The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 76 Finding Changsun Chong! An Unexpected Truth!
Wang Gui didn't notice the meaningful look in Liu Shuyi's eyes. Seeing everyone stop in front of Tongfu Vegetable Store, looking at the bustling vegetable store with people coming and going, he asked, "Is this the vegetable store that Zhang Shu often comes to?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi looked away and nodded: "Yes."

Wang Gui immediately exclaimed excitedly, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go in and search! Perhaps the thief has hidden the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices here!"

Upon hearing this, the steward Jia Ping immediately ordered the guards at the Changsun residence, "Search quickly! You must rescue the young master!"

Upon hearing this, the burly and highly skilled guards rushed into the vegetable market without any hesitation.

In an instant, gasps of surprise echoed through the vegetable market.

Liu Shuyi frowned and said to Wang Gui, "County Commandant Wang, send men to seal off all entrances and exits of the vegetable market. From this moment on, no one is allowed to leave the vegetable market."

"Also, you can go in and search, but be careful not to hurt anyone in the vegetable market."

Wang Gui had developed a subconscious habit of obeying Liu Shuyi's orders, and upon hearing this, he immediately replied, "This subordinate understands!"

After saying this, he first ordered the yamen runners to seal off the front and back gates, and then he led his men into the vegetable market.

Looking at the vegetable market, where vegetables were flying everywhere and vendors and people were being restrained, and listening to their panicked cries, Du Gou frowned slightly and asked, "Is the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices really being hidden here?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "Not necessarily."

"Although Zhang Shu always goes to this place when he leaves the Lin residence, it doesn't mean that this place is necessarily their stronghold."

"However, to transport those innocent people to the residences of various buyers, a lot of vehicles would need to come and go. Farmers deliver vegetables to this vegetable market every day, and the vegetables also need to be delivered to various parts of Chang'an City for sale every day. So, in terms of the reasonable entry and exit of vehicles, it does meet the conditions of a bandit stronghold."

"Therefore, a search is still necessary. If we can find the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, that would be best. If not, it will help us eliminate the most suspicious place."

Du Gou nodded knowingly. Looking at the trampled fruits and vegetables and the farmers in their tattered clothes with their pained expressions, he couldn't bear it. He looked away and sighed, "If this weren't a bandit stronghold, these farmers would be innocent victims."

"It doesn't matter."

Liu Shuyi had already considered this: "These farmers suffered this calamity because they were looking for Changsun, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Minister Changsun told me that they were willing to pay any price as long as they could find him."

"Therefore, if these farmers are truly innocent, then the Changsun family should compensate them. I will personally mention this matter to the steward and Minister Changsun."

Du Gou hadn't expected that Liu Shuyi had already thought of these things. Given the wealth and status of the Changsun family, they certainly wouldn't care about this amount of money.

If Liu Shuyi hadn't brought it up, they probably wouldn't have realized that they needed to compensate these insignificant people.

However, Liu Shuyi took the initiative to mention that given the kindness he had shown to the Changsun family, they would definitely take it very seriously and the compensation they would give the farmers might be more than what they would earn from selling the fruits and vegetables.

Thinking about this, Du Gou couldn't help but look deeply at Liu Shuyi. Everyone said that he had the demeanor of a gentleman, kind and gentle, but compared with Liu Shuyi, he felt that he was far inferior. He could only sigh and lament, but he could do nothing.

Liu Shuyi never uttered any pitiful words; he would only silently do his best to prevent any innocent civilian from being harmed.

Liu Shuyi is a true gentleman.

Du Ying was also watching Liu Shuyi from the side. Her cold eyes, which seemed like a distant dream to others, melted away because of Liu Shuyi.

At that moment, a figure emerged from inside the vegetable market.

Wang Gui frowned and quickly walked up to Liu Shuyi and the others.

Du Gou hurriedly asked, "How is it?"

Jia Ping and the others quickly approached, their slightly chubby faces filled with hope and anxiety: "County Commandant Wang, have you found our young master?"

