Chapter 8, Who is the Servant

Xu Qian could not help but ask: "You say you have never been out, who can testify to that?"

Xu Qian could clearly sense the murderous intent in the tone of Lord Wang; this was a matter of life and death, and Lord Wang was certainly not joking

Xu Chang did not expect Jiang Kun's reaction to be so swift. Caught off guard, he was fortunate that Xu Qian beside him reacted quickly. Furious, he thought to himself, how dare this fellow strike his own father? As a dignified time traveler, I wouldn't even dare to lay a finger on my father. This is simply outrageous

Xu Qianxing hurriedly said: "I found it, Your Excellency, please take a look." He held a torn piece of mounting paper in his hand and respectfully presented it in front of Lord Wang.

In the midst of everyone's attention, Mr. Lin, the gentleman, furrowed his brows and quickly said to Eunuch Wang: "I am a respectable person; how could I possibly engage in such underhanded acts? Please judge wisely, Eunuch." He then disdainfully glanced at Xu Qian, filled with contempt, and said: "You think you can frame me with these dubious pieces of evidence? You must take responsibility for your own words. I, Lin, am a person of reputation; be careful, or I will counter-sue you for defamation."

Everyone couldn't help but go to see this pair of public officials, and upon seeing Xu Chang and Xu Qian both wearing expressions of joy, someone couldn't help but think: Could it be that they have truly uncovered something?

Jiang Kun noticed that the two constables were approaching him. At first, he was taken aback, and then he was greatly alarmed. As he saw Xu Chang advancing towards him, he hurriedly retreated, his hand coincidentally resting on the tea table behind him. He quickly grabbed a teacup from the table and hurled it at Xu Chang.

Everyone looked at Jiang Kun in astonishment. Jiang Kun continued, "If I utter a single falsehood, may the heavens strike me down!"

This time, Xu Chang was completely enraged. He charged at Jiang Kun like a furious deity, colliding with him as fiercely as a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey. Jiang Kun stumbled and fell to the ground, just as he was about to retaliate. Xu Qian, despite the pain, rushed forward from behind, joining Xu Chang to pin him firmly to the ground

Xu Chang hurriedly said: "Yes, yes."

After a few cups of tea, someone outside came to report, saying: "Your Excellency, the officials from the county office have arrived"

Although the county officials may flaunt their power over ordinary citizens, in the eyes of the senior officials, accountants, and guests at the residence of Lord Wang, this father and son are merely lowly servants, not worthy of attention. It is unclear what Lord Wang is thinking; even if it involves apprehending thieves, it would suffice to have the guards handle it. Why then invite a few lowly servants?

Lin Qingke's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated for a moment. He had not gone out, so how could he find anyone to testify?

He remained impassive, yet inwardly he was sneering: "I hope this kid with the surname Xu is not just a novice; otherwise, if we can't find the calligraphy, we'll take care of him today."

Zhang Qin, the official in charge of the inner court, made his disdain for Gu evident, merely glancing at Xu Qian out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing that no one responded, Wang Gonggong smiled faintly, seemingly unconcerned, and leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers to a rhythm

Xu Qian sensed the unfriendly gazes directed at him from the people in the hall, yet he did not mind it

Standing beside Zhang Qin, the accountant Jiang Kun lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought. He observed the expression on Wang Gonggong's face, as if he had something to say.

Xu Chang, being an experienced official, was even more familiar with such situations. He bowed to Eunuch Wang and said, "Eunuch, this calligraphy was stolen last night. Your residence is heavily guarded, so ordinary thieves can be ruled out. I believe this must be the work of an insider."

He was even faintly speculating what tricks this father and son duo could come up with, whether it was a treasure map or searching everyone's rooms. Did they really think that the true thief who had stolen the genuine article would hide the scroll in their own bedroom?

The hall was filled with uproar.

Seeing the Xu family leave, Lord Wang leisurely began to take his time, slowly picking up the teacup from the table and taking a sip. He coldly looked at everyone and said, "Who stole this painting? It is best to honestly confess. If the constables find out, then do not blame us for being ruthless. We are giving you a chance, do not be ungrateful."

