Yan Tongshu led his men to the courtyard of Dingsheng Troupe.
The troupe's courtyard was situated in the northwest corner of the estate, quite spacious, with many rooms available for the troupe members to reside in.
The troupe's belongings were miscellaneous—props and equipment used for acrobatics and juggling, along with numerous trunks and chests.
After a thorough inspection, aside from one chest that had been freshly painted on the inside, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
Yan Tongshu let out a sigh and said, "By now, Lady Cao should have awakened. Vice Magistrate Zhang, come with me to pay her a visit."
Zhang Jiu replied respectfully, "Yes, my lord."
As the wife of Lord Cao, Lady Cao was inevitably a person of interest and should have been the first to be questioned. However, because she had fainted, the interrogation had been delayed until now.
Yan Tongshu rose and made his way to Lady Cao's bedchamber. The Minister of Punishments and Xiao Jun exchanged a glance before following along.
Inside Lady Cao's room, a warm scent of herbs and greenery lingered in the air.
On the tea table rested an exquisitely arranged platter of fruits and flowers.
The vanity by the window held all manner of cosmetics and jewelry, meticulously organized.
The entire bedchamber felt like a perfumed boudoir, exuding elegance and comfort.
But—the room was almost too spotless. There were no traces of Lord Cao's belongings.
More precisely, there was nothing belonging to any man at all.
Save for a piece of fabric draped over the folding screen frame, bearing a half-embroidered tiger pattern. Judging by the texture of the cloth, it seemed intended for a man's belt.
Yan Tongshu's eyes narrowed slightly. Had she feigned fainting earlier to come back and tidy things up?
Lady Cao lay in bed, with Cao Jinyue and Cao He attending her on either side.
A maid brought in chairs, and Yan Tongshu, the Minister of Punishments, and Xiao Jun took their seats.
Lady Cao coughed twice and said, "Forgive me, I'm not feeling well, so I won't get up."
Yan Tongshu studied her. Although her fainting had been an act, it was clear that Lady Cao was indeed in poor health.
Her complexion was pale, her frame thin and frail, her wrists drooping weakly, and along her gums ran faint blue-black lines of mercury—lighter in shade than Lord Cao's, indicating that her poisoning was less severe than his.
Xiao Jun, who was both a subordinate and a brother-in-arms to the deceased, tried to offer comfort: "Sister-in-law, please accept my deepest condolences."
Lady Cao nodded.
Yan Tongshu asked, "Lady Cao, did you see Lord Cao yesterday?"
Lady Cao shook her head. "The General and I have raised a son and a daughter together, but we've been married for many years now and long ago settled into the routine of an old married couple. We don't share a chamber. The General was a solitary man by nature—he didn't even like bringing attendants when he went out. So between us, apart from holiday celebrations and matters concerning the children's education, we rarely saw each other."
So they were in a period of emotional distance.
Yan Tongshu continued, "Based on the initial examination of the scene, it appears that Lord Cao was shot with an arrow from outside the window. Lady Cao, did anyone visit the residence yesterday, or did anything unusual occur?"
Lady Cao lowered her eyes, appearing to think carefully.
Her fingers gripped the blanket and tightened slightly. When she lifted her head, her gaze instinctively flickered past Yan Tongshu's side before settling on him.
From the corner of his eye, Yan Tongshu noted the direction of her glance—that was where the Minister of Punishments and Xiao Jun were seated.
Lady Cao spoke up, "No, there were no guests at the residence yesterday except for the Dingsheng Troupe. As for anything unusual, aside from my eldest brother falling into the water, there was nothing else."
This account matched what the servants had said.
Yan Tongshu asked again, “So you’re saying the killer slipped into the Cao residence under cover of night, struck once, and left Cao Jian powerless to fight back? That would mean the culprit is highly skilled in martial arts. Lady Cao, did Lord Cao have any personal enemies? Or recently get into any conflicts with anyone?”
This question made Lady Cao even more flustered. She said with visible discomfort, “My husband the general has a notoriously fiery temper and an impulsive nature. To be honest, he has made too many enemies to count.”
