Chapter 4, Jade Pendant

He stepped forward and snatched the jade pendant from Zhen Yijiang's hand, quickly tucking it into his bosom

Why did the ghostly hand San Buming Zhen Yujing change his mind in an instant, not daring to disobey, and could only lead his men to retreat

"Young Master, since the Buddha statue is here, can it prove that Captain Meng has been wronged?" Qin Xiao said: "Young Master has mentioned that there is only one Ghost Spirit Wood Buddha statue, and it is impossible for there to be a second one in the entire Xiling. Therefore, this statue must be the one stolen from Linghe Pavilion. Captain Meng has never left Linghe Pavilion, so he naturally could not have had the opportunity to secretly hide the statue here. As for why the statue appeared here..." He slightly turned his head to glance at Mr. Lang and sighed softly: "This is something we must ask Mr. Lang to clarify." Captain Meng has never left Linghe Pavilion, so he naturally could not have had the opportunity to secretly hide the statue here. As for why the statue appeared here..." He slightly turned his head to glance at Mr. Lang and sighed softly: "This is something we must ask Mr. Lang to clarify."

Qin Xiaoxian sneered inwardly, knowing that Zhen Yijiang was intentionally changing the subject

Zhen Yujing's complexion appeared somewhat pale

Qin Xiao looked around, but his gaze fell upon a hanging painting.

It is a landscape painting, hanging on the wall opposite the desk, with exquisite craftsmanship, mountains and waters stretching to the horizon, exuding a magnificent aura

A moment of silence enveloped the room, and after a brief pause, Zhen Yijiang waved his hand and said, "Everyone, please leave."

Zhen Yujing and Han Yunong entered the study one after the other, prompting someone to light the oil lamp

Qin Xiao chuckled and raised his hand, pointing at the painting, saying: "Sir, please step aside; I would like to see if there is anything unusual about that painting"

Qin Xiao unexpectedly found the Buddha statue here as if aided by divine intervention. Han Yurun felt it was utterly inconceivable, but upon seeing that the imperial Buddha statue had indeed been found, she let out a sigh of relief. However, Mr. Lang was left speechless, momentarily frozen in astonishment.

Qin Xiao slightly frowned. At that moment, a group of people followed behind. Qin Xiao turned around and saw Zhen Yujing coming along, and he clasped his hands in salute, saying: "Young Master, you just mentioned that you could search anywhere in the residence, so this place is naturally accessible as well, but it seems that Mr. Lang is not very willing." Before Zhen Yujing could respond, he hurriedly addressed Mr. Lang, saying: "Mr. Lang, are you really going to disregard the Young Master's instructions?"

Han Yunong did not waste any words, leading Qin Xiao out the door, while Zhen Yijiang walked slowly to the entrance, staring at Qin Xiao's back

"Young Master, searching for the Buddha statue is to prove the innocence of Captain Meng." Qin Xiao said with a smile, "As long as Young Master believes in Captain Meng's innocence, it would be the greatest reward for me."

The force of this pull was not small, and Qin Xiao staggered and turned around. Han Yunong reached out and grabbed Qin Xiao's chest to steady his stance. It was at this moment that an object fell from Qin Xiao's body. Zhen Yujing glanced over, and what fell to the ground was a jade pendant.

Mr. Lang's forehead was drenched in cold sweat, and although he opened his mouth, he could not utter a word

Zhen Yijiang nodded and said: "Captain Meng is indeed innocent; everything that happened today is merely a misunderstanding." He glanced at Mr. Lang before smiling at Han Yurun and said: "Deputy Han, I will clarify this matter with Mr. Lang, so there is no need for the Deputy's office to worry. Since you have not yet had a meal, please dine here before you leave."

Mr. Lang stood at the door, arms crossed, and said with a cold smile: "I cannot concern myself with your search in other parts of the Hou residence, but my quarters, I will certainly not allow you to enter"

Qin Xiao secretly cursed the shamelessness, while Zhen Yijiang had already shouted loudly: "Come here, capture this brat. If he cannot compensate for this painting, he will not be able to leave this door."

The ghostly hand of the three deceivers reached forward, extending its grasp towards Qin Xiao.

"Qin Xiao, you have indeed made a contribution by finding the Buddha statue," Zhen Yujing snorted coldly, raising his hand to point at the painting. "However, you have damaged that painting; how will you compensate for it?"

Zhen Yujing has also changed color

With a tight frown, he was about to reach for Qin Xiao again after the ghostly hand missed its target. His two subordinates were also ready to charge forward.

