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Zhao Cai came out of Cheng Village and was not in a hurry to return to the city. He carried the wicker basket and continued walking. He walked around a small village before taking an ox cart back to the city. He found a few restaurants in the city and sold the eggs. He still earned more than 50 copper coins. He happily took the money and walked towards the small courtyard. Before the city gate closed, a few carriages came out of the Cheng family village and entered the city directly to the Cheng family’s mansion.

Zhou Jia waited in the small courtyard until Ding Yi returned. Then he went to a teahouse called Bi Yuanchun with Ding Yi. After entering the teahouse, he went to the courtyard behind the teahouse. A fair and clean middle-aged man in his thirties was waiting there.

The middle-aged man smiled and bowed. “Shopkeeper of the Four Seas Bank in

Yuezhou. Chu Shan greets Lord Zhou.”

Zhou Jia smiled and returned the greeting. “Shopkeeper Chu, thank you.” After the two of them sat down, Ding Yi went to guard the door.

Chu Shan smiled and said, “His Majesty has instructed us to cooperate fully with you and protect you. The grocery store next door to the inn you’re staying in is ours. You can stay in peace.”

“Thank you!” After Zhou Jia cupped his hands and bowed, he looked at Chu Shan and asked, “Shopkeeper Chu, how’s the situation in Yuezhou?”

Chu Shan took out a dossier and handed it to Zhou Jia. “The magistrate, Feng Qing, is very close to the head of the Cheng family. From top to bottom, only the magistrate, Wu Hualin, is considered upright. I’ve reported the news to His

Majesty.”

Chu Shan paused for a moment and continued, “A few days ago, the secret guards found out that the Cheng family has recruited many young men everywhere in the past few years. I got someone to investigate the Cheng family’s manor, but they didn’t find out where those people were sent to. I suspect that they opened an iron mine.”

“Iron mines have been opened.” Zhou Jia stood up in shock at Chu Shan’s guess.

“Have you checked where there are iron mines in Yuezhou?”

Chu Shan took out a map from his pocket and pointed at it. “This place is more than ten days away from the Yuezhou Prefecture. There’s an iron mine on Qingyue Peak Mountain in Qingyue County. When the late emperor was in power, it had always been mined by the Cheng family. At the beginning of the month, I sent the secret guard to investigate. The secret guard didn’t find anything unusual at the place where it was mined.

When he returned, he encountered heavy rain and hid in a cave where he found a corpse. From the bones, the person looked tall. He also found residual arrows in his calf bones. I’ve already sent the news back to the capital.”

Zhou Jia looked at the map and saw that Qingyue Peak Mountain was filled with endless forests. If Magistrate Feng really colluded with the Cheng family and opened an iron mine privately, would there be any need to find other evidence? Just this alone could make the Cheng family and Magistrate Feng guilty, they would be punished by exile after having their houses confiscated. “There must be something wrong with the iron ore in Qingyue Mountain. They must be stowing the iron ore in a rather hidden place. Otherwise, where would the Cheng family get the confidence to steal the Eldest Prince?”

“Since they are recruiting young men, send two unfamiliar secret guards. What do you think?”

Chu Shan nodded. “I plan to use this method too. Yuezhou is short-staffed. Everyone here has their own things to do. I’ve already sent word to the steward to send someone over.”

“The head shopkeeper has gone to Liangzhou. I’m afraid it will take half a year.” Zhou Jia glanced at Ding Yi. “Ding Yi and Hu Cheng are unfamiliar faces. I think we should let them split up and go to Qingyue County. Shopkeeper Chu will send someone to follow Ding Yi. If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to find the location of the Cheng family’s ore mining.”

Chu Shan hesitated and glanced at Ding Yi, who was guarding the door. “Their mission is to protect you. I’m afraid…”

Zhou Jia waved his hand and said, “My two stewards have some skills. We can even get the people from the grocery store to protect me. It’s decided.”

