Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 95

From the beginning, when Qi Zhenshu learned that so many people were involved, she found it somewhat strange. After all, selling raw iron was a serious crime, and not everyone would dare participate.

Moreover, the more people involved, the greater the risk of exposure.

“The only place where raw iron could be secretly mixed into the grain to be sent to the granary is the Cangchang Wharf in Binhe County.” The Zhizhou (Prefect) stroked his beard in agreement, saying, “Has the Princess Consort investigated the Director-General of the Cangchang in Binhe County, Peng Wanchun, carefully?”

“Mm.” Princess Consort Changning furrowed her brow and said, “No useful clues have been found.”

A few months ago, when Princess Consort Changning was tasked with investigating the Wang family’s case of selling military provisions, she had already investigated Peng Wanchun, the Director-General of the Cangchang in Binhe County.

Peng Wanchun is the cousin of Peng Changwei, the Commander of the Qingzhou Prefecture Garrison. She was previously a deputy general in the Qingzhou garrison, then transferred to the Qingzhou Inspectorate Department ten years ago to serve as an inspecting official, and was later recommended by the former Transport Commissioner of Jiangnan Dao to be the Director-General of the Cangchang in Binhe County.

Peng Wanchun is now forty-five and has never been married. Rumor has it that she enjoys good looks and keeps more than ten beautiful boy-servants and courtesans in her residence.

In addition, Peng Wanchun’s residence also keeps many bodyguards, especially one person named Akun, who is exceptionally tall and immensely strong.

A few days ago, when she learned that the problematic grain merchants were from Binhe County, Princess Consort Changning sent people to investigate Peng Wanchun again. However, according to the returned reports, no evidence that could convict Peng Wanchun was found.

“This is indeed a bit difficult.” The Prefect frowned.

The Director-General of the Cangchang at the wharf is a seventh-rank official, and it’s not appropriate to directly arrest and interrogate them without evidence. However, the matter has been investigated this far, and it’s clear that Peng Wanchun is inextricably linked to it.

Qi Zhenshu pondered for a moment and said to them, “Perhaps we can approach it from a different angle.”

“Tell us about it,” Princess Consort Changning raised an eyebrow, quite interested.

Qi Zhenshu explained the method she had thought of.

The Prefect once again clapped his hands in agreement, saying, “Marvelous, marvelous!”

“It is indeed a good method,” Princess Consort Changning also praised.

After the Zhizhou of Qingzhou left, Princess Consort Changning specifically asked Qi Zhenshu to stay.

“You are going out with me,” Princess Consort Changning said to Qi Zhenshu, then rose from her chair and walked out.

Qi Zhenshu followed behind her. As her steps just left the main hall, she looked up and saw the bright sunlight and the vast, azure sky outside.

Seeing her comfortable expression, Princess Consort Changning also looked up at the sky and asked, “Is your heart much lighter now?”

Since learning that Lu Huacheng might be involved in the raw iron trade, Qi Zhenshu did not show it on the surface, but her heart was indeed not light.

“Mm.” Qi Zhenshu nodded lightly, not surprised by why Princess Consort Changning could discern her thoughts.

Compared to what Lu Sheng had said about “official match,” Qi Zhenshu was more inclined to believe that the fundamental reason Princess Consort Changning could see through her mind was that they were essentially the same kind of person.

Furthermore, Princess Consort Changning had been in a high position for a long time and was most skilled at observing people’s hearts.

Qi Zhenshu even suspected that Princess Consort Changning had long guessed that Lu Huacheng was not genuinely involved, but although she had her thoughts, Qi Zhenshu did not voice the question.

Speculating about the superior’s intentions was one thing, but voicing it casually was a major taboo in officialdom.

Taking her calm demeanor into her eyes, Princess Consort Changning gained a greater affirmation of Qi Zhenshu in her heart.

Following the matter of Lu Huacheng, she stopped Qi Zhenshu from participating in the investigation of the raw iron case, only handing her miscellaneous tasks of the Dao Fu (Circuit Administration), which was originally intended to test Qi Zhenshu’s character.

After observing her for this month, Princess Consort Changning could sense some pressure and worry on Qi Zhenshu, but she still handled the official duties at hand without being restless or impatient, which greatly satisfied Princess Consort Changning.

Furthermore, after learning of Qi Zhenshu’s plan from Qin Feiyan, she admired Qi Zhenshu even more.

