"Bai Qiu, does this justify the trust I’ve placed in you for so many years?" Steward Zhang asked.
His voice was as calm as a placid water surface, but everyone could hear the volcano about to erupt beneath it.
"Steward Zhang, I really am not a thief, you have to believe me," Bai Qiu pleaded.
"Then why did you go to the logistics courtyard at night?" Steward Zhang said without any expression.
"I always worry about the things in the warehouse, fearing that something might go wrong, so I’ve gotten into the habit of checking every midnight, it’s for the Han family! To protect the Han family’s property!"
"You’re lying, Bai Qiu, after all these years, don’t I know you? I can tell at a glance when you’re lying. Remember, when you entered the Han residence back then, it was me who vouched for you to Master Han."
"Explain everything clearly, and I can plead with the master on your behalf, otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless!" Steward Zhang advised.
Bai Qiu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then thought of something else and remained silent.
Seeing his demeanor, Steward Zhang said no more, leaving a final remark, "Once the accounts are checked, I’ll settle the score with you."
The logistics courtyard was bustling now, Steward Zhang had specially called accountants from the Han’s shop in town to audit the accounts and inventory the warehouse’s supplies.
Several people held account books calculating income and expenses, while a large group of people was taking inventory of the warehouse’s goods based on the account books.
The warehouse in the logistics courtyard wasn’t a very important place, it only stored living supplies for the Protectors and menial workers, among which, the most valuable were the pills usually distributed to the Protectors.
The truly valuable items were stored in the Han residence’s treasury, the location of which was known only to a select few in the Han residence, with Steward Zhang being one of them.
Under professional accounting oversight, the results were out quickly.
"The accounts are fine, and nothing is missing?" Receiving the accountant’s report, Steward Zhang was slightly surprised.
"Could it be that Bai Qiu was telling the truth, that he just couldn’t set his mind at ease and went to count the supplies every night?" Steward Zhang wondered.
But noticing Bai Qiu’s previous look of wanting to speak but holding back, he felt things weren’t that simple.
"Who discovered Steward Bai going to the logistics courtyard at night?" Steward Zhang asked.
Wang Qiang quickly replied, "It was Lu Yu, Lu Yu informed me there was a thief in the logistics courtyard after which I led other Protectors to catch Steward Bai."
"Lu Yu?" Steward Zhang glanced at Lu Yu, recalling he was the promising Protector seed.
"Tell me, how did you discover Steward Bai as a thief?" Steward Zhang’s face turned slightly kinder, though still appearing quite stern.
To Steward Zhang, Lu Yu had performed quite well, showing good talent, having just become an official Protector not long ago and already making a significant contribution.
Steward Zhang had a high regard for Lu Yu, though currently, in a foul mood, his face was quite stern.
Lu Yu spoke, "I didn’t discover Steward Bai was a thief."
The first sentence took Steward Zhang by surprise.
"When I found Wang Qiang, all I said was that I had noticed a suspicious person entering and exiting the logistics courtyard. It started from discovering while on patrol that someone was visiting the logistics courtyard every midnight, but I was always a step too slow, never catching them in the act."
"I thought maybe it was because I was too weak, so I was always a step behind. Thus, I staked out at the logistics courtyard, and when I saw a suspicious person, I immediately contacted other Protectors to help catch them."
Lu Yu said he saw a suspicious person, Wang Qiang claimed it was Lu Yu who called them to catch a thief, their statements didn’t match.
Steward Zhang looked at Wang Qiang, who shuddered slightly and hurried to explain, "Steward Zhang, I misspoke in my haste. At that time, Lu Yu indeed said a suspicious person appeared in the logistics courtyard and asked us to assist in apprehending them. I wasn’t sure if we caught a thief."
Wang Qiang had heard, the ledger showed no problems, nothing was missing from the warehouse, and clearly there was a relationship between Steward Zhang and Bai Steward, it wouldn’t do to insist Bai Steward was a thief - that would be asking for trouble.
He appeared a rugged man, but was clever inside, otherwise wouldn’t have risen to the position of head Protector of the outer courtyard.
The head Protector title was more of an acknowledgment by everyone rather than an official position established by the Han residence.
Lu Yu insisted on labeling Steward Bai as a suspicious person because, after capturing Steward Bai, he didn’t receive any task completion notification, indicating Steward Bai wasn’t the thief.
Steward Zhang once again looked at Steward Bai and said, "I know you’re hiding something, reveal it now while there’s still a chance. If I find out myself, everything could be left to the master’s decision, and I won’t be able to save you."
Steward Bai pondered, bit his lip, and shook his head to indicate he knew nothing, unwilling to implicate Steward Zhang.
Seeing this, Steward Zhang didn’t push further, instructing, "Take him away, and be mindful, do not use torture, he is only a suspect, not a criminal."
Several Protectors released Steward Bai from the post and led him toward the dungeon.
Although the law stipulates that no family, organization, or power may set up dungeons without permission, who doesn’t have a few basements?
Perhaps someone just prefers living in a basement, enjoys a prison decor room.
Moreover, the Han family is the largest in Windmill Town, and generally, Windmill Town’s authorities won’t interfere with internal Han family matters, as long as they don’t let the issue spill into the open.
"The rest of you disperse! Wang Qiang, Lu Yu, you two come with me." Steward Zhang headed toward the martial arts hall, the gateway from the outer courtyard to the inner courtyard.
