My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

Yongfeng Bank made the first move.

It wasn't the person who came to redeem the ticket who moved.

Those who heard about "double recycling" were the first to act.

The places where news travels fastest in the capital are not government offices, but money shops, taverns, gambling dens, and brothels.

The No. 372 banknote is involved in the case, and Yongfeng is willing to buy back double the amount.

Once this was said, half of the southern part of the city knew about it.

When Luo Wanqian ran to deliver the news, he was covered in sweat and his eyes were full of excitement.

"Lord Shen, it moved! It really moved!"

I was closing my eyes in a side room of the Censorate at the time.

It was only closed for a short while.

Just as Ah Liu draped the cloak over me, Luo Wanqian rushed in and shouted.

When I opened my eyes, I felt my soul was still sitting in the chair, but my body had been pulled up by the case.

"Who moved it?"

"Lu's Pharmacy on the back street of the Ministry of Justice!"

I stood up.

Explain yourself.

Luo Wanqian, panting, said, "Not long after Yongfeng released the news, a young clerk came out of the back door of Lu's Pharmacy and went to the gambling den in Xiliu Lane. I had someone follow him, and we found someone in the gambling den carrying a silver note, heading to Yongfeng."

"Has the ticket number been confirmed?"

"I can't confirm it, but the person is very flustered."

"Where is Lu's Pharmacy?"

"Manager Lu is tidying up the medicine cabinet, as if he's about to close the door."

I looked at Yan Xiaoyi.

He had already stood up.

"Walk."

This time, I didn't bring too many people.

With more people around, Manager Lu could run even faster.

I, Yan Xiaoyi, two Censorate bailiffs, and Luo Wanqian.

Ah Liu wanted to go with me, but I forced him back to guard the goal.

"I'm optimistic about Qian Fu and Xiao Xiu."

Ah Liu looked miserable.

"Young master, you're going out more and more like you're picking up dead people."

"So don't come."

He stopped talking.

The back street of the Ministry of Justice is located outside the old prison.

During the day, this street sells medicine, paper, and incense; at night, it is dimly lit and has a mixed smell.

An old plaque reading "Lu's Relief for the Wounded" hangs at the entrance of Lu's Pharmacy.

The plaque reads "Benevolence and Righteousness".

The things sold there may not be ethical.

When we arrived, the shop door was half closed.

There were sounds of something being rummaged through inside.

Yan Xiaoyi raised his foot to kick.

I stopped him.

"etc."

"Wait for him to run away?"

"Wait until he puts on an act."

I walked to the door and knocked.

"Buy medicine."

The sound inside stopped.

A moment later, one of the men poked his head out.

We're closed for today.

I coughed.

"Buy some 'wake-up pills'."

The waiter frowned: "Come again tomorrow."

I said, "No, we still have to investigate the case tonight."

The waiter's expression changed, and he turned and ran.

Yan Xiaoyi didn't wait for me this time.

He kicked the door open.

The pharmacy was in complete disarray.

The drawer was open, medicine packets were scattered all over the floor, and the back door was half-closed.

Manager Lu was carrying a wooden box and running towards the back door.

He was in his fifties, thin-faced, with a goatee, and ran more nimbly than he looked.

Yan Xiaoyi casually picked up a door bolt and threw it out.

The door latch brushed against Manager Lu's leg, causing him to bend over.

He screamed and collapsed to the ground.

The wooden box was smashed open.

Several silver notes and a small porcelain bottle rolled out of it.

I walked over, picked up the porcelain bottle, and smelled it.

Bitter almonds.

It tastes the same again.

Manager Lu lay on the ground, his face deathly pale.

"Lord Shen, spare my life! I was just selling medicine!"

What kind of medicine do you sell?

"vulnerary."

"A wound medicine that could make Liu Laoqi vomit black blood?"

He shuddered.

I placed the porcelain vase in front of him.

"Wu Fu San, Almond Cream. Manager Lu, Xu Shen from the Imperial Medical Academy has already examined it. If you say you don't recognize it, I'll ask someone from the old prison of the Ministry of Justice to identify it and see if this medicine is one of their commonly kept 'injury medicines'."

Manager Lu's lips turned blue.

"It wasn't a villain who poisoned me! A villain is only fit to administer the medicine!"

"Who took it?"

"I have no idea."

Yan Xiaoyi lifted the door latch slightly.

Manager Lu immediately replied, "I only accept tokens of proof! I only accept tokens of proof!"

I took out the pattern for the crane embroidery in gold thread.

"this?"

Manager Lu glanced at it and collapsed.

"Yes."

"The person who picked up the medicine has six fingers on their left hand?"

He closed his eyes.

"Yes."

"Your name is Ji Qing?"

"I don't know the name."

"The Pei family's chief servant?"

"I really don't know!"

It seems he really doesn't know Ji Qing's name.

These people have a very specific division of labor.

The bank's bottom code.

The pharmacy recognizes the item as a token of trust.

The carriage and horse shop accepts silver.

The old warehouse recognized the secret order.

Everyone only knows a small part of it.

That way, even if one person is arrested, they won't be able to implicate the entire network.

I asked, "How many times has he picked up the medicine?"

"three times."

"The most recent one?"

"The night before last."

"What should I take?"

"Wu Fu San, Almond Cream, and a small amount of Poison Sand."

My gaze turned cold.

Poisonous sand.

This is not something that will make you vomit blood and stay alive.

This is going to kill people.

"For whom?"

Manager Lu shook his head repeatedly.

"I don't know. I really don't know. That person only said it was for settling accounts."

It's time to settle accounts again.

When I hear those two words now, I want to smash the speaker's head into a mortar and pestle.

I opened the wooden box.

There were three silver notes inside.

One of them is the Yongfeng 372 unredeemed ticket.