Just as the fingertips were about to touch the hem of Qin Xia's garment, Han Yurun suddenly let out a low roar, grabbing Qin Xia by the shoulder and pulling him away with *Tu* *Shu*, thus evading the grasp of Ghost Hand Three.

Zhen Yujing stared thoughtfully in the direction where Qin Xiaoyuan had departed. After a long while, Zhen Yujing coldly said: "Investigate him!"

Zhen Yujian's mouth twitched twice, his expression exceptionally rich, difficult to describe whether it was anger or embarrassment, he could only say: "How could this Buddha statue be here?"

The study is quite elegant, with a row of bookshelves behind the desk, filled with various books that exude a rich aroma of literature, seemingly showcasing Mr. Lang's erudition

Mr. Lang's expression was grim, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Ultimately, he took out the key and opened the door. Without saying a word, Qin Xiao rushed into the courtyard first

Han Yunong, however, had already dodged this punch with a swift movement. Behind him was Qin Xiao, and Ghost Hand San did not retract his fist, transforming it into a claw that reached directly for Qin Xiao's collar

The third-tier members of the Ghost Hand clearly showed some apprehension towards Han Yurun and did not dare to act immediately

Zhen Yujiang glanced at Qin Xiao and suddenly smiled, saying: "Enough, Han Duwei is right; compared to the Buddha statue bestowed by the sage, a painting is nothing to mention. Qin Xiao, you have made a great contribution today; feel free to ask for any reward you desire."

"You are looking for a Buddha statue, how can there be a Buddha statue in the painting?" Mr. Lang snorted coldly, "You truly do not have the qualifications to touch it, step aside."

Seeing that the Zhen residence was turning right and wrong, and was about to attack Qin Xiao, he naturally would not sit idly by

Han Yunong said coldly: "Young Master, if it were not for Mr. Lang's intervention, this painting would not have been damaged. Even if it was indeed destroyed by Qin Xiao, it was for the purpose of finding the Buddha statue. Compared to this painting, the imperial Buddha statue is far more important."

Although Zhen Yijiang is domineering and unreasonable, at this moment he still feels somewhat awkward and can only pull a long face to ask Mr. Lang: "Lang... why do you think the Buddha statue is here?"

"Rest assured, sir, I am just taking a casual look," Qin Xiao said with a smile

Zhen Yijiang was surprised to see Han Yunong go so far as to tear her face with the Hou residence in order to protect Qin Xiao, but he quickly gave a glance to Ghost Hand Three.

Young Master, that jade pendant...! Mr. Lang leaned closer to Zhen Yujing, lowering his voice

Qin Xiao also remarked, "Young Master, the Buddha statue is either hidden here by Mr. Lang, or Mr. Lang has intentionally set a trap to frame Captain Meng, or Mr. Lang wishes to possess the Buddha incense. In the former case, the officials must report the framing of the government’s officers, while in the latter, this Mr. Lang from the Hou residence is embezzling and has implicated Captain Meng..." He sighed and continued, "Young Master, it is difficult to guard against domestic thieves. If they dare to steal the Buddha statue today, their audacity will only grow tomorrow."

"Young Master, I am fortunate not to have failed your command." Qin Xiao stepped forward and said, "This should be the imperial Buddhist statue that was lost within Linghe Pavilion."

Mr. Lang's expression darkened immediately as he stood in front of Qin Xiao, coldly asking: "What do you intend to do?"

Before he finished speaking, Qin Xiao suddenly crouched down, skillfully dodging to the back of Mr. Lang. Before Mr. Lang could react, Qin Xiao had already reached out and grabbed the corner of the painting. Mr. Lang's expression changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, "Stop!" Without a second thought, he turned around to press down on the hanging painting, only to hear a "rip" sound as the painting was torn in half, with the lower half falling into Qin Xiao's hands.

This jade pendant is precisely the one that Han Yunong handed to Qin Xiao earlier on the way.

In the courtyard, there were three rooms in a row. Qin Xiao strode to the front door, pushed it open, and entered. The central area was a hall, with a room on each side. Although Mr. Lang tried his best to remain calm, a look of tension still appeared between his brows. Seeing that Qin Xiao had already headed towards the room on the left, Mr. Lang quickened his pace and rushed into the room first, coldly saying: "This is my study, which contains many important documents. If you are to search here, it is best to be cautious. If you touch something you shouldn't, the Zhen Hou Mansion will not spare you."

