“So then — whatever the fortress master’s wife asked you to do, you would do it without hesitation. Is that not so?” Feng Jiu’er looked at the servant, her voice carrying a faint gravity.
The servant blinked, then nodded. “Yes.”
But almost immediately after answering, something seemed to dawn on her, and she shook her head quickly.
“No — it is not like that! The fortress master’s wife would never tell me to poison anyone. That is simply impossible. She is a woman of compassion and kindness — she would never do such a thing.”
“Miss Feng, truly it was not me, and it was not the mistress either — please, investigate clearly!”
The moment her words fell, the servant bent forward and knocked her head against the floor three times.
“I did not say it was you. There is no need to be so anxious.” Feng Jiu’er said as she made her way toward the side chamber.
“Is this the place where the Liang family — all dozen-odd members — took their meals?” Her voice drifted over from the doorway of the side chamber.
The servant immediately rose and hurried over, coming to a stop beside Feng Jiu’er.
“Yes, Miss Feng — this is the Liang family’s main hall.”
“There are rooms on both sides of the hall. The rooms of the dozen-plus members of the Liang family are all connected to one another — they usually dined together here as well.”
“Last night’s dinner was here too. But somehow… this happened.”
Feng Jiu’er stepped with a slightly heavy tread into the spotlessly clean side chamber.
The entire main hall — and even the side chamber — had been swept immaculately. It was obvious that someone had cleaned it thoroughly. There was nothing left for her to work with.
Feng Jiu’er had already tested the teapot in the main hall when she passed through — no poison.
It seemed every piece of evidence had been washed away. This would not be easy to handle.
“What time was it when you came here last night — the final time?” Feng Jiu’er’s voice came again.
“It was around the hour of Hai last night. When I came by, I saw Master Liang and the old fortress master drinking tea. The Third Mistress had also come by at the time.”
“She was still perfectly fine at that point. I never could have imagined…” Thinking of the Third Mistress, who had died along with the child she was carrying, the servant could not help but let her tears fall.
“The Third Mistress said there was nothing more for me to do and told me to go rest, so I left.”
“Today, I was up before dawn and came over — as I do every morning at a quarter past the hour of Mao — to boil water and brew tea for Master Liang the elder. But he did not wake.”
“I waited for quite a long time. And then…” The servant’s sobbing grew louder and louder.
“Then I was afraid something had happened, so I went to find the brothers on duty nearby. But I never expected that…”
“When we opened the doors to the rooms, we found that everyone was… dead. All of them dead. All of them.”
As she spoke, the servant curled herself into the corner, bending forward and hugging her drawn-up knees.
“I truly do not know what happened. Why did they all die? Why would anyone be so cruel?”
“The Third Mistress was due to give birth next month — why would Heaven deal such a blow to them?”
The servant wept with deep anguish. Feng Jiu’er glanced at her, then gave a faint shake of her head.
At some point, Xiao Yingtao had slipped inside. She went over and helped the servant to her feet.
“Do not be too heartbroken. Those who have passed cannot be brought back.”
“Xiao Yingtao, take her to rest.” Feng Jiu’er turned to look at the two of them and said softly.
“All right.” Xiao Yingtao nodded.
The servant glanced at Feng Jiu’er, then at the fortress master, her tear-blurred eyes uncertain and at a loss.
“Go on.” The fortress master waved a hand.
“If anything comes up, I will come and find you again — just do not wander around.” Feng Jiu’er added lightly.
“Yes.” The servant dipped her head, then withdrew her gaze and looked at Xiao Yingtao. “Thank you, miss. I can walk on my own.”
“All right.” Xiao Yingtao nodded and released her.
The servant turned and left. Xiao Yingtao followed after her. “Where do you live? I’ll see you back.”
“My room is just in the side chamber next door.” The servant replied softly.
“Do you live alone?” Xiao Yingtao’s voice continued.
“No.” The servant shook her head. “The four of us share one room.”
“That is nice — better than living alone. Sometimes being by yourself is just too lonely.” Xiao Yingtao tilted up the corners of her mouth slightly.
She followed the servant out of the main hall and disappeared from everyone’s sight.
In the side chamber, Feng Jiu’er walked a full circle, then returned to the doorway.
“Miss Feng, have you found anything?” The fortress master stepped forward two paces and asked softly.
“Everything here is too clean — even the tea out there contained no poison. I truly do not know where to begin.” Feng Jiu’er exhaled a soft sigh and spoke plainly.
The fortress master also knew this matter was troublesome — otherwise, his men would not have spent the entire day without making a single bit of progress.
He composed himself and let out a sigh as well. “Miss Feng, how about this — let us go and have dinner first.”
“Your companions have been hungry all day. I feel truly terrible about that.”
“This area and all the rooms of the deceased have been sealed off, correct?” Feng Jiu’er asked softly.
“Yes.” The fortress master nodded. “I put General Liang in charge of this — he is an adopted son of Old Liang, and can be trusted.”
Whether he could truly be trusted, Feng Jiu’er saw no need to press further. In any case, by now all the evidence that could be erased had already been erased.
“Very well, let us go and eat.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “I am hungry too.”
She had been starving all day, her head swimming, and she lacked even the energy to think clearly. It was the sensible call to fill her stomach first.
“Excellent — please, after you!” The fortress master nodded, waving a hand forward.
“Fortress master, if it is not too much trouble — could you invite the fortress master’s wife to dine with us?” Feng Jiu’er asked softly as she stepped out.
“You suspect my wife?” The fortress master’s brow furrowed, his voice dropping a shade lower.
“Not exactly — I simply wish to become acquainted with the people around you.” Feng Jiu’er gave him a sidelong glance.
“But you know your wife better than anyone. Do you yourself think she is suspicious?”
“No.” The fortress master shook his head without a moment’s hesitation. “My wife is a rare and truly good woman — she is not capable of something like this.”
“I see.” Feng Jiu’er gave a small nod. “Though I seem to recall that the woman standing guard at your side yesterday was not the fortress master’s wife.”
“She is one of my favored concubines.” The fortress master replied quietly.
His answer did not surprise Feng Jiu’er in the least. Men were nearly all the same — wealth seemed to bring out the worst in them.
It was almost like an immutable law of the ages — one that no handful of exceptions would ever change.
“Then, if I may ask, fortress master — how many favored concubines do you have in total?” Feng Jiu’er gave a slight cough and pressed on.
The fortress master looked at Feng Jiu’er, his thick brows furrowing faintly. “For now, three or four — why do you ask?”
Feng Jiu’er gave him a brief glance, then looked away.
For now? Three or four? Meaning there were usually even more? Several women sharing one man — who among them could ever be content?
Feng Jiu’er did not quite know why her thoughts had suddenly drifted to all these wives and concubines. Perhaps it was simply that she was not accustomed to the sight of one man with so many wives.
She shook her head and replied softly: “Nothing — just wanted to understand the situation a little.”
Stepping out of the side chamber, Feng Jiu’er looked at the handful of her companions nearby, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
“Come — let’s go eat first. My stomach is completely hollow.”
The others gave a nod of assent, and together they followed the fortress master away, leaving the gloomy cave dwelling behind.