Chu Shan could only nod. Zhou Jia said to Ding Yi, “Guard Ding, you heard what

I said just now. Please go to Qingyue County with Hu Cheng to investigate

Qingyue Mountain.”

“Yes,” Ding Yi agreed briefly.

Chu Shan said to him, “I’ll check it out first and prepare a travel pass for them. I’ll send them to the grocery store next door at quarter past five. After you reach Qingyue County, go to the Qingyue Inn in town and show that you have no one to rely on. If you want to find work, someone will come looking for you.

If they take the bait, I’ll get someone to secretly follow you.”

“Yes,” Ding Yi agreed briefly. Zhou Jia bade farewell to Ding Yi and returned to the small courtyard.

Zhao Cai told him what he had discovered in the Cheng Family Village. “Master, that place is heavily guarded. When I carried my burden and left, someone secretly followed me until I left the Cheng Family Village.”

Zhou Jia said, “It seems that the Eldest Prince really lives in the Cheng Family Village. He lives in one of those houses. The most likely one is the third house. If we can find evidence that the Cheng Family and Magistrate Feng privately opened an iron mine, the other evidence is insignificant. Only Ding Yi has seen the Eldest Prince here. Please go out of the city with Zhao Cai to investigate.” Ding Yi nodded in agreement. Zhao Cai said, “Let’s go after we leave the city.”

At a quarter past five, Hu Cheng went to the grocery store next door to retrieve their travel passes. Ding Yi did not like to talk. His identity was that of a mute who had returned to Qingyue County to join his family. Hu Cheng had also returned to his hometown from overseas to rely on his family and friends.

Zhao Cai and Ding Yi changed into black and gray rough clothes. Ding Yi carried a bag and went out of the city gate with Hu Cheng and Zhao Cai.

After leaving the city, Hu Cheng carried his bag and continued walking. Ding Yi and Zhao Cai hid in the forest outside the city until midnight before coming out of the forest.

Ding Yi took out a packet of powder from his kiln and sprinkled some on himself. He handed it to Zhao Cai and said, “Dogs don’t bark when they smell it.”

After Zhao Cai took it and scattered it on his body, the two of them sped towards the Cheng Family Village.

Zhao Cai brought Ding Yi not far from the row of houses. Ding Yi gestured for him to stay here to receive them and disappeared like a ghost.

Ding Yi arrived outside the first house and jumped onto the wall. With a tap of his toes, he reached the courtyard. He approached the house like a ghost and stood outside to listen for a while before turning around and leaving the courtyard.

When they reached the third building, there was still nothing suspicious. Not even a guard appeared. After investigating the residences, they did not find anything.

Ding Yi returned to where Zhao Cai was waiting. The two of them disappeared into the night.

After leaving the Cheng Family Village, Ding Yi said, “There’s nothing there, nor are there any guards guarding the place.”

Zhao Cai nodded. “Maybe my appearance alerted the enemy. Are you going straight to Qingyue County?”

Ding Yi cupped his fists and bade farewell. The two of them split up.

The next day, Zhao Cai returned to the small courtyard and told Zhou Jia the results of the investigation. The three of them sighed at the Eldest Prince’s vigilance.

Ding Yi and Hu Cheng arrived at Qingyue County and stayed at the Qingyue Inn. The two of them stayed in the same room. In less than two hours, Hu Cheng addressed the dark-faced man who lived with him as his brother.

The few of them stayed at the inn for the night. The next morning, the black-faced man looked at Ding Yi, who was sitting there in a daze, and poked Hu Cheng. “Brother Niu, why doesn’t that young man say anything?”

Hu Cheng shook his head and walked up to Ding Yi. “Little brother, where did you come from?”

Ding Yi glanced at him, handed the pass to Hu Cheng, and hung his head. Hu Cheng took the pass and smiled self-deprecatingly. “It recognizes me. I can’t recognize it.”

“Let me see. I can still recognize two words.” The black-faced man reached out and took the travel pass from Hu Cheng’s hand.. “Sigh! So this little brother is a mute!”