softly.
Under the pressure of her gaze, Zhou Cheng replied, “I didn’t go anywhere. I stayed in my room.”
“They said you went out. What did you go out to do?” Qin Qiwu ignored his answer.
The sun grew fiercer and fiercer. Zhou Cheng’s vision suddenly darkened. He gritted his teeth and said, “My lord, who said I went out? Please have him come out and confront me. Perhaps he remembered incorrectly.”
Qin Qiwu had no patience for such a confrontation. Looking at him, she asked, “The government silver has gone missing. We suspect that you stole it.”
Zhou Cheng’s eyes widened, and he immediately denied it. “I’m only a grain and finance clerk. How could I possibly dare steal government silver?!”
He panicked at once.
Who was it? Who had framed him? Could it be that the county magistrate intended to pin the crime on him?
He no longer knew whether the person before him was trying to trick him or whether someone truly wanted to make him the scapegoat.
Seeing Qin Qiwu merely look at him calmly, Zhou Cheng grew even more frantic and began speaking incoherently.
“Since you’ve already traced it to Yongchang Exchange, it could’ve been the shopkeeper! Why are you so certain it was me?!”
Zhou Cheng wanted to defend himself, but if he truly exposed the person behind everything, he would certainly not survive.
He clenched his teeth as tears streamed down his face.
Seeing this, Qin Qiwu sighed and softened her voice. “Zhou Cheng, if you tell us the truth, we will protect you.”
Zhou Cheng stood silently where he was, allowing his tears to fall to the ground.
How could he possibly trust them? Any one of them could kill him…
