Why?
Li Mingzhou’s words made Yun Tongyang let out a cold laugh.
Chapter 425: Yun Tongyang and Li Mingzhou Are Arrested
Why?
Li Mingzhou’s words made Yun Tongyang let out a cold laugh.
“Fifth Brother, this is for both our sakes.”
What saintly words!
Li Mingzhou was already on the verge of collapse. He said, “You say it’s for both our sakes, so you had to kill someone? A’Yuan was my younger brother. When you killed him, it was like killing me.”
So—
He knew it was Yun Tongyang who had killed him.
That’s why he had said those words to Ji Yunshu earlier: “Don’t investigate anymore.”
Yun Tongyang said, “If I hadn’t killed A’Yuan, he would have revealed everything about what happened back then. If the people at the yamen found out, neither you nor I would survive.”
“But A’Yuan was my younger brother. You know how important he was to me.”
“So what? I couldn’t let him destroy you, and I couldn’t let him destroy me either. The people at the yamen knew he had contact with the murderer. There was no guarantee that when they questioned him, they wouldn’t ask about the Liu Gang matters from years ago. I couldn’t take that risk—not even a little bit.”
His tone intensified, yet remained very even.
Li Mingzhou clenched his fists and said fiercely, “Big Brother, A’Yuan had already gone mad. He wouldn’t have told anyone about what happened back then. Even if he really did say something, so what? Would anyone believe the words of a madman?”
“Whether they believe it or not, what happened back then cannot be exposed. After the Liu Gang disbanded, I established the Longyang Escort Agency in Yuzhou City and step by step became an officially appointed imperial agency. That’s how I got my status today. Therefore, I absolutely cannot take any risks. A’Yuan had to die.”
“You…”
“Fifth Brother, think about your wife and daughter. If A’Yuan revealed everything, what would become of your wife and daughter’s future life? Have you thought about that? Can you bear it?” Yun Tongyang put down the two iron balls and walked toward him. “Only with A’Yuan dead can your family continue living in Yuzhou City. I’m helping you.”
A saint!
What a saint he was!
Li Mingzhou’s eyes wavered—he seemed to be persuaded by him.
He struggled internally for a long time.
On one hand, what Yun Tongyang said wasn’t wrong.
But on the other hand, Li Yuan was his own younger brother!
Seeing this, Yun Tongyang continued persuading him. “Now it’s just the two of us left. You know that over all these years, only you and I have had the best relationship. With A’Yuan dead, everything from the past is over. No one will know what happened back then. You and I don’t need to live in fear anymore.”
Li Mingzhou remained silent…
For a long time!
He suddenly understood!
His tense body relaxed, and he let out a breath.
But—
“With A’Yuan dead, the yamen will get involved. Eventually they’ll trace it back to us.”
He was panicked!
Yun Tongyang patted his arm reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I’ve already made preparations. We just need to find someone to take the blame.”
“What do you mean?”
“The yamen investigates cases to find the murderer, right? As long as we push a murderer forward, the yamen won’t have to exert themselves. Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?”
“Will it work?”
“A’Yuan was your brother. As long as you can accept the case being closed, no one will care. Besides, the yamen finds it troublesome too.”
Li Mingzhou’s heart had been uneasy.
But gritting his teeth, he was completely persuaded by Yun Tongyang’s words.
Yun Tongyang pulled him down to sit, poured a cup of tea, and pushed it in front of him.
“Come, have some tea first. We can discuss other matters afterward.”
Li Mingzhou didn’t think much of it. He sighed, picked up the tea, but after lifting it slightly, he set it back down.
In that moment, Yun Tongyang’s gaze deepened.
The hands resting on his knees also tightened somewhat.
Li Mingzhou asked very seriously, “Big Brother, tell me the truth. Did you kill Wu Lei, Liu Shuhuai, and Chang Shiliang? Do you have anything to do with their deaths?”
“Why would you ask that?”
“Since A’Yuan wasn’t the murderer, then who is?”
Clearly he suspected it was Yun Tongyang.
But Yun Tongyang’s brow tightened as he said earnestly, “I killed A’Yuan because the yamen people wanted to question him. I was worried what happened back then would be exposed, so I decided to kill him. But I had no reason to kill Wu Lei and the others.”
“Then who is the murderer?”
“I don’t know either.”
Yun Tongyang truly couldn’t figure it out!
By logic, to cover up what happened back then, he did have sufficient reason to kill Wu Lei, Liu Shuhuai, and the others.
But he truly hadn’t done it.
Moreover—
“When Shiliang died, I wasn’t even in Yuzhou City. How could I have killed him?”
He spoke with utter sincerity!
Li Mingzhou thought deeply, muttering, “Could it really be vengeful spirits claiming lives?” He suddenly raised his head. “Big Brother, could it be…”
Before he could finish speaking, Yun Tongyang interrupted him!
“Don’t think nonsense. There’s no such thing as ghosts claiming lives in this world, and it’s not what you’re thinking. Perhaps Wu Lei and the other two offended someone, which brought disaster upon them.”
