Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Seizure
Chapter 351: Seizure
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The officials rushed into the shop and shouted at the people in the shop, “Don’t move. Behave yourselves. After following us back to the government office to investigate, we will release those who have nothing to do with the Wei family’s fur shop immediately.”
Some shouted in horror, “Sir, we’re here to buy leather. We didn’t commit any crimes. ”
Some shouted, ‘We’re here to get the fur.”
The leading official looked at them amiably. “Everyone, don’t panic. I’ll bring you back to the government office. As long as we find out that you have nothing to do with the Wei family’s shop, I’ll let you go back immediately.”
When the people in the shop who had nothing to do with the Wei family saw the leader’s pleasant expression, they heaved a sigh of relief and stopped resisting. They obediently let the soldiers tie them up.
Wei Wenzhong, who was discussing matters with two hunters in the backyard, heard panicked shouts from the shop outside and thought that something was wrong. He hurriedly twisted the stone lion on the table and a cracking sound was heard. A secret door behind the high cabinet on the wall opened. Wei Wenzhong said to the two of them, “Wei Shan, Wei Lin, quickly escape and spread the news.”
“Shopkeeper, you should leave with us.” The two of them cupped their fists and shouted at Wei Wenzhong.
Wei Wenzhong shook his head sadly. “It’s too late. I have to destroy the things. No matter what, you have to send the news.”
“Yes, sir.” Wei Shan and Wei Lin went down the secret passage and turned to look at Wei Wenzhong. “We’re leaving. Take care, shopkeeper.”
Wei Wenzhong nodded at the two of them and closed the secret passage, anxious to pack the letters and destroy them. At this moment, Yun Yi had already appeared in the backyard with ttwo dark scouts. The dark scouts fought with the guards in the backyard while Yun Yi leaped in front of Wei Wenzhong’s door and kicked it open.
Wei Wenzhong hurriedly threw the letters in his hand into the incense burner. Yun Yi arrived in front of him at an amazing speed, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it back to snatch the letters. Wei Wenzhong kicked Yun Yi, but he was slapped to the ground by Yun Yi.
Wei Wenzhong lay on the ground and looked at Yun Yi. He shouted, “Who are you? How dare you barge in and commit assault for no reason? Do you have any respect for the law?”
Crack.
Yun Yi lifted his hand and dislocated Wei Wenzhong’s chin. He took out a rope and tied him up. He began to search the house. Two accompanying dark scouts subdued the guards outside and entered the house to help Yun Yi search.
Yun Yi glanced at the fur casually thrown at the door, then at the wooden chair in the house. He turned to look at the high cabinet and bed in the house and searched everywhere. Finally, he came to the desk and looked at the stone lion on the table. He reached out and tried to twist it. After a cracking sound, the secret passage behind the high cabinet opened again.
Yun Yi said to the other men, “Take him away. Take the things away.” Betore he finish speaking, he had already darted into the secret passage.
The secret passage could only allow one person to bend down and pass through. Yun Yi bent down and chased for a while before realizing that there was light in front of him. He realized that he had already reached the exit. He jumped onto the exit but did not find the two people who had escaped. Only then did he realize that the exit was in the backyard of a house.
Wei Shan and Wei Lin had already fled to an alley. The two of them quickly walked towards the city gate. When they reached the city gate, the two of them realized that there was a long queue of people leaving the city. The number of officials at the city gate had increased significantly. They searched everyone who left the city very carefully and had to check their household documents before letting them go. The two of them looked at each other and quietly retreated from the crowd.
Yun Yi checked the courtyard and realized that the house was empty. The furniture in the house was covered in dust. It seemed that no one had lived in it for a long time. He remembered the location of the house and retreated to the secret passage. The two scouts had already carefully searched the house and found crossbows and swords neatly arranged in the wall behind the high cabinet.
Yun Yi said to the tall and thin scout, “Let’s bring the letter back. Take these weapons and Wei Wenzhong away to the officials.”
The two of them bowed and agreed, Yun Yi put the letters into a bag. Zhou Jia had already rushed to the Wei family’s fur shop with his men. Yun Yi retreated with his men. Zhou Jia looked at the neatly placed weapons against the wall and felt a chill run down his spine. The Wei family had actually prepared so many weapons. It seemed that the cooperation the tea shopkeeper referred to were managed by these people in the Wei family’s shop.
Zhou Jia instructed the bailiffs behind him, “Move these weapons back to the government office. The Wei family’s trading company is suspected of rebellion.
Bring all of them back.”
Yun Yi returned to the Four Seas Bank and told Chu Sihai the news that someone had escaped through the secret passage. Chu Sihai looked at Yun Yi. “What kind of person do you think escaped?”
“There are two bundles of fur at the door. They should be people pretending to be hunters.”
Chu Sihai looked at Chu Feng. “Inform the guards at the city gate that they must check carefully. Lord Zhou, please interrogate the shop assistant and shopkeeper immediately and find out how many people escaped. Bring Wei Wenzhong to us.”
After Chu Feng received the order, he went to the government office. Chu Sihai brought people to check the letters.
By sunset, all the Wei family’s shops had been sealed up. The shopkeepers, the shop assistants, and even their families had been brought back to the government office. There were hundreds of weapons seized from the shops. It was unknown how the Wei family would feel if they knew that the scheme they had worked hard for many years on would have succeeded if not for two jars of pickled vegetables.
Li Yu listened to the news Ruyi had brought back home and knew that all the Wei family’s shops had been sealed. Then, she returned to the house and packed up the things bestowed by Chu Sihai. There were exquisite cloth, jewelry, and inkstones for Zhou Jia. The toys given to Yangyang by the emperor included a golden and beautiful boat, a rattle with gems, a small sword, a small bow, and an exquisite kite… Li Yu looked at the exquisite toys inside and praised them.
When Zhou Jia learned from Chu Feng that someone had escaped, he immediately interrogated the shop assistants in the fur shop one by one. “Tell me the appearance of the hunters who came to the shop today, especially the people who came to the shop dressed as hunters. When we find out that you have nothing to do with the Wei family’s shop, we’ll let you go home immediately.”
The shop assistant knelt with a frightened expression. When he heard Zhou Jia’s words, he whispered, “Sir, before you came today, the two hunters who came to the shop to sell fur were about five feet tall. They were a little fierce.
Zhou Jia looked at him and asked gently, “Do you remember their appearance?”
Seeing that Zhou Jia’s words were gentle and he was not as afraid as before, the shop assistant frowned and thought for a while. “One of them has thick eyebrows and big eyes, but his nostrils are a little big. The other is older and has a round face. His eyes are not big, and his lips are a little thick.” After saying that, the shop assistant kowtowed to Zhou Jia. “Sir, believe me. I’m just a shop assistant earning a salary. I didn’t rebel against the country.”
Zhou Jia looked at them. “I didn’t say that you guys were rebelling. I’ll bring you back to investigate. I won’t wrong you. When the scribe draws the portraits, help me identify them.”
The clerk nodded. “Thank you, sir..”