When Zhan Feiyu arrived, the alley entrance was already cordoned off by the yamen's constables and runners. Liu Baihu had remained in his carriage, which led to Zhang Changsong, Qiu Dingsi, and others who had rushed over upon hearing the news standing in the alley.
The constables at the alley entrance shouted loudly, patting the sabers at their waists, "All unauthorized personnel, step back!"
A child who wanted to watch the excitement was pulled back by their adult, retreating several paces. They watched the alley from afar, but dared not let their naughty child run wild.
"Mom, why can she go through?" The grabbed child looked back at their mother with dissatisfaction, pointing a finger at Zhan Feiyu, who had alighted from the carriage and was walking directly towards the alley entrance.
"You're not old, but you're full of trouble!" The aunt speaking impatiently spanked the naughty child's bottom, "She got out of a carriage. Do you have a carriage?"
"I..." The naughty child's face, tanned to a dark sheen by the sun, was full of grievance. Their family didn't even have a wheelbarrow, how could they afford a carriage? Those were for nobles.
"Unauthorized personnel..." The constable was about to drive Zhan Feiyu away when Constable Qian immediately stepped forward, pulling his oblivious subordinate aside. "Miss Zhan."
"Constable Qian." Zhan Feiyu greeted him and glanced at the Apricot Garden not far away.
Through the tall walls, the branches still protruded, laden with green and yellow apricots. "Is this estate the Chen family's property?"
The Apricot Garden was quite famous in Fengzhou. In March and April, the apricot trees were covered in blossoms, like winter snow in spring. By June and July, when the apricots ripened, children from the alleys around the Apricot Garden loved to run there.
A group of children dared not climb the walls, but the ripe apricots that fell from the branches were their favorites. Sometimes, they would even fight over a single apricot.
Although they dared not offend the Emperor's maternal family, everyone in Fengzhou knew that the Apricot Garden belonged to the Chen family. Constable Qian did not need to conceal it. "More than thirty years ago, the seventh daughter of the Chen family married into Fengzhou. The seventh daughter loved sour apricots, so she planted them all over this dowry courtyard. Later, when the seventh daughter accompanied her husband, Lord Dong, to his post, she left servants to manage the Apricot Garden."
If Chai Yi had not appeared, no one would have thought that Qi Heng would be imprisoned in the Apricot Garden. Even if Chai Yi was exposed, the Apricot Garden was the Chen family's property. Daring to break in and search would be equivalent to offending the Chen family.
If they found the person, it would be fine. If they didn't, the charge of trespassing would be enough to cause trouble. Chai Yi had imprisoned Qi Heng here with impunity.
Hoofbeats sounded from behind. Zhan Feiyu looked back and saw several official sedan chairs. Judging by the solemn expressions of Constable Qian and the others, Zhan Feiyu knew it was Governor Meng and his entourage.
Descending from the horses was a military officer in his fifties, with a dark complexion and a stern expression. Besides four personal guards, there was also a small squad of soldiers.
"Lord Meng." Handing his horsewhip to a personal guard behind him, Commander Qiu was the first to cup his hands in greeting to Governor Meng. Although they were of the same rank, military officers generally held less power than civil officials.
Tongzhi Qi, Tongpan Zhang, and others also greeted Commander Qiu.
As a young scholar, Zhan Feiyu stepped forward. "This student, Zhan Feiyu, pays respects to Governor Meng, Commander Qiu, Tongzhi Qi, and Tongpan Zhang."
Commander Qiu glanced at Governor Meng subtly, but with a cold expression, he walked past Zhan Feiyu directly into the alley.
"Miss Zhan, no need for formalities." Governor Meng spoke with a smile, understanding that Commander Qiu's attitude towards Zhan Feiyu was also a reflection of his own displeasure.
"Father." Qiu Dingsi, who was in the alley, quickly walked over. He glanced at Governor Meng and Zhan Feiyu, who were trailing behind, his gaze darkening. Today, it would be either the east wind prevailing over the west wind, or the west wind prevailing over the east wind.
Zhang Changsong also quickly paid his respects. "Uncle Qiu."
Commander Qiu looked at the six people guarding the main entrance. Four were yamen constables, and two were personal guards of Commander Liu.
Qiu Dingsi whispered, "The side gate is also guarded. There are yamen personnel and Brother Liu's men inside the garden."
