Pearl asked in confusion, “Young Master, what are you talking about? What do you mean by ‘a kink’?”
Yan Tongshu shook her head without explaining. She took a sip, and her eyes lit up. “How was this made? Why is today’s tremella soup so delicious? Did you come up with a new recipe?”
“Hehe.” Pearl smiled. “No.”
Pearl picked up a bowl for herself and stirred it as she said, “It was made by the new cook, Zhang Xin. I heard she’s Uncle Zhang’s distant relative. Her husband died, and her child passed away from an epidemic. Uncle Zhang took pity on her. Since she’s especially good at making sweets, he reported it to Madam and had her help out in the kitchen.”
Yan Tongshu took two more spoonfuls. The soup was sweet, with lily bulbs and a few other ingredients that gave it an especially refreshing flavor.
After finishing the soup, she smiled. “Looks like we’ll be enjoying plenty of good food from now on.”
“Mm,” Pearl replied brightly.
…
That evening, after finishing work and returning home, Yan Tongshu ate dinner and sat in the courtyard. She had Pearl and Jinbao bring out the tools she had once used to make Lady Yan’s birthday gift.
The dog emperor—no, Qin Yi—had rewarded her with many things in the past because of her contributions to solving cases.
Yan Tongshu selected a small box from among those gifts. She took out a gold ingot, cut off a piece, and placed it in a clay crucible to heat it slightly. Then she took it out, set it on an anvil, and hammered it into a gold sheet two to three millimeters thick. Using scissors, she carefully cut it into a rectangle three centimeters long and two centimeters wide. She drilled a hole on either side so that a cord could be threaded through.
After measuring the dimensions with a ruler, Yan Tongshu filed the edges smooth. She picked up a carving knife and prepared to engrave a design on it.
But what should she carve?
Yan Tongshu was stumped. She looked at Pearl. “Pearl, give me some ideas.”
Pearl sat on a chair with her chin propped in her hands, watching Yan Tongshu. “Young Master, you need to tell me what you’re making this for before I can suggest anything.”
Yan Tongshu stared at the rectangular plaque for a long while before finally saying, “To give someone.”
Pearl blinked. “Who?”
“Just… a friend.” Yan Tongshu let out a long sigh. “He saw me give another friend a gift and got upset because he didn’t receive one. He thinks I’m playing favorites and was especially angry. Since you’re both my friends, I thought I’d make him one too, so he wouldn’t be upset anymore.”
Pearl blinked again. “Who is it?”
Yan Tongshu lowered her head. “Let me think about what to engrave first.”
She pondered with lowered eyes. How about a Buddhist lotus-blossom design for blessings?
Yes, that was it—a Buddhist lotus design meant to bring blessings.
He had accused her of playing favorites. As if she would ever do that.
Once she had settled on the design, Yan Tongshu began hammering and carving the plaque, working without pause.
She was so focused that she completely lost track of time. By the time she finished carving the plaque, it was already past the Hour of the Pig.
Yan Tongshu stood up and stretched her back before sitting down again to polish the carved plaque. She ground it roughly, then finely, pressed it smooth with agate, and finally brightened it with leather.
At last, it was finished.
Yan Tongshu gazed at her handiwork and praised herself. “Perfect.”
She really was amazing. She had managed to make something so difficult.
Although Pearl had no idea what Yan Tongshu intended to do with it, she still applauded enthusiastically.
Yan Tongshu chose two dark-colored cords and threaded them through the holes on either side of the plaque. Then she took apart the string of green jade beads Qin Yi had given her, selected several suitable beads, and threaded them onto the cord as she braided it.
Another half hour later, her gold plaque-and-bead bracelet was finally complete.
The bracelet was finished, but how to deliver it was another problem.
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment, then looked at Pearl with a beaming smile. “Little Pearl.”
That exaggerated tone definitely meant trouble.
Pearl warily folded her arms over her chest. “Young Master, what are you planning?”
Yan Tongshu’s smile was bright and sunny. “You and Jinbao are quite close to Lu Xi, aren’t you?”
