Chapter 57: Investigation

Having left her hometown, Zhu Yi’s closest “friends” were mostly associated with Zheng’s residence, with Jin Liang, Gan Ze, and Lu Chao being the closest among them.

Gan Ze had driven her family’s carriage all the way to the capital, and Zhu Yi remembered this kindness. She asked Lu Chao, “Which cousin?”

Over the journey of several days, Zhu Yi had learned not just about Gan Ze’s ancestors but also his close relatives.

Gan Ze had both maternal and paternal cousins who were married, but it wasn't clear which one was involved.

Lu Chao explained, “It's from his maternal side. If it were from his paternal side, it wouldn’t be such a hassle.”

Zhu Yi understood the situation.

Gan Ze's family had served for generations on Zheng's estate, making Gan Ze’s paternal aunt also part of Zheng's household. Her marriage was also within Zheng's estate, making her family's condition somewhat better than the average folk. Gan Ze’s paternal cousin, therefore, was considered part of Zheng's household, and her husband was not an outsider but also related to Zheng's estate.

If something happened to a paternal cousin, Gan Ze wouldn’t need to be upset; he could just report to Zheng Xi or gather a group from the household to seek justice.

However, the situation with a maternal cousin was different.

Gan Ze’s mother was not a slave of Zheng's household.

Originally from a decent family, Gan Ze’s mother married into his father's family due to her parents' extreme poverty, despite having several siblings, only a few survived. Sometimes, daughters were married off to wealthy slaves not necessarily out of coercion or ambition but out of sheer necessity for survival.

Being the eldest daughter and considered attractive, Gan Ze’s father paid a significant bride price for her.

While marriages between classes were generally avoided, there were ways to circumvent punishments, like selling the daughter to a master’s family to become a slave, thus making her eligible to marry a wealthy slave. Alternatively, the wealthy could free a male servant to change his status to a tenant, still under their control, making him suitable for a poor but free-born woman.

The bride price Gan Ze's mother brought home provided some relief to her family. Gan Ze’s aunt married a farmer from the same village, and she had one son and one daughter, with the daughter already married off.

Gan Ze's maternal cousin could not marry into wealth; she was part of a farming household, hardworking and frugal, with aspirations of buying more land to become small landowners. They were seen as a reliable family.

Shockingly, she was beaten to death by her husband!

The husband's family could not keep the death secret, announcing she died suddenly by hanging herself, which raised suspicions.

The news arrived just before the Dragon Boat Festival. Upon hearing it while wrapping dumplings, Gan Ze's aunt fainted.

Lu Chao lamented that the cousin, whom they had supported during her wedding for her sensible and capable nature, could not have died as claimed. He questioned the timing of her supposed suicide, suggesting she would have sought her family first if troubled.

Zhu Yi acknowledged that while she had seen many cases of wives driven to suicide by mistreatment, there could also be other reasons behind such tragic ends.

She cautioned that without knowing the person directly, it's hard to judge based solely on Gan Ze's portrayal, as perceptions of a good cousin might differ from those of a good daughter-in-law.

Zhu Yi found the circumstances of the "sudden" death suspicious, indicating at least some hidden issues, and suggesting that the husband's family might bear some guilt.

Zhu Yi, sympathizing with Gan Ze, advised preventing a hasty burial by the husband's family, suggesting an official autopsy to determine if foul play was involved.

Gan Ze defended his cousin's character, refuting claims of her having "evil spirits" as baseless and indicative of the accusers' guilt.

Zhu Yi, setting aside her duties, inquired about the proximity of Gan Ze's aunt's and cousin's homes to the capital, speculating they might be located in a nearby county.

Gan Ze confirmed the family lived in Xinfeng County.

"It's not too far. If we act promptly, we can resolve this before their holiday break."

Lu Chao shook his head, "It's not easy. Before, with a request from the mansion, one word to the officials and vengeance was certain. But now, under the jurisdiction of Wang Yunhe of the Capital District, who doesn't regard such requests, it's difficult."

The Capital District is managed by Wang Yunhe. From him downwards, no one entertains solicitations. With Wang himself not buying into it, the subordinates, including county magistrates, dare not either.

Gan Ze said, "I hate that I'm tied down with duties and can't leave, or I'd join my cousin in tearing down that conscienceless dog's den. Stop them from dreaming about collecting rents! San Lang, did you come out for something?"

