The soldiers did not respond, just continued searching around.
Grandmaster Yan knew he was no match for these soldiers, stord outside, and saw Jiang Zhongxing in the main hall, looking up and admiring the central painting.
Grandmaster Yan pointed at Jiang Zhongxing, "Lord Duke, you have quite the audacity, daring to seek personal revenge under the guise of public interest! Imdiately withdraw the soldiers, or I will enter the palace to see the Emperor!"
He thought Jiang Zhongxing had brought troops over due to the morning incident where Yan Beichen abducted his daughter-in-law.
Jiang Zhongxing replied indifferently, "The Grandmaster is mistaken, there is no personal revenge; it is the Emperor who ordered here. Besides, Mr. Yan is probably unable to enter the palace." Saying this, he waved a hand, and two soldiers stepped forward to hold Grandmaster Yan’s hands behind his back, rendering him unable to move.
Grandmaster Yan simply didn’t believe Jiang Zhongxing’s words; the Emperor was exceedingly fond of him and his son, it was impossible for him to suddenly send soone to ransack their household.
Moreover, he had nurous spies within the palace; if it were truly the Emperor who sent Duke, he should have received news long ago.
Grandmaster Yan gritted his teeth tightly without saying a word.
He knew he couldn’t defeat Jiang Zhongxing at this mont; however, Jiang Zhongxing couldn’t possibly kill him. As long as he was still breathing, he could go to the palace to lodge a complaint to the Emperor!
At this mont, he only hoped Yan Beichen could wake up soon.
As long as Yan Beichen was here, with his wits, they could evade even the greatest trouble.
Jiang Zhongxing wasn’t in a hurry to have the ancestral hall searched but first had all the servants, concubines, and masters of the Yan Mansion taken to the front yard for surveillance.
Yang Ying was among them.
When the soldiers drove her out of the house, she trembled with excitent. Upon reaching the front yard and seeing the Duke, she was even more exhilarated. The Duke personally led the troops to ransack their household; the Yan father and son were truly dood!
She knew her emotions were too conspicuous and worried about being noticed, so she kept her head down, hiding her upturned lips.
The Duke then summoned Lin Shuo to his side and instructed in a low voice, "Keep a close watch and thoroughly search the main courtyard and Yan Beichen’s yard. Bring out all items exceeding their prescribed limits and any embezzled gold and silver."
Lin Shuo received the order and went with his n.
He quickly had his n turn both courtyards upside down, finding many things exceeding their limits, but only retrieved over twenty thousand taels of silver.
He had the items and silver transported to the front yard, whispering to Jiang Zhongxing, "Lord Duke, I doubt the amount of silver; could Yan Beichen have hidden it elsewhere?"
Jiang Zhongxing pondered, "Separate the Yan Mansion’s steward and Yan Beichen’s trusted aides for interrogation. We must find the silver!"
After all, the silver was also an important piece of evidence.
Lin Shuo quickly took the steward and others away.
With a few lashes, soone soon confessed. A knowledgeable trusted aide knelt on the ground saying, "I don’t know where the silver is, but every ti there was a large amount of silver, it was moved into Mr. Yan’s bedroom."
Lin Shuo then returned with his n to Yan Beichen’s yard.
Yan Beichen was still lying sound asleep on his ivory bed. Lin Shuo thought, the bedroom is only so big; there must be either a false wall or a dug-out cellar.
He had the soldiers search everywhere, tapping and feeling around the room to check for any chanisms.
After a round, they found nothing.
Lin Shuo’s gaze fell on that ivory bed. Because Yan Beichen was lying on it, the bed hadn’t been thoroughly searched.
He signaled two soldiers to lift Yan Beichen and throw him onto the ground, then had them remove all the bedding from the bed, carefully inspecting it.
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