The Female Assistant of Wei Yuyan Shuangfei

In the main hall of the county government, everyone was waiting for news. Although Xie Tingwen had used the method of luring the snake out of its hole, in the end there was no substantial breakthrough.

As the yamen runners reported back one after another, he no longer had any hope. Just when he was about to give up, Cao Zhen brought back unexpected news.

There really was a man with six toes on his feet in Laigu County, and he happened to have disappeared a year ago. Since he was a beggar, he did not attract the attention of the government.

Thinking of this, Xie Tingwen hurriedly asked, "That stubborn old man disappeared a year ago?"

"Reporting to you, sir! I am still investigating the specific disappearance, but according to what the owner of the wine shop said, the stubborn old man disappeared after filtering two taels of wine a year ago. There must be something fishy going on."

Upon hearing this, Xie Shuting's face was also a little puzzled. For a beggar to go to a tavern to buy wine, the source of his money must be illegal.

Coincidentally, Xie Ningzhi also thought of this, and said with a stern expression: "Can the owner of the wine shop tell me where the stubborn old man's money comes from?"

"No! I have asked in detail several times, and the shopkeeper doesn't seem to be lying." Cao Zhen stroked his hand and said.

The scene fell silent for a moment. Cao Zhen glanced at the people in the hall. Except for the head of the Rites Office and Zhang Yuan, everyone who was supposed to come had arrived.

Xie Shuting was thinking about countermeasures. She glanced at Cao Zhen from the corner of her eye. Seeing his slightly embarrassed expression, she asked in surprise, "Captain Cao! Is there anything else?"

Everyone was instantly attracted by Xie Shuting's words, and several eyes were fixed on Cao Zhen, which made him feel a chill down his spine.

Cao Zhen swallowed his saliva and said, "Sir! When I went to investigate the case today, I found something unusual?"

"Abnormal? What's abnormal?" Xie Tingwen couldn't help but ask.

Cao Zhen glanced at everyone without saying a word. The six yamen officials immediately understood what he meant and they all apologized, used a lame excuse, and left the main hall.

Looking at the three people left in the main hall, Cao Zhen calmed down and said, "Sir! Today, I saw Lord Zhou, the head of the Li Ya in the south of the city?"

"You saw Zhou Ziyan in the south of the city? What happened? Tell me in detail." Xie Tingwen asked hurriedly.

"I didn't think much of it at first, but the yamen runners I was traveling with told me that Lord Zhou lived in the east of the city. After I tried several times, I finally found out which house in the south of the city was suspicious."

"That's all?" Xie Tingwen asked somewhat puzzled.

After all, it was common for officials to keep an external servant. If he inferred that Zhou Ziyan was suspicious based on this alone, that was not what he wanted to see.

Everything requires evidence, let alone a person who is in charge of the six yamen. If he fails to handle the matter properly, there will be many constraints on issuing government orders in the future.

Cao Zhen naturally saw Xie Tingwen's doubts, and then took a step forward and lowered his voice and said, "I asked the yamen runners about this matter, and they said that Master Zhou is not afraid of his wife. And the most important thing is that when I left, a carrier pigeon flew out of the yard."

"Carrier pigeon?" Xie Shuting frowned and asked, "Father! Could it be him?"

"I think it's possible." Xie Ningzhi agreed.

Xie Tingwen's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood the brother and sister's guess. If what Cao Zhen said was true, then Zhou Ziyan was a spy from the county government.

Xie Tingwen's mind moved, his eyes lit up, and he had an idea. He immediately ordered: "Don't make this matter public. Bring him in quickly and capture him, send him to... send him to the Fuwei Escort Agency, and let them help take care of him."

"Sir! If Chief Zhou is a wanted criminal, wouldn't it be inappropriate to keep him in the Fuwei Escort Agency?" Cao Zhen couldn't help but said with some concern.

"You are still too young."

Xie Tingwen chuckled, glanced at Cao Zhen, and said with a hint of instruction in his tone: "As the saying goes, it is easy to dodge a spear but hard to guard against an arrow. What if Zhou Ziyan is imprisoned and the result is not satisfactory?"

"Sir! I...I don't quite understand." Cao Zhen said with some fear.

Xie Shuting couldn't help but smile when she heard this. She raised her eyes and glanced at Xie Tingwen, muttering to herself, "Why did my father become so sinister?"

Her strange expression naturally did not escape Xie Tingwen's eyes. Xie Tingwen coughed awkwardly and said, "You don't have to worry about this matter. Bring reliable people with you and capture Zhou Ziyan immediately and hand him over to the Fuwei Escort Agency."

"Yes! I'll do it right away." Cao Zhen bowed his head and left.

In the main hall, there were only three people in the family. Xie Ningzhi glanced at his father and younger sister, who were both thinking about something. He felt that they were hiding something.

After thinking for a while, he couldn't help but ask, "Father! What are we going to do tomorrow?"

Xie Tingwen, the chief seat, suddenly came to his senses. He obviously had no plan for tomorrow's events because he did not know Liu Qing's background.

If it was true as he guessed in his heart that Liu Qing's backer was "Fu Zun", he would have to consider his retreat at this moment.

As if she could see Xie Tingwen's embarrassment, Xie Shuting said slowly, "Don't worry, father! The people from the Ministry of Punishment have already made preparations. Now everything is ready, and we are just waiting for the other party to fall into our trap."

"Ministry of Punishment! Little sister, when did you become related to the Ministry of Punishment?" Xie Ningzhi was puzzled, but he could not hide his concern in his words.

He knew Xie Shuting's true identity. If it was accidentally exposed to the Ministry of Punishment, with the influence of the Lian Family Chamber of Commerce, it would definitely be targeted by the court.

However, Xie Ningzhi didn't know that the head of the Lian Family Chamber of Commerce had already been secretly watched by Emperor Song Zhen. If Emperor Song Zhen got this news, he would definitely not be able to sit still.

Xie Shuting looked at Xie Ningzhi who seemed to be at a loss, and sighed helplessly: "Brother! Calm down."

"How can you expect me to stay calm? This is the Ministry of Punishment. Don't you understand..."

"I understand, little sister."

Xie Shuting interrupted Xie Ningzhi and said in a soothing tone, "The people from the Ministry of Punishment are currently in Laigu County. I just happened to have some interactions with them. Brother, please don't panic."

Xie Shuting's tone of voice in the next sentence was also a little heavier. Xie Tingwen didn't understand what she meant, but Xie Ningzhi was shocked when he heard it.

He subconsciously glanced at Xie Tingwen, then calmed himself down and said, "Yes... I was too hasty, brother. It's fine as long as you have the rules."

"Brother, please help me keep an eye on the matter of the medicine shop. This case was handled by my father and I, so we are naturally familiar with the details. What do you think, brother?"

Xie Ningzhi raised his eyes, looked at Xie Shuting's slightly sincere eyes, and nodded helplessly in response.

Xie Tingwen didn't say a word the whole time. He just listened to the argument between the two and thought it was just the brother's concern for his sister. However, his thoughts were still on the details of tomorrow's court session.