Case closed (revised)
The rain gradually subsided, and the few dark clouds disappeared in an instant, leaving only the glazed tiles on the palace walls still dripping water droplets.
Jiang Heng, dressed in a purple official robe, stood in front of the palace gate, looking up at the water curtain hanging from the eaves, and gently brushed away a few water stains from his shoulders and sleeves.
"Lord Jiang."
A deep yet resonant voice came from behind him. Jiang Heng turned around and met a pair of sharp eyes that he hadn't seen in a long time.
Niu Wenyuan was dressed in a scarlet official robe, wearing a black gauze hat, and the silver belt around his waist gleamed coldly in the sunlight after the rain.
"It's Lord Niu!"
Jiang Heng smiled faintly. Although his rank was now higher than that of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, he was always approachable and polite, so he nodded to Niu Wenyuan from afar to show respect for his seniority.
As Jiang Heng raised his head, his gaze inadvertently fell on the oil-paper umbrella in the hand of the person in front of him—
The umbrella was still clearly wet with droplets of water, and Niu Wenyuan was walking hurriedly, obviously having just come from outside the palace. Jiang Heng calmly suppressed his thoughts.
"Is Your Excellency the Imperial Censor about to leave the palace?"
Niu Wenyuan folded up the oil-paper umbrella and casually handed it to the servant behind him before raising his eyebrows to look at Jiang Heng.
"...I've heard that the Court of Judicial Review has recently suppressed several new cases, which His Majesty is very concerned about. With the brilliant strategies of the Censor, he will surely be able to get to the bottom of things soon and relieve His Majesty's worries."
Niu Wenyuan looked at the ambiguous smile on Jiang Heng's face, paused, and then said:
"At today's court assembly, the memorial presented by the Censor-in-Chief greatly pleased His Majesty."
Jiang Heng gave a slow, deliberate bow:
"Lord Niu, you flatter me. It's merely my duty. But, sir, what important matter brings you to the palace at this hour?"
Upon hearing this, Niu Wenyuan began to recite the case he was about to report to the emperor. His gaze swept across the palace wall, where several sparrows were chirping and pecking at the puddles in the cracks of the tiles. It was quite irritating.
After thinking for a moment, Niu Wenyuan suppressed his impatience and said in a low voice:
"Not long ago, Qin Ziyuan's body was discovered in a low alley in the old city of Mujing. This man was the mastermind behind the death of the son of the Prefect of Huidong. But now that he's dead, the case has reached a dead end—"
Jiang Heng listened quietly, then looked up and followed his gaze. He saw that among the sparrows that had been huddled together, one of them, slightly smaller, flapped its wings and flew away.
After a long silence, Jiang Hengfang smiled and said, "Since it's a dead end, it's also a good time to wrap things up."
He paused, "The Ministry of Justice handles countless important and serious cases, and Lord Niu is always very decisive, so this little obstacle should be no problem."
Niu Wenyuan chuckled softly.
"But he is not as magnanimous as Lord Jiang. No wonder he has had a smooth political career since entering officialdom. I admire him greatly."
Jiang Heng bowed slightly, causing the white jade belt around his waist to sag a little, accentuating his narrow and slender waist.
He glanced at Niu Wenyuan's barely concealed displeasure beneath his thick eyebrows and smiled faintly.
Having reached this position, he was surrounded by seasoned veterans who were adept at navigating social situations. As astute as he was, he understood that Niu Wenyuan's barbed words stemmed from his dissatisfaction with his past interference in the Huidong case.
The infighting between the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate over the trials of cases, which had lasted for more than a decade, could not be resolved by him alone in a short time.
Jiang Heng was in a relaxed mood today and was not angry. He simply nodded and said:
"Then I won't keep you any longer, Master Niu. I'll find you another day for tea and to catch up."
After saying this, he turned and left, striding towards the stone bricks that still had water on them, with his servant hurriedly following behind.
Niu Wenyuan had disliked Jiang Heng for quite some time, and today's outburst was simply due to the pent-up frustration over the case; seeing Jiang Heng's nonchalant demeanor only added to his irritation. He sighed, suppressing his displeasure, and glanced again at the case file in his hand—
If Jiang Heng hadn't left a letter that day, how could he have hastily closed the case in Huidong?
He couldn't help but turn back to look at Jiang Heng's increasingly smaller purple figure, but the man's handwriting appeared in his mind.
He was robust and strong, with a square and vigorous posture. He opened the letter by candlelight that day, but it contained only a few large characters—
"The Liang family of Hecheng".
The annoying sparrows on the palace wall had returned sometime earlier, hopping around on the tiles and splashing down fine, continuous raindrops. Niu Wenyuan looked up at the sky; the dark clouds had somehow completely dispersed, revealing a sliver of clear sky.
Niu Wenyuan narrowed his eyes, feeling a mix of annoyance and displeasure, yet he had no choice but to quicken his pace.
