Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 536 Tonic
Liu Dexiang smiled wryly: "This humble official truly knows nothing about it. I have never heard of any 'heartbreak grass' before."

“That’s simple,” Xu Xiaoyun said. “Since it’s something that actually exists, don’t worry about whether you’ve heard about it or not, just find it and that’s it.”

"My lord." Liu Dexiang bowed and stepped forward. He was no longer as indifferent as before. He explained, "Even if it is found, it doesn't mean that it is related to me. I have never heard of it, but Magistrate Sun knows everything. It's possible that he hid it beforehand and framed me intentionally."

Xu Xiaoyun said, "You mean, even if the item is found, it's because Magistrate Sun framed us?"

Liu Dexiang didn't know Xu Xiaoyun. Before replying, he glanced at Feng Zhong'an's expression. Seeing that the other party's expression was normal, he replied, "Yes."

“Isn’t this absurd?” Xu Xiaoyun said. “You’re just a prefect, how can he frame you like that? What are the people around you doing?”
"To put it bluntly, if one day you find letters accusing you of treason and collusion with the enemy on your desk, and you claim they framed you, do you think the Emperor would believe you?"

Sun Xiang was surprised that Xu Xiaoyun would help him like this, and wondered whose side he might be on.

“This…” Liu Dexiang spread his hands, “How did this get involved in treason and collusion with the enemy? I’m truly innocent.”

"Whether you're innocent or not, just look and you'll know." Xu Xiaoyun immediately ordered his men to search for traces of the Heartbreak Grass in the mansion.

Seeing Xu Xiaoyun's subordinates leave to carry out their orders, Liu Dexiang's expression became even more aggrieved. He moved closer to Feng Zhong'an and said, "Lord Feng, what kind of mess is this? I sincerely welcomed you all to my residence and prepared a welcoming banquet, but you didn't attend. You didn't investigate the important matters assigned by the court, but instead searched for the nowhere-known 'heartbreak grass'."

Feng Zhong'an waved his hand at Liu Dexiang and said softly, "Don't be impatient, just wait patiently. There must be some misunderstanding. It would be good to take this opportunity to clear it up for you."

"Sigh...sigh!" Liu Dexiang sighed several times. "What kind of mess is this!"

Xu Xiaoyun maintained a safe distance while observing Sun Xiang. Seeing him kneeling motionless on the ground, she couldn't help but say, "You should get up first."

"Thank you, sir." Sun Xiang feigned weakness as he stood up.

Xu Xiaoyun wanted to help, but didn't dare to go forward.

Xu Xiaoyun's men returned quickly, not because they had found the item, but because they couldn't find it. "Reporting to my lord, the constables in the manor are blocking us and refusing to let us search."

"Lord Liu?" Xu Xiaoyun asked him, "What does this mean?"

Feng Zhong'an patted Liu Dexiang on the shoulder like a good-natured man, "Why make things so ugly? If you stop them from investigating, it will only make you look guilty. Let them search. Whether they find it or not, what difference does it make?"

Liu Dexiang seemed to understand Feng Zhong'an's implication. He forced a smile and explained to Xu Xiaoyun, "Please understand, Lord Xu, it's not that the yamen runners intentionally obstructed us. They were simply unaware of the situation. I will explain it to them right away."

Liu Dexiang waved his hand twice at the door, and sure enough, no one stopped him anymore.

Sun Xiang estimated that they waited for about two incense sticks' time before Xu Xiaoyun's men came in with a wooden box. "Sir, this is all the stuff we found in the room of an old servant named Lao Lin."

Xu Xiaoyun took the wooden box and compared its contents with the heartbreak grass provided by Sun Xiang; they were indeed the same thing.

After confirming, Xu Xiaoyun asked the constable, "Where is the person?"

"It's already under guard." "Bring it here."

"Yes!"

Soon, five or six constables brought Old Lin over.

As soon as Lao Lin entered the room, he hurriedly looked at Liu Dexiang's face, but before he could find Liu Dexiang, his view was blocked.

Xu Xiaoyun held up the box and asked him, "Is this your stuff?"

Old Lin talked for a long time, but he didn't say a single definite word.

Liu Dexiang coughed, and Lao Lin quickly spotted him. However, before their eyes could exchange a message, Feng Zhong'an interrupted, "Lord Liu, there's no need to be nervous. Let Lord Xu ask."

Liu Dexiang was a little confused about Feng Zhong'an's approach, but he dared not cause an open conflict, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and explain, "I'm sorry, my throat is a little sore."

"Speak!" Xu Xiaoyun asked.

"No." Old Lin hadn't received any instructions from Liu Dexiang, so he could only answer based on his own understanding.

"If it's not yours, how did it end up in your room?"

"The villain doesn't know."

"I can tell you're getting on in years, and you must be a long-time servant of Lord Liu. You should know the consequences of lying to officials. Why suffer unnecessary pain? Just tell the truth." Xu Xiaoyun asked again, his tone even more serious than before, "Is this yours?"

Old Lin remained silent for a while, then raised his head and said firmly, "Yes."

"What is this?" Xu Xiaoyun pressed.

"Herbal medicines".

"What does it do?"

"Nourish the body."

How to nourish the body?

"Stew it together with other tonics."

"I happen to have a few tonics with me, so I'll add your tonic to the stew and give it to you to eat. Let's see what the effect is," Xu Xiaoyun called to his subordinate. "Go and stew it!"