Pearl nodded.
“When does he get time off?”
Pearl didn’t understand why she was asking, but answered seriously. “The palace eunuchs have different days off from ordinary officials and guards. Eunuch Lu Xi is the chief eunuch, so his schedule is especially different. On his day off, he serves His Majesty at the morning court, then rests from the afternoon until he returns to work in the evening. After attending the morning court the next day, he gets another half day off.”
Yan Tongshu asked, “So?”
Pearl lowered her head and counted the days on her fingers. Then she looked up with a smile. “Today. Eunuch Lu Xi has half a day off today, and another half day tomorrow.”
Yan Tongshu selected another attractive box from the chest, placed the bracelet inside, and took Pearl’s hand, carefully setting the box in her palm. “Give this to Eunuch Lu Xi tomorrow and tell him it’s a return gift between friends.”
“Oh…” Pearl finally understood. “Young Master, you made this to give to His Majesty.”
Yan Tongshu’s eyes darted away. “He said I was playing favorites. I wasn’t.”
Pearl smiled sweetly. “All right. I’ll give it to Eunuch Lu Xi tomorrow.”
…
The next day, at the Hall of Reverent Governance.
After court ended, Qin Yi began meeting with officials individually to discuss revisions to the laws. Following the initial proposal last time, the matter had now reached the stage where suggestions from every region were being submitted. A great many memorials had come in, and each one had to be dealt with.
By the time Qin Yi finished, it was nearly noon.
He wearily took a sip of ginseng tea and rubbed his temples.
On the imperial desk, Snowfluff was sprawled lazily on its back, shamelessly exposing its belly as it slept. Every so often, it let out a soft whimper.
Qin Yi reached out and tapped it between the brows. “Heartless thing. You don’t even know how to make the first move.”
Snowfluff seemed to sense Qin Yi touching it, but it was sleeping too soundly to get up. It merely twitched its ears, rubbed against Qin Yi’s finger, and then lay back down to continue sleeping.
Qin Yi gave a soft snort.
“Your Majesty.” His time off over, Lu Xi had returned to take over his duties. He replaced the tea that had gone cold and served Qin Yi a fresh cup.
Qin Yi picked it up, took a sip, and set it down again.
Lu Xi carefully took a box from inside his robe and presented it with both hands. “Your Majesty, Lord Yan asked this servant to deliver a gift to you.”
“She’s given her heart to the heavens. Does she even remember me?” Qin Yi gave a heavy scoff, then reached out and took the box. He weighed it in his hand. “Where did she find this piece of junk to fob me off with?”
Lu Xi said softly, “Your Majesty, Miss Pearl said Lord Yan made it herself last night.”
Qin Yi paused. “She did?”
Lu Xi smiled. “Your Majesty, Miss Pearl said that after Lord Yan finished work yesterday, she spent the entire evening making this gift. She polished it for a long time and worked until late into the night.”
At that, the corners of Qin Yi’s mouth lifted high. “I suppose that counts as making an effort.”
He gently set the box down, pressed the latch, and opened it. Inside lay a bracelet made of jade beads and a gold plaque.
Qin Yi picked it up and slowly ran his fingertips over it.
On the front of the plaque, a Buddha’s hand held up a lotus blossom, creating a design rich with meaning.
His name was engraved on the back.
Dark green jade beads were threaded along both sides with braided cord. The cord could be adjusted to fit wrists of different sizes.
Qin Yi placed the bracelet against his wrist and compared it from every angle. The more he looked at it, the more satisfied he became. “The gold really brings out My imperial majesty.”
Lu Xi bowed with a smile. “Indeed. And Lord Yan chose an excellent design as well. The Buddha’s hand and lotus flower embody both blessings and Zen elegance.”
Qin Yi placed the bracelet back in its box. Lu Xi asked, puzzled, “Your Majesty, aren’t you going to try it on?”
Qin Yi shook his head slightly and asked, “What is Yan Tongshu doing today?”
