Actually, when Jin Feng learned that Tang Xiaobei was not kidnapped by the Zhou family, he had already suspected that someone might be targeting the soap.
Now hearing the physician say this, Jin Feng was even more certain of it.
“Mr. Jin, I do not know how much you are willing to pay for this information?”
The physician asked, his face flushed.
Jin Feng glanced at the physician and held up three fingers. “Thirty taels!”
“F… five hundred taels!”
The physician raised his palm and said, “I have already examined it. There are no precious medicinal ingredients in the soap at all. If you do not give me five hundred taels, I… I will spread this news!”
“Mr. Wei, are you threatening me?”
Jin Feng’s tone turned cold.
The recent events had already built up a fire in his heart, and the physician had run straight into the muzzle.
Da Liu was also ready. As soon as Jin Feng gave the order, he would throw the physician out.
“No… I… I really need the money…”
The physician was probably threatening someone for the first time and was clearly inexperienced. He was immediately overwhelmed by Jin Feng’s momentum and became incoherent.
“Whether you need money or not has nothing to do with me.”
Jin Feng said, “Just thirty taels of silver. If you are willing to tell, then tell. If not, forget it. As for the soap matter, say it to whoever you want. I cannot control that.”
Besides him, no one in Da Kang even knew how to use caustic soda. So what if others knew there were no precious medicinal ingredients in the soap?
If they wanted soap, they could only buy it from him.
At worst, he could change locations and continue to deceive… continue to sell.
“Thirty taels is too little… one hundred taels!”
The physician tried to negotiate further.
“Mr. Wei, if you do not want to say it, then forget it.”
Jin Feng’s mind was not on this, and he was already somewhat impatient.
There must be many people interested in soap. He was willing to pay thirty taels because he thought the person the physician mentioned might be related to the mastermind behind Tang Xiaobei’s kidnapping.
Otherwise, he would not even pay three taels.
“Thirty taels it is then.”
The physician sighed. “It is Young Master Wen Yuan.”
“It is him?!”
Da Liu’s eyes widened instantly, both surprised and regretful. “How did I not think of him?”
“Who is Young Master Wen Yuan?”
When Da Liu explained the situation earlier, he only mentioned that Tang Xiaobei had a conflict with Zhou Dewu, the third young master of the Zhou family, but he did not mention Zhou Wen Yuan. This was the first time Jin Feng had heard this name.
“Zhou Changlin once brought him to find Miss Xiaobei to buy soap. He is said to be from the Zhou family in the capital. Miss Xiaobei did not agree.”
Da Liu said, “Later, when Miss Xiaobei went to Chunfeng Tower to find Sister Ting, she encountered him again. He invited Miss Xiaobei for tea, but she refused. Because of that, Zhou Dewu provoked Miss Xiaobei.
This physician did not mention it, so I did not think of it. His guard is a tall and burly man, even more robust than Tie Chui.”
“Why did you not mention such an important clue before?”
If there were no outsiders present, Jin Feng would definitely kick Da Liu a few times.
This guy’s observation skills were too dull.
“I will settle accounts with you later!”
Jin Feng pointed at Da Liu, took out a thirty-tael silver note, and handed it to the physician.
While speaking, a few more veteran soldiers and female soldiers arrived from various places.
The county city was still quite large. The signal arrow fired by Houzi at the east city gate could not be heard in the west city.
The Zhao family inn was located in the center of the county city, so when Jin Feng heard the signal arrow from the east gate and fired another one, it was to summon the veteran soldiers and female soldiers searching for tall individuals on the west city streets.
Adding Da Liu and the others, more than a dozen people had now gathered. Jin Feng could not wait any longer, instructed Tang Dongdong, and led these people straight to the east city gate.
It was almost noon by now, and with the city sealed for several days, the streets were full of commoners out buying vegetables. The warhorses could not run at all.
Near the city gate, it was impossible to ride forward.
There were already many people preparing to leave the city, but because of the battle at the gate, they were all scared and running back.
Jin Feng and the others had no choice but to dismount and lead their warhorses forward step by step against the flow of people.
By the time they finally arrived at the city gate with great difficulty, the battle had long ended. The city gate passage was left with nothing but corpses on the ground.
“That opponent was truly ruthless. Not even a single survivor!”
A Mei examined the corpses. “Basically all killed with one strike!”
“This Zhou Wen Yuan is too arrogant, is he not?” Qing Mulam gasped. “A Mei, is he the legitimate grandson of Duke Zhou?”
Her brother was the governor of Xichuan, and Qing Mulam did not go to the capital often, so she did not know many of the capital’s playboys.
“No, among Duke Zhou’s legitimate grandsons, there is no Zhou Wen Yuan.”
A Mei shook her head.
“Then he dares to kill the city-guarding mansion soldiers. Does he not want to live?”
Qing Mulam was furious. “If I catch him, I will slaughter him!”
Guangyuan County was under her brother’s jurisdiction, and Zhou Wen Yuan doing this was clearly slapping her brother’s face.
Jin Feng also frowned slightly.
He had seen more bloody scenes, but those were against invading enemies and bandits.
The corpses in front of him were mansion soldiers, regular troops paid by the court.
The opponent could not possibly not understand this, yet still struck so ruthlessly, clearly not taking the mansion soldiers seriously.
From Qing Mulam’s tone, it proved this point.
She was surprised not that the opponent dared to kill mansion soldiers, but that he was not Duke Zhou’s legitimate grandson.
Qing Mulam was usually carefree and did not fuss over things. She even often teased Xiao E on purpose, almost making Jin Feng forget one fact.
She was also from a noble military family, and her stance was still on the side of the nobles.
Perhaps in Qing Mulam’s view, if the opponent were the duke’s legitimate grandson, killing a few mansion soldiers might be reasonable.
If even a playboy dared to act like this, how much more so their fathers, those high officials with real power? Would they not be utterly audacious?
“Who was guarding this city gate?”
Jin Feng asked coldly.
“It was Houzi!” Da Liu’s expression changed. “Where is Houzi?”
“Here!”
A female soldier lifted an overturned stall, revealing Houzi lying inside.
Houzi could no longer get up at this point.
Seeing the female soldier about to pull Houzi up, Jin Feng quickly ran over to stop her.
“His ribs may have been kicked and broken. If you pull him up and the broken bones pierce his organs, he will not be savable.”
Jin Feng stopped the female soldier, squatted beside Houzi, and asked, “How do you feel?”
While asking, he undid Houzi’s clothes.
Sure enough, the right side of his chest was bulging, clearly propped up by broken bones.
“It’s nothing… I will not die yet…”
Houzi spat out a mouthful of blood and said, “Sir, the one who acted was Zhou Wen Yuan’s guard… A Mei was right… His leg skills are too formidable… I was useless, could not last three moves… But I shot that young master with an arrow…”
“Do not speak. You did very well. Leave the rest to me. I will definitely catch them!”
Jin Feng turned to the female soldier who found Houzi and said, “You stay to take care of Houzi. Find the best physician in the county city. Right, the one we just met at the inn.”
He did not know much medicine, only some common knowledge. Houzi could still say so much, and his breathing had no abnormal sounds, so he should not die.
“Yes!”
The female soldier nodded in agreement.
“Rest well and recover!”
Jin Feng gently patted Houzi’s shoulder, stood up, and said coldly, “Pursue!”
