Qi Ning's words were like a sharp knife piercing out. Xin Ci was startled for a moment and opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but Qi Ning had already raised his hand to stop him: "General Xin, you don't need to say more. In fact, Many things cannot be said right and wrong." He looked up at the sky and said, "General Xin was sent to the East China Sea, and assisting in the military affairs of the East China Sea Navy is naturally an important task, but the most important task of this trip, I'm afraid Or is it to investigate the death of the Grand Governor?"
Xin Ci stared at Qi Ning, and finally sighed and said: "Master Hou, I am really convinced today. Although Master Hou is young, he has a clear understanding of world affairs. No wonder the old master praised the young master for being extraordinary." At the end of the day, I will finally understand what the old marquis meant."
Qi Ning shook his head with a smile and said: "What is so insightful is just overthinking. I came to the East China Sea because the old marquis was worried that I would cause chaos in the capital, but General Xin came to the East China Sea to really investigate the case. General Xin is very familiar with the East China Sea Navy. Investigating this case will naturally get twice the result with half the effort." He smiled slightly and said, "Actually, I'm really not used to the climate here in the East China Sea. Since General Xin is here to take charge of the overall situation, it's great. .”
Xin Ci hesitated for a moment, and finally asked: "The Marquis has been in Donghai for several days. I wonder if the Marquis has found any clues about the Governor's matter?"
"General Xin also said that I will only be in the East China Sea for a few days." Qining sighed: "I know nothing about the East China Sea. In fact, after arriving here, I really have no idea what to do. In fact, the old Marquis thought well. The environment in the East China Sea is complicated. How can I sort out the clues in just a few days? Everything depends on General Xin’s careful investigation. Fortunately, the overall situation has been decided. After all the hard work of the old Marquis, it can be regarded as not letting go. The Donghai Navy fell into the hands of others, General Xin has nothing to worry about, and all he needs to do next is to investigate the truth."
Xin Ci hesitated to speak, but finally did not speak.
The group speeded up and approached Gulin City. Qining slowed down his horse speed again, looked at Xin Ci, and suddenly asked: "General Xin, have you ever heard of Taotie?"
"Taotie?" Xin Ci was a little surprised, but still nodded: "That is one of the four evil beasts in ancient times. The glutton is gluttonous, eating tigers and devouring elephants!"
"Yes, it is said that Taotie was not that capable at the beginning." Qi Ning said with a smile: "It's just that it is gluttonous by nature. It keeps eating day and night, and its appetite is getting bigger and bigger. Eating tigers and elephants is not the end. Later, even I want to swallow the sky and the earth.”
After all, Xin Ci was not stupid, and he already understood what Qi Ning meant.
"The old Marquis is a wise man, will he let the Taotie's appetite grow bigger and bigger?" Qining sighed: "Is it possible that the Tantai family has not thought about it, if one day the Taotie's appetite reaches the point where no one can stop it? , will they feed on the Tantai family?" He no longer waited for Xin Ci to say more, patted his horse and galloped, and the group arrived at the city gate, called for the gate to be opened, and entered the city directly.
Back at the post house, it was already late at night. Qi Ning ordered Wu Dalin and others to go down and rest first. This time they went to sea for several days. In fact, everyone really didn't have a good rest, so they naturally needed to recharge their batteries.
When Wei Yujiang found out that Qining had returned to the post house, he came over immediately.
"Wei Sishen, have you all stayed in the post house these days and not left without permission?" Qi Ning changed his clothes and then came out to talk to Wei Yujiang.
"The Marquis has given instructions, so no one has gone out these days." Wei Yujiang reported, "However, the Qin Facao came twice. It seems that he has something urgent to do to see the Marquis."
"Qin Yuege?"
"Yes." Wei Yujiang said: "Qin Yuege didn't see the Marquis, so he didn't say much about what happened. However, he doesn't look good because of his low position, so it shouldn't be a good thing."
Qi Ning thought that at this time, nothing good would really come to Donghai, so he ordered: "If he comes again, just ask him to come to see me." After a pause, he said again: "Let everyone Get ready, we will set off back to Beijing in the next few days."
Wei Yujiang was a little surprised and said anxiously: "Master Hou, are we... going back to Beijing?"
Qi Ning smiled lightly and said: "Jindaohou has sent more suitable people to investigate the case, so there is no need for us to stay and cause trouble. The Governor of Tantai should be buried at sea in the next few days, after attending the funeral of the Governor , we should go back."
Wei Yujiang frowned slightly and couldn't help but said: "Master Hou, Jin Daohou has sent someone here again. Does it mean he doesn't trust us?"
Qi Ning thought that the Tantai family never thought of letting us investigate and find out the truth from the beginning. The old fox was just a trick to lure the tiger away from the mountain, but it was hard to tell Wei Yujiang about such things. At this moment, he suddenly heard A report came from outside: "Master Hou, Qin Yuege wants to see you!"
"Oh?" Qi Ning said with a smile: "This Qin Facao has eyes, he came very quickly." He ordered Qin Yuege to come to see him.
Qin Yuege was dressed smartly as always. After entering the house, he met Qi Ning. Qin Ning got straight to the point and said with a smile: "I heard that Qin Fa Cao has been here twice. It seems that he has something urgent to see me?" He raised his hand and said: " Let’s sit down and talk first.”
"Master Marquis, you have despised your duties and neglected your responsibilities. Please forgive me!" Qin Yuege suddenly knelt down on the ground to plead guilty.