The other one came from the gambling den in Xiliu Lane.

I haven't had a chance to use the third one yet.

I asked, "Was that ticket from the gambling den in Xiliu Lane used to accuse Liu Laoqi?"

Manager Lu dared not answer.

Luo Wanqian chimed in from the side, "Lord Shen, I've checked, and Liu Laoqi does indeed owe that gambling den money. A few days ago, the gambling den suddenly stopped pressing for payment and even introduced him to a night shift job."

I nodded.

The line is closed.

First, use the gambling debts to control Liu Laoqi.

Then use a cart and horse shop to have him pull the old warehouse boxes.

He saw something he shouldn't have seen, so he poisoned it and silenced the witness.

If he died in the old warehouse, it means the coachman was killed because he was greedy for money.

If I rescue you, you'll die in the Censorate and then turn around and accuse me of forcing a confession.

This was more than just a stroke of luck from the very beginning.

They even planned out how the survivors would die.

I asked Manager Lu, "What is your relationship with the old prison under the Ministry of Justice?"

Manager Lu shuddered.

"Just delivering medicine for the wounds."

"Does Han Jun know?"

"Lord Han...Lord Han only handles cases, not medicine."

That's a very clever way of saying it.

Not taking medicine doesn't mean you don't know about it.

I'm not pressuring you for now.

We need to investigate Han Jun's line, but for now, let's use Manager Lu to supplement Ji Qing's case.

"Paint."

Manager Lu had a long face.

"Lord Shen, if I sign this document, I will die!"

I looked at him.

"If you don't draw, you might die right now."

He glanced at the door bolt in Yan Xiaoyi's hand, then at the Censorate bailiffs outside the door, and finally collapsed.

"I'll draw it."

When Manager Lu signed the document, his hands trembled violently.

The confession was short.

But it's enough.

The golden crane was used as a token to obtain medicine.

A person with six fingers on their left hand.

Wu Fu San and Almond Cream.

Secret code for clearing accounts.

Payment was made using Yongfeng 372 silver notes.

With these factors combined, Ji Qing was no longer just a name in the tent.

He became the one who retrieved the poison from the poison supply line.

I put away my confession.

Just as they were about to escort Manager Lu back to the Censorate, a sharp whistle suddenly came from the back street.

Yan Xiaoyi's expression changed.

"There's an ambush."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of a door being broken down came from outside the back wall of the pharmacy.

Several men in gray clothes scaled the wall and entered.

I am not the target.

It's Manager Lu.

They moved quickly, the blade aimed directly at Manager Lu's neck.

Yan Xiaoyi blocked the two.

I grabbed Manager Lu and rolled him behind the counter.

The action was indecent.

But it works.

A short knife grazed Lu's scalp, shaving off a tuft of his hair.

Shopkeeper Lu was so frightened that he wet himself on the spot.

It has a very strong flavor.

I held my breath and cursed under my breath.

Couldn't these people have chosen a well-ventilated place to kill them?

The Censorate officers also rushed in and fought with the man in gray.

The medicine cabinets in the pharmacy were overturned, and the powder was scattered everywhere, making it difficult for people to open their eyes.

I saw a man in gray take a tinderbox out of his pocket.

We have to burn it again.

I get a headache just looking at folded tumbler now.

I grabbed a can of medicine powder from the counter and smashed it over there.

The medicine jar shattered, and white powder covered the man's face.

He let out a scream.

Taking advantage of the situation, Yan Xiaoyi broke his wrist with a single blow.

The tinderbox fell to the ground and I stomped it out.

I looked down.

The soles of the shoes were still smoking.

Good.

These shoes have certainly done a good job today.

Seeing that his attempt to silence them had failed, the man in gray immediately retreated.

Yan Xiaoyi chased after him outside, but quickly returned.

One got away.

"How many did you catch?"

"Two are alive, one is dead."

"Dead?"

"There's poison in your mouth."

It's the same old routine.

I looked at Manager Lu.

He huddled behind the counter, his face as white as paper.

"Did you see that?"

He nodded vigorously.

"This is what happens when you don't sign."

"Lord Shen, save me! I'll tell you everything!"

I sighed.

Lately, all these people need my help.

But I myself still have the sword of imprisonment hanging over my head for twenty-four hours.

I had the constables tie up Manager Lu, and then sealed up the pharmacy's account books, banknotes, and the remaining poison.

As he was leaving, Luo Wanqian ran back from the alley entrance.

"Lord Shen! They've made a move in Yongfeng too!"

My heart skipped a beat.

"Who?"

"Imperial Censor Lu has detained a man who came to redeem a ticket!"

"Who is it?"

Luo Wanqian was panting, his expression strange.

"People from the Qian family."

I asked, "Qian Fu?"

"no."

"The steward of Qian Rong's mansion?"

"No, not exactly."

Luo Wanqian swallowed hard.

"He is Qian Cheng, the nephew of Vice Minister Qian."

I stopped in my tracks.

Qian Rong's nephew.

This is not a problem that the accountant can be held responsible for.

Yan Xiaoyi looked at me.

"Back to Yongfeng?"

I glanced at Manager Lu, who was being held captive, and then at the mess that filled the pharmacy.

Less than half of the twenty-four hours had passed.

But Qian Rong's connection eventually extended from the accounting office to his relatives.

I said, "Let's go back to Yongfeng."

After taking two steps, I stopped again.

"Bring Manager Lu along as well."

Manager Lu cried out in a pitiful voice, "Lord Shen, my legs are weak!"

Yan Xiaoyi picked him up.

"It's okay, I have hands."

Shopkeeper Lu: "..."

The night grew deeper.

The silver notes started finding their own way.

What I need to do now is to prevent people from cutting off all the mouths that are helping it find its way before it finds Qian Rong.