Chapter 143: Unintentionally Diverting the Disaster, First Arrival at the Xie Family
Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Unintentionally Diverting the Disaster, First Arrival at the Xie Family
The Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching. The crime took place in the Capital City, was committed by a Martial Artist, and to top it all off, the victim was a man from Prince Qi’s Mansion.
For all these reasons, the Jing’an Guard’s Hundred Households in Yong’an County took the case very seriously. The Hundred Households Commander, Gao Xi, personally came to the scene to investigate.
"Sir, there are no signs of the home being ransacked. We also found 1,200 taels of silver in a wardrobe. The female victim was not violated. We can confirm the killer’s sole purpose was murder."
A Standard-Bearer leaned in close to Gao Xi and reported.
Gao Xi, a man in his early forties, instinctively stroked his beard and asked, "What was Wang Er’s position at Prince Qi’s Mansion?"
"Liu Qiaoniang’s neighbors said he was just a servant who tended the flowers at Prince Qi’s Mansion," the Standard-Bearer replied, having already looked into it.
Gao Xi frowned. "And Liu Qiaoniang?"
"The neighbors said she had no steady work and was entirely supported by Wang Er," the Standard-Bearer answered immediately.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Gao Xi paced back and forth. His eyes turned cold as he spoke, "In other words, all the silver in the wardrobe belonged to Wang Er. The Prince’s Mansion is an esteemed household, but an ordinary servant wouldn’t have many opportunities for embezzlement. How on earth could he have saved such a fortune?"
For an ordinary person, 1,200 taels of silver was an astronomical sum—enough to live a life free of worry.
"Brilliant, Sir." The Standard-Bearer offered a compliment, continuing Gao Xi’s line of reasoning. "The killer wasn’t motivated by greed or lust, and a lowly servant like Wang Er is unlikely to have offended any powerful figures or Martial Arts experts. We can therefore rule out a revenge killing. This was most likely a murder to silence him."
"The reason he was silenced is most likely related to that silver. Focus the investigation in that direction." Gao Xi nodded, then added, "I will personally pay a visit to Prince Qi’s Mansion and see if I can find any leads."
After arriving at Prince Qi’s Mansion and stating his purpose, he was granted a meeting with the King of Qi. He knelt on one knee and saluted. "Gao Xi, Hundred Households Commander of the Jing’an Guard in Yong’an County, greets Prince Qi."
"Commander Gao, rise quickly and have a seat. Someone, bring Commander Gao some tea." The King of Qi, who had just turned twenty and possessed delicate features, was impeccably mannered, showing no trace of arrogance.
"Thank you, Prince Qi, for the seat and the tea." Gao Xi rose, took his seat, and sat up straight. "I trust Your Highness has already learned the purpose of my visit from the doorman."
"Mm." The King of Qi nodded slowly, his expression darkening. "I never imagined someone would be so audacious as to brutally murder citizens here in the capital."
The victim was a servant from his own Prince’s Mansion, yet he didn’t emphasize that status, instead referring to him as one of the common people.
It was a perspective that instantly elevated his stature.
"This fiend is indeed audacious," Gao Xi agreed with a nod. He continued, "Your Highness, our current theory is that Wang Er was likely murdered to be silenced."
As he spoke, he casually picked up the tea that had been served to him and took a sip, but his eyes never left the King of Qi.
’He suspected Wang Er might have overheard a secret he shouldn’t have within the Prince’s Mansion, and was subsequently silenced by men sent by the King of Qi. After all, given Wang Er’s status, it was impossible for him to encounter any other secrets that would get him killed.’
’That was why he had come to probe the prince. If the King of Qi revealed even a hint of guilt, he would drop the investigation and just find some unlucky soul to take the fall.’
"Silenced? Wang Er is just a servant. What could he possibly know that would be worth silencing him for?" The King of Qi raised an eyebrow.
Seeing no cracks in the King of Qi’s expression, Gao Xi decided on a more direct probe. He set down his teacup and said, "It seems Wang Er’s death may be tied to a major conspiracy. Should I, then, investigate this matter to the very end?"
