Lu Chang picked up the arrow tube and examined it closely. As he studied it, he said, “This is a sleeve arrow tube, six inches long and made of copper. It’s designed for single shots. The arrow inside should be about four inches long, matching the one we found in Yang Zishu’s neck. This size is considered small for sleeve arrows. The common ones in the jianghu are about eight inches long, twice as thick as this. As for the weight…” He weighed the tube in his hand and continued, “It’s very light, small but intricate. The spring mechanism is finely crafted. You can’t easily buy this in the jianghu. Such a small and exquisite sleeve arrow is typically used by women in the inner quarters for self-defense. It can be strapped to the arm.”
In other words, this sleeve arrow was likely used by a woman.
“Brother, look here. There’s writing,” Ming Shu crouched beside him, pointing to a spot on the tube.
The characters were at the top of the tube, tiny. Lu Chang held the other end of the tube and brought it close to examine.
The characters were smaller than ants, with very complex strokes. After a moment of scrutiny, they made out the writing.
“Xie?” they exclaimed in unison, turning to face each other.
As they turned, Lu Chang’s lips almost brushed Ming Shu’s cheek. He realized that to examine the tube, Ming Shu had crouched down right next to him, their heads close together.
Dappled light filtered through the bamboo grove, illuminating her face. At this close distance, he could see the fine hair on her cheeks, her slightly trembling eyelashes, and her pale pink lips…
His mind exploded, and Lu Chang froze.
Ming Shu felt a slight itch on her cheek near Lu Chang, a warm tingle. She unconsciously scratched her face and called out, wide-eyed, “Brother?”
Lu Chang abruptly stood up, nearly toppling Ming Shu.
“Brother!” she said, annoyed.
“I’m sorry,” Lu Chang turned away, not looking at her, but extending his hand.
Ming Shu grabbed his hand angrily and stood up, shaking her numb legs. “Even if we discovered the sleeve arrow might belong to Xie Xi, you don’t need to be so shocked, do you?”
In the academy, Xie Xi was the only one with the surname Xie. Moreover, this finely crafted sleeve arrow couldn’t be obtained by someone without status, which matched Xie Xi’s identity as the heir of the Yongqing Marquis.
It seemed almost certain.
“Let’s go back,” Lu Chang said, his emotions unsettled, unable to look directly at Ming Shu as he picked up the arrow tube.
Ming Shu quickly held him back. “Brother, why the rush? We’ve searched this far, shouldn’t we look for more clues? The killer must have passed through here after discarding the weapon. Maybe they left footprints or other traces…” She took a few steps toward the other end of the bamboo grove. “Besides, your bamboo pavilion should be just ahead…”
Judging from this route, the killer was likely someone staying at the bamboo pavilion. Xie Xi had been staying there during his time at Songling Academy, and just yesterday he argued with Yang Zishu. Based on these surface clues, Xie Xi indeed seemed highly suspicious.
Lu Chang paused, took a deep breath to calm his suddenly disturbed thoughts, and quickly regained his composure. “Alright. Let’s split up and search.”
After speaking, he still didn’t look at Ming Shu and moved forward to search. Ming Shu huffed and chose another direction to investigate.
On the other side, the crime scene investigation had concluded. Guards now heavily guarded the area. Zhao Jingran, persuaded by Lu Wenhan’s gentle words, had moved to Chongming Hall to await news. The students also returned there, sitting in the courtyard as guards questioned them.
Xie Xi and Tang Li were brought to Chongming Hall but placed in separate rooms. Song Qingzhao, the Headmaster, and the Third Prince’s trusted attendants interrogated them. Madam He and Madam Lin gathered all the logistics staff in a side hall for questioning.
The investigation progressed quickly. Most logistics staff had been attending the Third Prince today. Only two cooks and three kitchen helpers had been in the kitchen since morning, preparing meals for the Third Prince and Lu Wenhan. They could vouch for each other.
Thus, only Tang Li and Xie Xi lacked alibis.
As Lu Chang and Ming Shu returned, Song Qingzhao was reporting Xie and Tang’s statements to Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan. Ming Shu and Lu Chang stood outside, listening.
According to Xie Xi, he had been confined to his room and hadn’t left. He claimed to have been reading, with no one to verify this. Tang Li said he had been resting in his room due to a cold, also without witnesses.
Song Qingzhao added, “One more thing. Though Tang Li claims illness, I observed no symptoms.”
As he finished, Headmaster Xu bowed deeply to Zhao Jingran. “Your Highness, I instructed Tang Li to claim illness. He’s not an official student but an orphan I took in ten years ago. Seeing his eagerness to learn, I let him audit classes. Today, given his humble status, I feared he might offend Your Highness, so I told him to stay in his room. I apologize for my poor judgment and accept any punishment.”
Xu wiped the sweat from his brow, nervous under Zhao Jingran’s gaze.
