Cherishing Evidence

Zhang Su glanced into the room, his expression shifting slightly. However, he quickly steadied himself, setting down his medicine hoe and basket with unhurried deliberation. His gaze swept over Xia Yunhe and Third Master Fu, carrying a distinct undercurrent of wariness.

Seeing this, Xia Yunhe bowed slightly and saluted, saying, "I am Xia Yunhe, the newly appointed Prefectural Judge of Yin Commandery. Hearing from Third Master Fu that Lord Qidiaowei was recuperating here, I have come especially to pay my respects." She sighed, continuing, "However, I never expected that Lord Qidiaowei would fall victim to villains."

Without a word, Zhang Su wore a dark expression as he walked toward Qidiaowei’s corpse. He crouched down and reached out to check for breath. After a long moment, a profound sorrow gathered in the depths of his eyes. He then motioned to Third Master Fu and Zheng Mian to help move the body out to the eaves of the porch.

A cool forest breeze swept by, bringing a sudden chill.

Xia Yunhe leaned against the doorway, watching Third Master Fu and Zheng Mian wipe away the bloodstains from Qidiaowei. Her mood inevitably darkened. Now that Qidiaowei was dead, the trail had broken once again. She had fought tooth and nail to break free from Shangdu, only to find herself plunged right back into the heavy mists of Yin Commandery. From the framing of innocent commoners as bandits in Luoxia Village, to the welcoming banquet fraught with hidden murderous intent, and now to the murder of the former Prefectural Judge who held the inside knowledge—some people were desperate to stop her from investigating further. But... who were they? Prefect Mi? Liu Rongshan? Or perhaps spies from the Northern Rong?

What on earth did Qidiaowei know? Why had he been silenced? And why had funeral arrangements been made in advance while he was still merely missing?

Xia Yunhe pressed her temples and sighed deeply. Her mind felt hollow and somewhat bewildered.

She lifted her eyes in a casual glance and saw the immortal-like Mr. Zhang setting up a stove in the corner of the courtyard. He fetched some Atractylodes to burn, his movements carrying an inherent aura of unhurried serenity. Xia Yunhe thought to herself: He is far too calm.

The others were driven to the upwind side, and before long, the fragrance of the burning Atractylodes filled the entire courtyard. The aromatic scent was refreshing, instantly sweeping away the gloomy and damp miasma.

Amidst the billowing smoke, Dr. Zhang spoke, "Since Lord Xia is an official of the government, please send the mortuary attendants to collect the body."

Xia Yunhe pondered for a moment and said, "Mr. Zhang may not know this, but Qidiaowei's funeral has already been handled. In other words, there is no longer a person named Qidiaowei in this world. If the mortuary attendants come, they will surely grow suspicious of the deceased's identity. Has Mr. Zhang considered how to answer them?" A visible look of surprise crossed Zhang Su's face. Seeing this, Xia Yunhe continued, "It seems Mr. Zhang has not thought it through either. Yin Commandery harbors secrets. At the very least, until everything is brought to light, Qidiaowei's identity must remain concealed."

"Secrets?" Zhang Su suddenly sneered, letting out a heavy grunt. "Nothing more than the usual dirty dealings. What secrets could there be?" After his complaint, he looked at Xia Yunhe. "Crows are black the world over. How clean can you possibly be?"

Things had reached a point where there was no use in concealing anything further; it was simply that embezzlement and corruption ran rampant in Yin Commandery, leaving everyone in constant fear for their lives.

Zhang Su said, "Young man, if you wish to investigate the various affairs of Yin Commandery, this old man will not stop you. But the waters in this place are bottomless. Even if an immortal descended from the heavens, he would have to tread carefully."

Hearing this, Xia Yunhe smiled. "All people cherish the notion of keeping themselves clean and untainted. When encountering troubles, they often speak of understanding where the advantages and disadvantages lie, considering self-preservation as paramount. Literati and scholars, on the other hand, show a particular fondness for choosing the straight path over the crooked one, indulging in empty boasts and grandiose rhetoric. Yet, if one truly stagnates and draws the line of conscience outside the bottom line, wouldn't Qidiaowei have died in vain, and wouldn't the affairs of Yin Commandery remain forever devoid of a day of truth? Matters naturally must be investigated, but one must be tactful and circuitous—seeking the straight path through the winding one, gathering strength before striking."

Zhang Su's graying eyebrows furrowed tightly, smoothing out only after a long while. Recalling all he had witnessed in his lifetime—so many passionate and hot-blooded men who had fallen amidst power struggles, shifting from an initial hatred of evil to cold detachment, and finally to resigning from office and returning to seclusion—he ultimately could not sever ties with his own conscience. He carefully scrutinized the young person before him; although possessing a somewhat feminine air, there was not the slightest trace of coyness. Such clear-sighted words spoken by a junior inevitably made him feel ashamed.

