Chapter 533: Chapter 172 Chen 94’s trap within a trap (asking for subscriptions)_2

“Yes.”

Xiao Hu immediately agreed upon hearing this.

Chen Jie returned to the mansion and immediately arranged for Si Xi to go to the coffin shop to order twenty-eight extra-large nanmu coffins with golden threads, to be used for the funeral in seven days.

Si Xi immediately went to handle this matter.

In this way, two days passed, and during these two days, the entire Mianshui County was in a state of tense and apprehensive searching.

The Yelu Mansion, Fishing Guild, and even the Guild Cao had people searching the streets, especially asking around if anyone had heard any sounds like tinkling.

And during such circumstances, something earth-shattering happened in Mianshui County.

The once high-and-mighty Mulan Nobles, Tara’s family, were all slaughtered in one night, leaving only a seventy-year-old old woman.

This incident immediately shook the entire Mianshui County.

It was known that in Mianshui County, Tara’s family had also been prominent.

But recently, they had experienced consecutive misfortunes. Firstly, Tara, who went to visit the temple fair in East City, was killed by Chen Jiusi of the Fishing Guild. The case went to the Mianshui County Government, where the County Magistrate, being timid and afraid of offending Chen Jiusi, declared him acquitted in court.

The next evening, the entire family of thirty-six was killed, including around seventy to eighty house slaves and yard workers.

Only an old lady paralyzed on the kang bed was spared.

Moreover, the murderer was quite arrogant. After the killings, they directly approached the paralyzed old woman and said, “Your family has committed many evils and deserved to be wiped out. But seeing as you, an old thing, are pitiable, I will spare your dog life. Just be alive and see the retribution your family deserves!”

At that moment, the old lady, both frightened and scared, fainted.

When she awoke, the entire Tara family had already turned into a ghostly scene. Later, the nearby Mulan people discovered the tragic situation of the Tara family and reported it to the officials.

After the report, Wu Hong arrived. After an inspection, it was determined to be the work of the Zoroastrian Sect.

Why?

Because those thieves were too arrogant, they even wrote a line on the main door of the Tara’s family house: [“Commit too much injustice and you will surely perish; the grim reaper watches over you!”]

Below it was a giant red lotus.

This was the mark of the Zoroastrian Sect.

Seeing such an obvious sign of the Zoroastrian Sect, Wu Hong would have had to be blind not to realize that it was their doing.

Thus, Wu Hong wanted to inquire from the old woman who had been rendered unconscious by fright.

However, he was stopped by a group of Mulan people.

“What are you stopping us for? We need to investigate clearly to catch people and uphold justice for the deceased!” said one of Wu Hong’s constables to a Mulan person blocking the way.

That Mulan person said, “The Mulan people’s justice does not need the Han people’s intervention. Just scram; we’ll uphold it ourselves.”

Wu Hong slightly frowned and said, “You cannot represent the deceased’s family.”

The Mulan person, looking at Wu Hong, said, “You, a Han official, do you not know where this is? This is Mulan land. Here, you are nothing but our slaves. What right do you have to demand to see the master?”

“You!”

Seeing the Mulan person’s arrogant demeanor, Wu Hong’s subordinate sternly began to speak but was stopped by Wu Hong.

At this moment, an elder Mulan person stepped forward. Seeing this elder, all the Mulan people respectfully greeted him.

Indeed, this was the representative of the indigenous Mulan people of Mianshui County: Old Arutai.

Old Arutai walked over leaning on a stick and said to the Mulan people, “Don’t be rude.”

That Mulan person immediately said, “Yes, Uncle Arutai.”

Old Arutai looked at Wu Hong and said, “Hello, Han arrest officer, I am Arutai, and they all call me Old Arutai.”

“Regarding the matter of Tara’s family being annihilated, I have already learned the truth from Tara’s grandmother. The murderer is not the Zoroastrian Sect but a guild member, Chen Jiusi!”

“Chen Jiusi?”

Wu Hong was baffled. Old Arutai continued, “Yes, it’s Chen Jiusi. Last night, Chen Jiusi together with his subordinate…”

“Chen Xiaohu!”

A Mulan person in the back chimed in, prompting Old Arutai to say, “Yes, and Chen Xiaohu. They stormed into this residence together, conducted this massacre, and even threatened my old sister fiercely, saying he would kill every Mulan person he sees.”

Wu Hong frowned. While Old Arutai’s words seemed possible given Chen Jiusi’s nature, he doubted that Chen Jiusi would brazenly expose his identity and kill Tara’s family. Was Chen Jiusi really that foolish?

Wu Hong said, “I’d like to meet with the deceased’s relatives.”

“That is impossible. My old sister is too grief-stricken and has passed out; she cannot receive visitors.”

Old Arutai directly refused.

As it was clear to any discerning observer, Old Arutai was lying. It was evident that it wasn’t Chen Jiusi’s doing, yet Old Arutai was eager to shift the blame onto Chen Jie.

The reason was simple; they had their eyes on the refined salt business of White Tiger Hall.

Without White Tiger Hall falling, they could not seize enough profit. This was the core demand of these Mulan people; Chen Jie was blocking their path to fortune.

Moreover, Old Arutai had already confirmed through connections that if Chen Jie fell, the salt fields in Nan Lake would belong to the Mulan people.

Thus, this was why the Mulan people insisted on falsely accusing Chen Jie.

The County Government, including them, instructed Tara’s wife to accuse Chen Jiusi, hoping to take him down and thus gain the mining rights for the Nan Lake salt fields.

However, Yelu intervened, preventing this false accusation from succeeding.

They were originally planning their next move when, by a stroke of luck, Tara’s family was annihilated.