Zhao Jingran remained silent. This explanation only clarified why Tang Li feigned illness, not his whereabouts during the crime.
“An orphan taken in ten years ago?” Lu Wenhan smiled at Xu. “Headmaster, who were his parents? Where was he from? How did you come to take him in?”
Ming Shu realized her earlier impression wasn’t mistaken. Lu Wenhan’s smile wasn’t kind at all but rather concealed a sharp edge.
Headmaster Xu wiped his brow again, choosing his words carefully. “He’s the orphan of a fellow villager. This couple died of illness ten years ago, entrusting him to me on their deathbed.”
“If he’s the child of your old friend from your hometown, why is his status so low that he can’t formally enroll in the academy?” Lu Wenhan asked, still smiling.
Ming Shu found his smiling demeanor somewhat frightening now.
Headmaster Xu grew more nervous. “His father committed a crime and died in prison. He can’t take the imperial exams, so…”
“Committed a crime?” Lu Wenhan echoed, then turned to Zhao Jingran with a smile. “Your Highness, I believe we should investigate Tang Li’s background thoroughly. What do you think?”
“Minister Lu makes a good point. Please, Headmaster, provide more details,” Zhao Jingran said.
Headmaster Xu’s face paled. Suddenly, he fell to his knees. “Your Highness, he… he’s a descendant of Su Changhua.”
Zhao Jingran didn’t recognize the name, but Lu Wenhan did. “Su Changhua, the Vice Minister of Personnel who was dismissed and had his property confiscated ten years ago for involvement in Prince Shun’an’s embezzlement case.”
“Your Highness, please forgive me. I studied with Su Changhua for six years and we were close. When the Su family was investigated due to Prince Shun’an’s case, he accepted his punishment and prepared for exile. Before leaving, he entrusted his only son to me. Though I despised his actions, I pitied the innocent child and took him in at the academy.”
Lu Wenhan smiled silently. Zhao Jingran said, “The academy is a place for sages. You’ve abused your position to harbor a criminal’s descendant?” After a moment, he added, “Let it be for now. We’ll address this later. The investigation takes priority.”
Ming Shu frowned, standing outside with an odd expression. Lu Chang noticed first and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Ming Shu stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, “Brother, I might have found out something about Tang Li, but I’m not sure if I should say it.”
“Why?” Lu Chang didn’t ask what she discovered, only her reason for hesitating.
“I can’t be sure if it’s related to this case. I’m afraid if I speak, it won’t help the investigation and might hurt innocent people. I… I feel terrible,” Ming Shu said, troubled.
Lu Chang followed her gaze to Madam He.
Madam He, on the verge of fainting, was tightly held by Madam Lin. Her hands clutched her chest, eyes full of worry as she looked at her husband.
The Headmaster harboring a criminal’s descendant was already a serious offense. If it came out that he had deceived the Third Prince as well…
Ming Shu had spent several days at the academy. Madam He had been kind to her, and the Headmaster seemed a good person. If she revealed what she knew, it could devastate them both. She had initially planned to investigate quietly in town before deciding, but events had unfolded beyond her expectations. She felt deeply conflicted.
Should she reveal her discovery now?
“Ming Shu, speaking or not speaking is just a choice. There’s no right or wrong. Don’t take others’ guilt upon yourself. Also, what is innocence? True innocence means being free of guilt or error. If someone would be punished because of what you’ve discovered, they’re not innocent. Among emotion, reason, and law, you need to decide which is most important in this situation before making your choice,” Lu Chang said calmly.
Ming Shu’s teeth gradually released her lip. She looked at Lu Chang, seeming to understand but unable to articulate her thoughts. Just then, the Third Prince began inquiring about the case’s progress. Lu Chang tapped her head. “Let’s listen for now.”
The guards continued reporting their findings.
After thoroughly questioning all seventy students present and all the staff, they learned about Yang Zishu’s character. He was extremely unpopular, either disliked or feared by his classmates. He had bullied many students, and quite a few harbored grudges against him. He was truly a menace to Songling Academy.
If considering motives for murder, several people could be suspects, but they all had alibis. The main suspicion still fell on Xie Xi and Tang Li, as they both had conflicts with Yang Zishu.
Not only had Xie Xi fought with Yang Zishu just the day before, beating him severely – news that had spread throughout the academy – but both Xie Xi and Tang Li had argued with Yang Zishu several times recently, causing quite a stir.
“Xie Xi, the heir to the Yongqing Marquis?” Zhao Jingran frowned upon hearing this. “Why isn’t he at the imperial academy preparing for the metropolitan examination? What’s he doing at Songling Academy? And what grudges do they have?”
