Chapter 41: Turbulence in Yu County, Seeking Secrets to Resolve the Crisis

When Li Chengyin identified the wealthiest man in Yu County, Wang Yongyao, as his first person of interest, his mind was filled with mounting suspicions.

What manner of secrets lay hidden behind the facade of this seemingly tranquil county? Li Chengyin knew well that the truth often lurks beneath events that appear mundane yet carry an undercurrent of the extraordinary.

Wang Yongyao arrived uninvited, shattering the heavy atmosphere. His face was gaunt; the spirited arrogance that once defined the county’s richest man had vanished, replaced by a profound sense of exhaustion and anxiety. His voice carried a note of helplessness and supplication:

"Lord Li, my household has run out of grain. Could you possibly ask the County Magistrate to allocate some to me? I have a large family to provide for."

Li Chengyin narrowed his eyes, his gaze piercing as he scrutinized Wang, asking with skepticism, "You possess vast assets and branches in other counties; how could you have fallen to such a state?"

He was well aware of Wang’s influence in Yu County. How could such a commercial titan suddenly fall into such dire straits? There had to be something suspicious afoot.

Wang Yongyao sighed deeply and spoke slowly: "Your Lordship does not know. For some reason, local bandits and brigands have suddenly grown bold, running rampant in these parts. They are elusive, appearing and disappearing at will, yet always lurking in the shadows, eyeing merchants and commoners alike."

He paused, his eyes revealing a mix of pain and indignation. "I was once a man of wealth, and I often cared for the people, frequently setting up porridge stalls to provide food and clothing to the impoverished. I considered myself a benefactor of Yu County. But who could have guessed that this would become the source of my misfortune? As the bandits grew in power, they heard of my wealth and turned their greedy eyes toward me. They raided my home at night, not only stealing my fortune but also kidnapping my wife and children."

At this point, Wang’s body trembled, and tears welled in his eyes. "They threatened to kill my family unless I handed over all my wealth. How could I watch my loved ones suffer? With no other choice, I gave them all my savings. I thought that would buy their safety, but once they had the money, they vanished without a trace. I have been left with nothing—not even as well off as a common peasant. I am truly destitute and wretched."

Overcome by grief, Wang collapsed onto the floor and broke into loud, uncontrollable sobs.

Li Chengyin watched the scene silently, his mind racing. Wang’s story seemed plausible, yet he sensed subtle cracks in the narrative. He wondered: Why had the bandits suddenly become so rampant? Was it merely because of Wang’s wealth? Or were there deeper, darker reasons? Were Wang’s charitable acts as pure as he claimed, or had he made secret enemies who invited this disaster? Or perhaps, was this entire ordeal a play directed by Wang himself to conceal some unspeakable secret?

While offering words of comfort, Li Chengyin observed Wang’s every move with cool detachment. He knew that in such a complex situation, one could not easily trust a one-sided account.

Because Wang’s story mirrored that of another man named Lin Wei, Li Chengyin realized the key to the mystery lay with these elusive bandits. To unravel the secrets of Yu County, bringing the bandits to justice was imperative. He decided to focus his investigation on the bandits as Wang had described. He ordered his men to secretly track their movements while conducting a comprehensive background check on Wang’s business dealings and social connections.

While awaiting results, Li Chengyin spoke with Wang several times. He pressed for minute details, and Wang responded with fluidity and precision, yet Li Chengyin always sensed an elusive, strange glint deep within the man's eyes.

This only hardened his suspicion: the matter was far from simple.

As the investigation deepened, clues began to surface. Li Chengyin discovered that Wang’s business career had not been smooth; he had engaged in fierce competition with merchants from other regions, even resorting to underhanded tactics. Could this be the work of a rival?

However, concrete leads on the bandits remained scarce, as if they were truly ghosts who vanished into thin air after every crime. Consequently, Li Chengyin orchestrated a scheme to lure them out. He secretly deployed men to pose as a grain storehouse near Yu County, setting up layers of ambushes, waiting for the bandits to fall into the trap.

During this time, Xiaofeng’s behavior grew increasingly peculiar. She left before dawn every day and did not return until the dead of night, as if she were plotting something of great importance. Li Chengyin, occupied with the trap, noticed her movements but had no time to spare for them.

Pei Zhao led his men to lie in wait near the decoy grain storehouse for three full days and nights. They watched the surroundings unblinkingly, their nerves strained, never daring to slacken. Yet, three days passed, and the area remained perfectly calm. There was no sign of any bandits. Pei Zhao was deeply puzzled but could only hold his position.

When Li Chengyin heard this, his brows knit together. Had the bandits caught wind of the plan, or was there another reason? Why had such a meticulously laid trap yielded nothing?

Just as he was deep in thought, Xiaofeng burst in, her face radiant with excitement. "Li Chengyin, I found it! I found a way!"

Li Chengyin looked up, surprised and expectant. As it turned out, Xiaofeng’s mysterious daily excursions were not for mischief. She cared deeply for the suffering of the people, knowing they faced both the threat of bandits and the agony of famine. Though solving the food shortage was not an overnight task, she hoped to bring a ray of hope to the people.

Through her research into ancient texts, she found a ritual for rainmaking. The text read: "In a drought, burn timber on a cliff, push the ashes into the deep pool below, and rain will soon follow."

Xiaofeng believed in this implicitly. She had spent the last few days leading people to the cliff, commanding them to ignite a massive fire and bringing in a shaman to perform prayers.

Perhaps it was her sincerity that moved the heavens, or perhaps the ancient ritual held genuine power. Soon, the clear sky turned overcast, and giant raindrops began to fall, quickly turning into a torrential downpour.

Xiaofeng was overcome with joy. She grabbed Li Chengyin’s arm and shook it vigorously. "Li Chengyin, look! Look! It’s raining—it’s finally raining!"

Watching her flushed, joyful face, a strange warmth stirred within Li Chengyin. In that moment, she felt like a lucky star, bringing light and hope to the darkness.

After a while, as if struck by a sudden realization, Xiaofeng’s expression shifted. Her bright eyes flashed, and she turned to Li Chengyin, speaking with urgent excitement: "Oh, right! I have another major discovery!"

Her voice trembled with excitement, and she spoke rapidly. She clenched her fists, leaning forward, eager to share the shock of her revelation.

"It is very strange," Xiaofeng said, her brow furrowed with unease. "I searched everywhere for books on rainmaking, but I searched almost the entire city of Yu County and found nothing. It was as if someone had deliberately hidden those books to prevent anyone from finding them. I had to send A’du out of the city to Min County to track them down and bring back a shaman. Furthermore, when I questioned the townsfolk, their reactions were suspicious—they either stammered that they knew nothing or looked away, shifting the topic, as if they were hiding a great fear and dared not utter a word. All of this makes me feel that there is something much deeper behind this."

Li Chengyin’s expression turned grim, his gaze sharp and profound. "My progress has been blocked as well. I laid a foolproof trap, yet for three days, the storehouse remained undisturbed. It was as if the bandits knew our plans and avoided us entirely."

Xiaofeng and Li Chengyin locked eyes, a shocking realization dawning on them both. They spoke in unison: "There is a mole!"

Xiaofeng’s eyes hardened with resolve. "No matter what conspiracy or darkness lies behind this, we must uncover the truth! We cannot let these malicious people continue to roam free, nor can we let the people of Yu County live in constant fear."

Li Chengyin nodded, his own eyes burning with determination. "Indeed. This concerns the peace and stability of Yu County. We must peel back the layers of this mystery and bring the truth to light."