Lu Chao said, "Let me handle it, you rest. If you're really worried, San Lang can likely get the Dragon Boat Festival leave approved. I won't take leave this year; you go. San Lang, what's up?"

Zhu Yi considered, "I have leave for the Dragon Boat Festival too. I planned to enjoy it. How about I accompany Gan Da Ge on this trip?"

Gan Ze, tempted by the idea, and Lu Chao, thinking Zhu Yi could use her "capital official" status to smooth things over in Xinfeng County, agreed, "That could work! But Xinfeng County office will be on holiday..."

Zhu Yi said, "Let me first take these things home and arrange for the festival. We'll go quietly, they argue in the open, we gather information in secret. If it's truly unjust, Gan Da Ge can properly bury his sister and return. If they've lost their conscience, we'll settle the score with them!"

Gan Ze stated, "How could I possibly use my sister's life to wrongfully accuse someone?!"

Zhu Yi responded, "Right. But we must act quickly. With the current weather, if the body is left out for a few more days, it will decompose, erasing any evidence. Then, both families might end up fighting, leading to enmity without any chance of resolving the matter."

Lu Chao asked, "What do you need? I'll accompany you to fetch it."

Zhu Yi told him, "Follow me."

After collecting her belongings, Lu Chao assisted Zhu Yi in transporting them back to her home. Upon seeing the finely made festival zongzi, Zhu Yi's parents commented, "These don't look like the ones we make at home."

Zhu Da remarked, "They're too small, hardly enough for one bite! What use are they?"

Zhang Xianjun countered, "Why fuss over the size? If you're so capable, why don't you try getting zongzi from the palace? Stop grumbling. What do you think your mouth is for...?"

Interrupting, Zhu Yi suggested, "Let's stop here!" Noticing that Zhang Xianjun had also made some zongzi, she proposed, "We should share some with our neighbors and send some to Jin Da Sao, showing them the capital's style. Also, grab some for me; I'll change my clothes and then go to see someone."

Zhang Xianjun inquired, "What else do you have to do?"

After Lu Chao whispered Gan Ze's situation to her, Zhang Xianjun exclaimed, "This is outrageous! Our girl must have been wronged! Such a sin! And right before the festival too!" Zhu Da added, "Why are we still so loud and startling in the capital? It's embarrassing!" To which Zhang Xianjun retorted angrily, "Your voice isn't exactly quiet either!"

Zhu Yi said, "Everyone quiet down! I'll take a look. Lu Er Ge, have some tea and rest; I need to prepare something before we head out."

After changing her attire and grabbing some zongzi for Lu Chao, they headed to the Capital District Office. Lu Chao questioned, "What are you doing here? Though it's a case for the Capital District, it starts with Xinfeng County."

Zhu Yi, with a smile, said, "You don't know." She went straight to the prison, sharing zongzi with her acquaintances among the jailers.

The jailer and guards, seeing her, remarked, "You said you'd visit us when you're free but vanished. Where have you been making your fortune?"

Zhu Yi responded, "I'm now working at the yamen too."

The jail head laughed, "Where exactly?"

"The Dali Temple."

"Yes, but where have you been?"

Lu Chao said impatiently, "The Dali Ministry!"

The jailer and the guards almost slipped: "What?"

Zhu Yi said, "Here, it's almost the festival, brought you some zongzi. I've got some other matters to attend to, so I won't visit during the festival."

The head jailer exclaimed in surprise, "You, what duties do you perform at the Dali Temple?" He gestured towards the direction of the Imperial City to the north.

Zhu Yi responded, "I'm an adjudicator."

The jailer nearly lost his footing again, "Mother of heaven! Last time you mentioned nothing was settled, and now you're an official? This is beyond unexpected."

Zhu Yi said, "There's plenty in this world that's unexpected. I must be going now. I'll visit again when I have some free time."

"Ah, take care. I'll see you out," the jailer called out loudly, assigning a guard to keep watch over the prison door.

The jailer escorted Zhu Yi and Lu Chao a good distance away, glancing at her in wonder. The criminals in the capital's prison included some remarkable individuals, but Zhu Yi was indeed a rare sight. He cautiously made conversation, reflecting on whether he had ever offended Zhu Yi. Some of the nobility had peculiar dislikes, particularly against those who had seen them in their days of hardship. Once they rose to power, who knew how they might react...

The jailer bowed even more deeply.

Suddenly, someone called out, "Head jailer! What are you doing?"