Lu Xi replied, “Lord Yan has to report for duty at the Kaifeng Prefecture today. She’s probably still investigating the case.”
Qin Yi gave a quiet acknowledgment, carefully closed the lid, and set the box aside.
…
Meanwhile, after finishing her official duties in the morning, Yan Tongshu took several constables with her to patrol the city.
When they reached East Drum Lane, Yan Tongshu stopped.
Yu Weizhu had most likely been killed on the fourteenth.
He had gone to Huihua Brothel to seek pleasure. By the time he left, it was already late at night, and curfew was about to begin. Since he had not stayed at Huihua Brothel, he would have had to return home. Otherwise, if the imperial guards caught him out on the streets during curfew, he would not only be fined but detained as well.
For a merchant, the loss of personal freedom caused by detention was far more costly than money.
That meant the murder had taken place somewhere along the route from Huihua Brothel to East Drum Lane.
He would have had to cross five streets.
Where was the first crime scene?
Where would have been the best place for the killer to strike?
Yan Tongshu set off from East Drum Lane in the direction of Huihua Brothel. The five streets between them crisscrossed in all directions, and Yu Weizhu could have taken any number of routes home. There was simply too much randomness involved.
Yan Tongshu randomly chose one route and walked around the area, but found nothing.
She sighed helplessly.
In cases of revenge or passion, there were usually clues to follow. Random robbery and murder, however, were the most difficult cases to solve.
The more random the crime, the harder it was to find evidence.
With no other options, Yan Tongshu split the Kaifeng constables into groups and had them carry portraits of Yu Weizhu while questioning people along every road.
After walking until she was tired, Yan Tongshu randomly chose a tea stall and sat down, motioning for the constables to sit as well.
The owner brought over the tea.
As she drank, she casually surveyed the surroundings. After a while, Yan Tongshu’s gaze settled on the butcher shop across the street.
The shopkeeper was cutting up pork.
The slaughter knife gleamed coldly in the sunlight. As its edge slid through the meat, the pork seemed to melt like fat.
There were currently five unanswered questions in the case.
First, what criteria did the killer use to select his victims?
Second, where was the first crime scene?
Third, how had the killer transported the victims’ bodies out of Bianjing and dumped them without making a sound?
Fourth, where had the killer learned his rapidly improving method of dismembering corpses?
Fifth, where had he hidden the gold, silver, jewelry, banknotes, and other valuables he had stolen?
Yan Tongshu carefully studied the butcher shop. The last piece of pork had just been bought, and an assistant carried out another half a pig.
The man responsible for cutting the meat took up his slaughter knife and expertly removed the bones and divided the carcass into different cuts. The assistant sorted the meat and arranged it in separate piles. The fattiest and most expensive cuts were hung at the front to attract customers.
Yan Tongshu remembered the last time she had gone to the cattle office with Meng Zheng. The constables there who slaughtered cattle had been equally skilled.
They were all flesh and bone. The principles of breaking down pigs, cattle, and sheep were the same as those for dismembering a corpse.
From the rough technique used on the first victim to the increasingly precise methods used later, the killer’s skills had improved at an astonishing rate.
Could it be that after his first murder, the killer had practiced by slaughtering pigs, cattle, and sheep?
Had he specifically gone to learn how to dismember bodies, or had he only happened to enter the trade after his first murder and improved his technique by accident?
Judging from the level of dismemberment, three years had passed between the crude handling of the first corpse and the killer’s later proficiency.
What kind of circumstances would require the killer to practice for three years before becoming skilled?
After finishing her tea, it was nearly noon. Yan Tongshu decided to end her morning shift and returned to the Kaifeng Prefecture. She would continue the investigation in the afternoon after reporting for duty.
“Pearl! Jinbao!”
Calling out as she rushed into the office, Yan Tongshu asked, “What delicious food has Aunt Zhang made today?”
Pearl hurried over to greet her. “Young Master, look.”
She pointed toward the official desk.
