Chapter 164: Trusting in the “Wisdom of Future Generations”

The candlelight flickered, casting long and short shadows of the three people inside the room.

After recounting her ordeal, Mao Cuicui lowered her head. At some point, her fingernails had dug into her palm, breaking the skin. Crimson droplets of blood seeped through her fingers and dripped onto the floor.

Noticing this, she quickly crouched down and used the torn hem of her dress to wipe away the bloodstains.

Watching her cautious movements, Gu Ning’an sighed. “So, what is it that you want me to help you with?”

“Sir, do you hold an official position?” Mao Cuicui asked hurriedly.

Gu Ning’an shook his head. “No.”

Mao Cuicui frowned. “Then why does Captain Zhao fear you?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she suddenly came to a realization.

She was nothing more than a courtesan, and Brother A’Yong had only been a lowly stone broker.

Both of them were people of low status—perhaps not even considered human in the eyes of some.

Let alone in the eyes of officials.

This gentleman in the green robe had already done Brother A’Yong a great favor by helping him once.

They had no blood ties, no connection—why would he bother getting involved in such a mess?

“Mr. Gu… I’ve disturbed you tonight,” Mao Cuicui said softly as she moved to remove the robe draped over her shoulders.

Seeing this, Mu Sheng immediately stepped forward, pressing down on her hands. “What are you doing? My master is not that kind of person!”

“Huh?” Mao Cuicui was momentarily confused before realizing the misunderstanding. She quickly explained, “No, no, I just meant that since Mr. Gu doesn’t hold an official position, I shouldn’t drag him into this trouble.”

“I was returning this robe to you… There’s nothing else.”

Swoosh!

Mu Sheng’s face turned visibly red all the way to the tips of her ears. She firmly held Mao Cuicui’s hands and, trying to maintain her composure, said, “Keep the robe. It’s freezing outside—you’ll freeze to death.”

Mao Cuicui was stunned. “Uh…”

“Miss Mao, I may not hold an official position, but this matter… I can still intervene to some extent.”

Gu Ning’an gestured for Mu Sheng to sit back down before continuing, “I don’t know much about the affairs of Shanyang County. If you don’t mind, could you tell me more?”

Mao Cuicui hesitated briefly before nodding. “Alright.”

As it turned out, Shanyang County was unlike other places. Its county magistrates had always been ‘hands-off administrators’—every one of them would leave a mess for their successor to deal with.

As a result, even if a newly appointed magistrate wanted to enforce order, they would quickly realize they were overwhelmed. Eventually, they would give up, letting things slide while trusting that ‘future generations’ would clean up the mess.

Over time, bandits on horseback began to emerge on the outskirts of Shanyang County.

At first, there were only a few. But as more shady dealings took place within Shanyang County, more people resorted to a life of crime.

Eventually, these bandits expanded beyond simple highway robbery and extended their influence into the county itself.

Gambling dens, high-interest loans, brothels… Behind all these lucrative businesses, the bandits had a hand in everything.

In fact, multiple county magistrates—including the current one, Magistrate Lu—had attempted to suppress them.

Yet, without exception, every attempt ended in failure.

Each crackdown only wasted manpower and resources while also leading to the deaths of many lowly folk like the stone broker and Mao Cuicui.

At this point, Mao Cuicui revealed how she had ended up in a brothel.

It turned out that her father had gambled away their family’s entire fortune—and in the end, he sold her to the gambling den as payment for his debts.

The stone broker A’Yong and Mao Cuicui had been childhood sweethearts. Unable to bear seeing Mao Cuicui sold off, offered all his family’s wealth to the gambling den in exchange for her freedom.

However, after taking his money, the gamblers simply claimed that Mao Cuicui’s father had racked up even more debt—and thus, she still had to be sold to a brothel as payment.

From that moment on, A’Yong and Mao Cuicui lived in constant despair. Only at night, when they returned to their humble dwelling, could they find a faint glimmer of hope in each other’s presence…

As for why they didn’t report it to the authorities?

The answer was simple: even if they did, the true masterminds behind everything would remain untouched. At most, some low-level thugs would be sent to take the fall.

Meanwhile, those who did report the crime?

If they were lucky, they’d just have their limbs broken.

If they weren’t… they’d end up like the stone broker—dead.

“Big sis, your life has been so cruel…” Mu Sheng’s eyes reddened as she choked back her tears.

Mao Cuicui gave a wry smile, seeming somewhat resigned. “A cruel fate… What can I do? I only hope not to be human in my next life…”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A sudden pounding on the courtyard gate broke the silence!

“Open up! Open the door!”

“Constable patrol inspection!”

Upon hearing this, Mao Cuicui’s expression turned bitter. She stood up and said, “Mr. Gu, they’ve come to arrest me.”

“I won’t say anything about our conversation. I’ll just tell them I’m staying here with you for money.”

“Stay put,” Gu Ning’an called out, stopping her. Then, he gestured toward Mu Sheng.

Understanding immediately, Mu Sheng ran off to open the door.

“Sir, this—”

“Just sit tight.”

As soon as Gu Ning’an spoke, the courtyard gate swung open. More than ten constables stormed in, led by none other than Captain Zhao—the very man who had beaten the stone broker the day before.

Upon seeing Mu Sheng, Captain Zhao froze.

Of all the places in the city, he never expected that the person he was looking for would be hiding here—in the residence of the young gentleman who might be an apprentice of the Imperial Preceptor!

“Captain Zhao, come in and have a seat,” Gu Ning’an called out from within the side chamber, addressing the stunned officer.

“So… this is your residence, sir.”

Captain Zhao’s gaze swept swiftly over Mao Cuicui, then he turned to his men.

“All of you, wait here.”

“Yes, sir!” the constables responded in unison.

Captain Zhao stepped up to the threshold, cupped his hands, and smiled.

“Sir, what a coincidence—we meet again. Apologies for disturbing you during our late-night patrol. If you have no other instructions for us, we will take our leave…”

It was obvious that he had come specifically to apprehend Mao Cuicui.

Yet now, he was acting as if she wasn’t even there.

How interesting.

Even Gu Ning’an himself couldn’t quite figure out why Captain Zhao was giving him so much face.

“Captain Zhao, what’s the big case that you’re investigating at this late hour?”

“Would you mind sharing the details? Perhaps I can be of some help.”

As he spoke, Gu Ning’an poured a cup of tea and placed it on the table.

“Have some tea, Captain Zhao.”

Such composure, even surpassing that of a county magistrate… no, a county magistrate wouldn’t compare; at least a prefect would have this kind of dignity!

The man who had spoken up to save the stone broker yesterday…

And today, with Shi Ya dead, his lover had come seeking this gentleman’s aid.

Clearly, she had discovered his true background and had come for justice.

Captain Zhao hesitated for a moment before stepping further into the room.

He carefully picked up the teacup, drank it all in one go, and then forced a smile.

“Excellent tea!”

Gu Ning’an gestured toward a chair and quipped,

“You’ve had my tea, Captain Zhao—now you have to tell me the reason for this late-night patrol.”

“Ah…”

Captain Zhao couldn’t quite figure out this young gentleman’s intentions.

In the end, he chuckled awkwardly and said,

“The man you saw yesterday—the stone broker—he’s dead.”

“He had… an ordinary lover. I came to ask her a few questions…”