Yan Tongshu: “...”
Lady Cao then turned to Xiao Jun. “Take General Xiao here, for instance. When my husband’s temper flared, he’s struck him more than once.”
Xiao Jun let out a cold snort. “General Cao was always like that—blunt and straight to the point, no cunning or scheming in him. I’m above lowering myself to squabble with him.”
Yan Tongshu asked, “Anyone else?”
Lady Cao’s expression grew even more pained. “Not long ago, over the matter of repositioning the Divine Strategy Army, my husband clashed with Lord Cheng, the Minister of Personnel, and tore out a big handful of his beard. A month back, the kitchen servant brought him soup that was too hot—he was already in a rage at the time, didn’t notice, got burned, and beat the servant half to death. Half a month ago, he got into a fierce brawl with Ning Yuan, the heir of the Duke of Yue, over a singing girl: they fought tooth and nail and became sworn enemies. Three days ago, during a joint military drill between the Divine Might Army and the Divine Strategy Army, my husband lost the exercise and then led his troops into a fight with the Divine Might Army, both sides suffering heavy losses. The day before yesterday, for reasons unclear, the servants saw him brawling with General Meng of the Imperial Guard Command—General Meng was so furious his face turned green, as if he wanted to kill someone...”
Yan Tongshu listened as Lady Cao rattled off seventeen enemies in one breath.
He was sorely tempted to say: a man who has done this much mischief—his death is a blessing to all, a cause for nationwide celebration. Maybe we should just drop the case.
The Minister of Punishments pressed on: “Lady Cao, among all these people, who do you think harbored the greatest grudge against your husband? Who seems most suspicious?”
Lady Cao shook her head. “My husband has a short fuse. When his temper gets the better of him, he’s like a firecracker—one spark and he explodes. Whenever they fought or argued, they’d all hurl the most vicious threats, each swearing they’d sooner or later finish the general off.”
She raised her head to look at Xiao Jun. “Even General Xiao said such things.”
Xiao Jun cleared his throat awkwardly. “That was just anger talking—a casual remark made in the heat of the moment. It doesn’t count for anything.”
Yan Tongshu’s gaze shifted between Xiao Jun and Lady Cao, and he asked again, “There’s a letter severing paternal ties found in General Cao’s study. We compared the handwriting—it’s confirmed to be in General Cao’s own hand. Lady Cao, do you know why the general would keep such a document?”
Cao Jinyue and Cao He stared at Yan Tongshu in shock, and both spoke at once: “What letter severing paternal ties?”
Then Cao Jinyue grabbed Lady Cao’s hand. “Mother, what is Lord Yan talking about? What letter? Who is Father severing ties with?”
Cao He also pressed: “Mother, what exactly is going on?”
Lady Cao only kept shaking her head.
Yan Tongshu narrowed his eyes sharply. “Lady Cao, are you truly unaware?”
Lady Cao pursed her lips. “In recent years, my husband’s temper has grown stranger and more violent by the day. He’s always suspecting someone is out to harm him, and his paranoia only deepens. He doesn’t even trust me, his own wife who sleeps beside him. How would I know what madness he’s fallen into?”
After a moment’s thought, Yan Tongshu asked, “Lady Cao, where were you at midnight?”
Lady Cao replied, “At that hour, I was already asleep. My personal maid, Xiang Fu, can vouch for me.”
Xiang Fu nodded: "Yes, I can testify for the Lady."
"Very well, Lady Cao, I have what I need." Yan Tongshu rose: "Since we've asked just about everything we came for, we won't trouble you any longer. Lady Cao, farewell."
Lady Cao replied: "Lord Yan, take care."
Leaving Lady Cao's bedroom, Yan Tongshu paused for a moment, then had a servant lead them to Cao Jian's private quarters.
Xiao Jun asked: "Why go there? General Cao died in the study."
Yan Tongshu ignored him, heading straight for the bedroom with Zhang Jiu.
The Minister of Punishments let out a sigh: "General Xiao, from the on-site inspection, General Cao died of a vendetta killing. So naturally we need to understand the man. A bedroom is the most private place a person has—and the best place to get to know them."