Looking up, the jailer saw the head of the metropolitan police squad, complete with a team of officers armed with various tools, asking, "Are you out to arrest someone at this hour? Isn’t the official granting leave?"

The squad leader replied, "Bad luck! There's been a big commotion in Xin Feng County! A clash between two large families, two to three hundred people involved. Xin Feng County doesn't have enough manpower and urgently requested help, so our official dispatched us to assist."

"Hundreds of people? Your team might not be enough."

The squad leader said, "Just wait and see. Several counties won't be having a good festival. Let's go!"

Lu Chao stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Excuse me, sir, could you spare a moment? I'm originally from Xinfeng and I'd like to know which two families are involved in the clash and what it's about."

The squad leader replied, "It's the Cao and Chen families, originally in-laws. The daughter from the Cao family died in the Chen household."

Lu Chao's expression darkened as he thanked the squad leader.

Zhu Yi told the jailer, "You don't need to see me out further, I'll be leaving now."

…………——

Gan Ze's cousin was surnamed Cao, and her husband surnamed Chen. Such a coincidence couldn't be random.

Zhu Yi said to Lu Chao, "We should inform Master Zheng about this, and then I'll accompany Gan Da Ge to Xinfeng County."

Lu Chao asked, "Should we report to Lord Qi?"

"After such a brawl, there will be casualties. Even if it's suppressed, it's significant enough to be reported to the Dali Temple! Having learnt of it first, how can we not inform him? In case we can't handle it, won't we need to involve him anyway?"

They went to Zheng's residence, where Gan Ze had already returned from serving Zheng. They explained the situation to Zheng, who commented, "Wang Jingzhao is known for his impartial and upright conduct."

Zhu Yi stated, "I was thinking of going there to take a look. We should keep an eye on things, right?"

Zheng asked, "Can't sit still? Aren't the official duties at Dali Temple enough for you?"

Zhu Yi replied, "Sooner or later, it will be reported to Dali. Preparing in advance by going to see for myself fits. It's also a holiday, so it won't interfere with my official duties."

"Do you think a brawl is fun?"

"I've seen it," Zhu Yi said earnestly. "In rural areas, what don't people fight over? A gulp of water, a patch of land, a bit of forest – everything's worth fighting for. And how do they fight? Not with words, but with fists."

"Go ahead."

Gan Ze said, "I also..."

Zheng Xi said, "You can't go! Do you want to join the fray?"

Gan Ze, distressed, knelt and kowtowed, "I want to accompany my sister on her final journey."

Zheng Xi frowned, and Zhu Yi said, "Gan Da Ge, rest assured, I'll do my best to uncover the truth! To give your sister justice! Now that things have escalated, the case unresolved, your sister can't even be properly buried."

Gan Ze remained kneeling, and Zheng Xi was unyielding. Zhu Yi then asked, "So, Lu Da Ge and I will go?"

Zheng Xi instructed, "Go to Gan's house, let Gan Ze's father lead the way for you."

"Understood."

Gan Ze, still on his knees, turned to Zhu Yi and bowed deeply, "San Lang, I'm entrusting this to you! My sister is as dear to me as if she were my own."

As Zhu Yi and Lu Chao left Zheng's residence, Lu Chao remarked, "Just walking won't cut it. We need to get a horse, or at least a cart..."

Zhu Yi said, "You arrange for the transportation; I'll prepare some things."

"Like what?"

"Hurry up!"

Lu Chao didn't rent a cart; instead, he borrowed a horse-drawn carriage from Zheng's residence. Zhu Yi hopped on, saying, "To my house first, I need to grab some stuff."

Once at Zhu's house, Zhu Yi gathered a couple of old clothes and her peddler's carrying pole, including a new pair of straw shoes made by Zhu Da. She grabbed some festival preparations from the house. Zhang Xian Gu asked, "What are you planning?"

Zhu Yi replied, "It's a new assignment. You all enjoy the zongzi at home. If not, go celebrate the festival with Jin Da Sao. I have some business in Xinfeng County related to Zheng Da Ren. It's official business; no need to worry."

Zhang Xian Gu said, "Hold on a moment!" She dashed into the kitchen, filled a basket with cooked zongzi, duck eggs, and a bamboo tube of water, handing them over for the journey.

Zhu Yi and Lu Chao managed to leave the city just before the gates closed. Zhu Yi said, "I'll change my clothes in the carriage."

She swapped her silk shirt for the old peddler clothes, now too small for her. She replaced her soft winged scarf with a cloth headband and donned the new straw shoes, then started to organize the peddler's carrying pole.

