Chapter 66: Tricky

The Chief Steward of the royal mansion, much higher in rank than Zhu Yan, must possess certain qualities, such as a decent background, reputation, or skills in management and social interaction.

Zhu Yan, not qualified to attend court sessions, was part of a group of minor officials who entertained themselves by observing high-ranking officials pass by, a pastime she naturally joined.

This Chief Steward was clearly no ordinary individual, having been quite handsome in his youth and still maintaining a dignified appearance in middle age, matching the aura of many senior officials.

The royal mansion was served by eunuchs, and their leader exhibited a calm and composed demeanor, not fitting the stereotypical cunning eunuch portrayed in folk tales.

Both individuals were gracefully confident and polite, neither sycophantic nor haughty, lacking the deliberate warmth often shown by long-serving servants to their young masters. Their behavior felt natural, maintaining an appropriate distance from Zheng Xi as they moved.

Zheng Xi, familiar with them, inquired about the specific details of the situation, having only received a brief overview from his mother.

The eunuch explained that the theft occurred in the inner treasury. On September 12, the queen had used a set of crabapple cups from the treasury, which were accounted for at that time. By September 15, when preparations for winter decorations began, they noticed the disappearance of several items, including incense gifted by Zheng Xi last winter, despite no records of the treasury being accessed in the interim, and the locks remaining unchanged and keys accounted for.

Zheng Xi was concerned whether the female members of the household, near the inner treasury, were disturbed by the incident.

The eunuch noted the peculiar absence of any disturbance or confession among the household, with everyone claiming ignorance.

Turning to Zhu Yan, Zheng Xi asked if she had any questions.

Zhu Yan stepped forward, eager to learn more about the specifics of the missing items, their quantity, characteristics, value, and the exact missing items' descriptions.

The Chief Steward provided a list of missing items to Zheng Xi, who then led them to the inner treasury.

Guards around the treasury became alert at their arrival. After a brief exchange between the Chief Steward and a distinguished-looking guard, they were allowed inside.

The attendants lit the lamps in the storeroom, and the eunuch said, "This is the place, the mansion hasn't found any trace of what happened."

Only then did Zheng Xi open the list and glanced over it, noting many items valued over ten thousand gold. Some were even more valuable, possibly reaching twenty thousand gold—a significant amount even for the royal mansion.

He handed the list to Zhu Yan.

Zhu Yan examined the inner treasury of the mansion, which was split into two levels, currently on the first. She noticed the structure had a second level but saw no stairs leading to it. The floor was paved with bluestone, and the walls were thick. Zhu Yan tapped her foot on the ground, and the Chief Steward mentioned, "We've knocked on every slab, there are no hollows, no tunnels."

Upon receiving the list, she recognized items listed as "one thousand taels of gold, two thousand taels of silver, a pair of luminous pearls," but the rest were unfamiliar to her, causing some anxiety. Some names were lengthy, and she only recognized parts of them, uncertain of what these items were, their value, or their physical appearance.

Seeing her uneasy, Zheng Xi inquired, "How is it?"

Zhu Yan replied, "I need to understand the size and value of these items to figure out how they could have been stolen and where they might go. We know thieves must have loot, some might have been sold, while others might still be found, as you know."

The Chief Steward, upon Zheng Xi's glance, said, "Just a moment, young sir, we need to prepare another list."

Zhu Yan nodded and asked Zheng Xi, "May I look around?"

With another glance at the eunuch, who said, "Please go ahead."

For Zhu Yan, it was her first time in such a large storeroom. Despite the theft, it still contained many unseen and unheard-of treasures. She picked up a cup and asked, "Is what's missing similar in size to this? What about its value?"

The eunuch asked, "Which one are you referring to? There are three types of cups missing, each of different sizes and shapes."

Zhu Yan sighed, "I haven't thought this through. Please bear with me. There's quite a lot missing from the mansion. Let me take another look and ask about everything together."

She then noticed a small box sealed with a tape. The eunuch, seemingly casually, mentioned, "This is where the gold is kept, and over there are some silver items."

A thousand taels of gold may sound like a lot, but it's actually just two hundred small ingots of five taels each. A five-tael gold bar isn't very big—just a small box if it's sturdy enough. Silver takes up more space than gold, but overall, it's not too voluminous.

