132. Zhou Yueqing

"I asked a few people, but no one dared to talk about Sun Yuan. Outsiders know very little about the gambling house. I didn't ask anyone in the gambling house in case I alerted them. In addition, I also asked Zhang Jiu's neighbors. They were all silent, but one of them said that Zhang Jiu loved his male wife and was very filial to his parents. He gave his salary to his male wife. He might look unfriendly but he has a nice heart. I also asked a few people if there is anything strange happening in the State of Qing recently. Someone mentioned that about two months ago, a fire broke out at a temple outside the State of Qing Mountain, and more than 20 monks were burned to death. This was a big deal, but the government did not allow anyone to discuss it by saying that the temple was cursed. I talked to a few children who lived in the neighborhood of Official Wang. They said that Official Wang seemed to have made a fortune recently. He is mean with money. But these days, he would give them candy.”

Han Tingxuan asked him to ask these questions. Han Tingxuan also told him not to press further.

Tian Yusu looked at Han Tingxuan. It was hard to imagine that Han Tingxuan had thought of so much from the beginning.

After listening to Han’s report, Han Tingxuan did not say anything. Tian Yusu asked. "So you did know there is something wrong with Official Wang in the first place?”

Han Tingxuan smiled. "How could I know that? But there are not many officials in the State of Qing. There is only one governor, one county leader, and one censor. The title ranking from high to low is governor, county leader, and censor. Now that the sensor is suing the governor, it is inevitable to investigate the county leader who is in the middle.”

Tian Yusu squinted slightly and was not convinced by the explanation.

However, he did not want to know what Han Tingxuan was thinking. He just needed to know how to deal with this matter, and he was very interested in the temple!

"I'll go to the temple to see what is going on," Tian Yusu said directly.

Han Tingxuan raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Alright, Han will go with you."

Tian Yusu narrowed his eyes, and then looked at Han who frowned slightly. Tian Yusu didn’t like Han frowning.

Since neither of them spoke, Han Tingxuan said with a smile to Han.

"Han, is there a problem?"

Han pursed his lips and shook his head. "No problem."

"Uncle, please take Han with you. You know Han's martial arts. I don't worry about your safety if he goes with you. You take the trip under my protection. I have to make sure you go back home safely. Otherwise, Big Brother will kill me if you can’t go home alive."

The corner of Tian Yusu's mouth twitched. Did he have to curse him?

In the end, Tian Yusu agreed with Han Tingxuan’s arrangement.

The corner of Han Tingxuan's mouth curved upwards, then he said a lot to Han in front of Tian Yusu!

"Han, you have to take good care of your safety. Get it?"

Han nodded. "I do. Don't worry."

Han Tingxuan patted his shoulder. "I am worried about you. But it's not a problem. Uncle will take good care of you. But if you are really in danger, your life is the priority. Just run for your life. Understand?"

"Mmm, I see," Han nodded.

Han Tingxuan continued, "Uncle's martial arts are also very powerful. But so many people have died in the temple. Perhaps there is a potential threat. Uncle must be prepared for going there. At a critical moment, you just need to take care of yourself. Don’t do anything silly. Understand?"

The corner of Tian Yusu's mouth twitched. Han nodded seriously. "I got it."

"Alright, I have nothing else to say. Keep an eye on uncle and make sure he is under your watch. Otherwise, it would be big trouble if he is in danger.”

"Oh, I understand," Han said.

Han Tingxuan didn't say anything else and turned to Tian Yusu. "Uncle, I will entrust him to you now."

Tian Yusu doesn't know what to say anymore.

After Han and Tian Yusu left, Han Tingxuan went straight to his room. He was really tired, so he planned to sleep for a while before settling all kinds of problems.

When Han Tingxuan woke up, it was already time for lunch. No one came to disturb him. Sun Yuan and Official Wang once came to invite him for lunch together, but they were refused by Shadow Two. Shadow Two told them not to disturb Han Tingxuan in sleep.

Han Tingxuan gave Shadow Two a thumb-up. "Mmm, well done."

Shadow Two chuckled. Fang Hui came in with lunch. Han Tingxuan was hungry and ate a lot. The food here was pretty good. One reason was that the officials specially prepared the food for him!

There were even many dishes that he liked!

It seemed that county leader Wang had studied him!