If it weren't for Jiang Heng's guidance, he would definitely have investigated this case thoroughly.
But ironically… everyone involved in this case has a significant background. Qin Ziyuan's death was not unjust, but he was not the mastermind behind the case. This is something that anyone with eyes can see. Given his personality, he will definitely find the mastermind behind it all and will definitely investigate everything thoroughly.
But if thoroughly investigated, those almost forgotten secrets of Hecheng over the years might resurface before the world's eyes—
Those were the secrets of the imperial court that he himself had never known, even after years of serving as an official and experiencing many ups and downs.
If we get involved, there could be serious trouble.
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high. After Jiang Heng left, he sat there for a long time before finally deciding to follow Jiang Heng's wishes and leave the important clues unmentioned.
However—Niu Wenyuan couldn't help but think—Since entering officialdom through the imperial examination, Jiang Heng had risen rapidly in rank and was highly regarded by the current emperor, which enabled him to secure his position as the head of the Censorate with such qualifications.
So, does Jiang Heng's meaning... correspond to the Emperor's meaning?
"My lord, the rain has stopped," came the servant's soft voice.
He's already been late for his audience with the Emperor, and further consideration would likely only displease the Emperor. Besides, this case... has already been closed.
Niu Wenyuan sighed, clearing his mind of all distractions, and could only shake his head slightly before hurrying forward.
.
Springtime is slow, and the warm breeze carries the unique freshness of the rain after a storm, making it especially alluring.
Beside the carved window frame, a pot of crabapple blossoms was in full bloom, its pink and white petals dancing lightly in the breeze and quietly drifting down to the windowsill. The brocade curtains hung low, letting in a few rays of warm, dappled light that fell onto the bed.
Lin Xu slowly opened his eyes in the tranquility.
She slept very soundly, perhaps because she was exhausted. She hadn't rested so peacefully in a long time, and when she woke up, she felt a little groggy. She lazily turned over, trying to adjust to the spring sunlight streaming into the room.
The previously quiet room was suddenly filled with noise for some unknown reason. Lin Xu listened intently and seemed to hear a very faint whimper, like the low cry of a young animal...
She was startled and frowned. She sat up, and the thin blanket slipped off her shoulders, revealing her slightly open, moon-white dress.
Turning her head, she saw that beside the usually empty and tidy bed, there was now a small, snow-white ball of fur curled up, even looking at her with wet eyes.
The little guy is about the size of a palm, with pointed ears that look like two soft, white leaves.
Seeing that Lin Xu had finally woken up, it immediately raised its tail and wagged it happily, its pink little tongue sticking out as it panted heavily.
Lin Xu was stunned for a moment, still unable to accept the fact that Xue Tuan had come to this home.
The little guy was full of energy and very excited. Its wet eyes stared at her intently, which made Lin Xu's lips curl into a slight smile. She reached out and gently touched its little head.
Unexpectedly, Xue Tuan was even happier after being petted, and immediately rubbed against her, its warm little tongue licking her fingers, making Lin Xu chuckle softly.
"Snowball".
As Lin Xu dodged, she whispered the name she had given it.
She had never really raised cats or dogs before, so she was a little unfamiliar with them. But that guy was the most clingy, wagging his tail incessantly. So she picked up Snowball, put him on her lap, and gently combed his soft fur with her fingertips.
The little one, however, showed no shyness whatsoever. He comfortably squinted his eyes and even greedily found a comfortable spot in her arms, curling up into a ball.
Lin Xu couldn't help but chuckle.
"Has Madam woken up?" Zhu Ling's voice came from outside the door.
With her permission, Zhu Ling pushed open the door and entered, but her expression changed when she saw Xue Tuan in Lin Xu's arms: "How did Xue Tuan get here? I just saw it staying in the study just now."
Lin Xu chuckled. She picked up the half of the red thread from Xue Tuan's neck, which had clearly been torn off by the playful and active little guy himself.
She gently scratched behind Snowball's ear with her fingertips, and Snowball squinted its eyes comfortably, making purring sounds.
"It's alright. Perhaps it's just bored staying indoors. Well, since it's kept in another courtyard, let it have some freedom from now on. There's no need for it to be confined to one place like people always do."
She always felt that living beings should be free and unrestrained.
As Zhu Ling tidied the bed for her, she smiled to herself:
"It seems that Madam really likes this little snowball. Second Master bought it especially to please you, so you can rest assured."
Lin Xu gently placed the snowball on the ground, and the little guy immediately started circling around her feet.
"But I slept for a very long time?"
Zhu Ling smiled and shook her head:
"Madam was exhausted as soon as she returned. I thought she would just take a nap, but she slept soundly this time. So I put a blanket over her, and she slept for about an hour. By the way, she was even murmuring softly in her sleep."
"Oh?" Lin Xu raised an eyebrow.
"Your voice was very low, I couldn't hear you clearly, but it sounded like... medicinal cuisine... something like silvergrass..."
