Tomorrow was the Ghost Festival. Madam Zeng had asked Ming Shu to buy some items, so she went out early. Upon returning, she happened to meet Cao Hai at the gate just as he was leaving.
These days both Wei Zhuo and Lu Chang were too busy to stay home. As the Third Prince would personally represent the Emperor in ascending the Chan platform to pray, the Emperor had dispatched imperial guards to ensure Zhao Jing’s safety. Wei Zhuo was busy with security arrangements at Daxiang Temple. Lu Chang continued rushing about outside, tirelessly investigating his case.
Only guest Cao Hai remained at the mansion.
Having completed his mission to the capital and with no urgent matters at hand, Cao Hai would return to Jiangning after the Ghost Festival. Ming Shu often encountered him coming and going, and after several meetings, they’d grown familiar enough to chat when they met.
“Lady Lu, just returned?”
“General Cao.” Ming Shu smiled and curtsied to Cao Hai, saying, “I was helping Mother buy some festival offerings.”
She lifted her bamboo basket as she spoke.
Cao Hai’s gaze swept over the basket before looking at Ming Shu again, saying: “Tomorrow is the Ghost Festival. I hear the capital’s ceremony is quite grand. Wonder how it compares to our Jiangning’s? I really ought to see it properly!”
He laughed heartily, seeming quite curious and happy.
“I don’t know either. I hear this year is especially significant as it’s the seventh year, so the court is particularly invested and organizing it on a grander scale,” Ming Shu replied with a smile.
“They say our Jiangning Ghost Festival is also very lively, with river lanterns released every year. Lady Lu, do you remember…” He enthusiastically described the Ghost Festival celebrations in various Jiangning counties, then suddenly slapped his head in dismay, “Oh right, I forgot Lady Lu had that soul-leaving affliction.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Ming Shu shook her head.
“Lady Lu, you truly can’t remember anything from before? Not even a bit?” Seeing her expression unchanged, Cao Hai carefully asked.
“I remember.” Ming Shu thought of the past – not even a trace remained of her Jiangning memories.
“Such a pity, ah…” Compassion showed in Cao Hai’s eyes – such a fine young lady struck by this illness. “When you have a chance, let the Top Scholar take you back to Jiangning for a visit. Walking around might spark some memories. Remember to find me then, I’ll treat you both to drinks!”
“Thank you, General Cao.” Ming Shu smiled in gratitude.
After noon, Lu Chang unexpectedly returned.
She knew he would accompany the Third Prince to attend the Ghost Festival ceremony at Daxiang Temple and needed to enter the palace at dawn. He only came back briefly now. According to custom, one needed to burn incense and bathe to purify oneself before attending the ceremony – this was his excuse for returning.
With warm water prepared and incense burning faintly, he went to the bathing room while Ming Shu helped air out the clothes he would change into.
After bathing for about half an incense stick’s time, Lu Chang emerged in clean casual clothes. Seeing Ming Shu standing before the clothes rack, the fatigue and vigilance of recent days seemed to dissipate with her silhouette.
“Ming Shu.” He walked behind her, calling softly.
Ming Shu responded with a “mm” but didn’t turn around, still arranging clothes, until someone from behind took her hand, gently removing the copper warming pan she held.
“Stop busying yourself.” Lu Chang set the warming pan aside and turned her to face him. “Let me look at you.”
Ming Shu widened her eyes in confusion: “You see me every day, what’s there to look at?”
“Different.” Lu Chang said, “Today is different.”
Ming Shu’s gaze lowered to his collar as he held her in place.
Indeed different – his gaze was different. Before he would still restrain himself, with the identity of an elder brother maintaining boundaries. He would never look at her the way he did today.
“Brother…”
“Let’s change how you address me.” Lu Chang sighed softly, leading her to his desk.
“Lu Chang.” For some reason, Ming Shu had no desire to bandy words with him today. “Rest a while, I’ll help dry your hair.”
“Ming Shu, tomorrow is the Ghost Festival. In three more days, my month-long promise will be fulfilled.” His tone was unprecedentedly gentle as if he’d become a different person. He took out a copper key from the box on the table and placed it gently in Ming Shu’s palm.
“Keep it safe.” He closed Ming Shu’s hand around the key, pointing to a locked drawer under his desk. “Everything you want to know is in there – the files on the Jiangning case, your background, the truth about our flight to the capital – it’s all inside.”
