The constable knelt on the ground and said, “The partridge’s organs were eaten by a rat. The rat suddenly let out a series of squeaks, collapsed, vomited, and died. We fed the dregs from the medicine pot to another rat, and it showed no signs of poisoning.”
The poison from Gelsemium elegans would not lose its potency when the partridge was cooked into soup.
Therefore, after drinking the partridge soup, Ning Yuan would have died within an hour of the poison taking effect.
Tantai Mingzhu’s suspicion had temporarily been reduced.
Everything that needed to be investigated had been investigated, and every question that needed to be asked had been asked. After discussing the matter with the Minister of Justice, Yan Tongshu decided to leave Ning Yuan’s body at the Earl of Yuguo’s residence for the time being. She then rose to take her leave, bringing everyone from the Kaifeng Prefecture with her.
After leaving the Earl of Yuguo’s residence, Yan Tongshu selected several constables to stay behind and keep watch over the earl’s household. She then left with Zhang Jiu in the same carriage.
Only when the two of them were alone did Zhang Jiu lower his voice and say, “Lord Yan, while you were questioning people in the kitchen just now, I interrogated the servants in the Earl of Yuguo’s residence and learned three things.
“First, according to the servants’ recollections, sometime after the second watch that night, there was suddenly a commotion in Prince Ning’s study. There even appeared to be a flash of firelight. The Earl of Yuguo hurried into the study. When he came out, his expression was grave. He immediately ordered the steward to gather all the servants in the residence, seal off every exit, and send his trusted men to search and patrol the grounds.
“Second, the earl had originally intended to call Prince Ning out, but Tantai Mingzhu persuaded him not to disturb Prince Ning, saying that the prince had not yet recovered from his illness.
“Third, Prince Ning’s cold had lingered for a long time. The physician said it was caused by pent-up emotions and excessive worry, and advised him to set his mind at ease and recuperate. Among the matters troubling Prince Ning recently, aside from Dantai Fu and Lord Wang, there was also the Jiangnan Transport Commissioner, Jin Chi.
“Lord Jin returned to the capital to report on his duties. Instead of paying his respects to His Majesty first, he came directly to the Earl of Yuguo’s residence. Originally, no matter how Dantai Fu or Lord Wang pressed him, Prince Ning had always treated the two of them with great patience. But after Lord Jin paid his visit twelve days ago, Prince Ning became noticeably more irritable.”
Yan Tongshu rubbed her aching head. “Who is Jin Chi?”
She had never heard of him.
Zhang Jiu explained, “I have heard a little about Lord Jin. He was ranked tenth in the twenty-first year of the Ganfeng era. He is highly capable and skilled in mathematics. He initially served as a county magistrate in Jiangnan, and two years ago was promoted to the fifth-rank position of Jiangnan Transport Commissioner, overseeing Jiangnan’s finances.”
Finances?
Yan Tongshu’s headache grew worse.
Seeing the pained expression on her face, Zhang Jiu smiled and added, “Lord Jin is renowned for his integrity in Jiangnan. His visit to the Earl of Yuguo’s residence should have been related to official business. It ought to have nothing to do with Prince Ning’s death.”
“We’ll know more after we pay him a visit tomorrow.”
Yan Tongshu let out a long sigh.
The carriage soon arrived at the Yan residence. Yan Tongshu got out at the entrance. Pearl and Jinbao had been waiting there the whole time. Upon hearing the commotion, they immediately called for the gatekeeper to open the doors.
When Yan Tongshu saw those two familiar faces, she immediately dropped her official composure and put on a wronged expression.
“Pearl, Jinbao, I was bullied again today.”
The Earl of Yuguo and the Minister of Justice—those two bastards had not only hidden things in Ning Yuan’s bedroom, but had also concealed evidence from her.
They were both absolute scum.
She was furious.
Pearl hurried to comfort her. “It’s all right, Young Master. We’ll bully them back someday.”
Jinbao chimed in, “Exactly. We’re young, while those people are all old. We have plenty of time. We can take our time getting even.”