With that, the Minister of Punishments hurried after them with Cen Xu.
Xiao Jun frowned and continued to follow with his men.
Cao Jian's bedroom was spacious—at least twice the size of Lady Cao's.
The courtyard of Cao Jian's quarters was lined with all manner of weapons. Snow had fallen through the night, and the weapons were covered in unmelted frost.
Standing at the doorway to Cao Jian's bedroom, Yan Tongshu felt a strange sense of familiarity.
Yes—that very same gleaming, gilded splendor.
Cao Jian's room: gold bowls, gold chopsticks, gold blades, gold axes, gold wrist guards, gold belts…
The corner of Yan Tongshu's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Xiao Jun gave a snort: "That's what General Cao earned from military merit, not what he skimmed."
Yan Tongshu glanced at him, then split up with Zhang Jiu to search left and right.
Zhang Jiu combed the courtyard, while Yan Tongshu checked the interior. She opened the wardrobe—it contained only Cao Jian's clothes, nothing else.
She examined each garment one by one. No tiger-stripe pattern on any belt.
And Cao Jian's belts matched the whole bedroom's style: gaudy, golden.
The fabric Lady Cao had chosen was far too refined.
Having gone through the wardrobe, Yan Tongshu launched into a house-ransacking search, turning over just about every corner.
Watching from the side, Xiao Jun's face went dark.
This wasn't a search—this was a confiscation raid!
Yan Tongshu first found several books in a drawer of the bedroom. They were common books you could find anywhere, but tucked between them was a sheet of paper with a jade pendant design drawn on it.
The paper was crumpled, as if it had been crushed and twisted.
Yan Tongshu picked it up. There were water and grease stains on it. She brought it to her nose and faintly caught a scent of fruit wine and aged tangerine peel.
The same smell as the wine made from twenty-year aged fruit and fifteen-year Xinhui tangerine peel served at the Emperor's birthday feast.
Yan Tongshu knitted her brows.
At that birthday feast last time, Cao Jian and Meng Yi seemed to have clashed. After she had gone to relieve herself and accidentally run into the two of them, Cao Jian had seemed to hide something away.
Could it be this very paper?
A single sheet that made the unflappable General Meng's face turn iron-gray…
If it made him that angry, was Cao Jian threatening Meng Yi?
With Meng Yi's martial skill, slipping into the Cao residence and shooting Cao Jian was hardly out of the question.
Yan Tongshu carefully tucked the paper away. It seemed Meng Yi had a secret in Cao Jian's keeping.
As she flipped through the books, she also found some prescriptions for bearing sons—recipes full of centipedes, snakes, and insects, claiming that if a woman took them before intercourse, and after coupling burned incense at midnight and prayed to the gods, she would conceive a boy on the first try.
Yan Tongshu let out a scoff: "Superstitious nonsense."
Xiao Jun frowned. He understood superstition well enough—but what in the world was "nonsense" supposed to mean here?
Yan Tongshu kept flipping and found yet another prescription for men, involving toads, crows, and bear gallbladders.
This Cao Jian really was desperate for a son, believing in every folk remedy that came his way.
But didn't he already have a son?
Yan Tongshu understood now.
Given how desperately Cao Jian wanted a son, that son probably wasn't even his.
Yan Tongshu set aside the official documents she had found, then tore apart the pillow on Cao Jian's bed, ripped open the quilt, and flipped over the mattress. Finally, she discovered several secret letters hidden in a concealed compartment in the bed frame.
She opened the letters and saw they were all about Meng Yi's military deployment in Yizhou twenty-six years ago.
They detailed where Meng Yi had gone, who he had met, and what he had said.
Twenty-six years ago—that far back?
Yan Tongshu's head ached.
She tucked the letters away and continued searching, but after a long while, she found nothing else unusual.
As everyone filed out of Cao Jian's courtyard, they happened to run into Cao Yang, who had come looking for Cao Jian to play.
