Chapter 133 A Matchmaker for Jin Shu

"Sister Niu's courtyard is a bit far from our small commercial street, and not many people usually come here."

The elderly victim was named Niu Dai. Li Jin sat directly on a broken stone bench outside the courtyard and chatted with a group of elderly men and women.

“There are many elderly people in our neighborhood. As soon as it gets light, many of them go out to the small market street for breakfast and then buy groceries before coming back.” The middle-aged woman who spoke had a loud voice and was dressed in a coarse cloth shirt. She stood in the crowd facing Li Jin.

Her hands were greasy, and when she noticed Li Jin's gaze, she wiped them on her clothes somewhat embarrassedly.

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Sister Niu has a good relationship with all of us neighbors. Her family is quite large. These past two days, her son and daughter-in-law have gone to do business, leaving only the two elderly people at home with their granddaughter."

As Li Jin listened, she gently fanned herself with her fan: "She usually goes out for breakfast and grocery shopping with you guys?"

But the old woman shook her head: "She doesn't eat breakfast, she just goes to buy groceries and then takes her granddaughter to play in the neighborhood."

Hearing her words, Li Jin paused for a moment while fanning herself with her fan: "So, in other words, most of the time during the 9-11 AM period, the courtyard is empty?"

The elderly woman in front of him looked a little confused, then raised her head and thought for a moment: "It seems so."

Just in case, she turned around, and the group discussed it: "Indeed, there's no one in this courtyard before 1:45 am on weekdays."

She pointed to the courtyard gate: "It's here. The neighbors know each other so well that they don't usually lock the gates. There are soldiers guarding the wards between the wards in the capital. It's really unexpected that something like this happened."

“Usually, her husband would go to buy the sweet cakes later in the day, but I heard that Sister Niu wasn’t feeling well these past few days, so when she went to buy groceries in the morning, I saw that it was her husband who went out.”

Li Jin pondered for a moment, then closed his fan: "What kind of business do Sister Niu's son and daughter-in-law run?"

"Her daughter-in-law is a very skilled woman, her embroidery is superb. She has some connections with a big merchant in the West Market. Every year before last, she would personally go there to buy Shu brocade, and then she would work with the official's embroiderers. The satin she embroidered even became tribute items!"

At this point, it was as if the neighbors had opened a floodgate of conversation, with a group of elderly men and women praising Niu Dai's daughter-in-law highly.

"The reason they went out to trade this time is because it's already the second half of the year, and they need to prepare tributes for the New Year, which requires Shu brocade."

As the old woman finished speaking, the people around her echoed, "They won't be back until the end of the year. How will they manage with just one child and one old man left?"

The sounds around him were a jumble of noise, but Li Jin's thoughts became even more profound.

Tribute, Shu brocade, and wealthy merchants from the capital.

Song Zhen's name almost came to Li Jin's mind once again.

He provided the mercury behind the case of Fan Yin, he knew everything about the case of Old Lady Xia in the suburbs of Beijing, he was on the sidelines in the case of the second son of the Chen family in the Ministry of Justice, and the direct witness in the case of the Imperial Academy was someone he had planted.

If he's also behind Niu Dai's case...

Song Zhen's appearances in these repeated incidents are far too frequent. Is it really just a coincidence because his business has grown so large and his relationships are so complicated?

Li Jin sat there and let out a long breath through her nose.

Seeing that Li Jin had nothing more to ask, the old woman suddenly chuckled, took two steps forward, and, mimicking Feng Chao's earlier gesture, cupped her hands and said, "Sir, um..."

She pursed her lips, a hint of fear on her face, and said hesitantly, "Well, we also have a little girl of that age in our family. Since I've shared so much information with you, could you perhaps give our little girl one of the paper cranes you just folded?"

Looking at her exceptionally sincere face, Li Jin was stunned for a moment, then, without saying a word, raised the fan in her hand and stuffed it into Jin Shu's arms without turning her head.

She stood behind Li Jin, already carrying his outer robe, and now she also had a rather heavy fan with her.

While Li Jin was folding paper cranes, the old lady's gaze fell on the clothes in Jin Shu's arms.

"The embroidery on this dress is truly beautiful," she exclaimed repeatedly. "This embroidery skill is something that not just anyone could do."

"Look at these ginkgo leaves, they're embroidered so realistically." She paused, looked at Jin Shu's face, and suddenly laughed. "This official looks very handsome. Are you married? How many people are in your family? Where do you live?"

Jin Shu was taken aback.

The old woman seemed quite pleased with herself and pressed on, asking, "How's the monthly salary at the Six Doors? The daughter of the wealthy Chen family in our neighborhood looks about your age, she could..."

Before she could finish speaking, Li Jin's paper crane suddenly appeared in front of her.

The man stood up, took two steps forward, exuding an aura of authority. He glanced at the old woman's face, his eyes and voice becoming much colder: "Folded it."

The old woman paused, swallowing back all the words she was about to say, and took the paper crane from his hand with a dry laugh: "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir."

Although Li Jin nodded in acknowledgment, his face clearly showed displeasure. He took back the fan with one hand and pushed Jin Shu's elbow with the other, urging, "Let's go."

That one word relieved Jin Shu's predicament. She quickly quickened her pace and walked away. Only then did her brows relax, and she complained, "The old ladies in the capital are even more frightening than those in Dingzhou."

Li Jin raised an eyebrow, looking at her face: "There are matchmakers in Dingzhou for you too?"

Jin Shu glanced at him and said, "It's not surprising that someone would arrange a marriage for a fine man like me."

"You can do this, you bean sprout?" Li Jin looked at her with disdain, and before Jin Shu could refute, he added, "You're unfamiliar with the capital, and you're easily deceived. As for matchmaking, let me and Uncle Yan oversee things for you in the future."

He chuckled softly, "I'd like to see who dares to pluck this bean sprout of yours."

These words left Jin Shu even more bewildered. She blinked, looking at Li Jin's brisk stride: "Playing matchmaker for me?" She pursed her lips, "You don't look like one at all!"

On the contrary, there was a sense that they wanted to tear down the roof of the building opposite.

Li Jin waved his hand dismissively, saying without turning his head, "You're so greedy, and a meritorious official of the Six Doors, you're definitely not suitable for an ordinary family. I have to arrange a marriage for you with one of the richest men in the world."

He stopped and turned back with a half-smile: "He should at least be a little richer than Song Zhen."

A person who is richer than the richest man in Beijing.

Jin Shu gave an awkward laugh: "Fine, I guess I'll just stay single."

Her self-deprecating demeanor made Li Jin chuckle: "Speaking of Song Zhen, there might be Song Zhen involved behind this case."

Li Jin smiled slightly, glancing at her face: "What do you think?"

Jin Shu was taken aback at first, then pondered for a moment and said seriously, "Anything is possible, except for coincidence."

All coincidences are ultimately inevitable.

All coincidences are part of a plan.

Li Jin smiled slightly and nodded: "Great minds think alike."