Within the brocade, there is indeed a statue of a Buddha, with the calligraphy in a deep black hue, and a peculiar fragrance emanating from the statue itself

"Young Master, the Duwei Mansion is skilled in handling theft cases. Should we take over the investigation of this case?" Han Yurun said calmly and solemnly, "If other items belonging to the Marquis's residence are stolen, we naturally should not intervene without the Marquis's permission. However, this time, what was stolen is a treasure bestowed by the Sage, which is extraordinary. We must investigate whether there are any other conspiracies behind this matter."

Mr. Lang angrily said: "I said you are not allowed to touch it, so you must not touch it, you ... ... !"

"This is the genuine work of Mr. Qinglian, worth a fortune." Mr. Lang stood in front of Qin Xiao and said, "I advise you to keep your distance from it."

Wait a moment!" Zhen Yujing said in a deep voice. Gui Shou San Yi was taken aback, turned to look at Zhen Yujing, only to see him staring intently at the jade pendant on the ground. He then stepped forward, bent down to pick it up, examined it closely, and his expression became increasingly inscrutable.

Qin Xiao raised his hand to feel for the hidden compartment, but Mr. Lang had already reacted, reaching out to grab Qin Xiao's wrist. However, he suddenly felt a tightness around his own wrist. Turning his head, he saw Han Yunong had appeared beside him at some point, reaching out to grasp his wrist. Han Yunong's grip was like an iron hoop, leaving Mr. Lang momentarily unable to move.

Thus, with Han Yurun's intervention, Qin Xiao had already taken out an item from the hidden compartment, which was wrapped in brocade. He quickly unwrapped it, turned around, and held it up with both hands, presenting the object before Zhen Yujing.

I will not damage the hanging painting again, Qin Xiao said

Mr. Lang's mouth twitched, and after a moment of hesitation, Zhen Yijiang caught a glimpse of Han Yunong staring at him from the side. Ultimately, he said: "Mr. Lang, please open the door and let him in to look for it."

Qin Xiao completely ignored it, not even glancing at the desk, but instead walked slowly to the landscape painting in front of him

"Not bad, young master, this is indeed a painting by Master Qinglian." Mr. Lang, who had originally looked ashen, immediately regained his anger upon hearing Zhen Yijiang pursue the charge against Qin Xiao for destroying the painting, and shouted: "Master Qinghe's paintings are rare treasures in the world, and this landscape painting is worth its weight in gold. It has now been ruined by his hands, and he must not be spared."

I do not wish to disturb you. Han Yunong said with cupped hands: Since Captain Meng is innocent, I also hope that this matter ends here

"You may search now," Mr. Lang pointed to the desk and then to the bookshelf, and said calmly, "Qin Xiao, you better search carefully. Once half an hour has passed, if you cannot find the Buddha statue, you know what the consequences will be."

Qin Xiao is exceptionally astute, and upon seeing the jade pendant, Zhen Yujiang's attitude changed instantly, indicating that this jade pendant is certainly not ordinary

Zhen Yujing nodded and said: "This is the end." He instructed: "Someone, release Captain Meng and escort Deputy Han and the others out of the residence."

Qin Xiao's words were undoubtedly a slap to his face

Without any hesitation, Gui Shou San threw a punch directly at Han Yunong's chest, the wind howling as the force of this punch was substantial

Today, when he arrived to rescue Meng Zimo, Han Yunong was already aware of the perilous situation. He had long since devised a plan: if something were to truly happen within the Marquis's residence, even if he could not leave alive, he would do everything in his power to ensure that Qin Xiao could depart safely. Only in this way could he convey everything that transpired in the Marquis's residence.

Stop! Han Yunong's expression darkened, his gaze turned cold and sharp, as he positioned himself to block the way.

"Han Duwei, one thing is one thing, finding a Buddha statue is finding a Buddha statue, but he must bear the responsibility for the damage to the famous painting." Zhen Yijiang saw that Ghost Hand Three had already led people in, pointing at Qin Xiao and said: "Take him down."

This painting is truly exquisite. Qin Xiao smiled and asked, Is this painted by you, sir

The reverse side of the jade pendant faces upward, and under the light, the character "sheng" on the jade pendant is very clear

The landscape painting was divided into two parts, revealing the wall behind the hanging artwork. Strangely, the wall behind the landscape painting was not a solid stone wall, but rather a wooden board. Qin Xiao's hands moved swiftly; with a strong pull, he had already opened the wooden board, revealing a hidden compartment behind it