After the cannon fodder father and daughter married into the family, the whole family regretted it

If Yao Xin is the person behind Chen Yong, then things become even more complicated.

Just when Jin Shi was suspected, Yao Xin, a member of a collateral branch of the Yao family, appeared...

The assassin's goal was the secret held by Chen's troops, so what was Yao Xin planning to do?

Fang Nanzhi rubbed her temples, feeling that the more she knew, the more complicated the case seemed.

Zhu Guanfeng was unaware that Qin Yan had only accompanied him to the Ministry of Justice, yet he already suspected Yao Xin.

He was able to find Yao Xin because he started investigating Chen Yong's previous disappearance.

According to Chen Yong, after encountering the assassin at the post station, he began to wander and hide.

Zhu Guanfeng sent people to investigate the area, and they unexpectedly found a restaurant where Chen Yong stayed for five or six days.

Chen Yong came from exile and was being hunted down. He had neither money nor the courage to stay in a restaurant.

This is highly suspicious.

The waiter at the restaurant was initially reluctant to speak, but fortunately, the person he sent was capable.

They discovered that Xiao Er had an older brother who worked as a constable in the yamen, but was being targeted by someone, and Xiao Er helped resolve the matter.

The waiter told the truth out of gratitude.

During the few days Chen Yong stayed at the restaurant, he rarely went out, even wearing a straw hat when he did, and rarely showed his face.

People can hide outside, but when they stay in the restaurant, eating and sleeping, the waiter serves them tea and water all the time, and they still remember Chen Yong's appearance.

It is said that during the few days Chen Yong stayed, only one person came to visit him.

That man was the head steward of the Yao family.

The reason the restaurant kept the news from Chen Yong was because Steward Yao and the manager had given them a gag order.

Thus, the Yao residence was revealed.

However, the Yao family members in the area were not direct descendants of the main branch of the family, but rather members of the third branch, who served as officials there.

They investigated the entire family of the third wife, but found nothing amiss.

But note that Yao Xin was taken and stayed in the city for about ten days before leaving.

Then, Zhu Guanfeng sent someone to investigate Yao Xin.

You wouldn't know unless you investigated, and what you found was shocking. Yao Xin may have been traveling and enjoying life these past few years, but behind the scenes, she has accumulated quite a bit of power.

Given Yao Xin's relationship with Chen Zijun, Zhu Guanfeng's first suspicion was that Yao Xin was colluding with Chen Yong.

Sending Fang Nanzhi to see Chen Yong today to deliberately leak information is just the first step.

The real secret lies in the food box she took.

The food box was prepared in advance by Zhu Guanfeng.

In prison, Chen Yong ate his meal absentmindedly, feeling uneasy as it was a rare treat for him.

He was a little uneasy. Was the evidence that person gave him fake?

He doesn't really care whether it's true or false; he's just afraid of being exposed.

If he is exposed, he will be falsely accusing the princess. If he falsely accuses the princess, will he still be able to keep his life?

Picking up the steamed bun from the plate, which was already a bit cold, but was made of pure white flour, Chen Yong took a big bite since he hadn't eaten one in a long time.

With that one bite, I realized something was wrong; a small piece of paper fell out.

Chen Yong was startled. He looked around and, seeing no jailers passing by, quickly picked up the note.

Chen Yong was a member of the Chen family. Although he was exiled, he was still literate.

I opened the note; it contained only a few words.

"Things are not easy, adapt to circumstances, and I hope Yuan'er is well." The signature was Yao.

Actually, adding a signature was somewhat redundant, but Chen Yong was so confused that he didn't even think about it.

In the dark prison corridor, Zhu Guanfeng could clearly see the expression on Chen Yong's face.

Panic, unease, and worry, but not a trace of surprise.

This proves one thing: he guessed it. Yao Xin really does have a problem.

Who would have thought that the person behind Chen Yong would be Yao Xin? A blind man who had been forgotten.

The Yuan'er mentioned on the note is Chen Yong's son.

After Chen Yong's fiancée was abducted, he never got married, but he had a son born from an affair with a widow in the village.

I learned about this from Chen Jiuye and other members of the Chen clan.

After suspecting Yao Xin, Zhu Guanfeng wondered what methods the other party used to make Chen Yong willingly become a pawn.

Bribery is not enough; the betrayal of Grand Princess Mingzhu is a good example of this.

Chen Yong is a scoundrel; we know from Chen Jiuye and the others that he's not very principled.

A cowardly and timid man, who has been tortured in the Ministry of Justice for so long, has never told the truth.

Each confession seemed to be prepared in advance.

Or rather, someone is guiding you on when to release what information.

Chen Yong is not a smart man and does not have the ability to make such arrangements; it is clear that he was instructed by a mastermind behind him.

Zhu Guanfeng analyzed that, in addition to bribery, threats were definitely involved in getting Chen Yong to obey his every word.

The threat must start from a weak point, and there is no better target than an innocent child.