Ming Shu frowned: “There are still three days, why give it to me now?”
“You’ll get it sooner or later, what’s three days’ difference?” Lu Chang didn’t answer directly, only saying, “Keep it safe for now, look at it later.”
“Lu Chang, are you hiding something from me?” she asked. Earlier when he had her cooperate in putting on an act to confuse their opponents, she’d guessed something had changed, but he never explained why, only telling her to wait.
Lu Chang reached up to stroke her hair, saying: “Ming Shu, I don’t have much time. This time back I only asked Third Prince for two hours. Let’s not discuss unpleasant things.”
He would soon return to the Third Prince’s residence, and at dawn would follow the Third Prince into the palace to request the ancestral tablets of previous dynasties, then escort them to Daxiang Temple… He didn’t have much time to give her.
“Lu Chang!” Ming Shu grew somewhat angry.
“Help me dry my hair and change clothes, please.” For the first time, Lu Chang requested her.
Ming Shu pocketed the copper key and took out the prepared perforated copper ball for drying hair. While wiping his long hair, she helped dry it. Lu Chang sat by the window, his loose black hair surrendered to her ministrations.
When his hair was about eighty percent dry, she neatly combed it into a topknot, then helped him change into the pressed robes. Thus passed the two hours, gone in the blink of an eye.
“Done.” Ming Shu smoothed the creases around his leather belt, stepping back.
Lu Chang said nothing, his lips slightly pursed as he gazed at her standing before him. With time running short, he was reluctant to leave, just standing there staring at her.
They stood by the window, afternoon sunlight filtering through the window screen into the room, softening both their features.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Ming Shu felt Lu Chang’s sharp edges had softened, replaced by gentleness. She moved her lips, about to call him, when Lu Chang suddenly leaned down.
His cool lips fell unexpectedly on hers.
Ming Shu’s eyes flew wide open, frozen like wood and stone by the window, unable to advance or retreat, her mind blank, her heart seeming to stop in that instant, her breathing disappearing with it.
Just once, just this once.
Lu Chang told himself, just this one indulgence in this lifetime, throwing away all constraints – propriety, restraint, everything cast aside.
The light kiss, like fine silk brushing past, was withdrawn before Ming Shu could taste it properly.
His ears and cheeks flushed red with the awkwardness of wrongdoing: “Ming Shu, I’m sorry, I…” Seeing her bewildered eyes, he closed his own to compose himself. When he opened them again, all romance had fled.
“I’ll go pay my respects to Mother.” With those words, he turned and left decisively.
Ming Shu stood dazed in the room – what had just happened?
She unconsciously touched her lips. If the sandalwood fragrance from his purification bath didn’t still linger, if that copper key wasn’t still in her possession… she would have thought she’d had another absurd dream.
One that made her heart race and her face flush.
After paying his respects to Madam Zeng, Lu Chang left the Wei mansion without saying much else.
Ming Shu hadn’t recovered from her earlier shock, her mind in chaos, thinking of Lu Chang’s unusual behavior while struggling with whether to immediately open his secret drawer with the copper key she clutched…
Before she could make sense of it all, someone came urgently seeking her.
“Really?” After hearing the message, Ming Shu turned sharply, joy showing on her face. “I’ll go right away.”
The messenger was a minor official from the Kaifeng Prefecture.
Madam Peng and Yu Lian had been found.
When Ming Shu arrived at the Kaifeng Prefecture office, the sky had already darkened.
Rather than saying Madam Peng and Yu Lian had been found, it would be more accurate to say they had been rescued. The pair hadn’t left the city – after departing, they had secretly returned and hidden in a concealed location.
“Their whereabouts must have been discovered by the opposition, leading to an assassination attempt. Fortunately, they survived the attack and escaped, hoping to encounter two patrolling colleagues who saved them. However, Madam Peng was stabbed multiple times and was severely injured. The doctor is doing everything possible to save her. Yu Lian’s injuries are lighter and already bandaged. I was just about to question him,” Ying Xun said.
Ming Shu nodded, following him into the prefecture office’s restroom.
Yu Lian sat in a chair with bandages on his hands and head, looking terrified. Seeing Ying Xun and Ming Shu enter, he hurriedly stood: “Constable Ying, save me!”
“Sit down and talk!” Ying Xun showed him no kindness, speaking coldly.
Yu Lian sat back down sheepishly, anxiously asking: “What about my mother? How is she?”
