The moment these words were spoken, the hall erupted into chaos. The crowd looked around in confusion, breaking into discussions:
“Someone else?”
“Who is His Highness the Crown Prince referring to?”
“Every question was directed at Qingzhi earlier. Could it be Qingzhi?”
“But Qingzhi died by jumping into the well.”
With one sweep of Lin Chengyou’s gaze, the hall fell silent. Yan Shizhi dipped his brush in ink, quietly waiting for Ge Jin to speak.
Ge Jin’s thoughts remained fixed on Lin Chengyou’s words. Clutching her collar in terror, she asked, “It wasn’t Wei Zi’s doing? Then why was her Mohe treasure found under my couch?”
Lin Chengyou replied, “On the day of the incident, you had caught a cold and were unwell, retiring earlier than usual. Since Qingzhi was your maid, where was she when you were disfigured by the ‘vengeful ghost’?”
Ge Jin’s expression shifted unpredictably. “She had asked for leave that afternoon, saying an old acquaintance had come to see her and they had arranged to go out in the evening. Seeing how diligent she had been lately, I granted her request. She handed my medicine over to Luhe and left around the beginning of the Dog Hour. Later, I went out to keep an appointment, but due to feeling unwell, I returned early—around the end of the Pig Hour. Indeed, Qingzhi wasn’t in the room; it was Luhe who attended to me as I retired.”
“So she wasn’t by your side that night?”
Ge Jin nodded silently.
Lin Chengyou beckoned to the crowd, and a temple servant immediately sprang forward.
Tang Yuyi glanced over—it was the talkative temple servant she had seen in the small Buddha hall that evening, remembered as A-Yan.
Lin Chengyou questioned A-Yan: “You usually handle arrivals and departures at the building’s entrance. When outsiders come looking for the ladies inside, you’re responsible for relaying messages?”
A-Yan hunched his shoulders and smiled ingratiatingly: “That’s right. The house rules forbid ladies and maids from meeting visitors privately. If someone comes for an appointment, they must first report to the house owner or the madams.”
“Did anyone come looking for Qingzhi on the eighteenth of last month?”
“Forget about the eighteenth of last month—since Cai Feng Lou opened, I’ve never seen anyone come looking for Qingzhi. Though she did leave the building that night of the eighteenth, there were so many guests that evening, that I couldn’t keep track of when she returned.”
“You may not remember clearly, but others do. That night, Qingzhi was left alone—not only without male company but without any companions at all. It was quite late, and someone found it strange enough to watch carefully. As a result, they saw that Qingzhi returned in less than an hour, having bought a package of preserved cherries from the neighboring market. It was around the end of the Dog Hour. Both the clerk from the fruit shop across from Cai Feng Lou and the old tavern keeper can testify to this.”
Ge Jin listened intently, her eyes growing wider and wider.
Lin Chengyou turned to Ge Jin: “Qingzhi returned by the end of the Dog Hour, yet when you returned at the end of the Pig Hour, you didn’t see her. For a full hour, have you wondered where she might have been hiding?”
Ge Jin’s lips began to tremble. “Could she have been hiding under my couch? No, no, no, this maid was always lazy, and she had lied more than once. Sometimes she would sneak to the front hall to watch singing and dancing, sometimes she would go to other madams’ quarters to mooch food and drinks, disappearing for an hour or two. When questioned afterward, she would always play deaf and dumb. When I threatened to dismiss her, this maid would always kowtow and beg. Though I hated her intensely, I knew she was still quite capable at her work. Taking pity on her young age, I thought some more guidance would suffice. That night… that night… perhaps it was the same. No, even with all her faults, I still treated her well. I can’t understand why she would harm me.”
E Ji and others couldn’t help but interject: “Indeed, Your Highness, Qingzhi was Ge Jin’s headmaid. If Ge Jin met with misfortune, Qingzhi would be the first to suffer. Master and servant share the same fate—no servant doesn’t wish their mistress well.”
“Exactly. Even if Lady Ge Jin was disfigured, it wouldn’t mean Qingzhi could become the lead courtesan. This maid was greedy and vain, having received countless favors from Lady Ge Jin over the years. For those benefits alone, she would protect her mistress with her life. Besides, if she had harmed Lady Ge Jin, how could she act so unbothered afterward?”
“But Qingzhi has been having nightmares recently,” a small voice spoke up. “Madam Wo and the others know about this.”
Everyone turned their gaze—it was Luhe, who shared a room with Qingzhi.
Tang Yuyi started. Baozhu and Juan’er Li had mentioned this as well that day.
Madam Wo bowed to Lin Chengyou and said, “As this servant reported to Your Highness, Qingzhi began having nightmares about seven or eight days ago. She only said ghosts were trying to catch her, restless all night. When asked about it after waking, she wouldn’t say a word.”
