Prefect Chi had lost count of how many times he had been dragged out of bed.

Yidu was a land blessed with outstanding people and abundant treasures. Though there had been a few cases before, they were all minor affairs. The biggest incident in recent years had been the Peach Blossom Serial Killer case, which had passed without major disaster. As Prefect of Yidu, he ordinarily spent his days drinking tea, paying social calls, and playing card games — a rather comfortable life.

He had thought that when Hua Yitang, the fourth son of the Hua Family, came to Yidu, he might serve as a capable right-hand man. But who could have guessed that ever since this person set foot in Yidu, it was as though the God of Misfortune had possessed him — wherever he went, people died. And that Lin Niangzi was even more extreme — wherever she went, she got into fights. These two together were truly like a sleeping dragon and a fledgling phoenix, capable of bringing heaven crashing down and earth splitting apart.

Prefect Chi had been caught up in the chaos for several days, his back aching and legs sore. He had finally managed to find an excuse to take a day off, yet no sooner had he rested for two days than Hua Yitang came again. Whether it was out of spite or not, the man always chose to come in the dead of night.

“What case is it this time?” Prefect Chi walked briskly through the covered corridor, fastening his belt as he went, thinking to himself: it had better be a major case, otherwise it wouldn’t be worth getting out of his warm bed for.

Chief Historian Xia’s hair was a disheveled mess, his hairpin sticking out at an angle like a broom, clearly having just crawled out of bed himself. He ran over in a lather, his face ashen. “Military Adviser Wu has been murdered!”

Prefect Chi’s foot slipped, and with a crack, he threw out his back. “What?!”

Chief Historian Xia wore a mournful expression. “The killer is Qu Hui.”

“What?!!”

This shock was no small matter. Prefect Chi’s head buzzed, his legs went weak, his vision blurred, and he stumbled in a daze to the magistrate’s prison. When he fixed his eyes upon the scene, Hua Yitang, Lin Sui’an, Ling Zhiyan, Fangke, and Jin Ruo were all present. The interrogation room had long since been prepared with a table, brush, ink, paper, and inkstone — all that was missing was him and Chief Historian Xia.

Prefect Chi looked at the empty grand master’s chair — finely crafted, made of expensive wood. No need to ask, it was surely Hua Yitang’s contribution. At this moment, sitting there, it seemed to silently proclaim four words: Please walk into the trap.

Hua Yitang looked as though he had rushed over from somewhere in a hurry, having not yet had time to change into his official robes. He was dressed in magnificent clothes, holding a landscape-painted folding fan, his gaze sharp as he looked over. “Prefect Chi, Chief Historian Xia, this case is of grave importance. I ask that you two preside over the proceedings.”

Prefect Chi and Chief Historian Xia exchanged a glance, each reading the ineffable exasperation on the other’s face. There was nothing to be done — they could only steel themselves and take their seats. Ling Zhiyan also sat down, taking on the role of court recorder.

Hua Yitang stepped forward, cupped his fists, and reported: “Tonight, at the third quarter-hour of the hai hour, a murder occurred at No. 18 Wanli Street, Xifang, Yacheng. The deceased is Wu Zhengli, currently serving as the Military Affairs Adviser at the Yidu Prefectural Office. The killer is Qu Hui, the former wife of the head of the Wu Family. When we arrived at the scene of the crime, Qu Hui was in the act of committing the murder. There are seven eyewitnesses: this official, Judicial Supervisor Ling, Lin Sui’an, Fangke, Jin Ruo, the third daughter of the Hua Family, and Wu Yong, the steward of the Wu Family’s secondary residence. The facts are clear and the evidence is conclusive.”

Prefect Chi wiped his sweat. “Military Adviser Wu was a man of extraordinary valor — how could he have been killed by a woman too frail to truss a chicken?”

Hua Yitang frowned. “Wu Zhengqing previously suffered fifty strokes of the cane on Wu Zhengli’s behalf, and was already wounded, confined to bed to recuperate. Later, he drank the tea brought by Ma Biao and his companions from the Ma Family, which triggered the poison already in his body, causing vomiting and loss of consciousness. Qu Hui seized this opportunity to move in and kill him.”

“Wait, wait,” said Chief Historian Xia, thoroughly confused. “What tea? What poison? How did the Ma Family get tangled up in this case?”