Under the expectant gazes of everyone, Wang Gui shook his head with a solemn expression: "No."

"No!?" Jia Ping's expression changed.

Wang Gui said, "We searched the vegetable market inside and out, but we couldn't find a trace of Changsun Sicheng. We also questioned everyone in the market. They were either vendors who regularly bought and sold vegetables here or farmers who delivered vegetables year-round. Everyone's identity was fine, and there was no one suspicious."

"How could this be?"

Hearing Wang Gui's words, Jia Ping quickly looked at Liu Shuyi: "Master Liu, the young master isn't here. Could it be that we made a mistake? Is Zhang Shu alright?"

"Steward Jia, please calm down."

Liu Shuyi reassured Jia Ping with a calm tone, showing no change in his attitude despite Wang Gui's result: "Our judgment is correct. Zhang Shu definitely has a problem, and it's not here. It was within my expectations and not a big surprise."

Because Liu Shuyi's tone was as calm and unhurried as ever, giving Jia Ping the feeling that everything was still under his control, Jia Ping's anxious heart calmed down a little.

He hurriedly asked, "If the young master isn't here, where could he be?"

Everyone turned to look at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi pondered for a moment and said, "Zhang Shu's excuse to everyone was that he came to the vegetable market to buy vegetables. In order not to arouse suspicion, there should be no problem with his entire journey."

"In other words, he would always come here every time he transported slaves, so that there would be no clues if he encountered neighbors on the way."

"But now that we're certain he didn't send slaves here, it can only be..."

Liu Shuyi turned his head and looked at the bustling street, his eyes narrowing: "Hidden somewhere along the way!"

"Along the way!?"

Jia Ping's heart sank, and he couldn't help but say, "From Guanglu Ward to Da'an Ward, it crosses most of Chang'an City... This distance is too long, and there are too many places along the way. How can we investigate this?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "We don't need to check all the places along the route, we only need to check the places we pass through in Da'anfang."

"Inside Da'anfang?" Jia Ping was taken aback.

Liu Shuyi said, "The route we took here was the same route that Zhang Shu led the neighbors to take. As I just mentioned, he would not easily change his route in order not to arouse suspicion. In other words, he should have been taking the same route all these years."

"And this road, after leaving Guanglu Lane, has always been a main road. There are many pedestrians on the road, and many eyes and mouths. It is difficult for Zhang Shu to hide from others and sneak into any mansion."

“He didn’t just send slaves once, but every now and then. Such a high frequency would inevitably attract attention in that bustling place, and once it aroused the curiosity of others, it wouldn’t be long before they were exposed.”

"Therefore, they would never set up their stronghold on a busy main road. It must be hidden in an alley. At the very least, the door that Zhang Shu entered through must be very concealed and not easily seen by others."

Wang Gui thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "That makes sense."

Jia Ping pondered for a while, then finally breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.

Du Gou's eyes flickered, his thoughts racing, and he said, "Looking at the entire route, only when you enter Da'anfang and reach the Tongfu Vegetable Market section will you pass through streets and alleys with few people, therefore..."

He looked at Liu Shuyi: "Their stronghold can only be located within Da'anfang!"

Liu Shuyi nodded: "While I can't say I'm 100% sure, I'm about 80% sure."

"What are you waiting for!"

After learning that the murderer was extremely vicious, Jia Ping was constantly worried about Changsun Chong's safety, fearing that if he was even a little too late, it would be too late.

So upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, he didn't hesitate at all and immediately ordered the guards of the Changsun residence to search the place, just as he had done before.

"Steward Jia, please wait a moment."

But this time, Liu Shuyi stopped him.

Jia Ping looked at Liu Shuyi, puzzled.

Then Liu Shuyi said, "Does Steward Jia want to alert the enemy?"

"What?" Jia Ping was taken aback.

Liu Shuyi said, "Even within Da'anfang, we've passed through quite a few places, and with our limited numbers, we can't search all the areas at the same time."