“Not dead yet, the doctor is still treating her.” Ying Xun sat across from him, asking sternly, “Tell us what happened?”
“Well… my mother and I offended some people, planned to hide somewhere else for a while, but didn’t expect them to find us. Just some personal grudges from the streets, nothing…” His eyes darted around, face full of guilt, but before he could finish, Ying Xun interrupted.
“Nearly dead and still won’t tell the truth? If it’s just a personal grudge, then it’s none of our business. Men, throw him out on the street…” Ying Xun slammed the table and shouted outside.
“No, no, Constable Ying, I’ll talk, I’ll talk! Don’t throw me out – if I’m out there, I won’t survive.” Yu Lian begged while glancing at Ming Shu, saying, “It’s about Liu Wan’er… I…”
“You gave false testimony, didn’t you?” Ming Shu said quietly.
Yu Lian gritted his teeth, nodding forcefully as he confessed: “Yes! That longevity lock and silk cloth Liu Wan’er had… they belonged to my mother.”
His story matched closely with what Manager Qian from the gambling house had said. In February, Yu Lian owed Daxing Gambling House a gambling debt. He stole these items from Madam Peng intending to use them as interest. Unexpectedly, right after he pawned the longevity lock to Manager Qian, someone approached wanting to buy the silk cloth and inquiring about the history of both items. The person’s appearance matched Manager Qian’s description almost exactly.
“The items were my mother’s, how would I know their history? But that person offered a high price, and I desperately needed money, so I begged my mother to help. Later my mother met with that person privately, they talked behind closed doors, and afterward, that person gave our family a large sum of money, just enough to pay off my gambling debts.”
“What did they discuss?”
“I don’t know, my mother wouldn’t let me listen. After giving us the money, they instructed us to let people know the longevity lock had always been in our possession, to answer according to their instructions if anyone asked, and promised another large sum once things were settled.” Yu Lian said, “Looking back now, they must have been investigating Third Lady Lu’s background. A few months later, you came asking about this longevity lock. I followed the previous agreement with that person, pretending to know something, leading you on, then directing you to question my mother.”
The subsequent events were already known to Ming Shu and Ying Xun – how they fell into the trap, extracted information about Madam Cai’s baby swap from Madam Peng, and followed that lead.
“If events unfolded as planned, why did you flee immediately after the case concluded?” Ming Shu asked in confusion.
“It was my mother… my mother saw Madam Cai was burned to death…”
“So Madam Cai’s death wasn’t accidental?” Ying Xun asked.
“I… I’m not sure, we just never expected Sister Cai to die. We never did as you asked about investigating the real Third Lady Lu’s whereabouts through Madam Cai, so when Madam Cai appeared at Liu Wan’er’s home and died in the fire, my mother and I were also shocked, but… we didn’t dare say anything…” Fearing involvement, Yu Lian and Madam Peng chose to keep silent and gave false testimony.
Their testimony had made it perfectly natural for others to accept Liu Wan’er as the real Third Lady Lu.
“So Liu Wan’er is currently in the Lu mansion isn’t Third Lady Lu?”
“Probably… I’m not sure…” After confessing everything, Yu Lian pleaded with them, “I know we committed a crime by giving false testimony. Constable Ying should lock me up, I want to die, I want to die!”
Ying Xun shook off his hand and had someone take him to jail, then said to Ming Shu: “Whether Liu Wan’er is truly of Lu family blood aside, she may well be deeply connected to Madam Cai’s death.”
“But the Peng mother and son never directly contacted Liu Wan’er. At most, we can prove her identity is false, but can’t prove anything else. Even Yu Lian couldn’t clarify the mysterious person’s identity. We’ll have to wait until Madam Peng wakes up to question her for more clues.” Ying Xun glanced at the sky while speaking, saying, “It’s late, better head back. I estimate she won’t wake up for questioning until early tomorrow. I’ll notify you then.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Master. I’ll head back first.” Seeing the late hour, Ming Shu didn’t delay and returned to the Wei mansion.
The next day, Ming Shu woke very early, sitting in bed staring blankly at the faint daylight outside her window, thinking that Lu Chang must already be accompanying the Third Prince to the palace by now.
Today was the Ghost Festival. Bianjing City was filled with a ceremonial atmosphere, with many commoners preparing offerings and paper horses early in the morning to attend the ceremony at Daxiang Temple.