He Mingsheng snorted, “Lady Ge Jin was disfigured on the eighteenth of last month. By logic, Qingzhi should have started having nightmares last month. Why would they only begin seven or eight days ago? Your Highness, Qingzhi served Ge Jin daily. If she had dared to impersonate a vengeful ghost, Ge Jin would have recognized her voice immediately.”
“Why the rush? I haven’t finished my questions.” Lin Chengyou returned to his table and ordered someone to present a package. “Qingzhi seemed to love preserved cherries. On the day she died, Yan Shizhi found an unfinished package of preserved cherries in her room.”
When the package was opened, a sour, rotten smell immediately spread through the air.
Lin Chengyou tapped the table: “Where is Baozhu?”
Baozhu timidly stepped out from the crowd and curtsied: “Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Which day did you catch Qingzhi eating these?”
“I can’t remember exactly which day, but it must have been shortly after Lady Ge Jin was injured. When I pushed open the door, Qingzhi was about to stuff the package of preserved cherries back under her pillow, but she accidentally dropped it on the floor, scattering some cherries. I glimpsed quite a few pieces of jewelry hidden underneath.”
E Ji stared in disbelief: “Baozhu, could you have seen wrong? How could Qingzhi, a mere working maid, have jewelry?”
Baozhu bit her lip and shook her head, indicating she hadn’t seen wrong.
Lin Chengyou picked up the bamboo chopsticks from the holder and publicly stirred the preserved cherries, immediately reaching the bottom—clearly, there was nothing hidden beneath.
“As you can see, there’s nothing here but rotten preserved cherries. Qingzhi was so fond of these, eagerly buying them back, yet how could she let them spoil uneaten? So Baozhu didn’t see wrong—these were used as a cover. However, when Yan Shizhi led people to search a few days ago, not a single piece of valuable jewelry was found in Qingzhi’s room. This is strange—where did those items go?”
Having listened until now, Wu Dao finally couldn’t contain himself: “Could someone have taken the things from Qingzhi’s room after her death? This old Daoist said it—Qingzhi didn’t commit suicide. The killer murdered Qingzhi and, fearing exposure, rushed to conceal the evidence.”
Lin Chengyou drawled, “Let’s set aside how Qingzhi died for now. Just looking at Lady Ge Jin finding Wei Zi’s Mohe treasure under the bed, someone not only disfigured Lady Ge Jin but also wanted to frame Lady Wei Zi for it. As the madams said, if Ge Jin was disfigured, Qingzhi would only suffer along with her. For Qingzhi to betray her madam, someone must have promised her greater benefits. That’s why Qingzhi, despite being lazy, voluntarily offered to clean the room that day. She pretended to accidentally discover the Mohe treasure under the couch, making Lady Ge Jin believe Lady Wei Zi was the culprit.”
The hall erupted—everyone understood the implications. The one who harmed Ge Jin might not have been Qingzhi alone. Qingzhi was the visible actor, while someone else remained hidden.
Tang Yuyi poured herself a cup of sugarcane juice. What a clever plan to kill two birds with one stone, eliminating both Ge Jin and Wei Zi. Only one person could benefit from this.
She observed that person over the rim of her cup, but they maintained an unbothered expression—either innocent or confident that Lin Chengyou couldn’t trace it back to them.
Lin Chengyou said mockingly: “Unfortunately, Qingzhi died soon after. With her death, there’s no way to verify this matter. To understand the truth, we must investigate each incident from the beginning. Earlier, A-Yan said Qingzhi left the building three times a month. However, servants like Qingzhi usually only have time to go out in the evening, when the Pingkang Ward gates are already closed, limiting them to walking within the ward. Not knowing where Qingzhi went for entertainment, I had to visit all the shops and taverns in Pingkang Ward. Fortunately, this search yielded some interesting findings.”
He picked up a stack of receipts from the table: “Each time Qingzhi left, she generally did three things: 1. Buy food and wine; 2. Pay someone to gather information; 3. Occasionally visit a pawnshop to pawn items. That pawnshop is right in Pingkang Ward. Qingzhi pawned four items over time.
“The first time was a silver thread bracelet, the second time a coral earring, the third time a silver hook. Since each time only one piece of a pair was pawned, the pawnshop owner suspected the items were of questionable origin. They would accept them but only offered Qingzhi one hundred copper coins. Qingzhi didn’t haggle, just took the money with a smile and left.”
The madams listened with shock and anger: “So those pieces of jewelry we lost were stolen by Qingzhi. This maid appeared foolish but was calculating. These pieces weren’t eye-catching, and by the time we noticed, many days had passed. Even if we had suspicions, we wouldn’t have suspected her.”
Lin Chengyou pulled out a sheet from the pile of papers beside him: “The fourth time, Qingzhi had improved—she pawned a four-butterfly pearl hairpin. This was the most valuable piece she had stolen, and the pawnshop owner extraordinarily gave her two strings of cash. However, strangely, Qingzhi redeemed it after just a few days, and after that, she never pawned anything again.”
