Inside the prison, Lu Jingze personally interrogated a spy from Dayong.
He was the leader of the secret agents in the capital, and Lu Jingze went through many troubles to capture him alive.
The leader of the secret agents, such an important position, had been away from the capital for several months several months ago.
The spy sneered: "Why waste your energy, Prince Jing? We've long been discarded pawns."
Wang Xiuxiu slowly stepped forward and spread a list in front of him: "You are a discarded pawn, but your family is not."
The undercover agent's expression changed drastically.
"Zhou Zhao is dead, Zhou Yun'an has fled, and the master you served is long gone," Wang Xiuxiu said coldly. "But your son is only twelve years old. If you confess, he may be spared."
The spy remained silent upon hearing this.
Wang Xiuxiu continued, "If Zhou Yun'an doesn't die, he'll find your son sooner or later. Can you really bear to let him follow in your footsteps?"
The undercover agent trembled all over. After a long while, he finally lowered his head in despair: "I don't know where he is either. Two months ago, Xiao Cheng sent me a message asking me to purchase a batch of medicine and deliver it to a designated location."
Lu Jingze immediately sent people to investigate, but Xiao Cheng was cautious and the investigation yielded no major results.
The candlelight flickered, and Wang Xiuxiu gently raised the letter, examining it repeatedly in the candlelight.
The ink gleamed with a peculiar, dark luster under the light, unlike the glossy black lacquer ink commonly used by officials in the capital, yet much finer than the crudely made pine soot ink from the marketplace.
"This ink..." She gently traced the back of the paper with her fingertips, her brow furrowing slightly. "The texture is unusual, quite different from the usual."
Lu Jingze approached and stood beside her, his gaze falling on the slightly dim handwriting. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed: "The lacquer ink in the capital is made with tung oil soot, producing a bright color, but this ink is dark and restrained, yet more delicate than pine soot ink..."
Wang Xiuxiu nodded: "If there were someone knowledgeable in the art of ink, perhaps they could discern its origin."
Lu Jingze immediately turned around and ordered in a deep voice, "Go and fetch Dr. Chen!"
---
A moment later, an elderly man with white hair and beard hurried over.
Dr. Chen is a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, and has been studying the Four Treasures of the Study for decades. He has a profound understanding of the art of ink.
He took the letter, first gently sniffing the ink, then took out a crystal lens and carefully examined the ink marks.
"Interesting..." He pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up. "Your Highness, this ink is not made from ordinary lacquer soot or pine soot, but is 'purple jade ink' mixed with a small amount of 'lapis lazuli'."
"Purple Jade Ink?" Wang Xiuxiu and Lu Jingze exchanged a glance, both hearing this name for the first time.
Dr. Chen explained, "This ink is made using a special method. It requires aged pine soot as a base, mixed with lapis lazuli from the Western Regions, and ground. The ink is dark in color but subtly purplish, hence the name 'Purple Jade Ink.' Because lapis lazuli is expensive and the grinding process is complex, although it is not as precious as lacquer soot ink, it is still only available to the wealthy."
Wang Xiuxiu's eyes sharpened: "My lord, is there anyone in the capital who knows how to use this ink?"
Dr. Chen stroked his beard thoughtfully: "As far as I know, Ziyu ink, due to its deep and rich color, is favored by many calligraphers and painters, but in recent years, only the Xue family of Linzhou has produced it, making it extremely precious."
He paused, then continued, "It seems that Vice Minister Qin of the Ministry of Personnel has a particular fondness for this ink; he previously had someone bring back quite a few from Linzhou."
---
The flickering candlelight illuminated Wang Xiuxiu's serene profile.
She tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, her gaze fixed on the secret letter she had just received, her thoughts churning.
After seeing Dr. Chen off, Lu Jingze returned to his study and saw that she was still deep in thought, so he stood quietly to the side and waited patiently.
After a long while, when Wang Xiuxiu slowly raised her head, Lu Jingze finally asked, "Do you think Zhou Yun'an has returned to Beijing?"
Wang Xiuxiu nodded upon hearing this. "Zhou Yun'an is quite arrogant and conceited."
"The more dangerous the situation, the more he wants to get himself involved." Wang Xiuxiu's lips curled into a cold smile. "If he were to actually escape the capital, it wouldn't be like him at all."
Lu Jingze's gaze darkened. He walked to the window, looking at the silent imperial city in the night: "So it's highly likely that he secretly returned to the capital while we were searching for him."
"That's right." Wang Xiuxiu stood up and walked to his side. "Moreover, in the capital, it will be most convenient for him to move around after he recovers."
A night breeze blew by, causing the candlelight to flicker and cast two intersecting shadows on the wall.
"You're right. He's very likely hiding under the protection of someone in the court."
Wang Xiuxiu glanced at him, and their eyes met. They instantly understood each other's intentions.
A cold glint flashed in Lu Jingze's eyes, and he immediately gave a deep order: "Secretly monitor Qin Yue's residence, especially all correspondence, not a single letter can be missed!"
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