Lin Sui’an walked in under everyone’s gaze, strode quickly to Hua Yitang’s side, removed her cloak, and took a seat.

“How did it go?” Hua Yitang asked.

“He Sishan did indeed fall from the Stargazing Terrace.” Lin Sui’an said.

Everyone collectively drew a sharp breath.

“And then?” Hua Yitang asked again.

Lin Sui’an knew what he was asking — things like: had she found evidence of someone plotting against He Sishan, or had the culprit left behind any traces?

Unfortunately, a half-rate investigator like herself simply couldn’t turn up more clues.

She’d really been living too comfortable a life for too long — she’d actually forgotten about hers and Hua Yitang’s wretched constitution for attracting trouble. Fortunately, Dr. Fang had the foresight to come along; otherwise He Sishan would already be a corpse.

Lin Sui’an shook her head. “It would be good if Qian Jing were here.”

Hua Yitang’s brow knotted up tightly, and he muttered under his breath, “From now on, when I go out I must tie that little brat Qian Jing to my belt…”

Lin Sui’an: “……”

He would bite you to death.

“What about on your end?” Lin Sui’an asked.

“Everyone just arrived.” Hua Yitang lowered his voice. “Everyone was very shocked to hear that Mountain Dean He had fallen from the cliff.”

Lin Sui’an picked up a cup of hot tea and took a sip. “And after hearing that Mountain Dean He was no longer in danger?”

Hua Yitang: “Worry, anxiety, relief…”

Lin Sui’an’s gaze slowly swept the room in time with Hua Yitang’s voice — past Bai Ruyi, Chief Librarian Bai Wen, Dormitory Head Yuanhua, the thirty-plus students — and Hua Yitang leaned in close, nearly whispering: “…and a flash of seething resentment and disappointment…”

On that last word, Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang’s gazes came to rest on Qihe at almost exactly the same moment.

At this moment, Qihe sat with his back slightly bowed, hands clasped tightly together, occasionally looking up toward the main door, his expression anxious, his eyes rimmed red. From time to time he reached up to wipe away a tear at the corner of his eye — the very picture of heartbreak and anguish. The emotion that had surfaced for an instant when the door opened had already vanished without a trace.

Lin Sui’an: “Perhaps I saw wrong.”

Hua Yitang: “Hua has observed countless people. I would not see wrong.”

“Do you have evidence?”

“None.” Hua Yitang said with utter certainty. “I simply find him disagreeable on sight.”

Lin Sui’an’s gaze drifted again, and she noticed Yuanhua and several students with their heads bent together, whispering about something unknown, occasionally stealing glances at Bai Ruyi, their expressions very conflicted.

Hua Yitang also noticed. He cleared his throat. “If I remember correctly, that’s Dormitory Head Yuanhua over there — do you have something to say?”

Yuanhua jolted upright, and out of reflex bowed first. “Yuanhua greets Adjutant Hua.”

Hua Yitang said pleasantly, “What is it you want to say?”

Yuanhua: “Reporting to Adjutant Hua, this student is uncertain whether what he has to say is appropriate—”

“Just say it!” Bai Wen snapped sharply. “You’re always wishy-washy on ordinary days, but what time is it now? How can you still be so long-winded?!”

Yuanhua’s forehead broke out in sweat. “May I ask Lin Niangzi — did Mountain Dean He fall from the Stargazing Terrace?”

Lin Sui’an nodded: “Yes.”

“At what hour?”

Hua Yitang: “Around 10:15 p.m.”

Yuanhua’s face went a little pale. “Reporting to Adjutant Hua, this student once saw a person go to the Stargazing Terrace at around 9 p.m.… What I mean is — it wasn’t Mountain Dean He. Someone else also went to the Stargazing Terrace.”

Lin Sui’an’s eyes lit up. Hua Yitang straightened up in his seat. “Who?”

Yuanhua stole a glance at Bai Wen, then quickly dropped his gaze again. His finger pointed squarely at the person sitting next to Bai Wen: “It was Book Attendant Bai!”

Everyone’s gaze snapped over in unison. Bai Ruyi’s face went white in an instant.

Qihe stared blankly. “What?”

Bai Wen slapped the table and leaped to his feet. “Yuanhua, what do you mean by this?!”

“Chief Librarian Bai, please calm yourself. Allow Hua to ask clearly first.” Hua Yitang said, then turned to Bai Ruyi. “Book Attendant Bai, is what Yuanhua said accurate?”

Bai Ruyi swiftly rose to his feet, clasped his hands, and said: “It is accurate.”

Hua Yitang: “What time did Book Attendant Bai arrive at the Stargazing Terrace?”

Bai Ruyi: “Around 9:15 p.m.”

“Was Mountain Dean He on the Stargazing Terrace at that time?”

“He was.”

“Are you certain it was Mountain Dean He?”

