Guangzhou had been bustling all night.
By the time Cao Rong woke from his drunken stupor, it was already two quarters into the hour of the Snake the next day. The early birds had finished half a day's work, and the early risers were not far behind.
Song Hao had barely slept all night. An Chen and the others returned at the hour of the Dragon, while he had washed up and been waiting in the main hall since the hour of the Rabbit.
The men had been arrested, but their properties had yet to be confiscated. First, there were not enough hands; second, there was not enough time.
But the main culprits had all been captured. Confiscating their estates was merely the next step. The most important thing was to shore up the evidence and nail down those already arrested, leaving them no chance to strike back.
By the time Cao Rong awoke, his case had essentially been nailed shut.
Account books, letters, and testimony from subordinate officials—unless Cao Rong could defy the heavens, his crimes were settled.
Only then did Song Hao finally let out a great sigh of relief and hurriedly reported to Jiao Tong. "My lord, Cao Rong, his accomplices Jiang Cheng and Xu Jing, and eight others have all been taken into custody. Their families have also been placed under guard. What do you think...?"
Jiao Tong asked, "Are you certain the evidence you uncovered is enough to convict Cao Rong?"
Song Hao said, "I carefully examined the evidence An Chen brought back. It was all found in Cao Rong's bedroom, its source is legitimate, and there are no signs of fabrication. It is indeed sufficient to establish his guilt."
Jiao Tong looked utterly puzzled. "Cao Rong has always been cautious. The Cao residence may