When they reached the entrance of the main hall, Steward Zhang said, "This matter is not that simple, the affair involving Steward Bai will be left up to you two to investigate."
"Yes." Lu Yu responded.
"I will certainly do my utmost." Wang Qiang replied.
Looking at Lu Yu, "You should have been rewarded for discovering Steward Bai sneaking in and out of the logistics courtyard at midnight, but since the matter isn’t resolved yet, the reward will have to wait."
Lu Yu nodded, "I understand."
He glanced at Wang Qiang again, "You’ve been in the outer court for ten years now, haven’t you?"
"Ten years and three months." Wang Qiang answered.
"If this matter is handled well, your qualifications will be sufficient for entering the inner court." Steward Zhang remarked offhandedly, turning to enter the main hall.
Hearing this, Wang Qiang was very excited and shouted, "I assure Steward Zhang a satisfactory explanation."
"No, it’s to give Han Manor a satisfactory explanation." Steward Zhang’s voice came from inside the main hall.
Wang Qiang corrected himself, "Yes, I assure Han Manor and Steward Zhang a satisfactory explanation."
Wang Qiang excitedly patted Lu Yu on the shoulder and said enthusiastically, "Let’s go! We will now focus solely on investigating Steward Bai’s case. I’ll find someone to replace you for the night patrol."
Upon hearing that he wanted to cancel his currently stable experience-gaining task, Lu Yu quickly objected, "No! That won’t do. Patrolling is my duty as a Protector, I cannot stop."
"Besides, since the place we need to investigate is also in the logistics courtyard, my patrolling task doesn’t hinder the investigation."
Seeing his eagerness to patrol, Wang Qiang was a bit speechless, but he was also persuaded by Lu Yu and did not continue to suggest swapping shifts.
"It’s truly thanks to you, or else I might never have had the chance to enter the inner court in my lifetime." Wang Qiang gratefully said.
Lu Yu, seeing him say this, was a bit curious and asked, "Is it really that hard to get into the inner court?"
"Hard! It’s certainly hard!" Wang Qiang said as they walked.
"The first condition to enter the inner court is loyalty to the Han family, which isn’t too difficult to achieve, spending three or four years at Han Manor can fulfill this condition. The second condition is reaching the seventh level of the Body Refinement stage."
"I am currently at the sixth level of the Body Refinement stage, and as I’m getting older, my body isn’t as it was, so reaching the next level is very difficult. I estimate that I might never hope to break through to the seventh level of Body Refinement in my lifetime."
"In the Body Refinement stage, the seventh level is a hurdle, many are stuck at the sixth level unable to break through." Wang Qiang said with a tinge of lament.
Lu Yu didn’t pay much attention to the hurdle Wang Qiang mentioned, he was more concerned about the "three or four years."
This game’s time passes the same as in reality, a day in the game equals a day in reality, how could he afford to spend three or four years here to earn Han Manor’s trust?
Besides, in three or four years, his strength would likely be able to overrun this beginner village already.
However, if he wanted to become free and quickly break through the Body Refinement stage to become a consecrated one, relying solely on the outer court’s resources would be too slow.
Entering the inner court was something Lu Yu was determined to achieve, but he wouldn’t spend that long convincing the Han family.
He suddenly remembered that a few days ago, when he passed a test, Wang Qiang mentioned Yang Xiu had also passed the test last year.
This meant Yang Xiu joined the Han Manor only last year, yet now he was already an inner court guard, which indicated there must be a fast way to enter the inner court, he just didn’t know it yet.
Of course, Lu Yu also knew the fastest way was directly breaking through the Body Refinement stage here, and the Han family would welcome him into the inner court and offer him a consecrated seat.
Seeing the logistics courtyard right in front of him, Lu Yu put this impractical idea out of his mind, if he had the ability to directly break through the Body Refinement stage, why would he even want to join the inner court? Wouldn’t leaving directly be better?
The logistics courtyard was still operational without Steward Bai, the vice stewards who usually worked under him were temporarily managing the courtyard’s affairs, responsible for distributing, exchanging, and purchasing supplies for others.
With authorization from Steward Zhang, Wang Qiang and Lu Yu could now freely enter the logistics courtyard, no one stopped them.
It was Wang Qiang’s first time entering the logistics courtyard, and what he saw was different from what he had imagined.
For Lu Yu, it was his second time entering the logistics courtyard, the first time he sneaked in quietly, but it was night, and he couldn’t see things clearly.
The errand runners in the logistics courtyard came and went, dressed in gray coarse cloth clothes, with no pockets on them, and hemp ropes tied around their waists and limbs, giving no chance for smuggling anything.
Even if they hid something in their clothes, with just a thin layer of coarse cloth, you could see it directly without needing to touch, so basically, no one would choose to steal or deceive.
Furthermore, more valuable items were directly picked up by the responsible person entering the warehouse, then the transaction was logged.
Two layers of security, one was the ledger recording what was received, exchanged, and purchased from the account room, and the other was the detailed records of what items were taken from the warehouse, making it easy to spot any foul play.
Lu Yu noticed that all the pills were personally handled by the responsible person, and no one else ever got the chance to come into contact with the pills.
Since the temporary person in charge currently handles the pills, Bai Steward must have been responsible for managing the pills before.
Thinking of this, he inquired with the temporary person in charge, who indicated that previously, all the pills in the logistics courtyard were managed by Steward Bai, and others never had a chance to touch them.