Chapter 9 Speculation Between the Bedside and the Investigation

Fangru suddenly raised her hand and pressed her fingertips lightly on the acupoint on his wrist, causing his fingers to go numb slightly.

The moment Zhou Ling loosened his grip in pain, she turned sideways and escaped his control, her hair brushing against his lips, carrying a faint fragrance.

“Your Majesty,” she said solemnly, a faint hint of mockery flashing in her eyes, “I already have a fiancé.” Her voice was clear and calm, as if she were not the one who had just been nearly robbed of her breath.

"Fiancé?" Zhou Ling chuckled, rubbing his wrist, but his gaze grew even more somber. "Your fiancé doesn't actually love you; he betrayed you long ago."

Zhou Ling had said these words to her in their first life, and now it was their third life, yet Fangru still completely trusted Gu Zhou.

She didn't even twitch an eyebrow.

“If Your Majesty is truly so prescient,” she subtly took a half-step back, creating a slight distance that seemed more like a silent provocation, “you should first worry about the Northern Barbarian delegation’s arrival in the capital six months from now. Are they here to pay homage, or are they using the guise of homage to plot against you?”

Zhou Ling seemed not to hear her, taking a step forward and closing in again, his fingertips almost touching her hem, which rose and fell with her slightly rapid breathing: "Those matters are for the court officials to worry about. Right now, I... am only interested in the 'method' you foresaw." He deliberately slowed down the word "method," his voice carrying a strong implication.

Fangru suddenly looked up, meeting his unfathomable eyes. Instead of retreating, she moved closer, almost pressing her face against his chest, her red lips slightly parted, her breath sweet as orchids:

“Your Majesty, trust me. I can provide early warnings of the Yellow River’s autumn floods and the locust plague in Yizhou, helping the court to avoid them and saving the people from suffering. This is the true secret of heaven, not…” Her gaze swept meaningfully over his lips, which were so close to hers, “…speculation in bed.”

Zhou Ling's pupils contracted slightly. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, their bodies almost touching, heat seeping through their clothes. He lowered his head, his nose brushing against her forehead, his voice terribly hoarse:

"Good. There's no need to wait half a year. Tomorrow, you will report to the Dali Temple and serve as a judge. If you can be promoted to Sizhi within three months based on your 'ability,' then I will believe that you truly have extraordinary abilities."

He placed his other hand on her lower back, his palm burning hot, but his tone was cold and probing: "If you cannot... I will settle accounts with you for the crime of deceiving the emperor, along with your 'disrespect' just now."

However, the next day, when Fangru changed into neat men's clothing and arrived at the Dali Temple with ambition, she truly understood the meaning behind Zhou Ling's words, "I'm waiting to see."

Dong Xing, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, was a stern-faced middle-aged man. He sized up the young lady, a woman disguised as a man, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt. "The Li family massacre case?" He scoffed, as if he'd heard the biggest joke in the world. "That's an ironclad case that even the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review found difficult. How could you possibly touch it?"

Ignoring Fangru's slightly changed expression, he pulled a file from the bottom of the dusty archive shelf and tossed it onto the table. "Since His Majesty has spoken, you may begin with these old cases. This is the case of Cheng Qi's disappearance five years ago. She was the only daughter of Cheng Feng, a wealthy merchant in the capital, and vanished from her room on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. If you can uncover the truth, then we can discuss other matters later."

Fangru silently accepted the case file. She had heard of this case; in her two previous lives, it had ultimately remained unsolved. Dong Xing was clearly trying to get her to back down by dumping this hot potato that no one else wanted on her.

The whispers around me felt like needles pricking me.

"See her? That's her, the young lady from the family of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices..."

"His Majesty personally selected them; I wonder why..."

"What reason could there be? If they really cared, would they be willing to send him here to suffer?"

Fangru gripped the file tightly.

She wasn't afraid of hardship, but she feared that Gu Zhou, imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, wouldn't live to see the day his innocence was redressed.

Zhou Ling gave her a chance; Gu Zhou's execution was suspended on the condition that she could be promoted to the position of Sizhi within three months. This meant that she had to solve a major case that would convince the public.

She took a deep breath and bowed to Dong Xing: "Your subordinate obeys."

Back in the cramped duty room, Fangru immediately unfolded the case file.

The paper is yellowed and the ink stains are mottled, recording the bizarre disappearance on that Mid-Autumn Festival night five years ago.