Moreover, Chen Yong really liked that son. He didn't openly acknowledge him as his son. If he did, the child would be like him, a criminal, and would be looked down upon wherever he went if he didn't take the imperial examinations.

This note was a carefully designed trap for Chen Yong.

The latter, caught off guard, fell for the trick. Zhu Guanfeng watched him silently, crumpled the note, gritted his teeth and ate it, then gulped down the soup before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Zhu Guanfeng has passed away.

"My lord, shall we question Yao Xin? If he was the one who orchestrated this, he should be in the capital."

"We're far from the prison," the subordinate asked.

"Investigate secretly, find out where they are, but don't alert them," Zhu Guanfeng said.

Yao Xin has kept a low profile for so many years, but she's not someone to be trifled with.

"Yes."

After leaving the Ministry of Justice, Zhu Guanfeng went to the Jingzhao Prefecture and gave the threatening letter to the prefect.

The people of Jingzhao Prefecture have indeed made new progress in sealing off cloth shops and teahouses.

The private room where the incident occurred was very close to the private room directly opposite the teahouse next door.

The people at the cloth shop didn't see how the deceased was taken upstairs, but when they questioned the teahouse staff, they learned that a customer had come under the pretense of discussing business, bringing a large suitcase that required two people to lift.

That person chose a room opposite the one where the incident occurred.

The windows of the two private rooms are next to each other, which means that it would be easy for them to contact each other.

The guests with large suitcases were supposed to leave after the incident, but many people were just watching the spectacle.

He needed to appear sociable, so he deliberately stayed for a while before leaving. Zhu Guanfeng then had the teahouse surrounded.

And just like that, the other party was caught.

The large box was stained with blood and bloody handprints, and the man had no chance to explain.

The mood improved somewhat after the important criminal was captured.

"Sir, could you please find out his identity?"

"It's already under investigation. This time, I'll give you credit." The prefect patted Zhu Guanfeng on the shoulder.

As expected of his capable subordinate, his observational skills far surpass those of ordinary people.

Zhu Guanfeng quickly said a few words of humility, saying that everything was thanks to Shangguan's cultivation.

The prefect raised an eyebrow: "Haven't seen you for a few days, where did you learn to be so glib? We in the Jingzhao Prefecture are all practical and capable people, Lord Zhu, don't learn bad things from certain people."

That was a very pointed remark.

Lately, many people have been mocking the Jingzhao Prefecture. It's one thing to laugh, but some people even flatter it while they're laughing.

Despite the claim that the Ministry of Justice has great potential, I wish you, sir, to be wise. Following the Minister of Justice in investigating the case, progress has been rapid.

They said that the Jingzhao Prefecture couldn't even find out the origins of a few assassins, so it would be better to ask the Ministry of Justice for help, and let Lord Zhu put in a good word for them.

In other words, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture would not say anything to the face of the Ministry of Justice, but behind the scenes...

Hmph, he's been at odds with the Minister of Justice several times.

He felt that the Minister of Justice was putting on a show, and who knew how pleased he was with himself behind the scenes.

Zhu Guanfeng wanted to pretend he didn't understand, but this was a difficult question to answer, so he could only give an awkward laugh.

Fortunately, a constable rushed in and helped him out of the predicament.

"Sir, the other party mentioned a place."

The prefect's eyes lit up: "Let's go!"

Zhu Guanfeng caught up; he also wanted to arrest the person himself.

Fang Nanzhi was unaware of the busyness of the Jingzhao Prefecture; she had barely returned home when someone came to invite her.

The person who arrived was an unfamiliar adult.

His surname is Yun.

Yun Congsheng was an official in the Ministry of Revenue, a fifth-rank official. He was very young, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a square face, and looked like a very upright person.

He was the previous third-ranked scholar in the imperial examinations. He had spent two years in the Hanlin Academy before joining the Ministry of Revenue. It was said that the Minister of Revenue valued him highly.

Lord Yun went to the vicinity of the Ministry of Agriculture after leaving his post and "chancely met" Fang Tong.

After exchanging pleasantries, Fang Tong was about to return to his residence for a meal and casually invited Lord Yun to join him.

Lord Yun agreed.

Fang Tong was a little confused. He knew the two of them and had dealt with officials from the Ministry of Revenue, but they weren't that close, were they?

Yun Congsheng didn't hide it; he came to invite Fang Nanzhi to his residence for a medical consultation.

His wife is not in good health and cannot visit him in person for medical treatment.

Knowing the purpose, Fang Tong felt relieved and readily brought the person back.

It's worth mentioning that Fang Nanzhi's reputation spread after she cured the Crown Prince and performed free medical consultations.

Some families really want her to come to their homes to treat their illnesses.

Because she is a woman, it's easier to explain some of the ailments that women suffer from. Or perhaps it's because it's difficult to invite Old Zhou; most people refuse, but if Fang Nanzhi were invited...

If the apprentice can't cure the illness, can we ask the master to come out?