Zheng Xi asked, "Are there marks on the gold and silver?"

The eunuch answered, "Yes."

After touring the storeroom, Zhu Yan finally understood the second floor's setup—it had a square opening in the floor, accessible by moving a ladder over when needed. She asked, "Were items stolen from up there too?"

The eunuch responded, "Indeed." After a glance around, he confided in Zheng Xi, "Seven Lords, you're not an outsider, so I'll speak frankly. With items missing from both floors without notice, the Duke highly suspects an insider."

Zheng Xi nodded in acknowledgment.

The eunuch continued, "Everyone on duty these past few days was interrogated, but no clues emerged. They all kept tight-lipped."

Zheng Xi cautioned, "Be careful when interrogating a court-appointed official."

The eunuch chuckled lightly, "We're measured. We have our ways without overdoing it."

After laughing, a hint of worry showed as he said, "Whoever benefited from this theft, there would usually be some signs before and after. Before, meaning suddenly having expenses, gambling debts, new relationships, a family illness, legal issues needing bribes, etc. After, indicating a lavish lifestyle, purchasing properties, extravagant spending, or family members donning new attire. But there's been nothing out of the ordinary.

"Seven Lords knows, which household's accounts don't show some irregularities? Yet, these days, the mansion has uncovered several minor issues, all resolved, except for this biggest one..."

The Chief Steward returned with an updated list for Zheng Xi, vaguely pricing the items. He sighed, "Aside from gold and silver, these utensils are just for daily use. Who really scrutinizes their worth? We only have rough estimates."

Zhu Yan earnestly bowed to him and took another look upstairs before descending, feeling more composed—this case was proving to be quite challenging.

Some days had passed since the royal mansion's internal theft. From the eunuch's words, it was clear these people might be arrogant but were no fools. Standard investigation tactics were known to them, and their suspicions were logically directed. The clues left behind, if any, were nearly nonexistent. Unless there were supernatural forces at play, it had to be an insider's doing.

She even checked the roof. In some theft cases, thieves remove roof tiles without leaving visible marks. The mansion's structure, especially the internal storeroom, was far superior to ordinary homes, with multiple layers for waterproofing and insulation before adding tiles. To remove all these to steal so many items without detection would be nearly impossible for an outsider.

The insider, because the thief is from within the mansion, leaving traces that are normal and not suspicious based on "footprints that shouldn't be here."

Moreover, after these days, the internal storeroom has been searched numerous times, cleaned up, inventoried for losses, then listed and rearranged. The mansion's servants are tense, fearing misplaced anger from their superiors, erasing almost all traces with their thorough cleaning.

"Tracking" skills are practically useless here.

Zhu Yan glanced at Zheng Xi, recalling his words: "You're talented, but you must continue to learn. You need to know what to do when your talent runs out or becomes useless."

She now faced a situation just like that.

Zheng Xi, the Chief Steward, and the eunuch, not lacking in wisdom, saw her dilemma. The eunuch suggested, "Since the young master has finished looking, shall we proceed to the front? Seven Lords, if you don't go now, the Dowager Duchess might come looking for you! The banquet is ready; you won't be able to leave tonight. As for the young master, our people will take care of you, no need to worry."

Zhu Yan replied, "You're busy, I'll continue to look around, is that okay? It'd be a bother to come back later for a thorough look, potentially causing a disturbance." Understanding the sensitivity of wealthy households in Beijing towards searches, especially the royal mansion, she seized this opportunity to explore thoroughly.

Zheng Xi responded, "Then look."

Zhu Yan said, "I'll need your help."

After a glance between the eunuch and the Chief Steward, Zheng Xi asked, "What do you need me to do?"

Zhu Yan requested, "Gather items! According to the list of stolen goods, find the originals or similar items and gather them together. Once we have the items, we'll have a clearer picture."

Zheng Xi playfully scolded, "Always directing others! Do you forget where you are?"

The eunuch quickly assured, "It's not difficult," and the Chief Steward added, "We can do it right here without delay."

Not being the regular guardians of the internal storeroom, it took some effort for the responsible persons to gather similar items, and by the time they finished, it had gotten dark, necessitating the lighting of more lamps.

