The whole hall fell silent, and everyone looked sideways in the direction Tang Hao pointed.
The housekeeper of the White House immediately showed panic and subconsciously stepped back.
A soldier stepped forward and grabbed the steward's shoulder, making him scream in pain.
"My lord, my lord, how do you know the secret passage?"
Tang Hao didn't speak, but looked at him with a meaningful smile.
Lord Zhizhou has something to say, the housekeeper's panic expression, and the Bai family are not fools, everyone can see the problem.
The eldest son of the Bai family rushed forward excitedly, grabbed the housekeeper and beat him: "It's you! Where did you do my father? You are a rip-off! I'll kill you!!!"
"The Bai family treats you well, why do you do such evil things? You... give me back the master!" Mrs. Bai's emotions were also difficult to control.
The butler was even more excited than them at this time, "No, no! How could this old man murder his boss? Please tell me!"
At this time, Tang Haocai waved his hand, and the soldiers came forward to separate the Bai family members and expel them all from the study.
"Are you willing to tell me? If you still say you don't know, I will hand you over to Young Master Bai."
"If you are willing, I will definitely tell you the truth."
Tang Hao left the butler alone because he didn't know what the butler would say. If it really involved that organization, he would inevitably alert the snake, so he kicked everyone out.
He walked to the entrance of the secret passage, pointed in the dark direction inside, and asked: "Tell me, where does this secret passage lead to?"
"A courtyard." The butler replied, kneeling on the ground.
"Whose yard?"
"The owner bought it himself. It is empty and unoccupied."
"Is an empty courtyard worth so much trouble?" Tang Hao sneered.
"Really, everything the villain said is true. The hygiene of that yard is usually cleaned by the villain, and I have never seen anyone living in it for so long." The housekeeper quickly explained, for fear that Tang Hao wouldn't believe it.
"Then what is Bai Chengfu's intention of digging such a secret passage in his study?"
"This... this villain really doesn't know. I beg you to trust me, just... just two years ago, my boss took advantage of my wife's return to her hometown and arranged for the villain to find someone from outside the city to dig such a trail.
Secretly, he also ordered the villain to have his horses ready at all times in the yard. So the villain just went there at the right time and at the right time.
Clean the house and feed the horses. Specifically... I really don't know what the owner is used for!" After the housekeeper finished speaking, he kowtowed to the ground. If Bai Chengfu's disappearance could not be explained clearly,
He was afraid that he would be implicated, so he told everything he knew.
Horse?
Tang Hao was immediately alert. It seemed that Bai Chengfu had already prepared. The secret passage was used to avoid surveillance and he could quickly leave Lingzhou on horseback.
As expected, this bastard ran away. It was probably related to that organization. Otherwise, if he had no foreign debts and no selfish hatred, why would he run away?
It’s dark under a good lamp, it’s really not easy to become a blessing.
Tang Hao thought of this and punched the desk hard. The butler who was kneeling on the ground was so frightened that he shook twice and his body fell even lower.
"How far is the yard?"
"It's not far away, just across the street, at House 22, Luocheng Street. It's not a big place, but it's very quiet."
"Before Bai Chengfu left yesterday, he didn't say anything?"
"No, every time the boss doesn't let anyone follow him, no one knows where he goes."
"Besides leading to that house, where else does this secret passage lead to? Is there any mechanism in the secret passage?" Tang Hao is indeed worried that there is danger inside, so he needs to ask clearly before taking action.
"There is just one exit, without any mechanism, and the villain has walked back and forth many times."
Tang Hao pondered for a while after listening, and felt that the housekeeper had basically finished explaining, so he shouted to the door: "Here comes someone!"
Joining the army and a few soldiers opened the door and entered, clasping his fists and saying, "General, what are your orders?"
"According to what he said, there is an empty house at the end of the secret passage. You take him to the other end of the secret passage to have a look." Tang Hao pointed at the butler and said, "Let him go to the front. If there is anything unusual, just cut him down. Also, then
All the belongings in the house were brought back to the military camp, and people were sent to guard the yard. No one can enter without my order."
"Yes, General." Joining the army took the housekeeper and walked directly into the secret passage.
