Chapter 71: Little Hong’s Intricate Path

Chapter 71: Little Hong

Yan Sanhe noticed her confusion and added, "Perhaps something about the old lady that you can't forget."

Little Hong pondered for a moment.

"Last Mid-Autumn Festival, the eggplants in the vegetable garden grew exceptionally well. The old lady was delighted and asked Mother Chen to reward me with a crab."

"The old lady likes eggplants?"

"The old lady is quite elderly, and her teeth aren't as good. She said that steamed eggplants, cooked soft, were flavorful."

"And then what happened?"

"I went to thank the old lady by kneeling before her, and she suddenly asked if I wanted to leave the estate."

"Oh?"

For the first time, a hint of emotion appeared on Yan Sanhe's otherwise tranquil face.

Her expression was indeed very subtle.

It was like a fleeting glimmer of delight in a hunter's eyes when they detect the slightest scent of their prey. One would barely notice it unless they looked closely.

Yet, Xie Zhifei saw it with perfect clarity.

Due to his duties, he often had to interact with officials from the Three Offices. Setting aside the Ministry of Justice, the best investigators from the Supreme Court and Board of Censors wouldn't possess such sharp instincts.

Before he could ponder further, the hunter's voice rang out.

"Why did the old madam ask that?"

Little Hong replied, "This servant was also surprised and wondered if there was something I had done wrong that displeased the old madam. I was so frightened that I knelt on the spot, begging for mercy repeatedly."

Yan Sanhe asked, "What did the old madam say then?"

Little Hong answered, "The old madam looked at me and sighed. She first said 'Forget it,' then fell silent for a long while before adding, 'You'd be sold anyway if you leave, so might as well stay with this old woman.'"

Yan Sanhe's eyes narrowed. "Why do you remember these words so vividly?"

"Madam's words have struck a chord with this servant. Even if my lady shows mercy and allows me to leave, in the end, I would only be sold by my parents once more, traded for mere sustenance," Little Hong sobbed, dwelling on her sorrow. "If fate were to send me back to a household where I am beaten and scolded, life would become even more unbearable. At least in Madam's courtyard, I am fed and clothed adequately."

Yan Sanhe picked up her pen and added a new line: A maid's heart aches at being sold by her parents.

The tip of her pen paused, her brows furrowing. In the end, she appended three more characters after that sentence: Why?

Putting down her pen, her gaze suddenly turned cold.

"I summoned you here today because someone has desecrated Old Lady's grave."

"Aah?" Little Hong let out a startled shriek.

"The Board of Punishments is investigating this very case."

Yan Sanhe slammed his hand on the table, his voice sharp with urgency. "Tell me the truth. Who would wish such unrest upon Old Lady after her passing, given how kind she was?"

"It must be Third Madam, it has to be."

"Little Hong blurted out, crying hoarsely, 'Grandma hated no one more than her. She, she disrespected Grandma; it must be her, no one else could have done it.'"

"Are you sure?"

"If I lie, may I suffer a miserable death and be condemned to the Eighth Circle of Hell, never to be reincarnated."

Tears streamed down Little Hong's face as she wept uncontrollably, each drop mourning Grandma's loss.

"Take her away!"

Yan Sanhe sighed and added three more characters – Third Madam.

Seeing Zhu Qing remained silent, he looked up and asked, "What is it? Didn't you hear me?"

Zhu Qing suppressed his voice. "Does the Lady not wish to inquire about the reason before allowing someone to leave?"

Yan Sanhe was not surprised by the question and replied with equal measure, "Would a conflict between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor's concubine be something a lowly garden maid could comprehend?"

Zhu Qing: "..."

Xie Zhifei spoke up, "Follow Miss Yan's instructions."

Zhu Qing's face paled as she glanced at her master before hurriedly dragging the servant girl named Little Hong out.

Yan Sanhe looked at Third Master Xie, leaning lazily against the doorframe, "After observing for so long, it's time to get down to business, isn't it?"

Inspector Xie stroked his chin calmly and replied with a grin, "Miss speaks truly!"

Damn your sister!

Yan Sanhe felt a rising urge to lash out every time she spent too much time with this frivolous Xie.

She didn't expect that behind Inspector Xie's smiling facade, he was inwardly cursing as well.

Look how neatly she conducted that interrogation, with everything laid out clearly. Even Zhu Qing, a steady and dependable person, couldn't hold a candle to her.

If the Northern City Horse Guards had someone like that, why would I have to work my tail off every day?

...

The remaining ten women were divided into two groups, with one following the other after each interview.

As the last servant exited the courtyard, twilight quietly settled in. Li Buyan, who had been nowhere to be seen all afternoon, suddenly appeared with a sprightly demeanor.

She held out her hand toward Pei Xiao and asked, "What did you jot down? Let me take a look."

Do you even know how to read?

Pei Xiao glanced at his rather impressive handwriting, puffed out his chest, and handed over the paper.

Li Buyan caught it, tucked it behind her back, and strolled away nonchalantly.

"She..."

"Shh!"

Xie Zhifei extended his long arm, hooking it around the person and leading them out.

On the Eight Immortals table, two sheets of paper were already placed side by side, with Yan Sanhe intently studying the one that Pei Xiao had written.

"What do you see?"

The intense aura of the man descended above him. Yan Sanhe stepped aside subtly without showing any reaction. "The answers are quite predictable."

"I'll take a look."

Pei Xiao forcefully squeezed himself between Yan Sanhe and Xie Zhifei.

Xie Zhifei frowned. What kind of attitude does this boy have?

Pei Xiao lowered his head and his expression instantly changed. "You wrote this?"

Yan Sanhe frowned, wondering if this person had a problem or was just fond of irrelevant questions.

"Not bad at all," Xie Fifty remarked, having noticed Yan Sanhe's impatient frown, smoothly steering the conversation back on track.

"Miss Yan, how do you see the monotony in this?"

"Well-intentioned, kind-hearted, and caring for the younger generation without any airs – these are all qualities ascribed to an admirable elder."

Yan Sanhe pondered, "Although somewhat exaggerated, it does shed light on one aspect."

Xie Zhifei murmured, "Madame Ji seems to be a decent person."

"Exactly!"

Yan Sanhe pointed at a specific part.

"Only this person's response holds some significance. She said that Madame Ji doesn't speak much and has a heavy heart. This suggests that Madame Ji is harboring secrets."

Xie Zhifei recalled this individual, whom he had personally interrogated. "She mentioned serving by Madame Ji's side for over a decade."

"A considerable amount of time indeed."

Xie Zhifei gazed at her pale profile with surprise, sensing that her comment about "a considerable amount of time" carried additional meaning.

"Certainly too long," Xie Zhifei agreed before asking, "Did you find anything from the second question?"

"The second question is actually a supplement to the first one," Yan Sanhe replied with his eyes lowered. "After looking into it, there's not much useful information. This suggests that Madam Ji is no different from other elder ancestors in high-ranking families."

Xie Zhifei was confused. "What do you mean by 'no difference'?"

"By 'no difference,' I mean they all hold the same status and enjoy similar blessings and good fortune. Their children and grandchildren are equally filial, and they appear majestic yet kind to their servants," Yan Sanhe explained, raising an eyebrow. "In other words, at their age, they wear a mask. The surface represents what their status and age dictate, but nobody knows what lies beneath."

Xie Zhifei listened with a smile at first, but his expression gradually changed.

"Yan Sanhe," he called his name abruptly.