Chapter Seventy-Six: Unraveling the Threads

When Seventh Lady prepared to leave the house once more, Lady Ping’s brows knit together. She finally voiced the concerns she had been suppressing for some time.

“Seventh, you’re an unmarried girl. It’s best not to show yourself in public so much. Otherwise, it will be difficult to find a good husband in the future.”

Wen Jing heard the implication—her reputation was already poor enough, yet she still insisted on running about. Wasn’t she worried her name would be further tarnished?

“If Father is demoted again, what ‘future’ could there possibly be?” Wen Jing looked up at Lady Ping as she spoke.

The faces around her all darkened. They understood well enough that a family’s prosperity or decline affected them all. No one tried to stop Wen Jing again.

The old steward had the carriage prepared, and they set out for the Court of Judicial Review. They had not travelled far when a horseman raced toward them from a distance. It was Ji Changge. Upon seeing Wen Jing, he reined in his horse sharply.

“Stop the carriage,” Wen Jing called out, stepping down.

“Seventh Lady, there’s been a breakthrough. Let’s talk inside,” Ji Changge said with excitement, not waiting for her reply before climbing into her carriage.

Wen Jing was left speechless. This man truly treated himself as family. Still, she followed him into the carriage.

Two registers were laid before her—one, the guest log from the inn; the other, a list of those staying at Carp Garden. Not a single name overlapped. What was there to be excited about?

Noticing her doubt, Ji Changge pointed to a spot on the inn’s register.

“Huang Xinyi?” Wen Jing was still puzzled.

“Huang, which sounds like ‘emperor’ or can even refer to a dragon. Xinyi—phonetically similar to ‘new garments.’ Combined, the characters form the word ‘Xi’—attack. Now, look here at the Carp Garden register—there’s someone named Qiu Xi. Scholars love to show off their wit, playing word games comes naturally to them. It’s not something they can conceal,” explained Ji Changge.

Word puzzles were not Wen Jing’s strong suit, so she admired Ji Changge’s cleverness. She carefully compared what was known of Huang Xinyi and Qiu Xi. “They’re both around the same height, but look different. As you said, this person must have used some means to alter his appearance. Master Ji, you’re truly brilliant.”

Ji Changge remained calm. “I reached that conclusion this morning. But I first visited the palace and saw your father. As chief examiner that day, he responsibly provided a crucial detail: the person living next to the victim, Su Zi’an, was Qiu Xi.”

Three cases, and all evidence pointed to Qiu Xi.

“The provincial examination has three sessions, one per day. After the last, the candidates are released. I’ve stationed the best men from the Court of Judicial Review outside the examination compound. Today is the second day. Tomorrow, when Qiu Xi leaves, he’ll be apprehended. By this reckoning, the case will be solved even sooner than expected,” Ji Changge said with satisfaction.

“There won’t be another murder inside the compound, will there?” Wen Jing asked, concerned.

Ji Changge’s confidence was unshaken. “He won’t dare act again so soon. Rest assured, he only has today left to be bold.”

“Let’s discuss Sixi. Why was he at the Tongfu Inn that day?” Wen Jing’s approach to investigations differed from the Young Marquis’s decisiveness. Daring to hypothesize yet careful in confirming, she brought the habits of her previous life into play. One could not let a villain go unpunished, but neither should an innocent person be wronged.

Sixi had not been a suspect, but he had gone to Tongfu Inn and returned late—suspicious indeed.

Though her heart leaned toward Sixi’s innocence, Wen Jing’s nature would not allow her to look the other way.

“Sixi remains unconscious. I haven’t had a chance to question him,” Ji Changge said, equally puzzled. Any doubts would have to wait until Sixi awoke.

Wen Jing nodded. “We should go to the Court of Judicial Review, see if he’s awake, and change his medicine.”

“Agreed,” Ji Changge replied.

Wen Jing glanced at him, wondering why he lingered in her carriage after their conversation had finished.

“Oh, you mean the horse,” Ji Changge realized suddenly. “Leave it at your estate for now. I’ll retrieve it another day. Now, Seventh Lady, let’s keep thinking—why did Sixi go to the inn…”

The carriage was cramped, and with his face so near, Wen Jing felt a bit awkward. She forced herself to remain composed. There was nothing between them now. Calmly, she replied, “If Master Ji has doubts, I will do my best to help resolve them.”

“Steward, drive on,” Ji Changge said, a faint smile playing at his lips. He’d grown used to working with Wen Jing, and though his own experience and intelligence were more than sufficient, he felt something was missing if she was not involved.

Was it simply a matter of duty? Even as he confirmed it to himself, he couldn’t help but wonder.

...

The carriage stopped outside the Court of Judicial Review.

“Keep away from these premises!” the guards barked, but when they saw Ji Changge, their words died in their throats.

The two entered the compound, and Wen Jing went straight to see Sixi.

Perhaps due to the severity of his ordeal, Sixi had not woken. Still, his injuries were healing quickly, a testament to his good constitution. Wen Jing sighed in relief; had he been crippled, her conscience would have been troubled, and she could not have faced Wang Jue.

Ji Changge watched her tend to Sixi’s wounds, changing his bandages and tucking him in, and remarked, “You care for him so diligently, for fear that the crippled Wang Jue will blame you, is that it?”

Wen Jing was about to reply when Ding Wu pushed open the door.

“Let’s talk outside,” Ji Changge gestured.

The three moved out of the room.

“Master, there’s news from Tongfu Inn. Our man observed Qian Jiaojiao leaving the inn and loitering for some time behind the Wang Estate before leaving, quite disheartened,” Ding Wu reported concisely.

“That’s a significant development. The rear door of the Wang Estate leads right to Carp Garden. Qian Jiaojiao must have some connection to someone there.” Ji Changge clapped his hands and laughed. “Where is our informant now?”

“He left the inn on the pretext of buying food, so as not to arouse suspicion. He has since returned,” Ding Wu replied.

“Then we should visit the inn again. Seventh Lady, would you care to join us?” Ji Changge asked, testing her willingness.

Wen Jing readily agreed. She, too, was suspicious of Qian Jiaojiao, feeling the woman was hiding something important.

...

Inside Tongfu Inn, Manager Qian paced furiously, hands clasped behind his back.

“Jiaojiao, have you taken my words as mere wind in your ears? At such a critical moment, why go to Carp Garden? What if the authorities from the Court of Judicial Review found out?” Fat beads of sweat rolled down his anxious face as he spoke in a low voice.

“Father, I was worried,” Jiaojiao replied, voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, twisting the hem of her robe.

Manager Qian kept his stern face and continued in a hushed tone, “What is there to worry about? Besides, he’s busy with the exams and won’t be out until tomorrow. What good could visiting Carp Garden today do?”

“I know I was wrong, Father.” Qian Jiaojiao seemed to hesitate, as though wanting to say more, but in the end, she held her tongue.

Suddenly, the door was smashed open.

“Manager Qian, what secret are you discussing so happily? Care to share with me?” Ding Wu entered, his face cold. Standing outside were Ji Changge and Wen Jing.

(To be continued...)