Half an hour later, there was a sound from the secret passage, and Junjun led his men back the way they came.
"General, my subordinates checked carefully. They only found some clothes that had been changed, and there were two horses in the stable."
The situation was as Tang Hao expected, so there was no need to stay here any longer. He walked out of the study and said to everyone in the Bai family.
"There are many doubts in the case of Bai Chengfu's disappearance. The people and objects involved need to be brought back for careful examination."
Of course, the person involved refers to the housekeeper of the White House. Before the situation is clear, he must be kept under surveillance.
The objects involved refer to Bai Chengfu's account books, letters, etc. You can look through them carefully during the investigation, and you may find unexpected gains.
"Master Tang, I wonder where the secret passage leads to?" The eldest son of the Bai family couldn't help but ask.
"A house." Tang Hao thought for a while and replied, "But it involves a case investigation, so I have ordered it to be sealed and no one is allowed to enter."
When Mrs. Bai heard that the secret passage actually led to a house, she was even more excited than before. She stepped forward and pulled Tang Hao's sleeves, crying: "Sir, my master must have run away with some vixen. Can you?"
You must make the decision for us..."
Tang Hao frowned and said with an unhappy look: "I am here to investigate the disappearance of Bai Chengfu. If it is later found out that it is just a matter of your family, it has nothing to do with me."
After saying that, he waved his sleeves and left with the soldiers.
Tian Captou looked at Tang Hao's leaving figure and murmured: "The house? Could it be that Boss Bai went to meet someone yesterday? Then why did he take the secret passage?"
Magistrate Yang sent him here to find out the truth behind Bai Chengfu's disappearance, but after Tang Hao arrived, he was not qualified to participate in all investigations. How can he explain it after he returns?
"Who is it? It must be a little vixen!" Mrs. Bai cried excitedly: "You old man, leave us orphans and widows and just leave us alone!!"
Although Mrs. Bai looked miserable, what she said was not unreasonable. Tang Hao avoided talking about the investigation results. It is probably for this reason, maybe because he was concerned about the face of the Bai family.
Captain Tian knew how to report when he got back, but he still said comfortingly: "Mrs. Bai, please don't worry too much. I guess Boss Bai just went out to meet guests and discuss business, and he will be back in a few days."
."
Mrs. Bai didn't speak, she just leaned against the maid and cried. Mr. Bai smiled forcefully and said, "I hope so."
After Tian Baotou left the Bai Mansion, he immediately rushed to the government office and reported what happened today to Yang Anguo.
"Sir, I think Bai Chengfu probably went to the meeting room."
"Idiot!" Yang Anguo yelled angrily after hearing this: "If it was just this kind of thing, how could Tang Hao take action himself?"
"Master Tang, he...he said..." Tian Baotou didn't know why he was scolded, and wanted to explain a few more words.
"Just believe whatever he says! It's nothing more than an excuse. I wanted to inform the Zhizhou Yamen for support. After all, it was a matter involving a large merchant in Lingzhou, but I didn't know that Tang Hao actually came in person. What does this mean? Have you thought about it?
Is it clear?"
"You mean... Mr. Tang has actually been eyeing the Bai family for a long time?"
After the incidents in Qianzhou, Qingzhou, and Jianzhou, the imperial court sent supervisory censors to each state for the purpose of verifying the smuggling of prohibited goods. And judging from the actions taken in the past, all investigations, seizures, and arrests were carried out by military personnel.
People, completely bypassing the local and state government officials.
So now that the magistrate of Lingzhou is eyeing the Bai family, doesn't it mean that the Bai family also has problems?
"You're not completely stupid," Yang Anguo jumped up directly, his face livid, "This Bai family wants to kill me!!"
The case of smuggling salt and iron was still fresh in his mind. Yang Anguo thought of his bumpy official career and was afraid that he would be in danger of losing his job.
Tian Captou was shocked and said: "Sir, maybe things are not that terrible, right? We were not involved in those things."
"You know nothing! From today on, you will send people to keep an eye on the Bai family's shops, the ground, and relatives and friends! Before there is any definite news from the Zhizhou Yamen, if anyone from the Bai family escapes, I will kill him first.