Chapter 120: Chapter 120 “Why Divorce?
Indeed, it was because war was impending that the black market trading too had been impacted, originally held every three days, now shifted to every ten days, and now even the dates were uncertain; Qi Yue had no choice but to postpone this matter.
That morning, as she was treating patients at the pharmacy, Lin Qun, dressed in an official’s uniform, suddenly arrived, followed by a man in black clothing.
She had Mada Zhang receive the visitors, and as usual, she finished treating the patient at hand before she went to greet Lin Qun.
“Miss Qi Yue, let introduce Mr. Zheng Fanglue from the Capital City; he is very interested in the theft that occurred at your residence and wants to understand the details.”
But seeing Zheng Fanglue, with his deep-set eyes and thin, frail appearance, half-human, half-ghost, Qi Yue felt a tightness in her heart.
Her loss of silver had attracted attention from soone from the Capital City? She wondered whether his visit was intentional or rely coincidental.
She thus feigned a look of imnse grief over the large amount of lost silver.
“It’s only a minor issue to have troubled you to co here, but now that the silver has vanished overnight, where can it possibly be found again? If you wish to understand the situation, you might ask our housekeeper; she is the clearest about everything that happened before and after.”
She mainly felt that if it was Mada Zhang playing herself, it would be better.
Lin Qun listened and then nodded slightly, talking briefly to Zheng Fanglue.
The few of them then went aside to speak with Mada Zhang.
Qi Yue herself returned to continue seeing patients.
But she kept an eye on the manner of their questioning.
Even though several days had passed since the silver was lost, Mada Zhang still beca indignant when recalling the incident.
Moreover, now that she knew of Hu Chengxuan’s sche with the chest, her words implicated the Hu Family throughout.
“Lord Zheng, you co from the Capital City; surely you can manage this Prefectural Magistrate! He resented my miss for refusing to treat him and coveted the money, which led him to commit such acts.”
Qi Yue just shook her head silently.
She had only told Lin Qun it was the Hu Family to trouble Hu Chengxuan a bit.
Hu Chengxuan was deeply trusted by the Imperial Court; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been stationed at Longnan Ridge for six years after her father’s death. A re accusation like this couldn’t touch him.
Besides, Hu Chengxuan’s residence likely didn’t hold much silver either, so even if this Mr. Zheng went to search the Hu Family, he wouldn’t find any evidence.
More importantly, with the border war imminent and the Imperial Court needing every available person, it would not be displeased with Hu Chengxuan.
Indeed, after Mada Zhang finished talking, Zheng Fanglue suddenly said sternly, “Prefectural Magistrate Hu is entrusted with important tasks and would never stoop to such petty thievery. If such remarks are made again in the future, military law will deal with them harshly!”
Mada Zhang, fearless of death, just burst out.
“So, my young miss’s silver just vanishes?!”
Zheng Fanglue stood up. his gaze stern, dropped a sentence, and walked away directly.
Suddenly, both Lin Qun and Mada Zhang kept silent.
Struck by curiosity, Qi Yue quickly finished treating her patients and went over.
“Mada Zhang, what happened?”
Before she could speak, Lin Qun spoke first.
“Lord Zheng said that this batch of silver was stolen by the Guyang thief, and it’s probably irretrievable.”
After that, he consoled her further.
Essentially, he had already investigated, and since the silver was taken by the Guyang thief, there was nothing he could do; the loss would have to be chalked up to misfortune.
Qi Yue knew he was doing this out of respect for Chu Yuntian.
Moreover, since her silver had not truly been lost, it was not appropriate to pursue further investigations, so the matter was dropped.
However, she still managed to find out from Lin Qun that Zheng Fanglue was not here specifically for her case, but had been in the area on other business and only ca over upon hearing of the peculiar theft.
Qi Yue suddenly beca suspicious, always feeling that Zheng Fanglue possessed a sort of unscrupulous quality typical of certain n.
Grim, stern…
She had thought that the matter would be over, but unexpectedly, at the ti of lighting the lamps that evening, Zheng Fanglue suddenly arrived.
In the night, under the light of the lanterns, this thin man appeared even more like a ghostly shadow.
Qi Yue didn’t know what he was up to, and could only command her servants to treat him well.
After all, from appearances, he had co from the Capital City; it wouldn’t be good to neglect him too much.
“Miss Qi Yue, when did you divorce Young Marquis Zhao?”
As soon as he asked this, Qi Yue was very certain that Zheng Fanglue was up to no good, and answered him honestly.
“The second month after I reached Northern Ridge.”
“Why did you get a divorce?”
“Why else? I couldn’t be trapped in Northern Ridge as a lifelong exile!”
Upon hearing this, Zheng Fanglue’s lips twitched twice, which Qi Yue happened to catch, making her sowhat impatient.
She figured it out—his morning visit to the dical hall to discuss a theft was probably to test and observe her; tonight’s matter was her real purpose.
“Dare I ask, sir, what brings you here this ti? Could it possibly be that my divorce and the missing silver are related?”
Indeed, Zheng Fanglue stood up, his gaunt face unpredictable in the dim light.
He pulled a badge from his chest, and said with a smirk, “Recognize this?”
Qi Yue’s pupils shrank, and Zheng Fanglue laughed loudly, his laugh gaggling like a drake.
“Miss Qi Yue, I ask and you answer—this is what you should be doing right now.”
“I never expected to offend such a bad officer, my apologies,” Qi Yue said with offense, standing her ground without a hint of fear.
Zheng Fanglue snorted and took the badge back.
“Since this is the case, I will be direct. Was your divorce because you discovered the treasure map in that book?”
Seeing that Qi Yue stayed silent, a smug look appeared on Zheng Fanglue’s face.
“We have already confird that after your divorce, you left Longnan Ridge and went to Western Chu, and then you returned again.”
“We have also clarified that the National Treasure is not in Western Chu, and surely you discovered that too and ca back here, right?”
“Now, you’re pretending to run a dical hall here but are actually plotting to seize the National Treasure, right?”
Although his remarks were logically sound and plausible, Qi Yue just wanted to laugh.
Did this unethical officer make decisions based only on assumptions?
It was because Huang Zai’an stubbornly refused to leave Northern Ridge until his death that she deduced the National Treasure might be sowhere in Longnan Ridge. But how did this unethical man find out?
Could it really be as Zheng Fanglue said, because she took the divorce paper but refused to leave?
“What are you laughing at? Hurry up and hand over the treasure map!”
Qi Yue never liked being pointed at and spoken to, especially now when she was being wrongly accused!
“I laugh because you’re foolish!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she darted forth like a sharp sword. In an instant, as her hand moved with a knife, Zheng Fanglue scread as a finger fell to the ground.
“You… you dare to attack ? Do you know who I work for?”
Zheng Fanglue clutched his hand, his eyes fierce.
“I don’t care whose man you are, if you dare to strut about in my house, you better be prepared to face the consequences,” Qi Yue said coldly. “Besides, let clarify sothing for you: whatever treasure map you’re talking about, I know nothing about it.”
Just as she called for the servants, Old Mrs. Zhang ca in from the hall. Not only did she drive Zheng Fanglue out, she also ordered soone to sweep up the severed finger and throw it out the door.
Qi Yue couldn’t help but be surprised.
When she had acted just now, all the maids and old won had kept their distance, but she had stayed right by the hall without moving.
With her head bowed and her eyes lowered, she was like a statue.
It seed that Old Mrs. Zhang was no ordinary person either!
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