The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 51: Killing a Person is Easy

"Sir, Madam Shang Er may not be unaware of the layout of my garden."

Shang Zishu's eyes were red with anxiety, and Shi Houqiong stepped forward and gave her a heavy blow: "Back when the Literati Gathering was first being planned, I admired Wen Xiucai's talent and took him to the garden several times. Today, Wen Xiucai helped arrange every flower and scene in the Mobao Garden..."

Shang Wenshu stared at Wen Yan intently.

"Mr. Wen, have you ever mentioned Mr. Shi's private garden to Madam Shang?" Prefect He interrogated Wen Yan.

Wen Yan bowed politely, "I dare not lie to you, sir. I have mentioned this to Madam Shang. Madam Shang was curious about the location of the tea competition. I not only told her everything, but also, fearing she might not understand, I even drew a picture for her."

"You're talking nonsense—" Shang Wenshu retorted harshly. She looked at Wen Yan in disbelief, not understanding why he lied.

"Sir, I have a mutual understanding with Madam Shang, and I have received great kindness from Mr. Shang. I should cover up for her, but I cannot lose my integrity!" Wen Yan said with a look of reluctance and grief. "The gift I gave to Madam Shang will be found if you search for it."

"Wen Yan!" Shang Wenshu was almost crying blood, her whole body was shaking.

The reason why she didn't go to the literary gathering today was that Wen Yan said a few days ago that he would leave early today and come back to talk to her.

She spent the whole morning in a secret meeting with Wen Yan. Wen Yan talked a lot about their future. Before parting, he gave her a gift, which looked like a scroll. He stopped her from unfolding it on the spot.

She was told to go home and appreciate the painting slowly. She had just returned home and had not had time to look at it when people from the government office came to her house. The painting was still in her small study.

She hasn't unfolded it yet, but now she can guess what's painted inside!
"Sir, why not search the Shang Mansion as well?" County Magistrate Gao suggested. "Maybe we can find the poison there too."

Magistrate He really admired Shang Jinliang: "Mr. Shang, do you have anything to say?"

"Sir, the innocent will be innocent." Shang Jinliang also realized that a huge net had trapped their entire Shang family, and none of his three daughters were spared.

If the government searches, there will be solid evidence. He cannot resist or stop the search now, otherwise he will be guilty.

"If you have no reason to refute, this government will immediately send people to search your residence." Governor He sighed almost inaudibly.

"Sir!" Shang Mingshu suddenly stepped forward, "I have something to say."

Just at this moment, the yamen runner who had gone to get the gold beads came back, holding up a box of gold beads: "Sir, I have searched carefully in Madam Shang San's room, and found only a box of gold beads."

He Zhifu opened the box, which was full of gold beads. There were countless small grids in the box, and each grid contained eighteen gold beads. He Zhifu looked carefully and found that each grid of gold beads had a different label.

He ordered the box to be passed around, and several supervisors examined it one by one. Then he said to Shang Mingshu, "Indeed, each of the eighteen gold beads has a different marking. This prefecture allows you to speak."

"Sir, based on the gold beads, we can infer that someone is using them to frame me." Shang Mingshu gathered her thoughts and spoke rationally. "I only used the gold beads, used to hire someone to kill someone, in front of the Japanese pirates on the street that day and today when I was gambling. So, if someone used the gold beads to frame me, it could only be the Japanese pirates and..."

Shang Mingshu didn't mention the Shi family, so Shi Houqiong interrupted with a sneer: "Absurd."

"Mr. Shi is absolutely right. I also find it absurd." Shang Mingshu did not argue with Shi Houqiong. "I have so many gold pearls, but only this one became the money for hiring a killer. I can't help but think about it.

My Lord, I would like to ask, the murderer said he hired someone to kill someone, but who did he kill, not mentioning the person who hired the murderer?

