After about half an hour, the government officials brought in Houzi and Old Six Hu.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
As the two men entered, Jiang Ning could feel their gaze quickly sweep over her before they bowed respectfully.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"This humble citizen, Old Six Hu, pays respects to Magistrate Song!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"This humble citizen, Hou Zehua, pays respects to Magistrate Song!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Song Ming casually observed the two men, while clerk Tang''s eyes were practically shooting mes.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
These two scoundrels, working together to deceive Zhao Qiang!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
If not for the formal setting, clerk Tang would have loved to smash the inkstone on his desk over their heads.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Hou Zehua, Old Six Hu, do you know why I''ve summoned you here?" Song Ming asked.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"In response to Your Honor, this humble citizen does not know. However..." Houzi grinned, putting on an obedient fa?ade, "If Your Honor has any questions, this humble citizen will certainly answer truthfully andpletely, and cooperate fully."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Hearing this, Jiang Ning nced sideways at Houzi, her eyes turning cold.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
This type of sly character – she should have stabbed him to death earlier instead of letting him go back to ry a message to Old Six Hu!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
As she was thinking this, she felt another touch on the back of her hand. Unsurprisingly, it was Liu Ming''an.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Turning her head, Jiang Ning saw Liu Ming''an looking at her with a solemn expression, his eyes filled with concern and sympathy. He mouthed to her:<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Don''t be like that," he said.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning looked away, lowering her eyes, and quietly listened to Song Ming''s interrogation.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Hou Zehua? Your nickname is Houzi, right?" Song Ming said.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Yes, this humble citizen got this nickname because my surname is Hou, and I''m thin," Houzi answered honestly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Do you know the youngdy beside you?" Song Ming asked again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Houzi turned his head, putting on a show of looking Jiang Ning up and down, "I do, she''s the gambling table heroine, haha..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Do you have any grudges against each other?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Houzi tly denied it: "No!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Song Ming made noment and asked Old Six Hu, who was standing to the side, "What about you, Master Hu? Do you have any grievances with this youngdy?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Six Hu bowed and said, "In response to Your Honor, this humble citizen is of a simple nature and never makes enemies with anyone."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Hearing this, Jiang Ning suddenly recalled a corrupt official she had seen in her previous life who had embezzled several hundred million. The voice password for his advanced safe was: "Be selfless and serve the people."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Perhaps Old Six Hu could be sworn brothers with him, Jiang Ning thought.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Beside her, clerk Tang also turned red with anger upon hearing this, but could do nothing except shoot a vicious re at Old Six Hu.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Damn it, this scoundrel is truly shameless! Clerk Tang cursed inwardly, his handwriting bing messier than usual.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Miss Jiang Ning says that on the fifteenth of this month, she entered the Gold Jade Hall and yed dice with you, causing you to lose over a hundred taels of silver. Master Hu, you''re not upset about this at all?" Song Ming inquired further.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
It was only then that Old Six Hu and Houzi learned that this woman was called "Jiang Ning."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Not at all!" Old Six Hu said with an open expression, "In a gambling house, winning and losing is normal. How could I take such a trivial matter to heart? Besides, to have the opportunity to face off against a skilled yer like Miss Jiang Ning – I couldn''t be happier. How could I be upset over a few taels of silver?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Song Mingughed, half-genuinely and half-mockingly praising, "Master Hu has such magnanimity. With this breadth of mind and temperament, it''s no wonder the Gold Jade Hall has dominated Lingshan Town for so many years."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Your Honor tters me. This humble citizen merely adheres to the principles of ''honest business and goodwill towards others'' in carrying out my duties," Old Six Hu replied smoothly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Song Ming looked at the old fox before him and asked with a cold smile, "Such fine words about honest business and goodwill! Then why did Master Hu scheme to make Zhao Qiang owe gambling debts?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Old Six Hu suddenly raised his head, his face full of surprise, "Your Honor, what do you mean by this? The gambling debts that Instructor Zhao owes to the Gold Jade Hall urred in full view of everyone. That night, there were so many people present – Your Honor can ask any one of them. It was all because Instructor Zhao himself was greedy and bit off more than he could chew, that''s why he ended up owing so much money..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
At this point, Old Six Hu''s face was full of grievance, "This humble citizen even reduced his debt from six thousand six hundred and fifty taels to just one hundred taels. Who would have thought that no good deed goes unpunished? To think that in Your Honor''s eyes, this has be a scheme to frame him. s... this world truly disheartens good people!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A dark light shed in Jiang Ning''s eyes. She never expected Old Six Hu to be such an aplished actor, putting on such a convincing performance!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
ncing up, she saw that clerk Tang could barely hold his pen steady, gritting his teeth as he stared at Old Six Hu, the flesh on his face trembling.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Song Ming tapped his chin with his index finger and followed Old Six Hu''s words, "Since Master Hu is such a good person, I won''t question you further. Hou Zehua, why did you instigate Zhao Qiang to steal money from Lotus Flower Vige?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Houzi panicked and said, "Your Honor, this is a false usation! This humble citizen has never done such a thing!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Zhao Qiang, who had been hanging his head all this time, looked up at his "good brother" with aplex expression.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Oh? You didn''t tell Zhao Qiang to go to Lotus Flower Vige to steal money?" Song Ming asked.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Lotus Flower Vige? This humble citizen is neither from Lotus Flower Vige nor has ever been there. How could I have told Instructor Zhao to go steal money?" Houzi denied.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Song Ming smiled slightly, "Your stories don''t match up. Zhao Qiang said that when he couldn''te up with one hundred taels of silver, you told him that there was someone named Liu Ming''an in Lotus Flower Vige whose family had one hundred taels, and you encouraged Zhao Qiang to boldly go and steal it."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"False usation! False usation! This is a terrible false usation!" Houzi said with a face full of indignation, "This humble citizen never said such things, and doesn''t even know any Liu Ming''an. I don''t understand why Instructor Zhao wants to drag me down with him!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Zhao Qiang watched Houzi''s heartfelt performance, a self-mocking smile appearing on his lips. This was his "good brother."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Oh? Then how did Zhao Qiang know that family had money? He doesn''t seem to have been to Lotus Flower Vige before either..." Song Ming said softly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Houzi bowed and said, "This humble citizen doesn''t know the answer to that question. However, it seems that this youngdy and this gentleman are together. At the time, everyone saw this youngdy winning money at the Gold Jade Hall. It wouldn''t be surprising if Instructor Zhao had heard about it somewhere."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Hmm, that makes sense!" Song Ming nodded, seemingly in agreement, then immediately asked, "You just said you''ve never been to Lotus Flower Vige?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Absolutely true!" Houzi said firmly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Song Ming stopped questioning these two and picked up his judge''s mallet, striking it once, "Bring in He Zhenhu."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Houzi and Old Six Hu''s faces froze for a moment, and they exchanged a subtle nce.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Jiang Ning hadn''t heard this name before, but since the surname was "He" and the name contained the character for "tiger," she had a certain guess in her mind.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Liu Ming''an was pondering why He Zhenhu had been brought into this when he suddenly felt his hand being lightly tapped twice.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
There was no one else beside him except Jiang Ning.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Liu Ming''an turned his head and heard Jiang Ning asking in an extremely low and quick voice, "Does He Zhenhu have a nickname called ''Tiger''?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Liu Ming''an nodded, but he couldn''t understand why Jiang Ning would ask this.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Having received a confirmatory answer, Jiang Ning quickly connected all the pieces in her mind. The arsonist must be either Houzi or Tiger!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0