"Therefore, as long as our searches are conducted in sequence, and as long as we are not the first to find their hideout, our searches may be known to them, thus letting them know that they have been exposed."

"In this situation, does Steward Jia think that they know they've been exposed and will still wait for us to come to them? Or does he think that they know we've come for the position of Vice Minister Changsun and are still keeping this huge threat around?"

Jia Ping's expression changed, and he realized that he had lost his composure because he was too worried about the young master's safety.

It almost ruined everything.

It was only then that he realized that all the entrances and exits of the vegetable market were guarded by yamen runners, and no one was leaving from there. He then understood that Liu Shuyi had temporarily controlled the potential danger caused by his impulsiveness.

Otherwise, if word gets out of the vegetable market, it might alert the thieves.

Jia Ping took a deep breath and quickly calmed himself down. He said, "But if we don't search, how can we know where they've hidden the young master?"

Wang Gui and the others also frowned as they looked at Liu Shuyi.

They know the dangers of searching, but they still can't find anyone without searching.

This left them feeling caught in a dilemma.

Liu Shuyi's expression remained unchanged. He calmly said, "The bandits' stronghold must meet two conditions..."

"First, the location must be special enough, with at least one door, located in a secluded alley or a place with very little foot traffic."

"Secondly, like this vegetable market, there must be a reason that everyone can agree on and will not doubt, such as the frequent coming and going of vehicles like horse-drawn carriages and donkey carts."

"Either of these two conditions is difficult to meet in many places, let alone both conditions at the same time."

Yup!

Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, everyone's eyes lit up.

A bandit's stronghold isn't something you can just set up anywhere.

Although they passed through many places along the way, they met both of these conditions...

Everyone frowned and fell into deep thought.

Liu Shuyi glanced at the thoughtful group and smiled, "We're not very familiar with Da'anfang, so let's not make things harder for ourselves. Let's find someone who knows the area and ask them."

"I'll go find it right now..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Gui turned around and re-entered Tongfu Vegetable Shop.

Not long after, he came with a middle-aged man who was well-dressed but overweight.

“Liu Yuanwailang, this is Yuan Shun, the manager of Tongfu Vegetable Shop, whose home is in this Da'anfang…” Wang Gui introduced to Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi looked at Yuan Shun, and before he could speak, Yuan Shun hurriedly said nervously, "This humble servant greets Master Liu. Master Liu, please feel free to ask any questions you may have. I will answer everything I know... But please believe me, Master Liu, our vegetable shop has truly never done anything wrong, we..."

Seeing Yuan Shun nervously trying to defend himself, Liu Shuyi said, "Manager Yuan, don't worry. I know you are innocent. As for the losses caused to your vegetable shop just now..."

He glanced at Jia Ping and paused deliberately.

As the steward of the Changsun residence, Jia Ping was very perceptive and quickly said, "My Changsun family will compensate you."

"No, no..." Yuan Shun dared not ask for compensation.

“We, the government, are not robbers. If we damage your property, we should compensate you.”

Liu Shuyi didn't waste any time on this matter and went straight to the point: "Let me ask you, do you know if there is such a place in Da'anfang...?"

Then, he told Yuan Shun in detail about the conditions he had just analyzed and the route they had taken.

"There are no fewer than five or six such places in Da'an Ward, places for doing business or residences of wealthy merchants and nobles, with many carriages and horses coming and going every day..."

“But according to your route, then…”

He looked directly at Liu Shuyi and said, "Only one place!"

"Only one place?"

Everyone's eyes suddenly lit up.

If there's only one option, wouldn't we not even need to make a choice?
Jia Ping's breathing quickened, and he hurriedly asked, "Where?"

Yuan Shundao: "The theater is located two streets away from the vegetable market and not too far from the north gate of Da'anfang."

"The theater?"

Wang Gui frowned. He racked his brains but couldn't recall passing by any theaters.

