Chapter 118 The outer residence in the east of the city was searched thoroughly; the living accounts were hidden at the bottom of a dead man's coffin.

The main gate of the East City residence still bore yesterday's seals.

In front of the gate, newly replaced City Defense Battalion spears were lined up in two rows, their tips catching the morning light. Even the breakfast stall at the alley entrance had retreated to the end of the street.

Zhao Gang held up the new Governor's Mansion command token before the gate, his voice loud enough to be heard throughout the entire alley.

“By order of the Governor's Mansion, the lockdown of the East City residence will be recalculated starting today, extended from three days to five.”

A crisp cracking sound came from inside the gate.

A teacup had shattered against the bricks.

Zhao Gang grinned and looked back at Lin Chen.

“Inspector Lin, it seems Steward Wang Dehou's hands are a bit unsteady.”

Lin Chen didn't look at the gate, simply handing the token to the City Defense Battalion Captain.

“Change the shifts, add sentries. The front gate, the back alley, the drainage outlets, and the roof ridges—record every name.”

The Captain took the token, his gaze lingering for a moment on the word 'lockdown' on the back.

“Rest assured, Inspector Lin. Starting with me today, every sentry post will be entered into the register.”

Liu Buyu followed beside them holding a ledger and immediately began writing.

“City Defense Battalion Captain receives the Governor's Mansion lockdown Order. lockdown extended to five days. Shifts changed, sentries added, and posts registered.”

Someone inside the gate shouted while pressed against the door panels.

“Inspector Lin, the Wang family already cooperated with the lockdown yesterday. Adding another five days today—surely that isn't according to the rules?”

Zhao Gang kicked the bottom of the threshold, making the door panels rattle.

“Steward Wang Dehou, your family's coffin from yesterday could fire crossbows, and you're still talking to me about rules?”

The area inside the gate went silent for a moment.

Lin Chen raised his hand, signaling Zhao Gang to step back half a pace.

“Open the door.”

The inner bolt was drawn back inch by inch, the sound drawn out as if Steward Wang Dehou wanted to stretch this moment until nightfall.

When the door opened, Steward Wang Dehou stood inside, his face pale, clutching a manifest of the rooms.

He bowed, his posture much lower than it had been yesterday.

“Inspector Lin, the Wang family is cooperating with the Patrol Division's lawful search. This is the inventory for the residence's rooms.”

Zhao Gang looked at the ledger in his hand and sneered.

“So sensible today?”

Steward Wang Dehou looked up at him briefly before lowering his head again.

“There were many misunderstandings yesterday. Today, the clan has given instructions not to obstruct official business.”

Lin Chen took the manifest and flipped through a few pages, his finger stopping at three locations in the backyard marked as storage rooms.

“We start with these three rooms.”

Steward Wang Dehou's throat bobbed, and his fingers gripped his sleeves.

“The storage rooms only hold old medicine crates and old servant clothes. If the Inspector wishes to check the Accounting Room, I can lead the way.”

Lin Chen closed the manifest.

“I said, we start with these three rooms.”

Zhao Gang stepped forward, his saber hilt clinking against his waist token.

“Steward Wang, do you have trouble understanding speech?”

Steward Wang Dehou backed up half a step, reluctantly making way.

“I understand.”

Lin Chen didn't enter immediately, turning instead to Sun Qi.

“Take men to the back alley, the drainage outlets, the hidden passage entrances, and the holes in the walls. Seal them all.”

Sun Qi nodded.

“To what extent?”

Lin Chen looked at the high walls of the residence.

“Even if a mouse leaves, it must leave footprints.”

The corners of Sun Qi's mouth twitched downward slightly.

“Understood.”

Lin Chen then looked at Shen Yue.

“Get on the walls. Take two people and mark all potential crossing points.”

Shen Yue looked up at the corner of the perimeter wall.

“There are three landing spots on the roof ridges. There's also an old locust tree by the west wall. If anyone took to the walls last night, that would be the most convenient spot.”

Lin Chen nodded.

“Mark them.”

Shen Yue didn't waste words. Tapping her toe against a stone block by the wall, she flipped onto the wall's edge. With her short blade pressed against her hip, her figure moved swiftly along the line of the wall.

Zhao Gang stood at the main entrance, unfurling the search warrant and reading it aloud to those both inside and outside the gate.

“By the lockdown Order of the Governor's Mansion, the Patrol Division is commanded to search the East City residence. All rooms, carriages, hidden compartments, underground passages, coffins, storage chests, and ledgers are subject to inspection and sealing.”

