Perfect Encounter - Chapter 103.1

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Chapter 103.1

Yao Kun investigated Tang Xuan intensively. He found all those relating to Tang Xuan’s description – the tea farms, tea houses, restaurant owners and associates, etc. – and questioned them. He also sent someone to check Tang Xuan’s residence in Fu’an County. Everyone’s statements were similar to what Tang Xuan said. They all said that Tang Xuan was a tea merchant, a Shixi County Yunhe Town resident, that came to discuss the tea business and brought Yunhe County’s specialty tea for them to taste. He also inquired about the tea business in Pingnan County and asked about the customs and so on.

Everyone didn’t doubt the identity of Tang Xuan as a tea merchant because his understanding of tea was correct. He was also clear about the situation and market price of tea in Great Xiao, and he could tell whether the tea was good or bad. Indeed, this was his job.

Yao Kun couldn’t find anything suspicious, but he had been in the government for over twenty years and ruled as a governor for seventeen years. He had seen so many cases. This case did have a point of doubt that An Ruochen pointed out – time.

Among all the witnesses, the earliest confirmed sighting of Tang Xuan was at the end of December last year, only a little more than a month ago. That ‘time’ was right after they started looking for the mastermind, Young Master Min. The ones who ‘recognized’ him were two tea bosses who said that Tang Xuan had come to negotiate with them two years prior. Due to the tea bosses seeing too many people every year, they didn’t have an impression of Tang Xuan. But when they chatted with him, he could state tea market conditions from two years ago, so they assumed he really had come two years ago.

But Yao Kun didn’t count this as evidence. Without having remembered the person, only based on his words and then inferring that he had come before and had done the tea business for several years was improbable. Yao Kun sent someone to bring an official letter to Yunhe County’s government to check Tang Xuan’s identity. He interrogated Tang Xuan once again and asked him about one more suspicion: “Since you want to sell tea to South Qin through the customs trade and want to do business with the tea houses in Zhong Lan, why do you live in Fu’an County?”

Tang Xuan smiled bitterly and replied calmly: “My Lord if you have asked the tea bosses, you should know that my business has not been finalized. Zhong Lan is a county town, and the costs are high. I want to stay longer, so I can’t live in Zhong Lan the entire time. Fu’an County is right next door. It is convenient to travel between the cities, and it is cheaper for me to live there. Besides, Zhong Lan has only a few business opportunities. I also want to gain the chance to work in Fu’an County.”

Sounds reasonable. Yao Kun couldn’t find any flaws, but he favored An Ruochen’s judgment and still thought Tang Xuan to be suspicious. So, he thought of a solution and issued a bounty order in the county. He would reward anyone who can provide meaningful clues about Tang Xuan’s identity, whereabouts, and behavior.

With this reward, all kinds of people in the marketplace began to rack their brains to figure out ‘meaningful clues’ in their memories. Thus, the coachman said he had driven a man with a round face and slender eyes, and his age was similar. The baker said he had sold two cakes to this man. A farmer said that they had seen this gentleman walking around — the government office responsible for recording these was busy for a day. But in the end, all they got were useless things.

Yao Kun’s doubts deepened. He left traces as a foreign merchant in the city, but none were solid. Looking for an opportunity to do business, one must stay at an inn, socializing, building relationships, and seeking people to rely on. Merely finding several tea house bosses to chat with, and then it will be considered complete? He did too little for his own business. Besides, coming to Zhong Lan at the end of the year wasn’t good timing.

Yao Kun felt that if he continued the investigation like this, he would get something. But, at this time, he received a meeting invitation from Qian Pei. Yao Kun was stunned, remembering that Meng Jiayue mentioned An Ruochen’s doubts. His heart immediately had a bad feeling.

Yao Kun went to the appointment. Qian Pei asked him to meet at a restaurant. Yao Kun dressed in civilian clothes to avoid attracting attention.

Qian Pei saw him and smiled faintly, “I regretted that you and I had a faded teacher-student friendship, but now it seems we still have a few moments of tacit understanding.”

Yao Kun didn’t want to get close to him and only asked, “What’s the reason for looking for me like this?”

“I want to help you. Although you no longer call me teacher, I remember I once taught you.”

Yao Kun heard this, took his attitude down a notch, and said: “Think about what you have done over the years, how many times Lord Qian came to me to find a way for you. I’ve protected you as much as we can. But you don’t care about the reputation and official position of Lord Qian and me. It’s difficult to call you teacher.”

Qian Pei laughed: “Life is short. If you don’t have fun in time, won’t it be a wasted life?”

Yao Kun didn’t want to waste his breath on these reasons, so he turned to the main topic: “What is it this time?”

Qian Pei laughed again, “You always think you protected me, but don’t forget I have also helped you a lot.” He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Yao Kun, “Look, this time I helped you again.”

Yao Kun was confused and took a look. It was a document written by An Zhifu, suing Yao Kun and Long Teng, The Great General, for robbing a civilian’s daughter, interfering in destroying the marriage he set for his eldest daughter An Ruochen, and also forcibly releasing his daughter from his An family. The overbearing officials are bullying the people, causing the citizens to suffer.