Cao Yang looked very much like Cao Jian, but perhaps because of illness, he was two heads shorter, and with little exercise, he was short and pudgy.
His mind had never developed past the age of six. He clutched a few twigs he had picked up, grinning foolishly: "Little Jian, Little Jian, come out and play... play... play..."
He had no idea that Cao Jian was already dead.
Cao Yang kept waving his twigs: "Little Jian, Little Jian..."
Xiao Jun stepped forward and patted Cao Yang on the head: "Little Jian isn't home. How about Big Brother Xiao takes you to play instead?"
Cao Yang shook his head: "No. Little Jian won't play with me, so I'll go find my wife to play."
Cao Yang shouted: "Wife! Wife! Where are you?"
Yan Tongshu walked over and gently took his hand, outwardly calming him while actually checking his pulse: "Big brother, who are you calling your wife?"
Cao Yang mumbled: "Wife? Wife is just wife."
With that, he pulled free from Yan Tongshu and ran off. Xiao Jun, worried about him, called two servants and chased after him.
They gathered in the front hall to discuss matters, and in the end, Yan Tongshu and the Minister of Punishments jointly decided to each dispatch some personnel to seal off Cao Jian's bedroom, his study, and to place all related persons under restriction.
Among those related persons was the Dingsheng Troupe, which had a grudge against Cao Jian.
Until the case was solved, the Dingsheng Troupe had to remain at the Cao residence, and anyone coming or going had to be reported.
Lady Cao, Cao Jinyue, and Cao He were also restricted—they could not leave the residence without permission, nor could they leave the capital.
Items inside the general's residence could come in but not go out.
Cao Jian's body was to remain at the Cao residence until the case was fully resolved.
After searching for half a day without being able to piece things together, Yan Tongshu sat in the carriage with a pounding head.
Zhang Jiu brewed her a cup of hot tea: "Lord Yan, any leads?"
Yan Tongshu rubbed her temples: "Three directions—Lady Cao, Meng Yi, and the Dingsheng Troupe."
Zhang Jiu said: "The Dingsheng Troupe may be an acrobatic group with nimble movements, but their martial arts aren't that high. Given the depth of the arrow wound on Lord Cao, whoever did it struck by surprise, with precise archery and great strength."
Yan Tongshu: "Although on the surface it looks like Cao Jian was shot from outside the window, we can't be one hundred percent certain of the cause of death.
First, the way Cao Jian died was too peaceful. And beneath his chair, there were white crystalline unknown substances—could that be some kind of device?"
Second, judging from the condition of Cao Jian's body, his time of death should have been during the Chou hour (1–3 AM), but the servant Zheng He said that he saw Cao Jian blow out the candle between the middle and end of the Chou hour, nearly the Yin hour (3–5 AM). If Cao Jian blew out the candle and went to sleep during the Yin hour, why would he sit in the dark at the tea table, deliberately facing the window and giving someone the chance to assassinate him?
Third, if what Zheng He saw was not Cao Jian, and Cao Jian was already dead by then, then who was the person Zheng He saw? Was it the murderer? If it was the murderer, why would he stay after killing rather than leave, and instead stay behind to rummage through things? What was he looking for?
Fourth, both Cao Jian and Lady Cao show obvious signs of poisoning. Who administered the poison to them?
Fifth, the timing of Cao Yang's fall into the water is too coincidental. Apart from seeing Cao Jian walk toward the study, and later saving the person and returning, Zheng He never saw Cao Jian with his own eyes again."
Zhang Jiu pressed his lips together in silence.
Indeed, there were too many doubts, and no one's suspicion could be casually dismissed.
Zhang Jiu thought for a moment and then spoke: "Right, Lord Yan, I also have two matters to report."
Yan Tongshu looked at him, waiting quietly for him to continue.
Zhang Jiu: "When this official and Magistrate Cen went to question the servants of the Cao household, we asked about the relationship between Lord Cao and his elder brother Cao Yang. At the time of the trial, General Xiao was present, and since this matter concerned Lord Cao's reputation, this official did not feel it proper to speak at length. From what the servants revealed, Lord Cao seems to have cherished his elder brother immensely. He assigned special personal servants to attend to him at all times, was generous with food and clothing, and even sought out suitable women of auspicious childbirth destiny for Cao Yang to marry and bear children.