With a collection resembling the stolen goods assembled, all three furrowed their brows in concentration.

Zheng Xi, understanding the complexity, highlighted the challenge: Zhu Yan, coming from a poor background with limited exposure to luxury, naturally lacked knowledge of many details she should be aware of. Her lack of common knowledge and experience might cause her to overlook useful clues, creating unnecessary difficulties in solving a case her intelligence could have easily cracked.

With all the items now gathered, things that were previously unclear became evident. This collection, neither too large nor too small, would be impossible for one or two people to carry out in one go. It would require multiple people or multiple trips! Among these treasures, some of which were made in-house, they shared a common feature: the value of most individual items was quite high.

Zhu Yan then requested the inventory list of the internal storeroom to be brought out, asking the eunuch and the Chief Steward to tally with her, comparing both lists and inquiring about the placement of each item. It turned out that the items were scattered across various categories. Fine silks in one place, gold and silver utensils in another, jade and jewels in another, spices in another, and precious medicinal materials in another... Valuable items were missing from all these places.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Zhu Yan pondered: If it were me, why would I steal like this? And how would I get these items out?

Meanwhile, the Dowager Duchess had already sent someone to urge them, saying, "These items have been missing for days now; missing them for one more night won't hurt. Don't starve my dear." They were forcibly taken to dinner.

Reluctant to leave, Zhu Yan gave the internal storeroom a couple of backward glances before insisting on walking around it once more with a lantern in hand. There wasn't a single tree outside the storeroom, nowhere to hide or leverage. The royal mansion was spacious, and the storeroom wasn't directly adjacent to the walls. Patrolling guards would pass by, and the walls themselves were intact, even the red paint on them hadn't flaked off.

Footprints on the ground revealed nothing suspicious.

Zhu Yan fell silent. The case should be solvable, but she wouldn't be quick, having no familiarity with the stolen items and not being allowed to question suspects or witnesses directly, only through the Chief Steward and the eunuch. If the royal mansion was willing, offering a reward for information, spreading people out to search for the stolen goods, would be much faster than the current approach.

Yet, that wasn't feasible either; "outsiders" couldn't be involved.

Zhu Yan was very eager to solve and excel in this case but also had to consider not offending anyone within the royal mansion.

She needed to think this through carefully.

…………

Meanwhile, the royal mansion's hosts couldn't wait any longer; they were eager to provide a good meal for Zheng Xi.

The Dowager Duchess and Prince Gaoyang weren't expecting Zheng Xi to provide them with results right away. Seeing no joy on their faces, the Dowager Duchess knew there was no immediate solution but wasn't upset. She chided with a laugh, "Oh, my dear, just like when you were little, if you didn't get immediate praise from the tutor, it showed on your face."

Faced with his grandmother's comment, Zheng Xi could only offer a resigned, "Grandmother!"

Surprisingly, Zhu Yan detected a whiff of coquettishness in his response.

The Dowager Duchess enjoyed this greatly and made excuses for her grandson, saying, "Even if you go to the temple to make a wish, the incense smoke has to reach the Buddha before he knows, right?"

She also praised her grandson to her son, "Zheng Xi has us in his heart, he came right after receiving the message."

She then acknowledged Zhu Yan's hard work, "Poor thing, so young and already working so hard. Someone, accompany him for a good meal, and don't you scare him."

Zhu Yan was then personally taken to dine by the Chief Steward.

Being treated by the royal mansion's Chief Steward, of the same rank as a Minor Prefect in the Dali Temple, was like having Pei Qing dine with Zhu Yan – something Zhu Yan dared not assume. Pei Qing, after all, didn't even share a dining room with Zhu Yan at the Dali Temple; offering a bowl of chicken soup was considered a gesture of goodwill.

Despite the honor, Zhu Yan insisted on not taking a seat, but seeing her demeanor wasn't one of discouragement, the Chief Steward appreciated the young child's composed nature, saying with a smile, "You are Zheng Xi's guest; a young person needn't adhere to the formalities required outside here."

Zhu Yi suggested, "Since there's no need for formalities, let's just sit wherever. Considering your talent and my age, it's only right to offer you the seat of honor."

The chief secretary laughed, "Alright, let's sit together then."

