After Rebirth, She Becomes the Revenge Queen-Chapter 509 - 343: Clues Emerge (Seeking Monthly Pass)

Chapter 509: Chapter 343: Clues Emerge (Seeking Monthly Pass)
"Here they come!"
A voice came from behind the closed gates. Cheng Chili and Guo Song exchanged a glance.
The door opened, and a man in coarse clothing appeared on the threshold. Seeing the two of them and the large number of soldiers behind them, the man was startled and quickly bowed:
"May I ask, sir, what urgent matter brings you here at such a late hour?"
By this time, the streets were full of patrols, all soldiers from the Capital Camp, but strangely, they weren’t acting rudely, merely knocking on each door one by one.
Guo Song said, "Don’t be afraid, this is General Cheng.
"It’s nothing major; a few items were lost from the Capital Camp, and we’re here to search for them."
With that, he gestured, and the soldiers behind him immediately surged into the house.
The man hastily said, "Please, sir, see that I’m innocent. Our family has lived by this tofu shop for generations and would never dare commit any crime!"
"If there’s nothing here, there’s nothing here. It’s not just your household; every household is being searched. Once we’ve completed our search and found nothing, we’ll naturally leave."
While saying this, Cheng Chili, too, entered with his guards.
The man wanted to follow, but Guo Song blocked his way: "Just follow from behind quietly, and don’t speak unless asked."
He then began inspecting around the courtyard.
Inside, there were only two rooms; one served as the shop front, the other was a passageway leading directly to the second and third quarters.
By the time Guo Song entered the courtyard, Cheng Chili and the others were already searching the left and right rooms in the second quarter.
The stone mill in the passageway had stopped, and a donkey tied to a pillar was eating.
Two buckets of ground soybean milk were placed on one side, with another bucket of bean dregs, still warm.
After searching everywhere, Cheng Chili led the people into the innermost third quarter.
Upon entering, a woman holding a child in each arm was huddled in the corner outside a west-facing room, fearfully watching the uniformed Cheng Chili and his men.
Cheng Chili glanced at them and gestured to Guo Song: "Take them aside for questioning."
He then led his men into the room behind the woman.
The room was simple, with a rough bed, bench, and wardrobe. After checking the two damaged chests, the rest of the room offered nowhere to hide.
Finally, Cheng Chili looked at the window before exiting and entering the room on the east side.
This was also a bedroom.
The light from the torch revealed a simple bed, desk, and a rack against the wall with two baskets of tofu, all within view.
The bedding on the bed was folded, the room somewhat messy, but there was not even a chest.
Compared to the previous room, it was even less likely to hide anyone.
Cheng Chili looked around, his gaze finally resting on the oil lamp on the desk.
He picked up the lamp, brought it closer to examine, and touched the wick.
The man approached: "Sir, this is where I live. I work on tofu at night and sleep here to avoid disturbing my wife and children."
Cheng Chili seemed not to hear, still examining the oil lamp.
At this moment, Cheng Chiren’s guard entered: "Third Master, the Second Master found two outsiders at the silk shop in the front, and half a mile east of the town there’s a well, an abandoned one. The Second Master sent me to invite you for investigation."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Chili put down the oil lamp and led the soldiers out.
The dozens of men left the courtyard in a rush, and the man stood at the gate until he could no longer see them before closing the door again.
...
Fu Zhen and Pei Zhan returned to the city shortly after Cheng Chili had left.
After Consort Li’s body was returned to the Dali Temple, another commotion arose in the court. Before they reached the residence, the emperor had already sent for Pei Zhan to enter the palace.
Lian Rong previously seemed insignificant in the case, but later information showed he was more than just Xu Yin’s steward.
The people from Tanzhou were expected to arrive in the capital soon, and with Lian Rong’s trace found, they couldn’t miss this opportunity.
Now, the appearance of Consort Li suggested he might still be near the Capital, causing the previously eased tension to tighten again.
Pei Zhan returned to the residence late at night, surprised to find Fu Zhen still waiting to dine with him.
He was quite astonished: "Why are you waiting for me?"
"Because you haven’t eaten, and I wanted to eat together with you," Fu Zhen replied, having the food served and handing him chopsticks. "You didn’t eat beforehand, did you?"