The guard brought over two students and replied, “Your Highness, these two students were relatively close to Yang Zishu. According to them, Yang Zishu was a mediocre student often punished by teachers. To avoid punishment, he frequently copied his classmates’ work, especially targeting weaker students who couldn’t resist. Tang Li was one of them. Tang Li is good at poetry but quiet and solitary. Yang Zishu targeted him, repeatedly pressuring him to write on his behalf, even for the poetry test Your Highness assigned upon visiting the academy. Xie Xi is close friends with Tang Li, so his conflicts with Yang Zishu likely arose from defending Tang Li against bullying.”
The two students stood to the side, hands at their sides, trembling nervously.
Zhao Jingran glanced at them, processing this information. Lu Wenhan had already noticed Lu Chang and Ming Shu waiting outside for some time. He waved them over. “Lu Chang, Ming Shu, have you found anything? Come report.”
Lu Chang and Ming Shu walked side by side into the hall, bowing to Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan.
“Your Highness, Minister Lu, I found an arrow tube in the bamboo grove that’s likely the murder weapon,” Lu Chang said, presenting the sleeve arrow tube on a cloth. As Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan examined it, he repeated what he had told Ming Shu earlier, finally adding, “There’s an inscription on this tube.”
Zhao Jingran and Lu Wenhan looked closely, indeed seeing characters on the tube.
Bang—
Zhao Jingran slammed the table in anger. “Bring Xie Xi here for questioning.”
Song Qingzhao stood nearby, staring at the tube with a furrowed brow.
“Any other discoveries?” Lu Wenhan continued questioning Lu Chang and Ming Shu.
“This object was discarded in the bamboo grove, right on the path from Huantao Pavilion to Zhulin Pavilion. Your Highness, Minister, please look,” Ming Shu opened her notebook, showing them the map.
With the layout map, it was clear the tube’s location was between Huantao and Zhulin Pavilions.
“Zhulin Pavilion is where Xie Xi stays?” Lu Wenhan asked.
“Correct,” Ming Shu replied, mentioning another discovery. “There’s something strange. When my brother and I searched the bamboo grove with Your Highness’s two guards, we found no footprints. There’s a flower bed outside the grove that was watered this morning, with the soil still damp. If the killer truly went from the bamboo grove to Huantao Pavilion, they would have left footprints in the wet soil, but we found none.”
This contradicted the assumption that Xie Xi had walked through the bamboo grove to Huantao Pavilion to commit the crime. Confusion mounted. Song Qingzhao spoke up, “Your Highness, Minister Lu, please hear me out. This case still has countless mysteries. We’ve barely uncovered a tenth of it. Yang Zishu could have been killed at any time, so why did the killer choose today, specifically on the path where Your Highness was touring the academy, to strike at Huantao Pavilion? Such a brazen act, and then discarding the weapon in the bamboo grove – it doesn’t make sense.”
“I agree with Brother Song,” Lu Chang chimed in, supporting Song Qingzhao.
Song Qingzhao gave him a grateful look, which Lu Chang acknowledged with a nod. Ming Shu tilted her head, observing – just days ago, her brother had forbidden her from approaching Song Qingzhao, and now they seemed friendly.
“Furthermore, as I mentioned earlier, these sleeve arrows are typically used by women for self-defense. Xie Xi is a tall man with broad hands; this weapon wouldn’t suit him. He must have had it made as a gift for someone,” Lu Chang added.
Ming Shu’s mind raced, about to speak when the guards brought Xie Xi in.
After bowing, Xie Xi stood quietly to the side, showing no signs of panic as he waited to be questioned.
“This indeed belongs to Xie Xi,” he admitted without hesitation upon seeing the arrow tube presented by the guard. He continued, “But this weapon disappeared a couple of days ago. I don’t know if it was stolen or misplaced. I searched everywhere in the academy but couldn’t find it. I never imagined it would be used for murder.”
“Was it your item?” Lu Chang asked.
“Yes.”
“Not intended as a gift?”
“It was meant as a gift, but I hadn’t given it yet. It was for the County Princess,” Xie Xi said calmly.
Ming Shu suddenly clenched her fists. “You’re lying!” She couldn’t bear Xie Xi using Wen’an as a shield at this moment, dragging the most innocent person into this mess.
Xie Xi glanced at her, still speaking coldly, “The County Princess and I have been betrothed since childhood. What’s strange about giving her a trinket or two? This sleeve arrow was made for women. Who else would I give it to? There’s no one else in the academy I could give it to.”
As soon as he finished, Lu Chang heard Ming Shu grinding her teeth.
He thought Xie Xi had angered his young miss.
“There is! There’s someone in the academy you meant to give it to! Tang Li is a woman!”
As soon as she spoke, Ming Shu heard gasps of shock around her. From afar came Madam Lin’s low cry – Madam He had fainted.
Ming Shu closed her eyes briefly, her fists clenching tighter.
Suddenly, a warm hand covered her fist.
Lu Chang gently grasped her small fist.