The next day.

Ji Yunshu had just arrived at the Ministry of Justice when Jing Zhaoyin came over.

“This official had people search all around the inn, even going to more distant places to search, but there was nowhere nearby with sand. Even if there was, it was in more distant places. Around those areas, we didn’t discover anything suspicious either. Even using the method Official Ji taught us—splashing strong vinegar mixed with liquor around—we found no bloodstains. As for those three people wearing ox-demon and snake-spirit masks, some people have seen them on the street, but because they wore masks, their faces couldn’t be recognized at all. It’s like searching for a needle in the ocean.”

A sigh!

Ji Yunshu said, “So we have no leads at all!”

Jing Zhaoyin continued, “This official also went to ask Official Liu from the Ministry of War, who was responsible for city gate access when Jiao Shiniang entered the capital. He said at that time, Jiao Shiniang carried a letter of authorization from Xing Xiyang, the president of the Lingnan Merchant Association, so they didn’t inspect much and directly let her enter the capital.”

“A letter from the Lingnan Merchant Association?”

“Correct. The four major merchant association presidents arrived in the capital a month ago for this merchant assembly. If we put it this way, currently the only person we can confirm Jiao Shiniang knew in the capital should be Xing Xiyang, president of the Lingnan Merchant Association. As for what their relationship is, we don’t know.”

The Great Lin had four major merchant associations: Zhongdu Merchant Association, Lingnan Merchant Association, Anzhou Merchant Association, and Qiyang Merchant Association.

For this triennial merchant assembly, the presidents of the four major merchant associations had already gathered in the capital a month ago.

Ostensibly to jointly host this merchant assembly.

But actually, there was another particularly important reason!

When the merchant associations were established, in order to allow the four major merchants to mutually constrain and support each other, a general president position was also set up specifically to manage the four major merchant associations—equivalent to the chief. However, the previous general president suddenly died of acute illness during the merchant assembly three years ago, so for these three years, the general president position had remained vacant. This year, they planned to select one person from among the four major merchant association presidents to take on the role. However, this matter was supervised by the Ministry of Personnel and Ministry of Revenue and had nothing to do with the Ministry of Justice, so Ji Yunshu hadn’t paid much attention to it. She only occasionally heard a few officials mention it, and the wind blew it to her ears.

So what exactly was the relationship between Jiao Shiniang and Xing Xiyang?

As she was puzzling over this—

A junior official from the Ministry of Justice hurried to outside her “office.”

“Official Ji.”

“What is it?”

The junior official entered, holding a small booklet in his hand. “Just now our people went to the morgue to examine Jiao Shiniang’s corpse and discovered this thing had fallen from her body. We don’t know what it is, so we brought it first for you to see, Official.”

While speaking, he handed the item to Ji Yunshu.

It was a yellow account book!

Very small and compact!

Very suitable for carrying on one’s person!

Ji Yunshu flipped through a few pages to examine it. Inside were recorded business transaction accounts and many records of spice sale locations.

For a businessperson to have an account book was very normal!

She was about to close it when she suddenly turned to the last few pages and paused.

She actually saw Xing Xiyang’s name!

She read it carefully. The account book wrote: “July 14th, lent Xing Xiyang fifty thousand taels of silver, to be repaid on August 14th”—clear and explicit.

Fifty thousand taels!

Money that many poor common people couldn’t spend through several lifetimes.

Jing Zhaoyin asked, “Official Ji, what’s wrong? What’s written on this?”

Ji Yunshu directly handed the account book to him.

Upon looking, Jing Zhaoyin was shocked. “Xing Xiyang? Why him again? What exactly is the relationship between these two? Why would Xing Xiyang give Jiao Shiniang a letter of authorization to enter the capital? And why did Jiao Shiniang lend him fifty thousand taels of silver?”

Pausing slightly, he speculated again, “Could it be… there’s some unspeakable secret between them?”

“Since we’re speculating, why don’t we speculate more boldly?”

“What does Official Ji mean?”

Ji Yunshu rose from her chair, walked around to the front of the desk, and said as she went, “For Xing Xiyang to give Jiao Shiniang a letter of authorization, and for Jiao Shiniang to lend Xing Xiyang fifty thousand taels—the relationship between the two must be extraordinary, or as you said, there’s some unspeakable secret. But Xing Xiyang is the president of the Lingnan Merchant Association, one of the Great Lin’s four major merchant association presidents, a person who controls the lifeline of southern commercial transport. Why would he still need to borrow money from someone? Fifty thousand taels shouldn’t count as money to him. So what exactly is the reason that made him borrow fifty thousand taels of silver from Jiao Shiniang? Moreover, what’s written in the account book shows the money was lent on July 14th—that’s last month—and the repayment date was August 14th, which happens to be the day Jiao Shiniang entered the capital. How is this such a coincidence? On the very day the money was to be repaid, Jiao Shiniang died? Suppose Xing Xiyang knew Jiao Shiniang was entering the capital and worried she would ask him to repay the debt, but he was unable to repay it. So he steeled his heart and leaped through the window. To avoid leaving evidence at the scene, he took her out of the inn to kill her. Then he created false leads, putting a mask on the deceased and gluing her hands with candle wax. His real purpose… was to confuse us.”

Jing Zhaoyin listened very carefully, pondering, “When Official Ji puts it this way, it does connect all the possibilities. Could it be… the murderer really is Xing Xiyang?”

“I said just now it was a supposition. There are still many doubtful points within. If we really want to unravel this, it seems we must find Xing Xiyang and ask him some questions.”

“The four major merchant association presidents are all staying at the Wenlai Pavilion arranged by the court.”

“Then let’s make the trip ourselves and go ask.”

Soon, Ji Yunshu and Jing Zhaoyin went to Wenlai Pavilion, bringing only two junior officials with them.

They didn’t make a “big fuss”!

The place where the four major commercial magnates stayed was truly uncompromising. The entire Wenlai Pavilion was set up like an ancient version of the “Great Hall of the People.” Although it wasn’t the eye-blindingly resplendent golden and jade kind—they say ancient times valued agriculture over commerce, but now it seemed not every dynasty was like that—the furnishings and layout inside Wenlai Pavilion were very impressive. Each object was also elegant and valuable. Just the potted plant to the left of the entrance was worth dozens of taels, not to mention the other items inside.

Poverty has already limited my imagination!

Indeed, the business trade would never be eliminated by any era!

No wonder Mama Ma Yun was so rich.

If she could return to modern times, she would also do business.

A servant from Wenlai Pavilion bowed as he led Ji Yunshu and Jing Zhaoyin inside.

Before reaching the main hall, Xing Xiyang came out to greet them from afar.

Ji Yunshu was nearsighted and didn’t see clearly until the person was almost before her eyes.

That Xing Xiyang was in his forties, with extremely ordinary features yet a very kind face. Clearly a wealthy man, but his clothing was very simple—the fabric wasn’t the finest, and the items he wore weren’t the finest either. In modern terms, it was the dress of a veteran cadre from a military district compound.

“This Xing did not know the two officials were suddenly coming and couldn’t greet you in time. Please forgive me.” He spoke with a rich, hoarse voice. But it made people feel very secure listening to him!