Catching Monsters

Chapter 658 Jinshan Yinshan
Chen Qilang inwardly groaned, but he also understood that he was probably doomed today.

“I… I’ll tell you,” Chen Qilang took a deep breath and said slowly, “I don’t know what Han Shan is up to this week.”

"He's crazy!"

"For no apparent reason, people in the city are disappearing one after another."

"I really don't know what he's up to, or how he managed to kidnap people."

"All I know is that every time someone is arrested, Zhou Hanshan will send someone to give me a sum of money so that I can figure out how to deal with it."

Soon, Chen Qilang confessed everything in detail.

After listening, Jiang Yun frowned slightly. Judging from Chen Qilang's words, he didn't know what was going on either.

But there's no doubt that this matter is related to Zhou Hanshan.

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Yun's eyes. He glanced at the sky and said, "Perfect timing, it's not dark yet. Chen Qilang, let's go visit Zhou Hanshan together."

……

The Zhou Family Manor, located twenty miles north of Hongjiang Prefecture, is a beautiful peach orchard.

The ancestors of the Zhou family were fishermen who fished on the river. However, when Zhou Hanshan was young, he was unwilling to follow his father and fish honestly. Instead, he secretly followed others and engaged in the illegal sale of salt.

This was, after all, a risky business, but Zhou Hanshan was quick-witted and gave almost all of the money he earned in the early stages to local officials.

After accumulating wealth step by step, they also ventured into legitimate businesses such as cloth shops and money exchanges.

Through gradual accumulation, the Zhou family, now in their sixties, has become deeply rooted in Hongjiang Prefecture.

This manor is also extremely large; it would probably take half an hour to walk from one end to the other.

Along a road paved with blue bricks, Jiang Yun, Dong Qiaofeng, and more than fifty Imperial Guards, accompanied by Chen Qilang, headed toward the manor.

“Listen, once we enter the manor, behave yourself. As long as we can successfully find those men, you'll live,” Jiang Yun said coldly. “Understand?”

"If you don't behave, you'll lose your life here today."

Chen Qilang shrank his neck and nodded repeatedly to show that he understood.

Soon, the group arrived at the entrance to the manor, which was a very large gate.

The words "Zhou Mansion" are also hanging above it.

The white walls stretch for a long distance.

At the entrance, there were two servants waiting. When they saw so many people suddenly appear, they frowned slightly, but when they saw Chen Qilang, they felt more at ease.

"Lord Chen, what brings you here?" A servant hurried over and said respectfully, "Lord Chen, are you here to see my master?"

Chen Qilang cleared his throat, regaining some of the prefect's composure, and slowly said, "Go and inform Master Zhou that I and a friend have come to pay a visit."

Soon, the servant turned and went into the manor. After waiting for almost the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the servant came out.

open the door.

"Lord Chen, please." After the servant finished speaking, he glanced at the crowd and slowly said, "My master has also heard that quite a few people have come, but not too many people can go in. Please forgive us."

Upon hearing this, Dong Qiaofeng instinctively gripped the hilt of the knife beside him.

He was itching to raid the house, but Jiang Yun gave him a look and then said, "Old Dong, you come in with me. The rest of you, go take a walk around."

"Disperse." Dong Qiaofeng turned around and waved to the other Imperial Guards.

The Imperial Guards nodded slightly and quickly dispersed, clearly intending to surround the manor to prevent anyone from escaping.

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Yun, Dong Qiaofeng, and Chen Qilang entered the gate, led by a servant. Upon entering the manor, Dong Qiaofeng was quite impressed. Beyond the walls was a vast lawn planted with many exotic flowers and plants. In the distance was a lake, and along the lake were many antique-style buildings.

That must be where Zhou Hanshan and his family live.

"Such a beautiful view is quite rare." Dong Qiaofeng sighed and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "People in this poor place really know how to enjoy life. A local tycoon can occupy such a large piece of land."

If this were in the capital, it would be almost the size of an imperial garden.

Inside the manor, one can see many servants.

Before long, the group, led by the servant, arrived at a large courtyard by the lake.

Upon entering the courtyard, one finds numerous writing implements (writing brush, ink stick, inkstone, and paper) and paintings and calligraphy by renowned artists displayed in the houses.

"This is a place our master uses specifically to receive guests." Seeing Dong Qiaofeng's surprised expression, the servant couldn't help but think to himself that the other man was a country bumpkin who had never seen the world.

"Please wait with Lord Chen for a moment, my master will be here soon."

After saying that, the servant turned and left without even bothering to brew a pot of tea.

"This servant is really arrogant." Dong Qiaofeng sat down casually, somewhat displeased.

Jiang Yun then reminded him, "Don't touch anything carelessly."

Then, Jiang Yun looked at Chen Qilang and asked, "You've been here before, haven't you? Is there anything strange about this place?"

Chen Qilang shook his head and said, "How could I possibly tell..."

Jiang Yun stood in the courtyard, and he didn't touch many things inside the house.

After a while, footsteps slowly came from outside the door, and then Zhou Hanshan strode in from outside the courtyard.

He was dressed in fine clothes and wore two valuable thumb rings on his hands, giving off an air of wealth.

"Hahaha, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Jiang Yun, I am so sorry for not welcoming you properly." Zhou Hanshan laughed heartily and strode into the courtyard.

Then, he looked at Chen Qilang and said with some dissatisfaction, "Lord Chen, you know Lord Jiang, why didn't you introduce him to me sooner?"

Jiang Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, not revealing his name.

Of course, it wasn't exactly a secret that I came to Hongjiang Prefecture, so it was normal for him to know.

To Jiang Yun's surprise, Zhou Hanshan's expression seemed indifferent to his visit.

Jiang Yun slowly said, "Zhou Hanshan, where are my people? Hand them over first, and then we can talk slowly."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Hanshan narrowed his eyes slightly and said slowly, "Lord Jiang, let's talk business first."

After he finished speaking, he clapped his hands, and suddenly the door to the courtyard opened.

Dong Qiaofeng was a little nervous and put his hand on the hilt of the knife.

Unexpectedly, outside the courtyard, many servants carried in mountains of gold and silver.

It refers to mountains of gold and silver in the literal sense.

This little golden mountain is half a meter high, and who knows how heavy it is? The silver mountain is even more than a meter high.

"Lord Jiang, this is a gift to mark our meeting. I wonder if you are satisfied?" Zhou Hanshan asked with a smile.

He had already inquired about Jiang Yun and found him to be quite greedy. He didn't believe that these two mountains of gold and silver could not tempt him.

(End of this chapter)