To be able to remain composed in the face of change, possess a sense of responsibility and commitment, and also have talent and strategy, was indeed a rare talent.

“Prepare the carriage.”

Princess Consort Changning instructed A’lu outside the door, not continuing the previous topic, and instead asked Qi Zhenshu, “Has the plan for managing the Yuan River’s flooding been rewritten?”

After discussing the Yuan River flood disaster again at the Headmaster’s residence that day, Headmaster Ruan had asked Qi Zhenshu to go back and compile a revised flood management plan to submit to him.

“It’s finished. I sent it to the Headmaster this morning.”

Qi Zhenshu had submitted the revised “Flood Management Plan” to the Headmaster when she went to the academy for class in the morning.

The two talked as they left the Dao Fu Yamen (Circuit Administration Office). A’lu had already instructed the coachman to stop the carriage at the entrance. Princess Consort Changning glanced at the driver in the front before leaning on A’lu’s arm and getting into the carriage.

As soon as Princess Consort Changning sat down, a dark guard delivered a letter. She opened the letter, and her eyes narrowed when she saw the content.

The letter was sent from Qingzhou. Since leaving Qingzhou, she had been sending people to monitor the movements of the Qingzhou military camp.

The letter contained two pieces of news, both of which were not good.

Firstly, the dark guards had found some clues: Peng Changwei had secretly sent the remaining raw iron from the camp to Wulang Mountain in the suburbs of Qingzhou a few days ago under the guise of hunting.

However, Wulang Mountain has rugged terrain, mostly continuous mountains and ranges, and the specific location has not yet been explored.

Secondly, Peng Changwei should have heard the rumors and has been traveling very cautiously and warily recently, making it impossible for the dark guards to get too close.

Starting from the Dao Fu Yamen, the carriage left the city through the South Gate and traveled for nearly half an hour before arriving at a private estate.

The carriage drove directly into the estate and stopped after a while.

A’lu lifted the curtain. After Princess Consort Changning got out of the carriage, Qi Zhenshu also stepped down. What caught her eye were flower beds all over the ground and a two-story wooden house with a fence.

The two stood outside the fence courtyard. Princess Consort Changning looked at the person inside the courtyard and said to Qi Zhenshu, “Do you recognize him?”

A man in a green long gown was sitting under the porch of the wooden house in the courtyard. The man was leaning against a pillar, his hair was disheveled, his long gown was untidy, and his unfocused eyes were casually looking into the courtyard.

“Wang Haoyong?” Qi Zhenshu questioned.

Since the Wang family’s incident, Wang Haoyong had disappeared. Qi Zhenshu had never expected him to be in Princess Consort Changning’s hands, and judging by his current state, he seemed somewhat abnormal.

“He was like this when we found him.”

Lin Shujing found the person in a ruined temple. When he was first found, he was covered in injuries and somewhat mentally unstable. After treatment, he improved slightly, but he remained foolish.

The wind blew through the courtyard, haphazardly messing up Wang Haoyong’s hair and sweeping it across his face, but Wang Haoyong still sat blankly on the porch, showing no reaction.

Qi Zhenshu observed Wang Haoyong’s movements, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Princess Consort Changning glanced at Qi Zhenshu, a smile curving at her lips, “Does Zhenshu have a method to ‘treat’ him?”

When Wang Haoyong was first found, he might have been foolish, but now he was just pretending. Princess Consort Changning believed that Qi Zhenshu had also seen through the pretense.

They had investigated so much, not only failing to find direct evidence linking Director-General Peng and the Qingzhou military camp, but even the Wang family was only associated with introducing grain merchant business, which was not enough for a conviction, let alone the Dingnan Grain Store, which showed no trace of involvement with raw iron.

Princess Consort Changning suspected that the evidence they sought might be the leverage Wang Haoyong held over Liu Chaoyun, but now Wang Haoyong was constantly feigning foolishness.

“Perhaps we can start with the Wang family members,” Qi Zhenshu mused.

Because of the leverage Wang Haoyong held, Liu Chaoyun protected the Wang family members from trouble. Therefore, they could also use the Wang family members to restrain Wang Haoyong in turn.

“We tried, but it was useless,” Princess Consort Changning shook her head.

Although Wang Haoyong seemed like a frivolous young man, even Qing Zhu, who was skilled in interrogation, could not extract a single word from him. Princess Consort Changning had no clue what the leverage was, which showed that Wang Haoyong’s willpower was also extraordinary.

