Jinyi Lake was surrounded by officers and soldiers.
Passers-by were blocked outside. Although the officers and soldiers repeatedly asked them to leave, more and more onlookers stayed.
Ling Yang separated a lane in the crowd, and Nie Huimo dismounted and walked over. Behind him, Xin Shun's coachman had just arrived. Xin Shun jumped off the carriage and trotted to catch up.
In the open space by the lake, three corpses were lying side by side. Their faces were as pale as paint after being soaked in the lake water for a long time.
The team member stepped forward and described the situation here to Nie Huimo in more detail. Nie Huimo looked at the three corpses. One of them had drank together before, and the other two had no memory.
While Wu Zuo was still on the way here, Xin Shun stepped forward to check the body and confirmed that he had indeed died of drowning. No other trauma or signs of poisoning were found.
If it is deeper, it will need to be taken back for dissection.
The shoes and wine jar on the other side, as well as the coats they took off, had not been touched and were left there intact.
Nie Huimo went over and took a look, and found nothing. There was no suicide note on the coat, and the smell of the shoes and wine jar was quite strong.
Xin Shun said softly: "Chen Yongming is just a small county captain, but these three are state officials."
"How long have you been in office?" Nie Huimo asked.
Xin Shun paused and looked at the three corpses.
"This... it didn't take long, it's all in the past two years."
Not only them, but the entire official system in Youzhou also happened in the past two years.
People of the old school fell down, died, and suffered many family and personal losses.
Ling Yang spoke up and said: "General, since they are new rich and their good life has just begun, why are they seeking death?"
Nie Huimo said nothing, watching Xin Shun turn the coats over and over again.
Xin Shun asked Ling Yang for a dagger, and after cutting open his clothes, he found nothing in the middle.
Xin Shun lowered his hand and looked at Nie Huimo: "It is particularly clean. There is no silver, no note, and even the jewelry has been removed. It seems that there will be nothing to gain from their home."
"Then let's start with their families," Nie Huimo tilted his head slightly and said in a loud voice, "I have ordered that the families of these three people, together with Chen Yongming's family members who are under house arrest, be taken to the Military Town Division and tortured.
Torture. All those who have been in prison for five years, regardless of age or sex, will be imprisoned in the government prison and all their property will be sealed. In addition, those who have interacted with four people in the past half month will be strictly investigated!"
"Yes, general!" A general ordered.
"Perhaps in their view, death is enough," Nie Huimo said in a cold voice, "This general will let other people who also want to die watch with their eyes wide open. They will die if they want to, but the family members they left behind,
I will make their lives worse than death."
The general who took the order took people to convey the order, and Nie Huimo did not stay long.
Xia Zhaoyi and Zhi Changle stood outside the crowd not far away, watching them leave.
Zhi Changle's voice was very soft: "Ali, what do you think?"
"Perhaps it's the word He Yanpo," Xia Zhaoyi said. "The name posted on the streets seems to have worked."
"It's unbelievable that these officials risk their lives to protect He Yanpo?"
Xia Zhaoyi smiled and turned to look at the lake.
Several gangsters were far away, and they just arrived now. Xin Shun, who was supposed to inspect, had already checked. The gangsters surveyed the scene and asked these military masters to take the body back to the Yamen.
"Brother Zhi," Xia Zhaoyi said, "do you know when is the easiest time to become an official?"
"……when?"
"The more chaotic the world is, the better it is to be an official. Throughout the dynasties, when the dynasty is about to reach its end and when a new dynasty is first established, as long as you have money, you can buy an official position."
Zhi Changle paused: "Ah Li, what do you mean..."
"Youzhou is very important. If I were He Yanpo, I would spend a lot of money on Youzhou's official positions," Xia Zhaoyi's eyes turned cold, "Or, bribery with inducements."
"Inducement and bribery" was also the trick Tao Lan used best when he rebelled against Da Qian.
"Ah Li," Zhi Changle asked, "do you want to investigate this matter?"
Xia Zhaoyi shook his head.
She hated He Yanpo, but it was obvious that if she followed the vine and found a melon, it would not be of much use.
He Yanpo is not a fool. Even if the chess game in Youzhou is completely destroyed, it will not damage him at all.
Furthermore, this is a matter between Tian Dayao and He Yanpo, so there is no need for her to meddle in others' affairs.
"Let's go." Xia Zhaoyi said.
"Um."
Xia Zhaoyi turned around and glanced casually, only to see a woman in the distance writing on a portrait on the wall.
Speaking of which, Xia Zhaoyi felt that the most unlucky thing these days was undoubtedly all the walls in the streets and alleys of Congxinfu.
All kinds of notices can be posted wherever they want, and the biggest source of pollution today is herself.
Now, the portrait of the woman writing is that of Chu Zheng and Sima Wu.
The woman's clothes are elegant and decent, her hair is lightly pulled back, her cheeks and skin are fair, and she has a certain temperament.
Zhi Changle followed Xia Zhaoyi's gaze and saw the woman finishing writing on the paper and moving to the next portrait.
The density of the portraits is relatively high, and it only takes a few steps.
She picked up the pen and started writing again. After finishing the portrait of the woman, she went to write next to the portrait of the man.
Then, go to the next one.
"What is she writing?" Zhi Changle asked curiously, "Ah Li, let me go and take a look?"
"There's no need to go," Xia Zhaoyi said softly with a solemn look, "She wrote three characters, one name."
"who is it?"
Xia Zhaoyi walked over.
Bai wrote several pages in a row, and when she went to the next one, she noticed someone coming behind her. She turned around quickly and ran into a pair of clear and bright eyes.
Xia Zhaoyi looked at her, then looked at the new ink on the portrait behind her.
True to her judgment about her wrist and the movement of her ink pen, it was those three words, Tang Acacia.
"Are you the Bai family?" Xia Zhaoyi said, "Tai Zicang's wife?"
Mrs. Bai paused, paused, and bowed: "Miss Ah Li is smart."
"Why did you bring me out?" Xia Zhaoyi asked straight to the point.
"I..." Bai opened her lips, feeling embarrassed because the other party was too straightforward.
"Say it." Zhi Changle's temper was not so good.
"I think I want to negotiate a deal with Miss Ali." Bai's voice was very soft and she was extremely uncomfortable.
"If the reward for the transaction is related to Tang Xiangsi, I can consider it."
"That's the best thing, it happens to be related to him." Bai said hurriedly.
"Then it's a deal," Xia Zhaoyi looked at her, "but I have one more condition."
"what is it then?"
"You need to tear up all these calligraphy and paintings with the words "Tang Xiangsi" written on them."
"Yes, yes!" Bai nodded hurriedly.
Zhi Changle frowned in displeasure, took a deep look at Bai, turned around, and followed Xia Zhaoyi.
Bai looked at their backs and confirmed in her heart that she had made this girl angry.
She suddenly didn't know whether Zhuge was busy or whether he was right or wrong...
