They had overlooked one crucial issue from the start.
When Liu Wan’er searched for her family using the longevity lock and silk handkerchief, they all followed the clues led by these two items, starting with the truth of the baby switch seventeen years ago. However, according to Ming Shu’s original plan, they weren’t meant to expose the truth of the Lu family’s baby switch case so quickly – they needed to find the whereabouts of the stolen infant first to definitively confirm Liu Wan’er’s identity.
This plan had no flaws initially, but no one expected that at this critical moment, Madam Cai would attempt murder to silence someone yet end up dead herself. Cai’s death naturally led everyone to connect Liu Wan’er with the Lu family’s missing baby, while simultaneously cutting off the path to finding the infant’s true whereabouts.
Looking back carefully now, Ming Shu realized they had never investigated Liu Wan’er herself as the victim.
They had been led by the nose in the stolen child case, or rather by Liu Wan’er herself, discovering as she wished that Lu Ruishan, who lived with the Lu family for seventeen years, was the daughter of kidnappers. But this Liu Wan’er… was she truly the real Third Miss Lu?
No one could prove this point – everything was based on subjective speculation, wasn’t it?
“Brother, if Liu Wan’er also isn’t real…” Ming Shu felt a chill run down her spine to the top of her head at her deduction.
That would mean she had sent away one fake Third Miss Lu, only to send another fake one into the Lu household. For Madam Feng, how great a shock would that be?
If Liu Wan’er was fake, then from the beginning, the longevity lock and silk handkerchief were all traps set for her, using her sympathy to ultimately use her hand to send a fake Liu Wan’er into the Lu family.
Why did Liu Wan’er enter the Lu family? Was it merely to covet wealth and desire to become the daughter of a Secretary of Works?
The more Ming Shu thought about it, the colder she felt.
“Brother, I’m… a little scared…” She hugged herself, wrapping his outer robe tighter around her body, shrinking further into the chair.
Since coming to the capital, this was the first time she felt such trepidation due to so many unknowns.
Lu Chang listened very seriously to her analysis.
Originally, it was just an ordinary case of an orphan searching for her family. When Ming Shu first took it on, he hadn’t even imagined it would become connected to the Lu family of the Ministry of Works. Later, he hadn’t paid much attention to the matter either, only occasionally hearing some minor details during casual conversations with Ming Shu, and hadn’t taken it to heart.
Hearing it now, he too realized he had failed to notice.
“Ming Shu, look at me.” Lu Chang crouched before her, his gaze level with her eyes. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
His warm palm caressed her cheek, then gently tucked her loose hair behind her ear. Under his calm, gentle gaze, Ming Shu gradually calmed down.
“A longevity lock and silk handkerchief alone can’t prove anything. If something feels wrong, investigate until you find the truth,” Lu Chang finally said. “If Liu Wan’er is indeed suspicious since she was able to obtain the longevity lock, she must have acquired it through certain channels. The case involves only those few people – investigate the origin of the longevity lock, and you might find some clues.”
Ming Shu found his words reasonable and was about to nod when her nose suddenly itched, and she involuntarily covered her mouth and nose with an “achoo!”
“Just like a child.” Lu Chang tightened her outer robe and stood up to make tea.
Ming Shu only then realized that Lu Chang was also in his sleeping attire – the thin inner clothes emphasized his straight back and defined lines.
Her breath caught slightly, and she quickly looked down at her feet. She was wearing Lu Chang’s soft-soled cloth shoes that he usually wore at home, made by Madam Zeng. He took great care of them, keeping the shoe uppers very clean. Now they dangled on her feet, swaying like little boats.
Lu Chang poured hot tea and turned to see Ming Shu lowering her head and swaying her feet. She was wrapped in his large outer robe, wearing his shoes, with her long hair flowing down like a waterfall, half-concealing her bright face. Though her features weren’t visible, it made her all the more alluring.
He gradually felt his mouth and throat grow dry, yet at this moment Ming Shu looked up, gazing at him with clear eyes full of innocent confusion. For a normal adult man, this had a fatal attraction.
Lu Chang took a deep breath before walking to her side and handing her the tea: “After drinking the hot tea, go back to your room. It’s very late, you should sleep.”
Ming Shu, oblivious, only felt she had disturbed Lu Chang. She took a few sips of hot tea before stopping and standing up: “Then I’ll return to my room first. Brother, you should rest early too.”
After speaking, she stood and walked to the door, about to take off the outer robe to return it to Lu Chang.
“Keep it on,” Lu Chang stopped her action, watching as she left the door and ran towards her room, disappearing from his sight in moments.
