The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Live together 30

Editor: Atlas Studios

Xiao Liulang was escorted away by an errand boy from Huichun Hall before he had a chance to step foot in the bookstore. He went straight to Huichun Hall to procure medicine, and everyone at the hall could serve as witnesses to his whereabouts, so naturally no one suspected him.

Gu Dashun, however, was a different story. Someone had seen him on the second floor, right where the victim’s room was located.

The victim had happened to be away at that time, and Gu Dashun was the only one on the second floor.

Those who have visited the bookstore knew that the second floor, aside from office rooms, contained guest rooms reserved for the elite and were not open to ordinary folks. In theory, a poor scholar like Gu Dashun should not have been on the second floor at all.

Gu Dashun cried out in innocence, “An old man asked me to fetch some books for him upstairs! He said he wanted to discuss poetry and philosophy with me!”

As an ambitious scholar, Gu Dashun had long understood that his status as a provincial graduate could bring many opportunities for him in the future. Some people might even seek to befriend him, so he didn’t suspect anything at the time.

“Who is the old man you’re talking about? Call him out!” said someone in the bookstore.

Panicking, Gu Dashun said, “He was not there when I went upstairs!”

“Has any of you… seen this old man?” the speaker in the bookstore asked the crowd.

Everyone shook their heads.

They had only noticed Gu Dashun because he was wearing a Tianxiang Academy uniform, making him stand out wherever he was.

As it happened, Gu Dashun’s conversation with the old man had occurred right on his way to the restroom, an unobserved area.

Therefore, the crowd only saw Gu Dashun carrying books up to the second floor. They didn’t see anyone inviting Gu Dashun up there.

Now, this was really getting on his nerves.

The victim’s boy servant said, “I can’t believe someone from Tianxiang Academy would do such a rotten thing. Some very valuable items were in my young master’s package. If you took the silver ticket, my master won’t blame you, but you must return that letter! Or we’ll report it to the authorities!”

Wrongly accused, Gu Dashun’s only hope was to find that old man. However, it was as if the man had just vanished into thin air.

Seizing upon an idea, Gu Dashun argued, “If I stole something, where’s the stolen goods? It’s not like I could’ve eaten them!”

The chief constable squinted, “Search his house!”

Gu Dashun did not worry about the search at all. He was innocent and he knew that they would find nothing incriminating, even if they turned his house upside down!

However, it turned out to be a slap in his face.

When the constables invaded the Gu residence, Zhou and Liao just got home and were in the backyard burying the silver.

Quickly, the constables recognized the bag of silver as the one the victim had lost.

In Gu Jiao’s dream, Xiao Liulang deduced from the footprints in the backyard and on the exterior wall that the culprit had climbed through the window and acted alone, was about six feet tall, and had a slightly lame left foot. But it was not a severe impediment, for he could climb two-story walls. The thief also had some skills.

The residue in some footprints at the crime scene was a fine mix of lime and sandalwood, a characteristic of the sandstone road in the casino and was used originally for warding off evil.

Therefore, the thief must be either a gambler or a casino frequenter who would eventually bring the stolen silver to the gambling houses near the marketplace.

Gu Jiao only needed to stake out the necessary path to the marketplace.

Unfortunately, Gu Dashun was not Xiao Liulang. He couldn’t solve the case or prove his own innocence and could only watch as he, along with Zhou and Liao, were taken to jail.

“Oh my.” In the account room of Huichun Hall, the second proprietor was sipping tea leisurely, looking rather pleased with himself.

Shopkeeper Wang cast him a sidelong glance and said, “Are you happy about getting someone into trouble?”

Indeed, the second proprietor was the mysterious old man who had lured Gu Dashun to the second floor.

“Did you see Gu Dashun when you were at the bookstore?” asked the Dean. _{freewebnovel.cσ๓}