Chapter 283: She is the Future Empress (1)
Qi Huang originally thought that the beautiful shopkeeper had run away with the money, but when she probed with her spiritual sense, she was stunned. Although the door was closed, everyone was still there, and there was even a group of civil officials.
Yes, civil officials! At this moment, dozens of civil officials had completely controlled Juyin Auction House, and Liu Yingyue was also invited to a room to drink tea alone.
‘What’s going on? Did this female shopkeeper commit a crime?’ Qi Huang couldn’t figure it out.
“Why is the Juyin Auction House closed in broad daylight? Damn, they’re more idle than us. They deserve their business to be bad.”
“Do these people have any professional ethics? They announced five days ago that they would auction Cat’s Eye Tears tonight. What time is it now? Are they still selling it?”
“Are you really taking it seriously? Their auction house has clients dying every few days. They probably ran into that again. What else can they do besides closing the door?”
“Indeed, I saw a group of civil officials go in earlier. It’s very likely that the client for the Cat’s Eye Tears died. It looks like tonight’s auction is canceled again.”
…
Passersby on the street muttered, shaking their heads.
‘How dare you curse me?’ Qi Huang was immediately furious. A strand of hair quietly extended and directly pierced the palm of the person who was cursing.
“Ah! My hand!” The person who was cursing let out a scream and cried bitterly, covering his palm. Although the wound was small, the piercing wound was enough for him to suffer.
Qi Huang retracted her hair and probed with her spiritual sense towards the Juyin Auction House. She found that it was indeed controlled by civil officials, and the beautiful Manager Liu was invited to a room to drink tea alone. The official in charge of questioning was an official wearing the uniform of a constable.
“Manager Liu, last night someone found a corpse in an inn in the northern part of the city. Someone familiar with the matter reported that it was a client of your Juyin Auction House. The item entrusted for auction was a piece of calligraphy by a master of the previous dynasty, named ‘Changsheng Tie’. Do you know this person’s specific identity?” The middle-aged man who looked like a constable asked.
‘Why did another client die? Haven’t I already helped her clear out the mole?’ Qi Huang was caught off guard and began to re-examine the matter, wondering if she had not eliminated all evil.
“Constable Peng, the ‘Changsheng Tie’ was indeed entrusted to our auction house for auction by someone, but I don’t know this person’s specific identity.” Manager Liu said neither servile nor overbearing. She placed her hands in front of her lower abdomen, standing with a dignified posture, so that her thin qipao-style long dress clung tightly to her delicate body, like a second skin, revealing her tall and hot curves without reservation.
“Really?” Constable Peng narrowed his eyes and retorted. His greedy gaze roamed over Liu Yingyue. If it weren’t for the advantage of his position, as a mere constable, he probably wouldn’t have had the chance to speak to such a rich lady in his life.
“Of course, it’s true. This isn’t the first time you’ve come to our auction house. You should know that we don’t ask for the client’s identity, so we usually just register a fake name.” Liu Yingyue said calmly.
“How can you be sure that it’s a fake name? What about the registered information? Show it to me?” Constable Peng insisted on asking.
“There’s no need, is there? I believe that no one in this world would be called ‘Son’, and it’s only these two words.” Liu Yingyue tried to persuade him.
“Son? You call him son, then what does he call you? Haha…” Constable Peng burst into laughter. Liu Yingyue’s calm expression finally faltered, and a blush appeared on her pretty face due to embarrassment and anger.
Qi Huang, who had been watching, was also speechless. She could only say that the guy died a deserved death. This was clearly to take advantage of Liu Yingyue.
“Cough, cough…” Constable Peng coughed twice, then said, “The world is full of wonders. Who knows if his name is really like that? Hurry up and show me the registered information.”
Liu Yingyue felt a little uncomfortable. She, the dignified ninth miss of the Liu family, would not have let such a small fry boss her around if it weren’t for the sake of vindicating her father. However, thinking of her father, she still managed to maintain her elegant demeanor and then instructed someone outside the door: “Xia Wei, bring the client registration book.” Xia Wei, who was outside the door, obeyed and quickly went to get the registration book.
During this time, Constable Peng’s eyes were also not idle. His lewd gaze kept scanning Liu Yingyue. This woman was not only the ninth miss of the Liu family, the foremost wealthy family in the Xihui Dynasty, but was also once known as the most beautiful woman in the Imperial Capital. She indeed looked tempting.