Hua Yitang glanced at Fangke. Fangke stepped forward with a mournful expression, presenting the post-mortem examination report for Wu Zhengqing and the murder weapon. “The deceased, Wu Zhengqing, male, thirty-one years of age, bore wounds on his buttocks. The fatal injuries consist of nineteen stab wounds to the chest, inflicted with a kitchen cleaver — a belonging of the Wu Family’s secondary residence. One stab pierced the heart, eighteen penetrated the lung lobes, ten severed the ribs. The deceased showed little sign of struggle before death. Upon examination, the deceased’s body contained traces of Longshen Fruit poison, though the toxicity was not severe — estimated that the deceased had ingested Longshen Fruit for no more than three months, with no toxic reactions yet manifesting in the body. However, after drinking the counterfeit Hundred-Flower Tea, the toxins in his body were activated, causing violent gastrointestinal reactions. After vomiting, he fell into a coma and was thus killed while completely unaware.”

“According to the testimony of steward Wu Yong, Ma Biao and his associates came to visit the Wu brothers that morning and presented them with Hundred-Flower Tea produced by the Ma Family.” Hua Yitang signaled the court attendant to bring forward tea sample packets. “Upon examination, this tea superficially resembles Hundred-Flower Tea, but is in fact a different variety of tea leaves altogether, its properties vastly different from Hundred-Flower Tea. For an ordinary person who drinks it, there would be no ill effects. But for one who carries the Longshen Fruit poison, drinking it will trigger the poison to erupt, endangering their life.”

Prefect Chi was furious. “The Ma Family is a tea merchant renowned throughout the Tang Kingdom — how dare they sell counterfeit goods! This is simply outrageous!”

Chief Historian Xia said, “What Prefect Chi says is absolutely right. The case of the counterfeit tea leaves must be thoroughly investigated!”

Prefect Chi nodded, his eyebrows raised in severity. “Bring Qu Hui forward at once!”

The sound of chains came from deep within the prison — clank, clank, clank. Two jailers dragged Qu Hui out. Her hands and feet were bound with heavy iron chains, making every step a struggle. Her hair was disheveled, her body and face smeared with blood. She knelt gracefully before the bench, kowtowed in salute, and said, “Convicted Qu Hui pays her respects to the honorable officials.” Her words were clear, her expression calm, radiating an uncanny quality.

Prefect Chi struck the gavel. “Qu Hui, the witnesses and physical evidence of your murder of Wu Zhengqing are all present — do you confess?”

Qu Hui raised her head, the corner of her mouth curling into a smile. “I killed him, and I confess. My only regret is that I found him too late — that I killed him too slowly.”

As the last word fell, the smile at the corner of her mouth twisted into a savage, wild grin. In the dim lantern light, it was ghostly and chilling.

Prefect Chi swallowed. “What do you mean?”

Qu Hui bared her teeth. “Because Wu Zhengqing was Little Shuang’s beloved. Little Shuang loved him most dearly. Now that Little Shuang is dead, he naturally had to go and accompany her. I killed him, and Little Shuang must be very pleased.”

Chief Historian Xia said, “Military Adviser Wu was Lian Xiaoshuang’s lover? How is that possible?! What evidence do you have?”

Qu Hui smiled and said nothing.

Hua Yitang signaled the court attendant to bring forward a tray. On the tray sat two wind chimes — one covered in rust spots, the very one that had hung from the eaves of Lian Xiaoshuang’s home, and another that was nearly brand new. The paper tag on the new wind chime bore clearly legible characters reading: “What night is this night, that I should see this fine one.”

“These two wind chimes were found separately in the homes of Lian Xiaoshuang and Wu Zhengqing. From their shape, material, and pattern, one can identify them as the Marriage Destiny Wind Chimes from the Matchmaker Shrine.” Hua Yitang held up the newer one. “The handwriting on the paper tag of Wu Zhengqing’s wind chime matches the handwriting Lian Xiaoshuang left in the embroidery shop’s account book — it was written in her own hand.” He then held up the rusted one. “Inside Lian Xiaoshuang’s wind chime, a line of verse is engraved: ‘Oh you, oh you, how can one abandon such a fine one?’ The upper and lower lines of verse both come from the poem ‘Chou Mou’ in the Book of Songs, indicating that these two wind chimes are a pair.”