As night fell, Lu Chao commented, "What are you doing? It's pitch-dark. Luckily, Gan's house is in our village, and I know the way; otherwise, I wouldn't dare take on this journey at night."

Zhu Yi emerged from the carriage, "Let's get there early, so we can head to Xinfeng County first thing tomorrow."

Glancing at her, Lu Chao focused back on the road, cracked his whip, and then, astonished, looked back at her, "What are you up to now?"

Zhu Yi explained, "Zheng Da Ren approved of my visit, but without official documents or a seal, I'd be turned away in Xinfeng County. Better I sneak around Chen's estate for any leads."

"Smart!" exclaimed Lu Chao. "I thought I was the clever one in the mansion, but I'm impressed by you! Let's go!" With a crack of the whip, they sped off into the night.

Upon reaching Zheng's farmstead before the second watch, they were spotted by the night patrol. Recognizing each other, the patroller with a lantern said, "Old Gan's family, oh dear..."

"Cut the chatter. This is Zhu San Lang from the Dali Temple, one of our own. We're here to see Old Gan. Has he gone to Xinfeng yet?"

"No, he's a straight shooter; wouldn't dare join the commotion without orders from the master."

"Is his family around?"

"Not only are they around, but his aunt by marriage is here too. Did you hear? There’s been trouble!"

As Lu Chao drove, conversing with the night patrol along the way, Zhu Yi listened in: With the daughter deceased, Gan Ze's maternal aunt was brought to Gan Ze's home. The ensuing brawl was both about physical strength and the ensuing legal battles. Gan Ze’s family, being servants of the Zheng family, brought the aunt there, hoping her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew could help with the legal matters.

Arriving at Gan Ze's door, the night patrol helped knock. Gan Lao Da answered, and as Lu Chao drove in, he whispered, "San Lang didn’t want Gan Da to come over, fearing he’d cause trouble, so he sent me with Zhu San Lang to check on things."

"San Lang? Isn’t he an official?"

"Yes. He was close with your Gan Da and insisted on coming to see."

Gan Lao Da said, "Come in quickly."

…………

Zhu Yi hopped off the cart, startling Gan Lao Da: "Who’s this? Where’s San Lang?"

Zhu Yi laughed, "I am Zhu San."

"Ah? Your appearance..." Zhu Yi's disheveled look hardly matched the Zhu San her father had described.

Lu Chao said, "Let's talk inside."

Inside, Gan Lao Da offered, "I’ll arrange a place for you to stay. What would you like to eat? We only have simple countryside fare."

Despite being a rural household, Gan Ze’s home was surprisingly spacious and well-staffed, resembling a local magnate’s dwelling. Lu Chao requested, "Some hot soup would be great! This journey has been exhausting."

Zhu Yi replied, "A little food is fine for me. Don’t trouble yourself. Tomorrow, I’m heading to Xinfeng County. I need a guide to visit Chen and Cao families. Also, grab me some Dragon Boat Festival goodies; something decent as I'll be playing the part of a peddler..."

Hearing her list, Gan Lao Da assured, "Alright! All manageable! Just remember, no joining their fights. Daytime visits are better; with Lord Wang overseeing, he’s not one to provoke lightly!"

Zhu Yi said, "I'm here to gather some information. I heard... that lady is also here at the house? I'd like to meet her and ask some questions, if that's alright."

Old Gan agreed, "That would be fine. Ah, ever since she arrived, she's been nothing but tears. Go ahead and eat first, then you can meet her. I'll let the back know to get her presentable."

Zhu Yi and Lu Chao, hungry from their journey, found the food at Gan's house - rich chicken, fresh vegetables, hot zongzi, and bamboo shoot soup - tastier than anything they could buy in the city.

After their meal, Old Gan took Zhu Yi to meet Gan Ze's aunt.

Gan Ze's aunt appeared gaunt and pale, a common look among rural elderly women, especially having just lost her daughter. Her tears were incessant, her gaze vacant, eerily ghostlike under the lamplight. In contrast, Gan Ze's mother, her older sister, looked younger and plumper.

Addressing her as "Aunt Gan," Zhu Yi was recognized, "Are you San Lang? Our eldest often speaks highly of you, says you're an exceptional young man." Lu Chao greeted them, urging, "Let's get to the point. We need to rise early for Xinfeng tomorrow."