As they were talking, Wang Haoyong’s expression suddenly changed for some reason. He stood up in a panic from the porch and walked towards the house.

He was tall, but his body was somewhat stooped, looking rather flustered. Unfortunately, he had a limp in his left foot, and because he got up too quickly, he stumbled and fell to the ground after just two steps.

Seeing this scene, the expression in Qi Zhenshu’s eyes slightly changed, and some images suddenly flashed in her mind.

She carefully examined Wang Haoyong, her gaze finally resting on his left leg.

“Did you discover something?” Princess Consort Changning asked.

Qi Zhenshu nodded, “I need to confirm it further.”

The two returned to the Yamen. Just as they got off the carriage, they saw Qin Feiyan striding from the street outside the Yamen, followed by a stern-faced Yan Hua.

When Qin Feiyan saw Princess Consort Changning, the expression on her face froze. She took three steps in two and walked up to her, bowing with clasped hands and saying, “Princess Consort.”

“Something wrong?” Princess Consort Changning lowered her eyes, her expression cool.

“A letter came from home. I have an urgent matter to return for.” Qin Feiyan slightly lowered her head, handing her the letter Qin Si had delivered, her tone exceptionally respectful, “From now on, Yan Hua will replace me as the Princess Consort’s bodyguard.”

Princess Consort Changning accepted the letter with an expressionless face. After reading it carefully, she said in a low voice, “I understand.”

After entering the inner Yamen, as soon as Qi Zhenshu sat down, she wrote a letter to Lu Sheng and handed it to Qin Feiyan, asking her to help deliver it to Lu Sheng.

Early on the third morning, Lu Sheng took the child out to the academy and met Qin Feiyan, who had come to deliver the letter, at the door.

“Sister Yan?”

Lu Sheng knew that Qin Feiyan was going to be Princess Consort Changning’s bodyguard for six months, so she was quite surprised to see her in Binhe County at this time.

“Something came up at home, so I came back early,” Qin Feiyan explained with a smile, taking a letter from her bosom and handing it to her, “This is the letter Zhenshu asked me to bring to you.”

Tucking the envelope into her sleeve, Lu Sheng smiled and said, “Thank you, Sister Yan.”

“Are you taking Tangtang to the academy?” Qin Feiyan picked up the little one beside her, “It’s the same direction as where I’m going, so let’s walk together.”

“Aunty,” the little one greeted her obediently.

Tangtang had met Qin Feiyan when she went to Qingzhou last time and liked this auntie who smiled so beautifully.

“You’re such a good girl,” Qin Feiyan smiled and poked her nose, then looked at her hand with the splint and asked Lu Sheng, “How is your hand? Do you want my father to take a look?”

Although Qin Feiyan’s father was a martial arts escort, he was also considered an expert in minor injuries like falls and sprains.

“It’s fine, it’s almost healed,” Lu Sheng smiled as she walked side by side with her, “How has Zhenshu been recently…”

The two talked as they walked towards the academy. After they had walked far away, the curtain of the carriage on the street corner slowly dropped. The coachman cracked the whip, and the carriage headed in another direction.

After returning from the academy, Lu Sheng read Qi Zhenshu’s letter and then hurried out, heading to the Inspectorate Department.

When she returned from the Inspectorate Department, Lu Sheng had an ink-rubbing of a footprint in her hand. She wrote another letter and sent it, along with the footprint and the letter, to Qi Zhenshu.

Another ten-odd days passed. Lu Sheng was serving wine to a customer at her liquor store when she suddenly heard two customers quietly discussing.

“Did you hear? Director-General Peng of the Cangchang Wharf was arrested last night?”

“Really?”

“Absolutely true. It was late last night. I heard the County Magistrate personally led people to surround the Director-General’s residence.”

“The County Magistrate is only an eighth-rank minor official. How dare he lead people to arrest a seventh-rank Director-General? You must be joking.”

“How dare I make a joke about this? I heard that someone from above was sent down to make the arrest.”

“It’s true. My family lives near there,” another person interjected when he saw the two talking enthusiastically, “Last night, I even saw the people from the Inspectorate Department personally escorting Director-General Peng.”

Seeing that the bystanders were all interested, this person vividly recounted what he had seen last night.

“Tsk, tsk.”

“Then do you know why she was arrested?” someone curiously asked.

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