In short, there were a few people with ideas, but apart from General An, Yun Congsheng was the first to actually come to their door.

Why? Because Fang Nanzhi wasn't just a doctor; she was also the daughter of an official.

Fang Tong's official rank is insignificant, but Fang Yin's rank is quite respectable.

In ordinary times, wealthy families would send a maid or steward to invite a doctor.

But if we want to invite Fang Nanzhi, sending a servant would be like sending her daughter to our door. Wouldn't that be inappropriate?

In addition, the fact that General An personally came to invite people twice set an example for others.

Those people would think, "We are officials, why would we personally come to invite a young girl?"

Especially if the woman in the family has a minor illness that isn't life-threatening, how could the head of the household dare to personally go and fetch a doctor?

At worst, you can just keep enduring it, or see another doctor.

Or perhaps the lady could invite her; a lady with an imperial title would also maintain her dignity.

If you're going to someone's house that you don't know well, you need to send an invitation beforehand, talk to Qian Fengping, and then discuss asking the girl to treat your illness.

But they were noble ladies, and the thought of them being subservient to a village woman who had once been a widow made me feel incredibly awkward.

In short, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

As for sending the young ladies and gentlemen of the family, they have no relationship with Fang Nanzhi and Qin Yan, so what reason could they give to come over?

Basically, we treat people like ordinary doctors, afraid of neglecting them.

Treating her like a rich heiress feels a bit disrespectful; she's too concerned about saving face.

This ultimately led them to abandon the idea of ​​hiring someone.

Fang Nanzhi really hadn't thought of that. If she had known, she would have definitely tried to dispel the other person's hesitation.

Actually, she didn't mind at all; it was the nanny or the housekeeper who asked her to see the doctor.

She's there to treat patients; all she needs to do is be a doctor.

If she and her mother come to visit someday, she can act as a young lady again.

Yun Congsheng was able to come because he loved his wife very much. His wife's illness was not serious, but she had been experiencing persistent lochia after childbirth for a year.

I've always been in low spirits; I get tired easily even after doing just a little bit of work.

Fang Nanzhi carried her medicine box and went with him to the Yun residence.

However, we brought quite a few guards, given the special circumstances.

Yun Congsheng understood, and was even somewhat moved. He had followed her to the Fang residence and learned that Fang Nanzhi had been involved in another incident on the street that day, and that her body had been dumped there.

He realized then that he had been rash and that it was no longer possible to see a doctor today; he could reschedule for another day.

Unexpectedly, Fang Nanzhi was so easy to talk to that she didn't hesitate at all.

The Yun residence was not large; it was a small courtyard with two sections, which Yun Congsheng bought after he became an official.

His ancestral home was in the south, and his family was merely local gentry. They spent a lot of money to support his education.

This small house in the capital cost the family most of their money.

Compared to other officials, this house was not pleasing to the eye, but the couple were content and managed the house very well, making it small and exquisite.

As soon as I entered the gate, a little boy, about four or five years old, wearing a pink cotton-padded jacket, came running over with his short legs.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Yun Congsheng smiled unconsciously and reached out to hug his daughter.

"Why did Yun'er come out? Aren't you cold?"

He held his daughter in one arm and touched her little hands and face with the other. They were still warm, and he felt relieved.

"It's not cold, come and greet Daddy, I miss Daddy." The little girl shook her head, her big, watery eyes seeming to melt one's heart.

Yun Congsheng couldn't help but smile, praising her for being well-behaved before introducing Fang Nanzhi.

"This young lady is here to see your mother. Her surname is Fang. Please greet her."

The little girl twisted her neck to look at Fang Nanzhi, who gave her a gentle smile.

For some reason, the little girl blushed and hid in front of her father's chest.

Fang Nanzhi was charmed by her cuteness: "Your name is Yun'er? Hello, little sister Yun'er."

She took the initiative to greet her, and although Yun Yun was still shy, she obediently replied, "Yes, Sister Fang, you are so beautiful."

Fang Nanzhi was a little smug, but she had the air of an older sister: "You're pretty too, and cute..."

The two girls chatted and quickly became acquainted.

Yunyun stopped wanting her father to hold her, twisted her body to get down, and boldly reached out to take Fang Nanzhi's hand: "Come on, Sister Fang, my mother is in the backyard."

In the backyard, at the main house, a strong smell of medicine wafted out as soon as you reached the door.

Yunyun wrinkled her little nose, her face a little sad: "Ever since my mother gave birth to my brother, she has always been taking medicine, and the medicine is so bitter."

Fang Nanzhi touched her little head and vaguely understood why others always liked to touch her like that.

It's furry and feels nice to touch.

Hearing the commotion, the maidservant came out to fetch someone.

Upon entering the room, Fang Nanzhi saw a woman lying on the couch, her figure thin and her face somewhat pale.

“Madam Yun, my surname is Fang. I was invited by Lord Yun to examine you.”