Liu Buyu's brush followed along.

“Zhao Gang reads the search warrant at the gate. Wang family steward, Steward Wang Dehou, is present to hear the order and offers no objection.”

Steward Wang Dehou immediately looked up.

“It is not that I have no objection; I am merely cooperating.”

Liu Buyu looked up at him.

“Then I shall record: Steward Wang Dehou claims he does not have 'no objection' and is merely cooperating.”

Zhao Gang laughed.

“Old Liu's brush is getting better and better at biting people.”

Steward Wang Dehou's face turned a shade paler.

The backyard storage rooms were quickly opened.

The first room was piled with old medicinal herb crates covered in thick dust. Once opened, they contained only dried dregs and a few bundles of moldy grass roots.

Zhao Gang rummaged through two crates and cursed with a frown.

“It's all junk.”

Steward Wang Dehou stood at the door and spoke cautiously.

“Head Zhao, as I said, these are just storage rooms.”

Zhao Gang looked back at him.

“Did I ask you?”

In the second room, there were several empty ledgers. The covers were exquisitely made, but there wasn't a single word on the pages inside.

Liu Buyu, wearing cloth gloves, flipped through them and shook his head.

“Empty.”

Zhao Gang looked at Lin Chen.

“Inspector Lin, do you think they moved the items?”

Lin Chen stood in the courtyard without entering the rooms, his gaze falling on a patch of blue bricks outside the three storage rooms.

“Register them.”

Zhao Gang was stunned for a moment.

“We're registering this empty junk too?”

Lin Chen crouched down, his fingertip pressing into the mud at the edge of the brick seams.

“Even things put out specifically for us to see must be registered.”

Liu Buyu immediately wrote.

“Storage Room One: twelve old medicinal herb crates, various medicinal dregs. Storage Room Two: four empty ledgers, seven pieces of old servant clothing.”

Steward Wang Dehou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Chen rubbed the mud on his fingertip and looked up at him.

“When were these bricks replaced?”

The breath Steward Wang Dehou had just let out got stuck again.

“What bricks?”

Zhao Gang walked over and looked down.

“Is there something wrong with these bricks?”

Lin Chen's finger traced along the seams.

“The surrounding seams have old mud; these few are filled with fresh, wet mud.”

Zhao Gang crouched and poked them with his scabbard.

“They really are soft.”

Steward Wang Dehou hurriedly spoke up.

“It rained a few days ago and water pooled in the courtyard, so the servants repaired a few bricks.”

Lin Chen stood up.

“Which servants?”

Steward Wang Dehou opened his mouth.

“I... I can't recall at the moment.”

Zhao Gang laughed.

“You knew exactly how many old clothes were in the storage room just now, but you can't remember who fixed the bricks?”

Sweat broke out on Steward Wang Dehou's forehead.

“There are many servants in the residence; I cannot possibly remember every detail.”

From the direction of the backyard, Sun Qi walked back quickly, the medicinal bandage on his face pressed tighter by the wind.

“Inspector Lin, there's an old coffin in the backyard woodshed. The lid is nailed shut.”

Zhao Gang turned his head.

“Another coffin?”

Sun Qi nodded.

“The Wang family servants say it's a Longevity Coffin prepared for an old servant.”

Lin Chen looked at Steward Wang Dehou.

“Lead the way.”

Steward Wang Dehou's expression changed.

“Inspector Lin, that coffin is just a Longevity Coffin. It's bad luck to disturb such things.”

Zhao Gang rested his scabbard on his shoulder.

“Yesterday your coffin hid a crossbow mechanism. What's in this one today? Talismans or a Buddha statue?”

Steward Wang Dehou grew anxious.

“Head Zhao, you can't say such things. The Wang family also has ancestral precepts.”

Zhao Gang took a step closer.

“Do your ancestral precepts say that coffins can be used to kill people on the streets?”

Lin Chen raised his hand to stop Zhao Gang.

“Open it.”

Steward Wang Dehou wanted to speak further, but Liu Buyu had already started writing.

“Steward Wang Dehou attempts to obstruct the coffin inspection on the grounds of Longevity Coffins being unlucky.”

Steward Wang Dehou's face became very unsightly.

“I am not obstructing.”

Liu Buyu looked up.

“Then open it.”

The woodshed was in the most remote part of the backyard. When the door was pushed open, a mixture of damp wood and lime scents wafted out.