Yan Tongshu nodded.
As expected, strong generals had no weak soldiers. Pearl and Jinbao were both excellent.
After being exhausted for so long, Yan Tongshu returned to her room and flopped straight into the soft, warm, fragrant bedding.
The next morning, Yan Tongshu hugged the warm covers and refused to get up. She gazed sleepily at the window.
A menace like Ning Yuan had tormented people while he was alive.
Even dead, he was still causing her trouble.
Couldn’t he have died during the day?
Dying in the middle of the night was no different from some tabloid suddenly dropping explosive news on a Sunday and forcing office workers to get up and work overtime.
Complaining was one thing, but the work still had to be done.
Yan Tongshu sighed and got out of bed.
She had not slept enough and was in poor spirits, which made her miss Aunt Yang’s noodles terribly. So she took Pearl and Jinbao with her to get breakfast.
Now that Zhao Sheng had leaped over the Dragon Gate and risen in life, Aunt Yang was the happiest person of all. She filled three bowls of noodles and then brought out some scallion-and-meat pancakes she had made after getting up early that morning to chop the meat. She placed them on Yan Tongshu’s table.
“Lord Yan, I don’t have much with which to thank you. I specifically learned how to make these pancakes from a master in the village. Please give them a try and see if they suit your taste.”
Yan Tongshu picked up a triangular piece and took a bite. The fragrance of scallions mingled with the savory meat, while the rich flavor of egg filled her mouth.
A brilliant smile spread across her face. “They’re delicious! Aunt Yang, you should add these to the menu.”
“All right, all right.” Aunt Yang waved her hand. “If Lord Yan likes them, they must be good. I’ll add them right away. Come by often in the future, and I’ll give you extra meat, extra scallions, and extra egg.”
Yan Tongshu smiled. “Thank you, Aunt Yang.”
There were other customers nearby, so Aunt Yang cheerfully turned around to serve them.
Yan Tongshu quickly urged Pearl and Jinbao to try the new meat pancakes as well. Each of them picked one up and took a bite. The crisp pastry left a lingering fragrance in their mouths.
Yan Tongshu studied the pancake.
If only she had some crisp fried dough, lettuce, and sausages, she could make a proper hand-held pancake wrap.
The three of them were enjoying themselves when Gao Qi and Zhao Sheng arrived.
Zhao Sheng sat down at the table next to theirs. “Mother, I’m hungry.”
“I know, you starving ghost.” Aunt Yang laughed as she tossed the noodles into the pot of broth.
Zhao Sheng and Gao Qi placed their heads on the table at the same time, both looking utterly miserable.
Holding a piece of pancake, Yan Tongshu turned toward them. “Things not going well at the Legal Affairs Office?”
“Ugh…”
The two of them sighed together.
Zhao Sheng lamented, “We get up earlier than chickens and go to bed later than dogs. We’re on our feet all day long. No wonder constables are paid for this kind of work—it’s absolutely miserable.”
Back when he had been a street thug, he slept until noon every day. Later, after entering prison, he had behaved himself and spent his days following his big brother in various illicit ventures.
But even then, they had only gone out at night to resell theater tickets or secretly sell black-market goods like illegally produced cloth and whitening creams. Usually, they worked for only two or three hours. They did not make much money, but at least they had been free. This was entirely different from now, when life was nothing but suffering.
Yan Tongshu chewed on the crisp pancake.
She understood Zhao Sheng and Gao Qi’s pain all too well.
When she had first taken up her post at the Kaifeng Prefecture, she had been in the same situation—getting up earlier than a chicken to attend the morning court, going to bed later than a dog, and having only one day off each month. Sure, capitalism had its own pitfalls, but compared with feudal society, it still counted as progress.
This was pure exploitation.
Yan Tongshu sighed inwardly. In a solemn voice that lacked even the slightest sincerity, she offered, “Perseverance leads to victory.”
Zhao Sheng and Gao Qi exchanged a glance, then let out another long, collective sigh.