Tang Yuyi’s gaze fixed—this was interesting. If she stole it to sell, why redeem it?
Lin Chengyou said, “This matter is intriguing. I asked the pawnshop owner to draw that hairpin. See if you recognize whose ornament this is.”
He Mingsheng and several madams stepped forward to look. The hairpin’s design resembled a peony with crimson stamens, adorned with four butterflies and decorated with silver powder.
“Oh, isn’t this Yao Huang’s hairpin?” Madam Wo beckoned to Yao Huang. “Come look yourself.”
Tang Yuyi observed Yao Huang—even though called up late at night, her hair was like dark clouds, her complexion like spring peach blossoms, and her clothes and sashes perfectly arranged.
Yao Huang walked gracefully to the table, bent to look at the drawing, but remained silent.
Lin Chengyou scrutinized Yao Huang, a smile playing on his lips: “Is it yours?”
Yao Huang’s eyelashes trembled: “Yes, it’s mine.”
Her voice was gentle and clear, sweet as an oriole’s song.
E Ji and Madam Wo nodded in confirmation: “No mistake. Young Master Wei from the Wei family of Ning’an Marquis gave it to Lady Yao Huang last year. Young Master Wei is skilled in painting; that day when drunk, he drew the design and had it made at the jewelry shop. There’s no second piece like it in Chang’an.”
As Lin Chengyou was about to speak, several officials and madams returned from the back courtyard.
“Finished searching?” Lin Chengyou asked.
“Yes.” An official hurriedly approached with a fine handkerchief. “The hairpin was kept in Lady Yao Huang’s mirror stand.”
“Thank you for your trouble.” Lin Chengyou said to the officials, picking up the hairpin to compare with the drawing, confirming it was the same one.
“Guess how much money Qingzhi spent to redeem this hairpin.” Lin Chengyou turned the hairpin lazily. “A full ingot of gold.”
Everyone changed color in surprise—this was no small sum.
“Qingzhi returned it intact, placing it back in Lady Yao Huang’s mirror stand. Let’s set aside where she got an ingot of gold—why would she be willing to return something she had worked so hard to steal?”
Yao Huang’s expression remained serene: “So Your Highness had people searched my room for this? I didn’t even know this hairpin had ever been lost. How can I answer your question?”
Lin Chengyou rose from behind the table, saying casually: “When a thief steals something and returns it, there are only two possibilities: either voluntarily or under coercion. Whether Qingzhi acted voluntarily or under coercion, something unusual must have happened in those few short days between her pawning and redeeming the item. Qingzhi and you reached some kind of understanding—she returned the item to you, and you helped her keep this matter secret.”
Yao Huang held her fan against her lips, laughing softly: “Your Highness must be joking. I had no relationship with Qingzhi; if not for her death in the well, I wouldn’t even remember her name. This maid was unstable—after stealing my ornament and redeeming it, perhaps she realized this hairpin wasn’t an ordinary piece and feared being beaten to death if discovered, so she hurriedly redeemed it. Nothing strange about that. As for that ingot of gold, who knows where she stole it from.”
Lin Chengyou clasped his hands behind his back and thought for a moment, looking up: “That makes some sense. Just the fact that she stole something and returned it indeed proves nothing. So Yan Shizhi and I went to inquire at the fruit shop across the street about who had bought preserved cherries in the past two months. The shopkeeper said that the prominent ladies of Cai Feng Lou never came out to shop personally—if they wanted something, they just needed to send a note, and the items would be properly packaged and delivered to the building. When Yan Shizhi and I had the shopkeeper bring out past purchase records, we found that you bought a large package of preserved cherries last month.”
Yao Huang giggled softly: “What’s wrong with me eating preserved cherries? They’re sold everywhere in the streets and alleys—Qingzhi wasn’t the only one who could eat them.”
“But the records clearly show that in the past half year, you only bought them that one time.”
Yao Huang remained composed: “In response to Your Highness, though I don’t particularly enjoy sweets, I often have guests visiting my quarters. Perhaps some young master wanted preserved cherries, and I had someone buy them on short notice. It was last month’s matter—how could I still remember?”
“No matter.” Lin Chengyou patiently picked up an account book from the table. “If you can’t remember, we’ll help you remember. You bought the preserved cherries on the second day of last month. Coincidentally, that was the same day Qingzhi redeemed your hairpin. According to your Master He’s account book from that day, you were ill in your room and didn’t receive any guests. I’d like to ask, who did you buy that large package of preserved cherries for?”
Yao Huang pressed her hand to her forehead, pondering for a moment, then suddenly nodded: “I remember now. I was sick that day, and for some reason suddenly craved preserved cherries. People who are ill can be peculiar about food—something they used to dislike might suddenly become irresistible. I recall eating more than half of them that day, and didn’t even eat dinner.”
