Through the open main door, Master Huan Tao’s main chamber was completely visible.
This was originally a study room for reading and practicing calligraphy, with a simple and symmetrical layout of three rooms. In the center of the main room, directly facing the door, stood a writing desk and an armchair.
Behind the desk, a landscape painting hung on the wall, with a window on each side. The east and west walls featured moon-gate curio shelves filled with books. The moon gates connected two inner rooms – the eastern one being a bedchamber and the western one a flower room.
Now from the outside, someone could be seen slumped over the writing desk.
Ming Shu’s words were truly shocking.
Lu Chang accompanied Lu Wenhan at the front. Being the quickest to react, he had rushed up the stone steps before others could recover, reaching Ming Shu’s side in mere strides. He placed his hand against her head, asking in a deep voice, “Are you alright?”
Song Qingzhao followed closely behind him to the doorway, glanced at Ming Shu, and then rushed inside.
Ming Shu’s head was buzzing. Though she tried to stay calm, her heart was still racing. Footsteps echoed all around – she knew her brother had arrived, Song Qingzhao had come, and the Third Prince’s attendants were here too… yet she still hadn’t recovered from the shock of discovering the corpse.
That feeling was different from fear. Speaking of dead people, she had seen them before. On that night fighting mountain bandits, many had died with blood everywhere. Though she feared death then, her mind remained clear. But today was different.
She had just… walked around the pools of blood to check if Yang Zishu was dead or alive, reaching out to feel for his breath.
It was her first time having such close contact with a dead person.
“Ming Shu?” Lu Chang ignored the chaos around them, simply stroking her head repeatedly with his palm.
His thumb brushed along her temple, warm and comforting.
“Brother, Yang Zishu is dead,” she said as her emotions gradually calmed under his soothing touch.
“Are you scared?” he asked.
Ming Shu shook her head: “With Brother here, I’m not afraid.” She smiled after speaking and took a deep breath.
Just like that bitter snowy night – even with swords flashing nearby, having him hold her hand made her feel secure.
Her thoughts gradually cleared.
“Do you still want to go inside?” Lu Chang casually glanced into the room over her shoulder. “If you don’t want to go in, we can leave. If you want to go in, I’ll accompany you.”
Ming Shu nodded: “I want to go in.” With those words, she resolutely turned around.
Many people had already rushed into the room – Song Qingzhao, Headmaster Xu Yan, and several armed guards… all examining the scene.
The room wasn’t in disarray. Everything was basically as Ming Shu had seen it when she checked the room with Madam He yesterday. The only difference was the writing desk. Originally, besides the four treasures of study, there had been a great scholar’s calligraphy piece held down by a paperweight. Now the calligraphy was gone, the paperweight moved to the corner, and a piece of paper with a seven-character quatrain lay in the center. Yang Zishu was slumped over this poem, crimson blood soaking through the paper and dripping onto the floor.
Ming Shu could see his face.
His expression was twisted, eyes wide open staring at the doorway, one hand clutching his neck, the other planted on the desk reaching toward the door.
The guards stepped forward to examine him, moving aside the hand that clutched his neck.
A sleeve arrow thinner than a pinky was lodged at an angle in his neck, almost completely embedded in the flesh. Blood had gushed from the wound, flowing everywhere – a horrifying sight.
——–
A murder had occurred at this century-old academy, and it happened on the very day the Third Prince and Minister of Rites were visiting. Moreover, someone had died right in front of the Third Prince, undoubtedly challenging his authority. He had just gained the Emperor’s trust this year and been assigned the important task of overseeing the imperial examinations. Yet before the examinations could even begin, a scholar had been killed under his very nose.
The Third Prince was furious, his previously pleasant and gentle expression instantly turning severe. Though young, when he grew stern, he exuded an innate royal dignity that made subordinates tremble even in silence – let alone now in his thunderous rage.
Headmaster Xu Yan was already sweating profusely. In his over ten years managing the academy, nothing this serious had ever occurred. He felt like dying right then, but eventually managed to collect himself and stepped forward to invite the Third Prince to wait in Chongming Hall. The Third Prince refused.
