Yang Jie was not prepared to beat around the bush and said directly: "Master Zhou, please briefly talk about your relationship with Zhang Yan, such as how you met him and how you became friends with him. Haha, Master Zhou, don't blame me for being talkative. The matter of sharing the suicide note must be There needs to be an explanation. And as an adult, I am really curious as to how you came to be friends with Zhang Yan."
"Sir Yang, I will cooperate fully with the investigation in an impartial manner. Speaking of Zhang Yan, my relationship with him was actually introduced by a friend. Zhang Yan committed a murder in Langyuan City before, and he should have been acquitted in public, but he Just in line with the requirements of a criminal soldier, he was spared his life and was sent to the west of Chonglan County Yubei Mountain Fortress for confinement..."
There was nothing to hide about the previous relationship between Zhou Cang and Zhang Yan. Immediately, he roughly explained how he met Zhang Yan, why he had been taking care of the Zhang family, Zhang Yan's identity later, and their personal relationship. Even Zhang Yan's identity as a "miscellaneous scholar" was not evaded. After all, these can be found elsewhere.
"Oh? Zhang Yan is the master of miscellaneous studies who brought out the Bagua array and the Kongming lantern?"
"That's right. What? Looking at Master Yang's appearance, did you know Zhang Yan's name before?"
"Haha, no, I just know about the Bagua Formation and the Kongming Lantern. So Zhang Yan has a close relationship with the military, and later became friends with Mr. Zhou because of it?"
Zhou Cang nodded and said: "Yes. Although he was entrusted by others at the beginning, later after Zhang Yan was cleared of his crime in Corridor Yuancheng, he found out that he was a very talented person. Although he was not old, his ability was not small, so he made friends with him. Be friends.”
"According to Mr. Zhou, Zhang Yan should have had no contact with Wu Yuan. Why would Wu Yuan write his name in the suicide note? He also said categorically that Zhang Yan first killed his only son Wu Qingling, and now he wants to kill him again. He is really dead. Does Mr. Zhou think this is a coincidence?"
"Master Yang, although I heard Zhang Yan say something about some things, most of them are just guesses. They can only be used as a reference for Master Yang. The specifics may need to be considered by Master Yang himself." After a pause, Zhou Cang saw Yang Jie nodded before continuing: "There shouldn't be any intersection between Zhang Yan and Wu Yuan. But after Zhang Yan was sentenced to death, two high-quality shops were confiscated as criminal property, and then the criminal property was sold , was acquired by Wu Yuan’s only son Wu Qingling.”
Zhou Cang stopped here. It can be said to be "stop when you click". His identity should not be discussed in detail in front of Yang Jie, not to mention that it is all "speculation" with no evidence, and Yang Jie has to distinguish the authenticity by himself. He was just giving Yang Jie a direction.
"Master Zhou only said half of what he said!"
"Haha, please forgive me, Mr. Yang. There are some things that it is not easy for the official to say more. I believe that Mr. Yang can make his own judgment. There is no need for the official to say more about what follows."
Yang Jie nodded slightly again, and then no longer mentioned the matter about Zhang Yan, but followed the normal rules and allowed Zhou Cang to open the city gate first. After all, except for Wu Yuan's suicide note, all the information in his hand now points to the death conclusion given by Wu Zuo, that is, Wu Yuan died of a sudden heart disease and hemorrhage, not homicide. In this way, sealing the city gate becomes redundant and can be lifted immediately.
Zhou Cang stood up immediately after receiving Yang Jie's confirmation. In fact, in addition to helping Zhang Yan stand up for him in Wu Mansion, he also had to wait for the local government's conclusion. If the local government feels that the matter is still unclear, that Wu Yuan's death was a homicide, and that the murderer is still in the city, then they must not open the city gates so quickly. Now that Yang Jie directly asked Zhou Cang to lift the blockade, it meant that Wu Yuan's death was concluded by Yang Jie: he died of illness.
"Then I'll say goodbye now. If Master Yang needs anything, please send someone over to give me instructions. I'll take my leave now!"
"You're welcome, Mr. Zhou, please walk slowly."
The two of them said goodbye. Zhou Cang hurriedly arrived at the camp to take charge. Yang Jie sent him to the gate and then returned, all the smiles on his face disappeared.
Back in the study of Wu Yuan's house, Yang Jie looked at the suicide note that was still flattened on the table with cold eyes.
Wu Yuan's death was too unexpected for Yang Jie. It even disrupted all the plans he had made when he came.
"Sir, the Langyuan City officials have been waiting outside the Wu Mansion for more than half an hour. Do you want to see them now?"
Yang Jie's personal entourage, who was also his adjutant, walked into the study to report.
"Hmph, I'm afraid it's not just the two of them, right?" Yang Jie looked away from the suicide note and looked at the adjutant standing in front of him, his words so mocking.
"Yes, sir. When I went out to greet them just now, I saw a group of officials from Langyuan City who were also waiting further away. Almost all of them came, but they couldn't get close due to their status and the security of the garrison. It was very lively. .”
"Lively? Your habit of talking nonsense has not changed. But Wu Yuan died so suddenly, and Langyuan City will indeed become very lively." Yang Jie smiled, soothing the tension in his heart. After a moment of silence, he said: "You let them in. At the same time, let our people take my warrant and go to the Yamen of Langyuan City first, and seize the eucalyptus slip warehouse for me. Anyone who dares to stop them will be captured directly."
"Yes, sir!"
The adjutant followed the order and hid the sneer on his face after walking out of the study. This time they came to Langyuan City with more than twenty people, thirteen of whom were masters of the county guard's bodyguards. There would be no surprise in seizing Langyuan City's eucalyptus manuscripts library unprepared.
Not long after the adjutant left, he led the two men back. One is tall and the other is short, they are the Langyuan City officials, and they belong to the second and third positions in the local government's regular three-person staff. In other words, after Wu Yuan's death, among the people who were normally responsible for affairs related to Langyuan City, these two had the highest official positions.
After saying hello, Yang Jie didn't waste any time. He took out a copper bar from his arms and handed it to the other party, asking him to unfold it. He said at the same time: "This is the order signed by Lord Xiao, the county governor. From now on, I will temporarily assume all the responsibilities and powers related to the position of political officer of Langyuan City. You two can verify the authenticity of this copper strip. "
"What are you talking about, sir? Can this thing be fake?" Having said that, the two of them still carefully checked the content on the copper strip and the signature. Finally, he returned the copper bar to Yang Jie in a polite manner.
Yang Jie put away the copper bars and continued: "Since you two have checked, please choose one of you to stay and tell me about the recent situation in Langyuan City. Then send one person to inform all officials with titles in the Yamen Man, let’s meet in the hall of Wu Mansion after a stick of incense.”
"Sir, why don't you go to the Yamen? This place doesn't seem suitable."
"Nothing inappropriate. After one stick of incense, all the people I just mentioned must be present. I hope you will move faster."