Tang Yuyi, having observed until now, was full of doubts. Yao Huang remained unshakeable, seemingly confident that Lin Chengyou couldn’t produce solid evidence, and indeed, based on what Lin Chengyou had discovered so far, he couldn’t prove that Yao Huang had ever bribed Qingzhi.
Qingzhi was already dead. Continuing with these ineffective questions would only allow Yao Huang to perfect her story.
Tang Yuyi glanced sideways—why was Lin Chengyou, usually so cat-like, being fooled by this mouse today?
Lin Chengyou clicked his tongue: “And here I thought you bought the preserved cherries she loved as thanks for returning the hairpin. By your account, not only did Qingzhi get nothing out of it, she even lost an ingot of gold. If she were truly foolish, such behavior wouldn’t be strange, but from what we’ve investigated these past few days, Qingzhi was not only not foolish but extremely calculating.”
He paused, opening the case file on the table: “The day Qingzhi died, we questioned everyone in the building one by one. When mentioning Qingzhi, everyone’s accounts differed, but some points were consistent.
“First, though Qingzhi was both lazy and greedy, she was dexterous. Any work that couldn’t be avoided, she could complete quickly. From this point, Qingzhi wasn’t foolish.
“Second, she seemed to have become more affluent recently, and this happened before Lady Ge Jin’s incident. Not only did she stop pawning things at the pawnshop since last month, but she also frequently bought food and wine—yet Qingzhi hadn’t made new friends. The source of this money is unclear.
“Third, Qingzhi often said she had an elder sister. Because they were sold to different slave traders initially, they became separated. Qingzhi cared deeply about her sister’s whereabouts and frequently mentioned this matter.”
Madam Wo rubbed her disheveled hair: “Your Highness, I often said Qingzhi was confused, and this wasn’t unfair to her. What sister did Qingzhi have? She only had a dead younger sister. When I bought Qingzhi from the slave trader, she was only seven. Her contract clearly stated she was from Yingyang, and because her father was punished and entered the criminal registry, she had only one younger sister, who had already died of illness along with their mother when the incident occurred.”
Lin Chengyou: “Not only did she claim to have an elder sister, but she also said she was from the same hometown as the previous shop owner’s concubine. That concubine’s surname was Rong, from Yuezhou. Yingyang and Yuezhou are more than a thousand li apart.”
“This mad servant,” people whispered. “She was always somewhat confused, and these words are even more nonsensical. Your Highness, this maid had a strange personality—her words can’t be taken as truth.”
“But I did take her mad words seriously,” Lin Chengyou said with a mocking smile. “Qingzhi is fifteen this year and was sold when she was eight. To figure out if she was lying, we had to start with that slave trader from seven years ago.”
Hearing this, Yao Huang’s expression showed a slight ripple. Tang Yuyi secretly observed Yao Huang—so this was what Lin Chengyou had been waiting for. He had followed up on a casual remark Qingzhi had made.
However, Lin Chengyou changed the subject: “Let’s set aside the slave trader matter for now and return to the night Lady Ge Jin was disfigured. There are two major mysteries: How did that person sneak into the room? And why couldn’t Lady Ge Jin recognize who it was?
“The first is easy to explain—hiding under the couch beforehand would suffice. But the second doesn’t make sense. That person shouted and cursed loudly; Lady Ge Jin should have recognized their voice. Yet she strangely didn’t. This is the most inexplicable aspect of the entire incident.”
Ge Jin responded anxiously: “Though I couldn’t recognize who it was, temple servants guard the inner courtyard entrance every night—strangers couldn’t break in. The one who harmed me that night must have been someone from within the building!”
Master Jian said: “Your Highness, this old Daoist has heard that in the marketplaces there are skilled people in vocal techniques—women can imitate men’s voices, and men can imitate women’s voices. If that person was skilled in vocal techniques, it’s not strange that Lady Ge Jin couldn’t recognize them.”
Lin Chengyou stroked his chin: “So who in Cai Feng Lou is most skilled in vocal techniques?”
Everyone’s expressions changed dramatically, their gazes falling uniformly on Yao Huang. Lady Yao Huang was not only skilled in singing but could also imitate monkey calls and bird cries. Remarkably considerate and unpretentious, she would imitate animal sounds with uncanny accuracy, often amusing the entire gathering.
Before Lady Ge Jin arrived, Yao Huang had been expected to become the lead courtesan. Once the title of lead courtesan spread throughout Chang’an, within three years she could have saved enough money to buy her freedom.
Yao Huang smiled as she gazed at Lin Chengyou: “Your Highness’s words are incomprehensible. I do know some rudimentary vocal techniques, but that night I went to the Qujiang Lantern Festival with Young Master Wei of the Ning’an Marquis’s family, returning to the city the next day. There were numerous people in our company who can testify—Your Highness can question those present that night. I’m not afraid of another investigation.”
