Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 159 Unraveling the Mystery (Second Update)
"The letter containing the list of names I sent to 'Winged Fire Serpent' is stored at Anping Escort Agency."

"Who exactly is it?"

"The subordinates of the Twenty-Eight Mansions do not interact with each other. I cannot inquire about their identities, and they will not pry into my background..."

"Tsk!"

Lu Bing frowned.

Escort agencies are places where all sorts of people come and go, and they inevitably take in some outlaws from the martial arts world.

Just like the previous Hawks gang, if the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted to search such places, they might encounter fierce resistance. If the thieves of the Liyuan Society took the opportunity to escape, it would be difficult to deal with them.

Haiyue, however, didn't seem to mind and said, "It's alright! Just write a letter and send it to 'Winged Fire Serpent'!"

Lu Yuan's blindfold had been removed, and he then discovered that the young man who had captured him earlier was also there. Upon hearing this, he asked, "I'm writing a letter to 'Winged Fire Serpent'? What should I write?"

Haiyue said, "Zhao Wenhua, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Justice, was still going to be demoted from the capital after several efforts. In despair, he decided to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs and sell the recipe for Hundred Flowers Wine at a high price! When you learned of this, you hastily sent a message to 'Winged Fire Serpent' to warn them to be on guard. Is that normal?"

Lu Yuan paused for a moment, while Lu Bingze's eyes lit up: "Mingwei, what a great idea! When we get the person who retrieved the letter, we can follow the clues and find the source!"

In ancient times, there were various ways to deliver letters. Official channels were usually express couriers and post stations, while private channels included guild halls for safekeeping, shops for receiving letters, and escort agencies for carrying letters. There were also methods such as monks and Taoist priests delivering letters, and scholars taking the imperial examinations helping their fellow villagers carry letters home.

Regardless of the method, the process of sending and receiving letters was basically face-to-face, unlike the mailbox delivery of later generations.

This can be solved with a simple method: have Lu Yuan write a letter on the spot, then collect all the recipients' information and trace the clues back to the source.

Lu Yuan clearly had no room for resistance. Seeing that Lu Bing agreed with Hai Yue's method, he could only reconcile the situation and obediently start writing the letter.

After writing the letter as required, while waiting for the ink to dry, he rolled his eyes and tentatively asked, "Who should deliver this letter?"

"Of course you should deliver it!"

Lu Bing said coldly, "Anping Escort Agency is also in the south of the city, not far from Xuanbei Ward. As an officer in charge of investigations, it is not surprising that you would go there to patrol. That is why 'Jingmu Han' and 'Yihuo She' made this arrangement. If someone were to be replaced suddenly, no matter how many excuses they had, they would inevitably alert the enemy."

Lu Yuan was somewhat incredulous: "Lu Sheren is willing to let me act alone?"

"I'll follow behind you, but you can choose to run away, and you'll have to bear the consequences!"

Lu Bing grinned: "Now, it's not us Jinyiwei who want you dead more. That secret society's methods for dealing with traitors aren't very lenient, are they? Will they exile your family to the frontier and then secretly take care of them?"

Lu Yuan said in a trembling voice, "I have a question. Those three members of the Li Yuan Society have not been given any explanation yet, right?"

Lu Bing nodded: "Yes!"

That's attacking their heart.

After all that, it turns out he was the first traitor.

Lu Yuan paused for a moment, then sighed deeply: "I will fully cooperate with Lord Lu, but I beg you not to forget your promise. My youngest son was born last year and is still weak. He really cannot endure the hardships of the frontier. I beg you to spare his life!"

Lu Bing snorted, somewhat disdainfully, but said in a deep voice, "Since I said it, I will do it. Now recover and don't use this appearance to deliver the message!"

Before jumping out of the window, Lu Yuan was punched in the back by Yu Dayou, suffering internal injuries. After being captured by Hai Yue and going through further ordeals, he was already looking exhausted. Fortunately, there were no wounds on his face, and he was able to show himself after recovering.