However, in other respects, Lord Cao seemed not to value his elder brother at all. For example, when Cao Yang once fell gravely ill, Lord Cao personally stood guard over the physician treating him. But after Cao Yang's condition improved and the danger had passed, Lord Cao never once went to visit his elder brother again."
Valuing yet not valuing?
Was it because caring for Cao Yang was merely out of fraternal duty, but the two shared no true brotherly affection?
Yan Tongshu was baffled.
Zhang Jiu continued: "Furthermore, this official discovered a wooden figurine in Lord Cao's courtyard. On the back of this wooden figure were carved the characters 'Xiao Jun.' And the wooden figure was covered in knife marks."
Yan Tongshu was startled: "Could it be..."
Zhang Jiu looked at Yan Tongshu nervously: "Has Lord Yan already formed a theory?"
Yan Tongshu took out the fertility prescriptions and showed them to Zhang Jiu.
Cao Jian had a son, yet he wanted to sever ties with his own flesh and blood, and he was frantically seeking prescriptions for begetting children.
And he had found Bai Qinglan, who was of an auspicious childbirth destiny, for Cao Yang.
So, the fertility prescriptions—they were not for himself, but for Cao Yang.
He wanted Cao Yang to carry on the family line.
Zhang Jiu finished reading, his eyes wide. The two exchanged a look and nodded in silent agreement.
Cao Jian was now incapable of fathering children!
Cao Jinyue and Cao He were not Cao Jian's children.
Xiao Jun went out of his way to defend Cao Jian, and Cao Jian hated Xiao Jun, even made a wooden figurine to wish for Xiao Jun's death...
And Lady Cao's behavior... and the man's belt...
Could it be—
Cao Jinyue and Cao He were Xiao Jun's children.
Then it all made sense.
Last night, Xiao Jun and Lady Cao had been meeting in secret. That was why, when she was asked whether the Cao household had any guests last night, Lady Cao instinctively glanced at Xiao Jun.
Moreover, when Lady Cao spoke of those who bore grudges against Cao Jian, she repeatedly and subtly mentioned Xiao Jun.
In their back-and-forth answers, although seemingly unrelated, there existed a peculiar unspoken understanding between them.
Perhaps Lady Cao suspected that Xiao Jun, after a secret meeting with her, had ambushed and killed Cao Jian under cover of night, which was why she repeatedly probed Xiao Jun.
Yan Tongshu took a deep breath.
What a formidable secret of a noble household.
But even though this theory explained some of the doubts, many others remained unresolved.
“Regardless,” Yan Tongshu said, “let’s first investigate the relationship between Lady Cao and Xiao Jun.”
Zhang Jiu: “Yes, Lord Yan.”
Back at the Kaifeng office, Zhang Jiu and Wu Suowei took all the records to make copies and file them.
Yan Tongshu, meanwhile, returned to his study and summoned Xu Qiu, instructing him to pick a few men to look into the Dingsheng troupe and to find out where Cao Jian had gone after leaving the mansion the previous day.
Yan Tongshu picked up his brush, and Pearl, seeing this, began to grind ink.
Yan Tongshu laid out the entire timeline on paper.
At the hour of Si, third ke (9:45 a.m.), Cao Jian left the Cao mansion. Because he usually went about alone, the household had no idea where he went.
At the hour of Wei, fourth ke (around 2 p.m.), the Dingsheng troupe entered the Cao mansion, organizing trunks, setting up the stage, and rehearsing their performance.
Just past the hour of Xu, third ke (around 7:45 p.m.), Cao Jian returned through the front gate of the Cao mansion, and afterward, several servants caught sight of him from a distance.
At the hour of Hai, first ke (around 9:15 p.m.), Bai Qinglan, harboring resentment against her fate, threw Cao Yang’s ball into the pond, causing Cao Yang to fall into the water. Around the same time, Cao Jian returned to his study.