Li Mingzhou nodded!
After the two were silent for a while, Yun Tongyang once again pushed the cup of tea on the table. “Have some tea first to calm down, then hurry back to your residence. Don’t let anyone discover you.”
“Yes.”
He nodded!
He picked up the tea and drank it down.
Yun Tongyang patted him. “Alright, hurry and go.”
Li Mingzhou stood up and sighed, saying nothing more.
His heart was still somewhat heavy!
Just as he pushed open the door to leave, who would have known—
The instant the door opened, torches blazing outside immediately illuminated both men in bright red.
The entire courtyard, and even the eaves, were completely surrounded!
Fang Mingsan stood with Constable Zhang in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by constables on all sides.
Only in that moment did Yun Tongyang and Li Mingzhou realize what had happened.
Both froze in place!
“Arrest them.”
Fang Mingsan gave the order!
…
The yamen’s back courtyard.
After returning from the Li residence, Ji Yunshu had gone to the room where case files and documents were stored.
She had found an old case file from twenty years ago. Once she started reading, she lost track of time—an entire hour passed.
Jingrong and Muruo had been sitting outside waiting the whole time.
They even leisurely had someone brew a pot of tea!
Muruo filled one cup with tea and poured it back and forth between two cups.
He didn’t stop until the hot tea had become cold tea!
He said, “Do you think Master Ji really knows who the murderer is?”
Jingrong was silent for a while before saying, “Probably.”
“Probably? In another two hours it will be dawn. The five days are up. Whether she figures it out or not, we have to leave. We can’t delay the journey to Yufu County, and we can’t delay investigating the disaster relief silver.”
Having said this!
Jingrong glared at him fiercely.
“You know we can’t delay? Then who was it that persuaded me to let her stay before?”
Muruo, it was you!
It was you, you brat.
Muruo’s cheeks froze. He waved his hand. “Fine, pretend I didn’t say anything.”
He poured the cold tea back and forth between the two cups twice more, squinting at the interior of the room.
He couldn’t help but ask again, “Tell me, will the case really be solved at dawn? There’s plenty of evidence, but not a single piece points to the murderer! Also, what exactly did Madam Li say to Master Ji? Aren’t you curious?”
“Curious!”
“Then should we go ask?”
“And then?”
“Then nothing.”
“Then what’s there to ask about?”
Uh!
This logic…
Muruo was completely speechless!
Fine, let’s just sit here quietly.
At this moment—
Shi Ziran came from the front courtyard. “Your Highness, Young Master Mo, the murderer has been caught.”
He couldn’t hide his excitement.
“Fifth Brother, this is for both our sakes.”
What saintly words!
Li Mingzhou was already on the verge of collapse. He said, “You say it’s for both our sakes, so you had to kill someone? A’Yuan was my younger brother. When you killed him, it was like killing me.”
So—
He knew it was Yun Tongyang who had killed him.
That’s why he had said those words to Ji Yunshu earlier: “Don’t investigate anymore.”
Yun Tongyang said, “If I hadn’t killed A’Yuan, he would have revealed everything about what happened back then. If the people at the yamen found out, neither you nor I would survive.”
“But A’Yuan was my younger brother. You know how important he was to me.”
“So what? I couldn’t let him destroy you, and I couldn’t let him destroy me either. The people at the yamen knew he had contact with the murderer. There was no guarantee that when they questioned him, they wouldn’t ask about the Liu Gang matters from years ago. I couldn’t take that risk—not even a little bit.”
His tone intensified, yet remained very even.
Li Mingzhou clenched his fists and said fiercely, “Big Brother, A’Yuan had already gone mad. He wouldn’t have told anyone about what happened back then. Even if he really did say something, so what? Would anyone believe the words of a madman?”
“Whether they believe it or not, what happened back then cannot be exposed. After the Liu Gang disbanded, I established the Longyang Escort Agency in Yuzhou City and step by step became an officially appointed imperial agency. That’s how I got my status today. Therefore, I absolutely cannot take any risks. A’Yuan had to die.”
“You…”
“Fifth Brother, think about your wife and daughter. If A’Yuan revealed everything, what would become of your wife and daughter’s future life? Have you thought about that? Can you bear it?” Yun Tongyang put down the two iron balls and walked toward him. “Only with A’Yuan dead can your family continue living in Yuzhou City. I’m helping you.”
A saint!
What a saint he was!
Li Mingzhou’s eyes wavered—he seemed to be persuaded by him.
He struggled internally for a long time.
On one hand, what Yun Tongyang said wasn’t wrong.
But on the other hand, Li Yuan was his own younger brother!
Seeing this, Yun Tongyang continued persuading him. “Now it’s just the two of us left. You know that over all these years, only you and I have had the best relationship. With A’Yuan dead, everything from the past is over. No one will know what happened back then. You and I don’t need to live in fear anymore.”
Li Mingzhou remained silent…
For a long time!
He suddenly understood!
