Luan Wencheng began his search with Sangji's estimated fall location as the center, expanding the radius from three to five, then eight kilometers. He finally found the second missing Qingli Division envoy. Unfortunately, this one didn't have Sangji's luck and had fallen to the ground, his features unrecognizable.
It was impossible to tell who it was.
They placed the body on a cart, sent one person back with it, and the rest continued their search, radiating outwards.
About a kilometer from the body, they found the third Qingli Division envoy, the second corpse. This person was slightly better off than the previous one. Upon landing, they were partially shielded by the surrounding tree canopy. Their face and body were scratched by branches, some wounds deep enough to reveal bone. Fortunately, their head was not crushed, and from the facial contours, their original appearance could still be discerned.
Judging by the scene, they were bound to their horses when they were thrown from the cliff. Some were lucky, with their horses acting as a cushion, thus preserving their heads despite the fall from such a height. Others were less fortunate and became the horses' cushions.
Here, one had to marvel once again at Sangji's good fortune.
When he fell into the stream, the horse beneath him must have acted as a cushion, preventing his head from being crushed. The ropes binding him and the horse were severed as he sank into the water, allowing him to float to the surface.
If his luck had been even slightly worse, the horse would have dragged him underwater, and he would have drowned even if he hadn't been killed by the fall.
The search continued until dusk. In total, only five bodies were found. This meant, including the alive Sangji, a total of six Qingli Division envoys were accounted for. Two of the bodies had heads smashed like watermelons, making their identities impossible to determine. However, judging by their Qingli Division envoy official uniforms, the one person not found was indeed Feng Quan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice's official uniform was largely similar to that of a Qingli Division envoy. The only difference was that the Vice Minister's uniform had an additional black stripe, as thick as a thumb, on the cuffs and collar.
Furthermore, according to Sangji, at the time, he and Feng Quan had worn their Qingli Division envoy uniforms inside out. All five bodies found were wearing their uniforms the correct way.
"Feng Quan?"
Nan Shiying remembered him. It was he who, after faking his death in Zoucheng, had immediately led the Ministry of Justice's men to apprehend her. It was also he whom that simple-minded fellow with the thick eyebrows had mistaken for her and imprisoned in the imperial jail.
Nan Shiying never expected to hear his name again under such circumstances.
Nan Shiying rubbed her chin and asked, "Could it be a trick to substitute the beams and pillars?"
Luan Wencheng glanced at the Prince. Seeing that the Prince appeared to be letting things take their course, he suppressed his doubts and shook his head. "Although Sangji cannot stand and identify them, there are quite a few people from the Ministry of Justice in the search team. The two Qingli Division envoys whose appearances could not be determined had clear calluses on the inner side of their left index finger and thumb, indicating they were left-handed swordsmen. The other had an old injury on his waist. Their identities are easily identifiable."
"So, the person not found is indeed Feng Quan?"
"Yes!"
Luan Wencheng nodded affirmatively.
"What kind of person is Feng Quan?" Nan Shiying asked Luan Wencheng.
Luan Wencheng belonged to the Dali Temple, and he had no dealings with the officials of the Ministry of Justice. It seemed the Ministry of Justice also preferred not to have too many dealings with the Dali Temple. Thus, Nan Shiying had asked the wrong person.
"I don't know him very well," Luan Wencheng replied truthfully.
Nan Shiying felt she had asked a foolish question. It would have been better to ask Sangji.
Hearing that only Brother Feng was still missing, Sangji felt a mixture of worry and relief. He could only pray that heaven would extend the same kindness to him and allow Brother Feng to escape danger.
"Brother Feng is a man of great responsibility. He..."
From Sangji's words, Feng Quan was upright, generous, righteous, and bore responsibilities with great resolve. He was an uncommon superior and elder brother.
Nan Shiying's first impression of Feng Quan was his stubbornness!
However, this was not what she wanted to hear. "How much do you know about his background?"
Sangji pursed his lips. He had indeed heard some things about Brother Feng, but they involved personal matters, and he was reluctant to speak of them.
"Speak, if you still wish to save him!"
Sangji understood her meaning. It seemed she did not believe Brother Feng was a spy but rather thought the other party had ulterior motives for capturing him.
After a moment of silence, he said, "I heard that Brother Feng was specially recruited into the Ministry of Justice because he was raised by an old man from the underground black market. By identity, he was considered unregistered. So, when the Regent led the troops..." Sangji started to say that the Regent led the troops to flatten the Ministry of Justice, but halfway through, he realized that the culprit of this incident was standing right in front of him. He glanced at Feng Luan, who looked as harmless as ever, then at the stern-faced Regent, and immediately swallowed his words, giving up on the narration. "After that incident, Brother Feng's status changed from hidden to known, and he was specially pardoned by His Majesty and personally appointed as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice."
Nan Shiying turned and looked at Ji Jinmo.
From Sangji's words, she extracted the four most crucial words: underground black market!
Was this the reason they had abducted Feng Quan and thrown the six drugged individuals off the cliff to cover it up?
If Sangji hadn't been lucky enough to fall into the stream and be washed to Siping Village, it would have been difficult for them to discover the bodies of these Qingli Division envoys. Even if they had found them, the other party's objective might have already been achieved.
Nan Shiying stood up and patted Sangji's shoulder. "Rest well and recover!"
As she finished speaking, she turned and walked out.
Nan Shiying intended to gain a temporal advantage. Before the news of finding these Qingli Division envoys spread, she would go to the black market to find the old man who raised Feng Quan.
Ji Jinmo and Nan Shiying got into the carriage. Thirteen carriages sped off, their wheels kicking up the mud. Dust flew as they raced away, leaving everyone else behind. Despite the speed, the carriages showed no signs of bouncing; the shock-absorbing equipment installed on them had mitigated most of the impact.
Luan Wencheng only saw the flying dust and the retreating backs of the carriages as they were about to disappear into the muddy ground.
So hurried?
Could it be that they had discovered something?
Luan Wencheng looked at the simple tiled house. Sangji's voice could be heard calling from the gap in the door.
Luan Wencheng pushed the door open. Sangji asked, "Did the Prince leave?"
Luan Wencheng nodded.
Sangji then asked, "When will you return to the capital?"
"Immediately!"
Luan Wencheng had not intended to rush, but he had changed his mind. Even if the Prince had nothing to do with this matter, as the person primarily responsible for investigating it, he could not fall too far behind.