Chapter 44 The Real Culprit?

Chapter 44: The Real Culprit?

As Zhong He's last words fell, a new figure appeared in the Zhang Mansion fire case, sending a shock through everyone present.

To be honest, before today, they had all thought that Xiao Yan's insistence on investigating this matter was merely to build a good reputation among the populace and salvage his terrible image. They never expected he would actually uncover something.

Their emperor truly was a blind squirrel finding a nut.

"Continue, Minister Zhong."

"A carpenter who survived the fire in Zhang Songyun's mansion gave me a new lead. On New Year's Eve, when he went to repair damaged tables and chairs in the backyard and passed by the garden, he caught sight of Minister Zhang arguing with a burly, bearded man," Zhong He added. "The man was dressed in a guard's uniform. And just one hour after the argument occurred, the Zhang Mansion caught fire."

It fits. It all fits together.

Burly, bearded, dressed as a guard.

The information Zhong He investigated and Ni Lishen's account corroborate each other. Both of them were telling the truth.

The mastermind who used the bearded man had a disagreement with Zhang Songyun. They had a fierce argument, and just one hour later, the mastermind had Zhang Songyun eliminated, trying to make it look like an accident.

How cold-blooded.

"Investigate! Keep investigating! Find that bearded man for me!"

Xiao Yan was reeling inside, but on the surface, he still played the part of the foolish ruler basking in his first taste of success.

As long as they found the man with the beard, they could follow the trail to the mastermind.

Hearing this, Zhong He, who should have accepted the order, once again looked troubled.

"Your Majesty, the bearded man... I have already found him."

Xiao Yan felt a chill. Seeing Zhong He's hesitation, a bad feeling settled in his gut.

"When I found him, he had already killed himself out of guilt... He left a suicide note and jumped into the river. I sent men to retrieve him; he was already dead."

"Killed himself out of guilt?!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I read the suicide note he left. It described the various conflicts he had with Minister Zhang. In a fit of anger, he set the fire. Afterwards, he tried to frame the kitchen staff, but ultimately, his conscience tormented him, and he ended his own life last night."

Another one dead.

Zhang Songyun was dead, the "arsonist" cook was dead, and now the bearded man was dead.

Every time they barely discovered a lead, the mastermind was always one step ahead, silencing those people, leaving no evidence.

The deaths of the previous two were disguised as accidents, but now this person had been framed as the sole culprit of the arson case.

The "culprit" had been identified, and the "culprit" had killed himself out of guilt, meaning this case was effectively closed, with no need for further investigation.

Any blame or severe losses would be borne by this already dead "culprit." The shadowy mastermind who had been pulling the strings from behind could wash his hands clean and walk away scot-free.

Under the table, Xiao Yan's fist clenched tightly, his knuckles white with strain, his fingernails digging deep into his palm, leaving crescent-shaped marks.

What a brilliant scheme.

Even though he was extremely furious, not a trace showed on his face. Instead, he put on a show of being sulky and furious.

"Where is the body? I want to see it! I want to see what the person who threw Zhaojing into such an uproar looks like!"

Since the bearded man was dead, surely he could at least see what he looked like. It wouldn't be a total loss.

But when the body was carried up, Xiao Yan's usually flawless disguise nearly crumbled because of that one glance.

The corpse's face was slashed.

The edges of the cuts were not neat; instead, they had small, wavy patterns, as if caused by a jagged, blunt object.

"Your Majesty, the riverbed was full of sharp rocks. When my men retrieved him, his face was already a mess, probably scraped on the rocks when he went in."

The Zhang Mansion fire case was reluctantly closed today. Notices about the case would be posted to account to the people, and also to give Xiao Yan an explanation.

*

Logically, with the Imperial Council concluded, the best outcome for Jiang Wang would be to return, enjoy a good meal, and rest quickly.

But today, he was weighed down by his thoughts.

For some reason, the few words Zhong He mentioned were like nails deeply embedded in his mind.

Burly, bearded, guard.

Jiang Wang had an inexplicable sense of familiarity. He felt he must have seen this person before, which was why these words kept swirling around him incessantly, making him uneasy.

Moreover, he felt it was a little too convenient that the real culprit in this case had been found.

He had been present at both Imperial Council meetings regarding this. The first council had concluded that a kitchen oil fire in the Zhang Mansion's rear kitchen had spread to the entire estate.

In ancient times, most buildings were wooden structures, easily ignited by a single spark, especially with the howling north wind on a winter night, which fanned the flames.

The conclusion of an "oil fire" was quite reasonable, yet Xiao Yan refused to accept it. He insisted on further investigation.

The result was this second Imperial Council, where the real culprit had just been presented.

Jiang Wang gazed thoughtfully after Xiao Yan's retreating back.

He began to recall every detail of his encounters with Xiao Yan.

The outside world spread rumors that Xiao Yan was foolish, tyrannical, and capricious. But based on his personal interactions... Jiang Wang felt Xiao Yan wasn't that terrible.

