Chapter 3, The Granted Buddha Statue

"Meng Butou is a person from the Duwei Mansion. Whether he truly stole the imperial gift of the Buddha statue still requires thorough investigation." Han Yunong certainly would not passively watch the Zhenhou Mansion convict Meng Zimo, his expression stern: "If the statue was indeed stolen by him, the Duwei Mansion will naturally impose severe punishment."

Stop the nonsense. Zhen Yijiang waved his hand: "Mr. Lang, have someone drag Meng Zimo to the front gate of the Hou residence for execution, so that everyone knows that the laws and discipline of Guicheng are strict. Even if it is someone from the Duwei residence who has committed theft, there will be no mercy."

Mr. Lang stated that the Linghe Pavilion has been thoroughly searched inside and out, but there is no trace of the Buddha statue

Mr. Lang is not an ordinary servant; he is an important advisor in the Zhen Marquis's residence, holding a significant position within the household, which is why he has his own independent courtyard

Zhen Yijiang said: "If you can truly find the Buddha statue, and even prove that the theft of the statue has nothing to do with Meng Zimo, I can immediately let you leave, and I will reward you handsomely." His expression darkened: "However, if you cannot find the statue, Meng Zimo will certainly face the death penalty, and you will be punished for defaming the reputation of the Hou family, and Han Yunong, who brought you here, will also receive thirty strikes.

Mr. Lang sneered and said: "Do not blame me, Han Duwei, your subordinate actually dares to say that there are thieves in the marquis's residence, which tarnishes the reputation of the marquis's house. This is truly outrageous"

It took Han Yunong several years to establish the authority of the Duwei Mansion

If one wishes to impose a crime, there is no lack of pretext

If it were not for being at the Zhenhou Mansion, Han Yunong would truly want to give Qin Xiao a good beating; this brat has completely disrupted his plans by digging his own grave.

Han Yunong's expression became even more unpleasant

The Zhen Marquisate has always regarded the Duwei Mansion as a rival, but the Duwei Mansion is directly subordinate to the court and has consistently acted with caution, not giving the Zhen Marquisate an opportunity to provoke them. However, this time, Meng Zimo accidentally killed a dog belonging to the Zhen Marquisate. To prevent the situation from escalating, he went to apologize in person, only to be precisely met with an opportunity by the Zhen Marquisate.

Qin Xiao walked to the ancient mhetushucomcom Dongjia, leaned his head close to the box, closed his eyes, and sniffed with his nose. He quickly turned around and said, "My lord, the shell box is empty"

Han Yunong felt anxious, secretly thinking that he had come tonight to rescue Meng Zimo. As it turned out, not only had he not rescued Meng Zimo, but this kid Qin Xiao was also talking nonsense, and it was likely that he would end up getting involved in this mess as well

However, if this incident succeeds in being manipulated by the Zhenhou Mansion, and Meng Zimo is executed under the charge of theft, then Han Yurun's years of hard work will be in vain, and the Duwei Mansion will inevitably suffer a severe setback

"Step back, within the Marquis's residence, there is no room for you to speak." Han Yunong could only sternly admonish, unable to watch Qin Xiao walk to his death.

I would like to ask Young Master, is there only one imperial granted Buddha statue?

"That is only natural," Mr. Lang has stated. "The granted Buddha statue is made from ghost wood, which is extremely precious. Not to mention Turtle City, even the entire Western Tomb is no match for it; it is truly one of a kind."

Mr. Lang had not yet spoken, when Zhen Yijiang already said: "The statue of Buddha was lost while he was waiting at Linghe Pavilion, so it must have been stolen by him"

Qin Xiao nodded repeatedly: "Young Master, I have another request, and I hope you will grant it."

Han Yunong nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood

The sudden sound caught the attention of several people, who turned to look. They saw Qin Xiao wearing an innocent smile, gazing at Zhen Yujiang.

Qin Xiao exited Linghe Pavilion without looking back, passing through the hall and courtyard as if he were very familiar with the Zhen Marquis's residence. Mr. Lang, who followed behind him, was greatly astonished, secretly thinking that this young man must be visiting the residence for the first time, yet why did he seem so familiar with the Marquis's estate

He originally thought this kid was clever, but who would have known he was actually a fool with a brain full of water

Frame-up

Han Yunong's expression was somewhat unpleasant as he said in a low voice, "Qin Xiao, be quiet." He then turned to Zhen Yijiang and said, "Young Master, Qin Xiao is still young and inexperienced, please do not take offense."

