Chapter 12 Liming Academy

Chapter 12: Liming Academy

Liming Academy was the largest academy in Nanzhou, but it was a private institution, not an official school.

The students here fell into two categories: those from impoverished families who excelled academically, and those from wealthy families who paid their way in. The third victim, Xue Lin, belonged to the latter.

With the matter of Puzhi grass just beginning to yield clues, the investigation naturally had to continue. Xie Nai and Xiao Nianzhang were heading to Liming Academy, so Qin Jiao tagged along, while He Zhao followed reluctantly.

As He Zhao put it, he was like "a poor man selling his children—forced by circumstances."

As soon as Qin Jiao entered Liming Academy, he caught a strong scent of Puzhi grass. Looking around, he saw verdant Puzhi grass planted throughout the academy grounds.

The academy was vast, with lush bamboo groves and a serene environment. It housed lecture halls, a library, dormitories, and a large drill ground.

When Qin Jiao and the others arrived, the students were playing cuju on the field. Young scholars in white academy robes ran with the wind, their sleeves fluttering like cranes taking flight—a scene both beautiful and vibrant.

Xie Nai’s visit to the academy had only been announced to the principal, as they were investigating a murder case and didn’t want to cause too much disruption to the students’ studies.

Principal Li greeted Xie Nai and his party at the academy gate. After exchanging courtesies, he led them directly to Xue Lin’s room on campus.

"This is Xue Lin’s room. Since his family paid a generous tuition fee, the academy allowed him to have it all to himself," Principal Li said.

The room was located in the northwest corner of the academy, surrounded by swaying tree shadows and the murmur of flowing water—an exceptionally quiet and picturesque spot.

However, ever since Xue Lin’s incident, the other students had dared not come near. To prevent anyone from accidentally disturbing the scene, Principal Li had locked Xue Lin’s room.

With a *click*, Principal Li unlocked the door.

He made a gesture inviting them in. Xie Nai and Xiao Nianzhang entered one after the other, followed slowly by Qin Jiao and He Zhao. But no sooner had they stepped inside than He Zhao frowned and began grumbling:

"What a mess! This room is like a lazy woman’s sewing basket—all jumbled and chaotic!"

The outside of the room looked normal enough, but once the door opened, the inside was a complete shambles.

Half-written calligraphy practice sheets were crumpled into balls and strewn everywhere. Black ink had splattered over bamboo slips and a small incense burner, leaving the desk in utter disarray. On a pear wood side table sat a cloisonné compartmentalized box containing pastries and fruits, along with half a fried chicken covered in white mold.

The discarded chicken bones had been left on the floor, attracting a line of ants tirelessly hauling them away. Further in, the silk quilt on the Huanghuali canopy bed was tangled into a mess, and clothes were scattered on the ground. With his keen sense of smell, Qin Jiao could detect that those clothes had not been washed in some time.

"Principal Li, are you sure no one has entered this room since Xue Lin’s death?" Xiao Nianzhang asked, frowning.

The principal’s face became hard to read—clearly he hadn’t expected his student to be so lazy and slovenly in private. But given that the young man had passed away, Principal Li refrained from saying much, simply stating, "I’m certain. After learning of Xue Lin’s death, I locked the room myself, partly for the officials’ investigation and partly so his family could retrieve his belongings."

"What does his family do?" Qin Jiao asked.

"Xue Lin’s family are merchants. His father is a well-known philanthropist in Nanzhou, and his mother is reputed to be gentle and virtuous," Principal Li replied.

He Zhao sneered inwardly: *Gentle and virtuous? Is that how they raised such a slovenly child?*

"When were the Puzhi grass planted in the academy? Is there someone specifically assigned to tend to it?" Xie Nai steered the conversation back to the day’s key topic: Puzhi grass.

"The Puzhi grass has been here since the academy was founded. It is cared for by a student named Zhao Yunzhi."

Knowing Xie Nai wanted information about Xue Lin, Principal Li thought for a moment, then added, "Puzhi grass is planted all over our academy, and any student might pick it. But Xue Lin would break out in a rash wherever he touched it, so he surely wouldn’t have gone near it on purpose."

Xie Nai said, "Then tell me about this Zhao Yunzhi."

"Zhao Yunzhi was Xue Lin’s classmate and one of our academy’s exemplary students. His family runs a tea shop in Nanzhou called Keli Tea House..."

Before Principal Li could finish, the room fell into silence.

Qin Jiao and Xie Nai exchanged a glance, both saying nothing.

He Zhao interjected, "Zhao Yunzhi and Xue Lin were classmates, he mainly tends the Puzhi grass, and Xue Lin died at their tea house. No matter how you look at it, this Zhao Yunzhi seems highly suspicious."

"How was the relationship between Zhao Yunzhi and Xue Lin?" Qin Jiao felt the picture was becoming clearer.

"Not good. Xue Lin didn’t care much for studying; he preferred to call friends for dominoes or go out to buy things from Zhaoxiu Tower. So it wasn’t just Zhao Yunzhi—most of the academy had little to do with him. But that’s as far as it went. It’s impossible that there was some blood feud between Xue Lin and his classmates."

Although Xue Lin’s character was mediocre, he was by no means a thoroughly wicked person—of that, Principal Li was confident in his students.

"Luo Bei requests an audience, Your Highness."

A voice came from the doorway. Qin Jiao turned to see Luo Bei and Luo Yue standing there in the academy’s white robes. Both were handsome, and at first glance, they looked like teenage scholars.

Xie Nai gestured for them to enter and speak. "Your Highness, we followed your orders and disguised ourselves as students to gather information..."

Qin Jiao listened quietly. It turned out Xie Nai had a two-pronged approach: one, gathering intel from Principal Li; the other, sending Luo Bei and Luo Yue to mix with the students and pick up gossip.

True to their reputation as Xie Nai’s top deputies, they had not only confirmed everything Principal Li had said but also discovered that Zhao Yunzhi had been behaving strangely recently.

"We learned from some students that a few days ago, Zhao Yunzhi was seen sneaking around the vicinity of Nanzhou’s charity burial ground with incense and spirit money, as if he were visiting someone. But according to our investigation, no one in his family has died recently."

The implication was clear. But Principal Li suddenly raised his voice, "No! Impossible! When Xue Lin was killed, Zhao Yunzhi was with me the entire day. There’s no way he could be the murderer!"

A cold glint flashed in Xie Nai’s eyes as he said icily, "I wasn’t aware, Principal, that you also have skill in solving crimes?"

"Forgive me, Your Highness—I spoke out of turn."

Xie Nai’s commanding aura made Principal Li turn pale instantly. Xie Nai asked further, "Where is Zhao Yunzhi now?"

"He should be in the library. I’ll send someone to fetch him right away."

"No need for that."

With that, Xie Nai turned and left, apparently headed to the library himself. Principal Li, Luo Bei, and Luo Yue hurried after him, while Xiao Nianzhang, not daring to linger, followed at a jog.

He Zhao let out a long sigh and glanced at Qin Jiao next to him. "It’s like a turtle falling into indigo dye—shell blue (how difficult)! Let’s go too..."

Qin Jiao: No, where do you even get these sayings from?

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