Peasant Woman's Decreed Life as a Wife

Chapter 1092: Chapter 1089: The Past

With Lin Hao’s temperament, having embezzled over a million taels of silver over six years, it certainly wasn’t without use; it must have been related to some influential figure. Even if he had supported that person, he wouldn’t have left no trace behind.

This mutual check and balance was a private method for such faction-aligned officials to protect themselves.

Therefore, in this secret room, there should be correspondences between the magistrate of Yuzhou and the other party.

The soldiers knocked and searched thoroughly, swiftly tidying up the small secret room. A scholar beside them organized various books.

Chu Heng stepped forward, slowly walking around the enclosing walls while lightly tapping his finger on them.

“Lord Chu, we have finished inspecting, and have not found any letters,” a subordinate came up to report.

Chu Heng pondered, “Keep looking, see if there are any hidden compartments, and don’t miss anything.”

He then turned back to inspect the gathered papers and books.

After inspecting various ink paintings and books with no findings, suddenly, his gaze solidified on a few scattered sheets of paper, which were clean and devoid of any handwriting.

Chu Heng suddenly recalled something Ye Muyu had casually mentioned during idle conversation, “I’ve heard that writing with special ink on paper can leave no trace, but a particular method can make the writing appear.”

He had contemplated the possibility of such a thing at the time.

Could it be… Chu Heng smirked, collecting all the blank papers.

In his previous life, he had never confronted Lin Hao directly, but he knew that in a few years, he would return to the capital and enter the Ministry of Revenue, and Yuzhou and other places would suffer floods and drought next year, causing dislocation and displacement among the populace. Consequently, the commandant under the Shen family’s army would face a shortage of military provisions, leading to slander, and he, being dispatched to the Northern Army to resist the Beirong, would only find out about these events when he reached the Northern Region after a difficult journey. @@novelbin@@

The catastrophe combined with the disruption of the Shen family’s army resulted in the depletion of the imperial treasury, creating ongoing complications; Luoping Pass was nearly breached, forcing the Northern Army to tighten its belt further.

Afterward, Lin Hao managed to stabilize the disaster-stricken people, and the neighboring state government office’s Prefect was dismissed and imprisoned.

For this, Lin Hao was credited with remedial measures, resettling disaster victims, and restoring the farmland, thus only being promoted to the capital three years later.

Initially in the Imperial Court, what seemed to be for the sake of the common people actually preserved Lin Hao, and that official was Duke Zheng, Zheng Yao.

Chu Heng pondered, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. The Zheng Family had been meritorious at the founding of the nation, with a legacy spanning three generations; the old Duke Zheng had been a minister for three dynasties, and now Duke Zheng was the Imperial Teacher and a Cabinet Minister.

If the other party indeed was the figure behind Lin Hao, then this case could only end with the Lin family being raided.

A single piece of incriminating evidence was far from enough to bring down Duke Zheng’s Mansion, barely causing any pain.

Chu Heng’s expression remained calm as he took the items and headed to the prison.

The Lin residence was sealed, and the news quickly spread throughout Yuzhou, causing fear in various residences at the prospect of being implicated. Simultaneously, the Tongzhi was also raided.

Zhao Family.

Madam Zhao hurried back to the residence, her confidantes already waiting at the gate. Upon her entrance, they quickly lowered their voices to report, “Lady, the young miss has returned, and Mrs. Luo is currently taking care of her in the young miss’s courtyard.”

“I know,” Madam Zhao took a deep breath and quickly entered Zhao Qingqing’s courtyard.

The maidservants at the entrance looked serious. Upon seeing her, they quickly knelt to greet her.

Madam Zhao instructed others to keep a sufficient distance before pushing the door open and walking in.

Inside the room.

Zhao Qingqing was pinned down on the bed by Mrs. Luo and red dates, her face flushed entirely with sweat.