Zhen Dexiu was at a loss for words for a moment. He simply stopped engaging in unnecessary verbal disputes, stood up, glanced at the four people, and finally said: "I am thinking of my colleagues, and I have said all the good things to say. If you persist in your stubbornness, don't blame me for the consequences in the future."
That’s what the official is.”
After that, Zhen Dexiu put his hands behind his back and left, leaving only Li Qin and the four of them looking at each other.
Later, Zhen Dexiu found his disciple Song Ci and told him about Jiaozi.
After hearing this, Song Ci said: "Teacher, please rest assured, it is not difficult to trace this matter. Since Jiaozi appeared in the bank, we just need to trace it step by step. Moreover, this Jiaozi was destroyed in Lin'an ten days ago and appeared again ten days later."
In Lin'an, there is not much time in between, so there are not many twists and turns, and you will know after just checking."
Seeing that Song Ci was full of confidence, Zhen Dexiu felt reassured and said, "In that case, I will entrust you to investigate this case. No matter who is involved, you can investigate and deal with it. You don't have to worry too much."
"Yes, students understand, but if there is a team of people at your disposal during the investigation, it will be twice the result with half the effort."
Zhen Dexiu understands Song Ci's concerns. After all, this case involves people with high status. If they rely on their official status and do not cooperate with Song Ci, it will be difficult for Song Ci to handle it.
Zhen Dexiu nodded and said: "I understand, I will ask a team of imperial guards in front of the officials to assist you."
Song Ci no longer had any worries and happily accepted the task.
Song Ci added: "Teacher, the students here will start tracing from the bank, and you can also trace from the four envoys. This way, you can get twice the result with half the effort. You can quickly solve the case with just a trace of clues."
Zhen Dexiu nodded, "It's natural. How could I let them go? If they don't admit it, they think they can get away with it. It's not that simple."
"That's very good." Song Ci nodded.
After coming out of Zhen Dexiu's place, Song Ci went to find Zhen Dexiu's son Zhen Zhidao and asked him about the details of how he received the jiaozi that day.
And soon, Zhao Yun responded to Zhen Dexiu's request and ordered Xia You to dispatch thirty imperial guards in front of the palace to assist Song Ci and listen to Song Ci's orders.
When the personnel were in place, Song Ci carried a baggage and immediately led the guards to find the bank.
At the corner of the street, Song Ci said to Zhang Bao, the head of the capital, "Please stay here for a moment while I go in to investigate first."
Zhang Bao nodded and said, "Please be careful. If anything happens, just say hello loudly."
"Yeah." Song Ci nodded and left immediately.
As soon as Song Ci entered the bank, the bank clerk saw a guest coming in. He was dressed quite decently. He looked like someone with status, so he quickly came up to greet him warmly.
The clerk said: "May I ask you whether you want to deposit money or withdraw money, or exchange it for gold and silver? My account number is all fine."
Song Ci glanced at the bank and saw that the bank was quite large and the business was good. There were more than twenty customers queuing up, so it looked like it was quite powerful.
Song Ci nodded and said, "I want to exchange for Jiaozi. I wonder if your account can do it?"
"It's done, it's done."
When the waiter heard this, he nodded repeatedly, "I wonder how many jiaozi you want to exchange?"
Song Ci took out two gold ingots from the bag and said, "Here are twenty taels of gold. Could you please see how many jiaozi I can exchange for them."
"Okay, okay, sir, please take a seat. I'll call the shopkeeper."
The big customer got twenty taels of gold at the first sale. The clerk was overjoyed and asked Song Ci to sit down and watch tea, and then hurried to the back hall to find the shopkeeper.
Not long after the clerk entered, a man dressed as a domestic servant hurried into the bank, said hello to someone in the store, and hurried to the back hall.
After a while, the shopkeeper came out, but his face was very serious and unsmiling, which was very different from the appearance of ordinary businessmen.
The shopkeeper's name was Zhao Siyou. He walked up to Song Ci and said, "May I ask if you want to deposit money or withdraw money?"
Song Ci glanced at Zhao Siyou with a faint look, and said: "I want to exchange for Jiaozi."
Zhao Siyou raised his hand and apologized: "I'm really sorry. I don't have a friend now. I would like to ask the guest officer to go and have a look elsewhere."
"Yeah?"
Song Ci muttered to himself, then walked to the door of the store and gave a high five. Zhang Bao got the signal and immediately led people to rush in and surround Zhao Siyou and the other clerks.
Song Ci said to everyone: "I am Song Ci, the Secretary of the Postal Service, and I have been ordered to investigate Jiaozi's corruption of ink. As long as you cooperate, you will have nothing to worry about. If you dare to resist, you will die."
Dozens of customers lining up panicked and wanted to escape, but Song Ci ordered people to stop them at the door of the store and prevented them from leaving.
Song Ci comforted him and said, "Everyone, I have been ordered to investigate the case, but the culprits may escape. Please wait a moment until I verify the identity, and then leave one by one."
Although the guests complained, they did not dare to resist and accepted the interrogation honestly.
"Oops, it's on fire."
Zhang Bao led the guards to the back hall to search. Unexpectedly, a fire suddenly broke out in the back hall. Someone added kerosene to the fire to help fuel the fire, which made the fire even bigger and began to spread in all directions.
Everyone panicked and fled. In the panic, Zhao Siyou also took the opportunity to escape.
At night, Zhao Siyou appeared in a small courtyard, where someone was already waiting.
When Zhao Siyou saw him, he said anxiously: "Oh no, the government has traced the bank and they are arresting me everywhere now. What should we do now?"
The man waiting was named Li Kuan. He looked at the shopkeeper calmly and said, "Don't panic. If the sky falls, there will be tall people to hold it up. We are just small characters and no one will care."
Zhao Siyou looked a little relieved, and Li Kuan said again: "You didn't say anything to the people in the government today, right?"
"Of course there is no such thing. Xiaowu happened to be setting a fire in the back hall at that time, and I took advantage of the chaos and ran out."
"That's good, that's good. You can stay here for one night. I will arrange for someone to take you away from Lin'an tomorrow. You can come back after the storm has passed."
"Thank you very much, butler."
"You're welcome. It's very late. You should go and rest first."
"Okay, then I will go and have a rest first. Butler, please take a rest early as well."
Zhao Siyou didn't have any doubts, thanked him, turned around and left.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he turned around, Li Kuan quietly pulled out a short knife and dagger from his sleeve behind him, and then stabbed him in the waist from behind.
Zhao Siyou was in pain and was about to scream, but Li Kuan covered his mouth from behind, and then stabbed him several times. Zhao Siyou bled, and finally fell to the ground and died.
At the same time, Song Ci investigated all the way and found the owner of the bank, Li Maocai's house.
Song Ci led the imperial guards to find Li Maocai and said straight to the point: "Executive officer Li, I have found out about your bank, and a destroyed Jiaozi has leaked out. The case is serious, and the official has ordered a strict investigation. I also ask you to go with me."