After a while, the noodles arrived. Zhao Sheng and Gao Qi immediately picked up their chopsticks and began eating like starving ghosts. With a single bite, each of them could swallow a third of a bowl of noodles.
And that was only because Aunt Yang had given them extra-large portions. Without the extra serving, they probably could have finished half a bowl in one bite.
Pearl and Jinbao stared at them, mouths agape.
How had these two become even more capable of eating?
After drinking the broth, Zhao Sheng put down his bowl and shouted, “Mother, it’s not enough! Give me another bowl!”
“Oh, honestly!” Aunt Yang called back. “I know, I know. It’s already cooking!”
Jinbao looked at the two of them curiously. “What happened to you two? How are you this hungry?”
Gao Qi let out another sigh of utter despair. “Yesterday, we reported to the Legal Affairs Office first thing in the morning. They gave us a stack of notices and told us to post them around town. We had to read them aloud as we went, informing the common people that the Legal Affairs Office had been established and that any mother or daughter suffering some unspeakable injustice could come to us for help. For every notice we posted, we had to read it aloud dozens of times. Then the common people kept asking questions, one after another. From morning until night, our hands, feet, mouths, and tongues never stopped.”
“After that, we had to patrol the countryside and spread the word, while keeping an eye out for anyone seeking help,” Zhao Sheng added tearfully. “My feet are covered in blisters.”
Yan Tongshu swallowed the last bite of her flatbread. “You two simply need more exercise.”
They had only trained for a month before sending the two men to take the examination. Sure enough, that had been far too short a time.
Aunt Yang brought two more bowls of noodles to the table.
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment before saying, “Still, the way you’re spreading the word is too slow, and the results aren’t very good either.”
Gao Qi looked at her. “Then how should we promote it?”
Yan Tongshu rubbed her chin in thought. “The best way would be to use something the common people enjoy, and then have them spread the word among themselves. Otherwise, with the way you’re posting notices, how many people will hear or see them? And how many will actually believe they’re real?”
Gao Qi and Zhao Sheng stared at Yan Tongshu in unison, as if asking, And? What’s the specific plan?
Yan Tongshu racked her brain. What did common people enjoy most? Gossip and stories. Put the two together, and you got stories about gossip.
“I’ve got it!” Yan Tongshu rose to her feet and patted Gao Qi on the shoulder, then Zhao Sheng’s. “Work hard. Your future is bright. Wait for my news.”
After offering them another half-hearted word of encouragement, Yan Tongshu called Pearl and Jinbao and returned to Kaifeng Prefecture.
Once there, she sought out Zhang Jiu and gave him an exceedingly radiant smile. “Judge Zhang, did you sleep well last night?”
That bright smile, combined with her unusually intimate tone, clearly meant she wanted a favor.
Zhang Jiu now understood Yan Tongshu very well. He rose and respectfully saluted her before replying with a smile, “Well enough.”
Yan Tongshu gazed at him expectantly. “And is your mood good? Do you have some free time recently?”
Zhang Jiu smiled. “If Magistrate Yan has something for me, please give your orders.”
Yan Tongshu took out a packet of candied fruit and a bamboo tube of milk tea and placed them in Zhang Jiu’s hands. “It’s like this. Judge Zhang, your writing is excellent. You were the one who turned Xinniang’s case into a story and gave it to the storytellers. I heard it was very well received.”
Zhang Jiu stared steadily at Yan Tongshu, patiently waiting for what came next.
“Well, the Legal Affairs Office has only just been established.” Yan Tongshu clasped her hands together. “Many common people still don’t know that such a department exists, much less what it does. I think that if there were a popular story about the Legal Affairs Office standing up for a helpless woman, delivering justice, and punishing the wicked, ordinary people would naturally enjoy discussing it and spreading it by word of mouth. Before long, more and more people would learn about the Legal Affairs Office.”
“Very well.” Zhang Jiu agreed at once.
Yan Tongshu immediately showered him with praise. “Judge Zhang, you’re the most handsome man in the world.”
Zhang Jiu smiled. “Indeed. Thank you for the praise, Magistrate Yan. I hardly deserve it.”