’Whether I investigate or not depends on a single word from you, Your Highness.’
"Investigate! It must be investigated thoroughly!" The King of Qi understood Gao Xi’s hidden meaning and declared forcefully, "I even suspect this conspiracy may be aimed at me."
"Understood!" Gao Xi responded grimly. Now that he had ruled out the King of Qi, he could commit to a full investigation. He pursed his lips and said, "Then I must ask Your Highness to summon the servants who were friendly with Wang Er. I would like to question them one by one."
"Go at once," the King of Qi said to the chief steward of his mansion.
The chief steward acknowledged the order and promptly left.
He quickly returned with two young servants.
Gao Xi questioned the two, but the result was very disappointing. He learned nothing and could only instruct them, "If you recall anything unusual about Wang Er later, please report it to His Highness at any time."
"If you provide an important clue, I will be sure to reward you handsomely," the King of Qi told the two servants.
The two servants nodded and bowed, agreeing profusely.
Gao Xi stood up and said, "Thank you for your cooperation, Your Highness. I will take my leave now. I will report to you immediately if there are any developments."
"My thanks for your efforts, Commander Gao." The King of Qi nodded amiably and turned to the steward beside him. "Steward Cai, please see Commander Gao out for me."
"This way, Commander Gao," Steward Cai said with a warm smile.
Gao Xi gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment.
As he watched the two men leave, one in front of the other, the King of Qi remained seated, his expression flickering between light and shadow. He didn’t care that a servant had died. But the discovery of a huge sum of silver in that servant’s home, coupled with the possibility that he had been murdered to be silenced...
He couldn’t help but let his mind run wild.
He instinctively suspected that the Jiang Family had cooked up another plot against him, but he had no clue what it was, leaving him unable to even begin to defend against it.
The moment Steward Cai returned from seeing Gao Xi out, he immediately ordered, "Summon Mr. Yang and the others for a council."
Soon, several of the Prince’s Mansion’s advisors hurried over.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"Gentlemen, dispense with the formalities and take your seats. I have a matter I wish to consult you on..." The King of Qi then laid bare the details of Wang Er’s case and his own anxieties.
After he finished, the men exchanged glances, sinking into silent contemplation.
It was Mr. Yang, who was thin, sallow-faced, and had a goatee, who broke the silence. "Wang Er’s death is indeed bizarre and smacks of conspiracy. Your Highness’s worries are not unfounded. In this capital, only the Jiang Family would dare to plot against you. Since we don’t know what they’re planning, we won’t bother with defense. We’ll launch a direct counterattack."
"Brother Yang’s words are wise. Even if the Jiang Family isn’t behind this conspiracy, it’s never a mistake to strike at them."
"Exactly. It’s better for both sides to suffer losses than for us to just sit here and take a beating. A scenario where we both lose is better than one where only they win."
"Gentlemen, you speak with reason. They can play their game, and we will play ours." The King of Qi made his decision quickly. He let out a breath and said, "The Emperor, my father, is inclined to appoint Tang Fei, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, to the cabinet. The Jiang Family is plotting a marriage alliance with the Tang Family. I intend to sabotage it."
Weakening the enemy is equivalent to strengthening oneself.
A middle-aged man in a green gown frowned. "It would be difficult for us to sway the Emperor’s will. If we want to sabotage this, our only recourse is to break up the marriage alliance between the Jiang Family and the Tang Family."
"Your Highness, I recently heard a rumor circulating in the city. I have a plan that could not only destroy this marriage but, if handled well, could also affect Tang Fei’s appointment to the cabinet."
. . . . . .
Pei Shaoqing had great confidence in Liu Yuheng’s ability to handle matters.
So, after learning that Wang Er and Liu Qiaoniang were dead, he paid the matter no further attention. That morning, after breakfast, he and Xie Qingwu set out with gifts for the Anning Marquis’s Mansion.
