Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 183 The Case of Old Zhao 3

Lin Yu followed behind, somewhat displeased. These two were all fawning over Miss Shi. He was also a member of the family! "You two, Miss Shi is back. Go and prepare some tea and snacks. I'm a little hungry."

Shuyun and Qinxin responded and turned to prepare tea and snacks. Shi Wanxia watched their retreating figures and couldn't help but sigh. What's wrong with Lin Yu today? Who upset him?

A short while later, Shuyun and Qinxin brought in tea and snacks. They placed the tea and snacks on the table and then went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Lin Yu picked up a pastry and started eating. The pastry tasted quite good, and his mood gradually improved.

Shi Wanxia smiled awkwardly. This guy hadn't even started eating yet, and he was already eating.

Shi Wanxia smiled apologetically and poured tea for Magistrate Cui. "Please don't be offended, sir. I've spoiled Lin Yu. He's just a young boy, please don't take offense."

Lin Yu was leisurely sipping his tea when he was inexplicably hurt by Miss Shi's words. What did she mean by that? Before he knew it, he choked on his tea.

"Cough cough cough...."

Shi Wanxia stood helplessly behind him, gently patting his back to help him catch his breath. "How old are you? You can still choke on your tea. You're quite something."

Lin Yu smiled awkwardly and said, "Sorry, I was just spacing out." Shi Wanxia rolled her eyes at him and said, "You're always so clumsy."

Lin Yu shrugged helplessly and said, "I didn't want to either, but I was a little surprised by what you said." Shi Wanxia asked curiously, "What's so surprising about what I said?" Lin Yu hesitated for a moment and said, "Nothing."

Shi Wanxia was too lazy to pay attention to him, rolled her eyes, and chatted with Cui Zhihao. Lin Yu saw that there was nothing for him to do, so he got up and went to the kitchen to see if dinner was ready.

The meal was lavish. Shuyun and Qinxin arranged for dinner to be set up in the main hall, then informed Shi-jie that they could begin eating. Cui Zhihao was surprised to see so many people in her family when he arrived at the table.

"Miss Shi, are all these people your family?" Cui Zhihao was genuinely shocked when he saw the food on the four tables. He never imagined that such a delicate woman like Miss Shi would have to support so many people.

Shi Wanxia nodded, somewhat embarrassed. "Yes, sir, they are all, most of them are orphans without parents. They looked pitiful, so I had them brought back."

Thinking of Shuyun and the others, who helped her manage the household, she felt she should introduce them to Magistrate Cui. So she introduced Shuyun and Qinxin to him one by one; they were her family, and they had been through many things together.

As Shi Wanxia explained, she also served food to Shuyun and the others. Cui Zhihao was a little unaccustomed to chatting during meals, which went against the rules he had followed since childhood.

But why were they so warm and harmonious? He had never felt this way before, and he loved it.

Choi Ji-ho, true to his childhood habit, chose to listen without engaging in conversation, and quickly finished his meal.

Shuyun quickly tidied up the main hall with her people, then had someone brew a pot of tea for Sister Shi and the others before leaving, and also took Lin Yu away.

Shi Wanxia sat with Cui Zhihao and drank tea for a while, and time passed by unnoticed.

Seeing that it was getting late, Cui Zhihao took his leave. Shi Wanxia got up to see him off, and Cui Jiu had been waiting in his car for a long time outside.

Choi Jiho thanked him again and again. He was quite happy today. He hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time. They simply ate a meal, drank tea, and chatted.

“Miss Shi, thank you for your hospitality. I apologize for disturbing you today.”

Cui Zhihao bowed in thanks, but Shi Wanxia waved her hands repeatedly. "You're too kind, sir. You're always welcome to come and chat or have a meal here in the future."

"It's getting late, please be careful. Good night, sir!"

Shi Wanxia's gentle farewell made Cui Zhihao feel a little reluctant, but he restrained himself, smiled, and returned to his car.

"Go back, girl! It's cold outside." Cui Zhihao couldn't bear to see her get cold, so he urged her to go back.

Shi Wanxia nodded, and seeing their carriage leave, she quickly went back to her room.

The next day, the sun shone brightly. Shi Wanxia sat in the carriage, yawning countless times. Cui Zhihao couldn't help but chuckle at her antics.

The carriage swayed and rattled for a long time before arriving at Zhao Laosan's house. Cui Zhihao carefully observed every corner of the house.

He discovered that although Zhao Laosan's home was simple, it contained some items that were unusual for a peasant family, such as exquisite porcelain and silk fabrics. These things were clearly not something that someone of Zhao Laosan's social class could possess.

In Zhao Laosan's bedroom, Cui Zhihao discovered an account book. The account book recorded some strange transactions, one of which caught his attention.

The note read, "Received gold and silver jewelry from a mysterious person, for the purpose of purchasing..." The rest was crossed out. Cui Zhihao deduced that this mysterious person was likely the one who provided Zhao Laosan with the saffron and the gold and silver jewelry.

In order to find this mysterious person, Cui Zhihao decided to start by investigating the channels through which Zhao Laosan purchased saffron. He sent people to investigate major pharmacies and medicinal herb markets in the county to see if anyone had seen Zhao Laosan buying saffron.

After some effort, a pharmacy owner finally recalled that a strange man had once bought saffron, and he had been very generous with his purchases. The pharmacy owner described the man's physical characteristics, but due to the passage of time, his memory was somewhat hazy.

Based on the pharmacy owner's description, Cui Zhihao drew a portrait of the stranger and posted it throughout the county, offering a reward for anyone who could provide clues. Soon after, a local resident came to report that he had seen the man in the portrait. This resident told Cui Zhihao that the man had appeared at an inn.

Cui Zhihao immediately led his men to the inn. The innkeeper recognized the man in the portrait, saying he had stayed there for a while but had already left. The innkeeper provided the man's registration information, and Cui Zhihao discovered that the man's name was Li Si, and he was from out of town.

Following the clues, Cui Zhihao continued his investigation and discovered that Li Si had gone to a remote village after leaving the inn. He led his constables to the village, only to find that Li Si was already dead. Beside Li Si's body was a letter that read: "Mission failed, committed suicide to atone for my sins."

Cui Zhihao realized that a huge conspiracy lay behind this case. He decided to investigate further and uncover the truth. During his investigation, he discovered that the case was connected to some powerful figures in the county. These powerful figures, in order to achieve their own goals, did not hesitate to use Zhao Laosan, Li Si, and others to create a series of events.

Cui Zhihao faced immense pressure, but he did not back down. With his wisdom and courage, he gradually uncovered the truth of the case. Ultimately, he brought those powerful figures to justice and restored fairness to Zhao Family Village.