“No need!” Zhao Jingran said coldly, with the air of one determined to personally oversee the investigation.
Lu Wenhan caught the eye of an attendant, who quickly had two armchairs for Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan to sit in.
“Your Highness, Songlin Academy falls under the jurisdiction of Kaifeng Prefecture. By law, a murder case here should be reported to the Kaifeng Prefect. I have already sent someone to report the case,” Lu Wenhan said, watching the people examining the room from afar.
“It’s a long journey from here to the capital, taking nearly a day round trip. By the time they arrive, it will be dark,” Zhao Jingran said decisively. “No need to wait for them. We’ll investigate first – I’ll take responsibility!”
Lu Wenhan nodded, making no further attempts to persuade him.
Soon after, the guards completed their preliminary examination of the crime scene and came to report.
“Your Highness, Minister Lu, the deceased is Songlin Academy student Yang Zishu. The initial judgment indicates murder by a sleeve arrow through the neck. This is the murder weapon, for Your Highness’s inspection,” the guard presented the bloodied sleeve arrow on a cloth in his palm while continuing, “The corpse is still warm, rigor mortis hasn’t set in, and the blood hasn’t congealed. Death occurred recently – by this servant’s estimate, no more than an incense stick’s burning time ago. However, the exact time can only be determined once the coroner arrives.”
The Third Prince examined the weapon carefully and nodded, after which the guard put it away.
Several more people emerged from the room. Zhao Jingran looked up at the one in front and asked, “Qingzhao, you’ve examined the scene too? What have you found?”
Song Qingzhao approached Zhao Jingran, clasped his hands, and said: “Your Highness, Huantao Pavilion has only one front door, which was tightly closed and faces the main road – the killer couldn’t have entered through the front door. The pavilion has three rooms and four windows, but only one window in the main room was open. I believe the killer hid beneath that open window and shot the dart to kill Yang Zishu.”
“Lu Chang, what about you?” Lu Wenhan called out.
Lu Chang was standing behind Song Qingzhao with Ming Shu. Hearing this, he also clasped his hands and said: “Student agrees with Brother Song’s assessment. Additionally, if Yang Zishu truly died within the past incense stick’s burning time, he must have been killed during the period between when we were in Chongming Hall listening to Your Highness and Minister Lu critique the essays and when we came to tour the academy. Today being such an important day with Your Highness and Minister Lu visiting, the entire academy came out to welcome you. All professors and students should have been present, while other staff and servants were at their posts standing by. Perhaps Your Highness and Minister could order an investigation into anyone absent from the gathering without being able to account for their whereabouts during this time.”
After he finished speaking, Song Qingzhao turned to look at him.
His words awakened Zhao Jingran, who slapped his armrest and said: “By my command, all students are to remain seated where they are and not move about freely. Qingzhao accompanies Headmaster Xu in accounting for all students and investigating everyone’s whereabouts in the academy. Bring anyone with suspicious movements to me for questioning.”
Headmaster Xu’s face paled slightly but still acknowledged the order along with Song Qingzhao.
Ming Shu turned to look at Madam He, who was being supported by Madam Lin in the corridor, looking like she might faint at any moment but didn’t dare to. Ming Shu sighed and turned back, just as Zhao Jingran said: “Lu Chang, then you…”
After the previous examination, Lu Chang’s talents had caught the Third Prince’s eye. He meant to test Lu Chang’s abilities further but suddenly didn’t know what to assign him.
“Your Highness, perhaps let us search for the arrow case? Only the sleeve arrow has been found, but the case is missing. The killer committed the crime in such a short time, that they certainly wouldn’t have had time to properly dispose of the case. It might be hidden on their person, or perhaps hastily discarded for fear of discovery. There’s a small bamboo grove in the Bamboo Border not far behind Huantao Pavilion. Since the killer shot Yang Zishu through the rear window, they must have fled from the back and might have thrown the weapon into the bamboo grove.”
It was Ming Shu who spoke, already pulling out her little notebook from her sleeve. The layout map she had drawn while familiarizing herself with the academy’s routes with Madam Lin now came in handy.
