CHAPTER 482: CHAPTER 482: ZOU YUZHEN’S DEATH

Squad Leader Jiang had just led the government officials and local residents in extinguishing the big fire in Willow Leaf Lane, and upon seeing County Captain Jiang arrive, he hurriedly went to greet him: "My lord, the fire in the three residential homes has been put out, but quite a few people were burned to death and are still buried under the rubble. They haven’t been dug out yet."

He frowned and said, "All three residential homes were doused with pine oil; it’s clear that someone deliberately set the fire. However, I can’t figure out what great evil person these three families had offended to have such a fire set upon them."

Squad Leader Jiang was a clansman of County Captain Jiang and was someone County Captain Jiang himself had personally mentored, and was very perceptive.

County Captain Jiang nodded upon hearing this: "Your estimate is not wrong. These incidents were all orchestrated by Zou Yuzhen, who set fires and ran away, and the house of Elder Chang in Willow Leaf Lane belongs to his people."

"This is an attempt to create chaos with the fire and escape," Squad Leader Jiang said shockingly, pointing at Elder Chang’s courtyard: "The people who were burned to death inside, were they Elder Chang and his folks, or were they innocent townspeople who were captured?"

If the dead inside were townspeople captured to take their place, then this matter would blow up significantly.

County Captain Jiang said, "Right now, the most important thing is to capture Zou Yuzhen; as for the rest, we will investigate later."

Upon hearing this, Squad Leader Jiang immediately stopped the neighbors and residents who were there to fight the fire, gathered everyone who knew Elder Chang or was familiar with Elder Chang’s family, and had them discuss matters concerning Elder Chang’s household.

"Elder Chang’s family came from another region to seek refuge with their relatives; there are quite a few men in the house, but only two women were seen, an elderly one said to be Elder Chang’s daughter-in-law, and a young one who is Elder Chang’s son’s wife. However, there’s something odd about that son’s wife; she hasn’t gotten pregnant for so many years, said to have an illness preventing her from conceiving."

"Elder Chang’s family didn’t divorce her still wanted her as the daughter-in-law, saying if Chang Tao doesn’t produce an heir by the age of thirty, they will buy a maid for Chang Tao to father a son. When we, the neighbors, heard of this, everyone praised Elder Chang’s family for their righteousness. If it were any other family, ha, they would have long divorced this barren daughter-in-law!"

What these neighbors didn’t know was that the young woman wasn’t actually Chang Tao’s wife, but just a prostitute from a brothel that Elder Chang had bought to serve the men in the household.

The elderly woman was not Elder Chang’s wife either; just a servant who did cooking.

But the old woman and the young woman rarely went out and didn’t talk to the neighbors; that’s how they had been concealed for so many years.

County Captain Jiang interrupted these people’s talk and asked, "What do Elder Chang and the men in the house look like? Describe their appearance and stature."

They needed to search for people according to this description; they had no time to listen to the gossip here.

Knowing that this was the Lord County Captain speaking, the neighbors dared not digress further and started to describe the appearance of Elder Chang and other men in the house.

"Elder Chang has a square face, wears a goatee, and is not very tall... His son resembles him somewhat."

County Captain Jiang listened, feeling a headache coming on. Elder Chang and his folks just had ordinary appearances, and it’s always the hardest to find someone with no distinctive features. How were they supposed to find them?

"However, Elder Chang’s nephew does look quite distinctive. He’s very tall, built like a bull, with a coarse and gravelly voice, as if he’s always got a mouthful of sand, so he doesn’t talk much, and there’s a scar by his ear, making him look a bit intimidating."

After the man finished speaking, he also provided County Captain Jiang with a piece of gossip: "I heard that in his hometown, he was scorned for his ugly voice and menacing looks, failing to marry off, and came to live with his uncle to make a living."

Upon learning the appearance of Elder Chang’s nephew, County Captain Jiang said to Squad Leader Jiang: "Twelve, you take people and search Willow Leaf Lane and the nearby alleys. If you see Zou family people, Chang family people, or any suspicious individuals, no more talk, just apprehend them!"

