Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 640 - 476: The Person Behind the Scenes

Gu Wanfang shook his head, "Haven’t seen it, he wouldn’t talk to me about this."

Gu Chengyu frowned, not expecting Gu Wanfang to know so little.

"You are with him all day, did he leave the inn during the daytime? Who came to see him? Try to recall clearly."

Gu Chengyu felt that if Gu Changbai had arranged a meeting place with someone, his people couldn’t possibly not know.

The most likely is at the inn, Gu Wanfang lived next door to Gu Changbai, so if someone came to see him, Gu Wanfang should’ve noticed.

"My father doesn’t often leave the inn, sometimes not even once a day. He often comes to my room to talk with me or urges me to study. Haven’t seen him interact with strangers."

Gu Wanfang was a bit embarrassed, he really didn’t know much, feeling that possibly what he said wasn’t helpful to Little Uncle.

"Has anyone come to your father’s room these past two days, did he go out?"

Gu Chengyu had lowered his expectations as Gu Wanfang knew very little.

However, confirming that Xiao Yao was indeed captured, was somewhat of a gain.

Gu Wanfang pondered, "These past two days no one came to see him, and he didn’t go out. Only a servant came once saying more money was needed for the room."

Gu Chengyu’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, as urging payment was usually the shopkeeper’s job.

Business values are always harmony and wealth, the inn Gu Changbai stayed at wasn’t large, and if urging payment was necessary the shopkeeper would personally go, to show sincerity.

Otherwise, sending a servant might offend the guest, thus not benefiting at all.

Moreover, servants are prohibited from collecting room payments.

If a servant goes to urge payment, secretly hiding the money given by the guest, or if the guest reneges, then it’s a muddled mess.

However, there’s always possibilities; maybe this worker was a relative of the shopkeeper, that’s possible too.

"What did your father do afterward? Did he go together to pay the rent, or did he first send the person away?"

Gu Chengyu needed confirmation, that servant might just be suspicious.

"He went down with him, and after about a quarter of an hour, he came back up."

Gu Chengyu thought for a moment, "Would you still recognize that servant if you saw him?"

Gu Chengyu planned to capture the servant and question him, maybe all of Gu Changbai’s actions in the capital were under someone’s watch.

Bringing Gu Wanfang here today, who knows if it would raise those people’s suspicion.

"I recognize him, seen him twice, heard he’s new. The shopkeeper also said he’s clumsy at work, even reprimanded him once."

Gu Wanfang knew Gu Chengyu suspected the servant, he told Gu Chengyu everything he remembered about the servant.

Gu Chengyu nodded, finding the servant more suspicious. A newcomer, daring enough to urge guests to pay rent?

"Alright, let’s leave it at that for today, you go back first! Remember, don’t talk about this to others, especially your father, if you truly care for your family and Xiao Yao."

"Ming Yan! Send someone to follow him back, if you see that servant, capture him immediately. But don’t make too much noise, alerting others."

Gu Chengyu was impatient to wait, he just needed to know the mastermind behind this to safeguard against it in the future.

After all, an enemy lurking in the dark is always unsettling.

"Yes!" Ming Yan left the room and called for someone.

"Little Uncle, if you capture someone today, and they find out, what if it’s harmful for Xiao Yao?"

Gu Wanfang was worried seeing Gu Chengyu giving orders like this.

"If we capture him today, we will get results by tonight. By the time those people know, I would have already identified the one behind it."

Gu Chengyu thought capturing the servant was essential to understand the situation.

Although that servant might not know much, it would surely be more than what Gu Wanfang knows.

"Without capturing and interrogating him, how can we know Xiao Yao’s whereabouts?"

"What if this person doesn’t know where Xiao Yao is held too?" Gu Wanfang anxiously asked.

"Then go ask them door to door!" Gu Chengyu replied offhandedly, rendering Gu Wanfang speechless.

But Gu Chengyu was pondering another matter, when Hua Lian was mentioned earlier, he realized the ransom for Hua Lian wasn’t paid by Silver, but by someone else, according to Madam.

Indeed at that time, this person was already setting the stage? Their demeanor truly runs deep!

He suspects Hua Lian was concealing something, perhaps she’s connected to that person.

After all, that person must have investigated Hua Lian’s background before luring Gu Changbai and them to the capital.

Gu Chengyu rubbed his brow, Madam certainly knows quite a lot.

Sadly, Madam’s lips are tighter than a clam’s, forcing her would be impossible. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

There’s someone backing her, if he rashly invites her over, there’ll definitely be quarrels in the future.

Catching Madam can only be done as a last resort, when all options are exhausted.

"Bring someone!" Gu Chengyu called out to the door; there should be a servant guarding outside. As soon as he shouted, someone entered the room.

"Steward Chen? Go get a jar of wine, ask the women in charge of the large kitchen, they’re bound to have it."

After giving the instructions, he turned to inquire, "You can drink, right?"

With curfew imminent, Gu Wanfang should return to the inn. After being out for so long, some account needs to be given, right?

What meal can last until curfew time?

So Gu Chengyu planned to get Gu Wanfang drunk, for easier explaining when he returned.

Of course, getting too drunk wouldn’t be good, if he spilled the truth when intoxicated, that’d be disastrous.

Gu Wanfang flushed, "Haven’t drunk much."

These words surprised Gu Chengyu somewhat, never drank with classmates? Gu Wanfang was around eighteen, wasn’t he?

How could there be no socializing and interactions among classmates?

Yet, Gu Chengyu wasn’t someone to pry unnecessarily.

"Sir! Wine has arrived!" Steward Chen brought the wine over, puzzled as to why such a person needed this inferior wine, yet dared not ask more.

Gu Chengyu nodded, using inferior wine not out of stinginess, but because Gu Wanfang’s classmates weren’t high-born sons, inviting him would unlikely involve fine wine.

As for Gu Wanfang’s classmates, he trusted Ming Mo and the others to handle it.

He instructed someone to call Ming Mo over to observe, and Gu Chengyu returned to his study ahead of time.

At night, he needed to work on the proposal concerning salt permits and tea taxes, planning to finish it by tomorrow evening.

Gu Wanfang drank two cups, feeling a bit dizzy. Ming Mo noted it should suffice.

Gu Wanfang had little tolerance and hadn’t drunk much before, getting drunk and babbling upon returning would derail the master’s plans, wouldn’t it?

"Young Master Wanfang, let me escort you back! It’s already late." Ming Mo planned only to accompany him to a place near the inn, still keeping an eye on Gu Wanfang as he returned.

Gu Wanfang shook his groggy head, "Then let’s go!"

When Ming Mo returned for the report, Gu Chengyu had already finished writing on the issues needing supplementation regarding tea taxes.