Only then did he close the door heavily, pressing one hand against the doorframe and bending slightly to calm his emotions.
After standing like this for a while, he walked to the basin stand, plunged both hands into the cool water, scooped it up, and splashed it on his face.
The clear water wet his temples, droplets sliding down his cheeks and neck into his collar, bringing a slight coolness.
He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.
Days like these were extremely difficult to endure.
The next day, Ming Shu left with her people as soon as she got up, not even waiting for the messenger sent to inform Ying Xun to return, and headed for North Slanted Street.
Now that Madam Cai was dead, only Madam Peng remained. If the longevity lock and silk handkerchief were indeed stolen along with the infant at that time, then Madam Peng very likely had seen both items as well.
Ming Shu planned to find Madam Peng again to clarify matters regarding the longevity lock and silk handkerchief.
By the time they reached North Slanted Street, it was already quite late in the morning. The streets and alleys were bustling with people coming and going, every household had started their kitchen fires with smoke rising, and their gates were open as they began their day’s work. Only Madam Peng’s house remained tightly shut, with no sign of activity, and even the windows were closed tight.
Ming Shu nodded to Qiu Ming, who then went forward to knock on the door.
“Old Woman Peng?” Qiu Ming called out after knocking three times.
There was no response from inside.
Qiu Ming knocked several more times with greater force: “Old Woman Peng! Someone’s here for fortune-telling! Open up quickly!”
Still, no one opened the door or responded.
Qiu Ming turned back: “Maybe she’s not home?”
Ming Shu stared at the dark house for a while before decisively saying: “Break down the door.”
Qiu Ming hesitated: “Forcibly entering a private residence isn’t appropriate.”
“I’ll take responsibility,” Ming Shu said without any hesitation. “Break it!”
Qiu Ming didn’t ask any more questions, just positioned himself sideways and aimed his shoulder at the wooden door, charging forward with great force. The not-so-sturdy wooden door burst open at the impact. Ming Shu lifted her skirts and stepped into this cramped little house, looking around.
The house, visible from end to end, was in complete chaos.
The chaos wasn’t from fighting, but from hastily ransacking without time to clean up.
The bowls and chopsticks on the table hadn’t been cleared away, the drawers of the cabinet had been pulled out and not returned, their contents spilled all over the floor, the bedding behind the curtain in the sleeping area was in disarray, all the chests in the house were open, half the clothes were gone, and the remaining items were scattered in complete disorder…
After checking every room, Ming Shu sat down in the hall with clenched fists, her face frost-like as she pressed her lips together in silence.
When the notified Ying Xun hurriedly arrived, he saw Ming Shu’s people guarding outside Madam Peng and Yu Lian’s house. He suspiciously stepped inside, looking around while saying: “What’s going on? Ming Shu, you all…”
“Master, Madam Peng and her son have fled,” Ming Shu said coldly.
What?
Hearing this, Ying Xun was shocked and, like her, rushed to check every room, coming to the same conclusion as Ming Shu.
Throughout the house were signs of hurriedly packing valuables, all valuable items had been taken, and half the clothes were gone. Madam Peng and Yu Lian must have hurriedly packed their belongings and left in the night after returning from court.
This was Ming Shu’s most optimistic guess – if they had fled for some reason, that was still okay, but if they had fallen into someone else’s trap, their safety couldn’t be guaranteed.
“Why did they need to flee?” Ying Xun was puzzled.
The case was concluded, and the officials didn’t intend to pursue Madam Peng. Their midnight departure made no sense.
“That’s what we need to ask them,” Ming Shu remained cold, with a trace of anger in that coldness.
Madam Cai was dead, and no one knew the whereabouts of Lu’s family’s stolen infant anymore; Madam Peng had fled, and the origin of the pure gold longevity lock remained a mystery…
All the clues had been cut off.
Speculation based solely on a longevity lock wasn’t enough to prove anything to the world.
After a brief period of frustration and anger, Ming Shu regained her rationality and shared her suspicions with Ying Xun.
After hearing her analysis, Ying Xun also furrowed his brows, falling into deep thought.
Ming Shu’s fighting spirit had been ignited the moment she learned of Madam Peng and Yu Lian’s disappearance. Her face lost its usual smile as she sat with Ying Xun in Madam Peng’s cramped little house, discussing countermeasures after their silence.
“Leave Madam Peng’s whereabouts to me. First, we’ll check if they left the city. Whether they left or stayed in Bianjing, there will be traces to follow,” Ying Xun said.
Ming Shu nodded: “Master, we should also investigate the people Madam Peng and her son have been in contact with recently. Yu Lian frequented gambling dens and taverns – we might learn something from his usual haunts.”