If it were before, Qiu Dingsi would never have believed that Commander Liu would help Zhan Feiyu, but the facts were before him, and he had no choice but to believe.
Commander Qiu's expression remained unchanged. Just as he was about to walk towards the carriage, the carriage curtain was lifted. The attendant standing nearby immediately brought over a sedan chair, and two guards helped Commander Liu to his feet, one on each side.
Commander Qiu looked disapprovingly at Commander Liu, who was sitting in the sedan chair with his left leg propped on a low stool. "Your leg injury hasn't healed yet. What are you doing?"
"The bone has been set. It's fine." Commander Liu looked at his left leg, which was in a splint, and said sarcastically, "In these years, besides receiving thirty military lashes in the army, this is the second time someone has dared to lay hands on me."
Upon hearing this, Commander Qiu, Qiu Dingsi, and Governor Meng, who had walked over, wore strange expressions. What did Liu Hefeng's attitude mean?
If he hated Zhan Feiyu, why did he send people to surround the Apricot Garden? He was truly unpredictable.
"It is truly an honor for the Apricot Garden to have so many esteemed guests visiting today." A clear laughter came from inside the gate.
Chai Yi, dressed in a blue long gown, walked out with his guards. After greeting everyone, he continued with a smile, "I just don't know what offense I have committed for the constables to barge in so early in the morning."
Commander Qiu responded coldly, "I am also perplexed. I request Governor Meng to clarify."
Governor Meng found himself becoming a soft target. Although Zhan Feiyu and Liu Hefeng were the culprits, he was the one being questioned. In an instant, Governor Meng felt like a fake governor.
His gaze swept over, and he saw Commander Liu still sitting in the sedan chair, with Zhan Feiyu standing obediently beside him. Their indifferent demeanor made Governor Meng furious.
"Qi Heng has been missing for several days. I sent constables to search house by house. What is wrong with searching the Apricot Garden?" Governor Meng, with his dignified demeanor, threw the question back without hesitation.
As the chief official of the prefecture, his order for a city-wide search was entirely legal. Furthermore, Qi Heng was a scholar, albeit a young one. A slightly larger search operation would show that Governor Meng valued scholars.
Chai Yi smiled, his meaningful gaze falling on Zhan Feiyu, who stood in the corner. "So that's how it is. However, I am merely a temporary resident of the Apricot Garden. I ask the constables to be gentle during the search and not to damage the furnishings of the Apricot Garden."
Zhan Feiyu looked at Chai Yi, who seemed to have everything under control, and smiled. Since he dared to let people search the garden, he must be sure that the constables wouldn't find Qi Heng, meaning the Apricot Garden indeed had a secret room.
"Esteemed sirs, please come in. Miss Zhan, please come inside." Chai Yi stepped aside at the door and made an inviting gesture.
Governor Meng entered first, followed closely by Commander Qiu. After Tongzhi Qi and Tongpan Zhang also entered, Zhan Feiyu was about to step forward when she saw Qiu Dingsi and Zhang Changsong approach Commander Liu.
"Brother Liu, you go in first." Qiu Dingsi signaled the attendant to carry Commander Liu into the house first. Zhang Changsong quickly stepped forward, deliberately blocking Zhan Feiyu.
The sedan chair was inconvenient for entering the main hall, but the Apricot Garden's courtyard was large enough. After the heavy rain last night, a cool breeze blew in the early morning. Commander Liu asked the attendant to place the sedan chair in the courtyard.
In the main hall, Zhan Feiyu sat quietly on the last chair. Governor Meng and Commander Qiu, seated at the head of the table, remained silent. However, the constables and the soldiers from the garrison began to search the Apricot Garden.
Time passed slowly. The maids had already entered the room to pour the second cup of tea for everyone, and the search was nearing its end, as the Apricot Garden was not that large.
"If Miss Zhan is truly worried about Qi Heng's safety, she shouldn't be wasting time here. When Qi Heng went missing, I had not yet entered Fengzhou." Chai Yi sighed, seemingly genuinely concerned about the missing Qi Heng.
Zhan Feiyu looked up and smiled sweetly. "When Juwenzhai caught fire, a skilled individual stopped Ah Sheng. I inquired with Commander Liu, and in Fengzhou, there are no such experts."
It wasn't that Zhan Feiyu underestimated the families in Fengzhou, but Fengzhou was not a large place. Local prominent families were not much in other prefectures, so they could not cultivate experts who could match He Sheng.