An old coffin lay across the wall, its lid secured by seven long nails. The nail heads were shiny, not looking like they had been there for long.

The Coroner crouched down and looked at them for a moment.

“The nails are freshly driven.”

Zhao Gang looked at Steward Wang Dehou.

“The old servant isn't even dead yet, but the coffin is already sealed tight.”

Steward Wang Dehou gritted his teeth.

“To prevent moisture.”

The Coroner took out a crowbar.

“Once the lid is open, if there is lime powder, everyone should step back half a pace.”

Zhao Gang stepped back to Lin Chen's side, still not letting it go.

“Moisture-proofing by nailing the lid shut—the Wang family really knows how to live.”

The coffin nails were pulled out one by one. When the last one hit the ground, Steward Wang Dehou's shoulders visibly slumped half an inch.

The Coroner pried open the lid. Inside was a thick layer of lime and dry straw.

Zhao Gang peeked inside.

“No one?”

Steward Wang Dehou immediately followed up.

“Inspector Lin, I told you, it's just a Longevity Coffin.”

Lin Chen looked at The Coroner.

“Push it aside.”

The Coroner used an iron hook to pull away the straw. Lime powder was kicked up, revealing a layer of oilcloth underneath.

Liu Buyu's brush stopped.

Zhao Gang's eyes lit up.

“Steward Wang, your old servant sleeps on oilcloth?”

Steward Wang Dehou's lips moved, but no words came out.

The Coroner cut open the oilcloth, revealing three thick ledgers and two bundles of silver notes.

The woodshed went silent for a moment.

Liu Buyu put on cloth gloves, lifted the top ledger out, and flipped to the first page. His finger stopped on the paper.

His voice was tight.

“Inspector Lin, this is a ledger for human trafficking.”

The smile vanished from Zhao Gang's face.

“Read it.”

Liu Buyu looked at the words on the first page, his throat bobbing.

“Qianyuan Year 36, Spring. Twenty-one refugees from Nanyang County. Records cleared by the Criminal Chamber, transferred to Qingyun Ridge. Valued at one thousand two hundred and sixty taels of silver.”

Zhao Gang's fist slowly tightened.

“Continue.”

Liu Buyu flipped further back.

“Qianyuan Year 36, Autumn. Nine orphans. Not entered into the official registry of the Governor's Mansion, transferred to Qingyun Ridge. Valued at four hundred and fifty taels of silver.”

Shen Yue dropped down from the wall and stood by the door, her gaze falling on the ledger.

“The most recent entry.”

Liu Buyu flipped to the last few pages, his voice even lower than before.

“Two months ago, Qingyun Ridge Yiyang Foster Home. Twelve people received. Valued at six hundred taels of silver.”

Zhao Gang didn't curse.

He just stared at those numbers, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. He gripped his saber hilt until it made a soft creaking sound.

Steward Wang Dehou leaned against the doorframe, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.

“This isn't a Wang family item. It was hidden by Feng Sanxing.”

Lin Chen didn't look at him.

“Record it.”

Liu Buyu immediately set brush to paper.

“Steward Wang Dehou claims the hidden accounts at the bottom of the coffin were hidden by Feng Sanxing.”

After he finished writing, he flipped to the third page and looked up at Steward Wang Dehou.

“Feng Sanxing's name is on the third page; his status is listed as the handler.”

Steward Wang Dehou's lips trembled.

Liu Buyu flipped half a page further.

“In the column for the person in charge, there is a seal.”

Lin Chen took the ledger, his gaze stopping on a seal on the last few pages.

The seal wasn't large, and its edge showed half of a blurred golden character.

Lin Chen handed the ledger back to Liu Buyu.

“The old duty roster.”

Liu Buyu immediately took a yellowed old ledger from his document box, carefully spreading it out on the coffin lid and placing the trafficking ledger beside it.

He looked down and compared them for a long time, his finger moving back and forth between the two seal impressions.

Zhao Gang was getting impatient.

“Old Liu, speak up.”

Liu Buyu looked up, his expression grim.

“It's the same seal.”

The air in the woodshed suddenly felt heavy.

Steward Wang Dehou's hand slipped from the doorframe, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

Lin Chen looked at him.

“Steward Wang, whose seal is this?”

Steward Wang Dehou opened his mouth twice, but no words could be forced out of his throat.

Zhao Gang took a step forward.

“He's asking you a question.”

Steward Wang Dehou's voice was weak.

“I... I don't know.”

Zhao Gang sneered.