Aunt Gan whispered, "They're stubborn and hardworking, thought marrying their daughter into a similar family was a good match. They didn't want her marrying into service like ours. She was truly capable, able to handle all sorts of work. We thought she'd found a good match, but then she was gone..."

Zhu Yi softly asked Gan Ze's aunt for details to confront the Chen family.

At the mention of "Chen family," Gan Ze's aunt's stupor broke, and she wept anew, "My poor girl!"

After consoling her, Zhu Yi managed to learn that Gan Ze's cousin had been married for two years, still newlywed without children. Her aunt recalled, "A few months ago, she visited, and something seemed off. I asked if she was troubled by her in-laws. She denied it, blaming the fatigue on spring planting. I didn't think much of it then..."

Aunt Gan sobbed, "My child! I just bought white sugar; she loved dipping her zongzi in it. Oh..."

Zhu Yi sighed softly, "Aunt Gan, please take care of her. We won't disturb you any longer."

Aunt Gan glanced around and whispered, "San Lang, please, I beg you!"

"Understood."

…………——

Old Gan provided Zhu Yi and Lu Chao with accommodations. Given Zhu Yi's official status, they cleared the main room for her, while Lu Chao was placed in Gan Ze's room.

The next morning, Old Gan had prepared a variety of goods and asked Zhu Yi, "San Lang, does this look alright to you?"

Zhu Yi responded, "It looks fine! How much?"

Old Gan replied, "You're an imperial officer now, San Lang, and still you're helping us out. What's money in this situation?"

Zhu Yi smiled, "I'm playing the part of a peddler; I need to calculate the cost to know my profit. Hurry, or if my pricing is off, it might give me away!"

Old Gan finally said, "It's less than 300 coins in total."

Zhu Yi packed the goods into her peddler's basket. Old Gan then introduced a youngster, "Li Dalang," saying, "You're familiar with the Xin Feng area, so you'll guide them. He's one of our people, working on our Xin Feng estate and just came back the day before yesterday."

Zhu Yi, Lu Chao, and Li Dalang boarded the cart, with Li Dalang asking, "Are we setting off now?"

"Let's head to the Cao family village first," Zhu Yi replied. She wanted to get a sense of the Cao family and hear about the reputation of Gan Ze's aunt's family before visiting the Chen family village to see what the husband's side was like.

"Then I'll drive the cart; I know the way!" Li Dalang offered.

They set off before dawn and arrived at the Cao family village by mid-morning, where only the elderly, weak, women, and children remained. "You two stay here; I'll go in," said Zhu Yi.

Carrying her peddler's basket, she attracted a group of carefree children by playing a tambourine at the village entrance. Offering clay figurines, she said, "Don't just look; take one home for ten coins!"

Some children actually went home for money, got scolded, then came back with their mothers to the peddler's stand. Despite scolding her child for frivolously wanting to spend money, a woman with a pale face still asked Zhu Yi for some needles and thread. While Zhu Yi counted the money, she advised, "It's a festive season, lighten up! Don't hit the child. Here, take this," giving the crying child a piece of malt sugar.

"I can't give out anymore; he got this because he was beaten!"

One boy said, "Then I'll go get my mother to beat me!"

Another girl asked, "If my dad gets beaten, can he have one?"

"What nonsense are you speaking?" the woman scolded.

"Ah, we shouldn't talk like that. Sister, would you like to look at something else? Look at this, a scented pouch for the festival, filled with precious herbs, all for just ten coins."

The woman scoffed, "What precious things can a peddler have? I'm asking, do you sell elsewhere too?"

"Of course, if I don't sell, what do I eat?"

The woman then suggested he head west, about forty miles to the outskirts of Cao family village, to "just look from afar if the fight is still on."

Zhu Yi's expression slightly changed, "Fighting over water? Land? I won't go there; fights can get nasty! I don't even know your husband; getting close is asking for trouble."

The woman sighed, "It's not about fighting over things; our good girl was killed by her in-laws."

Zhu Yi took the opportunity to inquire more about the Cao family. The woman said, "That household over there. A well-to-do family, blessed with sons and daughters. Their eldest aunt married a steward from the Hou mansion, brought them considerable help, sigh, but they refuse to bask in the relatives' glory. In my opinion, marrying into a rich family's servants is better. It's not disgraceful."

Zhu Yi asked, "What does your husband look like? I'll glance if I pass by, but I won't make a special trip."