The Zhen Marquisate will certainly not hold back when it comes to inflicting punishment on itself

Zhen Yijiang did not hesitate and immediately said: "Yes"

I live here. Mr. Lang's eyes twitched slightly, and his brows furrowed: "Are you trying to search for my residence?"

"Farting," Zhen Yujiang scolded, "Everyone in the Hou residence is loyal and devoted, and my Zhen Hou residence has strict family rules. To say that others are stealing at will is simply nonsense"

In that case, did the young master not find the Buddha statue on him

Han Yunong's expression darkened as she glanced around the area. Her hands had already formed into fists, and she signaled to Qin Xiao with her eyes to leave quickly

It seems that Zhen Yujing never intended for the three of them to walk out alive from the very beginning

"It won't take a whole night, just give me two hours!" Qin Xiao replied swiftly without a moment's hesitation

The court initially established the Commandery Office in Zhen County to take root here and to restrain the Zhen Marquisate. However, the Zhen family was too powerful in Zhen County, and at first, the Commandery Office became a mere lackey of the Zhen Marquisate. It was only when the court summoned Han Yunong to take office that the Commandery Office was able to truly fulfill its role

The once subservient Duwei Mansion has now become a source of trouble for the Zhen Marquis Mansion, and the members of the Zhen family certainly regard it as a thorn in their side. Seizing this opportunity, they intend to teach the Duwei Mansion a lesson, making it clear to the people of Duwei Mansion who the true master is in Gui City

The young master has stated that within half an hour, I can search every corner of the Marquis's residence. Qin Xiao's face no longer bore a smile as he fixed his gaze on Mr. Lang's eyes: Since the young master has permitted me to search the Zhen Marquis's residence, I naturally have the right to enter and exit freely here. He pointed to the iron lock on the door and said: I kindly ask you to unlock the door.

Before there was even time to feel angry, Qin Xiao said: "Two hours is too long for a map. One hour, no, forget it. The Captain and I haven't had dinner yet, and the young master definitely won't keep us for a meal. We still need to hurry back, half an hour, give me half an hour."

"That's good, that's good," Qin Xiao said with a relaxed expression, raising his hand and saying, "Then let's go find the Buddha statue now." Suddenly thinking of something, he turned to look at Han Yurun, only to see her standing still like a stone sculpture, her eyes fixed intently on him.

You may give it a try

Zhen Yijiang completely ignored Han Yurun and fixed his gaze on Qin Xiao, saying: "I will give you one night to decide."

Fool!

Oh? Zhen Yujing said with a cold smile: "Have you found the Buddha statue? Good, let me ask you, can you find the Buddha statue?"

Stealing the treasures bestowed by the saints is undoubtedly a grave offense

"Before dawn, if you cannot deliver the Buddha statue, you will be punished outside the main gate of the Hou residence along with Meng Zimo." Zhen Yijiang cast a glance at Han Yunong, a faint cold smile appearing at the corner of his lips

"Stop wasting time with them. Come here, take this brat outside and execute him with a stick," Zhen Yujing shouted loudly

Moments later, Qin Xiao stopped outside a small courtyard gate. Mr. Lang's expression changed slightly as he quickly stepped forward to block the entrance. Qin Xiao, already smiling, asked: "Sir, may I ask whose residence this is?"

I have seen those who seek death, but it is truly rare to find someone who seeks it in such a manner

Mr. Lang let out a strange laugh and said, "There is no need for that. In those years, the sage issued an edict to the old Marquis Hou, stating that in the territory of Zhen County, if there were bandits rampant, the Zhen Marquis's residence had the responsibility to quell the chaos and eliminate the bandits. Meng Zimo, as a thief of treasures, is indeed a bandit, and the Zhen Marquis's residence has the right to punish him"

Han Yunong took a deep breath and turned her head away

He no longer has the mood to pay attention to this fool, contemplating how to salvage the situation tonight

Zhen Yujing scrutinized Qin Xiao and asked, "What did you say?"