All testimonies indicate that Cheng Qi did not leave the backyard that night, but disappeared without a trace like smoke.

The former official even tortured his personal maid, but still got nothing out of her.

Fangru closed her eyes and pondered.

Her memories of her previous two lives were hazy regarding the case, meaning she had no "prophetic" advantage whatsoever. Everything depended on her own efforts.

She asked her cousin, who worked in the Ministry of Personnel, for help.

After reviewing the case file, my cousin frowned. "Fangru, this case is too suspicious, and it happened so long ago. Even the officials who handled it back then have either been transferred or resigned. Dong Xing is clearly making things difficult for you. Why don't I help you smooth things over and find a new case that's easier to get results from?"

“No, let’s start with this.” Fangru’s gaze lingered firmly on Cheng Qi’s name on the file.

She noticed a stack of letters on the list of evidence addressed to her maternal grandmother in Jiangnan. The contents of the letters were unremarkable, revealing only the gentleness and filial piety of a young girl.

Why would such a woman simply disappear into thin air?

As Fangru looked at the delicate handwriting, she could almost see a blurry figure of a young girl weeping softly behind the paper.

The next day, Fangru found a small courtyard near the old Cheng family residence based on the address recorded in the dossier. It was where Qin Mama, Cheng Qi's wet nurse, now lived. She knocked on the wooden door, and an old woman with gray hair and a haggard face peeked out.

Upon hearing that Fangru was sent by the Dali Temple to reopen the young lady's old case, Granny Qin was first stunned, then tears rolled down her cloudy eyes: "Five years... The imperial court still remembers my young lady..."

A glimmer of hope rose in Fangru's heart, and she gently guided her, "Granny, you know Miss Cheng best. Please think carefully again, was there anything unusual about Miss Cheng before she disappeared? Or...did she have any enemies?"

Just moments before, Qin Mama, still immersed in grief, seemed to be pricked by a needle. She abruptly raised her head, her eyes suddenly becoming wary and even hostile: "Miss is the kindest of all, and she treats us servants extremely well! How could she have made enemies! You, an official, can't find a case, are you trying to smear Miss's reputation?" She was agitated and, without saying another word, shoved Fangru out, "Go! Go! There's nothing more to say!"

Caught off guard, Fangru was shoved out of the courtyard gate, nearly tripping over the threshold. As she steadied herself and straightened her rumpled official robe, she heard several undisguised sneers from the side.

"Oh, who do we have here? Isn't this our new female official from the Dali Temple? She's... been kicked out by the people?" The speaker was dressed in the official robes of a Ministry of Justice official, and was none other than Zheng Yu, who was known for his harshness.

He was accompanied by several subordinates, all of whom looked on with mockery, watching Fangru's embarrassing situation as if it were a good show.

Fangru's cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly straightened her back and coldly swept her gaze over Zheng Yu and his group: "Lord Zheng is quite leisurely. Have all the cases in the Ministry of Justice been closed? You even have time to sit here and watch your colleagues handle cases."

Zheng Yu was taken aback by her direct rebuttal and sneered, "Investigating cases? Lord Shen's method of handling cases is quite unique. Being kicked out by the victim, is it some kind of novel investigative secret? If the Dali Temple handles cases like this, it's no wonder there are so many unsolved cases."

"How to handle the case is none of Lord Zheng's concern." Fangru's tone was calm, but her words were clear. "At least I know that investigating a case requires facing the doubts directly, rather than just echoing what others say or making hasty conclusions based on appearances alone."

Zheng Yu was taken aback by her words, and the mocking expression on his face faltered slightly.

He had been habitually trying to deflate the arrogance of this high-ranking official's daughter who had been parachuted into the Dali Temple, but he hadn't expected that she would not only not show any weakness, but would also make every point. Her calm yet stubborn demeanor left him speechless for a moment.

He noticed that there was some dust on the cuffs of her official robe from when she was pushed earlier, and he subconsciously wanted to raise his hand to brush it off for her. But he suppressed this inexplicable thought as soon as it arose, and instead let out a cold snort that sounded even more sarcastic.

"Ha, Judge Shen is quite the smooth talker." He looked away from those overly clear and determined eyes, his tone hard, "I hope your skills match your eloquence, and that you don't end up being a laughingstock, wasting the court's salary."

