Of course Zhao Chen knew why the innkeeper said that he didn't even have a chance to go to Beijing to file a petition.
There are their people in Chang'an, how can they be allowed to see the emperor?
"Don't worry, innkeeper, everything will be fine." Zhao Chen could only comfort the innkeeper like this.
Until everything comes to light, they can only hold on like this.
"If nothing happens to the young master, it would be better to leave Ninggu County as soon as possible. It would be best not to even stay in Qizhou."
"The officialdom of Qizhou is already rotten." After the innkeeper finished speaking, he shook his head again, and the waiter helped him back to his room to rest.
…
Night, Ninggu Restaurant.
As a restaurant where the emperor stayed, it was natural that this place should be protected in the name of protection.
Even if the emperor has left here long ago.
Two government officials stood at the door of two rooms on the second floor, staring ahead with bored eyes.
"This is too boring, isn't it? There is nothing in this place, what is there to guard?" A government servant stretched his body and complained to another person next to him.
"Then what can we do? The county magistrate personally gave the order, who dares not to listen?" the Yamen servant next to him said, with a look of helplessness on his face.
"Those guys from the first team went to the shops and inns in the city to collect taxes today."
"It's probably quite a lot. I'm sure I'll enjoy it."
"It's just us two brothers staying here without even a glass of wine," the Yamen servant said again.
A look of dissatisfaction flashed across the face of the officer next to him.
Every time they go to the streets to collect taxes, most of what they collect is handed over, but they can also keep a lot of it in their own hands.
To them, collecting taxes on the streets is a lucrative job.
No one wants to stay here, guarding two broken rooms.
"You're right, why don't we go out and have a drink."
"Anyway, there's nothing in this miserable place."
"Besides, there are people from the inn guarding the outside. Who would dare to come here without risking their lives?" said the government servant next to him.
"Let's go then?" The officer's face showed joy.
"Walk."
The two hit it off immediately and pretended to be downstairs.
Downstairs, the restaurant owner saw the two government officials leaving and said nothing.
Everyone can see each other without looking up, there is no need to make a fuss over a trivial matter.
And the shopkeeper didn't believe that someone would come to Ninggu Restaurant to cause trouble.
Cheng Chumo was also worried that the rooms in the restaurant were being guarded.
I was careful along the way and didn't dare to make any mistakes.
When he climbed to the second floor of Ninggu Restaurant and stuck his head out to observe the condition of the aisle.
However, I found that it was quiet here, and not a single person was seen.
Cheng Chumo felt that he had been insulted.
He was cautious, but there was no one on the other side.
Looking down from the second floor, I saw the waiter resting on the counter.
The whole restaurant was quiet, there was no sound at all.
Following the mark left by Li Ke, Cheng Chumo easily found the room, opened the door, and found that the entire room had been tidied up spotlessly.
The tables, chairs and benches all showed signs of being moved.
Cheng Chumo guessed at that time that this place had been searched for a long time.
But it seems that what Li Ke hid has not been found.
…
When Cheng Chumo returned to the inn, it was already late at night.
Zhao Chen sat at the door of the inn, slowly drinking tea.
"Zhao Da, I found the thing." Cheng Chumo sat down in front of Zhao Chen and placed a small bundle in front of Zhao Chen.
"Eat something." Zhao Chen pointed to the snacks in front of him.
Cheng Chumo grabbed some snacks and stuffed them into his mouth.
He poured himself another cup of warm tea.
"The room was searched, but they didn't find anything." Cheng Chu took a breath and said to Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen nodded.
Even if Li Ke never learns anything from him, he still has the ability to hide things.
"After wandering outside for so long, what did you find?" Zhao Chen opened the bag, took out the letter inside, and then asked Cheng Chumo.
"Yes." Cheng Chumo took a bite of the pastry.
He chirped twice and said, "I walked around the city today and found that there are dilapidated houses everywhere."
"It's hard to believe that a city would be empty of most of its people."
"One more thing, I heard someone say that a plague broke out in the village south of the city a few days ago."
"Nearly a hundred people in a village were burned down by a fire."
"The key is that His Majesty also went to see it."
When talking about the emperor, Cheng Chumo deliberately lowered his voice.
Zhao Chen nodded and handed the letter in his hand to Cheng Chumo.
Cheng Chumo took the letter and looked at it with a look of confusion on his face.
"Zhao Da, I don't know a few words." Cheng Chumo returned the letter to Zhao Chen awkwardly.
"You can't study hard!" Zhao Chen cursed in anger.
Cheng Chumo chuckled and didn't refute.
He doesn't like to study. Studying is nonsense.
"Li Ke wrote in a letter that there was something fishy about the plague in the south of the city, and the emperor suspected that it might be related to Ninggu County officials."
"Let us investigate this matter." Zhao Chen and Cheng Chumo whispered.
"Judging from this autopsy report, it's very possible." Zhao Chen took out the autopsy report and nodded.
Cheng Chumo looked ugly.
If more than a hundred people were killed, it would be a big case.
And if the person who killed them was an official from Ninggu County, then the inside story must be found out.
"The situation in Ninggu County is very complicated. Please tell Qinghe not to go out while we are away."
"Otherwise, if something happens, we won't be able to deal with it." Zhao Chen thought about what the innkeeper said about the situation in Ninggu County today, and silently reminded Cheng Chu.
Cheng Chu nodded silently.
He also knew that this place was no different than the way he came, so he could wander around as he pleased.
They are here to deal with these Ninggu County officials.
Don't make any mistakes along the way.
"Have a good rest. We will go to the south of the city early tomorrow morning." Zhao Chen waved his hand, indicating that Cheng Chumo should go and rest first.
Cheng Chumo said nothing and returned to his room.
Zhao Chen was still sitting in the distance, looking at the news about Ninggu County that Li Ke left for him.
…
The next morning.
Zhao Chen and Cheng Chumo had some breakfast in the inn and then went out.
Li Ruoshuang and the other two stayed in the inn.
After leaving the inn, we walked towards the south of the city.
An hour later, the two of them saw ruins appearing in front of them.
Everywhere you look is charred old ruins, collapsed beams, and broken masonry, all piled up and down around the place.
People passing by nearby stayed away from this place.
The Ninggu County Government announced to the outside world that there was a plague here, and the people naturally did not dare to go near it, whether they believed it or not.
"It's a pity that we couldn't find those corpses, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to do anything." Cheng Chu said to Zhao Chen, looking at the ruins ahead silently.
Cheng Chu silently felt that there was no way to investigate this matter.
The bodies were all gone and everyone in the village was dead. How could they check?
"Let's look around first, maybe we'll find something."
"Be careful. If someone looks this way, remember to hide." Zhao Chen said, walking towards the ruins in front of him.
Cheng Chu hesitated for a moment and then followed.