Prefect Chi looked incredulous. “Just because Wu Zhengqing was Lian Xiaoshuang’s lover, you wanted to kill him?”

Hua Yitang sighed, and ordered the court attendant to bring Wu Zhengli forward.

Wu Zhengli’s face was pale as paper. Upon seeing Qu Hui, he looked as though he had seen a malevolent ghost, cowering at a distance and trembling incessantly.

Hua Yitang said, “Wu Zhengli, I ask you: who exactly was the person who sold Lian Xiaoshuang to you in settlement of a gambling debt?”

“It was Wu Zhengqing! Everything was done by Wu Zhengqing!” Wu Zhengli shrieked. “He was the one who sweet-talked and deceived Lian Xiaoshuang, and he was the one who sold her to me to pay his debt. Lian Xiaoshuang’s child — yes, that child must also be Wu Zhengqing’s. I should have realized long ago — they were always entangled with each other. What a pair of adulterous lovers! Yes, yes, that’s right — so when Wu Zhengqing gave me the fake death-inducing drug back then, it wasn’t to save me at all, but because he was afraid I would reveal his relationship with Lian Xiaoshuang. And later, when he took the caning in my place, that was a ploy of self-inflicted suffering too! Wu Zhengqing truly was a vile creature — he nearly got me killed! Prefect Chi, I too am a victim! I am innocent!”

Lin Sui’an nearly kicked him: What scum!

Jin Ruo spat fiercely.

Qu Hui slowly turned her head and looked coldly at Wu Zhengli.

Wu Zhengli shuddered violently, curled up covering his head. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, don’t kill me, don’t kill me, don’t kill me!”

Qu Hui turned her gaze away with a look of utter contempt.

Prefect Chi gestured with disgust for the attendants to drag Wu Zhengli away.

Chief Historian Xia’s expression was one of unwillingness to watch. “To think that Military Adviser Wu — ahem, Wu Zhengqing was such a man. We were truly poor judges of character. How shameful, how shameful!”

Prefect Chi looked at Qu Hui. “So you killed Wu Zhengqing to avenge Lian Xiaoshuang? Could it be—” His expression changed. “Was the person who killed Lian Xiaoshuang Wu Zhengqing?!”

Qu Hui’s expression shifted — she closed her eyes.

“The one who killed Lian Xiaoshuang was not Wu Zhengqing, but Qu Hui herself.” Hua Yitang said.

Prefect Chi and Chief Historian Xia drew a sharp breath.

Qu Hui slowly opened her eyes. Her pupils were crimson as blood. She pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Hua Yitang’s throat bobbed several times. He ordered the court attendant to present another piece of evidence — the begonia-embroidered silk handkerchief that had been found on Qu Hui’s person earlier.

Hua Yitang said, “Human blood and Longshen Fruit residue have been detected on the embroidery thread of this handkerchief. I presume the embroidery thread on this handkerchief is the very murder weapon you used to strangle Lian Xiaoshuang?”

Qu Hui still said nothing.

“You strangled Lian Xiaoshuang with the embroidery thread, took away the thread, and then embroidered it onto the handkerchief.”

Qu Hui remained silent.

“Then why not simply burn the thread, but instead embroider it onto the handkerchief? Why keep the murder weapon on your person?”

Hua Yitang furrowed his brow and glanced at Lin Sui’an.

Lin Sui’an drew a deep breath, lifted her skirt, and crouched down, looking directly at Qu Hui. “That night, when you spoke of Little Shuang, the emotion in your voice was not feigned. You have always been her friend.”

Qu Hui’s expression shifted slightly, moisture slowly gathering in her eyes.

Lin Sui’an said, “I thought we were friends too.”

Qu Hui’s pupils trembled violently, tears falling without a sound. “Lin Niangzi… I’m sorry… You were clearly the one who saved me… I— I should have told you then… But I hadn’t yet found that faithless man. I was not willing to give up! I wanted that man to accompany Little Shuang in death!”

Lin Sui’an forced herself to keep her eyes on Qu Hui’s face and her falling tears. “…Why?”

Qu Hui drew a breath, her voice trembling. “That day, she suddenly came to the secondary residence, bursting with joy, telling me she was pregnant. Her beloved was about to secure her freedom from her bonded status and marry her as his official wife. He would take her away from Yidu to find a place of clear mountains and flowing streams to settle down. She was about to be free… She was so happy. She smiled so beautifully. That smile was like a thorn, stabbing deep into my heart!”

