Qingyu Case: Female Minister of Dali Temple

The slapping sounds of the boards hitting people and the endless screams of pain and pleas for mercy made Ding Yichang, Ding Fu and Ding Rong, who were already frightened, even more terrified.

After the fight was finally over, before the others could catch their breath, Chen Shao spoke again, "Tell me, which gardens do you usually go to?"

Ding Fu and Ding Rong leaned against Ding Yichang closely, one on each side. Ding Yichang twisted his body uncomfortably and replied awkwardly, "Luo, Luoyanju."

"Luoyanju again?" Chen Shao sneered twice, "Tell me, who is the owner of Luoyanju, and who took you there?"

Ding Yichang blushed, "They took me there."

Chen Shao looked at Ding Fu and Ding Rong. They both said in unison: "Zhao Letian took us there!"

"I don't want to invite Zhao Letian back to confront you again," Chen Shao said coldly, "Answer my question honestly, who is the owner of Luoyanju?"

Ding Fu replied in a low voice: "We don't know who it is, but Zhao Letian said it was Ren Yujie and Wen Gui."

Chen Shao asked: "What about the other gardens?"

Ding Fu shook his head. "He didn't say that. I don't know."

Chen Shao knocked lightly on the table twice. "Zhao Letian knows, but you don't. Do you think I believe this?"

Ding Lisheng bowed to her, then turned around and said sternly, "Speak! If you don't tell me the truth, I will chop you to pieces without you having to do anything!"

Ding Fu and Ding Rong were so scared that Ding Yichang had to kneel down. Facing Ding Lisheng's ferocious face, Ding Yichang was so scared that he wanted to lie down again, but he tried twice but failed to squeeze in. Ding Lisheng was so angry that he kicked him over. When he got up and tried to squeeze back in, Ding Lisheng shouted angrily: "Come on, drag him out and behead him!"

"I was wrong, big brother, big brother, don't kill me!" Ding Yichang quickly knelt down and stepped back, crying dryly, "They said that the Zhou and Hu families, the owners of Qujing Garden, and the Gu and Zhu families, the owners of Bitao Garden, I heard them say that, please don't kill me, you promised mother that you would take care of me, you can't break your promise!"

Lei Dehou, who had just walked to the lobby door, couldn't help but stop when he heard his words.

Ding Lisheng ignored him and pointed at Ding Yichang's nose and cursed: "I promised mother that I would take care of you, but I didn't promise mother to let you do this and protect you! Tell me, are those dead people and bones in the garden your fault? I want to hear the truth!"

"It was not me who killed him. They told me to kill him. They said..."

"Someone come here!" Ding Lisheng's voice was so sharp that it could almost penetrate a person's eardrum. "Drag them out and chop them up immediately!"

"Big brother..."

"Uncle..."

"Shut up!" Ding Lisheng slapped himself several times with bloodshot eyes. "The master asked me to investigate the cases of these gardens, but I didn't expect to find out about one of our own people! Good, very good, I didn't take good care of you. Go downstairs to see your mother or grandmother and complain to her! After I finish investigating this case, I will go and apologize immediately!"

"Just like Ren Yujie and the others before, drag them away and tie them up outside the prefectural government, and execute them tomorrow morning!" After hearing Chen Shao's order, the bailiffs quickly stepped forward and dragged them away.

Lei Dehou waited until the yamen runners dragged them away before he walked into the hall. His face was calm, and it was hard to tell how much emotion he had: "Sir."

"I heard from Ding Fu and Ding Rong that Zhou Zhongtian took them to Qujing Garden and Meiyuan." Chen Shao said slowly, "I also heard from Lord Ding that Zhou Zhongtian is your wife's nephew. Go and bring him back and ask him what happened."

Lei Dehou calmly replied "yes" and turned away.

Ding Lisheng looked at his back, his eyes gloomy, but with a hint of cruelty in them.

"Go and release the managers and their families of Huichuntang, Shiweizhai and Changshun Shoe Store." Chen Shao stood up, picked up the wooden sign that marked the sworn brotherhood between Ren Yujie, Wen Gui, Zhao Letian, Luo Jian and Luo Zhongyi, left the desk and walked towards the side door.

Ding Lisheng responded with a yes, and then asked her, "Sir, are you not going to interrogate Zhou Zhongtian?"

Chen Shao looked up at the moon and asked, "What time is it?"

Ding Lisheng then looked at the moon and said, "It should be the end of the Hai hour."

Chen Shao took a deep breath and said, "That's good to know."

Ding Lisheng stopped walking with a wry smile, "Then I will not disturb you, sir."

Chen Shao said 'hmm', walked a few steps and then stopped, turned back and said to him: "Follow me, I have something else to talk to you about."

Ding Lisheng immediately trotted over and said, "Sir, if you have anything to say, just tell me."

"We'll talk about the official pharmacy when we get back to Chengfengyuan." Chen Shao explained casually, and then asked, "Do you have any idea about how to investigate later?"

Ding Lisheng said: "Please give me some advice, sir."

"I can't say I'm giving you advice." Chen Shao said slowly, feeling the night wind and the moonlight. "I'm still unfamiliar with Hongyuan County, and many of my opinions may seem like empty talk, so you must speak up in time if you have any ideas. What we need to do is not to kill someone by mistake rather than let anyone go, but to bring all the murderers to justice without wrongly accusing anyone."

Ding Lisheng nodded in acceptance.

Chen Shao looked at him and said, "Tell me what you think."

Ding Shengli lowered his head, pondered for a moment and said, "From what we have found so far, Luoyanju is undoubtedly the place mentioned the most. Although according to them, the owners behind Luoyanju are Ren Yujie and Wen Gui, but based on my experience, I am afraid that the two of them do not have such ability!"

Chen Shao nodded in agreement. "There are villas for the Ren and Wen families near Luoyan Residence. It would be unreasonable for the two families not to know anything about the situation."

After stopping and thinking for a moment, Chen Shao continued, "If that's the case, then investigate according to your idea. If you really can't investigate further, then go back and see where the problem is."

Ding Lisheng agreed.

Chen Shao looked at him again and said, "If you have any difficulties, just tell me."

Ding Lisheng agreed again.

After returning to Chengfeng Courtyard, Chen Shao took him directly to the study. After drinking half a cup of tea and eating two snacks to fill his stomach, Chen Shao took out the receipts handed in by the various medicine shops and said, "Identify which ones are owned by the Wen and Ren families."

Ding Lisheng quickly lifted up his shirt hem and wiped his hands twice, then took the credentials and looked through them all, then picked out three of them and said, "These two are from the Wen family, and this one is from the Ren family."

Chen Shao took a quick look and said, "You return it and I'll give it back to them."

Ding Lisheng's eyes moved slightly, "Master, are you... not going to let them compete for the official pharmacy?"

"The official pharmacy is an institution that benefits the people," Chen Shao said solemnly, "regardless of whether they know about the existence of Luoyanju, so many lives have been lost in Luoyanju, their reputation is no longer suitable for taking on this responsibility."

"You are right, sir." Ding Lisheng agreed.

"Well, it's getting late, you should go back and rest early." Chen Shao said, "Take these documents and return them tomorrow when you have time."

Ding Lisheng took the credentials and left.

Chen Shao looked at his back and smiled very lightly.