She opened her notebook to the page showing Huantao Pavilion, where the ink lines clearly showed the surrounding layout.
“You were the first to enter the crime scene?” Zhao Jingran asked, looking at the map in her hand.
“Yes, Your Highness. This commoner was accompanying Madam He today in attending to Your Highness and Minister Lu. Earlier, because Huantao Pavilion’s door was tightly closed, Madam He ordered this commoner to open it, and that’s when I saw the deceased. When I entered, I didn’t touch anything and have already reported everything I saw at first glance to Your Highness’s guards,” Ming Shu said.
Her words were clear and orderly, not only explaining all her actions from then until now but also clearing herself of any suspicion of murder – Madam He and the others were her best time alibi.
Few women could maintain such composure at a crime scene. Zhao Jingran couldn’t help but look at her twice, while Lu Wenhan spoke up: “Young lady, I see you’re quite young. Aren’t you afraid?”
“I am afraid. Look, Minister, my hands are shaking,” Ming Shu raised her arm, and indeed, the notebook in her hand was trembling slightly.
Lu Wenhan smiled at this, seemingly amused by her response. His tone grew even gentler: “If you’re afraid, why do you want to investigate?”
“Perhaps I’m just too curious,” Ming Shu answered honestly.
Perhaps it was the touch of cleverness in her honesty that made her seem interesting – Lu Wenhan’s smile grew wider: “Young lady, what is your name?”
“I’m Ming Shu… Lu Ming Shu.” As she spoke, she looked toward Lu Chang.
Lu Chang added: “Your Highness, Minister, this is my younger sister. The academy has been short-staffed these days, so she’s been helping Madam He. She has an active and playful nature – if there’s any disrespect, I hope Your Highness and Minister will forgive her.”
“So she’s your sister. Ming Shu is it… Someone bring her a cup of warm tea,” Lu Wenhan ordered, then spoke to Ming Shu with a kind expression, “Warm your hands before investigating with your brother.”
Ming Shu felt there was something inexplicably paternal in Minister Lu’s gaze toward her.
It was quite strange.
——–
Zhao Jingran issued several more orders. Besides investigating everyone’s whereabouts and alibis, he also ordered inquiries into Yang Zishu’s character, his close associates, and his recent movements.
Song Qingzhao was assigned to verify the academy personnel’s whereabouts, Headmaster Xu was responsible for accounting for the students, and Madam He was in charge of checking the support staff.
Meanwhile, Ming Shu followed Lu Chang, accompanied by two of the Third Prince’s guards, to search for clues behind Huantao Pavilion.
Everyone split up to carry out their tasks.
The academy had seventy-three students in total. Though numerous, they were the quickest to account for, as all students had been with the Third Prince and Lu Wenhan today, providing solid alibis for all those present.
Among these seventy-three students, three were absent.
Besides the deceased Yang Zishu, Tang Li claimed illness, and Xie Xi was under confinement, unable to attend today’s grand occasion.
Soon, these two were brought before the Third Prince.
Meanwhile, Ming Shu, Lu Chang, and the two guards conducted a thorough search in the grove behind Huantao Pavilion.
Working in pairs and bending low, they searched in different directions. While looking down for clues, Ming Shu spoke to Lu Chang who wasn’t far away: “Brother, I think Minister Lu is strange.”
“Oh? How so?” Lu Chang was also searching intently.
“I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the way he looks at us is odd. He shares our surname Lu – Brother, do you think our father might have some unknown background, like a long-lost brother… That’s how stories in novels usually go! Could we have an uncle we’ve never met, who left home young and became a high official…”
Lu Chang was speechless at Ming Shu’s flights of fancy: “Ask Mother about that.”
His only impression of his father was the memorial tablet enshrined at home, nothing more.
Ming Shu giggled, then suddenly exclaimed “Ah!” Lu Chang turned: “What is it?”
“Brother, come look,” Ming Shu crouched down, pointing at something in the grass.
Lu Chang quickly moved to her side, also crouching: “Do you have a silk handkerchief?”
Ming Shu gave him her plain handkerchief. He wrapped it around his hand and picked up the object from the ground.
A golden arrow case, about six inches long.