Lan Heng used the key found on Miao Hui's body to open the door.
Before the two could enter, as a familiar scent erupted, Zhong Li knew what was inside.
Lan Heng stepped into the house and looked at the items packed in burlap sacks. He drew a dagger from his waist and slashed open a sack. Seeing what was revealed inside, he grabbed a handful and sniffed it, then said, "Indeed, these sacks are all Qia Te grass."
Zhong Li had previously seen Qia Te grass in the cabins of the Beichuan Gang's ships. She remembered it filled almost half a room. Now, seeing what was in Bei Tian An, it was like comparing a drizzle to a downpour.
"So much? Qia Te grass only started being strictly investigated last year. In a single year, for Bei Tian An to have so much, they are truly beasts!"
Lan Heng looked at Zhong Li, understanding her implication. So much Qia Te grass meant how many lives were behind it.
"What is that over there?" Lan Heng's sharp eyes spotted several large chests behind the piled Qia Te grass.
Zhong Li also saw them and walked around the Qia Te grass towards the chests.
The chests were locked. Lan Heng took out several more keys and opened them one by one.
At first, Zhong Li thought they still contained Qia Te grass. It wasn't until she saw what was inside that she said, "Lord Lan, these should be items from the previous dynasty, shouldn't they?"
Lan Heng squatted down, took out a small porcelain pot from a chest, observed it for a while, and then walked out.
When he returned, he held a kettle of boiling water.
As the boiling water filled the small pot, Zhong Li saw the originally white porcelain walls gradually change color, revealing a beautiful landscape painting.
"This..." She was momentarily speechless.
Lan Heng poured out the water from the small pot and turned it over. Seeing a line of small characters on the back of the pot, he said, "Indeed, this is from the Lin Kingdom."
Zhong Li took the small pot from his hand and looked at it. "I saw something like this in historical records of the previous dynasty. It said a prince who loved various artifacts invented these purple clay teapots that would change color or transform into scenery and animals when hot water was poured into them. However... his ending was not good."
Lan Heng nodded. "I am also aware of this history of the Lin Kingdom. Legend has it that these kinds of cups and small pots have been lost in the Lin Kingdom. In the Nan Yue Kingdom, one of these is worth a chest of gold. Even I have never seen such a thing, and yet here there are several boxes of them."
"I wonder where Miao Yun got them," Zhong Li said, picking up a small wine cup from inside and playing with it. "Just these few boxes are enough to buy half of Prince Xian's mansion."
Suddenly, the two looked at each other and spoke the same four words in unison: "Wu Family's Silver House!"
By the time Zhong Li emerged from the Buddhist hall, the sky was already filled with the glow of the setting sun.
Lan Heng, carrying the evidence, left first, preparing to go to the palace to inform the Emperor of the thorough investigation.
She walked alone in the nunnery. Dali Temple officials passed by occasionally, each carrying several items, clearly found in the secret room within the Buddhist hall.
The back gate of Baolin Temple was already piled high with Qia Te grass, and the Hua family had come to help.
Just as she was about to get into the carriage to leave with Lin Jin, an angry shout came from the back gate.
"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up!"
Zhong Li followed the sound and saw a man dressed in guard's attire being escorted forward in a disheveled state.
That person was Xu Qing.
"Lin Jin, wait for me a moment." Zhong Li instructed Lin Jin, jumped off the carriage, and walked towards Xu Qing.
Xu Qing was still struggling with the two escorts. He didn't expect his vision to darken, and when he looked up, he saw a familiar face.
"Hmph! It's you?" he said.
Zhong Li replied, "Didn't you already know it was me?"
Xu Qing was rendered speechless.
Zhong Li smiled and said, "Lord Xu, earlier I found it strange how Miao Yun knew I was at Baolin Temple. She could deduce that I was impersonating Hua Yao, but couldn't expose Chang Qing's identity. Only when I saw you just now did everything become clear."
Xu Qing glared at Zhong Li and remained silent.
Zhong Li was not angry. "But Lord Xu, I must ask, I have never offended you from beginning to end. Why are you targeting me like this?"
"Never offended?" Xu Qing sneered. "In the eighteenth year of An He, I started as an unknown constable. It took me ten years to reach the position of Shaoqing in Dali Temple. Yet, you, in just over a year, have reached such a position. Not to mention, everyone from the Emperor to Lan Heng praises you.
I find it baffling. You are merely a low-born from a small place, by what right have you received such glory today? What have you sacrificed? What have you worked for?"
Hearing Xu Qing's complaints, Zhong Li realized that all his grievances ultimately boiled down to two words—jealousy.
She stopped explaining. For someone like Xu Qing, she knew that talking more would be futile.
"Since Lord Xu cannot understand, I believe you will have plenty of time in the Ministry of Punishment for the rest of your life."
With that said, Zhong Li walked over to a constable escorting Xu Qing and whispered a few words in his ear. After ensuring he understood, she turned and returned to the carriage.
Lin Jin raised the whip, and with the rotation of the carriage wheels, they quickly left Dali Temple.
"Miss Zhong, what did you say to that constable just now?" Lin Jin asked while driving.
Zhong Li, in a rare good mood, looked at the scenery outside and said, "Nothing much, I just wanted him to bring Xu Qing out alone. I want to have a chat with him."
Lin Jin chuckled at the word "chat." It seemed Xu Qing had crossed Zhong Li's bottom line.
The wind of late autumn blew, rustling through the withered trees in the forest, startling the returning sparrows into scattering.
Lin Jin continued to drive the carriage at a rapid pace. From Baolin Temple to Jincheng, it would take at least an hour. As the sky began to darken, he whipped the horse to go even faster.
Zhong Li, with rare leisure, took advantage of the time to take a nap in the carriage.
Suddenly, the horse outside the carriage neighed. She felt her body jolt, and she rolled onto the floor of the carriage, still covered by the blanket.
"What happened, Lin Jin?" Zhong Li got up and was about to open the carriage door to inquire.
However, Lin Jin's hand quickly pressed against the door, and his vigilant voice came from outside: "Miss Zhong, you must leave quickly!"
Before she could react to his words, she heard the horse neigh again. The carriage shook, and she lost her balance due to the sudden movement, falling onto the carriage again.
"Ugh..." she let out a muffled groan, feeling a piercing pain in her back.
However, she couldn't afford to check her own condition. She stood up, steadied herself, and pulled back the carriage curtain to look outside.
She saw Lin Jin standing where she had first fallen in the carriage. Around him were four or five men in black, all holding the same weapon—a judge's brush.