Even so, he didn't turn away like he usually would with other people he didn't like. Instead, he seemed rooted to the spot, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping over her slightly thin shoulders and tightly pursed lips, a strange emotion inexplicably rising in his heart that he himself was unaware of.

He immediately attributed his discomfort to pure curiosity; he wanted to see what this pampered young lady could manage to stir up in this long-standing case.

Fangru ignored his complicated emotions. She glanced meaningfully at the closed courtyard gate, then turned her attention away from Zheng Yu, whose expression was constantly changing. She flicked her sleeves and strode away with her head held high.

Qin Mama's overreaction just now didn't discourage her; instead, it made her even more convinced that Cheng Qi's disappearance was not as simple as it seemed. This nanny must know something, yet she seemed to be afraid of something.

Fangru walked out of the alley where Granny Qin's house was located, her brows furrowed, pondering the hidden story behind Granny Qin's overreaction, when she heard a gentle voice calling her.

"Miss Shen?"

Fangru looked up and followed the sound. She saw Su Wanqing, the top courtesan of Zuixianlou, standing under a willow tree not far away. Her figure was still graceful, but the handsome scholar who had been by her side recently was nowhere to be seen.

After Su Wanqing let go of her infatuation with Zhou Ling, she seemed to finally open her heart and became quite close to a poor scholar who often went to Zuixianlou to compose poems. Their relationship was occasionally mentioned among the literati in the capital.

At this moment, Su Wanqing was alone. Seeing Fangru's worried expression, she took the initiative to come forward and asked with concern, "Miss Chen, what is troubling you here?"

Fangru and Su Wanqing had some subtle interactions because of Zhou Ling. Although they were not close, seeing the sincerity in Su Wanqing's eyes and considering that Su Wanqing was in the entertainment industry and her experience might be different from that of ordinary young ladies, Fangru briefly told Su Wanqing about the Cheng Qi case and the setback of being driven away by the nanny.

Upon hearing this, Su Wanqing's eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly, "I see. Although I am not very talented, I have learned a thing or two about people's expressions and hidden meanings while working at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. If Miss Shen doesn't mind, perhaps I can help you take a look. Having an extra pair of eyes will always help you see more differences."

Seeing the sincerity in her eyes and realizing that she did need help, Fangru nodded in agreement. However, she thought that Su Wanqing might be acting on a whim or trying to gain a reputation for "chivalry" in literary circles.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Su Wanqing actually arrived at the Dali Temple office early in the morning, and even declined her appointment with the scholar.

She sat opposite Fangru and began to read through Cheng Qi's seemingly ordinary family letters with utmost seriousness. She sat there for most of the day, and her focus and patience surprised Fangru.

As the last rays of the setting sun streamed into the duty room, Su Wanqing's slender fingertips touched a spot on a letter. She looked up, her eyes gleaming with a sharp light: "Fangru, look here. Cheng Qi has mentioned several times that if Grandma comes to Beijing, he will definitely take her to the 'Hundred Flowers Teahouse' to hear the newly staged opera. This is very suspicious."

Fangru asked doubtfully, "What's so suspicious about watching a play?"

“There’s nothing wrong with watching a play,” Su Wanqing shook her head, her tone certain, “but places like the Hundred Flowers Teahouse are a mixed bag, not the kind of entertainment that ladies of the capital would choose. Truly distinguished ladies and wives would only go to elegant places like the Dream Gold Garden or the Water Flower Pavilion to watch plays. It’s not normal for Cheng Qi to specifically mention taking his elders there.”

Upon hearing this, Fangru's spirits lifted.

This was indeed a subtle anomaly that everyone had overlooked. "Let's go check out the Hundred Flowers Teahouse!"

The two men, accompanied by two constables, soon arrived at the Hundred Flowers Tea House.

The place was bustling with noise, and the air was filled with the aroma of cheap tea and snacks. The opera troupe on the stage was singing in a cacophony, while the audience below consisted of all sorts of people, which were indeed far removed from the tastes expected of a young lady from a respectable family.

As soon as I entered, a familiar yet annoying voice rang out: "Tsk, Judge Shen, you're in high spirits today, investigating a case all the way to this theater? Still can't find a clue and want to cause me trouble?"

It was Zheng Yu, who seemed to be on official business here. Upon seeing Fangru, he launched into another round of sarcastic remarks.

A note from the author:

----------------------