“You weren’t in the building, but Qingzhi was. She was responsible for hiding under the couch to harm someone, while you maintained your distance. During that time, when ghostly disturbances plagued the building and everyone spoke of them with fear, Qingzhi disguised herself as a ghost to scratch Ge Jin—it was truly perfect. You and she had even prepared the script: ‘Worthless slave, how dare you seduce my husband!’ With this line, even Qingzhi could be cleared of suspicion.”
“Wait,” E Ji couldn’t help saying. “Your Highness, Yao Huang is the one skilled in vocal techniques, not Qingzhi. If it was Qingzhi’s doing, how could she have fooled Ge Jin?”
Lin Chengyou replied: “Because Qingzhi was also skilled in vocal techniques.”
Everyone was shocked. He Mingsheng stared in disbelief: “Your Highness, how is this possible? If Qingzhi knew vocal techniques, someone would have known by now. Are you suggesting that Yao Huang taught Qingzhi vocal techniques on short notice?”
Yao Huang merely smiled: “Your Highness, vocal techniques rely heavily on natural talent; they cannot be mastered through mere practice. Even with talent, it takes at least three years to make progress. I barely spoke with Qingzhi in daily life—how could this matter even arise?”
Lin Chengyou smiled sardonically: “I also wanted to know the truth, so I looked into everyone’s place of origin at Cai Feng Lou. Qingzhi’s registry showed Yingyang, yet she claimed to be from the same hometown as someone from Yuezhou. I didn’t find anyone from Yingyang, but I did find someone registered from Yuezhou. This person was sold seven years ago, and their contract stated they had a younger sister, but unfortunately, before being sold, this person’s sister died of illness.
The hall fell completely silent. Several courtesans familiar with Yao Huang gradually showed terrified expressions.
“This person’s parents were originally musicians in the Yuezhou Prefecture, skilled in singing, playing the pipa, and vocal techniques, able to produce strange sounds. Their two daughters inherited their parents’ skills, and at a young age could already cleverly change their voices. This pair of musician parents surnamed Nie were implicated in Li Changmao’s rebellion case in Jiangnan seven years ago and died in prison shortly after. The younger daughter died of illness, and the elder daughter was sold—that is, the present Lady Yao Huang.
“Does this sound familiar? Qingzhi was also sold seven years ago, the only difference being one was registered from Yingyang and one from Yuezhou. But Qingzhi denied having a younger sister and insisted she had an elder sister. When she heard the previous shop owner’s concubine was from Yuezhou, she hurriedly claimed to be from the same hometown as Lady Rong. From this, it appears Qingzhi never gave up searching for her sister’s whereabouts, and often used her saved money to pay people for information. Heaven rewards the persistent—on the second day of last month, Qingzhi reunited with her sister, and this person was none other than Yao Huang.”
Wu Dao looked back and forth between Lin Chengyou and Yao Huang, his eyes wider than brass bells. Even if Qingzhi suddenly came back to life, it wouldn’t have shocked them more than this revelation.
Tang Yuyi almost spilled her sugarcane juice. She had thought Yao Huang had merely bribed Qingzhi, but they turned out to be sisters. Yao Huang was beautiful and radiant, while Qingzhi had coarse, dark skin. Placing them together, no one would have imagined Yao Huang was Qingzhi’s sister.
But upon careful examination, one would notice their eyebrows and eyes bore some resemblance. However, while Yao Huang carried herself with grace, the other’s behavior was crude. Without deliberate comparison, it was difficult to notice their similarities.
He Mingsheng and E Ji gaped, not knowing how to respond. Madam Wo swallowed and was the first to break the silence: “Your Highness, is Yao Huang Qingzhi’s blood sister?”
Lin Chengyou hummed in agreement: “Yao Huang’s contract states it clearly—her original surname was Nie, her childhood name was A-Fu, and her sister was called A-Ru. When sold, Yao Huang was already ten years old, and Qingzhi was eight. For both of them, childhood memories were deeply etched in their minds—they couldn’t forget their hometown, and even less could they forget the vocal techniques they had learned. So even though Lady Yao Huang had become a renowned courtesan in Chang’an, when given the chance, she still couldn’t resist displaying her vocal techniques, presumably partly to remember her parents and partly to prevent forgetting this extraordinary skill. Although Qingzhi never revealed this ability, she could produce strange sounds alongside her sister from childhood. Even if her skills had grown rusty over these years, imitating a middle-aged woman’s voice would not have been difficult.”
Ge Jin screamed like an awl: “It was you? I had no past grudges or recent feuds with you—why would you harm me like this!”
Wei Zi’s beautiful eyebrows rose in anger as she stumbled to her feet and rushed toward Yao Huang: “We were on good terms! Wasn’t it enough that you and Qingzhi conspired to harm Ge Jin? You had to target me too? You knew I didn’t dare report the loss of my Mohe treasure and would have no way to defend myself, yet you deliberately had Qingzhi steal this item to frame me!”