Yuan Shundao said, "You passed through the back door of the theater. The theater wasn't doing too well, so it wasn't decorated much. The back door looked just like the door of an ordinary residence, so it's normal that you didn't notice it."

"back door?"

"It looked ordinary, nobody noticed..."

Du Gou's eyes flashed, and he quickly recalled Liu Shuyi's previous words. He looked directly at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi understood Du Gou's meaning and nodded, saying, "This should be it."

"If even with so many of us, no one is paying attention, it means that if Zhang Shu were to enter, probably very few people would notice either."

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Isn't the back entrance of that theater in an alley that hardly anyone goes by?"

Yuan Shun was somewhat surprised: "How did Assistant Minister Liu know?"

Don't they know what place they're talking about?

"This must be it!"

Seeing Yuan Shun's reaction, Wang Gui was completely certain.

He eagerly said to Liu Shuyi, "Liu Yuanwailang, give the order. This time there will definitely be no mistake."

Jia Ping and the others also looked at Liu Shuyi expectantly.

But Liu Shuyi shook his head: "No rush."

He continued to question Yuan Shun: "Tell me about that theater. How many people are there? How many actors? Have you ever been there?"

Yuan Shun thought for a moment and said, "I have been there twice. The theater covers a large area. It was originally the mansion of a wealthy merchant. About eight years ago, it was bought and the current theater was built."

"The stage was set up in the front yard, and there were about ten actors. They only performed a few plays over and over again. After watching it twice, I lost interest in going again."

"So their business isn't doing too well, but it's not so bad that they have to go out of business."

“Every time I passed by their theater, I would see carriages heading towards it. Liu Yuanwailang also knew that those who could ride in carriages were definitely rich and powerful…”

"Therefore, with their support, even if the theater is bad, it probably earns more copper coins than our seemingly bustling vegetable market every day."

The theater opened eight years ago, which means... their human trafficking business only started eight years ago?

Or was there another base before, which was later moved to a different location?

and also……

Liu Shuyi's mind raced. He asked, "Those carriages you saw at the theater entrance, did you only see them once, or do you see them frequently when you pass by?"

Yuan Shun thought for a moment and said, "I wouldn't say I see them often, but I see them two or three times a year."

I see it two or three times a year... and this was just something Yuan Shun happened to see when he passed by the theater.

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and continued, "There are only a few plays in the theater, and you got tired of them after just two times, but those who are rich and powerful keep coming... What do you think is the reason?"

Yuan Shun thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps it's because petty people don't know how to appreciate things. Maybe these important people just like to watch the same old plays."

Liu Shuyi neither confirmed nor denied Yuan Shun's answer.

He nodded to Yuan Shun and asked Wang Gui to take Yuan Shun back to the vegetable market.

Du Gou couldn't help but ask, "How is it?"

Liu Shuyi touched the smooth jade pendant at his waist and said, "Something's strange..."

“Normally, if it’s just a secret hideout, they only need to meet the most basic reasonable reason of vehicles and people coming and going. They shouldn’t attract too much attention or allow too many people to enter and exit, because the more people go there, the greater the risk of exposure.”

"But you also heard it, Manager Yuan said that it was a theater open to the public, and even he had been there twice."

"This shows that the theater doesn't care about outsiders going there and isn't afraid of being noticed."

"This is somewhat inconsistent with my previous assessment of this outpost."

"besides……"

He looked at Du Gou, who was also deep in thought, and said, "As Manager Yuan said, those who come in and out of the theater are all people of high status and wealth, and these carriages are not often the same."

"Wouldn't it be too ostentatious and too costly for them to transport slaves using such wagons?"

Du Gou frowned; he understood what Liu Shuyi meant.

"In that case, there are indeed many strange things..."

He couldn't help but ask, "Could it be that we made a mistake? Is there nothing wrong with this theater?"

"Do not."

Liu Shuyi shook his head, his tone certain: "It must be this theater..."

“But…” Du Gou frowned and said, “The situation in the theater is very different from what we originally expected.”