Liu Yingyue finally couldn’t stand it anymore, so she said with a cold face: “Constable Peng, it doesn’t seem appropriate for you to stare at a young lady like this, does it?”
“Manager Liu, please forgive me. It’s just that you are too beautiful, worthy of being called the most beautiful woman in the Imperial Capital.” Constable Peng said, with a straight face and a steady breath, and his expression did not show any intention of holding back. Liu Yingyue gritted her teeth, her high breasts heaving violently, but thinking that one should not fight with officials, she suppressed her anger.
A moment later, Xia Wei arrived with the registration book.
“It’s really called Son? No wonder their Juyin Auction House has people dying every few days. How could anyone dare to register their real name?” Constable Peng sneered after glancing at it.
“Constable Peng, you’ve seen the ledger now. Since the client is dead, that calligraphy naturally becomes a relic. Please take it with you. We still have an auction tonight.” Liu Yingyue, at the end of her patience, issued a farewell order. In her opinion, this Constable Peng was making things difficult for her, not because he wanted to embezzle the entrusted item, but because it had always been like this before.
“Manager Liu, this matter may not be so easily concluded, right? The murderer has not been found. How can your Juyin Auction House open its doors?” Constable Peng sneered.
“Constable Peng, I don’t understand what you mean. This person didn’t die in the Juyin Auction House. What does it have to do with us? Can’t we open for business if the murderer isn’t found?” Liu Yingyue asked in astonishment.
“The person really didn’t die in the Juyin Auction House, but your suspicion is the greatest, so you have a responsibility to cooperate with my investigation.” Constable Peng said.
“We are the most suspected? Are you kidding me? Why would we kill our own clients?” Liu Yingyue was so angry that she laughed.
“The reason is very simple. This kind of thing has happened many times in the Juyin Auction House. Who knows if you wanted to kill the client and then appropriate the auctioned items for yourselves? Anyway, as you said, these clients are unwilling to register their real information. Once they die, there won’t even be an heir. If our Yamen doesn’t investigate, then those things will belong to you, Manager Liu.” Constable Peng analyzed to himself, sitting with his legs crossed.
“Constable Peng, because of this ill-gotten wealth, your auction house has to close its doors every few days. Don’t you think it’s not worth the loss? Don’t think of me as so short-sighted!” Liu Yingyue tried her best to explain. Although her status was noble, she knew that a distant-water-well could not quench a near-fire, so it was better not to fall out easily.
“Whether Manager Liu is short-sighted is not something this constable needs to consider. You just need to cooperate with the investigation.” Constable Peng remained unmoved.
“You’re deliberately causing trouble, aren’t you? We’ve already released the news that there will be a very important auction today. If you don’t let us open, who will compensate for our loss of reputation?” Xia Wei angrily reprimanded, unable to bear it any longer.
“Is your auction house’s reputation more important, or is a human life more important?” Constable Peng’s face showed a sinister smile, and his butt seemed to be rooted to the chair.
“A mere constable, who gave you the courage? Believe it or not, I’ll throw you out?” Xia Wei rolled up her sleeves, ready to get rough.
“Daring to obstruct civil officials from performing their duties, then your auction house will never be able to open again.” Constable Peng said contemptuously.
“Don’t be impulsive!” Liu Yingyue quickly stopped her female guard. Her beautiful eyes moved slightly, and then she took a silver note from her pocket and discreetly handed it over, begging: “Constable Peng, please be merciful! Consider this as tea money for the brothers. Tonight’s auction is really important to us.”
Constable Peng took the silver note and found that it was fifty taels. He pocketed it without a sound and then shamelessly said: “Daring to bribe civil officials is a crime punishable by double, the illicit gains will be confiscated, and you will await the judgment of the law!”
“You are truly shameless!” Liu Yingyue said, dumbfounded.
“Well said! I was just looking for an opportunity to deal with you.” Constable Peng sneered and said to a subordinate next to him: “Go, seal the main door. This auction house will never be able to open again.”
“Oh my god, how can there be such a shameless person in this world!” Qi Huang’s blood pressure rose rapidly. She ignored everything else, walked directly to the door, and kicked it open rudely: “Open the door! Hurry up and open the door for your young master.”