Though Yao Huang maintained composure on her face, her feet unconsciously stepped backward. Wei Zi was determined to grab and question her, and the hall descended into chaos.
He Mingsheng stamped his foot: “Quick, stop them!”
Madam Wo and E Ji hurriedly rushed forward. Yan Shizhi slammed the table with a stern face: “Enough!”
The yamen runners responded with a shout, drawing their swords and charging into the hall. Seeing the snow-like blade gleam, everyone immediately fell quiet.
After letting the commotion die down somewhat, Lin Chengyou lazily raised the documents in his hand: “I imagine Qingzhi never dreamed that the sister she had searched for so many years was right here in Cai Feng Lou. She stole items to pawn, using the silver to pay people for information. At first, she targeted inconspicuous items, and after several successful attempts went unnoticed, she grew bolder, until finally, she stole from her sister. The receipt shows she pawned the hairpin on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month and redeemed it on the second day of the last month—presumably during these days, Qingzhi accidentally discovered you were her sister.
“The coroner’s examination revealed several birthmarks on Qingzhi’s body. Confirming the identity between sisters wouldn’t have been difficult. After their reunion, Qingzhi returned the hairpin, and you unprecedentedly bought preserved cherries that you didn’t like for Qingzhi. I guess that ingot of gold Qingzhi used to redeem the hairpin came from you, because that hairpin was specially made for you by Young Master Wei of the Ning’an Marquis family—the only one of its kind in Chang’an. If it had circulated in the marketplace, its original owner would have been quickly discovered. Young Master Wei was passionately pursuing you—even if you didn’t investigate, he certainly would have conducted a thorough inquiry, and by then, when it was traced to Qingzhi, she would inevitably face severe punishment.
“You took the initiative to protect Qingzhi, offering gold to let her redeem the items, and she listened to you as her sister, never stealing again after that.”
Yao Huang sighed softly: “I didn’t know Your Highness was such a storyteller. One moment saying Qingzhi and I are sisters, the next saying I funded the hairpin’s redemption. But in fact, I never had any interactions with Qingzhi—everyone in Cai Feng Lou can testify to this.”
Lin Chengyou smiled at her words: “Yes, no one knew about your reunion with Qingzhi because you always met in secret. Cai Feng Lou’s business was flourishing, clearly on track to become Chang’an’s premier brothel. To attract more guests, your masters decided to select a lead courtesan from among the courtesans. As the day drew closer, Ge Jin overshadowed you. You thought day and night about how to win, but couldn’t devise a good plan. After recognizing Qingzhi as your sister, you suddenly had an idea—have her disguise herself as a vengeful ghost while you made a show of going sightseeing in the southern city with Young Master Wei. To prevent suspicion from falling on Qingzhi, you even had her change her voice to sound like a middle-aged woman.
“That’s why although I early on saw that Ge Jin’s face was deliberately scratched, I never suspected Qingzhi. Because Ge Jin wouldn’t fail to recognize her maid, and it was Ge Jin’s testimony that convinced everyone at Cai Feng Lou it was the work of a vengeful ghost.”
The crowd nodded: “This explains why Qingzhi would conspire with someone to harm her madam—it wasn’t an outsider, but her sister. Of course, Qingzhi would take this risk—if they disfigured Lady Ge Jin and framed Lady Wei Zi, her sister would naturally become the lead courtesan. Within a few years, she could buy freedom for both sisters.”
“This was executed flawlessly—no one suspected you sisters.” Lin Chengyou turned around. “After your reunion, you often gave Qingzhi money, making her increasingly wealthy. Soon after, when the two ghosts caused chaos and Cai Feng Lou was sealed off, you feared time would reveal too much, so you still had Qingzhi throw the stolen Mohe treasure under the couch. Once Ge Jin found it, she would naturally suspect Wei Zi.”
Yao Huang smiled bitterly: “Your Highness has spoken all this time without a single piece of evidence. It all comes down to claiming Qingzhi is my sister, but the contract clearly states that though I am indeed from Yuezhou, my sister died seven years ago. I dare not accept having a sister assigned to me out of thin air.”
Lin Chengyou glanced at her: “You’re right—with Qingzhi dead, there’s no one to verify this, and since the slave trader from seven years ago would be hard to find, you feel secure. That day after questioning everyone in the building, Yan Shizhi and I learned that Qingzhi hid jewelry under her preserved cherries, so we investigated the nearby jewelry shops. Qingzhi had never bought anything before, but on the seventh day of last month, shortly after reuniting with you, she suddenly ordered a pair of gold bracelets at a shop in the ward. Ten days later, she collected them, hiding them along with the jewelry you gave her under the preserved cherries. She often took them out to play with afterward, which is how Baozhu caught her, but unfortunately, after Qingzhi’s death, these gold bracelets disappeared.”
Yao Huang had been tense, but her brow suddenly relaxed at the last sentence.