"so……"

Liu Shuyi looked at him: "We can't just resort to the same crude and simple methods as searching a vegetable market." "You mean...?" Du Gou's heart stirred slightly.

Liu Shuyi nodded: "We need to conceal our identities, go to the theater first to investigate, find out their background, and then make a decision on the next step."

…………

A quarter of an hour later.

Liu Shuyi, Du Gou, Du Ying, and Zhao Feng walked out of a clothing store.

They no longer wore the official robes that represented their status and rank, but instead wore everyday clothes.

Liu Shuyi and Du Gou were dressed in blue and cyan robes respectively, with gold cloud patterns on their clothes, exuding an air of nobility.

Du Ying was originally wearing ordinary women's clothes, so she didn't change them.

Zhao Feng, on the other hand, changed into the gray robes of a servant.

As the group walked down the bustling street, they appeared as if they were wealthy young men traveling together, full of pride and self-satisfaction. No one would have guessed that their true identities were sixth-rank officials of the current dynasty.

Zhao Feng looked around and saw that the pedestrians around them were passing by naturally and no one paid much attention to them. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that their identities were well hidden.

"Master Liu..."

"You should call him Young Master."

"Master..."

Zhao Feng's eyelids twitched. He hadn't expected Liu Shuyi to get into character so quickly. He lowered his voice and asked, "Won't it be dangerous if there are only four of us?"

Liu Shuyi waved his folding fan lightly, exuding the air of a spoiled young master, and said calmly, "As long as we don't expose ourselves, there will be no danger."

The implication is that if it were exposed, things might not be so simple.

Zhao Feng asked with some concern, "Should we arrange for more people to accompany and protect us?"

He wasn't worried about his own safety; he was just a worthless person, and he was only alive because of Liu Shuyi. But the three people in Liu Shuyi's family were different: one was his benefactor, and the other two were the eldest son and daughter of the prime minister... If anything happened to any of them, he couldn't bear the consequences.

Knowing Zhao Feng's worries, Liu Shuyi reassured him, "Don't worry, County Commandant Wang and the others have also changed into civilian clothes and are providing support around the theater. As soon as they notice anything amiss, they will rush in to rescue us."

“I don’t want to put myself in danger either, but we’re going there to secretly gather information. If there are too many people, we’ll probably be noticed as soon as we get there. In that case, what secrets can we possibly gather?”

"The four of us know each other best, have excellent teamwork, and can cooperate with each other in critical moments. The number of people is just right, not too many or too few."

In fact, he also considered having Wang Gui come along. As the county magistrate of Chang'an, Wang Gui had certain martial arts skills. However, the base of these thieves who trafficked people was in the jurisdiction of Chang'an County. In order to ensure their safety, they would definitely pay close attention to and be very familiar with the people in the Chang'an County government.

Therefore, whether it's Wang Gui or any other yamen runner in the county, they would probably be recognized as soon as they appeared.

The officials from the Ministry of Justice he brought were all weak scholars, while the guards at the Changsun residence were strong, but they were not familiar with him at all. If they acted awkwardly, it would be tantamount to exposing themselves.

Therefore, after careful consideration, only these four people are the most suitable.

Thinking of this, Liu Shuyi looked forward to Lu Yangyuan joining him even more. He really needed a highly skilled guard by his side. Once Lu Yangyuan recovered, the last weakness of his team would be filled.

During their casual conversation, the group arrived at the main entrance of the theater.

Unlike the unremarkable back door, the front door is very spacious and tall.

There is a plaque above it that reads "Joyful Theater".

The theater gates were wide open, and horse-drawn carriages came and went from time to time.

Two waiters dressed in gray stood guard at the door, greeting and seeing off guests with practiced ease.

This scene was exactly as the vegetable shopkeeper had described.

Liu Shuyi and Du Gou exchanged a glance, then Liu strode out and calmly walked towards the theater.

As soon as they arrived at the theater gate, a waiter came up to them: "Gentlemen, would you like to see a play?"

