Three days after the notice was posted, Meng Hechuan sat in the government office holding a registration list that barely filled a single page, feeling extremely irritated.
"Why are they all tenant farmers? Haven't any ordinary peasants signed up?"
The head runner bowed his body, looking troubled as he said, "My Lord, the oiled paper needed to build the vegetable greenhouses costs money, and many commoners find it too expensive."
Meng Hechuan narrowed his eyes and frowned. "It's no longer as freezing as the dead of winter. Didn't the notice state that those without money could spread thatch on the ground for insulation, use reed and rice stalks to erect windbreaks, and substitute straw mats for oiled paper? Every household has these things. If they don't have to buy oiled paper, why do they still think it's expensive?"
The head runner's shoulders slumped as he explained with a bitter expression, "My Lord, many of the rice stalks left over from last year's autumn harvest were eaten by pigs and sheep over the winter. The rest were composted and buried in the fields. If they really had to scrape some together, they would have to tear down their roofs and rip up their mattresses."
"Furthermore, spring begins in just a month and a half. Many people say they will wait until the beginning of winter next year to plant, avoiding the two coldest months. By planting two crops back-to-back, they will have enough to eat through the winter."
Meng Hechuan set down the list in astonishment. Not even having straw—he truly hadn't considered that.
Tapping his fingers continuously on the desk, he pondered for a long while before saying, "Since that is the case, all the runners in the government office must participate in this trial planting. They must learn every single detail from start to finish."
"Most of the farmers are illiterate, so there will definitely be many problems when planting vegetables in the winter. When the time comes, have these runners go door-to-door to teach them, lest they sow the seeds but fail to grow any vegetables."
The head runner bowed his head in compliance. "Yes, I will give the orders immediately."
...
Watching the cavalry galloping past on the street, some of the men still had blood on them.
Qingshuang stood beside Song Jinzhao and whispered, "Eldest Miss, those should be the troops sent to annihilate the Life-Claiming Sect. It looks like they succeeded."
Song Jinzhao tilted her head and instructed in a low voice, "How did the annihilation go? Did they capture anyone and bring them back? Have Lanxi go and ask around."
Qingshuang nodded. "Understood."
An hour after leaving, Lanxi returned to the medical clinic carrying a bag of chestnuts.
"Originally, they caught seven survivors and even captured the sect leader of the Life-Claiming Sect alive. But on the way back, he killed his seven subordinates and escaped by himself. By the time they found him, he had already fallen off a cliff to his death."
Song Jinzhao's eyes, as clear as winter snow, shifted slightly.
The leader of an assassin organization must possess highly advanced martial arts. Having finally managed to escape, how could he fall to his death for no reason?
It must have been the work of that assassin who was poisoned with the Gu toxin. He was seeking revenge.
Inside the government office, Meng Hechuan sat in his chair with a distressed expression. With no survivors, how was he supposed to investigate the Liao family's case?
Who exactly was the true mastermind behind Concubine Su's death?
"Men, inform Lord Liao to send all the maids and servants from his wife's courtyard over tonight. I will interrogate them one by one. Also, bring over the one who administered the poison previously."
The next day, Song Jinzhao went to the Liao residence for her usual medical consultation, but before she could enter, she was stopped by the Liao family's steward.
He knelt on the ground, explaining subserviently, "To reply to the Township Princess, my lord has ordered the residence to close its doors and decline all guests for these few days. Please trouble yourself to come back in a few days."
Just as Song Jinzhao was about to leave, she heard people arguing inside. It sounded like the voices of Liao Xiwen and her father.
On her way back, she passed by a clinic and happened to see government runners escorting someone out, with quite a few commoners watching at the door.
In the gloomy dungeon, Meng Hechuan stared at the bright red fingerprints on the confession, his heart sinking to the bottom of a cliff.
The true mastermind hadn't been interrogated out of them, but everything else had been spilled completely.
Indeed, nothing is more venomous than a woman's heart.
Thinking of the Guo residence previously, and looking at the Liao residence now, it was a good thing he hadn't taken any concubines and his wife was his first spouse; otherwise, his heart would truly be in a panic.
Summoned to the government office, Liao Wangshu flipped through the confessions on the table one by one, his entire complexion changing.
Meng Hechuan said, "This is how things stand. Concubine Su's three miscarriages were caused by your wife, and your wife's twelve miscarriages were caused by Concubine Su."
Looking at the doctor's confession regarding Concubine Su taking medicine to induce premature birth, resulting in the fetus being underdeveloped, physically frail, and plagued by illness, Liao Wangshu was so full of hatred that his teeth nearly shattered from clenching.
He only had this one son, and he never expected his illness came about this way.
In order to be the first to give birth to the eldest son, she truly resorted to any means necessary. It was foolish to the extreme.
After finishing reading the confessions, Liao Wangshu sat in his chair and remained silent for a long time.
Meng Hechuan could understand his feelings at this moment and sat quietly, waiting for him to digest the information.
It was unknown how much time had passed before Liao Wangshu lifted his head, looking as if he had aged more than ten years all at once.
He spoke in a heavy tone, "My Lord, my cousin is already dead. I do not wish to pursue the matters she committed any further."
"As for my wife, although she is at fault, she is also a victim. Family scandals should not be spread outside. For the matters of the inner residence, I ask Your Lordship to allow me to handle them myself."
Meng Hechuan replied, "The murder of Concubine Su likely has nothing to do with your wife. The Life-Claiming Sect has already been annihilated. Without witnesses, we cannot track down the true mastermind. I am afraid this case will become an unsolved mystery."
Liao Wangshu tightly gripped the confession, sighing as he spoke exhaustedly, "Having committed so many wicked deeds, her death is not to be pitied. Thank you, My Lord, for your hard work these past few days. I do not wish to pursue this case any further."
Meng Hechuan nodded in satisfaction. His efforts on this case hadn't been entirely in vain.
At the very least, he had used this opportunity to annihilate a wicked martial arts assassin organization, establishing the majesty of the imperial court.
If any martial artists dared to make a move again, they would have to be more cautious. From now on, murder cases of this nature should decrease significantly.
