Chapter 246 A Misunderstanding
The small manor was brightly lit, and the two servants were shivering under the eaves. As they looked around the yard, they trembled more.
There were a variety of people in the yard, including officials from the government, well-armed soldiers, ordinary courtyard guards, some who seemed like servants, and even an injured man with his hand wrapped in a cloth.
This kind of chaotic combination was only seen when villagers went to the mountains to beat wolves.
What’s this for? What’s wrong?
“I’m innocent!”
A man’s shout came from the room, full of panic and fear.
“What’s wrong? Did you see Young Lady Fang?” Patriarch Lin shouted angrily.
Official Lin stood in the room in fright, feeling the situation was all a little inexplicable.
“I saw her.” He said, “But I was not with her. We just saw each other and said a few words in the street, and then she left.”
“What did you speak about?” Fang Chengyu asked.
Official Lin looked at the young person standing in the room, and then looked at the staring people inside and outside. Who are these people? What is this?
He had been locked up at home for so long. When the ban finally lifted, he just wanted to come out for a break. He came here to relax. At this time, he thought that his whereabouts would be easy to cover up and his family would not dare to ask too much. Even if he didn’t come back all night, he would only have to deal with the aftermath.
Who would have thought that he happened to meet Young Lady Fang on the street? The previous events had made him realize that crossing Young Lady Fang was terrible and now he saw that crossing the Fang family was also so terrible. Official Lin naturally took the initiative to say hello in accordance with the principle of never slapping a smiling face, and at the same time expressed his apology for the Lin Jin’er incident again.
Young Lady Fang was as kind as ever.
“Lord Lin, don’t be too harsh. It’s just that children are ignorant.” She said, “It’s good to be righteous and sensible.”
Additionally, he had been shocked into inquiring about the incident with Magistrate Li.
Official Lin was so moved that he couldn’t wait to kneel down to thank her. To be honest, when the county government office was smashed, he had really thought that his future would also be damaged like the county government gate.
After all, with this kind of confidence, it should have been the best time to get rid of the Lin family.
“It’s nothing but a quarrel.” Miss Jun said, smiling at him, “Unless Master Lin thinks that we don’t agree with each other.”
Official Lin shook his hand hurriedly.
“Nothing like that, how can it be?” He repeatedly said. He looked sincere again, “I didn’t expect Young Lady Fang to be so generous. This official thanks you.”
Speaking up to here, the two of them looked at each other and smiled.
“Then Young Lady Fang said that she had something to do, so I left.” Official Lin said.
He had been in a better mood, feeling that the day’s bad luck had dissipated. Since good luck had come, he went to the secret house with joy. He had played around recklessly all afternoon and didn’t wake up until now. Then he continued to drink and have fun contentedly.
Who would have thought that there would be such a scene outside.
“You mean you don’t know where she went?” Fang Chengyu asked.
“I really don’t know.” Official Lin said anxiously, “I left the city.”
Fang Chengyu didn’t say anything. He didn’t speak and the room fell silent.
All eyes were focused on the young man and the scroll in his hand. It seemed that he controlled life and death in that moment.
“San lang, you’d better be honest. I’ll turn a blind eye to the things you used to do behind my back, but this is a big deal. Don’t be cunning.” Patriarch Lin couldn’t stand the silence and couldn’t help from saying.
Official Lin scolded in his heart that everything was about to be cleared up, so why throw him under? This clan leader just couldn’t let him live. What a good person!
But now was not the time to care about this.
“Master Fang, I really didn’t lie. Heaven and earth can be my witness.” He looked at Fang Chengyu and was itching to kneel down.
Fang Chengyu looked at him for a moment.
“What was she doing when you saw her?” He asked.
To ask meant that he believed him.
Official Lin suppressed his joy, calmed down, stopped the chaotic thoughts, and recalled what she said and did when he had met Miss Jun.
“When I saw her, she was standing on the street as if she was waiting…” he said.
“Perhaps looking for someone?” Fang Chengyu interrupted.
Looking for someone…
Official Lin thought for a moment. The girl looked out of the city gate and her expression was indeed a bit… weird?
“I don’t know if she was looking for someone.” He said slowly, thinking a little, “But then she asked about some gossip.”
“What gossip?” Patriarch Lin asked urgently.
This gossip was not necessarily just gossip. It was very likely to determine their fate.
“Young Lady Fang asked me about those officials from other places who came to Yangcheng this time.” Official Lin said.
Patriarch Lin was stunned.
“Why did she ask you about this? You were locked up. How could you know about who came?” He said, squinting at Fang Chengyu.
Besides, those officials came from Taiyuan Prefecture, and the people of the Fang family naturally would know best.
How could Miss Jun ask this question?
“Don’t talk nonsense about others.” Patriarch Lin raised his eyebrows and shouted again.
Official Lin once again cried out his innocence.
“That’s what I told Young Lady Fang, too.” He said, “Then Young Lady Fang stopped asking and left. Master Fang, you have to believe me. It’s not worthwhile for me to…”
Fang Chengyu looked at him and nodded.
“I believe you.” He said with a gentle smile and the sincerity of a young man, “Master Lin is not lying.”
Official Lin was so moved that he was about to cry.
It’s better for the children to talk. Yes, precisely. No, no, they won’t think too much like adults would.
There was more noise outside the door. It turned out that Old Lady Fang, who heard the news, had rushed over.
Without waiting for Official Lin or patriarch Lin to explain, Fang Chengyu stepped forward.
“It’s not him.” He shook his head and said to the elder lady.
Old Lady Fang looked at Old Master Lin and Master Lin with an anxious look and didn’t ask anything more.
“Let’s go.” She said, with a firm expression and voice, “Continue to search.”
Fang Chengyu stopped her, looked at the night sky with a deep expression, and slowly turned his eyes to the north.
“No, grandmother.” He said, “Look in the city and turn the whole city upside down.”
Old Lady Fang was taken aback.
It had been confirmed that there was indeed no trace of Jun Zhenzhen in the city, and since he believed in Official Lin’s words, he naturally now believed that Jun Zhenzhen had left the city.
What is the point of turning back and overturning the city now?
“We only searched things related to Official Lin, and the people who were investigated were also only related to this.” Fang Chengyu said, “Now we are going to check them all. Search everyone.”
Old Lady Fang looked stunned.
It was understandable to trace people related to Jun Zhenzhen using the imperial edict, but to randomly and unscrupulously search the city…
That was really big deal.
Why?
“In order to make a big disturbance.” Fang Chengyu said, “The more noisy it is, the safer she will be.”
Sometimes it was like this. There must be give and take. If you were willing to change something for one person’s safety, you have to be willing to put another person in danger. It was only fair.
Old Lady Fang looked at him for a moment and finally nodded.
“Summon everyone back.” She said, looking at the people and horses in the yard, “Search the city.”