After lunch, Han Tingxuan talked with Zhou Rong and then with Official Wang.

Official Wang was e said that there was a witness and evidence to prove Zhou Yueqing’s crime.

Han Tingxuan did not go through the routine procedure of interrogation. He only said that he would like to talk to Zhou Yueqing first.

Then, Zhou Yueqing was taken over from the prison.

Zhou Yueqing was tortured in the prison. But he was refreshed before he was brought over. At least, his hair and prison uniform was not messy or dirty.

Zhou Yueqing was arrested for the crime of stealing a rare warm jade worth two hundred thousand taels of silver that was belonged to Sun Qiuyi.

Two hundred thousand taels of silver. The entire family of Zhou Rong could not raise much money.

Usually, a governor could not make this much money according to his annual salary. It would be big trouble for Sun Yun if Sun Qiuyi had a jade worth two hundred thousand taels of silver. But the warm jade was a gift Sun Yun’s male wife got from a concubine of the imperial family ten years ago. Sun Yun's male wife gave it to Sun Qiuyi as an heirloom.

Although Sun Qiuyi was the second son, he was the son of his Male wife Sun.  And Sun Qiudong, Sun Yuan's first son, also knew about this.

It was said that Sun Qiuyi had a health problem since he was young. This warm jade could protect him. So he wore this jade all the time.

One day, Zhou Yueqing and two friends were having a drink at the Restaurant of Bon Appetite. Sun Qiuyi and two friends were also having a drink in the next room.

Then, a friend of Zhou Yueqing’s and Sun Qiuyi’s friend had a conflict when they were on the way to the toilet. One thing led to another. In the end, everyone in the two VIP rooms got in a big fight.

Zhou Yueqing was a scholar and didn't know martial arts.

However, one of Sun Qiuyi's friends knew martial arts, and that person pushed one of Zhou Yueqing's friends.

Zhou Yueqing had gone crazy and insulted Sun Qiuyi.

Sun Qiuyi didn't say anything back, said the statement of confession.

After Sun Qiuyi stopped the fight, both sides left.

After that, before they went downstairs, Sun Qiuyi found that the warm jade was gone missing. It worthed two hundred thousand! Most importantly, it was bestowed by the imperial family. If he lost it, he would be punished.

Sun Qiuyi and his friends suspected Zhou Yueqing to steal it.

Zhou Yueqing and his friends denied it and even insulted Sun Qiuyi for blaming others for every mistake he made.

Then, Sun Qiuyi asked for body checks.

At first, Zhou Yueqing did not agree, but later, he agreed because he wanted to prove his innocence.

To be fair for each side, they got a third party who were two waiters from the Restaurant of Bon Appetite, one she-man, and the other he-man.

The she-man was responsible for searching Zhou Yueqing's body while the he-man searched Zhou Yueqing's friend.  One of Zhou Yueqing’s friends was a she-man and the other was a he-man.

The she-man found the warm jade in Zhou Yueqing’s pocket. That was how Zhou Yueqing was caught in public.

The case was simple. Sun Qiuyi, whose jade was stolen, reported the case and Zhou Yueqing was under arrest.

Because the value of the jade was very high, Zhou Yueqing would be sentenced to serious punishment if he was convicted of stealing.

After reading the statement of confessions, Han Tingxuan did not see Zhou Yueqing’s statement.

Because up until now, Zhou Yueqing had not confessed, and he insisted that he was framed. He didn't know that the jade was sneaked into his pocket by someone else.

Anyone with brains could tell that he was framed. Or else, Zhou Yueqing would not agree to be searched if he stole the jade.

It was not even a conspiracy. It was easy to tell that Zhou Yueqing had been wrongly accused.

However, just because it was a simple case, it was true that Zhou Yueqing was caught on the spot, and in public.

Worse than that, Sun Qiuyi’s father was more powerful than Zhou Yueqing’s father. It was obvious that Sun Qiuyi set a frame, but Zhou Yueqing had to show solid evidence to prove his innocence.

Zhou Yueqing knelt to greet Han Tingxuan, Official Wang, and his father.

Han Tingxuan asked lightly, "Zhou Yueqing?"

"Yes, sir." Zhou Yueqing knelt upright. Although he was injured, he did not show any weakness. He was a strong man.

He must be a proud man, a quality that Han Tingxuan did not like in a man.