Heartstrings Resonance: The Beloved Princess of the Female Power

Xu Guoliang said, "My family got involved earlier. My sister met this guy in the middle of last year when she went to Roma Village to check the accounts. He wanted to cooperate with my sister, and my sister agreed because he had good products. That's how we got to know each other."

A puzzled voice sounded, "Wasn't this person in the provincial capital in the middle of last year?" It was Gou Yuqing, "My father met him while drinking tea at Shengteng Teahouse. When he got home, he specially praised this person in front of me. I remember it very clearly. He said that he was a business genius and compared me with others everywhere. I have met that person several times, and he is just a person with sweet words and flattery." After he finished speaking, he looked disdainful.

When the others heard this, they all agreed.

"Yes, I also heard my father mention it. He said he met him in Qingyuan County."

"I heard at the time that he was going to open a jade shop in Biluo County!"

"Why is this guy running around everywhere? One moment he's in Roma Village, the next moment in Biluo County, and the next moment in the prefectural capital. Why is he everywhere?"

Everyone was talking at once, and the more they talked, the more they felt something was wrong.

Mu Cheng sat in the hall, his face as black as the bottom of a pot. He clenched his fists tightly.

Seeing Mu Cheng's unhappy expression, everyone dared not speak anymore and the whole hall suddenly became quiet.

Without caring about the others, Mu Cheng directly ordered Afeng to fetch some writing materials. He then asked Shen Yitai to fetch the case file. He had read the case file many times. There was indeed a person named Mr. Chen San among the missing persons, but there was no mention of this person being the intermediary for the trip.

After the brush and ink were ready, Mu Cheng said, "Those who can paint, please draw the Mr. Chen San that you have seen."

Most of the people present were smart and naturally understood Mu Cheng's intention. Xu Guoliang was the first to respond, "I'll go first!" After that, he walked to a table nearby and started painting. Then several people walked to the other two tables and started painting.

Mu Cheng picked up the file and read it carefully. After confirming that there was no mention of this, he turned to Shen Yitai and asked, "Didn't you write this?"

Shen Yitai quickly replied, "It was written by Liu Shuli."

Mu Cheng frowned and asked, "Where is Liu Shuli now?"

Looking at where Liu Shuli was, "He said his stomach felt uncomfortable and he wanted to go to the toilet." said the clerk who had spoken to Mu Cheng earlier.

"How long have you been gone?" Shen Yitai also noticed something was wrong and asked quickly.

"Not long after!" The clerk seemed to have remembered something, and his expression became a little anxious. He answered excitedly, "He left when the chief clerk went to get the files."

Hearing this, Mu Cheng's face instantly darkened. A sharp look flashed in his eyes, and he ordered coldly: "Afeng, go after him!"

Ah Feng responded, then vanished from everyone's sight in a flash, as swift as the wind. Everyone present was stunned by this scene, their eyes wide open, unable to utter a single word for a long moment. No one had imagined that the servant who had been silently nodding and bowing by the side until now was such a formidable master.

Just then, a gurgling sound broke the silence. It was Mu Cheng's stomach protesting. He made no effort to hide his hunger. He casually picked up his cold breakfast and chewed it while asking, "Have you all eaten?"

Everyone said they had already eaten.

"In that case, I won't be polite!" Mu Cheng said with a smile, and then he no longer cared about the eyes of the crowd and started to enjoy the food.

This action made the people present feel a little embarrassed. After all, as the prefect, he could have chosen a more elegant and noble way to eat, but he did not hide his appetite at all. This frankness and affinity was surprising.

Although Mu Cheng had only been the prefect of Youzhou for a short time, his reputation had already spread far and wide. People had sent people to the places where he had served to inquire about his past, and they received rave reviews. It was said that he never handled unjust or wrong cases, and was fair and honest; he was tactful but not greedy, and those who attempted to bribe him were investigated and punished one by one. He never discriminated against or looked down on merchants like him, and even treated ordinary people equally. He once solemnly stated, "I will respect every life." This sincerity deeply touched everyone's hearts, making them respect the newly arrived prefect even more.

Under the eaves, Mu Cheng watched the snow fall again. Thinking of Lin Feng who was searching the black pine forest, he couldn't help but sigh: "I hope everything goes well."

He turned to look at the subordinates behind him and asked, "How was Captain Xiao injured? How is he now?"

The subordinate quickly replied, "Your Excellency, we discovered a problem with the well at a farmer's house in Shunshui Village, west of the city. Just as Captain Xiao was about to go down to investigate, the wife of the family was about to give birth. She said there was something fishy about having a man from outside the family and kicked us out. Captain Xiao realized something was wrong and quietly went back to investigate, telling us to wait. A while later, we saw Captain Xiao running towards us covered in blood. He fainted without saying a word. We had no choice but to send Captain Xiao to the infirmary first. Zhang Er and the other three stayed there to guard the infirmary while I returned to report."

