Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Investigation

Liu Family Vineyard.

The shop’s main doors were shut tight, a wooden plaque hanging on them that read: "Closed for three days on business."

Gu Qianzhang signaled for his men to step forward and knock.

After a good while, the door opened a crack, revealing Shopkeeper Liu’s haggard, terrified face.

When he saw the men in official uniforms outside, his pupils contracted sharply. His face turned ashen, and his lips trembled, unable to form words.

"Gu Qianzhang, Chief Banner Officer of the Jingwu Bureau. I have some questions."

Gu Qianzhang’s voice was level, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

Shopkeeper Liu’s legs gave out, and he nearly collapsed. His voice trembled uncontrollably, "Off-Officer..."

"Your daughter, Liu Yun, was abducted by a minor leader of the San Dao Bang and has yet to return?" Gu Qianzhang cut straight to the point, his gaze sharp as a knife as he stared into Shopkeeper Liu’s eyes.

Shopkeeper Liu shuddered, then dropped to his knees with a THUD, tears and snot streaming down his face. "Yes... yes... Please, see the truth, Officer! Those damned animals... they took my daughter in broad daylight... My... my poor daughter! I don’t even know if she’s dead or alive... I beg you, Officer, get justice for me! I beg you!"

He wept his heart out, banging his forehead against the ground with resounding THUDS.

"Then are you aware that the three San Dao Bang members who abducted your daughter all died that very night? The Gang Leader of the San Dao Bang is also dead," Gu Qianzhang said suddenly, watching the man’s performance with cold eyes.

Shopkeeper Liu’s head snapped up, the color draining from his face. An unspeakable horror flared in his eyes. His mouth hung open, a wheezing sound coming from his throat, and it took him a long moment to force out a few words. "Dead...? They’re... they’re all dead?"

He then collapsed to the ground as if all strength had been drained from him, muttering, ’It’s over... It’s all over...’

Gu Qianzhang stared at him, his tone abruptly turning sharp. "Speak! What do you know?"

Terrified by the sharp command, Shopkeeper Liu trembled violently, his teeth chattering. "Officer... I... I really don’t know anything! All I know is that Yun’Er was taken... I don’t know anything..."

Gu Qianzhang frowned. He gave Shopkeeper Liu a long, deep look, then turned and left.

"Leave a man behind to watch him."

As he walked out the door, he discreetly gave Zhao Hu a meaningful look.

One man understood, and with a flicker, his form vanished into the shadows of a nearby alley to keep the vineyard under covert surveillance.

...

Lingxi Village.

A gloomy and miserable pall hung over Chen Yongquan’s family courtyard.

Ever since his son, Chen Zhengtong, had run home two days ago, distraught, and told him that Tu Sandao had been killed, it was as if his spine had been ripped out. The man had completely fallen apart.

"COUGH COUGH COUGH... COUGH COUGH..."

Chen Yongquan lay on the kang bed, his face sallow and his eyes sunken. The violent coughing made his frail body curl into a ball, as if he were trying to hack up his own lungs.

Fear, like maggots clinging to bone, gnawed at his Heart Spirit.

"Father... Father, drink your medicine..."

Chen Zhengtong held out a bowl of medicinal brew, his own face filled with panic.

At this moment, a sliver of regret finally sprouted in his heart.

The two families had always been engaged in open and secret struggles within the clan, but it had always been petty squabbling, never a matter of life and death.

But after Tu Sandao’s arrival, the conflict had been dragged completely into the open.

Make amends and apologize?

’What a pipe dream. This was a fight to the death.’

"Drink... what’s the point of medicine..." Chen Yongquan pushed the bowl away, his voice hoarse and filled with endless terror. "Tu Sandao is dead... We’re... we’re next. Chen Li... he’ll definitely make a move.

He hates me! He hates me for taking his family’s land, for constantly suppressing and targeting him! He’s going to get his revenge, to wipe us out, root and stem! I might as well just die! It’s better than being tortured by him!"

