135: Instruct Tang Wuming
The fisherman was eventually had his Golden Tendons pulled out.
It was a pity that he had no special Golden Tendons on his body.
Not long after, Tang Wuming brought another bad news:
The Thugs who went to find the fisherman's son had been killed.
"According to the scene, that fisherman's son died two days ago."
"But, no one saw the killer."
"I've sent my subordinates to investigate, hoping to find a trace."
Chu Qing shook his head.
A trace?
The person had been dead for several days; where could they find a trace?
What's more, there were no witnesses.
In this era, unless a true tracking master was found, finding a killer would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
This was just like when he killed Hall Master Liu and others in Shiji County.
Unless someone saw it, or the killer actively exposed himself.
Otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to find.
However, even if it was difficult to find, they still had to search.
Chu Qing racked his brain, recalling some information he had seen in his previous life.
After a long while, he said:
"See if you can find the killer's footprints."
"Preserve the footprints."
"Then, go village by village, finding people to compare the footprints."
"Also, examine the wounds to deduce the opponent's weapon."
Tang Wuming's eyes lit up.
Comparing footprints to track down the killer was a new idea.
Why hadn't he thought of it?
"Qing Ge, don't worry, I'll send people to do it immediately."
Chu Qing thought for a moment and said, "Conduct a census."
"Around the Eight Hundred Li Shui Po, see who hasn't been home these past few days."
"Or whose whereabouts are suspicious."
"Anyone who reports, regardless of whether it's true or false, will be given silver."
"Remember, this silver must be distributed."
"Otherwise, no one will report."
Tang Wuming took a small notebook and jotted it down, then looked at him expectantly.
Chu Qing pondered for a moment and continued:
"All suspects should be detained and interrogated repeatedly."
"Ask the questions in a jumbled order."
"As soon as anyone lies, immediately apply torture!"
Tang Wuming hesitated and said, "We don't have the right to apply torture!"
Chu Qing said speechlessly, "You are a rebel; let alone torture, even if you kill someone, who can do anything about it?"
Tang Wuming immediately nodded.
Chu Qing continued, "Also, search all the Fortified Manors and wealthy families in the surrounding area."
"No matter their status, they must accept the investigation."
"Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"
Tang Wuming exclaimed in horror, "Really killed without mercy?"
Chu Qing grabbed Tang Wuming by the collar and said seriously, "I want that strange Golden Tendons!"
"If I can't find the strange Golden Tendons, everyone in the Eight Hundred Li Shui Po will die."
"Your people are no exception!"
Tang Wuming's heart pounded faster.
His face was pale, and for the first time, he truly felt that Chu Qing was indeed a ruthless person.
Moreover, he was an exceptionally ruthless person.
"Is it worth it for that Golden Tendons?"
Chu Qing let go and straightened Tang Wuming's collar, saying, "It's worth it!"
Tang Wuming gritted his teeth and said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely get it done!"
Chu Qing said calmly, "I hope you can get it done!"
"By the way, where is that Peddler from?"
"Niqiu Village!"
Chu Qing smiled.
Niqiu Village?
It seemed the people in this place were good at hiding.
He pondered for a moment and said, "Bring a few hundred Thugs and come with me to Niqiu Village!"
...Niqiu Village, not far from the Shui Po, they arrived an hour later.
The village was not very large, with only a few dozen households.
When Chu Qing and his group arrived, the village immediately became lively.
Everyone, at Chu Qing's request, was brought to the large locust tree at the village entrance.
These people looked at Chu Qing, their hearts filled with fear and unease.
Because:
Chu Qing was dressed in fine silk, while they were all in coarse clothes and barefoot, many even wearing only a single pair of trousers.
Their lives were quite hard.
Chu Qing smiled and said, "Everyone, I have only one purpose in coming."
"The Peddler, I only want the Peddler!"
"Who are the Peddler's relatives?"
The Crowd stirred, and an old man said, "The Peddler has no relatives left."
The others also nodded in agreement.
However, Chu Qing noticed that some of them had flickering eyes, lowered their heads, and dared not look at him.
Chu Qing smiled, pointed at those people, and had Tang Wuming's subordinates take them away for interrogation.
Not long after, that group of subordinates returned and said:
"Master Qing, the Peddler has a godfather, but his godfather disappeared with the Peddler."
Chu Qing sighed.
He said to The Crowd, "Everyone, you have disappointed me greatly!"
"Therefore, you must be punished!"
"Hmm... go, take one-third of the grain from each of their homes and give it to those who are willing to give us information!"
Crash!
A group of Thugs immediately went to work.
Some tried to resist.
As a result, the Thugs punched and kicked them, and then no one resisted anymore.
At this moment:
Chu Qing said, "Everyone, who can tell me the specific situation of the Peddler?"
This time, these people scrambled to answer.
Chu Qing listened carefully.
After more than ten minutes, he had some understanding of the Peddler.
This Peddler, a few years ago, was just an ordinary fisherman.
However, an old man came a few years ago, and then the fisherman became a Peddler, traveling through streets and alleys.
He lived a fairly decent life.
A few days ago, the Peddler suddenly rushed back, and not long after, he left with the old man.
As for where they went, none of them knew.
That old man was also very strange; he would go for a stroll in the nearby small forest every day.
Chu Qing followed the directions to the small forest.
Then, he looked thoughtful.
Because:
In the small forest, there was a small clearing.
The ground of this clearing was trampled so flat and hard that it was quite smooth.
He stepped on it, and it didn't even leave a footprint.
He activated his Golden Tendons to enhance his Subduing Dragon Post.
Bang!
On the ground, a finger-deep footprint appeared.
Tang Wuming wondered, "Qing Ge... is there something wrong with this place?"
Chu Qing nodded and said, "My Subduing Dragon Post just now, normally, could make a foot-deep footprint on the ground."
"But now, it only made such a shallow footprint."
"That old man is not simple; he should be a master."
Tang Wuming said thoughtfully, "That Peddler, perhaps he's also a master?"
"Perhaps that old man recognized that the strange Golden Tendons were very important?"
Chu Qing nodded and said, "That's right!"
"However, they took my things."
"Why was the news still leaked?"
He was very puzzled.
Tang Wuming said, "It shouldn't have been that fisherman who leaked it; we caught him immediately after we knew the news."
"He said he had never told outsiders."
"Moreover, they are all poor families; they naturally wouldn't let outsiders know that they got rich."
Chu Qing nodded.
He guessed that either the old man or the Peddler was the one who leaked the secret.
"It seems they had an internal conflict."
Chu Qing pondered for a moment and said to Tang Wuming, "Find a painter to come here and, according to the descriptions of these people, draw the faces of the Peddler and the old man."
"Good!"
Tang Wuming got busy.
Chu Qing pondered on the side, thinking about how to find the Peddler and the old man.
And at this moment, a commotion came from a distance.
Chu Qing looked out and saw several Jianghu people in fine clothes, riding horses, arguing with the rebels.
He frowned and said, "Drive these people away!"
"Yes!"
Not long after, the argument turned into a fight.
A Jianghu man in fine clothes, holding a long sword, continuously killed seven or eight rebels.
The other rebels cowered, not daring to step forward.
The Jianghu man in fine clothes shouted angrily, "A bunch of rebels, dare to stop us?"
"Believe it or not, if we eliminate you today, tomorrow we will issue a heroic invitation to eliminate all rebels in your Eight Hundred Li Shui Po?"