The two sat down together somewhat awkwardly, just as the banquet was served. Zhu Yi initiated, "Allow me to substitute tea for wine in expressing my gratitude for your hospitality today."

The chief secretary replied, "Feel free to drink."

Zhu Yi shyly admitted, "I'm afraid of acting improperly after drinking too much, especially since I need to think carefully about today's matters."

Not insisting, the chief secretary drank with her and after setting down his cup, he asked, "So, have you found any clues?"

Zhu Yi confessed, "With my limited experience, I've seen a lot but haven't fully understood everything. I need to think more carefully. To make a fuss over slight progress and be accused of being frivolous or causing unnecessary hope would only be bothersome."

The chief secretary noted, "Ah, despite your young age, you're very insightful. No wonder you're highly regarded by Qi Lang. Since you're confident in your approach, I won't bother you further. Please—"

With that, the chief secretary picked up his chopsticks, and Zhu Yi did the same. Looking at the dishes flowing onto the table, she found herself in a familiar situation—recognizing only half of the dishes served at the Wang residence, identifying only chicken, fish, a few meatballs, and some vegetables. The rest were beyond her recognition.

The Wang family, respecting Zheng Xi's connection, indeed treated her generously, offering delicacies she couldn't even identify!

Having been to Yu Miaomiao's house, Zhu Ying recognized the items there. Although she hadn't used them, she had seen them before. Her experience broadened upon entering the state office and later the capital as an official. She thought the capital's prosperity merely differed from the state office due to geographical and material variations. She had only been in Zheng Xun's study in the Marquis's residence, a place genuinely dedicated to reading and handling affairs, not overly luxurious.

That was until she saw the storerooms and banquets of the royal residence!

The royal mansion lost over ten thousand gold worth of items without panic, managing to assemble a similar collection while maintaining their lavish lifestyle besides.

Hesitantly chewing on a piece of meat, Zhu Yan couldn't even determine its type, with no one around to announce the dish. She thought to herself: I've trained in a prefect's kitchen! This truly shows the gap between officials and royal households...

Zhu Yan found the food delicious, prompting the Chief Steward to take note and enhance his appetite, leading him to eat an extra bowl of rice. Observing his actions, Zhu Yan subtly mimicked him, learning as naturally as a newborn learns to speak or walk from their parents, openly and straightforwardly.

The Chief Steward, seeing this, didn't comment but understood why Zheng Xi, amidst a department like Dali Temple filled with seasoned case handlers and numerous traditional investigation methods, would bring such a novice.

After finishing her meal, Zhu Yan, seeing no one inviting her over, respectfully sought advice from the Chief Steward: "It would be impolite to question the mansion's staff as if conducting an official investigation. There's something I'd like to ask, if you could kindly provide guidance."

The Chief Steward, with a smile, encouraged her to proceed.

Zhu Yan inquired about the people guarding the internal treasury...

"They have already been detained," the Chief Steward slightly frowned, "It's late today, would you like to see them?"

"If it's convenient, I'd like to meet them," she said shyly, "I've never personally interrogated a suspect before. Just let me have a look without directly questioning them. If you could also inform me about their living conditions, family size, and wealth, I'd be very grateful."

Through the dynastic changes and centuries of governance, various methods of inquiry have developed across the empire. The legal system also includes a handbook guiding officials on interrogation, including evidence collection, sentencing, and observing the suspect's demeanor, establishing a procedural framework.

Otherwise, those entering the service without a background in legal studies, including scholars and hereditary officials, would struggle to conduct effective investigations. This guide allows even novices to adhere to the correct procedures, ensuring basic compliance with the law.

Having joined Dali Temple, Zhu Yan also familiarized herself with these protocols. Initially working on case reviews without participating in interrogations, her recent observations with Hu Lian provided insight into such scenarios, yet she had no hands-on experience.

Cautious not to overstep, she understood that practicing on Zheng Xi's unreasonably difficult family members was not an option.

The old Dowager, affectionately calling her grandson "my dear," could nonchalantly propose "beating until they confess" while clutching him tightly, undisturbed by the loss of treasures worth tens of thousands. Not even wanting the metropolitan authorities involved, she simply summons the head of the Dali Temple.

Making a blunder here would mean Zheng Xi's ability to protect her would be significantly limited.

