I fell through the tunnel and brought my family to live a good life

Therefore, the letter that Tang Wenhao handed to the magistrate of Licheng County was the one that Master Tang gave him.

The county magistrate took the letter, and after a moment, the expression on his face gradually relaxed, and the vigilance and doubt in his eyes also dissipated.

"Your father is a benefactor in my life. When I went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, I encountered thieves on the way and was penniless and almost in despair. It was he who lent me a hand, not only funded my travel expenses, but also gave me money for my journey, so that I could arrive in Beijing smoothly and pass the imperial examination in one fell swoop. I, Zhou Yuan, will never forget this kindness. Did you come to Licheng just to find the murderer in that old case?"

Tang Wenhao nodded. "That's right. Although my father mentioned this in his letter, I did come here for this matter. I still have many questions in my mind, especially the mystery of Chen Yuanyuan and Sun Yingying's identities. I hope to find out the truth."

The county magistrate heard this, and after a moment's silence, he stood up and asked Tang Wenhao to follow him. The county magistrate led Tang Wenhao through corridors and finally came to a closed door. He took out the key and gently inserted it into the keyhole, and the door opened. The room was dimly lit, and the air was filled with an old and solemn atmosphere. The county magistrate walked to the bookshelf and searched through the rows of yellowed files. Finally, he found a file that looked newer, gently pulled it out, blew off the dust on it, and turned around to hand it to Tang Wenhao.

"This file is a detailed record of the Sun Yingying case. Since you are interested in verifying it, take it and study it carefully. However, the file cannot be taken out of this room, Wenhao, you can only read it here."

Tang Wenhao nodded. "That's right. Although my father mentioned this in his letter, I did come here for this matter. I still have many questions in my mind, especially the mystery of Chen Yuanyuan and Sun Yingying's identities. I hope to find out the truth."

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Zhou Yuan pondered for a moment, then stood up and asked Tang Wenhao to follow him.

The two men walked to the room where the files were kept. Only the county magistrate had the key to this room.

After opening the door, the county magistrate walked straight to a bookshelf, pulled out a yellowed file, blew away the dust on it gently, turned around and handed it to Tang Wenhao: "This file is a detailed record of the Sun Yingying case. Since you are interested in verifying it, take it and study it carefully. However, I have to remind you that the file cannot be taken out of this room, you can only read it here. In a while, I will call back the yamen runner who investigated the case that year. He knows the details of the case investigation very well, and you can ask him any questions. If you encounter any difficulties or need further help, feel free to come to me."

Tang Wenhao bowed and said, "Thank you, Uncle Zhou." At this moment, the way they addressed each other changed quietly, from "County Magistrate" and "Tang Wenhao" to "Uncle Zhou" and "Wenhao."

County Magistrate Zhou gave Tang Wenhao some time alone to read the book by himself. There was a large wooden table in the room, and Tang Wenhao sat quietly in front of the table to read the book.

The third page of the file was a portrait of Sun Yingying. Tang Wenhao's hand paused slightly, then he stretched out his hand involuntarily and gently stroked the face of the woman in the painting. There was a mole on the tip of the woman's right nose, and Tang Wenhao's finger stayed on the mole.

It’s her…” Tang Wenhao muttered to himself, and the familiar feeling surged over him like a tide, making him certain—the Sun Yingying in the painting was none other than the Chen Yuanyuan he had been dreaming about.

But Tang Wenhao knew that the focus at this moment should be on the case itself, not his personal feelings, so he quickly gathered his mind, put away his emotions, and forced himself to return to the analysis of the case. He continued to carefully read the files, recording every bit of the case on each page, and gradually pieced together a complete picture in his mind. The case was not complicated. As his mother and the breakfast stall owner said, Sun Yingying (Chen Yuanyuan) was not favored by Mr. Du, so she fell in love with the new housekeeper of the Du family and conspired to kill Mr. Du. The careful layout of that day, the clever use of poison, and the subsequent escape with money were all recorded one by one.

Just as Tang Wenhao closed the file, there were slight footsteps outside the door. Then, a middle-aged yamen runner came in. He was Gao Jian, who was in charge of the case that year. "Mr. Tang, I am Gao Jian, and I have been ordered to come here to assist you in investigating the case." Gao Jian's voice was steady and powerful, revealing a sense of competence and reliability.

"Brother Gao Jian, please take a seat." Tang Wenhao stood up and politely invited Gao Jian to take a seat. His eyes were full of anticipation and eagerness, and he obviously couldn't wait to learn more details about the case from the yamen runner. "I just happen to have some questions I want to ask you."

"Excuse me, Mr. Tang."

"Brother Gao Jian," Tang Wenhao asked, "I have some questions about this case. Since there are two murderers, why is Sun Yingying the only one on the official wanted list? Moreover, there is only her portrait in the file. Is there any special reason for this?"

While asking the question, an idea flashed through Tang Wenhao's mind. He recalled the strange man he had met before, and that figure coincided with a certain guess in his mind. Could it be that the man was the new housekeeper of the Du family who conspired with Sun Yingying? This idea was like a seed, quietly taking root in his heart, waiting for the moment to be confirmed.