Ni Ruoshui knew that the theft of the official silver was a matter of great importance, so he quickly sent someone to ask Zhang Bao'er to come back to discuss the aftermath.

After hearing this, Zhang Bao'er pondered for a moment and said: "The extermination of locusts is the most urgent matter at present, you continue to coordinate the extermination of locusts in various counties, you must not be slack in the slightest, and the case of the theft of treasury silver will be handed over to me, so you don't have to worry about it." ”

With Zhang Baoer's words, Ni Ruoshui can be regarded as a reassuring pill, if he is asked to solve the case, he really doesn't know where to start!

Zhang Bao'er first called all the twenty guards for questioning, but the result was frustrating, and no one saw anything unusual about Zhao Cheng.

According to common sense, digging tunnels is the best way to steal silver, however, Zhang Baoer led people to search the ground of the silver vault almost all over, and there was no trace of tunnels.

This bizarre case soon spread all over Bianzhou City, and rumors spread for a while.

The autopsy report was sent: the deceased was about fifty years old, seven feet tall, with strong muscles, and his hands were covered with calluses, as if he was engaged in manual labor, but his underwear was a Panjin Tuanhua Hangzhou silk fabric that only rich and noble families could afford; There were no fatal injuries, and it is inferred from the sawdust in the fingernails of the deceased and the scratches in the box that the deceased starved to death. As for the time of death, he can only make a vague inference of "months".

Zhang Baoer immediately sent people to investigate the disappearance of a wealthy man, and sent Uncle Hua and He Zhi to investigate Zhao Kuguan.

The next morning, news came that a businessman named Wang Biao had disappeared in Chenliu County a month earlier, and his physiognomy was similar to that of a corpse. Zhang Baoer immediately asked his family to come and identify the body.

Uncle Hua also came with news here, saying that in July, Zhao Cheng's mother was seriously ill, according to An Shuntang Langzhong, who went to diagnose and treat, he prescribed a prescription, of which the ginseng used to hang his life alone was worth 100 taels of silver, and most of the medicinal materials were precious medicinal materials. Zhao Cheng couldn't take out so much silver at all, so he had to take a few ordinary medicines with tears. But a few days later, Zhao Cheng took the cash and bought the first dose of the medicine on the prescription again.

Uncle Hua said: "Little master, here are the accounts of Anshun Hall, which clearly records that Zhao Kuguan's several pieces of medicine cost a total of more than one hundred and forty taels of silver. ”

Zhang Baoer took it and took a look, and sure enough. Zhao Cheng earns five taels of silver a month, where did he get so much money?

Although this Zhao Cheng was difficult to get rid of for a while, after becoming stupid, Ni Ruoshui thought that he was a filial son, and did not put him in prison, but asked He Zhi to find a secluded place and entrust a reliable person to take care of him.

When Zhang Baoer saw Zhao Cheng, Zhao Cheng was squatting on the ground, looking at an ant on the ground intently.

Zhang Bao'er stepped forward and said: "Treasury Officer Zhao, the treasury silver was stolen, such a shocking case, if you don't find out, I'm afraid you won't be able to get out of it." ”

But Zhao Xiangxiang didn't hear his words, and still looked at the ants intently.

Zhang Baoer was helpless, and ordered the people who took care of Zhao Cheng to take good care of him, so he went out, and then went directly to Zhao Cheng's house.

Zhao Cheng's mother was sick in bed, and when she heard Zhang Baoer say that her son was suspected of stealing official silver, she couldn't help but lament: "It's my old wife who dragged Cheng'er down!" ”

Zhang Baoer persuaded Zhao's mother: "Now only by clearing Zhao Cheng's suspicion can he save his life, otherwise Zhao Cheng will definitely die." If you know something, old man, you might as well tell me. ”

Mother Zhao sobbed: "Since I got sick, Cheng'er has been anxious, but the medicine prescribed by An Shun Tanglang is too expensive, and he can't afford it at all. But a few days later, he said that someone remembered that he was a dutiful son and lent him two hundred taels of silver. Thanks to those medicines, I have survived until now. Alas, I wish I had known that this is how the silver came from, and I didn't want to die! ”

Those who borrow Zhao Cheng's silver will be those who steal official silver. In this way, Zhao Cheng must have colluded with them, but he committed such a big crime, why didn't he run away?

Thinking of this, Zhang Bao'er asked, "Old man, do you know who lent the silver to Zhao Cheng?" ”

Mother Zhao cried: "I was already dead and alive in those days, where can I care about these things?" ”

Zhang Baoer shook his head, said goodbye to Zhao's mother, and was about to go out, when there was a sudden "plop" behind him, he turned around and found that Zhao's mother rolled down from the sickbed, crying and kneeling on the ground, crying and crying: "My lord, everything starts from me, please spare my son!" ”

At this time, Zhang Baoer seemed to figure out why Zhao Cheng didn't run away, because he couldn't let go of his mother.

That night, the person who identified the body came. His name is Wang Quan, and he is a famous talent.

Zhang Baoer asked: "You came to identify the body, who in your family is missing?" ”

"My father, Wang Biao, suddenly disappeared a month ago."

Zhang Bao'er asked again: "Wang Quan, what kind of business does your father do?" ”

Wang Quan replied: "He used to be a stonemason, studied under the famous craftsman Feng Wanshan, and later opened a quarry on the outskirts of Chenliucheng. ”

Zhang Bao'er nodded and said, "What day did he disappear?" ”

Wang Quan replied: "Lord Hui, a month ago, that is, on April 13, he told me that he was going out to talk about business, and there has been no news. ”

Zhang Baoer asked again: "Where did he go?" And with whom? ”

Wang Quan shook his head and said, "My father only wants me to gain fame and fame, and never lets me get involved in his business. ”

Subsequently, Zhang Baoer and He Zhi personally led Wang Quan to the morgue.

When Wang Quan saw the corpse, he immediately cried loudly, and the deceased was indeed his father Wang Biao.

Zhang Bao'er let Wang Quan cry bitterly, and then said: "Let's mourn and change." I'm also going to Chenliu, so let's go on the road together. ”

Zhang Bao'er believes that if outsiders want to enter the treasury, there is only one way, and that is to blend in when the county government sends the official silver to the treasury on the 15th of each month. Since Wang Biao is from Chenliu, he should have entered the treasury with the official money of Chenliu County on April 15, so it is necessary to go to Chenliu.

After dawn, Zhang Baoer took Uncle Hua and He Zhi and rushed to Chenliu County with Wang Quan.

Bidding farewell to Wang Quan, Zhang Baoer went straight to the county office.

I didn't want to, but I saw from a distance that there were spiriting flags and white cloth and white flowers hanging inside and outside the county office. Zhang Baoer stepped forward to ask, only then did she know that the county ordered Zheng Huaren to die violently last night.

Zhang Baoer was surprised, when she came to Chen Liu a few days ago, she also saw Zheng Huaren, how much work did it take, and he died violently?

Zhang Baoer found the county Cheng Xu Xin and asked, only to know that Zheng Huaren had a serious heart disease, and he relied on medicine on weekdays. Last night, Zheng Huaren died suddenly in the center of the study.

Zhang Baoer checked Zheng Huaren's body and saw that his face was dark and blue, as if he had died of heart disease. Zhang Baoer asked Xu Xin to lead the way and went to Zheng Huaren's study. He opened the drawer in the middle of the desk, and suddenly, a smell of medicine came to his nose, obviously, this is where Zheng Huaren stored the medicine, but there was not a single medicine in it.