Marrying Wife and Concubine Together: After Rebirth, I Remarried the Scumbag's Father on the Sp

"So, this thief must be hiding among you, or someone you know well?" Lin Ran asked.

Zhan Yan nodded, tapping the portrait lightly with his fingertips: "That's most likely the case. Moreover, this thief is agile and can evade the guards patrolling the capital at night, committing crimes one after another without being detected. He must have a background in martial arts, and may even have come from the military!"

“Recently, I have been rectifying officialdom in the Ministry of Personnel and have removed many of the Liu family’s protégés. Among them are some who harbor resentment, as well as many who wanted to curry favor with the powerful but were rejected by me. This villain is probably hiding among these people.”

Without delay, the three immediately discussed countermeasures. Lin Ran was in charge of interrogating all the women who had been victimized, carefully questioning the Peach Blossom Thief about every other detail, not even the slightest habit or action.

Lin Yiwan returned to her residence and mobilized the Marquis's secret guards to secretly investigate the officials who had recently been dismissed by Zhan Yan, as well as those who had tried to bribe him with women but were refused. The focus was on investigating those with martial arts skills who had had contact with Zhan Yan.

Zhan Yan returned to the Ministry of Personnel to handle official business, pretending to be normal, but in reality, he was luring the snake out of its hole, making the peach blossom thief think that he had not suspected anything and lowered his guard.

With the agreement reached, the three of them went their separate ways. After returning to her residence, Lin Yiwan immediately summoned the commander of the Marquis's secret guards and explained the list of people to be investigated and the requirements to be met. The secret guards were all well-trained, and after receiving their orders, they immediately dispersed to infiltrate every corner of the capital and secretly gather information.

After Zhan Yan returned to the Ministry of Personnel, he indeed presided over the assessment and reviewed the memorials as usual. However, the coldness in his eyes was even greater. He seemed calm, but in fact, he had already laid a trap, just waiting for the Peach Blossom Thief to walk into it.

Seeing his behavior, the officials in the Ministry of Personnel, though curious about the rumors, dared not ask any further questions and instead proceeded with even greater caution.

However, the Peach Blossom Thief was extremely cunning. As if he had sensed something, he disappeared without a trace after the attack on the daughter of the Grand Tutor's family. He did not commit any crimes for two consecutive days. The patrol guards in the capital patrolled day and night, but could not find a trace of him. The yamen runners of the Dali Temple searched everywhere, but also had no clue.

Before they knew it, it was the second night. With only one day left until the three-day deadline given by His Majesty, Lin Ran was pacing anxiously in Dali Temple.

Although the woman who was interrogated provided some additional details, they were all trivial matters. The secret guards only found a few suspicious people, but there was no conclusive evidence to prove that she was the Peach Blossom Thief.

Lin Yiwan sat by the window of the Marquis's residence, looking at the moonlight outside, her heart filled with anxiety.

She couldn't help but look out the window, silently praying that God would protect her and find the real culprit as soon as possible to clear Ayan's name.

Just then, a dark figure hurriedly entered from outside the courtyard; it was none other than Yinghun, the commander of the Marquis's secret guards.

He walked solemnly to Lin Yiwan and reported in a low voice: "Madam, we have found out. In a dilapidated house in the west of the city, there is a man who looks very similar to the Peach Blossom Thief in the portrait. Moreover, this man was once a disciple of the Liu family and served in the army in his early years. He is agile and skillful. Because he was dismissed from the Ministry of Personnel by the Marquis, he harbors resentment. Recently, he even bought the same black brocade robe as the Marquis, as well as rouge and face powder."

Lin Yiwan's eyes lit up, and she finally felt a little relieved: "Quickly, take some men and meet up with my uncle immediately, then head to the dilapidated house in the west of the city to arrest the person. I'll go to the Ministry of Personnel to inform the Marquis right away!"

The night was deep and the dilapidated house in western Beijing was dimly lit. A figure sat at the table, wiping a short knife with a sinister smile on his face. On the table were a box of rouge and a black brocade robe. A fake scar was pasted under his left eyebrow, imitating Zhan Yan's appearance.

