The official sneered and ordered the men behind him, "Take him back!"
Lin Qing was extremely anxious, struggling to get You Rong to release her, "If you're going to arrest someone, it should be me. The food in the kitchen... it was me..."
You Rong immediately interrupted Lin Qinghe, "Qinghe! You just arrived at the small tavern today and don't know anything! Don't speak carelessly, do you hear me!"
Lin Qinghe understood; You Rong didn't want her to be arrested along with him.
Seeing the worried look on You Rong's face, Lin Qinghe forced herself to calm down.
In fact, You Rong was doing the right thing. If both of them were arrested and locked in prison, who would investigate and clarify the matter!
The officials did not give You Rong and Lin Qinghe much time to speak, coldly stating, "Take the person back! The small tavern is temporarily sealed!"
"Yes, sir!"
You Rong was arrested by the yamen officials. The unconscious man was sent to the medical clinic, and the small tavern was temporarily sealed, with no one allowed to enter. A crowd of onlookers gathered around the small tavern.
Granny Li and Granny Zhang were worried.
"Qinghe, You Rong has been arrested. What are we going to do?"
"Yes... how could arsenic appear in the food from the kitchen? What on earth is going on..."
Lin Qinghe's eyes were sharp, and her lips were tightly pressed.
She didn't need to think! This must be someone deliberately framing them!
Lin Qinghe forced herself to calm down and ponder. She asked Granny Zhang and the newly hired waiters, "Did you see anyone suspicious enter the kitchen this morning?"
The several people looked at each other and shook their heads, saying, "No. Besides ourselves, we didn't see anyone enter the kitchen. Moreover, the small tavern had just opened, and there were hardly any customers. That unconscious man was the first customer of the day."
If they could confirm that no strangers entered the kitchen this morning, and all the food was made only after they arrived this morning, then how could it be poisoned?
Lin Qinghe was completely baffled.
However, the most important thing now was for Lin Qinghe to go to the medical clinic to check on the condition of the poisoned man.
Lin Qinghe said to Granny Zhang, "Granny Zhang, I might not be able to return today. Please relay a message to my mother for me, saying that You Rong and I are busy at the small tavern and might have to stay here for the next couple of days. Tell her not to worry."
Granny Zhang nodded, "You can rest assured, I will help you take good care of her."
"Mmm... then you all go back first. I'll go to the medical clinic to see how the person is."
With that, Lin Qinghe hurried to the medical clinic.
The unconscious man was sent to the medical clinic, and after being treated by the doctor, his life was out of danger, but he was still unconscious. As soon as Lin Qinghe arrived, she was stopped by the unconscious man's family demanding an explanation. After being pestered for a long time, she finally managed to break free. Sudan Novel Network.
After breaking free, Lin Qinghe went straight to the prison at the yamen. She took out a purse and stuffed it into the hands of the guard, flattering him, "Big brother, please do me a favor and make things convenient for me. I want to see my shopkeeper. He was just arrested today, his name is You Rong. Can I see him?"
"You Rong?" The prison guard's eyes lit up when he saw the purse Lin Qinghe handed over. When he heard it was You Rong, he immediately pushed the purse back and said rudely, "Go, go, go! You can't see him! The case has not yet been investigated, and this prisoner is suspected of murder, so no visitors are allowed!"
"No, big brother, please do me a favor and let me see him, even for a little while..."
Lin Qinghe gritted her teeth and gave the prison guard another ten taels. But he still insisted, "No! You can't see him! Hurry up and leave, or I'll arrest you and lock you up too. Go, go, go..."
Lin Qinghe was forcibly driven away. Standing outside, Lin Qinghe frowned, so worried she was going crazy.
I wonder how You Rong is doing in prison?
Lin Qinghe took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
If she wanted You Rong to be safe, she had to find the person who deliberately poisoned and framed them!
Lin Qinghe pondered for a moment and decided to return to the small tavern and secretly investigate the kitchen to see if she could find any clues.
When Lin Qinghe returned to the small tavern, it was already dark. It was the perfect time as there was no one around. She secretly peeled off the seal and went inside.
Lighting an oil lamp, she examined the kitchen. She tested the food repeatedly with the silver needles she had specially bought. The food was indeed poisoned, which puzzled her greatly.
Lin Qinghe pondered for a long time, her gaze suddenly fell on the water vat. A jolt went through her, and she quickly walked over with her silver needle.
As expected, when she put the silver needle into the water in the vat, it immediately turned black!
The poisoner had put the poison into the water vat. All the food needed water to be cooked, so all the food made had been poisoned!
The poisoner had likely sneaked in last night to poison the water!
The other party had left no clues that could be used to track him down. How could she find him?
Lin Qinghe immediately decided to go out and ask the nearby people if anyone had seen anyone lurking around the small tavern suspiciously last night.
Just as Lin Qinghe came out of the small tavern, closed the door, and reattached the seal, a slightly familiar voice came from behind her.
"Old Granny, is that you?"
Lin Qinghe turned around and was surprised, "Li San, why are you here?"
This was the person she had sent to the Xu Mansion to deliver Xu Yiyi's token last time. He also frequented the small tavern. Lin Qinghe remembered him. Since he had no home, she often let him stay at the dock and took special care of him. The unsold food was usually sent to him.
Li San looked anxious and said, "Old Granny, I heard the dockworkers talking about the small tavern incident, and I came to find you! I... I... last night I saw two people climb over the back courtyard wall of the small tavern and into the tavern. I remember those two people. A few days ago, at noon, a young servant brought them to the front of the small tavern. At that time, they kept glancing at the small tavern with ill intentions!"
Lin Qinghe heard this and eagerly asked, "Really? Did you really see them climb over the wall and into the small tavern last night? Who were they?"
"Yes, I really saw them. I thought they were going to steal something. I even wanted to remind you today to be careful. I didn't expect to hear about your small tavern's troubles as soon as I finished my work and got off the boat," Li San said. "Those two people are notorious idlers and gamblers in this area, Li Mazi and Wang Lao Er. They usually only do petty thievery!"
"Oh, right! The young servant who brought them a few days ago, I remember seeing him. That person seemed to have come to your small tavern with a rich master. Granny Zhang also mentioned that rich master, saying he was... he was... the Prefect's maternal uncle! Yes, that's it. She also said he was the shopkeeper of Zui Xiang Lou!"
As Li San finished speaking, Lin Qinghe's expression turned grim.
So, the person who poisoned and framed them was the shopkeeper of Zui Chun Lou!
He was jealous of the small tavern's booming business. After failing to buy the recipe from her, he resorted to such a despicable trick!