“Bai exchanged a few words with Mountain Dean He.”

“When did Book Attendant Bai leave?”

“Around 9:45 p.m.”

“Adjutant Hua!” Bai Wen shouted angrily. “That tone of yours — don’t tell me you’re treating Book Attendant Bai as a criminal to be interrogated?!”

Unexpectedly, before Hua Yitang could even speak, Bai Ruyi opened his mouth first: “Do not be rude. Hua Silang, serving as the Criminal Adjutant of Andu, conducting inquiries and questioning is his duty. Furthermore, Mountain Dean He’s fall from the cliff is suspicious in nature and should naturally be investigated with full clarity.”

Bai Wen’s face turned alternately green and white. He bowed his head and did not dare say another word.

Lin Sui’an’s eyes went wide. What a transformation — Bai Ruyi had spent over a year in the Eastern Capital, and now when he spoke he actually carried some semblance of proper official authority. Quite impressive!

Hua Yitang nodded. “Book Attendant Bai is correct. It is Hua’s duty to perform his function, and he will be questioning everyone present shortly about where they were tonight and what they were doing. It is hoped that everyone will be as forthcoming as Book Attendant Bai.”

Everyone clasped their hands together and responded in unison.

Hua Yitang: “Where did Book Attendant Bai go after leaving the Stargazing Terrace?”

Bai Ruyi paused. “I — I originally intended to return to my room to rest—”

“Adjutant Hua, permit me to speak!” A student jumped to his feet. “This student is named Shi Caichun. Huang Qu” — he indicated the student beside him — “and I greatly admire Book Attendant Bai of the Bai Family’s thirteenth branch for his talent and learning. Tonight we waited outside Book Attendant Bai’s dormitory room, hoping to seek his guidance. But from 9 p.m. all the way until after midnight, neither of us saw Book Attendant Bai return.”

Bai Ruyi went rigid.

“So, after returning from the Stargazing Terrace, Book Attendant Bai did not go back to his room. In the dead of night, in the bitter cold, where exactly did Book Attendant Bai go?” Hua Yitang asked.

“I — Bai — did indeed not go back to my room; instead I went to — went to…” Bai Ruyi hastily wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Bai went to the Royal Scriptures Pavilion to read.”

Upon hearing this, the assembled students shook their heads one after another.

“Impossible — the Royal Scriptures Pavilion closes at 9 p.m.”

“After 9 p.m., Chief Librarian Bai locks the door. No one may enter or leave — not even Mountain Dean He.”

“This is a firm rule Chief Librarian Bai established. In twenty years since the academy was founded, it has never been broken!”

“Chief Librarian Bai once said that unless he dies, no one is to dream of breaking his rule.”

Both Bai Wen and Bai Ruyi’s faces flushed crimson.

Hua Yitang stretched out a long “Oh—” and said: “May I ask whether Book Attendant Bai’s claim of going to the Royal Scriptures Pavilion to read has any witnesses?”

“Yes! That would be me!” Bai Wen said loudly. “Why is everyone staring at me?! I didn’t break any rule! Book Attendant Bai couldn’t sleep, so he came to my room for a bit of wine and to write… some… writings…”

Hua Yitang frowned. “What writings?”

Bai Ruyi, blushing furiously, mumbled: “Not… not convenient to show…”

Hua Yitang heaved a long sigh. “Bai Thirteenth Young Master, don’t say Hua didn’t warn you — you and Bai Wen are both of the Bai clan, and he is your elder besides. The relationship is too close; his credibility as your alibi witness is already greatly diminished. If you don’t explain clearly what it is you wrote, things on my end — well, that’s going to be difficult—”

“The Bai clan acts with rectitude and sits upright! What is there we cannot show?” Bai Wen leaped up, his snow-white whiskers bristling. “I’ll go get it right now!”

“Don’t—” Bai Ruyi’s struggling cry was left far behind as Bai Wen strode off.

Lin Sui’an was genuinely curious. When it came to literary talent, Bai Ruyi dared to claim second in all of Tang; no one dared contest the first. He should long have been accustomed to his writings being admired and scrutinized. What on earth had he written tonight that made him so reluctant to display it?

Hua Yitang sat with perfect posture, expression perfectly composed, even his furrowed brow furrowed in a perfectly composed manner — if only he weren’t secretly arching a brow and bouncing his leg, he might actually look like a serious Criminal Adjutant conducting an inquiry.

Before long, Bai Wen returned, clutching an armful of a bundle — which turned out to be several dozen sheets of paper, each with a poem written on it.

“Here! All written in Book Attendant Bai’s hand, all written tonight — the ink on these few sheets isn’t even dry yet!” Bai Wen swiftly distributed the poems to the assembled students, shoved a stack into Hua Yitang’s hands, and growled through gritted teeth: “Adjutant Hua, look closely!”