After County Captain Jiang finished speaking, he led his county soldiers to search the east side of the county.

Old Zhong and Old Yu went separately to the west and north sides.

Luo Wu, together with Squad Leader Yang and others, after extinguishing the major fires in the other alleys and shop-lined streets, also immediately began a search for Zou Yuzhen in the county.

They searched from dawn till dusk, but still did not find Zou Yuzhen.

...

Beneath the cellar in the large kitchen yard of the Zou family, at the very end of the cellar, another secret underground chamber was hidden. This additional underground chamber was known only to County Magistrate Zou and Zou Hai.

County Magistrate Zou had committed countless evils and feared that one day he would end up having his house raided. It was for that reason he had Zou Hai build this underground chamber, so that if the worst came to pass, he could escape from here with his confidants.

The reason he had not fled the last time was that he didn’t take Zou Jiang seriously, and as a result, he was brought down.

Zou Yuzhen, Zou Hai, and Fan Dabiao were hiding here.

However, they only had three people. Neither Chang Laopeng nor Master Gu’s family were to be seen because, indeed, Chang Laopeng and Master Gu’s family had been burned alive.

Jizi was the charred corpse used by Zou Yuzhen for his feigned death, while Master Gu’s family and a group of Protectors had all been burned to death inside the collapsed house, and the one who burned them was Zou Hai.

Fan Dabiao was not Chang Laopeng’s nephew. After being bought off by Zou Yuzhen with gold and silver, he led Chang Laopeng and the others to set fires in the county, and eventually locked Chang Laopeng and his group inside a house and set it ablaze as well.

To create chaos, the neighboring houses on both sides were also set on fire.

Zou Yuzhen killed so many people for a simple reason: he wanted to escape. Having too many people was too conspicuous; he had to sacrifice others to save himself.

"Third Master, there are still many county soldiers and government officials searching outside, we can’t make it out," Zou Hai whispered. This secret chamber had an exit, right under an old tree outside the mansion.

Zou Yuzhen was in a foul mood, cursing County Captain Jiang: "Damn Old Dog Jiang, what is there to search for? What is there to doubt about Gu Ji’s charred body?"

Zou Hai did not tell Zou Yuzhen that County Captain Jiang had seen through his feigned death because Zou Hai had already harbored the intent to kill.

Zou Hai had an ordinary appearance, and as he was involved in unsightly affairs for County Magistrate Zou, although people within the Zou Mansion recognized him, not many outside had seen him.

Now that he had a silver note in hand and had already secured a legitimate status for himself, as long as he killed Zou Yuzhen and the tall man, made it look like they had fought each other to the death, and then pushed their corpses out, this case would be closed. He could then flee, assume a new identity, and start a new life.

Zou Hai was a ruthless man. After deciding to kill, he acted that very night, drugged Fan Dabiao to make him unconscious, and while Zou Yuzhen was sound asleep, plunged a knife toward him.

Zou Yuzhen was clever, always on guard against Zou Hai, never eating the food or water given by him, and already suspicious of Fan Dabiao’s deep sleep today. When Zou Hai came to kill him, he countered with a dagger thrust into Zou Hai’s belly.

Zou Hai’s martial arts were formidable. He kicked Zou Yuzhen over with one kick, pounced on him again, and thrust a knife into his back.

Pfft!

The dagger pierced the skin and flesh, reaching the heart, and when the knife was pulled out, blood gushed forth.

Zou Yuzhen lay on the ground, looking at the glaring blood, knowing he wouldn’t survive. He laughed dryly a few times, and actually took out a bag of silver notes, handing them to Zou Hai: "One who betrays his master is bound for hell... If you don’t want to go to hell, then go to Da Feng Village, kill the Gu Family People for me... If you can’t kill them, then kidnap the grown daughter of the Gu family... sell her to a brothel... I want Miss Gu to become a prostitute slept with by thousands!"