“I’ll arrange for people to investigate.”
“Also, Liu Wan’er’s background is suspicious. We should find time to ask the neighbors around her residence,” Ming Shu added.
After agreeing to everything, Ying Xun quickly bid farewell and left to arrange with his colleagues to search for Madam Peng’s whereabouts.
Ming Shu sat without moving.
If all clues were cut off, then they would cast a wide net. Even if it meant searching for a needle in the sea, she would find new clues!
At dusk, a red-brown stallion galloped past, heading towards the Wei mansion.
At noon, Madam Zeng had prepared some food. To thank Wei Zhuo for his care during this time, she brought Lu Chang and Ming Shu to personally deliver a portion, expressing their gratitude. Wei Zhuo felt somewhat overwhelmed by the honor and hurriedly invited the three inside, offering seats and ordering tea to be served.
“My mother’s dumplings are the most delicious, Uncle Wei, please try them,” Ming Shu smiled while helping Madam Zeng take out the food items one by one from the food box, placing them on Wei Zhuo’s table.
Wei Zhuo looked down to see steaming dumplings, in emerald green and snow white colors – the green ones vegetarian, the white ones meat-filled. The soup base showed tiny oil spots, made with chicken broth, sprinkled with green onions, dried shrimp, and other garnishes, smelling incredibly fragrant. Besides the dumplings, there was also a plate of jade-green cabbage rolls, a bowl of tender brown sugar pork knuckle, and a plate of lamb flatbread.
These were all home-style dishes, nothing too elaborate, but just looking at them made one’s mouth water. Wei Zhuo had lived alone for many years, and although his mansion had a kitchen, the cook was a former military mess cook who made large pot meals. He had grown used to it and hadn’t noticed anything wrong, but seeing the food Madam Zeng brought today, he suddenly felt that what he had been eating before was barely edible.
The dishes Madam Zeng made, just like herself, exuded a warmth that comforted the heart.
“Thank you, Madam Zeng,” Wei Zhuo expressed his gratitude.
Madam Zeng replied: “We’ve imposed on your hospitality for many days, thanks to Your Excellency’s care. We have no way to properly thank you, only these humble dishes to express our gratitude.”
“Madam Zeng is too kind,” Wei Zhuo hurriedly said. “This was merely a small gesture, please don’t take it to heart.”
Madam Zeng smiled slightly, glancing at Lu Chang, who then said: “Uncle Wei, the food should be eaten while hot. We won’t disturb your meal.”
Ming Shu arranged the bowls and chopsticks and came over to support Madam Zeng, just about to smile and say goodbye when they heard urgent footsteps from outside the hall.
“Reporting to Your Excellency, Commander Cao Hai of the Jiangning Prefecture Military Command requests an audience!”
Everyone’s gaze turned towards the hall entrance. Wei Zhuo and Lu Chang exchanged looks, their expressions becoming solemn.
Cao Hai had arrived in Bianjing many days earlier than they had estimated.
Following the servant’s announcement, a man walked across the spacious courtyard outside the hall.
The man was over forty, with a square face and broad ears, wearing bright silver armor, holding his military helmet, with a sword at his waist, and walking with a powerful stride. Wei Zhuo hurriedly went out to meet him, with Lu Chang following, leaving Ming Shu supporting Madam Zeng in the hall.
“This subordinate Cao Hai pays respect to Your Excellency!” Cao Hai dropped to one knee as soon as he saw Wei Zhuo.
Wei Zhuo stepped forward quickly to help him up: “Brother, we haven’t met for many years, there’s no need for such formality, quickly rise!” While speaking, he looked outside, puzzled, “Just you alone?”
However, Cao Hai refused to rise, still saluting on his knee with bowed head: “Your Excellency, this subordinate has failed his mission, unable to escort the criminal official Gao Shicai to the capital, and comes to beg punishment.”
At these words, Lu Chang’s expression changed: “Gao Shicai escaped?”
Cao Hai glanced at Lu Chang, then looked at Wei Zhuo, who was also greatly surprised and said: “Speak, we’re all our people here.”
Cao Hai continued: “On the way to the capital, he committed suicide for fear of punishment, dying in an inn. His corpse, along with other suspects in the case, is currently being escorted to the capital and should be near Bianjing by now. This subordinate, fearing Your Excellency’s long wait, rode ahead quickly to report.”
Lu Chang’s first reaction was to turn back to look at Ming Shu, who was supporting Madam Zeng in the hall. She happened to be looking his way, and their gazes met silently.
The main suspect in the Jian family massacre case was dead?!