Ge Jin and Wei Zi watched with rising anger, saying indignantly: “Your Highness, everyone has been confined to the building these past days, including Yao Huang. If she took them, the bracelets must still be in the building. Just find them, and she can’t deny her guilt.”
Lin Chengyou shook his head dejectedly: “Though we call it sealed off, the kitchen staff still go out daily for supplies. One need only quietly toss items into their baskets—it wouldn’t be difficult to get things out of the building. I suspect these bracelets have already fallen into the hands of some commoner, and according to the jewelry shop’s records, the bracelets weren’t carved with any special design. With Chang’an’s huge population, how easy would it be to find an unremarkable pair of gold bracelets?”
Wu Dao called out: “I’ve heard bracelets are different from other jewelry—too narrow won’t fit, too loose will slip off the arm. So jewelry shops have an unwritten rule that when ordering bracelets, one must provide measurements. If Qingzhi ordered bracelets, she must have done the same. Looking at the courtesans here, they have different builds—some plump, some slender—and their arm sizes must vary too. We’d know right away who Qingzhi had them made for.”
E Ji and Madam Wo couldn’t help but laugh: “Master Daoist is joking. Though bracelets do have sizes, they can be adjusted up or down, and ladies’ sizes aren’t constant. Even if they match someone’s arm size, we can’t definitively say they were made for that person.”
Yao Huang lightly dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief, looking increasingly at ease.
Tang Yuyi observed Yao Huang’s expression. Sitting there for a while, her limbs began to heat up again, but having practiced sword techniques earlier, the strange force wouldn’t run wild. It was strange that throughout this incident, Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi hadn’t appeared—were they still cleaning under the small Buddha hall? Lin Chengyou certainly didn’t go easy when punishing his junior brother.
With nowhere to vent her fire and inappropriate to run out for sword practice now, since this Yao Huang had such sharp teeth, why not use her to release some anger?
Tang Yuyi smiled and spoke: “The two madams are correct—almost everyone has gold bracelets. If the style is ordinary, it’s hard to identify them by appearance alone once lost. However, Qingzhi often stole others’ jewelry before. When it came to having her jewelry made, I think she would have guarded against this point.”
Yao Huang froze, suddenly shifting her gaze to Tang Yuyi. Something occurred to her, and her expression changed dramatically.
Tang Yuyi stared at Yao Huang, her lips curving into a pleased arc: “If I were her, I would leave a special mark on the inside of the bracelets. That way, even if they were stolen or accidentally lost, they could be immediately recovered. Your Highness, since you’ve traced that jewelry shop, you must already know what mark Qingzhi left, right?”
At these words, Lin Chengyou smiled slightly. Tang Yuyi snorted internally—he knew all along but wouldn’t say, merely because he hadn’t finished playing cat and mouse.
Lin Chengyou wasn’t at all surprised that Tang Yuyi could guess this: “One bracelet was inscribed with ‘Nie A-Fu’ on the inside, the other with ‘Nie A-Ru.’ Lady Yao Huang, what did you just say? ‘The contract clearly states.’ Who is Nie A-Fu? Surely you won’t deny even your birth name?”
The hall was like a giant stone had been thrown in, immediately stirring up huge waves. Everyone exclaimed in surprise, countless confused gazes shooting toward Yao Huang. E Ji and Madam Wo cried out in shock: “Yao Huang? It was you?”
Yao Huang bit her lower lip hard, her face turning as ugly as gray cloth.
Lin Chengyou paced with his hands behind his back: “You anticipated everything except that Qingzhi would have this pair of gold bracelets made behind your back. Though you found them while searching her room afterward, in your rush to clear evidence, you didn’t carefully examine the inscriptions inside the bracelets.
“I think Qingzhi had this pair of bracelets made to commemorate your sisterly reunion. She was someone who wouldn’t forget her roots, as shown by her insistence on saying she was from Yuezhou. She hoped you would buy freedom for both of you, so she did everything you said. You told her to disfigure Ge Jin, she disfigured Ge Jin. You told her to frame Wei Zi, she framed Wei Zi. When you felt she was no longer useful, you asked her to meet by the well in the back courtyard for a talk. She didn’t suspect anything—even when pushed into the well, she didn’t dare cry out loudly. That’s why even though we were in the small Buddha hall nearby at the time, we didn’t hear a sound.”
“No!” Yao Huang suddenly raised her head. “I didn’t kill A-Ru. We were separated for seven years and had finally reunited—how could I bear to harm her?”
The onlookers shouted: “Aha! You finally admit she’s your sister!”
“Such a flower-like person, yet so viciously cruel. Not content with harming two ladies, you could even lay hands on your sister.”
Yao Huang collapsed to the ground, tears suddenly flowing: “No, no, no, no, I didn’t kill A-Ru.”