Memorials were piled across it. Qin Yi was sitting upright in dark casual robes, holding a vermilion brush as he lowered his head and reviewed the documents.
Yan Tongshu froze on the spot.
“Your Majesty.”
Qin Yi set down the brush and gave her a calm glance. “Call me by my name.”
“Oh.”
Yan Tongshu walked over to him. “Qin Yi, what are you doing here?”
Qin Yi lowered his eyes and continued turning through the memorials. “Waiting for you.”
Yan Tongshu was confused. “I mean, why are you waiting for me?”
Qin Yi closed the memorial in his hand and looked up at her. “You forgot something.”
Yan Tongshu thought carefully. No, she hadn’t. Everything had gone as usual today, and she hadn’t left behind anything important.
She asked, “What did I forget?”
Qin Yi’s gaze shifted toward the box. He reached out, opened it, and took the bracelet from inside, placing it in his palm.
“This.”
Yan Tongshu tilted her head slightly. Her eyes rested on the bracelet for a moment before moving back to Qin Yi, full of questions.
Qin Yi held the bracelet out to her. “Put it on me.”
Yan Tongshu blinked.
Qin Yi emphasized, “If you give someone a gift sincerely, you should put it on them yourself.”
“Who said that?”
Qin Yi replied with a perfectly straight face, “When my elder brother gave my sister-in-law a bracelet, that’s what she said.”
Yan Tongshu was silent for a moment before taking the bracelet.
She had just come in from outside, and her fingertips were cold.
Lowering her head, she loosened the drawstring, wrapped the bracelet around his wrist, and pulled the cord tight until it fastened gently in place.
Qin Yi’s gaze shifted from the bracelet to her lowered brows and eyes, then slowly drifted downward.
The silly, chubby goose had a round face, but her wrist was slender, her skin as delicate and pale as snow.
His eyes darkened slightly. He pressed his lips together and looked away.
“Yan Tongshu, what are we having for lunch?”
Yan Tongshu asked, perplexed, “Are you staying for lunch?”
Qin Yi answered as though it were obvious. “It’s already noon.”
All right, then.
Yan Tongshu lowered her hand. “A new cook recently joined my household, and her cooking is excellent. Pearl, Jinbao, and I are having lunch delivered from my residence today.”
“Mm.”
Qin Yi gave a slight nod, stood up, and straightened his sleeves. “Where are we eating?”
Yan Tongshu led him to the stone table in the courtyard.
Pearl and Jinbao brought out the dishes sent over from the residence one by one.
There was pepper-and-sichuan chicken, four-happiness meatballs, fried pork with perilla, Sanchuan tofu, and a bowl of vegetable soup.
With Qin Yi present, Pearl and Jinbao felt too uncomfortable to sit at the table. Yan Tongshu had them pack a portion for themselves and eat off to the side.
Yan Tongshu ate in silence. Qin Yi picked up a piece of crispy pork and placed it in her bowl. She took a bite and chewed slowly.
After swallowing, Yan Tongshu looked at Qin Yi. She hesitated several times before finally speaking.
“Qin Yi.”
“Mm?” Qin Yi looked at her, his gaze as gentle as water.
“You…” Yan Tongshu pressed her lips together. “You owe me one question. Do you remember?”
Qin Yi smiled faintly. “Do you want to use it now?”
Yan Tongshu nodded.
Qin Yi indicated with his eyes that she could ask.
Yan Tongshu opened her mouth, then lowered her head and continued eating.
How was she supposed to ask?
After hesitating for a long while, she still could not bring herself to speak.
“Forget it. I’ll ask next time.”
Qin Yi stared at Yan Tongshu and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Had she noticed something?
After lunch, Pearl and Jinbao cleared away the bowls and chopsticks.
Yan Tongshu looked at Qin Yi, and Qin Yi looked back at her. The two of them stared at each other in silence.
After a moment, Yan Tongshu asked him, “Aren’t you going back?”