It had to be said — Bai Ruyi’s calligraphy was truly fine. Neatly written regular script, meticulous and deliberate, very pleasing to the eye. The key thing was, Lin Sui’an could actually read it!

“A day without seeing you is like three months… a day without seeing you is like three autumns… a day without seeing you is like three years… um?”

Lin Sui’an read one poem, felt something was off, and looked over at Hua Yitang — his face had gone black as the bottom of a pot.

All around, the students broke into exclamations of admiration.

“Fine writing, fine writing!”

“Fine poem, fine poem!”

“Look at this line: where feeling runs deepest, life and death cannot hold me — in the depths of longing, spirit and soul drift away — ah—”

“Book Attendant Bai, you seem to be pining with unrequited love—”

Bai Ruyi curled in on himself, seemingly wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.

“So, Book Attendant Bai is like Mountain Dean He — deeply devoted to Second Miss Hua.” Qihe flipped through a few more poems and murmured, “So… such envy… how desolate—”

“That doesn’t seem right,” Yuanhua said. “Listen to this line: Ten thousand stars and ten thousand beams, thunderous and trembling; Pure moon fills the sky, crystalline and still; Following my heart, I roam freely through the world; Safe and at peace under heaven, loving all within it.”

A dead silence fell.

All eyes snapped toward Lin Sui’an. Lin Sui’an felt the stares all over her body like needles, and poked Hua Yitang. “What does that mean?”

Hua Yitang’s forehead veins were jumping. He craned his neck and said not a single word.

Yuanhua said in astonishment: “Lin Niangzi can’t tell? This is an acrostic poem — take the first character of each line: ten (千 Qian), pure (净 Jing), following/random (随 Sui), safe/peaceful (安 An)…”

Lin Sui’an’s eyes went wide: Eh, eh, eh???

Bai Ruyi’s face was as red as a fruit ripened to perfection in autumn. He gazed over with a forlorn look, just about to speak, when Hua Yitang suddenly shot to his feet, his wide sleeves flapping up and down like a moth taking flight. He planted himself between Lin Sui’an and Bai Ruyi and said, his expression sharp: “Academy Overseer Qihe — may I ask where you were around 9 p.m.?”

Qihe’s gaze shifted. “I was naturally in my own room.”

Two other students stood up: “We share a dormitory with Overseer Qihe. We can vouch for each other.”

Hua Yitang: “Did any of you three leave alone at any point during that time?”

The students shook their heads: “Overseer Qihe read with us and never left.”

Hua Yitang quickly glanced at Qihe and then questioned the other students.

Since dormitory space was limited, all students were essentially sharing rooms in pairs or groups of three. Checking each one’s account against the others, every person — including Qihe — had a clear alibi.

Lin Sui’an’s gaze followed Hua Yitang around the room as he questioned them, and the more she listened, the more her head ached. She thought: could it truly be that she and Hua Yitang were overthinking it, and this was simply an accident?

Just as that thought crossed her mind, she suddenly felt a chill at her back, and glanced sideways — Bai Ruyi was gazing straight at her, his eyes shimmering like water, as though he had a thousand things to say.

Lin Sui’an’s head ached even more.

Could it be that Bai Ruyi was being pressured by his family again into an arranged marriage, and wanted to pull her in as a shield again?

It wasn’t impossible — the man had prior form.

Bai Ruyi seemed to read Lin Sui’an’s expression; the light in his eyes dimmed.

Just then, Mu Xia pushed open the door and said with clasped hands: “Fourth Young Master — Mountain Dean He has regained consciousness.”

The whole room broke into great joy. Everyone stood up at once. Lin Sui’an took advantage of the moment to glance at Qihe — his eyes held tears, his face carried a smile, yet his hands were clenched with white-knuckled force, veins stark and straining.

He Sishan was propped up against the headboard, a thick soft cushion supporting him from behind. Though his face was pale, he looked to be in reasonable spirits — Lin Sui’an thought it was probably because Hua Yifeng was by his side: the magic of love.

“The patient’s body is still very weak — say what you need to say quickly,” Fangke said.

Because He Sishan needed quiet, only a handful of key people were allowed into the room: Bai Ruyi, Qihe, Bai Wen, and Yuanhua. The rest of the students could only wait outside; a dense cluster of round shadowy heads pressed against the windows.

He Sishan smiled faintly. “Don’t worry — I’m fine. As the saying goes, great misfortune brings great fortune in its wake—” as he spoke, he cast a glance at Hua Yifeng.

Hua Yifeng, her face cold, tucked the blanket more firmly around him. Fangke rolled her eyes hard.

Hua Yitang’s expression was none too pleasant. “Mountain Dean He — did you fall from the Stargazing Terrace?”

He Sishan: “Yes.”

“Why did you fall?”

“I was careless — I tripped and rolled off.”

