follow the vine to get the melon—track down sb or sth by following clues; investigate an affair in accordance with a certain clue
❍ 上边还拚命要我们～，…… (宗福先《于无声处》33) We’ve been ordered from higher up to track down their supporters.
顺藤摸瓜
follow the vine to get the melon—track down sb (or sth)by following the clues;hunt for sb (or sth)by following the traces
顺藤摸瓜shùn ténɡ mō ɡuā
比喻沿着发现的线索去追根究底。track down sb. or sth. by following clues, follow the vine to get the melon