Ming Shu had no interest in joining the crowds. After washing up and heading out, just as she was about to help Madam Zeng prepare offerings, Ying Xun came looking for her early in the morning.
“Madam Peng woke this morning, but she’s still very weak. She only answered a few questions before falling unconscious again.” Ying Xun sat below Ming Shu, saying, “Her secret discussion with that mysterious person was indeed about Third Lady Lu’s background and Madam Cai’s baby swap. She had known about this all along. The longevity lock and cloth were taken from the child the night Peng Qing brought her back, but because the situation was too tense then, they couldn’t sell the items quickly, so she kept them hidden until after her release from prison, storing them at the bottom of her trunk as burial money until now.”
Ying Xun paused, took a sip of tea, then continued: “She indeed didn’t probe Madam Cai as we requested, so she doesn’t know why Madam Cai sought out Liu Wan’er and died at her home. She just felt Madam Cai’s death was suspicious and feared she might meet the same fate, which is why she immediately fled with her son after the case concluded.”
“Did she know the mysterious person’s identity?”
“No, but she said that mysterious person wasn’t a man, but a woman dressed as a man, though not Liu Wan’er.”
According to Madam Peng: The person dressed as a man, behaving no different from ordinary men, wearing a high-collared undershirt with nothing outwardly unusual. But having dealt with women in the marketplace for years, she had a keen eye for distinguishing gender and could tell it was a woman.
“A woman dressed as a man, behaving like an ordinary man, refined like a scholar?” Ming Shu pondered the information gathered from Madam Peng, Yu Lian, and Manager Qian, finding the description increasingly familiar.
“Tang… Li?”
As she unconsciously spoke this name, a chill ran down her neck.
Ming Shu’s mind was in chaos, countless fragments of information flooding her thoughts. Though seemingly unrelated, they appeared mysteriously connected by invisible threads, weaving together into a vast net descending upon her.
Besides the brief descriptions, there was no substantial evidence pointing to Tang Li. Ming Shu understood why she suddenly thought of Tang Li – it was as if in that instant, a woman’s keen intuition had suddenly surged forth, growing increasingly intense until her heart pounded uncontrollably.
Unable to explain to Ying Xun how her guess stemmed from this sudden intuition, she only asked him to quickly take her sketch of Tang Li to confirm with Madam Peng and her son. After seeing Ying Xun off, she sat at her desk, took out paper and brush, and began writing down the jumbled information and names to clarify the relationships.
If Tang Li was indeed behind this, what was her purpose in setting up such an elaborate scheme?
Tang Li had now allied herself with Prince Yu, working for him – was she doing this for Prince Yu? This seemed the only explanation that made sense. She had been a lone girl expelled from her sect; without backing, how could she arrange such an extensive plot in such a short time? Even controlling Liu Wan’er alone would have been difficult.
The capabilities and insight Liu Wan’er displayed after entering the Lu family far exceeded what a sheltered doctor’s daughter would possess. She seemed more like someone carefully cultivated, her behavior and tactics adapting smoothly to different people and situations. She moved through the Lu family like a fish in water, including gaining favor from Marquis Rongxin – perhaps all just steps in winning Lu Zegang’s favor.
Because behind Marquis Rongxin stood Prince Yu.
How could Tang Li control such a person?
The only possibility was that Liu Wan’er was Prince Yu’s person, and Tang Li had borrowed her from Prince Yu.
Ming Shu rubbed her temples, drawing arrows between these three people, then pondered Tang Li’s purpose in arranging Liu Wan’er’s entry into the Lu family.
If it was for Prince Yu, what benefit could the Lu family offer him? Lu Zegang was just one of six ministers – why go to such lengths to plant Liu Wan’er in his household?
What had Liu Wan’er done since becoming Third Lady Lu?
She instantly thought of the Ghost Festival ceremony, several frightening ideas flashing through her mind.
The Ghost Festival ceremony was overseen by the Ministry of Works, Lu Zegang was the Minister of Works, Liu Wan’er’s grand charitable acts, Third Prince’s sudden decision to ascend the Chan platform before the Ghost Festival…
Could they be planning to strike against Third Prince during the Ghost Festival ceremony?
Ming Shu leaped from her chair, not waiting to verify her deductions. She lifted her skirts and ran out, calling to people as she went.
“Wait at the gate, if Constable Ying comes looking for me, tell him that if it’s as I suspected, have him bring men to find me at Daxiang Temple!” After instructing the gatekeeper, Ming Shu had Qiu Ming and others prepare a carriage.