Hua Yitang clearly paused. “Were there any other people on the Stargazing Terrace at the time?”

“No, just me.”

Hua Yitang: “Are you certain?”

He Sishan smiled helplessly. “I’m certain. It was just an accident.”

As Hua Yitang asked his questions, Lin Sui’an kept a close eye on everyone’s expressions in the room — especially Qihe. But to her frustration, everyone’s reactions reflected only relief and happiness, nothing out of the ordinary.

Qihe: “This truly is a blessing in misfortune! If something had happened to Mountain Dean He, where would our academy even go from here?!”

Bai Wen: “Mountain Dean, you gave us all such a fright this time! In the future you must stay in the academy and rest — you absolutely must not go patrolling the mountain anymore!”

Yuanhua: “Especially the Stargazing Terrace — Mountain Dean, please absolutely, absolutely never go there again!”

“All right, all right, I’ll stay put,” He Sishan said with a smile. “Only — tomorrow is lecture day. If I lie here like this, I’m afraid it will delay everyone’s studies—”

“Mountain Dean need not worry. Qihe will personally give the lectures to the students—” Before Qihe could finish, Bai Wen cut him off.

“Aiya, Mountain Dean, what time is it now, and you’re still fretting over that? Besides, with Bai Family’s Thirteenth Young Master here, why worry about there being no one to lecture and discuss learning with the students?” Bai Wen said. “Thirteenth Uncle, you absolutely must help with this!”

Bai Ruyi quickly clasped his hands. “Bai will do his utmost.”

He Sishan was overjoyed. “Many thanks, Book Attendant Bai!”

Yuanhua: “I’ll take full charge of all arrangements for daily life — Overseer Qihe, you only need to focus on taking good care of Mountain Dean. Mountain Dean, you only need to focus on resting and recovering!”

The crowd of students eavesdropping outside the window let out a collective cheer: “We will study hard and diligently — we won’t let Mountain Dean and Overseer Qihe worry!”

He Sishan was greatly gratified. “Good, good, good — you’ve finally grown up.”

Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang watched in silence throughout. From the moment Bai Wen recommended Bai Ruyi to give lectures to the academy’s students, a kind of polite, ethereal smile had settled onto Qihe’s face, his manner strikingly strange.

Once all the arrangements were settled, Yuanhua led the crowd of students back to their rooms. Bai Wen and Bai Ruyi went to the Mingli Hall to prepare for the lectures. Fangke called Hua Yifeng and Qihe to the outer room to give instructions about changing the dressings. The inner room fell quiet again.

He Sishan looked toward Lin Sui’an. “Today — many thanks, Lin Niangzi, for saving my life. He Sishan has nothing sufficient to repay you with — all I can offer is—”

“It was nothing at all — please don’t mention it!” Lin Sui’an hurriedly declined.

He Sishan stared blankly at Lin Sui’an; his eyes gradually reddened, and it looked as though he might be about to cry again. Lin Sui’an’s scalp crawled. She quickly gave Hua Yitang a poke.

“Since Mountain Dean He is no longer in any danger, then we won’t keep him from his rest.” Hua Yitang clasped his hands, smiled, and the two of them made a perfectly graceful exit together.

Having been busy the whole night, it was now nearly 5 a.m.; a faint light sketched out the outline of the rolling peaks — dawn was approaching.

Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang walked along the covered corridor beneath the eaves, arms folded inside their sleeves, brows tightly knit.

“Could it be that we’ve been worrying for nothing, and it truly was just an accident?” Lin Sui’an said.

“Could it be that our luck has finally turned, and our streak of bad fortune has finally run its course?” Hua Yitang said.

The two looked at each other, then sighed in unison.

It wasn’t that the two of them were being pessimistic — it was simply that reality had pressed them to the ground and rubbed their faces in it so many times that they dared not believe otherwise.

Suddenly, from behind them came a soft “click.” Lin Sui’an spun around abruptly. “Who’s there?!”

After a long pause, Bai Ruyi silently shuffled out from behind a clump of trees, gazing at the two of them with a pitiful, yearning look.

Hua Yitang immediately stepped forward, placing himself firmly in front of Lin Sui’an, and snarled through gritted teeth: “Bai Thirteenth — what do you think you’re doing?!”

Bai Ruyi took a deep breath. “Bai — Bai Bai Bai — I wish to — to to to to — speak alone with—”

Hua Yitang instantly bristled like an angry cat. “Don’t even think about it!”

Bai Ruyi squeezed his eyes shut, assumed the expression of one who faces death without flinching, and declared: “Bai wishes to speak with Fourth Young Master Hua alone!”

Lin Sui’an: Oh ho?!

Skit

Mu Xia: Sigh, Fourth Young Master’s rivals in love keep multiplying — what a headache!

This case isn’t difficult — go ahead and guess!