He sighed slightly. "Qidiaowei's wife came to see him; at the very least, his wife should be told this news."

Everyone unanimously agreed that this was the proper course of action. Zhang Su repeatedly exhorted Zheng Mian to go personally to the Qidi residence and break the news to Lady Qidiao.

Once Zheng Mian had departed, Zhang Su turned back into the house to pack his belongings. Xia Yunhe was startled for a moment and asked, "Is Mr. Zhang leaving?"

Zhang Su's gaze fell upon Qidiaowei's corpse, a trace of unbearable pity flickering in his eyes. He slowly said, "Since a person died in my house, I must go away to avoid the bad luck."

Xia Yunhe bowed to Zhang Su, her tone calm yet resolute. "That is naturally human nature. However, there are a few matters I would like to consult you about. I wonder if Mr. Zhang might enlighten me?"

Zhang Su nodded slightly, signaling her to continue.

"Mr. Zhang, has Qidiaowei suffered from hysteria these past few days?"

Zhang Su was taken aback and answered flatly, "Hysteria? No."

Xia Yunhe asked again, "I have heard that Mr. Zhang enjoys a close friendship with Prefect Mi. Do you happen to know the truth behind Qidiaowei's death?"

At these words, Zhang Su stared straight at her. Xia Yunhe did not flinch in the least, meeting Zhang Su's gaze with open candor. For a long while, no one spoke. Third Master Fu dared not even draw a full breath, quickly stepping in to smooth things over. "Young master, I am well aware of Mr. Zhang's character. Qidiaowei's death has absolutely nothing to do with Mr. Zhang."

No sooner had Third Master Fu finished speaking than Zhang Su let out a chuckle, turning the question back on Xia Yunhe. "Does Lord Xia suspect that this old man had a hand in this matter? If I wanted to harm him, why would I have bothered to save him in the first place? After all, Lord Xia is young and does not understand that solving cases requires 'inquiring to uncover the truth' and 'handling judgments equitably,' rather than making such wild and baseless accusations."

Xia Yunhe nodded. "Mr. Zhang makes a valid point. However, a man has died right here; why is Mr. Zhang so calm? And now, rushing to pack your bags and leave—how do you expect people to view this? That is the first point. Secondly, Mr. Zhang claims Qidiaowei had no hysteria, yet someone once saw Qidiaowei suffering a seizure of epilepsy in the marketplace, and shortly thereafter violently beating his own wife in the street. If this is not hysteria, what on earth is it?"

Zhang Su stroked his beard lightly, turning back to look at Xia Yunhe with a hint of appreciation in his eyes, though he continued packing his bundle. "Young man, I understand your questions. I am a practitioner of medicine; I have seen life and death too often, so it is all the same to me—what is rarely seen is what seems strange. I am over seventy years old; what bizarre and grotesque manner of death have I not witnessed? Yet having seen much does not mean I am without taboos."

"As for your second question," Zhang Su stared at her intently, "do you truly intend to investigate the affairs of Yin Commandery? Are you not afraid of meeting the same end as Qidiaowei?"

Xia Yunhe fell silent for a moment, then merely smiled.

"Very well, I will tell you the truth..." Zhang Su hardened his heart and said, "Qidiaowei indeed did not have hysteria. He was poisoned with Northern Rong wolf-venom. The poison had already penetrated his lungs and spread throughout his internal organs. Coupled with his fondness for alcohol, there was no cure; death was merely a matter of time, sooner or later."

"Because the wolf-venom flared up, he collapsed in the marketplace, convulsing all over as if suffering from an epileptic seizure. In the middle stages of the poisoning, one fails to recognize people and becomes violently irritable, which is why Lady Qidiao was beaten."

"The scourge of wolf-venom originates from the Northern Rong, poisoning the people of Chu. My journey deep into the mountains this time was precisely to search for an antidote to the wolf-venom. Unfortunately, I found nothing at all."

Listening to Zhang Su's words, Xia Yunhe's mind buzzed. Wolf-venom? Wolf-venom again!

In the affairs of Yin Commandery, human malice predominated above all else!

Zhang Su gave a cough and said, "Young man, I perceive a faint aura of sharpness between your brows. This is a good thing, but do not forget that excessive rigidity easily snaps."

Xia Yunhe did not speak. She raised her head to look at the distant mountains. The mountain scenery was vast and hazy, with drifting white clouds, layers upon layers of pine and fir casting deep shadows. Occasionally, the cries of birds and beasts echoed, and the snow on the mountain peaks remained unmelted, sending threads of coldness piercing straight into the collar of her robe.

It truly was cold!

...

When Lady Qidiao arrived up the mountain, it was already the hour of *Shen* (around 3 to 5 PM).