Yan Tongshu shook her head and raised both thumbs. “I mean that sincerely. You absolutely are.”
He was the top third-place graduate of the imperial examination in the thirty-third year of the Gan Feng era—that was no small distinction. Zhang Jiu was also the most handsome man she had ever seen: so beautiful he was almost androgynous, with extraordinary features and an impressive bearing.
Zhang Jiu had been praised as a genius since childhood, and many people had complimented his literary talent and calligraphy. Yet Yan Tongshu was the only person who had ever praised him so bluntly and exclusively for his looks.
He paused for a moment, then nodded. “I will always believe Magistrate Yan.”
Afterward, Zhang Jiu considered the matter briefly before saying, “However, I have official business to handle during the day, so I can only write after office hours. It may take some time. How about five days, Magistrate Yan? I’ll finish the story within five days and bring it to you for review.”
With a clap, Yan Tongshu pressed her palms together. “Thank you, Judge Zhang.”
Once their personal business was settled, it was time to discuss official matters.
Yan Tongshu instructed him, “While eating noodles this morning, I went over the case again. My intuition tells me that none of them has told the whole truth, so there’s still more we need to investigate.
“First, we need to look into the relationship between Dantai Fu and Tantai Mingzhu. Tantai Mingzhu isn’t the sort of person who would let family ties bind her into rescuing a wastrel gambler. Have the yamen runners investigate the forced marriage from back then as well, and send a letter to the Prefect of Yunzhou to inquire about the Tantai family’s affairs in those days.
“Second, we need to investigate the burglary at the Earl of Yuguo’s residence. Third, there are many suspicious points surrounding Wang Quan’an, the Wang sisters, and Gao Shengmei’s deaths.”
“Magistrate Yan, I already sent the yamen runners to investigate this morning,” Zhang Jiu informed her. “After Madam Wang and the second Miss Wang died, Lord Wang lost all interest in his official duties. He took an extended leave and has remained by their graves ever since, never returning home. Lord Jin entered the palace this morning and may be there for some time. I ordered the yamen runners to wait at the official residence and notify us the moment Lord Jin returns.”
Yan Tongshu narrowed her eyes and smiled. “You mean Wang Quan’an isn’t at the Wang residence?”
“That’s right.”
“Then we’ll go to the Wang residence now.”
Yan Tongshu left Pearl and Jinbao at Kaifeng Prefecture while she and Zhang Jiu brought several yamen runners to the Wang residence.
Gao Shengmei and both her daughters were dead, and Wang Quan’an was away. The only person currently in charge of the Wang family was Wang Mingqin, who had lost one leg.
Wang Mingqin was two years younger than Wang Yuyan and had only just turned fourteen.
He was young and proud. After losing a leg, he had become dispirited and refused to appear before others leaning awkwardly on crutches. Whenever he met people, he did so from a wheelchair.
When Yan Tongshu and Zhang Jiu arrived, there was no one else to take charge, so a servant had him wheeled out to meet them. Seated in his wheelchair, Wang Mingqin wore a gloomy, world-weary expression.
He inclined his body slightly. “Magistrate Yan, please forgive Mingqin for being unable to perform the proper rites due to my disability.”
“It’s nothing.” Pretending not to know, Yan Tongshu asked, “We’ve come to see your father. Is he at home?”
Wang Mingqin shook his head. “No.”
“Then where is he now?”
Deep disgust gathered in Wang Mingqin’s eyes, as though he hated even mentioning Wang Quan’an. He spat out only two words: “Guarding the graves.”
“I see. Lord Wang isn’t here.” Yan Tongshu appeared somewhat troubled as she continued, “We’re investigating a case, and since Lord Wang isn’t here… would you permit us to look around the residence?”
Wang Mingqin clearly didn’t care in the slightest whether Wang Quan’an lived or died. He answered frankly, “Do as you please.”
With that, he inclined his body toward Yan Tongshu and had the servants wheel him back to his room, acting as though it made no difference to him even if Kaifeng Prefecture confiscated the entire Wang residence.