He was Zhang Yuan, a former subordinate of the Liu family. Because he was dismissed from the Ministry of Personnel by Zhan Yan and lost his future, he harbored resentment. Under the instruction of a powerful figure in the court, he imitated Zhan Yan's appearance and committed the Peach Blossom Thief case in an attempt to frame him.

He thought he had done something perfect, but little did he know that he had already been spotted by the secret guards.

Just as he was preparing to flee the capital overnight, the yamen runners from the Dali Temple and the secret guards from the Marquis's mansion broke down the door and surrounded him. Lin Ran and Zhan Yan walked in one after the other, looking at him with cold eyes.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Zhang Yuan tried to resist, but was immediately subdued by the constables. The rouge, black brocade robe, and the stolen property of the victimized woman on the table were all found, providing irrefutable evidence.

Caught red-handed, Zhang Yuan had no choice but to confess, revealing that the person who had instructed him was none other than Liu Chengye, the eldest son of the Liu family.

Harboring resentment, he devised a vicious plan to take revenge and ruin his reputation.

The truth came to light, and before the three-day deadline had passed, the Peach Blossom Thief was captured, proving Zhan Yan's innocence.

When the news reached the palace, the emperor was furious and immediately ordered the arrest of Liu Chengye and his imprisonment. Zhang Yuan and his accomplices were all sentenced to immediate execution.

The rumors in the capital vanished instantly, and everyone admired Zhan Yan's innocence and the speed with which Lin Ran and Zhan Yan solved the case.

After learning the truth, the Grand Tutor personally took his daughter to the Marquis of Zhanyi's residence to apologize. Zhan Yan and Lin Yiwan did not make a big deal out of it, saying that the matter was a frame-up by villains and had nothing to do with the Grand Tutor's residence.

After this incident, Zhan Yan's prestige in the court increased even more. Those with ulterior motives saw that he was not only decisive in his actions but also had a powerful background, and that the Minister of Justice was his uncle. They no longer dared to plot against him, and the selection of officials in the Ministry of Personnel became smoother.

Inside the Marquis of Zhanyi's residence, under the gentle moonlight, Zhan Yan sat in the courtyard with Lin Yiwan in his arms, gazing at the stars in the sky, his fingertips lightly stroking the top of her head: "I'm sorry you had to suffer."

Lin Yiwan leaned against him, shook her head, and said with tenderness in her eyes, "As long as you are safe and sound, everything is fine."

The moonlight was bright, and a gentle affection still lingered in the courtyard of the Marquis of Zhanyi's mansion. The palace lanterns under the corridor reflected a warm light on the bluestone steps. Lin Yiwan leaned against Zhan Yan's chest, her fingertips lightly tracing the flowing cloud patterns on his clothes. The evening breeze carried the fragrance of osmanthus, making her earlier murmurs even softer.

Zhan Yan lowered his head and kissed her forehead. Just as he was about to speak, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard. A guard knelt on one knee and said in a very low voice, but his urgency was still evident: "My lord, my lady, Liu Chengze, the second son of the Liu family, has escaped from the Dali Temple prison."

Zhan Yan tightened his grip on Lin Yiwan's arm slightly, the tenderness in his eyes vanishing instantly, replaced by a cold glint: "How did you escape?" he demanded in a deep voice.

"A crack has been chiseled into the stone wall in the northwest corner of the prison. The guards were drugged and rendered unconscious. An investigation revealed that it was a former member of the Liu family who secretly provided assistance. We have dispatched people to search for them, but Liu Chengze seems to have been prepared, and there is no trace of him." The guard lowered his head and reported, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead.

Lin Yiwan raised her eyes, a thoughtful look flashing in them. Liu Chengze was a son highly valued by Grand Secretary Liu, and his escape this time was definitely not just for survival.

She gently patted Zhan Yan's hand and said in a deep voice, "Since he dared to escape from the Dali Temple, he must have some ulterior motive. The rumors in the capital have just been quelled, so he would never dare to show his face. The only possibility is that he has his eye on the people in the mansion. Miao'er is simple-minded and may be used as a breakthrough point by him."