Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 2515: Chapter 2516: Scapegoat

”Do you have anything urgent to go back for?” Bai Ruozhu sensed Yizi’s homesickness.

Yizi smiled apologetically, ”Actually, it’s not very urgent, just that the day of my benefactor’s memorial is approaching.”

Bai Ruozhu suddenly understood and showed a look of apology, ”I’m afraid it will take a while. We haven’t found my senior brothers yet.”

Moreover, Jiang Yichun’s Vein Curse hasn’t been resolved.

Bai Ruozhu didn’t say this out loud, but his mood inevitably grew a bit heavier.

Yizi clearly noticed Bai Ruozhu’s sudden drop in mood and didn’t dare to say another word, silently following Bai Ruozhu back to the posthouse.

As soon as they entered, Jianqi came up to them and said, ”Master, just now General Chisong sent someone to report that they found those pirates.”

”Caught them?” Bai Ruozhu was surprised, ”General Chisong is really fast.”

”I’ve already sent people to notify Master Jiang and the others. Do you want to go take a look?” Jianqi asked.

Bai Ruozhu thought for a moment and said, ”Let Achun and the others take a look. I won’t make an appearance to avoid drawing too much attention.”

She still remembered General Chisong once tried to ask for her, thinking about it made her displeased; do they really think women are commodities that can be casually given away?

”I’m going back to prepare some medicine. Call me if there’s anything,” Bai Ruozhu said.

Elsewhere, Jiang Yichun and Mo Beishan had already received the news and planned to go to General Chisong’s Residence to express their gratitude, as this gesture needed to be displayed.

Not expecting that when the two arrived at General Chisong’s place, seeing the group of captured pirates, their expressions turned grim.

These people were not Black Pirates at all. Jiang Yichun and Mo Beishan exchanged a glance, unsure if these people were just unlucky to have been caught, or if Black Boss had deliberately thrown them out to take the fall.

Of course, there was also the possibility that General Chisong, eager for credit, found these people to make up the numbers.

”What have they confessed?” Jiang Yichun, burying his emotions, asked in a deep voice.

”Naturally, they won’t admit it, but we found your missing goods. Please check, Master Jiang, to see if anything is missing.” General Chisong looked delighted, feeling proud that his men were faster than the Emperor’s side.

”Thank you, General,” Jiang Yichun saluted and thanked him, then went to have a look. Indeed, only a portion of the goods was there—perhaps about half, but this half was mostly worthless items, with none of the valuable ones, especially the high-quality medicinal materials.

”The goods are indeed ours, but some valuable medicinal materials are missing, along with some exquisite silks and jewelry—it’s unclear where they’ve been hidden,” Jiang Yichun said.

General Chisong glared at the pirates fiercely and demanded, ”Speak, where are the goods hidden?”

The captured leader had a look of defiance, ”We only robbed this much, anyway we’re dead, can’t really slap charges on us like this, right?”

”Not talking? Then torture them,” General Chisong ordered.

Immediately, someone began using torture, the scene was bloody, but neither the leader nor his subordinates confessed.

Jiang Yichun and Mo Beishan said nothing throughout. If these people refused to admit guilt, pursuing it too eagerly would seem overly anxious.

”Master Jiang, it seems we can’t find out anything for now. Shall we send these goods back to you first?” General Chisong asked.

Jiang Yichun waved his hand, ”The General is too polite. Many guards on our boat were injured, and taking the goods back could attract thieves. Better to leave them with you for peace of mind—it’s troublesome for you, my apologies.”

”No problem, no problem. I’ll have someone register them and put them in the warehouse; rest assured they’re safe with me,” General Chisong said with a grin, clearly pleased that Jiang Yichun trusted him with the goods.

When Bai Ruozhu finished preparing some medicine, Jiang Yichun and Mo Beishan just returned, explaining the situation in a couple of sentences.

”I don’t really think General Chisong found someone to take the blame. Otherwise, how do you explain the goods? He probably wouldn’t collude with She Zongyi,” Tang Feng said.

Bai Ruozhu nodded, ”It seems the people were pushed out by She Zongyi or Black Boss, who also released some goods, trying to wrap things up hastily.”

She regretted not putting the valuable items into the space at the time, but many items belonged to the Imperial Court, and Li Jin and the others were guarding them, taking them secretly wouldn’t be appropriate and would likely raise suspicion.

Unfortunately, She Zongyi took advantage of them, making her quite displeased.

”I said little, mainly to avoid embarrassing Chisong further, preventing relations from becoming more awkward,” Jiang Yichun said, ”Also, by leaving the goods with Chisong, it prevents the numbers from being truly unpredictable.”

”That’s also good, though the Emperor might be a bit disappointed, but there’s nothing to be done,” Bai Ruozhu shrugged—it wasn’t like the fake Emperor had been caught.

In the following days, the Emperor’s side sent over rewards to compensate for Bai Ruozhu and his group’s losses, essentially trying to make up for the regret of lagging behind Chisong.

However, at this time, Fusang had a shortage of supplies, so there weren’t many valuable items in the rewards.

In these days, Bai Ruozhu often took Fo Lanying to browse She Zongyi’s shop and restaurant—they were open for business, weren’t they?

Sure enough, today Bai Ruozhu ran into She Zongyi, who was out to check the accounts.

At this moment, She Zongyi looked unwell, pale and lacking Qi blood, like someone recently recovering from a serious illness. Bai Ruozhu’s mouth curled into a slight smile—Xiaomao’s poisonous insect poison wasn’t something everyone could handle. If not for She Zongyi having a system to help, he might not have been alive now.

She Zongyi spotted Bai Ruozhu at once, almost fuming with anger, though he contained his rage, the vicious look in his eyes was hard to hide.

Bai Ruozhu smiled at him, cupping her hands from a distance, saying, ”Mr. She, we meet again. Haven’t seen you for many days, your health doesn’t seem well, overworked from business? No matter how much money you make, you need to have a life to spend it.”

She Zongyi’s face grew even more gloomy, ”Does Lord Bai ask knowingly? How so leisurely, wandering around my place. I hear your boat was raided by pirates, not in a hurry to track them down?”

Bai Ruozhu chuckled, ”Has Mr. She not heard that General Chisong helped us find the pirates? Or do you think there are still other pirates at large? After your illness, Mr. She has become careless with words—it’s truly surprising.”

She Zongyi took a deep breath, ”It seems I am uninformed, embarrassing myself in front of Lord Bai.”

Beside her, Fo Lanying gently pinched Bai Ruozhu’s hand, indicating she heard the conversation between She Zongyi and the system, causing Bai Ruozhu’s heart to leap with joy—provoking She Zongyi was indeed right.

”I only came to remind Mr. She,” Bai Ruozhu said with an exaggerated smile, ”Heaven is watching what people do; it’s not that it doesn’t repay, just that the time hasn’t come. Those who do many wicked deeds will face retribution. Mr. She should be careful.”