Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 244 Swift and Accurate Strike

In the afternoon, an even more explosive piece of news spread throughout the streets and alleys.

"Have you heard? The Qin family's property was raided by the authorities. I heard they found more than a dozen women and children's corpses in a dry well in the backyard. It's terrifying!"

"Ah!! Really? That's utterly heartless! Isn't Master Qin a renowned philanthropist?"

"Yes! I heard last year they donated a lot of money and silk to the orphanage, and even brought back many children, saying they would give them food and education!"

"Ha, you're right, I heard that half of the bodies in that well are those half-grown children's corpses!"

"What a tragedy! Really? They took the child back and killed him?"

"Fool, do you really believe they took them home to study? Have you forgotten what happened a few years ago when they beat to death more than a dozen tenant farmers in Wangjiazhuang?"

"..."

At this time, the Gu residence.

Gu Qingyue was standing in the kitchen, chopping vegetables with a "dudududu" sound; she was going to make dumplings.

She left the other dishes to the chef, while she, Rong Qingqing, and Gu Yuanen personally made the dumplings.

Listening to Yue Ling speaking in a low voice behind them, detailing the news from the street, Gu Qingyue's lips curled into a wide smile.

"Has any more news come out about the Qin family?" Gu Qingyue asked, thinking of the warehouse and secret room she had looted.

"Not yet. I have already sent the master's letter to the Lizhou camp, and also sent the letter to the second master of the Qin family."

In fact, it would be even more convincing to include a personal ID as well!

What if we stay in Lizhou and are silenced by Prefect Li? Right? Gu Qingyue is just that considerate.

Gu Qingyue knew that this illegal stockpiling of salt was no small matter. It usually involved a group of people colluding to establish a profit chain for the illegal sale of salt.

It's not something that can be resolved by arresting just one member of the Qin family.

She remembered Mu Yun Chu saying that Prefect Li had a deep connection with the Qin family.

Therefore, she could not place all her hopes on the Lizhou government office. Although Prefect Li could not possibly control everything in the government office, he certainly had the most power!

Even though prefectural governments are generally equipped with officials such as the Tongpan and Tongzhi, who can check and balance the prefect, the Tongpan and Tongzhi are ultimately deputy positions, and in general, the opinions of the prefect should be followed.

Of course, if the prefect and the vice-prefect of Lizhou were already in cahoots, then Gu Qingyue would be unlucky.

Therefore, she also wrote a letter to Mu Yun Chu, and attached the two letters she took from the Qin residence as evidence.

This was intended as irrefutable evidence and a backup plan, since the letter was written by Prefect Li to Master Qin.

"Hmm, very good," Gu Qingyue chuckled.

Gu Yuanen looked at his younger sister with sparkling eyes, thinking that his sister was simply too cool!

They either don't make a move at all, or they make a quick and decisive one. That's really satisfying!

Rong Qingqing, who was listening nearby, was dumbfounded!

So the problem that had been bothering her for several days was solved by the little girl in just one night?

Not only was the problem solved, but the other party was completely eradicated.

That was, after all, the second most powerful and influential family in Lizhou for decades!

"The government offices are sealed off for the New Year, so keep a close eye on things. Remember to spread the word as widely as possible so they don't have a chance to suppress it. Also, keep a close watch on the government prison."

After giving her instructions, Gu Qingyue watched Yue Ling walk out and added, "Come back for dumplings tonight."

A cold wind was blowing, and the crowds on the streets of Lizhou finally dispersed.

All that remains are red lanterns swaying in the wind and the occasional figure hurrying home.

As the hustle and bustle faded, the streets gradually quieted down.

What follows is the joyful laughter and merriment of families gathering together to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The Qin family residence on Zhengyuan Street was eerily silent.

Apart from a few scattered lights, the main courtyard was pitch black.

Meanwhile, in a courtyard in the southeast corner.

From the main bedroom, the voice of a man pleading desperately or screaming in a high-pitched, frenzied manner could be heard continuously.

Outside the courtyard, several yamen runners stood ramrod straight, seemingly unable to hear the man's voice inside the room.

In the darkness, seven or eight dark figures leaped and landed in the courtyard.

A moment later, he appeared in the study outside the main courtyard.

The outer study is a small courtyard house within the main courtyard.

In the center of the courtyard was a large clump of lush purple bamboo.

Even in the bleak and cold winter wind, it still stands straight.

Like a scholar, tall and handsome.

The group exchanged glances, and one of the leaders pulled a luminous pearl from his pocket, bringing a faint light to the dark courtyard.

The leader gestured for one person to step forward and open the study door, then made a hand gesture behind him. The rest of the men filed in and began searching everywhere.

While the study was being thoroughly searched, a tall, slender man stood in the bamboo grove in the courtyard, his black outfit making his figure appear even more upright and robust.

The man glanced coldly at the group of people searching the study, then leaped up with lightning speed, flew out of the courtyard, and landed on the roof.

A moment later, a group of twenty people appeared behind him, all dressed in black, looking energetic, with eyes as bright as stars, and their faces covered with black masks, making their features unrecognizable.

The man made several gestures behind him, and the men in black behind him nodded in unison.

Then half of the people flew towards the southwest of the backyard, while the rest of the people, together with the man, leaped down and rushed directly into the study.

The sound of swords clashing immediately rang out, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard.

At this moment, ten figures who had just rushed from the southwest corner were already standing in front of a row of reverse-facing houses.

There are five rooms in a row, and the courtyard is very spacious.

But it looked ordinary, just like a typical wealthy family's house. Such houses were usually for servants with some status. At this moment, it was pitch black inside.

Because dozens of corpses were unearthed in the backyard during the day, the Qin family patriarch and steward, among others, have been taken to the government jail.

All the female relatives, servants, and the mentally unstable Qin Feifei were temporarily kept under the supervision of the Qin residence, so the area around the back room was deserted at this time.

The group worked in perfect unison, pouring tung oil around the rear building. Someone lit a torch, and they waited for the order to begin.

If Gu Qingyue were here now, she would recognize this as the location of the warehouse where she discovered the salt.

Seeing that everything was ready, a man in black immediately drew his sword, slashed open the lock on a room, rushed inside, and came out a moment later, nodding.

"Light the fire!" a young boy's voice rang out.

Inside Gu's house.

"Sister Rong, you can mix this chive and egg filling. I've already added the seasonings," Gu Qingyue handed a large porcelain bowl to Rong Qingqing, while she herself began adding seasonings to the filling in another large porcelain bowl.

"Oh, what smells so good?"

Dr. Zhang appeared at the kitchen door with a head of messy, gray hair, followed by Chai Hu, whose face was weathered and worn.

Dr. Zhang and Chaihu spent a lot of time collecting herbs in the mountains, and almost missed their New Year's Eve dinner.

However, they had a very fruitful experience and were in high spirits.

I just got back and Liu Yong told me that Gu Qingyue was in the kitchen making something delicious with everyone.

He immediately dropped the medicine basket, grabbed Chaihu, and ran towards the kitchen.