A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 256 Ruan Fengshan Returns to the City

Cai and her husband were frying crispy snacks for the New Year in a hot oil pan.

Cai rolled the meatballs in the basin and then put them into the frying pan.

The man was standing in front of the wok, flipping the oil with chopsticks in his hand.

The man was as thin as a stick. He was wearing a thick cotton coat and an apron, which made him look a little funny. He flipped the meatballs in the frying pan and complained, "I asked you to buy tofu so early in the morning, but you came back with an empty basket!"

"I told you, I was shocked when I saw Sun Huang's corpse! How could I care about buying tofu? I'll buy it tomorrow morning!"

The man rolled his eyes at Cai. "Even if you lied, you don't have to implicate others. It's New Year's Day, why are you cursing others? Go buy it tomorrow? I said I wanted to fry tofu today, but you didn't fry it in a hot pan? You're going to heat up another pot of oil tomorrow just to fry some tofu?"

"you……"

Just as the two were about to start arguing, there was a knock on the door.

The man heard someone knocking on the door, put down his chopsticks angrily and went to open the door.

Cai stared at the man's back, very angrily, and spat several times into the basin in her hand.

The man opened the door and saw that it was the daughter-in-law of Sun Huang's family next door, so he smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, please sit in the room."

Liu Eying said, "Where is Sister Jialian? I want to talk to her."

"She...she is rolling meatballs in the kitchen..." The man saw that Liu Eying's face looked a little strange and he began to hesitate.

Liu Eying walked in and hurried to the kitchen. She looked at Cai and asked, "Sister Jialian, tell me the truth. Did you really see Sun Huang's body this morning? Was it hanging on the horse?"

Cai was so angry at her husband that she was choking. When Liu Eying suddenly asked her, she said, "Sister-in-law, if I tell even one lie, I will let my husband get a sore on his head that will rot all the way to his buttocks!"

"I'm going to beat you to death! It's New Year's Day and you dare to curse me!" The man got furious when he heard this. He jumped up from behind Liu Eying and was about to hit Cai.

At this moment, Liu Eying fell down at the kitchen door with a thud, and the Cai couple were immediately in a panic.

The man turned Liu Eying over, slapped her face, and pinched her philtrum. "Sister-in-law, it's New Year's Eve, don't scare me..."

Cai said, "Carry him out first! Don't stay in the kitchen, as it will be exposed to cooking fumes..."

When something really happened, Mrs. Cai seemed much calmer than her man.

After they were busy for a while, Liu Eying finally woke up and burst into tears...

The afterglow of the setting sun illuminated the east gate of Xiangu County. As the sun was about to set, thick cold air had already surged up layer by layer. The yamen runners guarding the city were shivering and huddled together due to the cold.

At this moment, Ruan Fengshan rode his horse and entered the city from the east gate.

Ruan Fengshan rode alone, covered in dust, and had been traveling for several days. There was obvious fatigue on his face.

At dusk, there were few pedestrians on the street. It was almost the end of the year, and vendors selling New Year goods usually set up their stalls in the morning, and they were basically sold out by noon.

The weather was cold and few people went out at dusk.

Ruan Fengshan was riding a horse on the street. When he passed by the City God Temple, he looked up and suddenly stopped his horse.

I saw a black cloth hanging from a wind chime in a corner of the City God Temple. When the breeze blew, the wind chime made a crisp sound and the black cloth fluttered in the wind...

Ruan Fengshan's eyes moved. It seemed that during the few days he was in the city, there had been a big change in Xiangu County. This level of signal on the wind chime of the City God Temple had not been used for many years.

Ruan Fengshan tied his horse to the ancient mulberry tree at the entrance of the temple and walked into the City God Temple with a serious face. Inside the City God Temple, there were several men and women burning incense to the City God. The temple keeper stood aside with his eyes half closed, holding a whisk, as if he was asleep.

Ruan Fengshan also followed the men and women to worship the City God, then walked to the temple priest and coughed.

When the temple keeper heard the voice, he was startled and opened his eyes. He said, "Greetings to Shopkeeper Ruan. Have I not seen you for a while?"

"Did you take the money for the incense offerings that I asked the servant to deliver last month?"

"Of course I have. I bought some lamp oil and placed a perpetual lamp in front of the City God for you."

As they were talking, the men and women finished their worship and left the temple.

When the temple keeper saw those people leave, he immediately stopped flattering and came close to Ruan Fengshan, speaking quickly into his ear...

Ruan Fengshan's face changed several times when he heard this, and he looked at the temple priest in shock several times.

Ruan Fengshan did not stay long. When he stepped out of the City God Temple, dusk had already surged in from all directions.

Ruan Fengshan rode his horse back home, his mind in turmoil all the way.

"Wei Yutian's secret altar was discovered? Or was it his personal maid who reported it? Luan Jingfu is also dead? The entire Luan family has been imprisoned in the death row!"

Each piece of information was like a huge wave, violently beating against Ruan Fengshan's heart.

Ruan Fengshan really didn't expect that three branches of Yuanyang Prefecture were destroyed in succession, and the fourth one almost fell on his head.

Fortunately, Yu Lieting took action and killed Luan Jingfu, blocking Shen Yanliu's pursuit in time, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.

Luan Jingfu knew many things about the branch, even the news line between the temple keeper and the beggar.

It’s really scary to think about it!
He had been running the business for many years and was nearly uprooted!

Ruan Fengshan returned to the backyard of the escort agency, changed into looser clothes, and just as he sat down, he called the servant over and asked a few questions, and then Qin Shuban from the yamen came to visit him.

After Qin Shuban entered the room and bowed, he said, "Manager Ruan, the county lord wants to see you!"

Ruan Fengshan's eyebrows jumped. When he came out of the City God Temple, he had already expected that Shen Yanliu would definitely look for him, but he didn't expect it would be so soon. He hadn't even sat down yet.

Luan Jingfu was not actually a native of Xiangu County, but was invited to Xiangu County by him. However, now that this person has been confirmed to be a member of the Filthy Blood Cult, no matter what he said, he could not escape suspicion.

Ruan Fengshan looked at Qin Shuban and said, "I wonder if it has anything to do with the recent major case?"

Qin Shuban smiled and said, "I don't know about this little official. Manager Ruan will know the answer after he sees the county lord."

Ruan Fengshan usually interacted with Qin Shuban and gave him many benefits. He would reveal some information about ordinary things, but how could he dare to talk about such a major case?

Ruan Fengshan sighed helplessly and followed Qin Shuban out of the escort agency, both of them riding horses.

When Ruan Fengshan was getting on the horse, he took advantage of Qin Shuban's inattention and swallowed a pill hidden in his sleeve.

After walking along West Street for a while, the two suddenly turned into an alley.

Ruan Fengshan rode his horse to catch up with Qin Shuban, and asked in surprise: "Qin Shuban! Why isn't the county lord in the county office, summoning me?"

Qin Shuban was standing on his horse and replied, "That's not the case. The county lord is in Wei Yutian's house."

Ruan Fengshan's eyelids twitched wildly and his mind was in turmoil. He was thinking about Shen Yanliu's intention. Why did she meet him in Wei Yutian's house?
(End of this chapter)