“There sure are a lot of things you don't know. You didn't know about the coffin, the ledger, or the seal.”

Lin Chen didn't press him further, only looking at Shen Yue.

“The ledger, silver notes, and coffin—seal them all. Have the Criminal Division verify them simultaneously.”

Shen Yue nodded.

“I'll go get Commander Liu Chong.”

Lin Chen said,

“No need to get him; he should be here by now.”

Just as he finished speaking, footsteps came from the front yard.

Commander Liu Chong arrived at the woodshed door with Criminal Division bailiffs. Seeing the three ledgers and two bundles of silver notes in the coffin, his expression shifted from shock to grimness.

“Inspector Lin, what is this?”

Liu Buyu flipped to the first page to show him.

“A ledger for human trafficking. Starting from ten years ago, one batch per quarter.”

Commander Liu Chong's outstretched hand stopped in mid-air.

Zhao Gang stared at him.

“Lord Liu, are you going to verify it or not?”

Commander Liu Chong unfurled the inspection order, his voice very low.

“Verify it.”

Lin Chen looked at him.

“The ledger bears the transfer seal of the Provincial Administration Commission.”

Commander Liu Chong's fingers tightened, crumpling the edges of the inspection order.

Zhao Gang whispered three words.

“Official Chen Zhili.”

Commander Liu Chong didn't acknowledge the name, only staring at the seal. After a few moments, he spoke.

“I need to go back and request instructions.”

Zhao Gang frowned.

“Request instructions from whom?”

Commander Liu Chong glanced at him.

“The Criminal Division cannot move against the Provincial Administration Commission based on a single seal.”

Just as Zhao Gang was about to speak, Lin Chen raised his hand to stop him.

“Requesting instructions is fine. Take a rubbing of the seal on page seven of the ledger with you.”

Commander Liu Chong looked at Lin Chen, his gaze filled with hesitation and calculation.

After a moment, he nodded.

“Fine.”

At that moment, Zhao Gang shouted from the courtyard.

“Inspector, the bricks have been pried open.”

Lin Chen walked out of the woodshed.

The patch of replaced blue bricks in the courtyard had been pried up, revealing a hidden passage half a man's height. There was fresh mud at the edge of the passage opening, and several drag marks on the wall.

Sun Qi crouched at the passage entrance, his fingers touching the ground.

“Someone escaped through here last night.”

Lin Chen asked,

“How many?”

Sun Qi looked down for a while.

“Two.”

Zhao Gang crouched down.

“Were they carrying anything?”

Sun Qi pointed to a drag mark.

“One person was dragging something heavy. Their steps were hurried, and the mud on their soles is still fresh.”

Lin Chen looked into the depths of the passage.

“Where does it lead?”

Shen Yue circled back from outside the wall, her hem stained with some wall dust.

“To a dead-end alley outside. I marked it just now—there are no regular sentries there, only an old drainage ditch.”

Zhao Gang gestured to two patrolmen.

“Follow me down.”

Lin Chen looked at Shen Yue.

“You block them from the outside.”

Shen Yue nodded and turned to leave.

Steward Wang Dehou stood by the doorframe, his face completely devoid of color.

Lin Chen paused as he passed him.

“Steward Wang, the person who fled through the passage—were they carrying the second set of ledgers?”

Steward Wang Dehou's body swayed, his back hitting the doorframe.

His lips twitched several times before he finally squeezed out a sentence.

“I want to see Second Young Master Wang Pei.”

Zhao Gang looked back at him, fire in his eyes.

“Now you want to find your master?”

Lin Chen turned and walked toward the passage entrance.

“You won't be seeing him.”

Steward Wang Dehou's legs gave way, and he slid down against the doorframe.

Zhao Gang had already crawled into the passage, his voice drifting out from the darkness.

“Inspector, there's the smell of blood in here.”

Sun Qi looked down into the depths of the passage, his hand resting on his short blade.

“The thing they dragged away might still be alive.”

Lin Chen gripped the hilt of the black abyss. Before stepping into the passage, the System's notification rang in his mind.

[Detected that the host has seized key evidence: three ledgers of human trafficking, two bundles of illicit silver notes. Merit has been recorded and will be settled at midnight today.]

[Estimated Merit Points for this action: 1,500 points.]

Lin Chen didn't stop, his figure vanishing into the shadows of the passage.

At the end of the passage, Zhao Gang suddenly shouted.

“Inspector, there's a door ahead.”

In the next breath, a soft cough came from behind the door.

Someone was inside.