The sunset's lingering glow fell across the wooden fence outside the shelter site, stretching its shadows long.
Su Fei rode up with the Imperial Guard.
Just as he reached the fence, he saw Li Qinghe standing beside a shed, occasionally saying something to the Imperial Guards keeping watch, though his eyes kept darting into the distance. He looked distinctly unsettled.
"Governor Li, I trust you've been well."
Su Fei's voice suddenly rang out. Li Qinghe stiffened and whipped his head around. When he saw the grain sack in Su Fei's hand, his expression changed somewhat. Clearly, he recognized these grain sacks.
Su Fei strode up to him and swung his arm, throwing the grain sack down before Li Qinghe with a slap. The red "Fuzhou Granary" stamp on the sack was particularly conspicuous.
"Lord Li, tell me, aren't these grain sacks bearing an official granary's markings the relief grain the court sent to Kuaiji Commandery? How did they end up in the wealthy merchant Chen Dayou's private granary?"
Li Qinghe's Adam's apple bobbed several times. Cold sweat streamed from his forehead down his cheeks. He instinctively stepped back and stammered.
"Th-this grain sack, why it appeared in the wealthy merchant Chen Dayou's home, I... I don't know either. Perhaps Chen Dayou made a counterfeit himself? After all, plenty of people know what official granary sacks look like."
"A counterfeit, you say?"
Su Fei sneered, bent down to pick up the grain sack, and pointed to the stitching at its mouth.
"This is the dense stitching unique to official granaries. Private grain merchants simply can't imitate it. Besides, Chen Dayou has already confessed. He said you personally sold these fifty thousand shi of relief grain to you five days ago, and that you agreed to split the proceeds equally. Are you