She raised her head in panic, crawling on her knees toward Lin Chengyou’s feet: “Your Highness, at this point I have nothing left to hide. Everything you said is correct—I did those things, exactly as you described. First harming Ge Jin’s face, then taking the opportunity to frame Wei Zi. I had long wanted to escape this cage, and after reuniting with A-Ru, I thought day and night about buying freedom for us both. A lead courtesan is different from ordinary courtesans—the tips earned in a year are countless. To escape this bitter sea, was the fastest way. Every courtesan in Pingkang Ward dreams of becoming the lead courtesan. But if I missed this chance, the next would be three years later. By then I would be in my early twenties—by the time the oriole grew old and flowers withered, there would be no hope of winning.”
Lin Chengyou gave a long “Oh”: “So one’s ambitions must be achieved by harming others? When you disfigured Ge Jin, did you consider you were ruining her entire life? When framing Wei Zi, did you think about how her background was as pitiful as yours? Your methods are so vicious, yet you keep saying you had no choice—don’t you find yourself ridiculous?”
Ge Jin covered her mouth, sobbing with hatred, the scar on her cheek wet with tears, appearing even more terrifyingly red.
Yao Huang’s gaze was frantic and didn’t dare look directly at Ge Jin. She just anxiously prostrated herself, continuously kowtowing to Ge Jin and Wei Zi: “Yao Huang knows her sins are deep and dares not defend herself. Since committing these great wrongs, I’ve been anxious day and night without a single good night’s sleep. Now not only have I failed to achieve my wishes, but I’ve also lost the sister I had finally found again—”
She gritted her teeth: “This is all my own doing. I willingly submit to the law to atone for my crimes. What I owe the two ladies, I can only repay by being their ox or horse in the next life.”
Then she kowtowed to Lin Chengyou: “Earlier I wasn’t refusing to confess, but knew that once I did, there would be no one left to avenge A-Ru. The day A-Ru met with misfortune, I knew she had been killed by someone. We had endured so many years of hardship, finally hoping for a sisterly reunion—how could she suddenly seek death? But that day Your Highness and Yan Shizhi both said A-Ru committed suicide. I could neither reveal my relationship with her nor produce evidence, but Your Highness, you must believe me—”
She began sobbing in pain: “I didn’t kill A-Ru…”
Lin Chengyou frowned in thought. Though Yao Huang had indeed harmed others, there were many suspicious points about Qingzhi’s death. At first glance, everything seemed to be Yao Huang’s doing, but upon careful consideration, something felt wrong. What exactly was wrong?
Yao Huang took Lin Chengyou’s hesitation as softening and hurriedly prostrated herself again, saying anxiously: “A-Ru died under unclear circumstances. Her killer must still be in the building. Your Highness, you possess great wisdom—only you can find out who the murderer is.”
Lin Chengyou said: “Raise your head when speaking.”
Yao Huang raised her head with joy when suddenly an orange light flashed before her—Lin Chengyou’s fingers had flicked a jade bead aimed straight at her eyes.
The people nearby saw clearly and couldn’t help but cry out. This unexpected move would be impossible to dodge without exceptional skill. This was bad—Yao Huang’s eyeball would surely be lost.
Tang Yuyi was secretly startled. Yao Huang had already begun confessing, full admission was only a matter of time, and there were colleagues from the Court of Judicial Review present—why would Lin Chengyou blind a criminal?
Yao Huang’s expression twisted instantly, yet her body seemed frozen, unable to move at all.
The jade bead flew like a shooting star, reaching Yao Huang’s eyelashes in an instant. Just as it was about to strike, Wu Dao suddenly jumped up from his seat. Unexpectedly, the bead bounced back, retracting into Lin Chengyou’s sleeve.
Yao Huang’s body shook like chaff, collapsing to the ground like mud: “Your Highness, every word I spoke was true—why won’t you believe me?”
“I believe you, why wouldn’t I?” Lin Chengyou crouched down in front of Yao Huang. “If someone else killed Qingzhi, once they learn you’re Qingzhi’s sister, they’ll eventually deal with you too. Right now, Yan Shizhi and I are here, so that person won’t dare act rashly. If you want to live, quickly tell everything you know.”
Tears still hung from Yao Huang’s eyelashes, but her face quickly showed a joyful smile: “Alright, I’ll be brief. Though I often gave A-Ru money, I never gave her jewelry for fear of arousing suspicion. If not for hearing Baozhu mention it today, I wouldn’t have known A-Ru had secretly hidden things. Moreover, I never went to her room before she died—I didn’t take those things—”
Before she could finish speaking, her eyes suddenly took on a strange indigo color. Lin Chengyou’s expression changed as he quickly raised his hand to seal her major acupoint, swiftly pulling out a pill from his sleeve and forcing it into her mouth while holding her jaw.
But that thing was strangely mysterious. Even though Lin Chengyou moved as fast as lightning, he was still a step too late. Yao Huang convulsed on the ground and quickly became still.