She was replaced by a husband, married the future tyrant and farmed to fight back

Chapter 171 Dealing with the Search
After leaving the inn, Liu Yingyue went straight to the county government office.

According to the introduction, Magistrate Xu would host a banquet in the backyard of the county government office with a governor and several commissioners from the prefectural government office.

Liu Yingyue rented a carriage and came to the back house of County Magistrate Xu.

After paying the fare and sending the driver away, she put her ear to the back door and eavesdropped.

Logically, since she arrived late, there should be some music at this time, but why was the backyard so quiet?
Just as he was wondering, he heard a cry of surprise from inside, "The county magistrate has been shot by an arrow!"

Then, many people shouted together, "Catch the assassin!"

Liu Yingyue glanced at the back door, squinted her eyes, and climbed into the courtyard wall of a house across the alley.

The door of this family's house was closed, there was a lot of weeds growing in the cracks between the bricks in the yard, and there were spider webs hanging in the corners of the wall. It was obvious that no one had lived in this house for a long time.

Liu Yingyue pushed an old wheelbarrow to the wall, stepped on it and looked towards the house of County Magistrate Xu opposite.

As soon as she showed her head, she saw a masked man in black, covering his left shoulder, jumping down from the roof of County Magistrate Xu's house and running away along the alley.

Afterwards, many yamen runners pushed open the back door and started to search in all directions.

Liu Yingyue narrowed her eyes. Why did the figure of that person just now look so much like Qin Yiran?
Something happened to County Magistrate Xu. As a woman, she dressed up as a man and hid nearby. If she was discovered, she would be in a lot of trouble.

Liu Yingyue climbed over the wall of another house and left quietly.

She walked through the alley, rented a carriage and returned to the inn.

On the first floor of the inn, a few drinkers were chatting.

The shopkeeper was counting the bills, two waiters were listening to the customers gossiping, and one waiter was talking to the kitchen assistant who was wiping the tables, talking and laughing.

A peaceful atmosphere.

Apparently, the news of Magistrate Xu's assassination had not yet reached here.

Liu Yingyue opened her fan and walked upstairs.

When the waiter noticed that it was an acquaintance who came back, he just glanced at him, said hello, and continued chatting or listening to gossip.

Before returning to the guest room upstairs, she knocked on the door. Hongzhu quickly opened the door and let out a long sigh when she saw her coming back. "You're finally back. It's okay."

Liu Yingyue looked around the room, then looked behind her and quickly closed the door. "What do you mean?"

Liu Yingyue went behind the screen to change her clothes.

"Mr. Qin hasn't come back yet, but you came back first. He doesn't know you went out. Isn't that good?" Hongzhu said with a smile as she collected her clothes.

Liu Yingyue was changing clothes while listening to the noise downstairs.

When she changed her clothes, the downstairs was still quiet.

She opened the window again and found the street unusually quiet.

Liu Yingyue frowned slightly. Why was the bailiff so slow to react?
Then I thought, slow reaction is probably a good thing, because then I won’t be able to catch the assassin.

Liu Yingyue walked out from behind the screen and asked for a cup of tea.

After just two sips, I heard a commotion downstairs. Someone shouted, "Call all the people staying in the hotel to come out and search!"

Hongzhu was shocked. "Madam Ying, what...what happened?"

"Is it the county government catching a thief? It happens all the time. We are not thieves, so there is no need to be afraid." Liu Yingyue put down the teacup and patted Hongzhu on the shoulder. "Let's go and stand outside to let them check."

Seeing her calm expression, Hongzhu felt a little calmer as well.

The two men stood in the corridor in front of the room, watching the yamen runners downstairs interrogating the guests who were drinking and chatting and the innkeeper and his waiters. Three yamen runners went upstairs and searched every room.

Someone was sleeping and was kicked out in just the clothes.

Some people were taking a shower, wrapped only in clothes with wet hair, but they were also driven out and searched.

The atmosphere was tense, and Hongzhu was so frightened that she dared not breathe. "Usually they check men, and we are women, so nothing will happen to us. Don't be afraid." Liu Yingyue said.

"But Dalangjun is a man." Hongzhu said with a frown.

Liu Yingyue glanced at her and said, "The eldest son has gone to a friend's house for a drink. If they want to investigate, they will investigate there. We only have two women here, what are we afraid of?"

Hongzhu exhaled, "Okay."

Soon, three yamen runners came to search the place.

Liu Yingyue and Hongzhu’s clients are at the end of the corridor.

After asking around their house, if you still can't find anyone, you'll have to go somewhere else.

The bailiffs shook out the registration books in their hands, looked at them, and asked, "Three people live in two rooms. Where is the other man?"

"He was invited out for a drink by his friends." Liu Yingyue said.

"Where are we going to have a drink?" asked the first yamen runner.

Hongzhu was so scared that she dared not speak.

Liu Yingyue sighed, "I want to know where my husband went to have a drink. You ask me, but who should I ask? You left me here and just went on to have fun..."

"Yingyue?" A voice suddenly came.

Liu Yingyue looked up and saw Qin Yiran coming towards her.

However, his face was a little pale, and his steps were not as easy and agile as before, but staggering.

From a distance, I could still smell a slight scent of alcohol on him.

However, there was a faint smell of blood mixed with the alcohol.

He was using drunkenness to cover up his injury.

Liu Yingyue walked over from the three yamen runners and supported him, "You've drunk too much again, haven't you? Really, you smell like alcohol."

As he said this, he twisted his shoulder angrily.

They looked like a young couple flirting with each other.

The leading yamen runner walked towards Qin Yiran, "What's your name? Which village are you from? What are you doing in the county town?"

"We are originally from Yangliu Village, Jinshan Township. My surname is Qin, and this is my wife, Liu. We now live in Gaojia Village, Yinshan Township. My wife is the sworn sister of County Magistrate Zhou's wife. Yesterday, entrusted by Mrs. Zhou's father, Mr. Liu, I came to the county town to visit County Magistrate Zhou's wife. Today, Mrs. Zhou arranged for her brothers to treat me to a drink." Qin Yiran said.

As he spoke, he took out a letter written by County Magistrate Zhou to Mr. Liu.

"This is a handwritten letter from County Magistrate Zhou, asking me to take it back to the village and give it to Mr. Liu, asking his father-in-law to send someone to the village to buy some animal skins as a New Year gift."

Of course, the yamen runners recognized County Magistrate Zhou's notes.

When they heard that he was a relative of County Magistrate Zhou, they dared not question him any further.

The three of them bowed to Qin Yiran and Liu Yingyue together, "It turns out to be Mr. Qin, we were rude just now."

"You are just doing your routine work." Qin Yiran nodded, then nodded to Hongzhu, "Go and get a hundred bucks to buy wine for the three officials. They have worked hard."

Hongzhu was frightened just now, but she didn't expect Qin Yiran to settle the matter so quickly. She was relieved and said, "Yes, Mr. Dalang."

After the money was brought, the three yamen runners took the money, thanked them, and went to investigate elsewhere.

After Liu Yingyue helped Qin Yiran into the house and sat down, she said to Hongzhu in a deep voice, "Hongzhu, go back to your room and rest. I have something to discuss with Dalangjun."

"Yes, Madam Ying." Hongzhu left and closed the door.

Liu Yingyue tore open Qin Yiran's coat and saw the wound on his left shoulder.