Chapter Fifty-Six: These Are Poisoned Wines

Old Wu was pressed to the ground by the foot of Zhao, the Inspector of Justice, without making any move to resist.

Had he revealed his skills earlier, Zhao would have probed his true abilities, and then everyone's situation would have become dire.

Jiang Chen silently exhaled a sigh of relief in his heart; if that blade had truly struck Old Wu, he would have lost face before Wu Yue.

Luck is fleeting; such incidents must never happen again. This Zhao is cunning and ruthless, using methods that even Jiang Chen had not anticipated to test Old Wu.

It seemed the deaths of Wu Da and the others at Tiger Head Mountain had not brought this trouble to an end, but instead attracted an even more formidable adversary in Zhao, the Inspector of Justice, who would surely become their greatest threat.

"Inspector Zhao, I think it's best to take him back for a thorough interrogation. No one can endure the full suite of prison tortures," someone suggested.

Jiang Chen clenched his fists in secret. If they truly meant to take Old Wu away, he would have to intervene. Old Wu, by nature, would never implicate anyone else; he would rather face death than betray his companions.

But that was not the outcome Jiang Chen wished for, nor could Wu Yue bear such a result.

"No, he's merely an honest butcher. Why must we press him so hard? Let him live his life in peace; perhaps he really knows nothing," Zhao said, withdrawing his foot. He made no further dangerous moves, merely glanced at Old Wu before departing.

His final words seemed deliberately staged, as if meant for someone else's ears. In short, this man was exceedingly sly—a formidable opponent.

Jiang Chen helped Old Wu back inside. The wounds inflicted by Wu Da and his men had been compounded by new injuries today; it was only thanks to Old Wu's robust constitution that he could endure such ordeals.

Seated together in the house, Jiang Chen said, "Next time, don't gamble your life. How am I supposed to explain this to Yue?"

Old Wu was silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "That Zhao is not so simple. He pretended to let me go, but he'll surely have us watched. Now, leaving Shanguan Town will be much harder."

"Yes, he's trouble. But no matter how difficult, leave it to me; I promise everyone will get out safely."

That day passed in relative peace. After nightfall, Lin Rou stayed in the room where Jiang Chen's parents once lived, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Yet, knowing she could avoid being forced into marriage by hiding here, she endured it.

The next day, an unforeseen trouble arose for Jiang Chen.

Wu Qingshan and Gu Jun had always been busy in the courtyard brewing wine, and nothing untoward had ever happened. But on this day, they ran into officials from the county office, who declared the place was to be sealed off entirely.

Hearing the news, Jiang Chen hurried over, with Lin Rou following out of curiosity, though she did not know what had happened.

When they arrived at the courtyard, the officials had already surrounded the place, sealing tape in hand, ready to close it off. Among those present were the county magistrate and Lin Yuanzhou, who had not shown himself for some time.

Seeing Lin Yuanzhou there, Jiang Chen immediately guessed the reason.

He stepped forward and asked, "County Magistrate, this is a place I rented for brewing wine. May I ask what the problem is?"

"Ah, someone came to the county office to accuse you of brewing poisonous wine. This is a serious matter, so I came myself to investigate. They have already tested it simply and clearly; the wine in your courtyard is indeed toxic. Therefore, from this moment, it will be sealed and dealt with," replied the magistrate.

Jiang Chen frowned and asked, "May I know what method was used to prove these medicinal wines are poisonous?"

Tang Yong pointed to a large yellow dog lying dead on the ground, explaining that they had made the dog drink the medicinal wine, which caused it to die on the spot.

Thus, the poisonous nature of the wine appeared indisputable.

Wu Qingshan immediately protested, "No, it's just a dog! How can you so rashly accuse us?"

"Perhaps the dog was already ill and just happened to die after drinking the wine. That proves nothing!"

Gu Jun and the others echoed his protests, objecting to the county office's heavy-handed actions. Yet no matter their response, the matter seemed already settled. Lin Yuanzhou wore a satisfied smirk—he was clearly the one who had reported them.

Word was that the Lin family had recently undergone some changes. Lin Litong, who had been embroiled in conflict with Lin Yuanzhou, appeared to have lost out in the struggle, freeing Lin Yuanzhou to cause trouble for Jiang Chen.

"County Magistrate, all our wine is meant to nourish the body, heal injuries, and disperse bruises. It is absolutely not poisonous. Please investigate thoroughly," Jiang Chen pleaded.

But the magistrate was intractable today, casting frequent glances at Lin Yuanzhou, suggesting that the two had colluded to stage this scene.

As for the magistrate's motivation—it was easy to guess. Lin Yuanzhou must have bribed him with a hefty sum.

Understanding the situation, Jiang Chen told Wu Qingshan and Gu Jun behind him, "Stop resisting. Since the county office wants to seal the place, there must be a reason. We cannot oppose them."

He led the way in moving aside all those blocking the officials, showing absolute cooperation.

The magistrate stroked his beard, nodding in approval. "That's more like it. Jiang Chen, I know you're a sensible man. As long as you cooperate, things won't get too serious."

"It will just be the closure of the courtyard and destruction of these toxic wines."

Hearing this, Wu Qingshan and the others wore expressions of indignation. All these medicinal wines had been painstakingly brewed day and night. If they were destroyed, their efforts would be wasted.

Jiang Chen understood that the initiative was not theirs today, so he could only endure for now, knowing there would be a chance to turn things around later.

Just as the officials prepared to affix the sealing tape, a powerful voice rang out among the crowd.

"Stop! Who gave you permission to do this? Are you courting death?"

Lin Rou strode forward, planting herself before the magistrate.

"You... whose daughter are you, daring to speak so boldly here? Such lack of manners!"

"The medicinal wine in this courtyard belongs to our family. No one can touch it, unless you wish to lose your fingers!"

Her words drew laughter; they thought her nothing but a foolish girl spouting nonsense. No one took her seriously.