Zhan Feiyu continued, "After Qi Heng went missing, the yamen and the Qi family immediately began their search. They searched all accessible places. Later, Commander Liu helped investigate the various families in Fengzhou, but still couldn't find him."
Tongzhi Qi would not offend the various families in Fengzhou for Qi Heng. Although Governor Meng also helped, he was more inclined to remain neutral. Therefore, if Qi Heng were hidden in their homes or villas, Tongzhi Qi would not be able to find him. But once Commander Liu stepped in, he would surely find him.
Commander Liu had even issued a statement: if Qi Heng was hidden in their homes and they did not hand him over, they would be considered enemies of Liu Hefeng, and they would bear the consequences!
Zhan Feiyu looked at Chai Yi and concluded, "Therefore, the Apricot Garden is the most suspicious."
"Hearing is not as good as seeing. After the search is over, Miss Zhan will know the result." Chai Yi picked up his teacup and drank elegantly. As he lowered his head, his eyes were filled with malice and ruthlessness.
A moment later, Constable Qian strode in. "Reporting to the lords, your subordinate has led men to search all the rooms in the Apricot Garden and did not find Qi Heng."
None of those present were fools. Chai Yi was so calm, and Governor Meng and the others knew that there was a secret room in the Apricot Garden. But the current problem was that even if Zhan Feiyu was certain the person was in the Apricot Garden, without finding the secret room, everything was in vain.
"If Miss Zhan still doesn't believe it, she can leave the yamen constables in the Apricot Garden to guard it for ten days or half a month. By then, Miss Zhan will surely believe that I am innocent." Chai Yi's attitude was sincere, but his words were full of malice.
If the constables guarded the place, Chai Yi would surely not allow anyone to enter the secret room. And Qi Heng, inside the secret room, would receive no food or drink, eventually becoming a corpse.
Governor Meng and Commander Qiu looked at Zhan Feiyu simultaneously. At this point, what did this young girl intend to do?
Zhan Feiyu's delicate, bun-shaped face showed no sign of worry. She pointed at Commander Liu in the courtyard outside the door. "If I can't find him, it doesn't mean Commander Liu can't."
Chai Yi's eyes slightly darkened. What did she mean by this?
When Constable Qian entered the main hall, the personal guards who had accompanied him also reported to Commander Liu. "My lord, we couldn't find Qi Heng. We searched the front and back courtyards, and there were no signs of disturbed soil. We also probed the pond with bamboo poles, and found no body."
Qiu Dingsi, Zhang Changsong, and other Fengzhou disciples standing in the courtyard felt a jolt. Commander Liu's silent attitude made their backs crawl, and they felt that something big was about to happen.
"Brother Liu." Qiu Dingsi had just spoken when Commander Liu interrupted him.
Commander Liu stared grimly at the main hall. "You few, go in and arrest Chai Yi. If he resists, kill him without mercy!"
"Yes!" Commander Liu's eight personal guards were not selected from the garrison but were specifically trained by the Liu family patriarch to prevent others from stopping Commander Liu when he went mad.
Therefore, although these eight men were called garrison soldiers, they only obeyed Commander Liu's orders.
Qiu Dingsi's expression instantly turned extremely grim. He truly didn't understand why Commander Liu would help Zhan Feiyu. Previously, he had wished he could kill Zhan Feiyu to vent his anger, but now he was "aiding and abetting evil."
Seeing the eight men heading towards the main hall with fierce expressions, the other noble scions exchanged glances. Well, it was fortunate they had brought the ten thousand taels of silver with them before coming.
Zhang Changsong, daring to be angry but not daring to speak, looked at Commander Liu in the sedan chair. If it weren't for the identical faces, Zhang Changsong would have thought Commander Liu had been impersonated.
Commander Qiu, who was seated at the head of the table, was a military man. Commander Liu's voice was not quiet when he spoke, so he naturally heard everything. Seeing the eight imposing personal guards, he shouted with a darkened face, "What are you doing?"
Unfortunately, just as Commander Qiu was about to intervene, Zhan Feiyu glanced behind her. Instantly, He Sheng's figure leaped out and blocked Commander Qiu.
No matter how cunning and calculating Chai Yi was, he was ultimately a weak scholar. After Commander Qiu was blocked by He Sheng, Chai Yi hadn't even reacted before his arm was twisted behind his back.
"Father!"
