Forced to marry, I picked up a young powerful official

A black-robed yamen runner replied, "Boss, there's nothing unusual."

"Nothing unusual?" The squad leader narrowed his eyes. "Gong Tao disappeared after he appeared at her house. And the man in white, four of our brothers died, one was disabled, and the other two were also injured. What is his background?"

"I have checked and found that the man is Cai Ling, who is known as the number one painter in the Tiansheng Dynasty."

"It turned out to be him!"

The squad leader worked in the government office and occasionally heard of Cai Ling's reputation from several superiors, but after being surprised, he felt a little skeptical.

He's just a gangster who can paint a few pictures. What's there to brag about?

The landscape paintings in the bookstore only cost a few taels of silver each, but it is rumored that Cai Ling's paintings were sold for over a thousand taels in the market. How could there be no demand for them at such a high price?

Zhang Tongzhi also collected a painting of his a few months ago. He regarded it as a treasure and took it out to appreciate it whenever he had nothing to do. He had seen it once by chance and didn't think it was anything special at all.

"Humph, he is just a man seeking fame and reputation!"

He sneered and said, "Keep keeping an eye on him. If you see anything suspicious, report it to me immediately. I don't believe that he, a gangster, can have clean hands. Don't let me seize the opportunity, otherwise, I will definitely avenge my brothers!"

"Yes! Boss, but we can't find Gong Tao right now, what should we do?"

The squad leader frowned deeply, "A living person, who was seriously injured, could he just disappear out of thin air?"

"Boss, we have asked all the clinics, but we still haven't found anything. Gong Tao was injured so badly, and he has never been treated. Now he has disappeared. Could he have died somewhere?"

The squad leader shook his head and said, "If he's alive, we must see him. If he's dead, we must see his body. Otherwise, how can we report to the governor?"

As he spoke, a flash of inspiration came to his mind. He muttered, "Trauma..."

Speaking of external injuries, weren't the servants and guards in the Shen family all injured?

He suddenly asked, "By the way, what has Shen been doing recently, where has he been, and who has he met?"

Although he was the one who searched the yard personally, he felt something was wrong because Gong Tao had disappeared again since he showed up.

The yamen runner replied, "Mrs. Shen has never been out. These days, apart from the doctor, only a woman with a scar on her face has come to see her. The courtyard is closed every day. I climbed over the wall and took a peek when Mr. Cai was away. It seemed like they were renovating a garden, but there was nothing else."

The foreman's face turned serious. "Shen's family is starting construction at home. Why didn't you tell me earlier about such a big thing?"

"This……"

The bailiff scratched his head and said, "I thought building a garden was not a big deal, so I didn't mention it..."

The squad leader rolled his eyes in anger. "Don't you think about it? Who would dig up the ground in their home for no reason? How do you know if they are building a garden or hiding a wanted criminal?"

"Quick, get the men ready, let's go take a look!"

The squad leader gathered a team of people and hurried to Shen Nankui's yard. Shen Nankui seemed very surprised to see them.

"Hey, you are the leader of the patrol squad last time. I wonder what brings you to my humble abode today?"

Shen Nankui had an extraordinary background, so the squad leader did not dare to offend him. He said with a fake smile, "We were patrolling nearby and passed by here, so we came to say hello to the lady."

Shen Nankui showed a polite smile, "The squad leader is very busy with official duties, how can I dare to take on the role? Oh, by the way - I have met the squad leader twice, but I don't know his name yet?"

"Your subordinate Tian Peng."

"Captain Tian, ​​since you are here, please take a seat and have some tea."

Shen Nankui seemed not to notice the row of sword-wielding runners behind him and greeted him with a smile.

Tian Peng naturally did not come to drink tea. As soon as he entered the yard, he went straight to the garden in the southeast corner. As expected, it had been renovated. There were several more rockery and strange rocks than last time, as well as some newly planted flowers and trees.

"Madam, there seems to be some changes in the garden in your home?"

He stared at Shen Nankui and asked.

Shen Nankui smiled faintly, "Yes, I can't get used to the smell of the previous flowers and plants. I have nothing to do these days, so I just planted a new batch of flowers and trees."

"Madam, you have lived here for quite some time, why did you wait so long before starting the construction?"

Shen Nankui looked straight at him, "What does Tian Bantou mean by this?"

Tian Peng smiled and said, "It's nothing. Madam, you don't know that before I became the foreman, I was the one who took care of the flowers and trees in the state government. There is something wrong with the planting of your fruit trees. I will help you take a look. Otherwise, I am afraid they will die in a few days."

As he was speaking, his men handed him a shovel.

After he took it, he started digging in the garden without saying a word, not giving Shen Nankui any chance to refuse.

Shen Nankui just smiled and said nothing. He asked someone to bring a chair and sat aside, watching his movements quietly.

Tian Peng searched the garden with a shovel, but couldn't find any cellars or tunnels where people could hide.

"This is impossible..."

He refused to believe it, and turned it over carefully with a shovel, wishing he could move the rockery away to have a look.

Shen Nankui said with a half-smile: "I can see that Tian Bantou doesn't want to help me plant trees, but wants to destroy my garden."

Tian Peng was a little embarrassed, and he made an apology by clasping his fists, "It was my recklessness that damaged your garden. I will definitely ask someone to repair it for you later."

"No need."

Shen Nankui's tone turned cold. "If Captain Tian suspects that I have hidden something or someone here, you can just tell me directly. Why, do you think that the wanted criminal is still in my house?"

"How dare I? That wanted criminal is guilty of heinous crimes. I am also worried about your safety."

"Then I have to thank Team Leader Tian?"

Tian Peng said with a stiff face, "Madam, there is no need to thank me. If there is nothing else, we will take our leave first."

"Wait a minute."

Shen Nankui stood up and said slowly, "Since Captain Tian is suspicious of me, if I don't ask you to investigate before going back, I'm afraid you will come again next time. Well, I will let you search again, but..."

She smiled sarcastically, "Now that it's light, Tian Bantou must see clearly. You keep coming to my house like this. Is it because I am a serious suspect, or are you incompetent? I wonder if the governor knows that this is how you do your job?"

Hearing this, Tian Peng broke out in a cold sweat.

It’s not that he was afraid of Shen Nankui. Although this woman had a great background and was not easy to deal with, she couldn’t do anything to him. But she was right. The governor had already issued a death order. If Gong Tao couldn’t be caught, he, the newly promoted squad leader, would probably not be able to keep his position.

He clasped his fists and said, "Madam, you are very understanding. I would like to thank you for this!"

Then, he waved his hand, led the people into the yard, and ordered: "Check carefully!"

There was no trace of Gong Tao anywhere in the city, and he still couldn't believe it. How could a living person disappear out of thin air?

After much thought, only the Shen family is the most suspicious.

But they searched every room carefully, but still didn't find anything suspicious. Shen Nankui asked: "Is Tian Bantou satisfied now?"