Two attendants in robes entered; the older one had a worldly expression, while the younger one appeared somewhat inexperienced. However, Eunuch Wang recognized one of them, who was Xu Qian dressed in official attire.

Lin Qingke, left with no choice, could only respond in anger: "I am a scholar; do you think I would deceive you? After dark, I returned to my bedroom and did not come out again. Over the years in the residence of Lord Wang, I have long been accustomed to going to bed early. You, a mere lowly servant, dare to slander me?"

What kind of world has Wang Gonggong not seen? He believes that the person who stole his calligraphy is certainly not an ordinary thief; such a person is meticulous in thought. To think of searching the bedroom to recover the true work is simply a joke

There were also those who were skeptical, casting a cold glance at the two constables. They couldn't help but think that Mr. Lin had a decent character; while it might be believable that he occasionally took small advantages, the notion that Mr. Lin would dare to steal was met with mere headshakes. Their gazes towards the Xu father and son were filled with even more disdain.

Xu Chang was originally a person from the county office, so he was quite appropriate in his demeanor. Upon entering, he greeted Lord Wang with a cheerful smile and a bow.

Xu Qian observed quietly and did not blame the old man for being timid. Indeed, in this era, having a title was truly different from that of ordinary people. He looked at Lin Qingke with a stern and fearless demeanor and said: "Since you claim it was not you who did this, then please explain how these fragments of the painting came to be? Why did they appear in your bedroom?"

The eunuch Wang lay on the chair, his eyes half-open and half-closed, and said: "What are you still kneeling for? Stand up and speak."

The words contained an implicit threat, and Xu Chang felt somewhat guilty. Upon learning that the other party had a reputation, his arrogance was suddenly doused with a bucket of cold water, vanishing without a trace.

The hall was silent as a grave, with no one daring to make a sound, only the faint sound of breathing could be heard

As for Xu Qian, who was wearing ill-fitting official attire, he appeared somewhat reserved, deliberately pretending to be naive and awkwardly offering a salute to Lord Wang

Lin Qingke's smile grew colder as he coldly remarked: "Why would I appear in Lin's bedroom? How would I know? I rarely come to this flower hall, so how could I have stolen that piece of calligraphy? Moreover, last night, I was reading in my room and did not step out at all. You yourselves said that this piece was stolen last night, so how could I possibly reach out and take something from the flower hall while in my bedroom?"

Xu Changdao: "This is quite simple. Those who can enter and exit here must hold some position within the residence. As long as we gather everyone here, then the underlings can search their bedrooms one by one. Perhaps the thief, despite their meticulous planning, will reveal a flaw."

The eunuch Wang squinted his eyes, watching Lin Qingke and Xu Qian bicker. However, he couldn't help but harbor some suspicion towards Lin Qingke, coldly staring at him. This gaze contained a suffocating authority, causing Lin Qingke to reveal a hint of panic.

Lin Qingke had previously looked down upon Gu, and although he found some items in his own bedroom, this did not imply that he had stolen the calligraphy. However, when Jiang Kun suddenly stood up to correct him, it immediately flustered him.

Xu Qiandao: "It was discovered in a guest room belonging to someone with the surname Lin."

The eunuch Wang quickly took it, holding the mounting paper in his hands, rubbing and examining it. After a moment, with a furrowed brow, he said softly: "This fragment does resemble the mounting paper of that calligraphy piece."

All eyes were either filled with glee, concern, or a complex mix of emotions as they turned towards a well-dressed young scholar in a Confucian robe. Some could not help but think: "So it is him? I never expected Mr. Lin, who is usually a learned and reasonable person, would actually resort to theft"

The eunuch Wang had a detached expression. He first glanced at Xu Chang, then his gaze, sharp and penetrating, fell on Xu Qian as he said: "You must be aware of the situation. If we find out, there will be a generous reward; if not..." Eunuch Wang picked up the teacup, casually fiddling with the lid, and continued in a very calm tone: "If we cannot find out, then do not leave."

