Chef Hua
Chapter 438: Episode 241: The Crisis of the Escort Agency

Chapter 438: Episode 241: The Crisis of the Escort Agency

Early in the morning, the sky was already a dim yellow, not as if it was about to rain, but filled with an endless sense of oppressiveness.

One by one, the households in the neighborhood began to stir, as it was the season to harvest the winter wheat. The men had to busy themselves in the fields, requiring an extra hustle to prepare the morning meal. The clatter of pots and pans was incessant, a typically joyous domestic cacophony, but it now sounded grating.

Dazhong was dead... Hua Xiaomai could never have imagined that this was the news Meng Yuhuai would bring back.

The feeling was entirely different from when she found out about Hua Dashan’s death from Hua Erniang.

She and Hua Dashan were siblings in name, but in reality, she had never even met him, let alone had any affection for him. Considering Hua Erniang’s descriptions of her so-called brother as someone who bullied his own sister and was no better than a beast, could she be expected to feel anything?

However, Dazhong was the person she knew best at Lianshun Escort Agency, other than Ke Zhenwu. He was cheerful and warm, good at cracking jokes, and had mooched countless meals off her. He never spared any effort when help was needed, and whenever Hua Xiaomai occasionally visited the Escort Agency and it happened to get late, while Meng Yuhuai was not there, Ke Zhenwu would always send Dazhong to escort her back to the village.

He was so close with Meng Yuhuai, and in Hua Xiaomai’s heart, he was a friend. This sudden loss... How could she cope with it?

Her nose felt sore, and her eyes welled up with tears. She really wanted to cry her heart out. But knowing that Meng Yuhuai was probably feeling even worse, and not wanting him to comfort her in turn, she held back as hard as she could, her voice trembling, "Last night..."

"It happened near the alley by the Yao Family’s place," Meng Yuhuai nodded hastily, "I led a search around there for a long time last night, and then we looked all over the County, but found nothing. I know that after an hour or two, if those thieves weren’t too foolish, they would never stay in the same place waiting to be caught. This morning, I’ve already sent Han Hu with others to search the mountains outside of town—but once they’re out of Fuzhe County’s gates, the world is vast. The Escort Agency in all has only about a dozen people, heh..."

He always kept his composure, but when he hugged Hua Xiaomai and cried on her shoulder, it was because he had been holding in too much pain all night. This was an extraordinary indulgence for him. By now, he had gathered all his tears and deliberately steered the conversation away from Dazhong, although his face still looked ashen.

The more he behaved like this, the more it pained Hua Xiaomai. Not daring to mention "Dazhong" again, she bowed her head and gripped his hand, murmuring, "Have you already informed Uncle Ke? I think this matter might be rather tricky, especially with Magistrate Tao on that side... I fear it won’t be easy to explain..."

These were precisely the two issues that worried Meng Yuhuai the most. Hearing her bring them up, he revealed a wry smile, "Perhaps it’s due to the recent heat, Uncle Ke’s illness has recurred. I originally didn’t want to trouble him, but no matter what, he is the rightful owner of the Lianshun Escort Agency, and it cannot be kept from him; besides, it wouldn’t stay hidden anyway. Once I return to the County, I will pay him a visit. As for Magistrate Tao..."

He stopped speaking and slowly shook his head.

If the person who went missing was just an ordinary servant, it wouldn’t be much of an issue, but it had to be a Warehouse Guard concerned with the Money Vault under countless watchful eyes, where not even the slightest mistake could be overlooked.

If it hadn’t been for the loss of life, it might have been possible to quietly search for the missing party, but now, the news that "an Escort Master protecting the vault had died" had spread throughout the streets and alleys of Fuzhe County overnight. One false step could invite trouble.

"I reckon Magistrate Tao would rather the Warehouse Guard never comes back, but he also has to hope for his return," Meng Yuhuai whispered, frowning deeply.

Hua Xiaomai didn’t understand at first, but following his train of thought, she gradually grasped the implication.

For Magistrate Tao, if the Warehouse Guard was dead, the matter would be straightforward. His death would close the case; afterwards, it would simply be a matter of sending more men to hunt down the thieves. But if he returned unscathed, and later caused any losses to the Money Vault...

As for the "must hope for his return" part, it was even easier to explain. In the end, it was because everyone was watching. Magistrate Tao had been serving in Fuzhe County for nearly three years, always presenting himself as a diligent and loving official, clear as water, with such a successfully cultivated image, why would he easily allow a blemish?