Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 251 Fortunately among misfortunes
Could it be that Jiang Liuyun is so ruthless and insane?

Is it really possible that all those witnesses who destroyed the imperial gifts have been framed and killed over the years?
But that doesn't make sense either.

Lin Zhiqing looked at the booklet again.

After confirming that the deaths occurred at different times and over a wide range, Lin Zhiqing frowned.

Could it be that Jiang Liuyun knew about the imperial gift many years in advance?
He was afraid that killing too many people at once would arouse suspicion, so he arranged for those people to die due to various accidents.

The carriage swayed and rocked, and Lin Zhiqing's thoughts also fluctuated.

Her neck felt a little cold.

Lin Zhiqing believed that Jiang Liuyun had such a scheme in mind, but even so, there was still one thing that didn't make sense.

He hated the Lin family to the bone, and if he had such a big handle on them, he certainly wouldn't keep quiet about it.

Lin Zhiqing thought about it for a long time, but still couldn't figure out the key point.

She shook her head instinctively.

Lin Yangyang looked worried: "If all these people die, won't we be helpless?"

“No.” Lin Zhiqing shook his head: “There are still so many people on this list, they just aren’t in the capital.”

"He can kill ten, a hundred, but he can't kill them all."

"We'll just have to spend a little more time. Let's go back to the manor and continue looking for people in the surrounding area tomorrow."

Lin Yangyang nodded, showing no sign of discouragement: "Okay, let's continue the search tomorrow."

That evening, Lin Zhiqing used the informant Lin Qingshan had given her to arrange for people to search the surrounding area according to the list.

This matter was handled very discreetly; even Lin Congyan and Lin Qingshan were unaware of it.

The next morning, Lin Zhiqing received a more detailed list.

Excluding those who died from various accidents, the number of people still alive can be counted on one hand.

Moreover, these people were scattered all over the country, quite far from Shengjing City.

Finding each person individually would take considerable time and effort and could not be accomplished overnight.

This situation made Lin Zhiqing even more certain that someone was behind it all.

Almost everyone nearby died, while only those far away survived.

Presumably, those who "slipped through the net" were either far away or lacked complete information, which is why they escaped unscathed.

This has been a fortune in misfortune.

Thinking of this, Lin Zhiqing turned her gaze to the few people who had "lost contact".

“Zheng Kuo…” she murmured the name.

"Zheng Kuo?" Aunt Mu walked in from outside carrying a basin of water. She opened her mouth slightly and unconsciously repeated the name.

"Aunt Mu, do you know this person?" Lin Zhiqing pointed to the booklet.

Aunt Mu strode into the room and placed the basin of water in her hand aside: "This Zheng Kuo is from Yongqing. He has only one son and is over forty years old."

“That’s right.” Lin Zhiqing nodded. What Aunt Mu said was exactly the same as what was recorded in the book.

"I had some dealings with Zheng Kuo before." Mu Shen's eyes tilted slightly to the upper left as if he were recalling something.

She quickly continued speaking:

"When the master was young and impetuous, he once sneaked into the military camp without informing the marquis."

Although he was not seriously injured and even made a contribution, he was still scolded by the Marquis.

“From then on, the Marquis assigned Zheng Kuo, who was by his side, to the Master, and that’s how I came to have dealings with Zheng Kuo.”

A smile appeared in Aunt Mu's eyes: "Zheng Kuo treats the master very well, and he is proficient in both literary and military arts. He and Jiang Yunhe are the master's right-hand men in the army."

"Is that all?" Lin Zhiqing asked, quite perceptively.

There were many people around my father, and Lin Qingshan also left behind many of his old subordinates to assist him.

If that were all, Aunt Mu's impression wouldn't be so deep. "More than that!" Aunt Mu's tone was somewhat indignant:

"I just can't understand it. On the day the master had his accident, Zheng Kuo stole a lot of gold and silver jewelry and disappeared."

"Both the Marquis and the Master have treated Zheng Kuo well. His wife died early, so the Master took it upon himself to bring his son to Shengjing and even bought them a house."

"But he was a coward, and in order to save his own life, he abandoned his only son."

"Disloyal, unjust, and unfilial, he deserves to die!"

Aunt Mu couldn't help but pat the table.

"Wait a minute." Lin Zhiqing frowned. "Is his son still in Shengjing?"

"That's right, right at the entrance of the vegetable market in the West Market. I heard he does nothing all day and makes a living by emptying swill for people." Aunt Mu gritted her teeth in anger.

“He shamelessly came to the Lin family to ask for a job a while ago, but I turned him down.”

"Aunt Mu, have someone prepare the car, I need to go to the market entrance." Lin Zhiqing raised her hand.

"The entrance to the market? You're going to find him?" Aunt Mu was taken aback.

“That’s right, I have some questions I’d like to ask.” Lin Zhiqing got up and quickly washed up.

Although Aunt Mu didn't understand why, she didn't ask any more questions and quickly went out to have someone prepare the carriage.

Soon, Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang went out together.

This is truly a helpless situation.

After the Jiang Liuyun incident, Lin Yangyang is currently the most trustworthy person by Lin Zhiqing's side.

The two drove their carriage around the West Market several times, and to avoid attracting attention, they even went to Jianxintang.

Everything at Jianxin Hall was normal, except that there were a few more people in the backyard.

After Lin Zhiqing walked around the backyard, he went to the entrance of the vegetable market.

Returning to this familiar place, Lin Zhiqing could even recall the scene at the execution ground that day.

The carriage wound its way through the narrow alleyway at the entrance of the market. As the alley became increasingly narrow, the two disembarked and walked through the alley.

Since they were visiting the West Market, both of them were dressed very simply, carrying some rice, flour, and pastries.

They asked everyone they met for directions and soon stopped in front of a small but tidy house.

Lin Yangyang stepped forward and knocked on the door: "Is anyone home?"

"Mom, someone's coming!" The child's voice was clear and bright.

Then, the woman's voice rang out: "Coming, coming!"

With a "click," the door opened.

Upon seeing the two pretty faces, the woman who opened the door was visibly startled, pulled the child behind her, and a look of wariness appeared on her face.

"who are you?"

"Madam, my sister and I have come to thank Xiao Cai." Lin Yangyang smiled and bent down to look at the child behind the woman:
"Little Cai, do you still remember me?"

The child sucked on his finger and nodded: "Sister Lin, you are Sister Lin!"

"That's right!" Lin Yangyang pushed the pastries forward.

Lin Zhiqing stepped forward: "Wife, Xiao Cai did me a great favor earlier, and I even gave him a slingshot."

At this point, the woman quickly recalled what had happened at the execution ground a few months earlier.

Doctor Lu of the Lu Family Clinic is searching for a child. She had received a favor from Doctor Lu and took Xiao Cai out, which is said to be related to the fourth master of the Lin family.

Thinking of this, she asked, "Are you friends of Miss Lu?"

“That’s right. Although Nan Yue has already come to express her gratitude, I still feel it’s necessary to pay a visit in person.” Lin Zhiqing nodded with a smile.

Mentioning Lu Nanyue, the woman smiled, but also seemed a little flustered: "Miss Lin, my place is so small and shabby, it's really embarrassing to be seen here."