Yan Tongshu and Zhang Jiu went first to Wang Quan’an’s study.
As everyone knew, important things were generally hidden in the study.
Zhang Jiu led the yamen runners in searching the room, while Yan Tongshu stood before the bookshelves and examined the books.
There were plenty of works on history and the classics.
But it was obvious that Wang Quan’an’s interests went far beyond those.
There were even sections on □□ techniques, thievery, trap design, the cultivation of plants and livestock, and the classification of medicinal herbs.
Wang Quan’an had been an orphan. He had made enough money for his studies and the imperial examinations by joining forces with Gao Shengmei to swindle and deceive people, much like Gao Qi.
People born into such circumstances spent the first half of their lives drifting from place to place, never knowing when disaster might strike. They lacked any sense of security, so they took an interest in everything and dabbled in all sorts of fields, in case they ever needed knowledge they did not possess.
Yan Tongshu took down several books on the classification of medicinal herbs that had been shelved together.
As the saying went, every medicine contained a measure of poison. Used properly, it could save a life; used improperly, it could take one.
Therefore, books explaining medicinal herbs did not discuss only those that were mild or nonpoisonous. Poisonous herbs were covered as well.
Gelsemium was a medicinal herb.
Wang Quan’an’s collection was remarkably comprehensive, and most medicinal herbs were mentioned somewhere within it.
In the middle of the third book, she found the following entry:
Gelsemium: Leaves resemble those of the kudzu vine; stem red, as thick as an arrow; roots yellow. Can be used to treat eczema, abscesses, scabies, and similar ailments. The entire plant is poisonous. It resembles honeysuckle, and those who consume it by mistake will suffer nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and weakness throughout the body. In severe cases, death will occur after one-fifth of an incense stick; in milder cases, after half an hour.
The book went on to explain in detail what illnesses gelsemium could treat and how to cultivate it.
The corners of these pages were curled, clearly indicating that they had been read many times.
Wang Quan’an understood the poison of gelsemium.
But on the day Ning Yuan died, Wang Quan’an had not gone to the Earl of Yuguo’s residence.
Yan Tongshu summoned the constables to question them. They confirmed that after Gao Shengmei and Wang Chuning’s funerals, Wang Quan’an had taken extended leave and set up a shelter beside his wife and daughter’s graves, where he devoted himself to watching over them. Apart from the occasion six days ago when he had quarreled with Ning Yuan, he had not entered the city again.
One of the constables said, “Lord Yan, people even made fun of Lord Wang. Usually, it’s the younger generation who keeps vigil over an elder’s grave. A husband guarding his wife’s grave, or a father guarding his adopted daughter’s—that’s something people have never seen before.”
Yan Tongshu asked, “Are you certain he didn’t enter the city even once after that quarrel six days ago?”
“The graves of Madam Wang and the second Miss Wang are outside the city. Anyone entering the city would have to pass through the gates and register. We checked the city gate records. Apart from that occasion six days ago, he truly never went in.”
No outsiders had entered the kitchen of the Earl of Yuguo’s residence.
The partridge had still been lively when it was delivered, showing no signs of poisoning. It must have been poisoned later.
Could someone on the inside have been bribed to administer the poison?
Yan Tongshu returned the book to its place. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a patch of blackened earth in the courtyard and walked over curiously.
Wang Quan’an’s courtyard was very large, filled with flowers, birds, fish, and insects, as well as artificial hills and winding streams. Everything was exquisitely arranged—except for this particular corner.
Yan Tongshu beckoned to the maid who had brought them there and pointed at the scorched earth. “Why is this patch black?”
The maid immediately shook her head in terror. “That place is frightening.”
Lowering her voice, she said fearfully, “There’s a ghost. A terrifying one.”
“Don’t be afraid.” Yan Tongshu fixed the girl with an utterly resolute gaze. “I’m the top scholar of the imperial examinations. I have the protection of the Star of Literature. Go ahead and tell me. The Star of Literature and I will protect you together.”
The maid was still frightened. “Really? Will the Star of Literature truly protect me?”