Since they had sent a letter in advance, Uncle Anning had arranged for Xie Qingwu’s younger brother, Xie Yun, to greet them at the gate. Having just turned sixteen, Xie Yun had a boisterous personality. The moment he saw the carriage halt, he eagerly rushed forward. "Second Sister! Brother-in-law!"
"You’re already of marrying age, yet you still act like a child." Xie Qingwu was helped down from the carriage by Xie Yun. She smiled and patted his head as she spoke.
Xie Yun giggled and ducked away, saying nonchalantly, "Brother-in-law used to be even wilder than I am, and look at him now, famous throughout the Capital City! Once I’ve had my fun, I’ll get myself a noble title to play around with, just like him."
"You think noble titles are just handed out for the asking!" Hearing this, Xie Qingwu shot him an annoyed glance.
Pei Shaoqing looked at his lively young brother-in-law and said with a broad smile, "I think Yun has the makings of a nobleman."
"See? Brother-in-law has excellent taste. It’s why he was able to appreciate my sister, after all." Xie Yun beamed, then waved to the servants. "What are you waiting for? Go help carry the things!"
Xie Qingwu felt a rift between her and her family. They had stopped writing to her, fearing they would incur the wrath of Noble Consort Wan. On the surface, however, she still had to play the part of a filial daughter, so she had brought a great many gifts for her homecoming.
"Sister, Brother-in-law, let’s go inside. Father and Mother are waiting for you," Xie Yun said, leading the way.
As she followed, Xie Qingwu asked curiously, "Yun, are Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law not here?"
"Didn’t Father mention it in his letter? Last month, Eldest Brother was transferred to Dian State to serve as a County Magistrate. Sister-in-law and their children went with him," Xie Yun replied, frowning.
Although Uncle Anning was a military general, his eldest son, Xie Jue, was an outstanding scholar who had taken the path of a Civil Servant. He had passed the imperial examination two years ago and had been serving as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy.
As soon as she heard this, Xie Qingwu knew. Her father must have lied to her elder and younger brothers, claiming he had written to her himself while forbidding them from doing the same. This made her feel much better. At least her brothers weren’t avoiding her for fear of being implicated; they had just been duped by their father.
A faint smile touched her lips. "Did Father write last month? I never received it. Perhaps the messenger ran into mountain bandits and lost both the letter and his life."
"Oh, really? Honestly, Father... If the roads are so dangerous, he should send more than one person to deliver a letter," Xie Yun grumbled.
Chatting idly, the three of them arrived at the Xie Family’s main hall.
"Qingwu, my dear daughter!" With eyes already red, Mrs. Xie rushed forward and pulled Xie Qingwu into a tight embrace. "You’ve suffered so much all this time," she choked out.
"Mother, I haven’t suffered at all. I’ve been very happy these past few months in Tongzhou," Xie Qingwu said softly.
"That’s enough. All this weeping is so disheartening to hear." Xie Wenjin put on a show of scolding his wife, but his own eyes were also red. He then turned to Pei Shaoqing, sighed, and asked a question that seemed to come out of nowhere: "Shaoqing, you don’t blame me, do you?"
"I understand the hardship you faced protecting our family," Pei Shaoqing said, bowing with his hands clasped.
"You’ve matured. You’ve truly matured!" Xie Wenjin remarked with feeling, gesturing with his hand. "Please, sit."
"Yes, Father." Pei Shaoqing found a place and sat down.
Xie Qingwu also helped her mother sit down.
After some pleasantries, the faint sense of distance from their initial meeting vanished without a trace. Pei Shaoqing spoke up, "Father, there is something I’d like to ask you."
"Go on." Xie Wenjin, who now couldn’t be more pleased with his son-in-law, set down his teacup and nodded.
Pei Shaoqing got straight to the point. "Can you tell me about the case you handled all those years ago? The one where Xu Yong, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, was executed along with his entire family for conspiring with foreign powers to commit treason?"
Xie Qingwu also turned her head to look at her father.
The expression on Xie Wenjin’s face suddenly stiffened.