Little did Qin Xiao know, with a smile on his face, he looked at Zhen Yu, completely avoiding eye contact, and calmly said: "Young Master Shao, I know where the Buddha statue is"

Qin Xiao clasped his hands and said: "The young master is certainly not most concerned with how to punish Captain Meng, but rather with retrieving the imperial gift of the Buddha statue. That was bestowed by the sage, and if it is lost, the marquis's residence will also find it difficult to explain to the court"

The Zhen Marquis's residence has over a hundred rooms; not to mention one night, even if it were three days and three nights, it would be absolutely impossible for Qin Xiao alone to search through all these places.

Did you find a Buddha statue on Meng Zimo?" Han Yunong asked Mr. Lang with a serious expression.

Once the charge of Meng Zimo stealing the imperial treasures is confirmed, his immediate superior, Han Yurun, will undoubtedly be implicated as well. If this opportunity can be used to bring down Han Yurun, it would be tantamount to undermining the Duwei Mansion.

Qin Xiao touched his face and asked in confusion, "My lord, what is wrong with you?"

Qin Xiao smiled and said, "It is possible that it is somewhere else in the Marquis's residence." He then cupped his hands towards Zhen Yujing and said, "Young Master, is it possible that someone else took the Buddha statue without permission, and it has nothing to do with Captain Meng"

He is very familiar with Meng Zimo's character. Given Meng Zimo's temperament, it is certainly impossible for him to steal from the Zhenhou Mansion. However, the other party is overbearing and forcefully accuses Meng Zimo of theft

While he was contemplating a strategy, Qin Xiao had already left the house. Zhen Yijiang immediately exchanged a glance with Mr. Lang, who quickly followed him out.

Han Yunong felt dazed, and two words almost slipped out of her mouth

Han Yunong felt a chill in her heart

Seeing Han Yurun's lips move, Zhen Yijiang did not wait for her to speak and preemptively said: "Alright, this young master will give you half an hour. Qin Xiao, this is what you requested yourself"

"Who knows where he is hiding?" Zhen Yujiang said impatiently, "Visiting to apologize is a pretense, but stealing treasures is the truth. Han He - Tu - Shuduwei, you people from the Duwi Mansion are indeed audacious beyond measure"

Qin Xiaoxin was taken aback; he knew that the people of the Zhen Hou residence were notoriously domineering, but he did not expect them to be this overbearing. It seemed that today was indeed fraught with danger, and it was no wonder that Han Yurun had given prior warnings on the way here

Zhen Yujing and Mr. Lang were both taken aback

Gui Shou San arrived outside the door with two individuals. Before they could enter, Qin Xiao already spoke: "Young Master, who exactly took the imperial treasure must be determined after finding the Buddha statue. If I am unable to locate the Buddha statue, it would not be too late for you to impose punishment later."

Han Yunong immediately understood what was happening behind the scenes

Although Han Yunong was greatly angered by Qin Xiao's actions, she was also concerned that he might encounter other unforeseen circumstances alone at the Marquis's residence, so she followed him. Zhen Yujing, with his hands clasped behind his back, leisurely followed him out as well

On the antique shelf, there is indeed an exquisite box made of shells, which is completely empty inside

To find the Buddha statue within half an hour is simply wishful thinking

Say

Qin Xiao did not search any of the houses, but instead took down the wine gourd from his waist and tilted his head back to drink. Mr. Lang sneered coldly in his heart; facing death, this young man still had the mood to drink, truly unaware of the gravity of the situation.

Han Yunong glanced at him, thinking that even a blind person could tell that it was empty inside, and there was no need for you to remind me

Moreover, since the other party has set a trap, even if you were to search the Hou residence thoroughly, how could they possibly allow you to actually find the Buddha statue

Zhen Yijiang let out a cold snort, and Qin Xiao continued: "Regardless of whether Captain Meng has stolen the Buddha statue, the statue must still be within the Hou residence"

The young man earnestly requests the young master to agree, stating that within half an hour, he can search anywhere within the marquis's residence.

He is very clear that the punishment of being beaten with a staff determines whether one lives or dies; first, it depends on whether the person wielding the staff will strike with lethal intent, and second, it also depends on whether the person being punished can endure it