Volume Two: The Noble and the Base Chapter Fifty-Eight: Another Murder Case

Huang Bingkun hurried over at once. "Young Master Huang, do you have any orders? Should I use some tactics for you?"

"No, I want you to take a few brothers and fetch someone," Huang Ming said without elaboration, simply giving an address that had been provided by Feng Wu.

Though uncertain of Huang Ming’s intentions, Huang Bingkun immediately agreed. "It’s not far. We can bring the person back within half an hour!"

Huang Ming nodded, instructing him to proceed right away, while he continued to inquire about the details of the matter from Feng Wu.

Somehow, Huang Ming had a persistent feeling that the secret which compelled a not-so-wealthy imperial physician to part with fifteen hundred taels of silver must be of great significance.

Unfortunately, Feng Wu could not provide any further intelligence.

He had only been helping out and hadn’t dug deeper; even during the actual extortion of Physician Meng, he was merely on lookout duty.

As always, small players have their own survival wisdom. Feng Wu wasn’t particularly interested in any secret; the only thing that caught his attention was the gleaming silver!

Yet, what followed was somewhat unexpected to Huang Ming.

According to Huang Bingkun’s report, they should have been able to bring the person back within half an hour, meaning the task would be completed before dawn.

But in the end… as the first light of dawn crept in and the surroundings began to stir, they still had not returned.

Had something gone wrong over there?

A faint unease rose in Huang Ming’s heart, and he began to regret his curious decision.

After all, what they had been doing that night was actually illegal.

Just as Huang Ming was about to return with Qi Changfeng, the courtyard gate opened, and Huang Bingkun appeared, his expression grave, escorting a bloodied figure.

In the dim morning light, Huang Ming was shocked to see that his men were stained with blood, and the person they brought in was drenched in it.

Had the man fought desperately against the Brocade Guard?

No.

Upon closer inspection, Huang Ming realized that most of the blood on the man was splattered rather than from wounds; only a few tears in his clothing suggested a recent scuffle.

But then he was even more astonished.

"Is this Jiang Yi? Just a servant at the Imperial Medical Office?"

Though covered in blood, his clothing torn, hair disheveled, and appearing terrified and disheveled, the man’s demeanor was far from that of an ordinary servant; there was a refined and scholarly air about him.

"Young Master, he’s not Jiang Yi. Jiang Yi has been killed by him," Huang Bingkun stepped forward, somewhat helpless. "We arrived too late; we couldn’t save him."

Huang Ming’s eyebrows twitched sharply at this news. A thought flashed through his mind, and he stepped forward, staring intently at the still dazed man. "Are you Physician Meng?"

The man had been sullen and determined to say nothing.

But at Huang Ming’s revelation, he trembled violently, looked up, his face pale with terror as if he had seen a ghost. "You…"

"Just as I thought," Huang Ming breathed out, "you killed to keep your greatest secret from being exposed, didn’t you?"

Physician Meng could no longer contain himself. "How did you know?"

"I also know you were extorted for fifteen hundred taels of silver before…"

"That was just the first time. It was actually thirty-two hundred taels in total…"

Struck in a tender spot, Physician Meng suddenly shouted, "And that man wasn’t satisfied; he kept trying to extort more from me… I had no choice in the end but to kill him!"

Huang Ming was momentarily stunned, then sighed deeply.

Extortion cases, whether ancient or modern, often play out like this.

When the blackmailer realizes they hold their victim’s fatal weakness, they never settle for just one payment.

As their appetite grows, the victim’s situation worsens until they can bear it no longer—either they report to the authorities or take desperate measures to end it all.

Clearly, Physician Meng chose the latter.

Though he might have held a respectable position and earned well, he could not withstand endless extortion.

After reflecting, Huang Ming grew even more curious about what fatal secret Jiang Yi had uncovered.

He called out, "Bring the man inside—Physician Meng, you acted rashly. Have you considered that he might have had an accomplice?"

Meng snorted, his gaze unconsciously dropping to his chest. This did not escape Huang Ming and the Brocade Guards’ notice.

Once inside, they found Feng Wu still tied up, which surprised Meng.

But he quickly composed himself and demanded, "Who are you? Do you know that I am an imperial physician, not someone you can treat carelessly?"

"You killed someone and still consider yourself a physician?" Huang Ming smiled faintly. "Feng Wu, your friend Jiang Yi was killed by Physician Meng."

Feng Wu, still dazed, was shocked. "What’s going on? Physician Meng, why would you do this?"

"Yeah, it’s just silver. Why risk everything? Or does Jiang Yi truly possess some incredible secret worth more than your own life?"

As Huang Ming spoke, his gaze locked onto Physician Meng’s face, watching as the man began to tremble. Eventually, Meng closed his eyes, feigning death.

Huang Ming laughed. "Do you really think killing Jiang Yi will keep this secret buried?"

Meng remained silent, seemingly convinced of that.

Huang Ming no longer held back and gave a subtle signal to Huang Bingkun.

Understanding immediately, Huang Bingkun swiftly reached into Meng’s chest, seizing his body with one hand while the other delved into his bosom.

Meng panicked, struggling weakly, shouting, "What are you doing…"

But as a powerless scholar, he was no match for Huang Bingkun. In moments, the object was retrieved—besides two bloodstained silver notes, there was a piece of crumpled paper with a few lines written on it, also stained with some blood.

Seeing Huang Bingkun hand it directly to Huang Ming, who was about to open it, Meng desperately lunged forward. "No, give it back…"

But he was quickly subdued and pinned to the ground.

Huang Ming unfolded the paper and read its contents, causing Meng to wail despairingly, "Nooo…"

This reaction piqued Huang Bingkun’s curiosity. He glanced at Huang Ming, only to see the usually calm and composed young master’s expression shift wildly—surprise, doubt, fear, and then sudden realization.

What could be written on that paper?