Xiao Yan had rescued him from the fire, sparing him from "homelessness," allowed him to keep cats in the palace, permitted him to attend the banquet as an exception, gave him a waist token for free entry and exit from the palace, and even his New Year's gifts were slightly more generous than previous years...

Although all these benefits had come to him as additions through various events, Jiang Wang knew that without them, his life would certainly be much worse.

Perhaps Xiao Yan wasn't what everyone saw him to be?

This question slowly emerged from the depths of Jiang Wang's heart and could no longer be taken back.

He wanted to eagerly interact with Xiao Yan, trying to find more clues.

"Brother Jiang?"

Zhong He's voice sounded beside him, pulling Jiang Wang's far-flung thoughts back.

"Ah? Brother Zhengyan? Do you need something?"

Jiang Wang snapped back to reality. Turning his head, he almost bumped into Zhong He's shoulder.

He instinctively took a step back but ended up stepping into empty air.

"Ah!"

Jiang Wang cried out in alarm, flailing his arms to grab something to slow his fall, only to end up grabbing onto Zhong He's hand.

Zhong He grasped it back, and with a slight pull, stopped Jiang Wang from falling, steadying him.

Still shaken, Jiang Wang patted his chest to calm himself, not forgetting to thank Zhong He.

"Thanks so much, Brother Zhong. Otherwise, my backside would surely have split into eight pieces."

"No need to thank me. If anything, I should be the one thanking you."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"If it weren't for Brother Jiang bringing up the clue about 'someone arguing in the Zhang residence' last time, I doubt I could have wrapped things up so easily." Zhong He paused briefly. "And I know Brother Jiang mentioned that clue partly to help me out of a tight spot. I'm fully aware."

Jiang Wang was naturally pleased that his considerate gesture had been recognized, and it just confirmed that Zhong He was a reliable friend.

Not bad-looking and sharp as a tack, the guy's got a bright future ahead of him.

"Brother Jiang, would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner tonight as a token of my gratitude?"

"Of course! Then it's on you, Brother Zhong!"

Jiang Wang jumped at the offer. He had been wanting to try the famous restaurants in Zhaojing lately, and having a "local" guide him would help him dodge all the tourist traps.

＊

By the liveliest part of the lake in Zhaojing rose a majestic three-story pavilion by the water.

Its vermilion lacquer and golden roof gleamed, while the glazed tiles shimmered under the moonlight like twinkling stars in the night sky.

As the weather warmed and the ice melted, the sparkling lake reflected the moon above and the pavilion by the shore, creating a dreamy, almost surreal scene.

This was Zhaojing’s most famous restaurant, the Moonlit Pavilion.

At that moment, Jiang Wang was in a private room on the second floor, taking in the view outside through the carved wooden window.

Gazing at the moonlit lake, Jiang Wang couldn’t help but sigh, "So beautiful."

"Brother Jiang, you probably don't know this, but the Moonlit Pavilion’s most famous feature isn’t its dishes, but the Moon-Viewing Terrace on the third floor."

Zhong He stood beside Jiang Wang, introducing the place's claim to fame.

"As the name suggests, the 'Moon-Viewing Terrace' is for admiring the moon. When the weather warms up, the wealthy and powerful will ascend to enjoy the moon, with fine wine and lovely company. By Mid-Autumn Festival, a table here is worth its weight in gold."

Ah, I see. Jiang Wang had thought the charm lay in the lakeside setting and the interplay of moonlight on water, but the real highlight was upstairs.

Still, he knew that even dining on the second floor wouldn’t come cheap.

He teased, "I'm really making you splurge, Brother Zhong. Did you just blow half a year's salary on this one meal?"

Zhong He was caught off guard for a second but quickly composed himself, saying with a smile and a shake of his head, "I arrived in Zhaojing earlier than you and have saved up some over the years. I can afford a treat like this."

He changed the subject. "We've been too focused on the view. The food's here, and we haven't even noticed. Brother Jiang, have a seat and see if the food suits your taste."

Jiang Wang's attention shifted to the dishes at these words. The two sat down, and the food tasted even better with such a view.

After several rounds of drinks and sampling various dishes, when they looked up again, the moon had quietly risen half a treetop higher, and Jiang Wang was already full.

Seeing Zhong He about to pour him another drink, he quickly raised a hand to stop him. "That's enough, Brother Zhengyan. I really can't drink any more. It's about time we head back—Changle is waiting for me."

Zhong He looked at Jiang Wang, who seemed as content as a little fox after the meal, and set down the wine pot.

"Then let's do as Brother Jiang suggests. How about we walk back? It'll help with digestion."

"Sounds good."

Jiang Wang readily agreed. He had eaten too much, so this suited him perfectly.

The two strolled around the lake for a while. Noticing Jiang Wang was getting tired, Zhong He led him down a quieter, less crowded path, planning to take a shortcut back to the palace.

But as they walked, Jiang Wang found the surroundings growing increasingly familiar.

This place…

Wasn't this the small courtyard where he had been burned out?

And also Zhang Songyun's burned-down residence…

Author's Note:

Zhong He has a little secret hidden away.