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow, suddenly opened his folding fan, and gently waved it in the cold spring, exuding a dashing and unrestrained air: "If you come to the theater and don't watch the play, are you here to stay?"

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's arrogant tone, the waiter immediately understood his character. Not daring to speak carelessly, he quickly raised his hand and lightly slapped his own face, saying, "You clever little mouth! Distinguished guests come to the theater to watch the show, of course."

As he spoke, he quickly stepped aside and said, "Please come in, distinguished guests."

Liu Shuyi strode in, waving his fan as he went, and asked, "Is there any good show today?"

The waiter smiled obsequiously and said, "Of course! Our most famous play, 'Mandarin Duck Spring,' is being performed on stage right now."

"The Spring of Mandarin Ducks?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head and said, "The name doesn't sound good at all. I would like it if it were called 'Mandarin Ducks Playing in the Water'."

Du Gou and the others couldn't help but twitch their eyelids as they listened to Liu Shuyi's unrestrained and dissolute words.

They really didn't expect that Liu Shuyi would be so good at pretending to be a spoiled brat.

If they didn't know Liu Shuyi well enough, they would have suspected that this might be Liu Shuyi's true nature.

Even Du Ying, with her beautiful eyes, looked Liu Shuyi up and down, as if she wanted to carefully compare the Liu Shuyi in front of her with the Liu Shuyi in her memory.

"We'd like to sing 'Mandarin Ducks Playing in the Water,' but the government won't allow it..." the waiter replied with a wry smile.

Liu Shuyi scoffed: "Once you close your doors, who knows what you're singing?"

The waiter simply shook his head, not daring to reply.

Seeing that the waiter was tight-lipped and hadn't revealed any useful information, Liu Shuyi's eyes darted around, and he was about to change the subject when he suddenly noticed that they were turning right at a fork in the road, while the carriage that had come in before them had turned left onto another road.

That path led to the gate to the backyard, where two servants were currently standing guard.

Liu Shuyi's mind raced. After considering his public persona, he raised his hand, pointed at the carriage, and said, "Why isn't it taking the same road as us?"

Since Liu Shuyi had already clearly displayed his playboy nature, the waiter didn't think much of it and just smiled and said, "That's a friend of our manager. The manager wants to entertain him separately."

"A private dinner?"

Liu Shuyi seemed to be deep in thought, but he didn't show it on his face. He simply nodded and, led by a waiter, went to the stage.

At that moment, there were indeed actors performing on the stage.

Below were dozens of tables, with about twenty or thirty people sitting sparsely at the moment.

There weren't many people, but there weren't a lot either.

After the waiter invited Liu Shuyi and his companions to sit at a table near the stage, he said, "We have some local specialties here, including..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Shuyi waved his hand and said, "I'm not short of money. Bring out all your local specialties."

The waiter nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, I will go and tell the kitchen to prepare the meal."

After saying that, he quickly left.

After the waiter left, Liu Shuyi looked around and found that apart from the actors on the stage, there were no other waiters guarding the place.

Du Gou also noticed this and said, "It seems that the front yard of this theater is just an ordinary place for singing and watching plays, so they don't pay much attention to it. The real secret is probably where that carriage just went."

Zhao Feng frowned and said, "But there are guards there, so we can't go in."

Liu Shuyi tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, pondered for a moment, and said, "No rush. Let's wait until they bring the food up and then try to go to the backyard to take a look."

The theater was very efficient; in no time, all the food was served.

The waiter asked very warmly, "Is there anything else you need, esteemed guest?"

Liu Shuyi waved his hand casually: "Go ahead, I don't like being stared at when I'm eating."

The waiter knew that the young masters of wealthy families always had some peculiar quirks, so he wasn't surprised. Seeing that Liu Shuyi didn't need his service, he quickly nodded and withdrew.

Liu Shuyi sat for a while longer, making sure the waiter had indeed left and that no one was watching them. He put down his chopsticks and said, "On the way here, I noticed that the theater's outhouse is very close to the backyard wall..."

