Chapter 38: Clues

Ye Chongming saw that Ye Hongchang’s injury was indeed not severe; it was just a cut on his thigh that didn’t damage any bones. He finally felt relieved. Since the weather was cooler and Huichun Hall doctors were skilled, Ye Hongchang should be fine with proper care.

However, two of Guan Canghai’s guards and one guard from the capital’s security agency were seriously injured, and Ye Hongchang’s personal servant was also severely injured while protecting his master.

Fortunately, the encounter with the bandits happened not far from Lin’an City, and Guan Canghai’s group had medicine with them. They were able to bandage the wounds in time, so everyone’s lives were not in danger.

“Take good care of your injuries. The Ye family will cover all medical expenses, and there will be a reward for protecting my son,” Ye Chongming said, bowing deeply to the injured guards.

With a wave of his hand, several servants presented gifts to the injured guards. The gifts included silver, valuable medicinal herbs, snacks, and silk. Those with more severe injuries received more silver, while those with lighter injuries received less.

The families of the two seriously injured guards under Guan Canghai in Lin’an City had already been notified and had arrived.

As for the guard from the capital, he was being taken care of by his companions and Ye family servants.

Ye Hongchang’s personal servant, due to the need to keep this matter from the Ye family, was being cared for by the Ye family servants who had accompanied Ye Hongchang on his trip and had not yet returned home.

Although Huichun Hall would accommodate some patients overnight for convenience, the place was not large, offering only one room or bed, and the fees were quite high. They did not provide food or other necessities.
Sure, here’s the translation:

Ye Hongchang, to thank the bodyguards who risked their lives to protect him, generously rented a courtyard for them and their families and companions to stay in. The food was ordered from a restaurant.

At this moment, Ye Chongming took out a large sum of silver to thank everyone, and the bodyguards and their families were deeply moved, praising the Ye family for their kindness.

As bodyguards, they lived a life of licking blood off the blade. Once they accepted the payment, they had to bear any injuries or even death themselves without blaming the employer.

Many employers, when encountering bandits and getting injured, would only blame the bodyguards for not protecting them well, causing their families to be injured and losing their property. They would excuse themselves by saying that they had paid the bodyguards and it was their duty to protect them without providing any money for medical expenses.

Therefore, the Ye family’s actions were very well-received.

“Old Master Ye, there’s no need to be so polite. We live by licking blood off the blade. Injuries are common, as long as we don’t lose our lives, everything is fine,” Guan Canghai quickly reached out to support Ye Chongming.

After Ye Chongming had comforted each injured bodyguard and the servant, Guan Canghai whispered to him, “Old Master Ye, let’s talk privately.”

The two went to a secluded place, and Guan Canghai directly said, “Has your family offended someone recently?”

Ye Chongming was startled and asked, “What do you mean by that, Chief Guan?”

“From the capital to Lin’an, we often travel this route, and it’s generally peaceful. Even if we’re unlucky and encounter bandits, they usually rob money without taking lives.”

“But I noticed those people aimed to take the eldest master’s life. They must have been watching the eldest master and his group for a while. We arrived in time and met the eldest master early, so the bandits didn’t have a chance to act and stayed hidden. Later, seeing that we were about to reach Lin’an City, they had to act quickly.”

He felt fortunate.

If they hadn’t been near Lin’an City, his two brothers might not have made it even with the medicine they carried.

“The whole situation is suspicious. Those people were clearly targeting the eldest master and his group. You should investigate carefully and see who is behind this.”

Ye Chongming naturally understood. He raised his hand in a salute, “Thank you for the reminder, Chief Guan. I understand.”

Then he bowed deeply, “I have already gone to the authorities and informed Prefect Qi about this. Prefect Qi asked me to submit a complaint, and he will investigate thoroughly. Did you see the faces of the bandits? If so, could you provide a clue to the authorities?”

He knew that they often had to deal with the law and the underworld in the bodyguard business. Unless the bandits were outlaws, major security agencies would reach an understanding with the bandits: the security agency wouldn’t provide clues or help with investigations, and the bandits would give face and let them pass.

His request put Guan Canghai in a difficult position.

So he quickly added, “Don’t worry, Chief Guan, you don’t need to come forward. Just tell Hongchang what you saw, and he will inform the authorities. I will reward you generously.”

In the past, Guan Canghai might not have agreed.

There are no secrets in the world. Even if he didn’t come forward, if Ye Chongming or Ye Hongchang inadvertently mentioned it, his reputation in the underworld would be ruined.

Bandits’ revenge methods were extremely cruel. But these bandits were not ordinary bandits; they might be enemies of the Ye family disguised as bandits. Most importantly, they had seriously injured his two brothers. He had to avenge this. His intention in talking to Ye Chongming was clear.

Moreover, Ye Chongming and Ye Hongchang’s actions made him willing to help the Ye family. The hint of a close relationship with the authorities in Ye Chongming’s words also made him cautious.

If Ye Chongming was unhappy and had the authorities trouble the security agency, accusing them of colluding with bandits, they would be finished. He nodded, “Alright, call the eldest master now, and I’ll tell you everything.” If they were to investigate, they had to act quickly.

Ye Chongming signaled to Zhou Xiang in the distance to call Ye Hongchang over.

Soon, Ye Hongchang arrived, and Guan Canghai told Ye father and son everything he had observed.

During the robbery, Ye Hongchang was completely terrified and didn’t notice the bandits’ appearance, how many there were, their attire, or their accents. He didn’t notice anything, let alone their specific features. But Guan Canghai, an experienced veteran, had observed everything clearly and could describe it in detail.

The Ye father and son were extremely grateful and decided to send a generous gift to Guan Canghai later. They wrote the complaint and went to the authorities together.

Prefect Qi was efficient. He accepted the complaint, had the clerk record the clues provided by Ye Hongchang, and sent constables to investigate the bandits.

After leaving the authorities, Ye Chongming took Ye Hongchang home.

Ye Hongchang had originally planned to stay at the medical hall until the bodyguards were all well before returning home. But now that he had left, there was no need to go back.

Sending more silver was better than anything else.