Chapter 9: Zhang Niu'er Has Ghosts, the Surviving Hu Merchant

Wait!

The position he is looking at is Lü Qiang's eyes

As the sky was about to darken, the banquet was also nearing its end. Apu stood up and walked along the corridor towards the courtyard gate, intending to step outside for a moment.

... ...

Since these individuals came ashore and took residence in the Wanhe Sheng old shop, they have been trapped inside by the rain and unable to go out

Shen Mo's eyes did not directly focus on him, but seemed to be aimlessly surveying another direction. However, the gaze and movements of that person did not escape his notice in the slightest

Thus, when he was an undercover agent, even when surrounded by a pack of wolves, a seemingly casual glance from him could capture and remember all the details around him.

Lord Lu's inquiry yielded no results, and he could only helplessly wave his hand, signaling these individuals to step aside

Among all the participants in the training camp that Shen Mo attended, the individual who excelled the most in this particular training was him

This skill requires trainees to have eyes like a camera, capturing every detail at any time and place into their minds. When needed, they can readily retrieve these images from memory.

What is there? In Shen Mo's heart, a wave of doubt inevitably arose

The iron chain in Lv Qiang's hand made a crisp sound of "clatter". As soon as the attendant looked up and saw a constable approaching him, he was immediately startled.

When Lu Qiang returned, he saw that Shen Mo did not show any reaction. In front of so many people, it was inappropriate for him to directly ask Shen Mo, so he could only quietly return to his original position

The owner of the general merchandise store is named Mu Qing, and he appears to be an honest and straightforward person. He and his assistant both firmly assert that it rained all day on the day of the incident, and the customers were all hiding in their own courtyards and did not go out.

That was a corner by the courtyard wall, a relatively concealed location. There were neither flowers nor trees around, nor anything particularly remarkable. Yet that person's attention was consistently focused on that one point!

Then, Lord Lu gave a few more instructions. After a while, a blond, blue-eyed merchant was brought over by the attendants and stood before the county magistrate and his entourage

The place they came from is the present-day Mesopotamia, specifically the region of Iran and Iraq, where the weather is extremely hot and dry. Therefore, the continuous light rain in Lin'an throughout the day is considered a sight for them

Thinking of this, Shen Mo nudged Lu Qiang, who was standing next to him, with his elbow

As a clerk of this old shop, Zhang Niuer's name could not possibly be a lie. This means that he was just now observing Lv Qiang, to see whether Lv Qiang was truly suspicious of him.

Originally, the Hu merchants were to begin selling the treasures they brought as soon as they disembarked. However, these few individuals arrived just as the Cold Food Festival was nearing its end, in the days leading up to the Qingming Festival

Or perhaps he wanted to know just how much the constable Lu Qiang before him actually knew

This training method, if you fix your eyes on it intently, will not only allow you to see only a part of it while missing the rest, but it will also exhaust you to the point of fatigue

On this day, these five Hu merchants instructed Sanyuan Tower to deliver a variety of fresh fruits, including yangmei, new lotus roots, honeyed melons, peppered loquats, purple water chestnuts, and golden peaches. There were also dishes for drinking, such as roasted venison, marinated lamb hooves, stuffed clams, and crispy cardamom snails

Shen Mo, who is proficient in interrogation, certainly understands that this is an instinct of a liar. When a person is lying, they will involuntarily look into the eyes of the other party to see if their lies have deceived them.

"What exactly is there in that corner?" Seeing this scene, Shen Mo couldn't help but ponder silently in his heart

These individuals requested several jars of fine wines such as Rose Dew and Ten Continent Spring from the Song Dynasty, and once again gathered in their own hall to drink, merely to pass the time.

In addition to Apur, the names of the four deceased Hu merchants are: Alan, Johan, Monia, and Luz

The day of the incident happened to be the Qingming Festival

When this person opened his mouth to answer Lord Lu's question, Shen Mo was taken aback.

These merchants travel back and forth, facing great risks. This time, Aping arrived safely in Lin'an, the capital of the Song Dynasty, and the prospect of substantial profits was right before him. He felt particularly elated, so he indulged in a few more drinks. By the time the sky darkened, he was already tipsy.

And they naturally had no reason to come in the rain to disturb the guests, so they were completely unaware of what was happening here

"Little... Zhang Niu'er." The expression of that fellow was somewhat panicked

These individuals have traveled a long distance and are particularly fatigued, yet they are taking this opportunity to rest. Thus, they rented this small courtyard, purchased some food and fine wine from the Song Dynasty, and, taking advantage of the rainy days, they indulge in drinking here daily, waiting for the weather to clear so they can go out to conduct business

Although Lu Qiang did not understand the situation, he still stepped forward as per Shen Mo's request and went straight to the problematic attendant.

Your own judgment is not wrong; this Zhang Niu'er indeed has issues

It is often said that during the Qingming Festival, the rain falls incessantly, and this statement is certainly true. Here in Lin'an, these few days each year are always shrouded in misty rain, and this year is no exception

On the other side, County Magistrate Lu Yue had already examined the corpse and began to call in the staff of the Wan Hesheng old shop, from the shopkeeper to the assistants, one by one to question them

In his previous life, Shen Mo's gaze was famously both ruthless and precise

"What is your name?" Lu Qiang asked in a deep voice

During his time at the police academy, his instructor told him: as an undercover agent, the most essential skill is the ability to see what others cannot.

And this remarkable skill is the greatest expertise of Shen Mo, who serves as an undercover agent

The merchant appeared haggard and terrified. The expression on his face was twisted by fear and worry. Under Lord Lu's repeated questioning, he gradually began to recount his previous experiences.

It turns out that this person was in cahoots with the four deceased merchants on the ground. At the time of the incident, he was right here in this courtyard

"Old Lv, ask that young man's name." Shen Mo subtly indicated to Lv Qiang with his eyes to inquire about that fellow.

Shen Mo listened to their conversation; the incident occurred last night. Under the rush mat on the ground lay four corpses, all of which belonged to the Hu merchants residing here

To survive and solve cases, one must be able to observe the most subtle and minute signs around them, as this is the only way to grasp the direction of various events and narratives.

At the moment when Zhang Niuer was answering Lv Qiang's question, although he appeared flustered, he still raised his head to glance at Lv Qiang.

During the exchange of questions and answers between the two of them, Shen Mo had already understood the situation on the side

It turns out that this Hu merchant truly hails from the Great Food, and his name is "Apu." He, along with the four deceased Hu merchants, arrived at the Yongjinmen Wharf in Lin'an on the 29th of last month.

This fellow is probably in his twenties, with a shifty appearance. His small eyes are constantly darting around. However, Shen Mo notices that this person's attention remains fixated on the same spot.

At this point, Apus was abruptly interrupted by Lord Lu Yue, who suddenly halted his narration

Today, Shen Mo glanced over and immediately noticed that among the escorted individuals, there was one person who seemed out of place

The instructor instructed him to stand on the overpass at the intersection, using his peripheral vision to keep an eye on every vehicle passing through the intersection. Even more demanding, he was required to accurately memorize the license plate numbers of these vehicles

These individuals indulged in drinking and idle chatter, thoroughly enjoying themselves for an entire day. As the sky began to darken, it was already dusk.

Thus, in his youth, Shen Mo had undergone exceptionally rigorous training for this purpose

"Looking around aimlessly, what are you staring at!" After scolding, Lv Qiang gave Zhang Niu'er a once-over.