With a plan in mind, Song Jinzhao intended to finish making the explosives before Song Qiming returned.
In the posthouse of Qingxia County, Yao Ye, who had been lying low in the Jia manor for three days, finally brought back a piece of news sufficient to nail Jia Demao to the wall.
There is a secret room in Jia Demao's bedchamber, and the silver hidden inside is no less than a hundred thousand taels.
Song Qiming's eyes nearly popped out of his head in shock. Where did he get so much silver?
Even after raiding so many bandit strongholds, they had only confiscated a little over a hundred thousand taels. Even if all the profits from the wastelands around Yinma Town went straight into Jia Demao's pockets, he couldn't possibly have saved up a hundred thousand taels.
By tracking the advisor Jia Demao had sent out, Song Qiming had successfully investigated the wasteland located at the border between Qingxia County and the Wumeng tribe's territory.
Five hundred mu of wasteland had been secretly cultivated by the villagers of Yinma Town under Jia Demao's threats.
The villagers were exploited as free labor, with Jia Demao as the ultimate beneficiary. The headman of Yinma Town and the village chiefs of several subordinate villages were also involved.
They guarded these five hundred mu of land as tightly as an iron fortress. If outsiders occasionally stumbled upon it, they would brush it off by claiming it was cultivated by the Wumeng tribe.
Yao Ye continued his report.
In recent days, the eldest young master of the Fang family has visited the Jia manor every day. Nominally, he is visiting his sister, but in reality, he is secretly led into Jia Demao's study every time. Their relationship can be described as extremely close.
Song Qiming furrowed his brows so tightly they could crush a fly, his chest burning with towering rage.
The silver was very likely given by the Fang family. It is impossible for the coroner to have missed such obvious evidence on the corpse. Jia Demao must have deliberately concealed it.
Lan Xi took a step forward and suggested, According to the plan, we are going out of the city tomorrow to inspect the agricultural work. Why not use this opportunity to expose the hidden fields and condemn Jia Demao? As long as we have a legitimate reason, searching his manor will be perfectly justifiable.
Song Qiming shook his head.
This matter must be handled with lightning speed, leaving no one with the time to react.
Tomorrow, after Jia Demao and I leave the city, you will take my warrant and surround the Fang manor. The salt warehouse plus those portraits are enough evidence.
After capturing them, interrogate them on the spot and make them give up Jia Demao. Then, take the deputy magistrate and the registrar of Qingxia County to search the Jia manor. Your attitude must be unyielding. I will take all the yamen runners of Qingxia County with me tomorrow, and leave all the men we brought from Suining City to you.
Lan Xi shook his head faster than a rattle drum, his solemn eyes full of disapproval.
No way. What if Jia Demao makes a move against you?
Surrounded entirely by Qingxia County's yamen runners, even if Song Qiming knew martial arts, he couldn't fight off that many people.
Song Qiming raised a hand to stop his words.
Yao Ye will take some men and come with me. As long as you keep the news suppressed, Jia Demao won't notice a thing. When we return, we will capture the ringleader first. By the time he realizes what is happening, it will be too late.
Seeing Song Qiming's resolute attitude, Lan Xi had no choice but to obey.
After leaving the room, he pressed down on Yao Ye's shoulder and solemnly urged, You must guard the Eldest Young Master without leaving his side for even a step. If anything goes wrong, prioritize escaping with your lives.
Yao Ye nodded vigorously. Rest assured, Steward Lan. Even if it costs our brothers' lives, we will not let anything happen to the Eldest Young Master.
Before setting out the next day, Song Qiming sent someone to deliver a message to Jia Demao, asking him to bring all the Qingxia County yamen runners along under the guise of protection.
Jia Demao mistakenly thought Song Qiming just wanted to put on a grand show and did not think much of it. It wasn't until they were leaving the city that he realized Song Qiming had barely brought any of his own guards, only twenty or so men in total.
Jia Demao casually asked Song Qiming, Why do I not see Guard Lan?
Song Qiming feigned nonchalance and replied, A letter came from the prefectural office last night saying that the land reclamation progress is falling behind the spring sowing due to a lack of manpower. I had Lan Xi take the men back today. For the next few days, I will have to trouble the county yamen for protection.
Jia Demao was struck by a sudden realization and immediately promised, Once we return, this humble official will dispatch men to the posthouse to ensure Your Excellency's safety.
Over a thousand laborers and it still wasn't enough? Just how much wasteland were they trying to reclaim!
Since the prefectural treasury had plenty of silver, could he perhaps ask for some of it?