Du Gou quickly understood Liu Shuyi's meaning: "You want to climb over the wall?"

Zhao Feng looked around: "But that wall is a bit high, and none of us know martial arts..."

"It doesn't matter."

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "I've observed it. No matter how high the wall is, it's not as high as two people stacked on top of each other, so as long as someone is supporting it from below, it won't be a problem."

Zhao Feng was still a little worried: "But what if someone comes and finds out we're climbing over the wall..."

"Then let's hope Wang Gui and the others can get in in time..."

Liu Shuyi was never one to hesitate or look back. Since he had already made up his mind to investigate the secrets of the theater, he would not back down before even taking action.

He stood up and said to Du Ying, "Miss Du, you stay here. If the waiters come to ask, just say we went to the outhouse. If you hear any noise coming from the outhouse, don't hesitate, leave immediately and rush out of the theater. As long as you rush out of the theater, Wang Gui and the others can immediately protect your safety and know that something has happened to us."

Du Ying understood the significance of her presence here: to deal with such unexpected situations. After thinking for a moment, she took out a paper packet from her bosom and handed it to Liu Shuyi, saying, "This is a nasal inhalation drug that can make people weak in the limbs for a short time. If too much is inhaled, it can quickly cause unconsciousness... It might be able to help you if you encounter any accidents."

Liu Shuyi took the sleeping pill, gave Du Ying a deep look, and said, "Be careful."

Du Ying nodded: "You too."

Watching the two bid each other farewell, Zhao Feng and Du Gou had an unusual feeling that they shouldn't be there.

Liu Shuyi didn't delay any longer and quickly left with Du Gou and Zhao Feng.

Because the theater was operating normally and there were no problems whatsoever, there were no servants guarding or paying attention along the way, and Liu Shuyi and his two companions were able to reach the courtyard wall next to the latrine without disturbing anyone.

Looking up at the courtyard wall, which was taller than a person, Liu Shuyi didn't waste any words and went straight to Zhao Feng: "Can you hold it?"

"can!"

Zhao Feng nodded emphatically. He stood directly under the wall, crossed his arms in front of him, and said, "Don't look at me as thin as I am. I have suffered a lot and endured a lot of hardship during my exile. This is nothing."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly: "Next, you wait here for us. If you hear any chaotic noises coming from the backyard, it means we've been exposed. Go find Miss Du immediately and take her away. Don't try to rescue us... Let Wang Gui know that we've had an accident and have him bring his men in immediately. Only then can we truly protect our safety."

He knew that Zhao Feng valued loyalty and righteousness, so he had to remind him again to prevent Zhao Feng from doing anything impulsive out of worry about his safety.

Zhao Feng understood Liu Shuyi's meaning: "Don't worry, Mr. Liu, I know what to do."

Liu Shuyi and Du Gou exchanged a glance, and without further hesitation, they quickly climbed onto the courtyard wall with Zhao Feng's help.

Liu Shuyi lay on the top of the courtyard wall, carefully looking down to make sure no one was around. Then, using a tree next to the wall, he gently slid down.

Du Gou followed closely behind, and after landing on the ground, he whispered, "Where do we go next?"

Just as Liu Shuyi was about to speak, the two of them suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves.

Startled, the two quickly crouched down, using the trees to conceal themselves.

Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw another carriage passing by not far ahead. This carriage seemed to be a frequent visitor and familiar with the road, so there were no attendants following it.

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed, and he said, "Follow it."

They carefully followed behind the carriage, turning left and right along the road, and soon arrived at a large courtyard.

There were more than twenty horse-drawn carriages parked here.

"So many carriages... are they all transporting slaves?" Du Gou was somewhat surprised.

In the Tang Dynasty, horse-drawn carriages were considered a high-end mode of transportation; even Du Gou's family only owned a few.

But in this small theater, there were more than twenty carriages, and each one looked very luxurious.

