kingnovel Chapter 2311 Captured and Interrogated
Chapter 2311 Captured and Interrogated
Yan Ruyu originally wanted to help the old woman, firstly out of kindness, and secondly because she had heard that the old woman's niece was also a pregnant woman about to give birth, and wanted to ask her if she could find any clues.
Unexpectedly, it really was related to the He family's pharmacy.
Yan Ruyu and Huo Changhe understood each other without saying a word, and set off with the old woman, thinking that after entering Chongzhou, they would first find a place to stay near her house.
Inside Chongzhou City, a private room on the second floor of a teahouse facing the street.
The window was half open, and Mingzhao was still sitting there, looking down in the direction of the He family's pharmacy.
As the hustle and bustle subsided, the workers began to pack up the stalls in front of the store.
Mu Chen hurried up from downstairs and stood bowing before the private room.
He lowered his voice to a very low level: "Princess, I've found out."
Mingzhao withdrew her gaze and turned to look at him.
"The pregnant woman's surname was Wu. She lived in a narrow alley in the west of the city. She had only an old servant and a maidservant who served her. She had no other relatives."
Her husband was a merchant who went out of town three months ago to collect debts. On his way back, he somehow fell down a hillside and died. The neighbors all said it was an accident, and the government also closed the case.
Princess Mingzhao raised an eyebrow slightly: "Unexpected?"
Mu Chen nodded and continued, "Ms. Wu is now eight months pregnant. She was already weak, and after her husband passed away, she was overwhelmed with grief, and her spirits are deteriorating day by day."
I heard that she had a miscarriage a few days ago, but a doctor from He's pharmacy came to see her, prescribed medication to prevent miscarriage, and made follow-up visits for several days, which saved the baby.
Mingzhao frowned and remained silent.
Mu Chen couldn't help but feel a bit indignant as he said, "The He family is quite good at pretending to be nice."
On the surface, they were all smiles and concern for these pregnant women, administering medicine and providing medical care, putting on a benevolent and skillful act, but who knows what filthy thoughts they were hiding behind the scenes.
They've really figured out how to play this game of saying one thing and doing another.
Mu Chen couldn't stand this kind of behavior of using the guise of good to do evil, especially towards these pregnant women, which was really a loss of virtue.
Mingzhao looked up at him, a thoughtful look in her eyes.
The He family of Chongzhou has been renowned for their medical expertise for so many years; if they were merely committing evil deeds, they would never have survived to this day.
"That's not necessarily true. The He family's ability to establish a firm foothold in the pharmaceutical industry in Chongqing and build such a high reputation cannot be achieved simply by putting on an act."
It couldn't have been bad from the beginning; something must have gone wrong later, causing it to go astray.
"Wrong is wrong, right is right. We cannot completely deny their past good deeds just because of the evil they are doing now."
Everything should be judged clearly and objectively; if you approach things with prejudice, you're more likely to go astray.
Upon hearing this, Mu Chen felt a chill run down his spine and quickly bowed, replying, "Your subordinate understands; the princess is right."
Mingzhao slightly raised her hand, indicating that her gaze had returned to the window.
As dusk fell, the lanterns on the street lit up one by one.
She pondered for a moment: "Go and keep a close eye on the young shop assistant who followed Wu out of the shop. He must know something. Once the pharmacy closes, arrest him and question him. Remember, do not make a sound."
"Your subordinate obeys."
Just then, three bodyguards arrived.
"The county lord."
Mingzhao pursed her lips slightly: "I do have some errands for you."
The three of you split into two groups and keep an eye on the two doctors in He's pharmacy who specialize in gynecology and pregnancy preservation, and remember their whereabouts.
After questioning that fellow, I'll find another opportunity to meet with those two doctors.
That guy was just a gofer; the real key lay with the doctors who personally examined and prescribed medicine for the pregnant women.
They are the ones directly involved, and we can certainly find more information from them.
"Yes." The three guards responded and withdrew.
Mingzhao took a sip of cold tea, a hint of coldness in her eyes.
If the He family's affairs truly involve so many pregnant women, we must pry open a channel for discussion today.
As night deepened, Wang Liu, the shop assistant, felt a surge of satisfaction as he clutched the copper coins in his pocket, his steps becoming lighter with each passing moment.
Today he received a reward, enough for him to go to the braised meat shop at the street corner to buy half a catty of pig's head meat and half a catty of rice wine, so he can have a good meal.
He hummed a country tune as he walked to a secluded alley, intending to take a shortcut.
The high walls on both sides of the alley blocked out the moonlight.
After taking only two steps, I saw a dark figure blocking the middle of the road ahead. It was tall and exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.
Wang Liu stopped in his tracks, his heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively clutched the money pouch inside his clothes.
He dared not move forward or make a sound, and wanted to turn around and run back while the shadowy figure was not paying attention.
But as soon as he moved his foot, the dark figure blurred and instantly appeared behind him, so fast that he didn't even have time to exclaim.
Immediately afterwards, a hand landed on the back of his neck.
Wang Liu felt a numbness in the back of his neck, and then everything went black.
Just before his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground, a thought suddenly popped into his head: This person doesn't seem to be after his money.
When Wang Liu woke up in a daze, he felt extremely dizzy, the numbness in the back of his neck had not yet dissipated, and he had no strength in his body.
He struggled to open his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar place, like an abandoned, dilapidated house, dimly lit with only a sliver of moonlight streaming in through the window.
There was an indescribable, unpleasant smell in the air, which made him cough twice.
He moved his body and realized that his hands and feet were bound by thick hemp ropes, the knots were tied very tightly, and he couldn't break free at all.
Fear gripped his heart instantly. He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse, and cried out.
"Is anyone there? Is anyone there? Let me out!"
He called out again and again, but the only response was the sound of the wind outside and the chirping of insects coming from somewhere. Apart from that, there was no human voice; it was eerily quiet.
Wang Liu became increasingly frightened, fearing he had encountered kidnappers and might even be killed. He struggled, rolling around on the ground, trying to reach the door and see if he could get out.
But the rope was tied too tightly, and no matter how long he rolled, he only spun around in the same spot.
Just as he was struggling to the point of exhaustion and almost in despair, a cold wind blew in through the crack in the door, making him shiver.
Immediately afterwards, a thin mist seeped in through the crack in the door and gradually filled the room.
What made his scalp tingle even more was the rattling sound of chains being dragged through the thin mist.
One sound after another, slow and heavy, seemed to strike his heart, causing his heartbeat to skip a few beats.
He stood frozen in place, afraid to move or shout, his eyes fixed on the thin mist.
Two tall figures emerged slowly from the mist, their movements ethereal, as if they were walking on clouds, the clanging of chains echoing around their feet.
When the two figures approached, Wang Liu could see their faces in the dim light. He was instantly terrified, his mouth agape, and he almost screamed himself hoarse.