Qi Ning was a little surprised and frowned: "What happened?"
Qin Yuege said: "Reporting to Lord Marquis, Mr. Tian from Tianjia Medicine Store has been missing for two days and his whereabouts are unknown...!"
Qi Ning's face changed suddenly and he lost his voice: "Mrs. Tian? You mean...!" He hurriedly took a few steps forward and said in a deep voice: "Qin Yuege, what happened? How could Mrs. Tian disappear?"
Qin Yuege cupped her hands and said: "Master Hou, at noon yesterday, President Miao of the Medicine Stores Association went to the Yamen to report the case, saying that Mr. Tian's family had not returned home all night and did not leave any verbal message. He was worried that Mr. Tian's family was It's not like something happened. Beizhi immediately went over to investigate. None of Tian Dong's family had spent the night outside before. It was unusual to suddenly leave without making a sound. Beizhi checked the residence of Dong Tian's family and found that all the luggage was there, except for Mr. Tian’s house is missing.”
Qi Ning was greatly worried.
This time, Tian Xuerong came to the East China Sea with Qi Ning's team. The journey was naturally very safe. When she arrived in the East China Sea, she stayed at the Chamber of Commerce. Tian Xuerong was usually cautious. Qi Ning never expected that she would suddenly disappear. .
"Have you sent someone to look for it?"
Qin Yuege said: "Beizhi has sent people to search secretly in the city, and President Miao is also helping to inquire. The Tian Dong family has just come to the East China Sea. They are not familiar with the place, and they don't know too many places. General Tian Dong's family may be I have searched all the places I have been to, but there is still no news about her. Last night, Dong Tian’s family did not return home again. I have some clues at present, but I still cannot find the whereabouts of Dong Tian’s family. "
"What clue?"
"The day before yesterday in the evening, a carriage stopped in front of the guild hall. The driver asked the janitor of the guild hall to send a letter to Mr. Tian's family." Qin Yuege took out a letter from his sleeve and presented it to Qining with both hands: "Tian After the owner read the letter, he packed up, went out and left in the carriage, and since then, there has been no trace of him."
Qi Ning quickly opened the letter and glanced at it twice. His face was gloomy and his eyes were like daggers: "This is fake!"
"The letter said that the Marquis invited Mr. Tian's family to go to the beach to watch the high tide." Qin Yuege said: "The signature was also left by the Marquis. In order to make sure that the matter was true, I sent someone to inquire. The Marquis went to sea four days ago. It’s impossible to invite Mr. Tian’s family to watch the tide the day before yesterday, so there must be something fishy about this letter.”
Qi Ning sneered and said: "This is someone copying my handwriting. Since the other party did this, it was naturally a trap deliberately set." He frowned and asked: "Have you followed the clues about the carriage?"
"I have found the carriage." Qin Yuege said: "There is a forest of dead trees only ten miles south of the city. The carriage was abandoned in the forest. I checked the carriage and found nothing else. I only found one It's just a small sachet." He presented it to Qi Ning and took it. It turned out to be a small sachet. At first glance, it belonged to a woman. It was naturally something Tian Xuerong left on the carriage.
"Not everyone in the East China Sea can own a carriage." Qining looked serious: "Now that we have found the carriage, can we find out its origin?"
"It's a carriage from Xu Ji's Carriage and Horse Shop." Qin Yuege said immediately: "Xu Ji's Carriage and Horse Shop is the largest carriage and horse shop in the East China Sea. It can rent carriages and horses to external parties. I have confirmed that the carriage came from Xu Ji's Carriage and Horse Shop, and I went to the owner of Xuji Carriage and Horse Racing Shop to confirm in person that there was nothing wrong. I went to the carriage and horse racing shop to check the rental account books in person. The day before yesterday, the afternoon of the day before yesterday, the carriage was rented, and a deposit was left, saying that it would be rented for three days. "
"Who rents it?"
"The name must be a fake." Qin Yuege said: "When renting a carriage or horse, as long as you leave a sufficient deposit, you don't need to leave your real name." Qin Yuege frowned and said, "So the trouble is now. Here. The man’s name is Zhang San, which must be a pseudonym, and according to the description of the carriage company, the man’s appearance is unremarkable, and there is nothing special about him, but his skin is very dark, and he looks like a fisherman who often goes to sea. "
"Fishermen?"
Qin Yuege nodded: "We carefully surveyed the dead wood forest and found the footprints. If the investigation is good, the carriage was left behind the dead wood forest. The man took Tian Dong's family all the way south and walked for about three or four miles before he appeared. Horse hoof prints.”
"Can you follow the horse's hoof prints?"
"This morning, I personally led people to follow the horse's hoof prints." Qin Yuege said: "The horse's hoof prints traveled half a circle before reaching the seaside, and then disappeared at Guimen Cliff!"
"Ghost Gate Cliff?" Qining frowned and said, "Where is that?"
"It's a sea cliff on the edge of the East China Sea." Qin Yuege explained: "The terrain is quite high, and there are strange rocks under the cliff. It is said that at night, when the sea breeze blows, the Guimen Cliff will make strange sounds, like The screams of the ghosts are very scary. And on the Guimen Cliff, people have jumped off the cliff and committed suicide many times, and some people say that there are ghosts there, so at night, almost no one dares to get close to the Guimen Cliff."
Qi Ning's eyes were like daggers, and he said coldly: "You mean, someone brought Dong Tian's family to Guimen Cliff?"