Qin Yi pointed to the memorials on the desk. “Dismemberment and disposal of a body. The case is serious, and the circumstances are especially vile. Ever since we returned to the palace from the hunting grounds, I haven’t been able to forget it. As it happens, I’ve never seen how Minister Yan solves a case, and I’m rather curious. I’ve decided that I will personally supervise Lord Yan’s thorough investigation of this case.”
Yan Tongshu: “…”
What difference was there between this and having one’s supervisor standing beside one’s desk at work?
After saying this, Qin Yi straightened his robes and stood up, bringing Yan Tongshu back to the office.
Yan Tongshu stared at the large pile of memorials on the desk. “Your Majesty, you’re reviewing memorials here, but what about me? Where am I supposed to go?”
“Lord Yan, there’s plenty of room on the desk.” Lu Xi hurriedly brought over a chair and placed it beside the emperor’s official chair. Pointing at it, he said respectfully and enthusiastically, “Lord Yan, please.”
Yan Tongshu gave an awkward laugh. “His Majesty is the Son of Heaven. How could I possibly sit on equal terms with him?”
“When you curse me in your heart, how come you don’t remember that I’m the Son of Heaven?” Qin Yi rolled his eyes at her.
Yan Tongshu lamely defended herself, “When did I ever curse you in my heart?”
“Hmph!” Qin Yi snorted disdainfully. He walked to the desk and sat down with effortless grace, looking as though he had no intention of leaving today whether Yan Tongshu sat down or not.
Dog emperor.
Yan Tongshu cursed him inwardly.
Without even looking up, Qin Yi said, “You’re not allowed to curse me in your heart.”
Yan Tongshu’s eyes widened.
Qin Yi glanced at her from the corner of his eye, the corners of his lips curving upward. “What are you waiting for? Don’t you want to get off work early?”
Yan Tongshu shot him a glare. Fine, she would sit.
The dog emperor had said it himself. What was there to fear?
She lifted her foot and walked over one step at a time, then sat down on the chair beside Qin Yi’s—at the exact same height.
Pearl and Jinbao stood to the side, dumbfounded.
Lu Xi lowered his eyes, appearing meek and obedient, but seeing everything clearly.
Yan Tongshu looked at Pearl. “Pearl, Jinbao, go to the office next door and bring over the official documents.”
Only then did the two of them come back to their senses. They hurriedly agreed.
A while later, they brought the documents over, and Yan Tongshu began her daily work routine: reading documents, stamping them, drafting documents, and stamping them again. She devoted herself wholeheartedly to being an emotionless stamping machine.
Qin Yi occasionally glanced at Yan Tongshu from the corner of his eye. Before long, his brows drew together, and confusion appeared in his eyes.
Yan Tongshu read the documents so quickly?
He suddenly felt as though he had been outdone, and immediately sped up his review of the memorials.
Yan Tongshu noticed and stole a glance at Qin Yi before speeding up as well.
The two of them raced each other, as if they were competing in a horse race.
Pearl, Jinbao, and Lu Xi exchanged glances.
What were Young Master Lord Yan and His Majesty competing over?
After a while, Yan Tongshu finished writing an official document. She picked it up and examined it carefully. There were no problems; it could be submitted for His Majesty’s approval.
Wait.
She abruptly turned to look at Qin Yi. Wasn’t the emperor right here? Why did she need to submit it upward? She could simply have His Majesty review it directly.
“Qin Yi,” Yan Tongshu called.
“Hmm?” Qin Yi raised his head slightly, though the brush in his hand did not stop moving.
Yan Tongshu extended the official document bearing her official seal toward him. Qin Yi cast it a casual glance, then pushed the imperial seal over to her side. “Stamp it yourself. Don’t disturb me.”
Lu Xi shuddered all over and abruptly raised his head. After confirming that Qin Yi was serious, he quickly lowered it again.
As the emperor’s trusted eunuch, the first rule was never to question any of His Majesty’s decisions.
Yan Tongshu was startled as well. “You’re the emperor, and you’re slacking off?”