Lin Xu stopped combing her hair, her fingertips twitching slightly.
Herbs, medicinal cuisine... she was even thinking about being poisoned and not yet finding the culprit in her sleep.
Zhu Ling stood by the window, bathed in the beautiful spring sunshine, which accentuated her delicate, jade-like face, making her fair and tender skin appear like that of a young girl just beginning to grow up. The innocent and serene look on her face was as tranquil and natural as ever.
It couldn't be someone close to her.
No, it won't.
Lin Xu thought quietly. She brushed a strand of dark hair from her forehead behind her ear:
“I used to drink those medicinal diets every day, and I’m already tired of them. I even couldn’t forget them in my dreams. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I’ll just take good care of myself and stop taking those medicines.”
Zhu Ling nodded in agreement after receiving the instructions. She also felt that although the medicine was good for the body, the lady's constitution was cold, and drinking it in the long run might not be a good thing. After making the bed, she turned around and went to talk to the kitchen.
.
It was just past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), and the surroundings were still dimly lit, but several handfuls of morning dew had already condensed on the fresh green banana leaves, teetering on the verge of falling.
Lin Xu, along with Zhu Ling, the two of them carefully stepped on the newly sprouted moss in the cracks of the blue bricks and slowly walked towards the main courtyard.
Today she wore a light blue skirt and her hair was simply styled in a bun. At this hour, the night rain had just stopped, and the courtyard was exceptionally quiet. Every now and then, following her footsteps, one could see a few crickets that had been lying dormant in the grass being startled and jumping up.
It was early morning, and a light mist hung in the air. She walked through several corridors, and noticed that the old pear tree near the main courtyard had blossomed with white flowers sometime during the day. In just a few days, most of the flowers had already faded, and a new batch of unripe fruit had sprouted at the very top of the branches.
Spring is short and summer is long; the summer solstice is just around the corner.
As soon as she turned through the moon gate, she heard the sound of golden bells ringing in the distance, slowly piercing the surrounding tranquility.
The newcomer possessed a beauty as radiant as a begonia, as dazzling as a pearl. Feng Daizhu, holding her maid's hand, was slowly walking towards them.
The eldest wife is now eight months pregnant, and her high, protruding belly makes her gold-embroidered dress look round and full. The pomegranate red, wide-sleeved blouse she is wearing is already dazzling in color, and it is also covered with auspicious dragon and phoenix patterns embroidered in gold thread. Her attire is in no way inferior to that of a festive occasion.
Feng Daizhu was already very beautiful, and even when she was pregnant, she always looked dazzling and luxurious. As she walked gracefully, the filigree gold phoenix hairpin tucked diagonally in her hair swayed precariously, and the South Sea pearl hanging from the tip of its wing hovered between her eyebrows, its color captivating.
"Sister-in-law, your outfit today is so simple and elegant. From a distance, it seems to blend into the fragrant grass in the courtyard."
Feng Daizhu's nails were painted with red nail polish, and as she spoke, the bright red accents adorned her fair skin. The smile on her lips deepened as she approached.
Lin Xu curtsied to her, smiling very warmly:
"Sister-in-law is joking."
She always dressed simply, and since she usually stayed in the backyard, unless there was something important to do, she would only need to go to pay her respects to Madam Bai, so she dressed even more plainly.
As the two were talking, they arrived at the main courtyard gate. Fuzhen, who was guarding the main hall, saw them coming and quickly invited them into the inner room with a smile.
The palace was bathed in the bright sunshine of spring. The carved windows were all open, and the morning breeze carried the distinctive spicy scent of honeysuckle and silverwood. Bai Shi had never liked burning incense; she simply selected the freshest flowers each day to decorate the inner chambers, creating a uniquely elegant and pleasant atmosphere.
Today she wore a headband and a dark purple robe with rounded patterns. When she heard someone coming, she didn't look up, but instead frowned and trimmed the newly delivered sandalwood vine in the white porcelain vase.
It was common knowledge within the Bai family that the Bai family loved flowers and plants.
With a crisp "snap," a green stem fell to the ground, and a little sap splashed onto the lapis lazuli paperweight beside it.
Fu Lian served by his side, busily gathering up the discarded green stems.
"Mother, your daughter-in-law has come to pay her respects."
Feng Daizhu smiled sweetly, but she and Lin Xu bowed respectfully. She was already inconvenient to move around, so she had to support her high, protruding belly with her hands, which was quite strenuous.
Bai took the embroidered handkerchief respectfully handed to her by a maid, wiped each of her fingernails clean, and then looked up at the sound.
She glanced quickly at Lin Xu, but when she saw Feng Daizhu bending over, she frowned and her expression changed. She scolded the maid beside Feng Daizhu:
"I think the people in the main house are becoming more and more competent! Their mistress is pregnant, and instead of taking care of her and dissuading her, they are so careless, letting their mistress perform the proper rituals. If anything goes wrong, are you going to be made the scapegoats?"
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