Merit-based card draws, quickly become a Heavenly Emperor

After a short rest, Fang Zheng and Guan Tieyi rushed to Zuixianlou again.

Tonight, I also have a dinner party hosted by Sun Xianrong.

Fang Zheng has already determined that the dossier written by the other party is problematic, and this Sun Xianrong must know some inside information.

Unsurprisingly, this person will be a breakthrough point.

Fang Zheng had already received Lü Zhengfeng's order; after this meal, he could invite Sun Xianrong to the supervisor's office for "tea."

This could very well be the key to breaking the deadlock and revealing the truth behind Chu Tiankuo's murder to the world.

As for the reason for arresting Sun Xianrong, the fire of the case files was an absolute dereliction of duty, practically handing him a pretext.

In addition, Fang Zheng also received news that the top courtesan at Zuixianlou would be getting married tonight, and a group of spoiled young men from the county would come to compete for her affections.

Among them was Zhu Hongcai, the son of Zhu Tianhua, the county magistrate.

The Cao family and the Zhu family are in cahoots. Fang Zheng thought that he might be able to find some clues from the infamous Zhu Hongcai.

.......

As dusk settles and the night begins to fall, the city lights begin to twinkle.

Zuixianlou is located on the main street of Yongqing County, and it was already bustling with people and very lively.

Fang Zheng and Guan Tieyi followed Sun Xianrong to a private room on the second floor.

Immediately, a charming maidservant came in like a fragrant breeze, setting out snacks, tea, melon seeds, and dried fruit.

After exchanging some pleasantries, they all took their seats.

Fang Zheng had just sat down when he heard a clear, crisp sound of a clapper.

The candlelight on both sides of the stage in the lobby downstairs dimmed and then lit up again.

An elegant woman walked slowly out from backstage, holding a pipa in her arms.

A clear "ding" sounded, and the voices in the hall gradually subsided.

Then, she began to sing; her voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear.

After the song ended, someone in the audience shouted "Bravo!" and the others joined in with applause.

The woman bowed slightly, and her fingers began to pluck the strings of the pipa, preparing for the next piece.

Sun Xianrong leaned closer and chuckled in a low voice, "This top courtesan is named Qin Ruyi, and she's the most popular singer in Yongqing County."

Young Master Zhu and Young Master Ma have been fighting over her for over half a year.

Fang Zheng didn't reply, his gaze sweeping over the guests below the stage.

At a table in the front row, two young men sat upright, far apart from each other, neither looking at the other.

A man dressed in a brocade robe, with a fine jade pendant hanging from his waist, and an arrogant expression on his face, was Zhu Hongcai.

The other one, dressed in a light blue outfit with silver cloud patterns embroidered on the cuffs, should be Ma Chengfeng, the son of the county magistrate.

Both men stared intently at the woman on the stage, their eyes filled with determination.

By this time, after a few drinks, the atmosphere at the dinner table had become much more relaxed.

Sun Xianrong, trying to curry favor, talked at length about the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Fang Zheng didn't care and just listened, partly to get information out of Sun Xianrong and partly to observe Zhu Hongcai.

"Both are outstanding young talents in the county. May I introduce you two gentlemen to Lord Fang?"

Sun Xianrong, who was standing to the side, said something at this moment, and his expression was quite intriguing.

Upon hearing this, Fang Zheng smiled at Sun Xianrong.

It seems that Sun Xianrong has been observing me all along.

This person is not easy to deal with.

However, Fang Zheng is confident that he can overcome Sun Xianrong, this tough nut to crack.

When I reviewed the case files of Yongqing County over the years, focusing only on those involving Sun Xianrong, I found many loopholes and problems.

These problematic case files alone, coupled with the burning of the files, are enough to cause Sun Xianrong to lose his official position and face criminal charges.

The only uncertainty is whether the truth about Chu Tiankuo's murder can be extracted from the other party.

Fang Zheng quickly withdrew his gaze and began to try to get information out of Sun Xianrong, following the path he had planned beforehand.

At first, Sun Xianrong answered questions fluently and drank heartily.

But not long after, he realized something was wrong.

The things Fang Zheng asked, upon closer examination, were all traps; one could easily find oneself entangled in them if one wasn't careful.

Sweat began to bead on his forehead.

Before coming, Sun Xianrong had hoped to get some information out of Fang Zheng.

But after a few drinks, the more he talked, the more he felt that the person sitting opposite him was not a young man, but an old fox.

Sun Xianrong felt a tightness in his chest and dared not say anything more.

He knew all too well how filthy his past was. Any one of the cases he had handled over the years could have cost him his job, or even his head in serious cases.

This is not meant to scare you.

Behind those messy accounts, there are threads pulling at the ends, held by people at even higher levels.

He himself is just a gofer. If he really gets targeted by the supervisors, will they protect him?

not necessarily.

Perhaps those people are even more eager for him to shut up than the supervisor himself.

Thinking of this, Sun Xianrong felt a chill run down his spine.

But then I thought, Fang Zheng just started working at the supervisory office today, what could he possibly find out in half a day? He's probably just bluffing.

With this thought, he felt more at ease and made up his mind to deal with Fang Zheng to the end.

Unexpectedly, Fang Zheng stopped asking.

Fang Zheng raised his glass and clinked it with Guan Tieyi's. They started talking about the dishes for the evening and the singers, as if what they had just said earlier was just a casual question.

Sun Xianrong was full of energy and ready to counter any move his opponent made, but his opponent stopped.

It felt like throwing a punch with all your might, only to hit a ball of cotton, leaving you with a tightness in your chest.

His heart skipped a beat; something was wrong.

Fangzheng didn't ask any more questions because he had already asked everything he wanted to ask.

He already knew what to do and what directions to probe.

The rest can be investigated slowly after Sun Xianrong is apprehended.

Based on those few drinks just now, he had already figured out Sun Xianrong's background.

This person definitely has a problem.

Even if it's not directly related to Chu Tiankuo's case, there must have been something fishy about the cases he handled in the past.

This is enough.

The job of the supervisor is to dig up old grievances; otherwise, why would officials be so afraid?

Fang Zheng put down his wine cup, and Chong Guan Tieyi gave him a wink.

Guan Tieyi understood and subtly moved closer to Sun Xianrong.

The atmosphere at this table was strange, while on the other side, the spoiled rich kids of the county had already fought several rounds.

The纨绔 (playboys) led by Zhu Hongcai and Ma Chengfeng were not convinced by each other, and they competed in literary talent, drinking capacity, and extravagance. In short, they started to clash.

Each item cost over ten taels of silver, yet these two spoiled young masters simply gave them away without batting an eye.

Finally, Ma Chengfeng took out a painting, his face showing reluctance.

"This is the painting 'Rising Sun' that I acquired at great expense. Looking at it can inspire fighting spirit and uplift morale."

"My beloved, today I present this painting to you, wishing you everlasting beauty and enduring good fortune!"

This put Zhu Hongcai's side in a bit of a slump.

Because none of the other things he had could compare to this painting, "Rising Sun," which possessed such a captivating charm.

In this setting, it's all about saving face and having money. Zhu Hongcai, a spoiled brat, was unwilling to admit defeat so easily.

Upstairs, Fang Zheng was also somewhat taken aback.

Unexpectedly, the painting "Rising Sun" that he had entrusted to Chen Moxuan, the scholar, to sell to Lanyuelou ended up in the hands of Ma Chengfeng, the son of a county magistrate.

Even in this place of pleasure, it has become a tool for jealousy and rivalry.