Without waiting for Prefect He's reply, Shang Mingshu analyzed herself, "If I hired assassins to kill an official appointed by the imperial court, what would be my reason? And why would I hire such a scoundrel? With my wealth, if I were planning something big, I wouldn't be able to afford assassins... If I wasn't hiring assassins to kill an official appointed by the imperial court, but just to kill one person, I wouldn't have made such a big fuss, choosing this most difficult time to eliminate someone...

Besides, I have some skills on my side. If I only want to kill one person, there is no need to go to the trouble of hiring so many useless people who can only cause trouble. I want to kill one person..." She paused, her eyes cold and a smile fell on Shi Houqiong: "Even if it is Mr. Shi's mansion, I can sneak in late at night, take his head, and escape safely."

"You actually made threats in court. You are disrespecting the court!" Shi Houqiong said sternly.

If he had not seen Shang Mingshu's killing look with his own eyes today, he would not be afraid. Now a shadow shrouded his heart, and he felt that Shang Mingshu really had this ability.

"Don't be upset, Mr. Shi. I was just giving an example." Shang Mingshu smiled faintly and turned to the prefect He respectfully. "Sir, no matter how much I cry out for justice, I can't dispel the suspicion. It's reasonable for you to search the Shang Mansion. However, the Shang family has the same name. If you haven't found any evidence, why are you making such a fuss and gossiping? How can we, the Shang family, stop it?"

"Your father said it himself, and the innocent are innocent," County Magistrate Gao sneered. "From the way you sound, if there's no evidence, will the prefect be going to beat drums and gongs and shout your innocence through the streets?"

County Magistrate Gao always resented the fact that Shang Mingshu asked him to send people to beat drums and gongs to proclaim that the sisters were innocent.

"May I ask, Lord Gao, Xiang Mingzhai was defeated today because of this. In the future, when merchants compete with each other, they will follow this method to tarnish the reputation of their opponents. Wouldn't the entire Huizhou business fall into chaos?" Shang Mingshu asked righteously.

County Magistrate Gao was choked so much that his face turned pale.

On the contrary, Magistrate He admired Shang Mingshu even more. He nodded after a moment's thought and said, "Your concerns are indeed true. There is indeed something fishy about the matter of Jinzhu. I have sent officers and soldiers from the Xin'an Guard to the palace in plain clothes to conduct a search."

"Thank you, sir." Shang Mingshu was extremely grateful.

As long as the officials and soldiers don't make a big fuss, the people in the clan will avoid causing trouble.

Shang Jinliang didn't understand why Shang Mingshu was fighting for all this at this time. He was thinking about how to retreat and how to save Shang Mingshu, but he sadly discovered that when the nest is overturned, no eggs will be left intact.

The merchant's mansion was very large, and He Zhifu sent many people. Although the main destination was the courtyards of several masters, it still took a lot of time. Someone whispered a few words in He Zhifu's ear, and He Zhifu got up and left.

Shang Wenshu stared at Wen Yan, her eyes full of hatred.

Shang Jinliang was thinking hard, trying to find a way to break the impasse.

Shang Zishu was unsure, so she tugged at her sister's sleeve.

Shang Mingshu gently patted Shang Zishu's hand and smiled at her.

When piles of things were moved in, Magistrate He also returned. First came the scrolls. There were dozens of baskets of scrolls found in the Shang Mansion, not only in Shang Wenshu's room. Who knew whether Shang Wenshu would show them to her sister and father.

"Mr. Wen, can you find the scroll?" With so many questions, Magistrate He had a headache.

"Sir, it's tied with red rope." Realizing that his answer was a bit hasty, Wen Yan made up for it, "Because it's different from other paintings, I specially distinguished it."

There are many scrolls, but only one is tied with red rope.

He was quickly picked out and unfolded in front of everyone by Magistrate He.

Shang Wenshu didn't dare to face it and subconsciously closed her eyes.

My sister sneered in my ears: "Is this what you call a residential plan?"

(End of this chapter)