"He's tall with a scar on his face, injured by a wood axe during a water dispute two years ago; you'll recognize him immediately!" the woman said cheerfully.

"Then I'll call on each house to sell, and if no one buys, I'll look over there."

Zhu Yi, carrying her basket, made another round of Cao family village, selling goods at a higher price, including snacks, threads, Dragon Boat Festival-themed colored silk threads, and also sold two plasters and several packages of wound medicine. She eventually reached Gan Ze's aunt's home, with the door wide open, allowing a view inside.

The main house had three rooms with a row of single-story houses on the west side. The yard was flat, suitable for drying grains. In one corner of the yard, there was a wooden basin next to an overturned stool and a bucket. Closer inspection revealed that the basin was soaking zongzi leaves, with some raw rice grains scattered on the ground. Zhu Yi circled the house, noting its cleanliness and orderliness, uncharacteristic of a typical farmhouse.

Farming is hard labor; farmers often return home covered in dirt, too tired to clean, reasoning that washing today means getting dirty again tomorrow, and there's seldom hot water for washing. Clothes aren't washed frequently because there are no spare ones.

This household, however, was different; it was clean and tidy, reflecting the homeowner's resilience.

Zhu Yi didn't linger any longer; leaving Cao family village, she told Li Dalong, "Let's go to Chen family village next!"

Upon reaching Chen family village, a different scene unfolded.

Chen family village too had many elderly, women, and children. Zhu Yi repeated her trick, attracting a crowd of kids. Young women also came to buy needles and threads, and Zhu Yi recommended some inexpensive accessories to them. Chen family village seemed no different from Cao family village.

She delved deeper into Chen family village, hawking her goods, and came across a house half-demolished. This house was relatively new, with bricks and tiles indicating it was built in recent years, but many roof tiles had been removed, and one of the doors was unhinged, leading to a messy front yard.

An old woman leaning on a crutch scolded, "Who's that snooping around?"

Zhu Yi replied, "A peddler, madam. Your village folks don't come out to shop much, not what I expected from such a big village!"

The old woman scoffed, "Come out? Why wouldn't they?"

Zhu Yi remarked, "Strange, indeed."

The old woman glanced at her basket and asked, "How much for the colored thread?"

Zhu Yi gestured with her hand, flipping it a few times, "Twenty coins!"

"What a rip-off! Are you planning to rob me?"

Zhu Yi replied cheerily, "It's Dragon Boat Festival today! Tomorrow, this won't be worth five coins; yesterday, it could sell for ten. Ah, but today! Twenty coins! I'm not at home enjoying zongzi; I came here, for what?"

The old woman, both amused and annoyed, ultimately didn't part with twenty coins and hobbled away, cursing as she went, "Don't bother looking! A heartless thief! Charging a fortune! Swindling people!"

Zhu Yi called out, "Wait, wait, wait, I'll charge you ten coins! Yesterday's price! How about that?"

The old woman was about to curse again, but Zhu Yi interjected, "No more cursing! Help me bring in customers, and I'll give you five coins! If you don't buy from me now, no one else will come by today! You won't be able to ward off illness or avoid disaster! You'll be jinxed for the whole year!"

Zhu Yi, familiar with the ways of the countryside, knew all the tricks of local scoundrels, and a deal was struck between the old and the young!

The woman pulled out a kerchief from her waist, unfolded it, and counted out five coins. Zhu Yi, with sharp eyes, protested, "This coin isn't minted currency, don't fool me! It's privately cast shell money! Possessing private currency is illegal! Quickly swap it for a minted coin! The price has gone up, now it's seven coins!"

The two haggled back and forth, with Zhu Yi eventually accepting six coins. The actual cost of the item was only three coins, as housewives with spare time would buy threads and weave them themselves, further reducing the cost.

This transaction attracted even more children, but strangely, the women kept their distance. Zhu Yi inquired, "What's with that house? It's such a pity it's new."

The old woman, while picking through Zhu Yi's stall but not buying anything, said without looking up, "The daughter-in-law died, the father-in-law beat up the house, even the roof got damaged. A perfectly good household, now it's all gone to waste."

"A new house, built for the wedding? Must've been a young bride, a case of one corpse, two lives, right?" Zhu Yi casually remarked, not looking at her while swiftly stopping a child from grabbing candy, "You need to pay."

The old woman took five candies but only wanted to pay two coins, "What two lives? She miscarried this spring."