While Lu Yuan was recovering, Lu Bing brought Hai Yue aside and said, "Mingwei, I need to gather my men. I don't trust the other members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but I have eight brothers who have always been by my side. They are definitely not from the Li Yuan Society. Now that we are going to Anping Escort Agency to arrest someone, we need to take them with us."

The goal of capturing Lu Yuan was clear. If it weren't for Yu Dayou and Hai Yue working together, one crouching at the stairwell and the other guarding the teahouse, he would have almost escaped. The person who would have helped Anping Escort Agency obtain their trust is still unknown. Relying on just the three of them was indeed not enough.

Haiyue nodded in understanding: "Wenfu has more experience in apprehending thieves. I await good news."

"it is good!"

Lu Bing breathed a sigh of relief. In the past, the Embroidered Uniform Guards would take credit from whomever they wanted, but facing this person, he didn't want any misunderstanding of stealing credit, both for public and private reasons. He smiled and said, "Once we have uprooted the Liyuan Society and wiped it out in one fell swoop, you and I, brothers, will definitely have a good celebration!"

He left swiftly, while Haiyue turned back to Lu Yuan, sizing up this member of the Li Yuan Society.

Lu Yuan felt uncomfortable under Lu Bing's gaze, but noticing that Lu Bing treated this person with great respect, he dared not offend him and could only ask in a low voice, "May I ask your name, young master?"

Haiyue said, "My name is Haiyue, courtesy name Mingwei, and I am a student of the Imperial Academy." "So you are Young Master Hai!"

Lu Yuan suddenly realized: "His Majesty personally bestowed a courtesy name upon him and also established the Yixin Society by imperial decree. I've heard of it! So the Yixin Society is indeed here to investigate the Liyuan Society?"

Haiyue did not correct him, as the Yixin Society was established long before he became famous. Instead, she said calmly, "The Embroidered Uniform Guards are also His Majesty's close advisors. In terms of closeness, you are even above me. Why did you embark on this path of no return as a secret society?"

"Young master, do you know that I should have been a centurion?"

Lu Yuan smiled bitterly: "My father was a centurion. After he passed away, I was tricked by my superior in order to inherit the position. I emptied my family's savings to bribe officials, but I was replaced and even the marriage that had been arranged long ago was ruined. I was devastated at the time. It was around that time that Li Yuanshe approached me!"

Haiyue asked, "But you're still a captain?"

Lu Yuan sighed, "To be honest, young master, when I joined the association, I wanted to climb the ranks step by step! A hundred-household commander wasn't enough; I wanted to rise to a thousand-household commander, and even become a garrison commander... But later I came to terms with it. Why covet great wealth and status? Being able to live a leisurely life is already a blessing that many people can only dream of!"

"That doesn't make sense!"

Haiyue frowned: "With the skills you showed before, if you hadn't been vying for the position of centurion, you could have lived a peaceful life as a captain. Why did you join the Liyuan Society and embark on the path of rebellion?"

"At first, I had no idea that Li Yuanshe would dare to be so audacious as to assassinate the Empress Dowager!"

Lu Yuan continued to sigh: "I originally thought that it was just some high-ranking official in the court cultivating his own power base. With so many conflicts in the world, what difference does it make who he sided with? At least the Liyuan Society is genuinely doing good deeds..."

Haiyue said, "Doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, seeking happiness for all people, is that what you and Zhou Shi'an both think?"

"Yes!"

Lu Yuan nodded: "Zhou Shi'an couldn't stand the many wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice in the world. When the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review reviewed the cases, they weren't actually completely ignorant, but in order not to offend the local judicial commissioners, they deliberately turned a blind eye. Initially, Zhou Shi'an argued his case forcefully and almost lost his job, so he stopped taking the lead and had Li Yuanshe secretly rescue those who had been wrongly convicted..."

