CHAPTER 273: CHAPTER 270: PEOPLE OF CHEN FAMILY VILLAGE

Chen Yongsheng followed Xie Liangchen to the Zhenzhou Prefecture government office.

Qu Chengmei, upon hearing that Miss Xie was attacked on the mountain, immediately put down the document in his hand and walked quickly outside. Before General Song left Zhenzhou, he repeatedly advised him to take good care of Zhenzhou and the Chen Family Village. Every document that has come and gone these days always ends with the question: How is the Chen Family Village?

General Song left his capable people at the Chen Family Village. How could he not know the situation there, yet still mention it in documents, naturally indicating his concern.

Do we really need to guess what Chen Family Village means to General Song? After all, in the past two months, just to meet General Song once, he had played the role of a mountain bandit stopping people halfway between Chen Family Village and the camp, acted as a door god at the entrance of the Chen Family Village, and even shamelessly visited Chen Family Village for meals several times.

Even without General Song’s reminder, he knew how important Chen Family Village and Miss Xie were to Zhenzhou. The current prosperous state of Zhenzhou, not needing relief grain from the court and being able to fully pay taxes, earned the court’s written commendation for him as the county magistrate, even though it was all the work of General Song and the Chen Family Village.

The ten merchants who came to Zhenzhou were there for herbs and thread tassels, both introduced by Miss Xie with the villagers.

Even the Prefect of Zhaozhou came repeatedly to Zhenzhou to find someone, saying he wanted to improve the large spinning wheel, and invited Miss Xie to take a look.

If it weren’t for the herb harvesting season, Zhaozhou would likely have already taken her away.

In any case, Miss Xie cannot suffer any harm, or else even General Song in Baimaling would not be at peace.

"Lord County Magistrate," Master called from behind, "Please slow down, you haven’t put down the brush in your hand!"

Qu Chengmei couldn’t care about such things. Only when he saw Miss Xie and the villagers safe and sound did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Chang Yue and the people from Beishan Village explained the entire incident to Qu Chengmei, who then instructed his subordinates to prepare the documents and personally went to the prison for interrogation.

Xie Liangchen stepped forward: "My Lord, may I wait outside the government office for news while you interrogate the prisoners? I do not know why they came, and feel uneasy without understanding the situation."

Qu Chengmei was just about to agree, but after reconsidering the whole thing, instead of letting Miss Xie wait there, he said: "In that case, Miss Xie, please come with me to the prison!"

Xie Liangchen hurriedly stepped forward to thank him. She had been to the government office prison before and knew clearly that they might not get any information from the interrogation. But for some reason, her heart was pounding, and a thought flashed across her mind.

Those two people’s boxing and kicking skills and forms seemed familiar to her. Even if they hadn’t ambushed her in the forest, she could still guess they came to Zhenzhou for her.

In the prison, the sound of interrogation came through. Xie Liangchen looked at those tied to the torture frames, the two people who had hidden in the woods, though not death warriors, they refused to utter a single word.

However, the merchant and his assistant confessed a lot, but it was of no use.

The merchant admitted to accepting silver coins to come to Zhenzhou to gather information, without expecting that others would follow.

County Magistrate Qu asked the merchant, "Besides asking you to gather information on the Chen Family Village, what else did they ask you?"

The merchant said, "My ancestral home is Zhenzhou, and my aunt once married into the Chen Family Village. Although she passed away long ago, I know something about Chen Family Village. I know the Chen Family Village moved to Zhenzhou later, and the old village chief was very powerful, skilled in boxing and kicking, and once killed five mountain bandits by himself."

Xie Liangchen never expected the merchant to have such connections with Chen Family Village.

County Magistrate Qu asked, "Who did your aunt marry?" He instructed the clerk to fetch the household registration records.

The merchant said, "My uncle’s name was Geng Qing, not a member of the Chen Family. When he registered in Zhenzhou back then, he found Chen Lizheng to be a righteous man, and the people of Chen Family Village were kind, so he decided to stay. During the Zhenzhou conflict, my uncle’s entire family was lost."

