Chapter 33 Official Silver Clues
After leaving the banquet hosted for Fang Qian, Zhao Ji rode his horse to the governor's mansion.

As soon as he entered the hall of the governor's mansion, he saw Qiao Tai sitting on the governor's throne and giving orders.

"Brother Qiao is so impressive." Zhao Ji said jokingly.

When Qiao Tai saw Zhao Ji coming to see him again, he felt a little overwhelmed.

"General Zhao, why are you here again?"

Zhao Ji didn't say anything at first, but gave Qiao Tai a look.

Qiao Tai immediately understood and ordered the officials and runners in the hall, "You all go down first."

Afterwards, Zhao Ji went straight into the back hall without waiting for Qiao Tai to move.

Qiao Tai had no choice but to roll his eyes and follow him in. The two of them sat down.

"Tell me, what's going on? Why is it so mysterious?" Qiao Tai asked after taking a sip of tea.

"I have something I'd like to ask Brother Qiao for help." Zhao Ji stared at Qiao Tai and said.

Upon hearing what Zhao Ji said, Qiao Tai spat out a mouthful of tea.

"Ahem," Qiao Tai hurriedly wiped the tea, "General Zhao, why do you need help again? You order me around, even more diligently than Lord Di does."

Seeing Qiao Tai having a headache, Zhao Ji was not surprised: "Why are you so anxious? I'm asking you for help for your own good."

"Just take it as it is. What do you want me to do this time?" Qiao Tai looked like he had no idea what to do with Zhao Ji.

When it comes to business, Zhao Ji immediately puts on a serious expression.

"Find me a few people who have been in the governor's mansion for a long time and are familiar with the doormen, stewards, or clerks of the governor's mansion. I want to ask you something."

Qiao Tai nodded and said, "This is not difficult. I was interrogating Guan Yin about his disappearance and found two people. I'll send someone to call them over for you."

A moment later, the bailiff came in with two men who looked like servants.

"Haven't you met General Zhao yet!" Qiao Tai shouted at the two men.

Zhao Ji raised his hand to stop him: "No need. I just ask a few questions, you just need to answer truthfully."

The two looked at each other, bowed and said, "I will tell the truth."

"How long have you been in the governor's mansion? What have you been doing?" Zhao Ji asked.

One of the thin old men said, "I have been here for four years and have been the concierge."

Another sturdy young man said, "I have been in the governor's mansion for three years, doing odd jobs."

Zhao Ji nodded and asked again: "When was the secret passage in the governor's mansion dug? Do you know?"

The two servants immediately looked bitter and frightened: "General, we really don't know anything about the secret passage."

Qiao Tai said awkwardly, "I have already questioned them about this before. They should be unaware of it."

Zhao Ji did not comment on what he said, and then asked, "Then, has the Governor's Mansion been transporting a large amount of soil out for a period of time?"

The servant shook his head and said he had never seen it.

The old doorman seemed to be thinking about something, and said, "I seem to remember that about a year ago, large carts started leaving from the side door at night. The carts were covered with sackcloth, and I don't know what was inside."

"When it was daytime, we could see a lot of dried dirt on the side door, as if it had been spilled from a car."

Zhao Ji heard the old doorman's description and nodded: "Let me ask you again, when was the second hall of the governor's mansion moved to the side of the silver vault?"

"Well, it was about a year ago." The old doorman thought for a while and said.

The servant nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: "Yes, yes, it was the second hall that was built more than a year ago, and the corridor was built after that." Zhao Ji's eyes flashed with a strange look when he heard this: "So, the second hall was built during the time when there were large carts at night?"

The old doorman shook his head and said, "Uh, no, it seems that only after the second hall was almost finished, did the big cars go out at night."

Hearing this, Zhao Ji had already obtained the information he wanted.

He dismissed the two servants: "Good, very good. You can go down."

The two servants retreated.

After the two left, Qiao Tai asked, "Did the general think of something?"

Zhao Ji did not hide the truth from Qiao Tai and said frankly, "I have already found out when the secret passage in the governor's mansion was dug, and I also know when the official silver was stolen."

"Oh? I'd like to hear more about it." Qiao Tai asked curiously.

Zhao Ji smiled slightly: "Fang Qian rebuilt the second hall near the silver vault in order to hide the secret passage leading to the silver vault from the second hall."

"He wouldn't be stupid enough to dig a big hole in broad daylight and find the silver vault. So the secret passage was dug after the second hall was roughly repaired."

"The soil dug out from the secret passage will be transported out of the Governor's Mansion at night using a large cart to conceal it from anyone."

Qiao Tai suddenly realized: "Yes, the gatekeeper said that the soil-carrying truck appeared at night after the second hall was almost repaired. The time is right."

"What about the government silver? Did they start stealing it as soon as they built the secret passage?"

Qiao Tai was obviously more concerned about the theft of official silver. After all, this was the task assigned to him by Di Renjie.

"The fake Fang Qian started stealing government silver about a year to a year and a half ago," Zhao Ji judged.

"My Lord and I once went to Daliushu Village for a secret visit. Villager Zhang Laosi said that more than two years ago, the Turks broke through Youzhou City and the villagers were abducted. Afterwards, the government troops fought back."

"Those villagers were considered traitors and were imprisoned for half a year. Later, His Majesty issued a general amnesty and released them, and gave them compensation. But you and I both know that the compensation was embezzled by the fake Fang Qian."

Qiao Tai nodded and confirmed the matter about the Turks and the compensation money: "Yes, there is such a thing, but what does it have to do with the theft of official silver?"

Zhao Ji replied: "The reason why the rebels took the risk to embezzle the compensation funds and misappropriate the government silver shows that they have some unspeakable secrets that require a huge amount of money."

"Combined with the dates of the excavation of the second hall and the secret passage, we can roughly infer that the time when the consolation money was embezzled was roughly the time when the official silver began to be stolen."

Qiao Tai listened to Zhao Ji's analysis and nodded repeatedly, but then he asked in confusion:
"General, your analysis is correct, but even if we know when the official silver was lost, we can't find it back."

Zhao Ji suggested: "You can think in a different way. As long as you can find the whereabouts of the consolation money, you will naturally find the lost official silver. The rebels probably kept these two sums of money in the same place."

Qiao Tai was speechless: "Well, it would be better to just look for the whereabouts of the official silver."

Zhao Ji smiled and said, "I haven't finished yet. Before Zhao Chuanchen died, he said that he deposited the compensation money in a place with the word "天" in it. You can follow this clue to trace it."

"It's still the scope that Elder Di mentioned. If we investigate all the banks and money houses in Youzhou one by one, we will eventually find a result."

"Also, the rebels won't just let the money rot in their hands. If you keep an eye on the commodity transactions in Youzhou City, you might be able to find some clues."

Zhao Ji had said this, and Qiao Tai had an idea in his mind: "The scope is much smaller now. I think it won't take long to recover the government silver."

"Don't be too anxious. Once you find the trace of the official silver, don't act rashly to avoid alerting the enemy." Zhao Ji warned.

"Don't worry. If I find any clues, I will consult the general first." Qiao Tai said solemnly.

"That's not necessary. You can just report to the master. I have something else to do, so I won't stay any longer."

After Zhao Ji stood up and said goodbye and gave Qiao Tai some advice, it was time for him to go and discuss the matter of Zhen Fangqian with Di Renjie.

(End of this chapter)