His tense body relaxed, and he let out a breath.
But—
“With A’Yuan dead, the yamen will get involved. Eventually they’ll trace it back to us.”
He was panicked!
Yun Tongyang patted his arm reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I’ve already made preparations. We just need to find someone to take the blame.”
“What do you mean?”
“The yamen investigates cases to find the murderer, right? As long as we push a murderer forward, the yamen won’t have to exert themselves. Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?”
“Will it work?”
“A’Yuan was your brother. As long as you can accept the case being closed, no one will care. Besides, the yamen finds it troublesome too.”
Li Mingzhou’s heart had been uneasy.
But gritting his teeth, he was completely persuaded by Yun Tongyang’s words.
Yun Tongyang pulled him down to sit, poured a cup of tea, and pushed it in front of him.
“Come, have some tea first. We can discuss other matters afterward.”
Li Mingzhou didn’t think much of it. He sighed, picked up the tea, but after lifting it slightly, he set it back down.
In that moment, Yun Tongyang’s gaze deepened.
The hands resting on his knees also tightened somewhat.
Li Mingzhou asked very seriously, “Big Brother, tell me the truth. Did you kill Wu Lei, Liu Shuhuai, and Chang Shiliang? Do you have anything to do with their deaths?”
“Why would you ask that?”
“Since A’Yuan wasn’t the murderer, then who is?”
Clearly he suspected it was Yun Tongyang.
But Yun Tongyang’s brow tightened as he said earnestly, “I killed A’Yuan because the yamen people wanted to question him. I was worried what happened back then would be exposed, so I decided to kill him. But I had no reason to kill Wu Lei and the others.”
“Then who is the murderer?”
“I don’t know either.”
Yun Tongyang truly couldn’t figure it out!
By logic, to cover up what happened back then, he did have sufficient reason to kill Wu Lei, Liu Shuhuai, and the others.
But he truly hadn’t done it.
Moreover—
“When Shiliang died, I wasn’t even in Yuzhou City. How could I have killed him?”
He spoke with utter sincerity!
Li Mingzhou thought deeply, muttering, “Could it really be vengeful spirits claiming lives?” He suddenly raised his head. “Big Brother, could it be…”
Before he could finish speaking, Yun Tongyang interrupted him!
“Don’t think nonsense. There’s no such thing as ghosts claiming lives in this world, and it’s not what you’re thinking. Perhaps Wu Lei and the other two offended someone, which brought disaster upon them.”
Li Mingzhou nodded!
After the two were silent for a while, Yun Tongyang once again pushed the cup of tea on the table. “Have some tea first to calm down, then hurry back to your residence. Don’t let anyone discover you.”
“Yes.”
He nodded!
He picked up the tea and drank it down.
Yun Tongyang patted him. “Alright, hurry and go.”
Li Mingzhou stood up and sighed, saying nothing more.
His heart was still somewhat heavy!
Just as he pushed open the door to leave, who would have known—
The instant the door opened, torches blazing outside immediately illuminated both men in bright red.
The entire courtyard, and even the eaves, were completely surrounded!
Fang Mingsan stood with Constable Zhang in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by constables on all sides.
Only in that moment did Yun Tongyang and Li Mingzhou realize what had happened.
Both froze in place!
“Arrest them.”
Fang Mingsan gave the order!
…
The yamen’s back courtyard.
After returning from the Li residence, Ji Yunshu had gone to the room where case files and documents were stored.
She had found an old case file from twenty years ago. Once she started reading, she lost track of time—an entire hour passed.
Jingrong and Muruo had been sitting outside waiting the whole time.
They even leisurely had someone brew a pot of tea!
Muruo filled one cup with tea and poured it back and forth between two cups.
He didn’t stop until the hot tea had become cold tea!
He said, “Do you think Master Ji really knows who the murderer is?”
Jingrong was silent for a while before saying, “Probably.”
“Probably? In another two hours it will be dawn. The five days are up. Whether she figures it out or not, we have to leave. We can’t delay the journey to Yufu County, and we can’t delay investigating the disaster relief silver.”
Having said this!
Jingrong glared at him fiercely.
“You know we can’t delay? Then who was it that persuaded me to let her stay before?”
Muruo, it was you!
It was you, you brat.
Muruo’s cheeks froze. He waved his hand. “Fine, pretend I didn’t say anything.”
He poured the cold tea back and forth between the two cups twice more, squinting at the interior of the room.
He couldn’t help but ask again, “Tell me, will the case really be solved at dawn? There’s plenty of evidence, but not a single piece points to the murderer! Also, what exactly did Madam Li say to Master Ji? Aren’t you curious?”
“Curious!”
“Then should we go ask?”
“And then?”
“Then nothing.”
“Then what’s there to ask about?”
Uh!
This logic…
Muruo was completely speechless!
Fine, let’s just sit here quietly.
At this moment—
Shi Ziran came from the front courtyard. “Your Highness, Young Master Mo, the murderer has been caught.”
He couldn’t hide his excitement.