But she hadn’t planned to go out today, and the carriage was being used elsewhere. Just as preparing another would take time, Cao Hai happened to be leaving and saw the hurried Ming Shu.
“What a coincidence, I’m also heading to Daxiang Temple. Let me take you there,” Cao Hai said.
Ming Shu thanked him profusely, not refusing, and got into Cao Hai’s carriage while he rode horseback.
The group set off grandly toward Daxiang Temple.
In the mid-seventh month, the weather was still very hot, especially past noon. Ming Shu sat stuffily in the carriage for a while, feeling unsettled, and reached out to brush aside the curtain. The wind suddenly gusted through the window, disturbing her hair slightly.
She adjusted her hair, thoughts gradually settling, suddenly remembering what Ying Xun had said days ago.
“This person must be very familiar with the Lu family, otherwise they couldn’t have discovered and exploited the seventeen-year-old Lu family case.”
She stared at the window frame for a moment, then leaned out: “General Cao!”
Startled, Cao Hai quickly had the driver slow down and rode his horse to the carriage side, asking: “What is it, Lady Lu?”
“Sorry, instead of Daxiang Temple, please take me to the Lu mansion.”
The residence of Minister of Personnel Lu Wenhan.
Thanks to her connection with Lu Chang, Ming Shu entered the Lu mansion smoothly without hindrance.
The Lu mansion was large and imposing, with numerous well-dressed servants, but Ming Shu had no interest in looking around or noticing others’ strange glances.
Lu Wenhan had just returned from the palace and was about to change clothes to go to Daxiang Temple when the doorkeeper unexpectedly announced Ming Shu’s request to see him.
He was quite surprised by her visit.
Though knowing she was his and Yu Qing’s flesh and blood, this child had somehow won his favor, especially after the mistaken identity incident. In his heart, he felt she was heaven’s compensation for the daughter he and Yu Qing should have had, making him even more gentle with Ming Shu than before.
But Ming Shu had no mood for pleasantries, getting straight to the point.
“Why ask about Su Changhua’s case?” Lu Wenhan asked curiously. “That’s a decade-old case.”
Su Changhua, former Vice Minister of Personnel, had been dismissed and his property confiscated for involvement in Prince Shun’an’s embezzlement case. He was Su Tang Li’s father.
Though Lu Wenhan was one of the six ministers ten years ago, he had been in officialdom for many years. Prince Shun’an’s embezzlement case had wide-reaching implications, bringing down many officials in the capital. Lu Wenhan had risen to prominence by filling one of these vacancies, making this case particularly memorable to him.
“Prince Shun’an governed the Northern River Route for over a decade. That region in the lower Yellow River was particularly prone to flooding, suffering annually. The Ministry of Revenue allocated a million taels of silver for Prince Shun’an to work with the Ministry of Works in managing the floods, redirecting waterways, and building dams and dykes – a project lasting five years. But just two years after completion, these million-tael dykes were breached by floods, causing worse flooding than before, submerging dozens of cities and triggering political upheaval. The Emperor was furious, ordering a thorough investigation. Nearly a hundred people were sent before discovering Prince Shun’an had embezzled funds and used inferior materials in building the dykes.”
Lu Wenhan recalled the events of ten years ago, speaking slowly but forcefully.
“With such a large sum, imperially approved, allocated by the Ministry of Revenue and supervised by the Ministry of Works, there were multiple layers of oversight, yet Prince Shun’an still embezzled nearly seventy percent of the funds, implicating many. Officials throughout the capital fell from grace, Su Changhua being just one minor player. The Emperor personally oversaw the case, with three ministries jointly investigating. The evidence against Su Changhua was conclusive, without any doubts, and he confessed. Though his involvement wasn’t deep and he might have escaped notice, an anonymous letter exposed him, leading to the confiscation of his property and exile.”
“That anonymous letter was…”
“Written by current Minister of Works Lu Zegang. At the time, Lu Zegang was just a minor official in the Ministry of Personnel, working under Su Changhua as his trusted aide. After exposing Su Changhua, Lu Zegang was rewarded for this deed, gradually climbing to his current position.”
“…” Ming Shu fell silent for a long while upon hearing this.
Based on her understanding of Tang Li, she likely wasn’t targeting the Third Prince at all, but the Lu family.