The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 117 To Lead Shang Mingshu Away

"A gentleman loves a beautiful lady." Magistrate He nodded. "It's rare to find a lady like Miss San who is both talented in literature and martial arts, and who is also intelligent and pure."

"Master is right." Mrs. He agreed.

Looking at Shang Mingshu's style of doing things these days, she is as quick-witted and decisive as a boy. It would be okay to visit such a girl a few more times.

This time, I must not act on my own and must inform Tianxing in advance. I must mention it after the matter is done, so as not to make him happy for nothing.

"Sir, Mr. Shi requests to see you." The servant's voice came from outside the door.

Magistrate He and Madam He looked at each other. It was late at night and time to rest, and Shi Houqiong asked for a meeting at this time, obviously to avoid people. Magistrate He thought that Shi Houqiong would not dare to bribe him, and perhaps she had something secret to report.

"Please go to the study."

Almost as soon as Magistrate He finished speaking, Madam He took out his outer robe and unfolded it. Magistrate He smiled tenderly, reached out his hand and let Madam He put it on him, straightening the front of the robe before going out.

In the study, Shi Houqiong saw He Zhifu and bowed properly: "Sir."

"No need to be polite, just sit down." Magistrate He entertained Shi Houqiong.

Shi Houqiong waited until Magistrate He sat down in the main seat before sitting down and said, "Sir, I am sorry for disturbing your rest by coming here so late at night. Please forgive me."

"You came so late at night, I think you have something important to tell me." Magistrate He was very tolerant. "As the head of the prefecture, I should put the people's affairs first. What do you want to say? Just tell me."

Shi Houqiong stood up, lifted up her skirt, and knelt in front of Magistrate He. She took out a letter from her bosom and presented it with both hands: "Sir, this is something I accidentally intercepted recently. I don't know whether it is true or not. After careful consideration, I have decided to hand it over to you, Sir."

He Zhifu stood up and his face became serious towards Shi Houqiong's seriousness. He held his arm and helped him up before taking the opened envelope.

The letter claimed that the Japanese pirates were colluding with wealthy merchants in the prefecture. They claimed that their plan was going smoothly and that they had gradually gained the trust of the government. They planned to use internal and external forces to cause chaos in Huizhou Prefecture during the year-end holiday.

Write down a few of their contact methods in your mind.

He Zhifu's eyes were complicated. After going through so many things, the person he suspected the most was actually Shi Houqiong. He had sent people to secretly keep an eye on the Shi family, especially after Shi Guangchao was beheaded. He kept a close eye on them. Since the death of his eldest son, Shi Houqiong seemed to have lost his energy and spirit, and he even lived in seclusion.

Today, Shi Houqiong presented such evidence, and he was immediately puzzled: "How did you get this letter?"

"A few days ago, I was trying to transport tea to Guangxi myself, but I encountered Japanese pirates along the way. The tea was stolen. I narrowly escaped, but I found this on the pirates..."

The whole Huizhou Prefecture knew that Shi Houqiong was robbed by Japanese pirates when he went to Guangxi with tea that he bought from an unknown source. This batch of tea was not sold by the Shi family alone. Many people who lost their tea blocked the Shi family's house to demand an explanation. It was said that the Shi family almost emptied their family assets in order to quell this turmoil.

He believed that Shi Houqiong had not lied about this matter. Once the matter was investigated, the truth would be known. He said, "This government will carefully consider it."

Shi Houqiong did not do much and did not say anything bad about anyone. He said goodbye and Magistrate He did not try to keep him.

Mrs. He waited until her husband returned to his room and found that he was frowning. She took the initiative to approach him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Shi Houqiong reported to me that the Japanese pirates were colluding with the wealthy merchants in the prefecture." Madam He was of noble birth and understood the fundamental principles of right and wrong. Lord He was happy to discuss official business with her. "Him?" Madam He was also surprised. "Did he say who it was?"

Lord He saw through Mrs. He's thoughts and said, "No, he didn't accuse anyone of anything, not even a single innuendo."

Madam He frowned. "This matter is of grave importance. If you don't believe it, and it really does happen, I will be held responsible for my dereliction of duty. If you believe it and misjudge something serious, you will also be held accountable. I'm most afraid... I'm most afraid that you'll be taken advantage of."

"Madam, you understand me." Magistrate He sighed deeply. "For now, we have to be more vigilant, carefully consider, and slowly test the waters."

The news that Shi Houqiong brought to him was not good news at all. It could not be taken lightly or seriously. It involved Japanese pirates and affected the peace of the entire prefecture. Prefect He could not act rashly.

After returning to the mansion, Shi Houqiong went to the study first. There, a tall and burly man with a scar on his face was waiting for him. The man's skin was darker than that of people outside the Great Wall.

"When will we act?" the man's voice was rough.

"Wait a little longer, until I transfer Shang Jia's youngest daughter out of Huizhou Prefecture." Shi Houqiong said.

"Just a little girl, and you're being so cautious?" The man looked at Shi Houqiong with sarcasm.

"If you look down on this little girl, you might as well go and try it yourself." Shi Houqiong ignored the other party's attitude.

"Would I be afraid? I'll kill her right now." The man grabbed the Japanese sword at his waist, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

Shi Houqiong watched the man walk to the door and turned his back. "Don't blame me for not reminding you. The general sent you to assist me. If you alert the enemy or fall into the hands of this little girl, don't blame me for reporting the truth. Whatever the general does to your brothers, wife, and children, you can't blame me."

"You!" The man turned around angrily, his eyes cold.

Shi Houqiong ignored the other party's anger and the already drawn white blade, his expression indifferent: "General Zuo escaped Xu Tianxing's pursuit several times on the river, and finally met the little girl you mentioned, and was shot dead by her with an arrow. Do you think she was just lucky?
Back then, you set up a tight net to kill Cheng She outside the city, but who made your foolproof plan fail?
And your plan to sneak into the city was also aborted by her."

The man's anger subsided slightly: "How are you going to lure her away?"

"It will be soon. You will know then. Maybe we can even lure Cheng She away with us." Shi Houqiong's lifeless face, like a dead person, broke into a smile. This smile was particularly strange in the dim candlelight.

"Hmph, wait for good news." The man snorted coldly and left quietly.

Shang Mingshu had never expected that Shi Houqiong was afraid of her. She had always been on guard against Shi Houqiong and never thought that Shi Houqiong would lead her away first in order to deal with Shang Mingshu.

She has been in a bad mood these days. Shang Zishu has been in seclusion researching new tea and staying in the mansion all day. When she is tired, she comes to Shang Mingshu to learn business management. Gradually, she notices something strange about Shang Mingshu.

"What's wrong? You've been a little distracted these past two days?"

Shang Mingshu did not hide it: "Cheng Mian's last letter was three days ago."

Cheng Mian was extremely attentive to Shang Mingshu, writing her a letter almost every day, and occasionally one every two days. However, this was because the post station delivered the letter late, so she hadn't received any for three days in a row. Today, she specially sent Hemu to the post station to inquire about it, and found that there was no delay.

"Are you worried that something happened to Mr. Cheng San?" Shang Zishu understood her sister, and her emotions were definitely not due to love.