At this moment, the carriage stopped, and a man dressed in fine clothes with a large belly stepped down.

As soon as he stepped out, a waiter approached him: "Manager Zhao!"

The well-dressed man, referred to as Manager Zhao, nodded slightly and asked unhurriedly, "Any new items today?"

The waiter smiled and said, "Yes, we have several fresh items. They just arrived last night, and we guarantee that Manager Zhao will be satisfied with one."

"Oh? Then I'm looking forward to it."

The two talked as they entered the building behind them.

"They just arrived last night... Could it be!?"

Hearing their conversation, Du Gou suddenly looked at Liu Shuyi and guessed, "Could it be that instead of delivering the slaves to the buyers, they are letting the buyers come and choose for themselves?"

"And he said he only arrived last night. Could it be that the murderer took the last group of people from the Lin family last night?!"

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered, and he nodded: "Based on what we've seen so far, it's highly likely that's the case..."

"No wonder there are so many carriages; they weren't used to transport slaves, but rather by the buyers..."

Du Gou said, "Now we can basically confirm that this is their stronghold. Should we notify County Commandant Wang and the others?"

Liu Shuyi looked at the building opposite and saw that it was a round house with a considerable area, probably built specifically to imprison slaves.

At that moment, two guards with knives were standing watch in front of the building.

Their identities are unknown, so it's impossible for them to enter legitimately; they probably wouldn't be able to sneak in even if they tried...

His gaze swept across the building in other directions...

At that moment, his eyes flashed.

“There’s a window there, out of the guards’ sight…”

Liu Shuyi whispered to Du Gou, "Let's take a look inside and make a final confirmation. If there are no problems, we can let Wang Gui and the others take action directly."

Du Gou understood Liu Shuyi's caution and naturally did not object.

The two men crouched low, using the carriage as cover to avoid the sight of the two guards at the gate, and came to a window.

As soon as they arrived, they could hear a commotion coming from the windows.

Liu Shuyi glanced at the two guards, and seeing that they weren't looking in his direction, he didn't delay any longer. He stood up, reached out, and gently poked a hole in the window paper.

He looked inward.

then……

Liu Shuyi's pupils suddenly narrowed.

Seeing Liu Shuyi's unusual reaction, Du Gou quickly poked a hole and looked into the room.

Immediately...

His expression was the same as Liu Shuyi's.

Inside the room, there was a setup similar to the stage outside.

There is a high platform in the middle, and seats around it.

At this moment, thirty or forty richly dressed people were sitting around.

Their faces wore eerie, crazed expressions as they stared intently at the stage.

On the stage, there are five iron cages, each containing a person.

Three men and two women.

The four men and four women were barely clothed, with large areas of skin exposed. Their bodies were covered in whip marks and wounds, and their eyes were numb, showing no signs of normal human vitality.

In the middle cage was a man dressed in a green official robe. His turban was gone, and his hair was disheveled. He gripped the iron bars with both hands and roared angrily, "Let me go! Do you know who I am? Let me go now!"

Outside the iron cage, a middle-aged man dressed in festive red said with a smile, "Of course I know who you are. If I didn't... you would have died long ago. How could you still be alive now?"

After saying that, he looked at the distinguished guests in the seats and said, "Distinguished guests, I believe you already know who this person is."

"Changsun Chong, the eldest son of Changsun Wuji, the Minister of Personnel, who was granted the title of Grand Master of the Palace and concurrently served as the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices!"

"His noble status goes without saying!"

"Its delicate skin and tender meat, and its delicious taste, need no further explanation!"

"The choice is now in your hands."

"They wanted to buy him outright, to torment him, warm his bed, and tame him..."

"still……"

He raised his hand, pointed to the iron cage on the high platform where an extremely violent and howling wolf was imprisoned, and grinned, saying, "Let him fight the wolf and witness a life-or-death battle between a noble relative and a wolf!"

"You're the ones who call the shots!"

(End of this chapter)