"My lord!" Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Qiu Dingsi and Commander Qiu's personal guards also shouted in anger. Then, half of them rushed in to protect Commander Qiu, while the rest immediately lunged towards Chai Yi.
In an instant, the front courtyard descended into complete chaos. Coupled with the guards brought by Commander Liu joining the fray, it turned into a melee of twenty to thirty people.
The yamen constables were stunned. Fortunately, Governor Meng had not spoken, so they didn't have to worry about which side to help.
"Miss, let's go outside." He Nuan protected Zhan Feiyu as she left the main hall.
Governor Meng, Tongzhi Qi, and Tongpan Zhang also came out, not wanting to be accidentally injured.
In the courtyard, as the experts secretly protecting Chai Yi suddenly appeared, Commander Liu's eight personal guards were instantly at a disadvantage. Zhan Feiyu squinted at the tall, slender man in gray clothes within the fighting circle. "A Nuan, go and help."
"Yes." He Nuan picked up the military saber that had fallen on the ground, gripped it in his hand, and quickly joined the battle.
During the fight, Chai Yi seized an opportunity to break free, rolled on the ground, and retreated to a safe place.
"Young Master Chai moves quite agilely." Zhan Feiyu smiled, but then kicked Chai Yi, who had regained his footing, sending him flying. At the same time, she threw the dagger she carried towards Commander Liu.
Even with his broken left leg, Commander Liu was, after all, a military officer. He caught the dagger with his left hand and grabbed Chai Yi's collar with his right.
The sharp dagger was placed against his neck, and Chai Yi immediately dared not struggle anymore.
If he had fallen into the hands of others, Chai Yi might have fought back, but thinking of Liu Hefeng's瘋狂 and murderous nature, Chai Yi stared at Zhan Feiyu, who had withdrawn her foot, with bloodshot eyes filled with anger.
Zhan Feiyu waved her hand at Chai Yi and then said, "A Nuan, come back."
He Nuan parried with a saber, forcing back the gray-clothed man, and then quickly retreated to Zhan Feiyu's side, preventing the opponent from taking her hostage.
Almost simultaneously, the injured eight personal guards retreated to Commander Liu's side, protecting him in the center.
"Stop, all of you!" Governor Meng shouted loudly upon seeing this. In his heart, he truly admired Zhan Feiyu. She could actually make Liu Hefeng cooperate like this, which was utterly unbelievable.
Commander Qiu, who had flown out of the main hall, saw the scene in the courtyard and his face turned extremely grim. Suppressing his anger, he said, "Hefeng, let the man go!"
"Brother Liu!" Qiu Dingsi also spoke. He was so angry that his clenched fists were trembling.
He Sheng glanced at the gray-clothed man and then returned to Zhan Feiyu's side. However, he was not far from Commander Liu's position, and if the gray-clothed man or Commander Qiu made a move, He Sheng could immediately intervene.
Ignoring Commander Qiu, Liu Hefeng stared coldly at Chai Yi, who was kneeling on the ground. He tightened his grip on the dagger in his left hand. "Release Qi Heng!"
The sharp pain at his neck and the warm blood flowing from the wound made Chai Yi realize his neck had been cut, even though he couldn't see it.
"Lord Liu, I expected anyone might help Zhan Feiyu, but I never expected Lord Liu to repay kindness with enmity!" Chai Yi knelt on the ground with his back to Liu Baihu. His back clothes were being held tight, and his breathing was difficult, but the more so, the calmer Chai Yi became at this moment.
"You don't need to talk nonsense. If you say one more word, I'll cut your throat and release Qi Heng immediately!" Liu Baihu shouted impatiently, applying more pressure to the blade in his hand. The blood gushed from the wound, making Liu Baihu's gloomy eyes appear extremely frenzied.
Commander Qiu placed a hand on Qiu Dingsi's shoulder, preventing him from speaking.
Liu Hefeng's demeanor already explained everything. He was determined to help Zhan Feiyu at all costs. If Chai Yi didn't release the person, Liu Hefeng would kill him.
Thinking of this, Commander Qiu's gaze, sharp as a knife, pierced Zhan Feiyu. "Miss Zhan, your scheming is admirable. This method of using a borrowed knife to kill is truly impressive!"
If Zhan Feiyu dared to hold Chai Yi hostage, it would be a clear crime! But since Liu Hefeng was the one making the move, Commander Qiu laughed in his rage. To be able to bring down the Chen family, this young girl was indeed not to be underestimated!