Chapter 432: The Technology Gap is Killing Us (5)_1
Looking at Wu Dongsi, Pei Qin recounted the assault that happened during the night.
Wu Dongsi gasped after hearing the account, and his first thought was also that Pei Zongli and Lady Qian had hired assassins to commit murder. Once he asked for more details, he expressed relief, "Fortunately, Young Master Shen was thorough in his considerations and arranged guards for you ahead of time; otherwise, last night would have been perilous! However, this matter... the assassin has already fled, and the bodies and traces of the two who died have also been wiped clean, making it difficult even to file a case."
"That’s why you only need to investigate the matter of the goods, Sir Wu. Following this clue, you might be able to uncover who’s behind it all." Pei Qin already had her suspicions; now she just needed to investigate to see if she could rule out anyone from Yuanyang County and Runing Prefecture. If she could exclude them, then the perpetrator would be in the Capital Jingcheng.
Wu Dongsi nodded, "Since there is a direction, it won’t be hard to investigate!"
Pei Qin thanked him, leaving those several large chests at the County Government Office as physical evidence. As for the person who drugged her, whoever it was would have certainly prepared for someone to be there waiting for her, or else the drug would have been wasted. Back at the inn, Pei Qin, supporting her sore and weak limbs, gave some silver to a boy running errands, asking him to find out if the targets had appeared in or around the inn.
Although Zhang Shiqian and Zhao Junchao had sneaked in, they had indeed been in the inn. In less than half a day, the errand boy found out that last night, Zhao Junchao, Zhang Shiqian, and another companion had dinner at the inn and had gone out to the outhouse in the courtyard.
Pei Qin instructed Lu Hai to inform Wu Dongsi that Zhao Junchao and the others had mysteriously appeared at the inn, and their tea had been tampered with. It wouldn’t be easy to catch the Qian family or Lady Qian red-handed. Just catch a few to take the blame first!
Seeing the situation grow increasingly complex, Wu Dongsi sent people to investigate the merchant caravan while also dispatching plainclothes guards to keep an eye on Zhao Junchao and Zhang Shiqian. He needed to ascertain whether these were two separate cases—one of murder and one of theft—or a combined case.
Pei Qin couldn’t bear it any longer. She hadn’t slept well the entire night and was severely drained. Merely eating wouldn’t help, so she and Lu Hai hurried back to the town. Lu Hai’s injury needed healing, and she suspected she was hurt, too. It was time to recuperate properly!
Seeing her return, but walking unnaturally and looking unwell, Lu Hai turned pale with loss of blood. Lu Hao was alarmed, "Were you attacked again?"
Pei Yuan and Pei Qian immediately looked worried.