The Chief Steward, unaware of her precocious cunning at such a young age, indulgently offered, "That won’t be difficult, I can inform you right now."

Since the suspects had already been interrogated by the mansion, the Chief Steward had all their details memorized, which he shared leisurely, then chuckled, "I forgot, after all this rambling, it might be a hassle for you to remember. It should be written down for you to review. You can also see their confessions, though they can’t leave the premises. Don't worry, the Dowager hasn’t seen her grandson in days; she won’t let him leave easily. You both should stay the night."

Zhu Yan responded, "I will follow the official's orders. Access to the confessions would indeed be best. Thank you for the trouble."

As the Chief Steward sent for the confessions, indeed, the Dowager’s message came: "Stay here tonight!"

Zhu Yan didn’t insist on going home and stayed in a side room near Zheng Xi’s quarters for the night.

………………

Holding the confessions provided by the Chief Steward, Zhu Yan planned to read through them overnight. She intended to return them early the next day and then ask him to allow a brief visit with the suspects before proceeding with her official duties at the Dali Temple. Since she wasn’t required to attend the morning court session, she could afford to arrive at Dali Temple a bit later.

Entering the guest quarters, she found Zheng Xi just returning, a faint smell of alcohol about him. He glanced at her, asking, "Back already?" before looking at what she held in her hand.

"Yes! I got the confessions from the Chief Steward," Zhu Yan showcased the documents in her hand.

Zheng Xi inquired, "How is it going?"

Zhu Yan simply replied, "Not going back tonight, didn't want the family to worry."

"Someone’s already informed your family; you needn’t worry about that. Try being slippery again! Now, tell me, what do you make of today’s matters?"

"We haven't finished reviewing the confessions yet. It's hard to say; we should look at them first. And if I say something you don't like, you can't get mad or make things difficult for me!"

Zheng Xun flicked her forehead, "Stop babbling! Come over and look at the confessions."

Confessions? He hadn't seen them yet; they needed a closer look.

Thus, the two of them went through the confessions together in Zheng Xun's presence, dealing with about twenty individuals. None admitted guilt, each claiming they performed their duties without overstepping or doing anything inappropriate. Since there were no admissions of guilt, there were no confessions to crimes, making the confessions rather thin, essentially saying, "It wasn't me; I didn't do it; I'm wronged," merely admitting to laziness but not theft.

Zheng Xun remarked, "Finished? If there's anything else you want to ask or do, do it now. The royal residence isn't an inn; you can't just come and go as you please."

Zhu Ying responded, "We've probably seen and asked about everything we could. All that's left is for the chief historian to show me the suspect tomorrow. I'd like to inspect the entire royal residence and interview each servant, but that's probably not possible, right?"

"Good that you understand."

Zhu Ying spread her hands and said, "That settles it. Since it's not possible, we'll just have to put in more effort ourselves. Some tasks are indeed tricky; even if we brought in Wang Jingzhao here, he would be scratching his head too."

Zheng Xun, with a mix of scolding and laughter, replied, "Sharp-tongued as always, off you go to bed. You can still get a couple of hours of sleep. Wait till you can't get up tomorrow morning; then you'll see what's tough!" Indeed, with only two hours left, since both the master of the royal mansion and Zheng Xun needed to attend the early morning court, despite the royal mansion's proximity to the palace, the early court still meant getting up before dawn. They had to get up, dress neatly, and set off to the palace, entering its gates with the first light of dawn.

Not daring to hesitate, Zhu Ying swiftly entered her room. Everything, including the bedding, was well arranged, benefiting from Zheng Xun's generosity, with even a new set of undergarments and socks prepared for her, along with warm water for washing. The lamps were lit, and two maids were ready to assist her in changing.

The maids, both around fourteen or fifteen years old and selected from those favored by the Dowager Empress for her beloved grandson's guest quarters, were both well-mannered and smart. As they reached out to help, Zhu Ying stepped back, politely declined, and said, "No need, I'll manage faster by myself. It's more important for me to catch a bit more sleep right now with so much to do tomorrow. Please, don't mind me and take your leave."

The maids exchanged glances, about to say more, but Zhu Ying had already taken off her hat and started rolling up her sleeves. Recognizing they weren't there to please her, they respectfully bowed and left, closing the door behind them.