“I trust you.” Qin Yi’s tone was light and casual, as though asking Yan Tongshu to stamp the document herself were the most ordinary thing in the world.
Seeing that Yan Tongshu did not dare move, he raised his brows slightly and countered, “Among the civil and military officials of the entire court, even those who don’t trust me would trust the upright Lord Yan, wouldn’t they?”
Yan Tongshu snapped, “Do your own work yourself.”
She placed the document on top of the unreviewed memorials at the side and continued processing the official documents.
After Qin Yi finished reviewing the memorial in his hand, he picked up Yan Tongshu’s document and scanned it. Just as he had done with every official document she had submitted in the past, he picked up the imperial seal and stamped it.
Every government office had a portion of routine affairs. The procedures for handling such matters followed established precedents and basic guidelines. As long as one modified a few minor details—such as the time, place, and personnel involved—and submitted the document, it would be approved.
Therefore, just like Yan Tongshu, a large portion of the matters Qin Yi handled each day consisted of these routine documents. They only required a brief review and an official seal.
This part was time-consuming and laborious, but it did not require much thought. The remaining small portion was the most important part of the day’s work—and the most mentally demanding.
Qin Yi pushed the document across the desk toward Yan Tongshu. “From now on, stamp them yourself.”
Yan Tongshu grew flustered. “Can the imperial seal just be handed to anyone?”
“Others can’t touch it. You can.”
Yan Tongshu became even more agitated. “Why?”
There was laughter in Qin Yi’s eyes, but his tone was firm. “Because this is a routine document, because—Yan Tongshu is my friend.”
What utter nonsense about being friends.
He asked himself whether he truly regarded her as a friend.
Yan Tongshu really wanted to berate him for three hundred rounds.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Yan Tongshu called out, “Come in.”
Xu Qiu walked in hesitantly. He looked to the left at Qin Yi, then to the right at Yan Tongshu, who was sitting on equal terms with Qin Yi. He raised a hand and rubbed his eyes before taking another careful look.
Then he kept staring.
He even tried looking harder.
Yan Tongshu asked, “What is it?”
Xu Qiu looked at Qin Yi. Without the emperor’s permission, he did not dare speak out of turn.
Qin Yi sighed. “Speak.”
Xu Qiu bowed and said, “Your Majesty…”
He paused.
“…Your Majesty and Lord Yan, we’ve found a lead in the dismemberment case.”
Yan Tongshu set down the document and waited quietly for him to continue. Qin Yi also stopped moving his vermilion brush.
Xu Qiu looked at Yan Tongshu. “Lord Yan, this morning, we took Yu Weizhu’s portrait and made inquiries along the five streets between East Gonggu Lane and the Huihua Brothel. Although we didn’t find any leads regarding Yu Weizhu, we made an unexpected discovery.”
Xu Qiu swallowed before continuing. “At noon, the men stopped at a small restaurant nearby for a meal. One of them dropped the portrait, and a customer picked it up. After looking at it, he asked whether we were from the Kaifeng Prefecture and whether we were investigating a case.
“The men told him they were searching for someone on Lord Yan’s orders in connection with a murder case. The man initially returned the portrait and left, but later came back. He said he had seen one of the deceased. Lord Yan, can you guess who he had seen?”
Yan Tongshu asked, “Who?”
Xu Qiu said, “Feng Feng. One of the three victims whose bodies were discovered early enough for their faces to be identified. They died half a year ago, but their identities had never been confirmed.”
Yan Tongshu pressed him, “What did the man say?”
Xu Qiu replied, “The man was Feng Feng’s landlord, Liu Ling. According to him, when Feng Feng came to Bianjing, he gave him a large sum of money to rent one of his rooms. But Feng Feng insisted that Liu Ling keep his whereabouts secret and not register him with the authorities. Seeing how much money was involved, Liu Ling agreed.
“After Feng Feng moved in, he didn’t do anything respectable. He spent his days indulging in wine, women, and pleasure, doing whatever he pleased…”
At this point, Xu Qiu’s face reddened.