Haiyue said, "And then these people who were wronged by the local government will work for the Liyuan Society?"

"But at least they rescued someone, and sometimes they rescued not just one person, but an entire family!"

A hint of regret flashed in Lu Yuan's eyes: "Li Yuan Society has never mistreated us. Perhaps that's why those three people haven't confessed since they were imprisoned!"

Haiyue asked directly, "So in your eyes, 'Hundred Flowers Wine' is also a savior from suffering?"

Lu Yuan's expression changed again.

"It seems you know a bit about this kind of witchcraft potion."

Haiyue used the name of Southeast Asian witchcraft to describe the future scourge of opium: "This kind of witchcraft can control people's hearts in Southeast Asia. At first, it can cure all diseases and make people feel like they are floating on air. But once people get used to its effects, if they don't take it for a day, their whole body will feel like it is being eaten by thousands of ants, and they will suffer unspeakable pain. In the end, in order to get a dose, they will go bankrupt, break up their families, and even completely abandon the most basic human dignity!"

Lu Yuan's face paled slightly, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Zhou Shi'an also disagrees with Hundred Flowers Wine, saying that it brings endless trouble..."

"But the 'Winged Fire Serpent' proudly proclaimed that with this substance, one could control the powerful and wealthy in the capital without anyone noticing and do whatever one wanted. Judging from the characteristics of Southeast Asian witchcraft, this is indeed true!"

Hai Yue said coldly, "Even if Zhou Shi'an and you are unwilling on the surface, your actions are still those of accomplices in aiding and abetting evil! 'Suppress the power of the monarch, rectify the laws and regulations, and seek the well-being of all people'? I will not argue with you about right and wrong or any grand principles. I will only ask you one question: In the dead of night, have you never thought about how hypocritical and ridiculous this slogan is?"

Lu Yuan fell completely silent.

Haiyue's words were partly because she could see that Lu Yuan was still wavering deep down. If, during the next operation, Lu Yuan suddenly had a resolute thought and was willing to sacrifice himself and his family to protect the other members of "Liyuan Society," the capture operation might be in vain.

On the other hand, there was also a vague sense that something was amiss. Sending a message to arrest someone might not be a safe bet: "Zhou Shi'an is a veteran official in the Ministry of Justice, specializing in investigating injustices in case files. For a secret society that can't see the light of day, this position is crucial because it can continuously replenish its members! In comparison, the 'Hundred Flowers Brew' matter doesn't actually require his involvement. It can be completely guided by others. Why should the 'Winged Fire Serpent's' actions put this 'Wellwood Falcon' at risk of exposure?"

Lu Yuan paused for a moment: "I don't know... Perhaps it's because Zhou Shi'an is too old and his health is failing?"

Haiyue shook her head: "But Zhou Shi'an originally had a substitute, but that person had an accident when he went to the capital, which is why he failed to inherit the position. This reason doesn't hold water! You are also a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Use your father's teachings as a centurion and the experience you've accumulated over the years to put yourself in his shoes and think about what really happened."

Guided by the clues, Lu Yuan found himself actually following the line of thought of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Suddenly, a thought struck him: "When I first sent the list, Zhou Shi'an said something very strange to me. Now that I think about it, he probably sent the list on his own initiative! It wasn't that 'Winged Fire Serpent' asked 'Wellwood Falcon' to cooperate, but rather that 'Wellwood Falcon' intentionally cooperated with 'Winged Fire Serpent' before his death? But how could that be?"

"That's not surprising. 'Wellwood An' Zhou Shi'an doesn't approve of 'Hundred Flowers Brew's' actions, yet he still sent you to deliver a serving of drinks to the members..."

Haiyue took out the list written by Zhao Wenhua from her bosom, her eyes widening: "After clarifying this relationship, looking at this list again, it might not be cooperation, but rather a threat! Could the true form of the 'Winged Fire Serpent' be among them?"

(End of this chapter)