"Father, Father..."

Seeing Chen Yongquan grow more agitated, grabbing a pair of scissors from the bed as if to kill himself, a frightened Chen Zhengtong shouted, "Wait! We have Older Brother! The important person he follows can still help us..."

Chen Yongquan violently grabbed Chen Zhengtong’s wrist, his nails digging into the flesh, his eyes wild. "Zhengtong... Quick... go find your older brother! Tell him to figure something out, to ask that important person to protect us!"

"Alright, alright, Father. You take this medicine first, and I’ll go right away," Chen Zhengtong quickly reassured him.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside the courtyard.

Chen Yongquan’s body stiffened, the fear in his eyes intensifying. "Who... Who’s here? Is it Chen Li? Has... has he come to kill us?"

BANG!

The room’s door was pushed open.

Gu Qianzhang walked straight in, accompanied by Zhao Hu, Sun Ming, Chief He, and several government constables.

His cold gaze swept past the panicked Chen Zhengtong, finally landing on the withered form of Chen Yongquan on the kang bed.

"Chen Yongquan?"

Gu Qianzhang’s voice was level, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

"Off-Officer?"

Chen Yongquan struggled to sit up, but a violent fit of coughing nearly made him pass out.

Chen Zhengtong quickly supported him.

"Did Tu Sandao come to your house before he died?"

Gu Qianzhang got straight to the point, his sharp gaze fixed on him.

Chen Yongquan trembled, and a powerful desire to live, mixed with venomous hatred, erupted in his eyes.

He snapped his head up, staring fixedly at Gu Qianzhang, and shrieked, "Yes, Officer! Yes... You must see the truth, Officer! It must have been Chen Li! It must have been him who killed Tubang Master!"

"Oh?" Gu Qianzhang’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Why are you so certain?"

"COUGH COUGH... Because right before he died, Tubang Master was forcing Chen Li to hand over his family’s land deeds and property!"

Chen Yongquan waved his withered arms excitedly, spittle flying. "That bastard Chen Li, he looks honest on the surface, but he’s ruthless and cruel! He held a grudge! His son, Chen Shouheng, studies at the Tiger Subduing Martial Arts Hall. He must have hired an expert to do the deed in secret. Officer, you have to arrest him! Give him the death of a thousand cuts!" ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

Gu Qianzhang’s brow furrowed slightly.

Chen Yongquan’s accusation was intensely personal and logically incoherent.

He immediately pressed for details. "You said Tu Sandao was forcing Chen Li to hand over his land deeds before he died? When, exactly, and for what reason?"

"It... it was the afternoon five days ago, right here in my house," Chen Yongquan said urgently. "Tubang Master was forcing him to hand over all his property and land deeds within three days. Chen Li must have started plotting his revenge right then and there. Officer, you have to investigate! Investigate Chen Li! He definitely can’t get away with it!"

Gu Qianzhang sneered. "So you’re saying that Tu Sandao, for no reason at all, came to your house to force a complete stranger to hand over all his land and property?"

"Yes, yes!" Chen Yongquan nodded frantically.

"It seems you take me for a fool!" The chill in Gu Qianzhang’s eyes deepened.

"Take him away."

With a wave of Gu Qianzhang’s hand, several government constables swarmed forward and instantly bound Chen Yongquan tightly.

"Officer, Officer, why are you arresting me? Arrest Chen Li! Arrest Chen Li!" Chen Yongquan shrieked hysterically.

Zhao Hu frowned and suddenly chopped the back of his neck with the side of his hand.

Chen Yongquan immediately passed out.

"Let’s go to Chen Lijia." Decisive as ever, Gu Qianzhang left immediately.

Chen Yongquan’s words were extreme and his emotions out of control, making his testimony unreliable. However, he had provided a key motive for murder.

At the same time, the fact that Chen Li’s son was studying martial arts meant he had the opportunity to come into contact with an expert capable of killing Tu Sandao. This was a crucial piece of information.