Shen Bai’s deanor was different now, almost as if he were deliberately teasing her. That was what gave Qin Shuang the idea.
Shen Bai pointed to the teacup beside him. "I’d like so tea."
Qin Shuang imdiately picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Shen Bai. She even held the cup with both hands, gently blowing on the steam before handing it to him.
After drinking the hot tea, Shen Bai set the cup down.
Qin Shuang imdiately took it with both hands. "Hurry, tell ! What’s the plan? How can we get out of this ss?"
Shen Bai glanced around and said, "Chief Zheng is investigating the wilderness and has found nothing. You’ve been investigating Shengyun County and have also found nothing. But people are still, one by one, eating those vegetables."
"The rchants have no leads, and the farrs have even fewer. That ans this can’t be an internal issue in Shengyun County. There’s only one possibility: it’s coming from the outside."
Qin Shuang’s eyes lit up slightly at Shen Bai’s analysis.
Shen Bai had been mulling this over while grinding his Skill Levels, and he had finally arrived at this conclusion.
"Think about it. How would you transport vegetables from the outside in? We’re not talking about a small amount."
Qin Shuang shot to her feet. "The comrce association!"
Comrce associations were a normal type of organization in the Great Zhou Country. There were countless such associations, large and small, throughout all of Great Zhou.
Even a county seat would have its own comrce association.
After all, a nation’s economy was a significant factor in its overall strength.
With Shen Bai’s prompt, the idea naturally ca to Qin Shuang.
"I’ll go investigate the rchants who specialize in transport."
Qin Shuang was about to leave imdiately, but Shen Bai grabbed her hand.
Seeing Qin Shuang’s confused look, Shen Bai smiled. "Magistrate Li isn’t that foolish. You won’t find anything if you investigate the transport companies."
Qin Shuang’s delicate brows furrowed. "Then where should I look?"
Shen Bai tapped the table. "The largest comrce association in Shengyun County is the Hengyun Comrce Association. Before Magistrate Li arrived, it was just a tiny shop. But after he ca, in just a few short years, it joined forces with many other businesses to beco the largest association in the county."
"Do you really believe they have no connection to Magistrate Li?"
Qin Shuang imdiately squeezed Shen Bai’s hand. "Let’s go. We’ll head over and take a look right now."
Shen Bai shook his head. "Do you think they’d transport that many Yin Vegetables in broad daylight?"
Qin Shuang thought for a mont and realized Shen Bai was right. "You an at night?"
Shen Bai nodded. "Exactly. We’ll wait until nightfall, then we’ll go check out the Hengyun Comrce Association."
With this lead from Shen Bai, Qin Shuang felt much more at ease.
They said no more. Shen Bai went back to the courtyard to continue grinding a new Divine Power.
Once his Divine Hundred Miles reached Level 4, he had another plan in mind. So, for now, he focused on grinding its Skill Level.
The day passed in a frenzy of grinding.
...
Night fell. The townspeople returned to their hos to rest, preparing for the next day’s work.
Now, on the silent, empty streets, two figures hurried in a single direction.
In the distance, a three-story building stood as Shengyun County’s most prominent landmark. It was also the wealthiest place in the county.
The Hengyun Comrce Association.
Figures bustled about inside the association’s building.
At the association’s back entrance, down a narrow alley, several horse-drawn carriages were parked.
The carriages were loaded with black, padlocked wooden chests.
Nurous mbers of the Hengyun Comrce Association were unloading the cargo.
A middle-aged man who looked like a steward was quietly directing them.
"Faster, move it! Be gentle, don’t damage the contents. You can’t afford to replace it. And keep it quiet!"
The steward’s voice was hushed, but the workers imdiately slowed their movents.
Every so often, the steward would glance around furtively, as if terrified soone might see what they were doing.
Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed.
The middle-aged man turned his head to see a portly man dressed in tight silk robes approaching slowly.
"Chairman Qian, it’s so late. You should go get so rest. You can leave this to ," the steward said obsequiously, his expression fawning.
Chairman Qian of the Hengyun Comrce Association was the one in charge here.
At this mont, Chairman Qian frowned, his pudgy features scrunching together.
"Enough nonsense. The County Magistrate gave a direct order: we must be cautious. I have to be here."
"Yes, of course..."
The steward said no more, instead working with renewed vigor, as if trying to impress Chairman Qian.
Chest after chest was carried down. As the cargo on the carriages dwindled, Chairman Qian wiped a hand across his pudgy face.
Much of the sweat was gone.
’Finally, today’s shipnt is almost unloaded. I can go ho and get a good night’s sleep,’ Chairman Qian thought.
It wasn’t just him; the steward and the other workers also breathed a sigh of relief.
A short while ago, the County Magistrate had ordered them to do this, reminding them to be extrely careful.
Chairman Qian knew the score. He knew how he’d gotten his position, so he was exceedingly cautious with every step he took.
He also knew exactly why so many townspeople had recently fallen ill because of the vegetables, but he didn’t dare breathe a word of it.
Seeing that the cargo was almost fully unloaded, Chairman Qian was about to turn and leave.
Just then, a footstep suddenly rang out.
Chairman Qian instinctively turned his head and saw a man and a woman erge from the shadows near the corner of the wall.
The man carried a longsword and had a heroic bearing. The woman was stunningly beautiful and held a thin needle in her hand.
Chairman Qian froze for a second before his expression changed drastically. He pointed at Shen Bai and Qin Shuang, ordering several of his hired thugs, "Get them!"
He didn’t know who they were, but he knew he absolutely could not let word of this get out.
No one answered. He only saw the man’s figure flash and vanish.
Screams imdiately erupted all around him.
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