At the hour of Chou (between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.), Cao Jian died.
Halfway through the hour of Chou, nearing the hour of Yin—i.e., after 2:30 a.m.—Zheng He, who was on duty at the study, noticed that the lamp inside had not been extinguished. He asked whether Cao Jian intended to rest in the study. Cao Jian gave a brief reply and blew out the candle. At the same moment, Zheng He saw that the flowers had bloomed.
Yan Tongshu chewed on the end of his brush, deep in thought.
Those who had recently clashed with Cao Jian…
Seventeen of them…
The corner of Yan Tongshu’s mouth twitched violently. He could only have the constables rule them out one by one, slowly.
And that arrow in Cao Jian’s chest—it hit with deadly precision.
“Good heavens,” Yan Tongshu said, exasperated. “How does Cao Jian manage to offend so many people? Poisoned, shot with an arrow, and on top of that… forced betrothal…”
Pearl blinked. “Forced betrothal? Forced onto whom?”
Yan Tongshu looked at Pearl with a hurt expression. “Bai Qinglan.”
Pearl was shocked. “Sister Bai? Sister Bai is such a good person. Who forced Sister Bai to marry? And to whom?”
Yan Tongshu sighed. “To a simpleton.”
Pearl was furious. She put her hands on her hips. “Who? Who committed such a heinous deed?”
Yan Tongshu sighed again. “Today’s victim.”
Pearl let out an “ah,” then snorted. “Serves him right.”
Yan Tongshu agreed wholeheartedly.
Although the prime suspects for now were Xiao Jun and Lady Cao, with their suspected affair.
But Cao Jian had seventeen enemies!
How on earth could he stir up so much trouble?
Seventeen!!!
And those seventeen were only the ones Lady Cao knew about—who knows how many more there were that she didn’t know of.
Just as Yan Tongshu was screaming internally, a knock came at the study door.
Yan Tongshu composed himself, then said, “Come in.”
Yu Ping pushed open the study door. “Lord Yan, are you free?”
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment. The case had no leads for now, and today’s duties were not heavy, so he nodded.
Yu Ping smiled. “Since you’re free, would you care to take a walk with me?”
Yan Tongshu rose to his feet. “When an elder invites, one does not decline.”
Yan Tongshu left Pearl in the study and walked toward the courtyard with Yu Ping.
The courtyard of the Kaifeng Prefecture office was not large, but it was spacious enough for two people to take a stroll.
Yu Ping lifted his head and gazed at the sky. “It snowed last night.”
Yan Tongshu also looked up at the hazy, gray sky. “Yes, once the snow falls thick and heavy, everything is buried.”
Just like the wall outside Cao Jian’s study—the wall where an assassin might have once lain in wait—there was no trace, no clue to be found.
Yu Ping walked to the plum tree and stopped.
The red plum branches stretched out at angles, their buds wrapped in chill, on the verge of blooming but not yet open.
Yu Ping said with emotion, “Lord Yan is a kind-hearted man. My reputation in this capital has never been good. When I served as acting magistrate of Kaifeng, few were willing to show me much courtesy. Now that I have retired and resigned from office, those who still treat me with respect... are even fewer.”
Yan Tongshu said gently, “In life, friends matter more for their quality than their quantity. Those who would not draw near you simply means they are not destined to be your kindred spirits.”
Yu Ping shook his head. Though he sighed, there was little grief in it. He looked at Yan Tongshu. “Lord Yan, have you heard of my reputation?”
Yan Tongshu answered honestly, “I have.”
Yu Ping: “Mostly unpleasant words, I imagine?”
Yan Tongshu smiled faintly. “Some things—looked at from one angle, they appear one way; from another, they appear quite different. For instance, a blade of grass that bends with the wind can be seen as fickle and opportunistic, or it can be seen as going with the times, as a way to preserve oneself wisely.”
Yu Ping laughed heartily. “Lord Yan truly knows how to comfort others.”
When his laughter subsided, he stroked his beard. “Still, I know what the streets say about me. Words like mediocre, inept, a lifetime of doing nothing.”
