"Let's go to the suburban manor and meet that Steward Wei!"
"Master, I'll go too!" Hong Fu emerged from the side room and trotted up to Qin Yun.
Qin Yun sized up Hong Fu from head to toe.
Fearing Qin Yun wouldn't agree, Hong Fu easily spun around on the spot! "Master, I'm all better!"
Seeing that Hong Fu was truly unharmed, Qin Yun finally relaxed.
"Let's go!"
...
The Manor!
Inside a certain empty small room!
When Qin Yun entered the small room, he saw Steward Wei, covered in wounds!
Qin Yun narrowed his eyes, looking at the middle-aged man on the wooden chair!
He was corpulent and short.
Perhaps due to the severe beating he had received in the previous days, he trembled slightly upon seeing the suddenly appearing Qin Yun.
"Who are you, and why have you brought me here?" Steward Wei stood up reflexively, his face filled with wariness as he looked at Qin Yun!
Qin Yun approached him, speaking neither fast nor slow. "Are you Fu Jinsong's man?"
Steward Wei smiled. "You brought me here, presumably to expose Fu Jinsong's crimes!"
Qin Yun said sternly, "What is your real name?"
"Wei Qing"
"Since you already know why I'm looking for you, there's no need for me to explain much!"
If Qin Yun had found Wei Qing initially, this person might not have cooperated.
But the current Wei Qing had seen through Fu Jinsong's true colors and naturally wouldn't help him.
After all!
Who would willingly risk their life for someone who wanted them dead!
"That dog Fu Jinsong, I was loyal to him for so many years! Since he wants to kill me!"
Wei Qing was clearly indignant. Looking at his wounds, he hated Fu Jinsong's cruelty even more!
"You are no longer useful to him, and furthermore, you know too many of his secrets, so naturally, he has to get rid of you!"
Qin Yun understood clearly!
Wei Qing would not continue to conceal for Fu Jinsong.
Wei Qing had escaped!
At this moment, Fu Jinsong was likely in a frenzy.
"Qingshui Town, Furong Town, Suyun Town, did Fu Jinsong embezzle the tax revenue from these three towns? Were other officials involved?"
"That dog Fu Jinsong did indeed embezzle that money, but there is someone behind him!"
Qin Yun had a rough idea of who was behind Fu Jinsong.
But to test Wei Qing's sincerity, he pretended to ask, "Do you know who his backer is?"
Wei Qing touched his swollen face and said fiercely, "I have seen Fu Jinsong privately meet with the Right Prime Minister many times!"
Su Tai?
Her first guess was also this person!
Now that Wei Qing said so as well!
It seemed that Fu Jinsong's backer being Su Tai was highly probable!
"Are you saying that the Right Prime Minister Su also had a share of this tax revenue?"
"It should be!"
He was working for Fu Jinsong!
As for who was behind him, he could only guess.
"You must have reaped considerable benefits from working for him over the years, right?" Qin Yun smiled.
"Yes, Fu Jinsong was very generous over the years, bestowing me with many items and a considerable amount of money! So I worked for him loyally!"
"Unfortunately! What good is it to give you more benefits! In the end, they would kill you, and all those things would return to their rightful owner!"
Wei Qing lowered his head.
He knew Qin Yun was speaking the truth.
"Besides the three towns I mentioned earlier, have you embezzled the people's money anywhere else?"
"No other places, for now!"
Qin Yun stroked his chin, lost in thought.
For now?
Did that mean he had plans, but hadn't acted on them yet!
"If I want you to testify against Fu Jinsong in court, will you cooperate?"
"I will cooperate!" Wei Qing spoke without any extra words. He now harbored animosity towards Fu Jinsong and the others!
He wished that person dead even more!
...
A private room in a certain teahouse!
"My Lord, Steward Wei has escaped!"
Fu Jinsong's face was ashen as he paced back and forth in the room.
"How could he have escaped?"
The servant lowered his head, full of self-reproach. "My Lord, last night those men in black were too skilled. Our men were no match for them!"
"Trash, all of you are trash!" Fu Jinsong was furious and directly pushed the wooden table to the ground.
The servant, startled, retreated repeatedly.
"Old Wei knew too much. I should have just stabbed him to death back then. If he had died, none of this would be happening now!"
The servant beside him frowned and muttered inwardly: It's all because you were indecisive and always thinking about the treasures you had previously given Steward Wei!
If you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place!
"Go, quickly go find him! If you don't find him, both of us are finished!"
"Yes, I will contact the brothers. Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we will find Steward Wei!"
The servant scrambled out of the room.
In the room! Fu Jinsong was extremely annoyed.
Suddenly!
The door opened!
The person who entered was Su Tai!
Fu Jinsong rushed forward, bowing and scraping.
"Right Prime Minister, why have you come?"
Su Tai looked at Fu Jinsong with a cold glare, his tone stern. "I heard someone under your command escaped? And an important one at that!"
"This person knows a lot. When you captured him, why didn't you finish him off on the spot!"
Fu Jinsong froze on the spot! His entire body trembled!
He hadn't expected that the moment Wei Qing escaped, Su Tai would know about it.
This matter was becoming more complicated, and it seemed difficult to resolve.
"Right Prime Minister, that person is a subordinate of mine. I have already sent people to look for him! Please rest assured!"
Su Tai's face showed ferocity, and he rebuked, "Do you think there is still room for negotiation in this matter? Tomorrow morning, at court, we have a tough battle ahead!"
Upon hearing this, Fu Jinsong's legs trembled.
"Right Prime Minister, why did you suddenly bring up the matter of the morning court?"
Su Tai gave Fu Jinsong a look as if he were an idiot.
"If Qin Yun presents evidence of corruption tomorrow morning, you will take the blame alone! After all, this mess was caused by you!"
Fu Jinsong panicked. "Right Prime Minister, you cannot stand by and do nothing! Half of that money entered your mansion!"
"Are you threatening me?" Su Tai turned around and, with a backhand, grabbed Fu Jinsong by the neck.
"If you hadn't insisted on driving away those disaster victims, this matter wouldn't have been discovered. Your stupidity has led to today's situation!"
Fu Jinsong tried to pry Su Tai's hand off, gasping, "Right Prime Minister, I... I can't... breathe!"
Seeing this!
Su Tai narrowed his eyes.
He really wanted to strangle this person to death!
But then he considered that this person was his scapegoat. He couldn't die yet!
He loosened his grip slightly and threatened, "Tomorrow morning at court, do exactly as I say. If you disobey, I will ensure you have no descendants!"
At Su Tai's words, Fu Jinsong's body turned cold.
His hands and feet gradually grew cold.
"Right Prime Minister, you approached me back then! You told me to embezzle taxes! Now that there's trouble, why are you pushing it all onto me?" Fu Jinsong was unwilling.
Su Tai said coldly, "I merely mentioned it casually, I never told you to embezzle. You yourself couldn't resist the temptation!"
Fu Jinsong said hurriedly, "Right Prime Minister, you can't do this! You said you would handle the aftermath if anything happened. You patted your chest and guaranteed it! Why are you going back on your word now?"
"When did I ever guarantee anything to you? Don't talk nonsense!" Su Tai said with disdain.