The guesthouse was specifically used to host foreign guests, and all the staff were people of Great Zhou.

“What’s that person’s name?”

The Yuliu maidservant weakly shook her head: “I don’t know. I only noticed him for the first time when he slipped me the mask.”

Cheng Maoming didn’t doubt the Yuliu maidservant was lying. Originally, the most convenient approach would be to summon the helpers who trimmed flowers and trees and have the Yuliu maidservant identify them, but news that the Yuliu maidservant had been found couldn’t spread—the fewer people who knew, the better. After thinking it over, he still needed to ask Prince Jing’s Heir for help.

He really couldn’t do without Prince Jing’s Heir—Grand Commander Cheng sighed inwardly, then belatedly felt somewhat embarrassed.

Ahem, it was mainly because Prince Jing’s Heir had great talent, not because he himself had dependency issues.

“Keep a close watch on her.” After giving this instruction, Cheng Maoming personally went to request Qi Shuo’s assistance.

“The person was found?”

Cheng Maoming’s smile was hearty: “Found!”

Qi Shuo’s face showed a smile: “Congratulations, Grand Commander.”

“It’s all thanks to the Heir’s blessing.” Cheng Maoming cupped his hands and stated his purpose: “The Yuliu maidservant confessed that the mask came from a helper who trims flowers and trees. If the Heir has time, I must trouble you to make a trip to the Jinlin Guard.”

“What trouble is that? I’m very happy to help the Grand Commander.”

Cheng Maoming was deeply moved: “The Heir’s kindness—this Cheng has taken it all to heart.”

Qi Shuo soon met with the imprisoned Yuliu maidservant.

“You can describe that person’s appearance now.” Cheng Maoming said coldly.

Based on the Yuliu maidservant’s description, a portrait was quickly completed. On the scroll was a dark, thin man in his forties.

“Is this him?”

The Yuliu maidservant nodded, looking at Qi Shuo with an unusual expression: “Yes…”

Having received the Yuliu maidservant’s confirmation, Cheng Maoming handed the portrait to his subordinate: “Go to the guesthouse and quietly bring back the person in this portrait.”

The subordinate received the order and left.

Cheng Maoming accompanied Qi Shuo out of the interrogation room and invited him for tea.

Qi Shuo was concerned about the follow-up and naturally wouldn’t refuse.

From the looks of it now, the person who gave the Yuliu maidservant the mask was definitely connected to the person who gave “fake Du Qing” a mask.

The two waited for over an hour.

“Grand Commander, we’ve brought the person.” A subordinate’s report came from outside the door.

Cheng Maoming set his teacup on the table: “Bring him in.”

As the door opened, a dark, thin man was pushed inside.

“Kneel!” The Jinlin Guard who brought him kicked him to the ground.

The dark, thin man’s face was full of terror: “Spare my life, my lord, spare my life.”

Cheng Maoming looked down at the man: “Do you know why you were brought here?”

The dark, thin man didn’t dare raise his head at all, his voice carrying a sobbing tone: “This commoner doesn’t know!”

“You don’t know?” Cheng Maoming raised one eyebrow. “Someone secretly reported that you gave the missing Yuliu maidservant something. Did this happen or not?”

The dark, thin man’s first reaction was to deny it: “This commoner didn’t—”

Cheng Maoming slapped the table, his eyes full of menace: “Have you forgotten what this place is?”

The dark, thin man shuddered and suddenly lost the courage to conceal anything: “This commoner will talk, this commoner will talk!”

Cheng Maoming picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea.

The Jinlin Guard undoubtedly held great intimidating power over common people. The dark, thin man kept his head lowered and spoke tremblingly: “This commoner did give that Yuliu maidservant named Bailing a small box, but this commoner didn’t know what was inside, and never imagined she would go missing!”

“You didn’t know what was in the box?”

“Truly didn’t know—this commoner can swear it!” The dark, thin man raised one hand, preparing to make a poisonous oath.

Cheng Maoming waited in silence to hear it.

Although he didn’t believe in such things, listening cost nothing.

The dark, thin man paused, then gritted his teeth and made a string of poisonous oaths.

“Since you don’t know what was in the box, where did the box come from?”

“It was… it was given to this commoner by a person whose appearance I couldn’t see clearly.”

“Couldn’t see their appearance?” Cheng Maoming sneered. “If you say that, this official won’t be satisfied.”

“This commoner truly didn’t see that person’s appearance—he wore a conical hat that only revealed his chin.”

A voice spoke up: “Describe that person’s appearance in detail—height, build, the clothes he wore, the more specific the better.”

The dark, thin man hesitantly looked toward the young man who had spoken.

Cheng Maoming’s face hardened: “When told to speak, speak!”

The dark, thin man didn’t dare hesitate further and honestly began describing.

“Is this it?” After some time had passed, Qi Shuo set down his brush and asked.

On the scroll was a man in coarse clothing wearing a conical hat that only revealed his chin.

“That’s him!” The dark, thin man shouted excitedly, his tone certain.

Cheng Maoming looked at Qi Shuo hesitantly.

Even having drawn it, they still didn’t know what the person looked like.

“How did this person find you?” he asked.

“Outside a medical clinic.” The dark, thin man’s eyes reddened, his voice choked with sobs. “This commoner’s son was gravely ill. After getting medicine several times, there was truly no more money. Just when I was at my wit’s end, that person appeared and told this commoner that if I would quietly deliver that small box to a Yuliu maidservant named Bailing at the guesthouse, he would give this commoner fifty taels of silver.”

As he spoke, he kowtowed repeatedly: “This commoner truly had no other choice—this commoner couldn’t just watch his son die of illness…”

Cheng Maoming was unmoved by the dark, thin man’s tearful account: “Did that person seek you out again afterward?”

“No.”

“Besides telling you to deliver the item to the Yuliu maidservant, what else did he say?”

“He just told this commoner to act as usual and forget about this matter.”

Cheng Maoming couldn’t help but look toward Qi Shuo.

If they hadn’t found the missing Yuliu maidservant, no matter how they investigated, they would never have traced it to the gardener who acted normally. Fortunately, Prince Jing’s Heir’s masterful brush had broken through the impasse.

However, since the gardener hadn’t seen that person’s face, finding them would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

“Take him away and continue questioning him. See if he’s concealing anything.” After instructing his subordinate to take the dark, thin man away, Cheng Maoming decided to make a trip to the palace.

Qi Shuo pointed at the portrait: “The Grand Commander doesn’t mind if I take this portrait with me?”

“The Heir may do as he pleases.” Though Cheng Maoming wondered what use such a portrait could be, he didn’t ask further.

Qi Shuo left the Jinlin Guard and arranged to meet Lin Hao, then together they went to see fake Du Qing.

“Was the person who gave you the mask this man?” Qi Shuo unfolded the portrait before fake Du Qing and asked directly.

Fake Du Qing glanced at it and looked rather foolish: “You can’t even see what he looks like in this.”

“What about the feeling he gave you? Even if you can’t see his features, do the shape of the exposed chin and his build resemble the man you met?”

With this reminder, fake Du Qing examined it carefully.

After quite a while, he slowly shook his head: “I only met that person once. If I saw him again, I might be able to recognize him, but just looking at this portrait, I really can’t be certain. The build is about right, though.”

Worried that this answer wouldn’t satisfy the two and would lead to suffering, the man said hesitantly: “Besides, since he’s skilled at disguise, what I saw might not be his true appearance anyway…”

Lin Hao stared at the portrait for a long while, then reached out to cover the upper half of the face.