Chapter 56 The Xia Family and the Xia Family

Zhou Zheng knocked on the door of the Xia residence.

The servant who opened the door was taken aback for a moment, and before Zhou Zheng could take out his black token, he opened the door and said, "Officers, please come in."

His practiced ease and familiarity with the task piqued Li Jin's curiosity.

"Do constables frequently visit the Xia residence?" Li Jin asked as he passed by a servant.

The servant nodded: "No, it's just that our master has been encountering strange things lately and has been thinking of reporting it to the authorities. It's only natural that you officials have come to our door."

This seemed reasonable, but Li Jin felt it wasn't quite right.

The Xia residence was not large; two courtyards were joined together to form a two-section house.

The bluestone path was clean and tidy, and the eaves were painted with many auspicious patterns that brought wealth and prosperity. In addition, there was a Pixiu (a mythical creature) kept in the courtyard, which showed that the family was a business.

Upon arriving at the main hall, a servant brewed Li Jin a cup of tea and then asked him to wait a moment while he went to the back hall to fetch the master.

The Xia family, while not exactly wealthy and powerful, was certainly of average means.

Besides the servants from earlier, there were several maids in the courtyard, who seemed to be of relatively high status.

This was once again confirmed by the teacup in Li Jin's hand.

"Maojian tea," he said casually.

The head of the Xia family was a middle-aged man around fifty years old, with an extraordinary demeanor, and his face did not show that he was already over forty.

He stepped into the room and first saw Zhou Zheng and Jin Shu standing to the side, then looked at Li Jin, who was sitting calmly in a light yellow dress, sipping tea while sitting on an octagonal chair.

His expression, the material of his clothes, his manner of gestures, and the extraordinary pendant at his waist all made Master Xia momentarily doubt the man's identity.

Could this be His Highness Prince Jing?

He took a small step back, glanced outside again, and dismissed the idea.

It couldn't be His Highness Prince Jing. That纨绔 (wan ku, a spoiled brat) Prince Jing, taking only two people out—he wouldn't believe it even if you beat him to death.

He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Sir, I am Xia Kaicheng, the owner of this courtyard. May I ask who you are?"

Li Jin looked up and put down his teacup: "I'm just a constable from the Six Doors, here to investigate a case. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Oh dear, no, no!" Xia Kaicheng waved his hands repeatedly, a hint of doubt rising on his face. "May I ask, what case are you investigating, sir?"

His doubts are understandable. He hasn't even reported the strange things that have happened at the Xia residence to the authorities yet, but the Six Doors have already come knocking on his door.

"I just heard that many strange things have happened at Master Xia's residence recently. Could you tell me about them? Perhaps they are the clues we need to investigate."

Looking at Li Jinbin's polite demeanor and smiling eyes, Xia Kaicheng pondered for a moment, and then let out a long sigh.

"Sir, as you can see, our Xia family is in the tea business. We handle everything from planting to selling this Maojian tea you have here," Xia Kaicheng said, opening a tea box to show Li Jin the new Maojian tea that had not yet hit the market this year.

"The business isn't exactly huge, but we still have a small shop in the East and West Markets of the capital, which is decent enough. But it's really strange. Everything has been going smoothly for years, but starting this year, strange things have been happening one after another."

At this point, Xia Kaicheng sighed: "It's just inexplicable. Ever since the beginning of this year, there have been people claiming to be my mother, causing trouble everywhere, and then a group of people blocking my door demanding an explanation."

He looked at Li Jin with a wronged expression, spread his hands and shook his head: "I didn't take it seriously at first. It's been thirteen years since my mother passed away. I've been doing business in the capital for more than thirteen years, and I know many people in the Chamber of Commerce. I thought that once I explained it clearly, nothing strange would happen again."

"In the end, it was all just wishful thinking on my part!" He laughed self-deprecatingly several times. "Strange, one thing after another! I had no choice but to go to the ancestral graves last month to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony. I performed rituals and invited elders, and they all said it was fine before I came back feeling relieved. But, just two days later, people blocked my door again."

He pursed his lips: "Moreover, things are getting stranger and stranger. Not only has an extra mother appeared, but I also have a wife I'm supposed to marry. Because of these rumors, my own wife has been staying at our daughter's house for more than half a month and refuses to come back."

What Xia Kaicheng said surprised Li Jin: "Then you haven't seen that woman who impersonated the old lady?"

"Oh dear!" he said, shaking his head and waving his hands repeatedly. "I'm busy running around the shop all day. That old woman came twice, but the servants at home saw that she seemed to be looking for trouble, so they didn't open the door for her at all."

“If I run into her, I’ll definitely drag her to the authorities.” Xia Kaicheng rubbed his temples. “Money is a small matter. For me, a businessman, reputation and credibility are much more important than money! She’s left me speechless. People will say that I, Xia Kaicheng, am neglecting my elderly parents and want to marry a young girl when I’m almost fifty.”

He lamented repeatedly, "What a tragedy!"

Li Jin sat on the octagonal chair, his fingertips twirling the teacup in his hand. Looking at his smiling face reflected in the cup, he spoke slowly and deliberately: "Didn't that old lady say who she came to see?"

Xia Kaicheng was stunned for a moment.

"Didn't they say whether they were looking for Xia Kaicheng or someone else?"

As dusk fell, the clouds over the capital burned a brilliant crimson. The kitchen of the Xia residence was already preparing dinner, filling the air with enticing aromas.

The hustle and bustle outside the mansion gradually subsided, and the small courtyard on all sides exuded a rustic blue hue.

Xia Kaicheng thought for a long time, then nodded and said, "He did mention a name, but it wasn't mine."

He raised his hand and summoned the servant who had opened the door for Li Jin. The two of them stood there, pondering for a long time.

“Xia something…” He frowned.

"It seems to be... Xia Xiao... Xiao something... Xiao Wu!" the servant exclaimed. "Yes, yes, yes! Xia Xiao Wu!"

"Oh! Right! Xia Xiaowu!" Xia Kaicheng looked at Li Jin, cupped his hands and said, "That's the sound, but I really don't know which words it is."

"It's alright." He stood up and bid farewell to Xia Kaicheng in front of him. "If you encounter a similar situation in the future, Master Xia, it would be better to report it to the Jingzhao Prefecture."

Xia Kaicheng was stunned for a moment: "Sir, you still haven't told me what happened to Xia Xiaowu?"

“It wasn’t Xia Xiaowu who had the accident.” Li Jin smiled slightly, glancing at his face from the side. “The old lady you mentioned was murdered half a month ago.”

After saying goodbye, he stood up and walked out of the courtyard, leaving Xia Kaicheng in a daze.

This trip was quite fruitful; the fact that he could even remember the name "Xia Xiaowu" already surprised Li Jin.

Standing at the entrance of the Xia residence, looking at the plaque above the door, there was finally hope that the case could be solved.