"Ah, so she fell ill from the miscarriage and passed away," Zhu Yi snatched back a candy from her hand, smiling.

The woman retorted, "You're clueless! I'm offering you precious advice in exchange for a piece of candy, what about it?"

"You go first."

"Hmph! You're stingy, just like that family... You might end up the same way..."

Zhu Yi handed her the candy, saying, "Go on, but if it's nonsense, I'll take it back." The woman advised, "When training or bossing around a new daughter-in-law, don't be too harsh! Make sure she's well-fed, then she can bear children. When you hit your wife, lighten your punches, just enough to make her feel pain is sufficient."

Zhu Yi raised an eyebrow, "You sure have a way with words. I'm intimidated. Your standing here scares them off. Alright, this candy is also for you, take care."

The woman refused to leave, so Zhu Yi ended up giving her two coins back, and the woman walked away with her cane.

The young women finally gathered around. Zhu Yi whispered, "Sisters, that old lady just now was quite fierce. Are you all afraid of her?"

The women, worried about their husbands involved in the fight earlier and still needing to carry on with life, buying necessities while distractedly saying, "She's the most formidable gossip in the village. If she spots you, she'll scold you from one end of the village to the other."

Zhu Yi took the chance to ask about the Chen family, to which the women replied, "Alas, she was a good person with bad luck. Even hard work brought her torment! Had her family not fiercely stormed over, beating everyone up, I wouldn't have wanted my husband to risk his life! It wasn't even a dispute over water or land."

After marking up the prices, Zhu Yi sold everything, netting two silver coins. Tossing the money into her basket, she picked it up and got back on the cart. Lu Chao asked, "How did it go?"

"I couldn't get inside that house. Wait for me, I'll take another look," Zhu Yi said.

She sneaked back into the house of Gan Ze's brother-in-law, inspecting it inside and out. The main house was littered with joss paper and straw; the coffin was nowhere to be seen. Following the traces, she located the master bedroom, the young couple's room, and even scoped out the kitchen, where she found the stove demolished and the pot missing. The place was in disarray, clearly showing the ferocity of the girl's maternal family's protest.

After her inspection, she stealthily returned to the cart outside the village. Lu Chao inquired, "Well?"

"Gan Da Ge might have been right," Zhu Yi concluded.

"Huh? Did you not believe him?"

Shaking her head, Zhu Yi explained, "It's not about belief. Have you ever judged a case? Cases need evidence to convince everyone."

"So, you found evidence?"

"Sort of. Wait, where's the body? It's not in either place. Could it be... Ah! No wonder!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Hurry! To the county yamen! If we're late, we won't see it."

"What exactly are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to investigate the corpse!"

"What?"

Zhu Yi urged, "Hurry! I only have a day off! The sister-in-law from Cao Family Village asked me to find her husband. On our way here, where was her husband? Yesterday, at the jail of the Jingzhao area, I also heard that officers were dispatched to Xin Feng to stop the fighting. Don't you get it? They must be involved in this, arresting people. And after the arrests? The closest place would be Xin Feng County's jail. Both the people and the evidence should have been taken there."

…………—

Lu Chao said, "Being with you for a day and night, I'm clueless about what's going on, just blindly following you!"

Zhu Yi replied, "I only have a day off, no time to explain everything. If you want to understand, let's talk more when I'm off duty."

"That's a promise then!"

"Sure!"

Li Dalang shook his head and cracked his whip.

However, they didn't make it to the county town. Just leaving Chen Family Village and not yet on the main road to the county, they encountered two monks on a side path asking for a ride. Zhu Yi asked, "Where are you heading? We're off to the county town."

The monks chanted a Buddhist salutation and replied, "That's unfortunate. We are just coming from the county town."

Zhu Yi handed them zongzi and duck eggs and offered them water, inquiring about the situation in the county town. The elder monk said, "Wang Qingtian from Jingzhao arrived. There's a case involving a large number of offenders from a fight. The county jail and even the Yushen Temple are packed. There's also a homicide case involved, with both the corpse and the main suspects taken back to the capital."

Zhu Yi and Lu Chao exchanged glances, deciding there's no need to visit the county office but to head straight back to the capital instead. Even the fastest horse couldn't reach the capital's gates before they close tonight, but if Zhu Yi can dash into the city when the gates open tomorrow and get into the imperial city on time without being caught for tardiness, she would be extremely lucky.

Lu Chao, impressed by Zhu Yi's accurate guess, suggested, "Let's take turns driving so you can rest in the carriage."