She was somewhat advanced in years, with fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Clad in plain mourning white with a white flower pinned to her temples, she was a woman of few words. After bowing to express her gratitude to everyone, she went to look at the corpse. Tears could no longer be held back, yet she still thanked everyone repeatedly, murmuring incessantly, "I knew it all along. I knew it all along."

When Zhang Su mentioned that the burial needed to be handled early, Lady Qidiao nodded through her tears and accompanied the group toward the back mountain.

During the wait for Lady Qidiao to ascend the mountain, Zhang Su had scouted several peaks and selected a prime plot of geomantic treasure land. Looking at the designated burial site, Lady Qidiao wept bitterly once more.

Zheng Mian had hauled a coffin from goodness knows where, explaining to the others, "It was instructed by Lady Qidiao. She said she knew this day would come and had prepared it long in advance, so that Lord Qidiao could depart with dignity."

Accompanying them were several mountain hunters who were all well-acquainted with Zhang Su. They helped dig a deep pit nearby, lowered the coffin, covered it with soil, and then saw Lady Qidiao gather a thick stack of paper money to burn. The woman's weeping continued intermittently until dusk fell, and the task was barely considered complete.

Seeing the sky grow increasingly dark, Xia Yunhe and the others bid farewell to Zhang Su, Zheng Mian, and the hunters, and descended the mountain together with the tear-drenched Lady Qidiao.

At the foot of the mountain, besides the Xia family carriage, an additional unadorned blue-canopied carriage was parked there. Clearly, the extra carriage belonged to the Qidiao household.

Seeing that Lady Qidiao was about to board the carriage and leave, Xia Yunhe stepped forward to stop her. Giving a deep, respectful bow, she said, "I am Xia Yunhe, the Prefectural Judge of Yin Commandery. Would it be convenient for you to tell me, Madam, whether Lord Qidiao displayed any unusual behavior before his death?"

Lady Qidiao turned and gave her a deep, searching look. She removed the white flower from her temple, tucked it into her sleeve, and without uttering a single word, she left without looking back.

Xia Yunhe watched the carriage depart and sighed faintly, a trace of sorrow staining her brow. Seeing her like this, Third Master Fu knew it had stirred up sorrowful memories from her past, and spoke cautiously, "Young master, there is plenty of time for the future. Let us return first today."

She nodded and obediently boarded the carriage. Suddenly, she heard the tinkling sound of horse bells approaching from the opposite direction. Xia Yunhe lifted the carriage curtain and saw Lady Qidiao looking at her from across the carriage window.

"You are also a Prefectural Judge?"

Xia Yunhe nodded silently.

"I heard you came from the capital?"

Xia Yunhe replied, "Yes."

"I heard your ancestor was Lord Xia?"

Xia Yunhe nodded once more.

The noble matron tucked the corner of her eyes, suppressing her grief as she spoke, "Lord Xia, can I trust you?"

"You can."

Lady Qidiao smiled faintly, raising a hand to wipe away the tear tracks on her cheeks. "In that case, if you promise to protect one person, I will tell you the evidence Qidiao left behind before his death."

Xia Yunhe looked at the woman before her and, after a moment of silence, asked, "Protect whom?"

"My brother, Liang Ying, the Registrar of Ruize."

Xia Yunhe's eyebrows twitched slightly. The welcoming banquet flashed through her mind, and she weighed her words. "Could it be the young registrar who got drunk at the welcoming banquet and started a violent brawl?"

"Exactly. When Qidiao went missing, those villains slandered my husband, claiming he embezzled funds and colluded with the Northern Rong. I had no way to argue my case and was forced to swallow my humiliation. Now they have grown even more unprincipled, threatening my younger brother's life to extract from my lips the evidence Qidiao gathered. Lord Xia, you are the mentor of Prince Qin; no matter how audacious they are, they would not dare commit outrages right in front of Prince Qin..."

The last sliver of the setting sun vanished below the horizon, and the night wind rose.

Xia Yunhe looked at the woman before her, fell silent for a moment, and said, "Very well, I promise you. Where is Liang Ying now?"

"Ruize."

...

Early the next morning, Xia Yunhe dispatched a letter to Qu Sheng and went to the Prince Qin's Mansion to speak with Prince Qin about this matter. After listening, Xie Yi pondered for a moment and agreed. Two days later, a young man carrying a traveling bundle knocked on the gates of the Prince Qin's Mansion. Old Qin was the one who opened the door.

Following Prince Qin's instructions, Old Qin welcomed Liang Ying into the estate and arranged a position for him copying documents.

Upon hearing this news, Lady Qidiao felt slightly relieved. She reserved a private booth at the Banban Pavilion, though she did not go herself, merely sending her personal maidservant to bring a message to Xia Yunhe.

"If Lord Xia is truly interested, you might as well go and take a look at the Old Granary City outside the city."