Upon hearing the words of Lord Wang, everyone felt as if they had been granted a great pardon and stood up in unison. Many could not help but steal glances at the two constables, harboring a sense of disdain towards them, particularly towards Zhang Qin, the head of the inner court, and Jiang Kun, the accountant, who regarded Xu Qian and his son with mocking and derisive looks.

Xu Chang quickly said, "At your command," gave Xu Qian a glance, and hurried away

He hurriedly reached out to block it, and with a loud bang, the teacup emitted a muffled sound of impact before being deflected. Xu Qian's forearm was struck, and a piercing pain spread throughout his body.

What is this all about again

After hesitating for a long time, Jiang Kun suddenly said: "Lin Qingke is lying. He claims that he was reading in his room all night, but I clearly saw him wandering near the flower hall at midnight. At that time, I happened to get up for a night visit and saw him wandering there, looking unsettled. I even greeted him."

The eunuch Wang said lightly: "Call him in to speak."

Jiang Kun calmly interrupted Lin Qingke, saying: "Brother Lin, what do you mean by that? Regarding last night's incident, you and I both know the truth. It is clear that you acted recklessly, driven by hearsay and blinded by profit, which led you to take such a desperate and insane action"

As soon as he finished speaking, one of the Xu family, holding an iron ruler, and the other, wielding a lasso, rushed forward. Lin Xiao knelt on the ground, closed his eyes, and awaited capture. However, after a long while, there was no movement, which struck him as odd. He secretly opened his eyes and was astonished to find that these two 'bailiffs' were actually charging towards Jiang Kun.

The official Wang comfortably sat in his pearwood armchair, his face stern as he said: "Since it is a domestic thief, how should one investigate?"

As for the others in the hall who heard about hetushu.com, they felt somewhat pleased when Lin Qingke scolded Xu Qian as a lowly servant. In their minds, a lowly servant is indeed a lowly servant; someone who is usually even worse than a dog in front of them, yet unexpectedly enters the hall and questions the suspect in a dignified manner. What do they consider themselves to be?

Lin Qingke's remarks were quite clear and pinpointed the crux of the issue. Since he did not leave the house last night, the notion of theft is out of the question

In fact, how could Lord Wang not feel anxious? That young man with the surname Xu claimed that if they followed his instructions, they would surely be able to retrieve the calligraphy. However, despite his words, Lord Wang could only tentatively trust him; when it came to his own interests, he found it difficult to remain calm.

As soon as the words were spoken, the audience erupted in an uproar

Lin Qingke was stunned, his shoulders trembling slightly, likely aware of the seriousness of the situation. He hurriedly looked at Grandfather Wang with a pleading expression and stammered, "Grandfather, they are talking nonsense, they... he is speaking recklessly. The student comes from a respectable family, and besides, he was already asleep by the hour of the rat, how could he possibly be wandering outside? And how could he greet Accountant Jiang? Normally, the student has no grievances or enmity with Accountant Jiang, but... but..."

The official Wang scrutinized the people below the hall and said coldly: "This is indeed a method; it turns out to be someone who eats from the public coffers. The crowd has already gathered here; you may go down and search them one by one."

Searching through more than ten bedrooms required considerable effort, taking a full half hour, before the two officers finally returned

Xu Qian took the opportunity to say: "Mr. Lin, do you have anything else to say? The fragments found in your room are physical evidence, and there were also witnesses who confirmed that you were near the flower hall last night. Both witness and physical evidence are present; do you still wish to deny it?"

A lowly role is merely a lowly role, just fragments of text; yet they dare to present it as a treasure. It is likely that the eunuch Wang is pressing too hard, and they are up to some mischief behind the scenes

Lin Qingke found himself at a loss for words, momentarily rendered speechless. At this moment, Lord Wang was staring at him with a chilling gaze, causing a sense of dread to rise within him, and his face turned pale to a terrifying degree