Mu Cheng frowned the more he listened, "What about the family?"

"We were ready to arrest them at that time, but we didn't expect that they were all gone in just a short while. We could only send Captain Xiao to the clinic first." An Da said truthfully.

Mu Cheng frowned when he heard this. He had some guesses about this matter in his mind, but he needed more evidence to confirm it. He remembered the reason why Xiao Si was injured and turned to look at An Da.

"You take a rest first. I will go back to the lobby to sort things out and then go to the clinic with you." Mu Cheng ordered.

Back in the lobby, Mu Cheng saw that the portraits of Xu Guoliang and Gou Yuqing were finished. Both portraits were excellent, especially Xu Guoliang's, which captured the figures' forms and movements with exquisite lifelikeness.

Mu Cheng carefully examined the two different portraits of "Mr. Chen Sanye," and his suspicions grew stronger. He had the people who hadn't drawn the portraits called over to identify them. They all agreed that neither of them resembled the "Mr. Chen Sanye" they had seen before. Mu Cheng then examined several other portraits and received the same response.

Everyone suddenly understood, and Gou Yuqing couldn't help but say, "It turns out that all this was set up long ago! But... why on earth did they do this?" He really couldn't figure out the reason.

Mu Cheng had originally only intended to appease these people, but he hadn't expected to have such an unexpected reward. However, he was also perplexed by the motives behind these people's actions. What was their purpose in going to such great lengths to lure someone out?

A lot of time has passed, and the possibility of the missing people surviving is very slim. More than a month has passed since they left. Their families have not received any letters or news about them, and they took a lot of property with them when they left. But in fact, these people are worth much more than that. What's even more strange is that everyone said that the head of the family did not disclose the specific purpose of this trip or the content of the transaction. Mu Cheng couldn't help but think to himself: "What kind of business requires such confidentiality?" Suddenly, he thought of a possibility, and his eyes gradually became deep.

Mu Cheng had other things to deal with, such as visiting Xiao Si. Xiao Si must have discovered something if he was injured. He told everyone to go back and wait for news, and asked the clerk next to them to record their current address so that they could be notified as soon as there was news.

Everyone understood how busy Mu Cheng was, and they expressed their understanding and left.

Just as Mu Cheng was about to leave in the carriage, A Feng came back carrying someone. The person he was carrying was Liu Shuli, who looked to be in his thirties, with a mustache and a slightly thin figure.

Mu Cheng immediately ordered upon seeing him, "Lock him in the cell first! I will come back later to interrogate him."

After hearing this, Liu Shuli wanted to say something, but Afeng directly blocked his mouth with a cloth, making him unable to make a sound.

Looking at Afeng's actions, Mu Cheng wanted to stop him, but when he thought of his original identity, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Mu Cheng then boarded the carriage and rushed to the clinic without stopping. When the carriage was still some distance away from the clinic, they saw a thick cloud of smoke in the distance. An Da panicked and said, "Oh no! That's the clinic! Captain Xiao and the others are still inside?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Cheng quickly lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the thick smoke in the distance. The coldness in his eyes instantly became real. How could such a coincidence happen? It was clearly someone deliberately set the fire to kill people and silence them! Xiao Si must have discovered some important information. Mu Cheng then ordered in a cold voice: "Ajiu, go and save them quickly."

However, Ah Jiu did not take any action. He just replied expressionlessly: "My duty is to protect the safety of adults. The life and death of others has nothing to do with me."

At this time, An Da had already rushed to the place where the fire broke out, and Mu Cheng wanted to get off the car to see the situation, but his action was stopped in time by Ajiu beside him, "Sir, don't move, someone is approaching." As he said, Ajiu quickly drew out the knife under his seat and nimbly chopped off an arrow shot from the front of the carriage, but he himself did not move.

Almost immediately, An Da and several other soaked men came running towards them, carrying the unconscious Xiao Si on his back. Arriving beside the carriage, they immediately saluted Mu Cheng. The people who had been approaching the carriage gradually dispersed.

At this moment, another arrow shot over, but this time the target was clearly Xiao Si. Ah Jiu leaped off the carriage, cut off the arrow again, and then quickly flew back to the carriage, continuing to remain highly alert.

After that, no more arrows were fired. Seeing this, Mu Cheng quickly ordered everyone to lift Xiao Si onto the carriage. He asked An Da and a yamen runner named Su Wen to stay behind to organize people to put out the fire, and then asked Ah Jiu to drive back to the mansion. At the same time, several figures also hurried towards the place where the arrows were fired.