Yan Tongshu closed her eyes and counted in her heart what she would eat for dinner. Then she opened them and looked at the innocent little maid. “I just sent my soul out of my body and spoke with the Star of Literature. He said you could tell me everything. With him here, no demon or ghost can harm you.”
Wonderful.
The maid’s eyes shone as she looked at Yan Tongshu. At that moment, Yan Tongshu was a deity in her eyes.
She said, “Everyone says there’s a ghost here. I only came to the residence two years ago. When I arrived, the aunties warned me never to go near the southeastern corner of the master’s study courtyard. They said there was a ghost there. I didn’t believe them at first, but then, all of a sudden, on the tenth day of the sixth month, so many honeysuckle vines appeared. Before that, there had only been grass growing there—nothing else. Then, overnight, an entire patch appeared out of nowhere.
“When the master saw it, he flew into a rage. He ordered people to dig up the flowers, hacking at them relentlessly and digging three feet into the ground to remove every last root. But the following year, at the exact same time, a great many honeysuckle vines appeared again. I was terrified. One of the aunties told me this had already happened for seven years in a row. Every year, countless honeysuckle vines appeared in the ground.
“Everyone says that the honeysuckle dies and comes back to life because Madam has returned. Madam’s name was Zhong Jinyin, which sounds like ‘honeysuckle’ in Chinese. The honeysuckle in the master’s courtyard was originally planted by Madam.
“The master was hot-tempered and often suffered from excess internal heat, so Madam planted a patch of honeysuckle in the southeastern corner of his courtyard and used it to brew tea for him, to clear the heat. Madam said that honeysuckle flowers grow in pairs and were also known as ‘mandarin duck vines.’ She planted them because she hoped she and the master would grow old together. So the honeysuckle was Madam. After Madam died, the master had it all dug up. But no matter how many times he uprooted it, the honeysuckle came back every year to visit him.”
Supernatural explanations were not credible.
Yan Tongshu asked, “Then what happened to this scorched earth?”
The maid answered softly, “The master dug it up every year, and the honeysuckle grew back every year. Last year, in the sixth month, the master had a quarrel with the new Madam. As fate would have it, the honeysuckle appeared out of nowhere again at that very time. The master was already irritated, so he ordered someone to set fire to it. After it burned, no one dared touch the place, so it has remained scorched ever since.”
At the end, the little maid could not help muttering, “I wonder if the honeysuckle will grow again this year in the sixth month, and if Madam will come back again.”
The maid had barely finished speaking when she suddenly looked up and let out a cry. Then she patted her chest. “Auntie Yu, when did you get there? You frightened me half to death.”
Yan Tongshu turned and saw a woman in her forties standing behind a carved, openwork wall, watching the two of them with a gloomy expression.
From a distance, the woman bowed to Yan Tongshu before walking away.
Yan Tongshu stared at Auntie Yu’s retreating figure.
Based on her years of watching melodramatic television dramas, an NPC like this was bound to have a story.
Yan Tongshu turned back and gave the little maid a brilliant smile. “Who is Auntie Yu?”
The maid blinked her long, thick eyelashes. “She’s one of the senior maids in the residence.”
“How many years has she worked at the Wang residence?”
The maid shook her head. “I don’t know. She was already here when I arrived. Auntie Yu is very kind. She used to serve Madam, and she often says that Madam was an exceptionally gentle and kind person. Everyone else in the residence says the same. Madam’s family was extremely wealthy, so Madam herself was rich as well. During the New Year and other festivals, she always gave the servants generous rewards. Unfortunately, I arrived too late and never got to meet her.”
Yan Tongshu nodded and crouched down to examine the blackened earth. There was nothing unusual about it. Yet for a patch of ground like this to produce a vast field of honeysuckle in a single day, again and again, appearing out of nowhere—it was simply too bizarre.
How had it been done?
She could not figure it out, so she had no choice but to set the matter aside for the time being. Shaking her head, she returned to the study.
Zhang Jiu came to meet her. “Lord Yan, we’ve found something.”