Without hesitation, Zhu Yi agreed, "Alright!"

She curled up and slept in the carriage while Lu Chao and Li Dalang took turns driving. With fewer vehicles at night, they boldly took the official road. Past a post station, they saw lights bright as day ahead. Lu Chao suggested, "Let's stop for a drink and use the restroom," waking Zhu Yi. Using Zhu Yi's status, despite her low rank, they entered the post station where the postmaster only bothered to summon a post soldier to hastily attend to her, mentioning, "Lord Wang Yunhe from Jingzhao is still here!"

The postmaster cheerfully ran off to prepare foot-washing water for Wang Yunhe.

Hearing that Wang Yunhe was present, Zhu Yi told Lu Chao, "Wait for me!"

Lu Chao asked, "What are you planning?"

Zhu Yi replied, "I'll change my clothes in the carriage and request an audience with Lord Wang Jingzhao."

"Are you mad? If Lord Wang Jingzhao was open to solicitation, it wouldn't be your place to plead. Everyone says he's just. If we had known he'd personally attend to it, we wouldn't have suffered these past days!"

Zhu Yi responded, "It's different. I still need to go."

She really did change back into her fine silk shirt, gauze scarf, and cloth boots and went forward to request an audience with Wang Yunhe.

Since taking office, Wang Yunhe had managed the capital's security excellently, to the point where even notorious criminals had been released from prison. Wang Yunhe hadn't expected that during the Dragon Boat Festival, not only did a homicide occur in Xinfeng County, but also a violent clash. This incident was originally Xinfeng County's responsibility, but with their plea for help, Wang Yunhe could only curse their incompetence and take matters into his own hands.

He dispatched personnel to Xinfeng County overnight to get the situation under control. Without rest during the holiday, he personally rushed to Xinfeng County at dawn, taking over the homicide case that sparked the conflict and arresting the strongest fighters and the eldest family members from both sides.

Now, he was hurrying back, with the grand court assembly scheduled for tomorrow.

Hoping to catch the tail end of it.

At this time, what Wang Yunhe needed most was rest, but Zhu Yi chose this moment to seek him out.

Wang Yunhe remembered Zhu Yi because, not only had she passed the examination for the Imperial Legal Secretary, but she also entered the Dali Temple, and her name had appeared on the list of official appointments Wang Yunhe had seen.

"Let her come over."

…………

After dozing off in the carriage, Zhu Yi was still fairly energetic when she met Wang Yunhe, showing a somewhat foolish grin: "Lord Wang! Your humble official greets Jingzhao!"

Wang Yunhe, amused by her vibrant energy, smiled and said, "What brings you here? Did Dali Temple send you on a mission?"

Zhu Yi shook her head, her smile sweet: "Just a little matter, coincidentally, I was hoping to ask for your help."

Wang Yunhe's expression became slightly reserved: "Oh? What is it?"

"It's about the corpse you brought back, is it from the Cao family?"

"Correct."

"I'd like to see the body."

People have always sought favors from him, many hitting a wall, yet that never stopped a multitude from seeking Jingzhao Yin's intervention. Among all these requests, this was the first to view a corpse.

Wang Yunhe unusually paused before asking, "Why?"

Zhu Yi explained, "The deceased is my friend's cousin. He doesn't believe she committed suicide. He's a servant of Lord Zheng, who detained him to prevent rash actions. So, I thought, let me take a look."

"You're a man; how can you inspect a female corpse?" Wang Yunhe immediately objected, "How did you become friends with a servant?"

"We met on the way to the capital. He took care of my family and taught me to drive a carriage. I consider him a friend."

Wang Yunhe said, "Report back to Lord Zheng Dali and tell your friend that I will handle this matter impartially."

Zhu Yi pleaded, "Just one glance, can't I? What's the issue with a female corpse? I won't touch her, nor remove her clothes. Just one look! If she were alive, her brother might have brought her to meet me during the Dragon Boat Festival. Really, you won't let me see? Alright, then let me share my findings today."

Without waiting for Wang Yunhe to speak, she went on to detail her observations in the two villages, her deductions, and her meeting with Gan Ze's aunt.

Wang Yunhe inquired, "You've been doing all this since last night?"

"Yes!" Zhu Yi nodded vigorously, her smile bright and beaming.

Wang Yunhe instructed, "Light the lantern and follow me, and let no one speak of this. You may look but do not touch anything."

"Understood!"