“Little Shuang and I were allies who had endured hardship together — friends, closer than family. We had nearly lived and died as one. Our fates were meant to be bound together. We were supposed to be the same. But she was actually telling me that she was leaving, that she was going to be free, that she was going to leave me behind!”

“I didn’t believe she would abandon me, so that night, while Wu Zhengli was out gambling, I snuck over to Little Shuang’s home. I wanted to ask her whether she truly meant to leave me — but then—” Qu Hui widened her eyes, tilting her head slightly as though confused. Bloody-looking tears traced the corners of her eyes. “She said that she only loved that man. That apart from him, not a single person in the world was worth a second glance from her.”

“When she said this, she had just finished embroidering a begonia screen. She said it was the finest thing she had ever embroidered — her trousseau. She took out three strands of embroidery thread and played with them before my eyes as though showing off a treasure. She said the man had given them to her — the most beautiful color she had ever seen in her life—”

“I snatched the embroidery thread, wanting to throw it away, wanting to shake Little Shuang out of her delusion, wanting to tell her that the man was not worth it. But Little Shuang fought me for it, and cursed me. She had never cursed at me before. As we struggled, the thread wound itself around Little Shuang’s neck. Little Shuang kept cursing. I was so heartbroken, I wanted her to stop — and then—” Qu Hui lowered her head to look at her own hands. Tears pooled in her palms, gathering into a blood-red puddle. “I don’t know how, but by the time I came back to my senses, Little Shuang had already been strangled to death by me—”

The entire interrogation room fell into dead silence.

Lin Sui’an’s eyes burned. She gripped her fists tight, slowly stood, and her legs buckled. Hua Yitang quickly steadied her, carefully fanning Lin Sui’an with his folding fan.

Lin Sui’an said, “You continue from here.”

Hua Yitang nodded, guided Lin Sui’an behind him, and raised his voice. “Qu Hui, you planned the murder of Lian Xiaoshuang in advance, did you not?”

Qu Hui shook her head blankly. “No, no…”

“If it was not premeditated, why were you prepared with the Peach Blossom brand, the large wooden crate for disposing of the body, and even the route for body disposal planned out in advance?”

Qu Hui looked up, her face a mask of bewilderment as tears streamed down. “Those things you speak of — I know nothing of them.”

Hua Yitang’s expression shifted slightly. “It wasn’t you?”

Qu Hui slowly shook her head. “After I killed Little Shuang, I fled in a daze. I only remember that by then it was already dark. The western market was crowded. I blended into the crowd and went home. I sat in the garden until dawn. I even thought it was all a dream — until the next day, when I heard that Little Shuang’s body had been discovered in the Huansha Stream… Why… Why did Little Shuang’s body end up there? I don’t know. Could it be that Little Shuang died unwilling, and her spirit drove her body out the door… Why? Why on earth did she do this?”

The final question seemed addressed to herself, and yet also to Hua Yitang — or perhaps, to Lian Xiaoshuang herself.

Lighthearted Side Story

The shrine keeper from the Matchmaker Shrine drove his old ox-cart, traveling nearly a full hour before finally arriving at the Hua Family’s estate of ninety-nine mansions. But the gatekeeper said that the fourth young master of the Hua Family had gone to the government office to hear a case, and that any important matters could be reported directly to Chief Steward Mu.

From the name, the shrine keeper had assumed this Chief Steward Mu would be a steady, elderly man. To his surprise, it turned out to be a clear-featured young boy of only fourteen, and he felt a little uncertain in his heart.

The fourth young master had placed such importance on these marriage destiny wind chimes — could handing them to such an unripe little child really be all right?

Miraculously, the moment “Chief Steward Mu” laid eyes on the marriage destiny wind chimes, a look of tender affection and deep satisfaction spread across his face, as though he had aged twenty years in an instant, and he immediately rewarded the shrine keeper with ten strings of coins.

The shrine keeper was utterly convinced: No wonder this person could serve as chief steward at such a young age. He truly knew how to conduct himself!

Author’s Note: My old back can’t handle long hours anymore — the doctor says I need to rest. Update frequency temporarily changed to every other day.