County Magistrate Qu found records of Geng Qing’s family in the registration books.

The merchant continued, "Those people were very interested in Chen Family Village. They asked about the old village chief, the Chen... Chen Yueya’s family’s situation. I didn’t know much, so I didn’t tell them anything."

County Magistrate Qu asked, "What exactly did you tell them? You must tell me everything without leaving out a single word."

Shan Jia said, "I... I just told them that the old village chief had a son and a daughter, the eldest daughter was especially beautiful and married into the Xie Family. After the old village chief passed away, the son became the village chief, led the people of Chen Family Village to the battlefield, but never returned."

County Magistrate Qu frowned. This was not at all withholding information; it was telling others everything he knew, possibly involving Old Mrs. Chen’s family matters.

At County Magistrate Qu’s frown, the Prison Officer lashed the merchant with a whip.

The merchant immediately howled in pain, "I didn’t know they were out to harm anyone. I thought they wanted to do business with Chen Family Village. Had I known... they were like this... I wouldn’t have dared. I’m also from Chen Family Village... how could I harm anyone? Please, your lordship, consider that I was unaware and spare me generously."

"Pah."

This time, without County Magistrate Qu speaking, the prison guard spat at him, "You’re not worthy."

Without evidence, Qu Chengmei dared not draw a definitive conclusion, but he felt that such methods, coupled with the previous assistance from Chen Family Village in capturing Xiao Xingzong’s Thirteen Grand Protectors for the government office, made it very likely that the people targeting Miss Xie were Liao people. Yet, why were the Liao so meticulously investigating Old Mrs. Chen’s family?

Could it be that Old Mrs. Chen’s family was hiding something? Pondering this, Qu Chengmei walked out of the cell. The words of the merchant were heard by Miss Xie as well; if she wanted to disclose something, she would, but if she didn’t...

Qu Chengmei felt he couldn’t handle this matter on his own and decided it would be best to report it immediately to General Song. Given General Song’s relationship with Chen Family Village, perhaps there were things they couldn’t say to him that they could disclose to General Song.

Qu Chengmei made up his mind and walked into the duty room, looking at Xie Liangchen, "I will report this matter to General Song. However, as a main general, he is at Baimaling and may not easily return to Zhenzhou. In the coming days, I’ll send more government officials to patrol the city. Miss Xie and the villagers of Chen Family Village must be extra careful."

Recently, half of the northern army was assembled at Baimaling, and some government officials were requisitioned to transport military supplies, leaving the government office severely shorthanded. Qu Chengmei feared that some places might not be adequately covered.

Xie Liangchen nodded in appreciation to County Magistrate Qu.

After leaving the government office prison, Xie Liangchen and Chen Yongsheng returned to Chen Family Village.

Old Mrs. Chen and Chen Zigeng were already waiting anxiously.

"Sister, are you alright?" Chen Zigeng pulled Xie Liangchen up and down, looking her over.

Mrs. Gao also breathed a sigh of relief, "From now on, no matter where you go, take a few more people. You really gave us a fright."

Xie Liangchen hooked her arm around Mr. Xu’s and held Old Mrs. Chen’s hand. Her grandmother’s fingers were icy cold, clearly out of fear. Xie Liangchen quietly comforted her, "I’m fine; let’s go back and talk slowly."

Chen Yongsheng instructed the villagers to rest and sent Mrs. Gao to prepare food before following Mr. Xu and Old Mrs. Chen with the three of them to the main house.

After closing the door, Chang Yue guarded the courtyard.

Then, Xie Liangchen said, "It was people from Xiao Xingzong; they must be suspicious, suspecting the background of Chen Family Village, and discovered my connections with the Li couple."

Actually, she had long thought that with the matter of Xiao Chi, those around Xiao Xingzong would eventually suspect her because Su Huaiqing was the one who brought her back to Chen Family Village from Yuezhou.

What she hadn’t expected was—

Xie Liangchen looked towards Xu Tingzhen, Chen Yongsheng having shared the warning note with her.

Someone dared to take the risk of delivering a message to them at this time, could it be that someone around Xiao Xingzong wanted to help them?