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Ren Buqing made a gesture, and the officers who came with him immediately dispersed, surrounding the entire house.

Just then, the front door suddenly opened, and a tall man appeared behind it. With a square face, a face full of ambition, weathered, and tired, there was no doubt that it was Zhang Guangsheng.

He was holding a bowl in his hand, filled with black medicine. Looking at everyone, he was obviously startled, and without thinking, he immediately tried to flee.

Ge Lihua moved her hand, and an embroidered needle flew out, piercing Zhang Guangsheng’s thigh.

Zhang Guangsheng fell to the ground, the bowl shattered, and the medicine spilled all over. He didn’t try to run anymore but instead started crying out loud, with suppressed, dull, and helpless sobs that were distressing to hear. The officers stepped forward to grab him.

Ren Buqing went over and handed Zhang Guangsheng a handkerchief, “Wipe your tears.”

Zhang Guangsheng looked at the handkerchief but didn’t reach out to take it, instead crying even more uncontrollably.

Ren Buqing waited for a while, “Where are your accomplices?”

Chu Qingzhi’s slender fingers moved, and a glint of light flashed.

Zhang Guangsheng couldn’t help saying, “They are Zheng Er and Xu San, but it wasn’t our initiative to kill Zhou Youyuan and Xu Youchang. We were instructed by someone else, who paid us to do the killings.”

Ren Buqing frowned, “Who?”

Zhang Guangsheng broke down emotionally, “I don’t know. He wore a cloak and masked his face, we couldn’t see his appearance. He found us, and we were all short of money, so we were bewitched into agreeing.”

Chu Xujin asked, “Where are those two now?”

Zhang Guangsheng raised his head, looking towards the house he had just exited, with a look of despair, “They are both in that house.”

Ren Buqing ordered, “Arrest them!”

The officers quickly entered the house and brought out Zheng Er and Xu San. Seeing the situation, both of them regretted deeply, kneeling on the ground, defeated and listless.

Chu Qingzhi asked the three, “You said he would pay you after the job was done, where’s the money?”

Zhang Guangsheng looked at Zheng Er and Xu San and resignedly said, “We hid the money. I’ll take you to get it.”

The money was buried under an osmanthus tree in the courtyard where the three of them were hiding, stored in a pottery jar, totaling one thousand taels of silver notes.

The officer handed the pottery jar to Ren Buqing, “My lord.”

Chu Qingzhi stood next to Ren Buqing, taking out the silver notes from the jar and sniffing them, “These notes are tainted with dutou (a kind of incense), dutou is expensive, not something ordinary people can afford.”

Ren Buqing quickly had a direction for the investigation, “Only three stores in the capital sell this precious incense, and their customers are either rich or noble. This can be easily checked.”

Chu Xujin was somewhat excited, “My lord, shall we investigate overnight?” “No need, everyone go back to rest now, and we will continue the investigation tomorrow.” Ren Buqing patted Chu Xujin on the shoulder. Chu Xujin was just like him back then, always eager to uncover the truth quickly.

Chu Xujin smiled and nodded, “As you say, my lord.”

In the General’s Mansion.

The study was lit, and the silhouette of someone writing at a desk was reflected on the window, with the orange light flickering slightly.

Chu Qingzhi, holding a food box, pushed the door and entered the study, “Jinghong, come and have some late-night snack.”

Tang Jinghong got up from behind the desk and walked towards Chu Qingzhi, then tenderly embraced her, “I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“I said I would come, and I will, but next time if it’s too late, you can ask me using the golden-feathered phoenix.”

“Alright.” Tang Jinghong released Chu Qingzhi and then took the late-night snack out of the food box, “How’s the case going?”

“Very smoothly, we will know who the real murderer is by tomorrow. How about you?”

“We’ve caught the entire line of Lord Zhang smuggling sulfur. The progress is very smooth.”

“Congratulations!”

“Same to you!”

As they ate and talked, towards the end, Tang Jinghong asked, “Qingzhi, after the case is solved, are you going back to the village?”

Chu Qingzhi nodded, “Yes, do you want to come back with us?”

Tang Jinghong’s voice carried a hint of regret, “I need to handle Lord Zhang’s matter before I can return to the village, but I will definitely come back before your birthday.”

Her birthday was on the first day of October, which was only a few days away. “It’s okay if you can’t make it back in time, official matters are more important.”

“Your birthday is also important.”

“Then I’ll wait for you to come back and celebrate my birthday.”

“Okay.”

At the Chu Residence.

Luo Jisheng and Yan Jingkui came to the Chu residence together, both feeling a bit nervous at the thought of Chu Qingzhi. They exchanged glances, seeing the unease in each other’s eyes.

Luo Jisheng approached the guard, “We’re here to see Miss Qingzhi, is she in?” The guard looked at the two scholars, thought for a moment, and said, “She is, please wait here, I’ll go inform her.”

“Thank you.”

Chu Qingzhi was packing up her things when she heard the guard’s message. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to come out and see, “What do you need?”

Seeing Chu Qingzhi, Luo Jisheng’s aura involuntarily halved, and he nervously greeted, “Miss Qingzhi, the orphanage you asked us to repair has been fixed. Would you like to go see it?”

Yan Jingkui hurriedly added, “The emperor said if you’re not satisfied, the matter won’t be considered resolved.” He also said, “We’ve prepared a sedan chair; it won’t take much of your time.”

Chu Qingzhi looked past them to a luxurious sedan chair parked not far away, “Let’s go have a look.”

Luo Jisheng and Yan Jingkui visibly relaxed, “Please, Miss.”

The orphanage was not far from the slum, and it took a good while to get there. There were a total of two hundred and fifty-seven people in the orphanage.

Among them was an old gentleman who was in charge of all affairs of the orphanage and also earned money to support it.

There were four helpers, all of whom were disabled, but it did not affect their daily lives. The old gentleman had taken them in after seeing they had nowhere to go, which was very pitiful.

Two old women cooked, and there was an old man who acted as the gatekeeper. The rest were children that no one wanted.

The capital had many wealthy people, yet no one noticed these children struggling to survive in this corner.

Luo Jisheng and Yan Jingkui had come to help them repair it, and everyone was very moved and grateful.

However, Luo Jisheng and Yan Jingkui did not dare to take credit and truthfully told the people of the orphanage that it was Chu Qingzhi who had instructed them to repair the building.

Now, knowing that Chu Qingzhi was coming to the orphanage, everyone waited at the entrance, eagerly looking forward.

When the sedan chair finally came into view, the old gentleman stepped forward to greet, “Thank you, Miss, for repairing the orphanage. Please allow this old man to bow in gratitude.”

Chu Qingzhi quickly helped the old man up, “It’s nothing, there’s no need for formalities.”

The old gentleman’s voice was full of gratitude, “Miss Chu’s great kindness, we in the orphanage will remember. In the future, when the children grow up, they will repay your kindness.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled, “There’s no need for anyone to repay me, just living well is enough.”

Unexpectedly, this simple sentence made many people tear up. To others survival was simple, but for these abandoned people, it was an insurmountable challenge.