Chapter 63 Dali Temple Investigates the Case
The people present were no longer concerned about the theme of today's banquet. There would always be other opportunities to see such things in the future. What everyone was focused on now was whether Wu Silang was really dead, and how he died.
Was it an accident? Or was it murder?
Li San Niang noticed that the woman in the light green dress, who had been startled and fallen onto the carpet, seemed to be more than just startled; she was trembling with fear.
Although autumn has officially begun, the lingering heat of late summer still lingers. The midday sun is still quite strong, and there's a slight breeze, but it's nowhere near enough to make you shiver with cold.
Previously, the woman in the light green dress had been dancing and playing music, while the woman playing the pipa had already been helped off by her own maid. Now, however, the woman in the light green dress was suddenly sitting down on the carpet in the center, which was truly puzzling.
Before Li San Niang could take a closer look at the woman in the emerald green dress, her maid finally appeared, carefully helped her up, and led her back.
At this moment, Li Sanniang couldn't very well go up and grab the woman to look at her. Although Li Sanniang suspected that this woman was Rou Niang, who was having an affair in the garden, when Li Sanniang and Xu Jingzhen were looking at the man and woman opposite from the rockery platform that was about the height of a person, they were too far away. With Li Sanniang's eyesight, she could only see a blurry outline at most, and she couldn't see their specific appearance clearly.
However, Li San Niang had a feeling that the woman in the light green dress must be Rou Niang.
Thinking of this, Li Sanniang suddenly looked up towards the male guest, trying to find where Xu Jingzhen had gone. Li Sanniang always felt that he should know who Rou Niang and Lin Lang really were.
Before Li San Niang could find Xu Jingzhen's location, the two servants kneeling on the ground, weeping bitterly, were dragged away by the guards that the maid had urgently summoned.
At the same time, Princess An Ding's maidservant also stepped forward and said that Princess An Ding suddenly felt unwell, and the banquet was now over. She asked all the gentlemen and ladies to leave, and that she would send out invitations to everyone again at the next opportunity.
After the maid finished speaking, she waved her hand and the maids and servants of the Duke of Liang's mansion, who were hidden to the side, came out to lead the guests away one by one. Li San Niang was walking back the way she came with the young ladies at the same table, but she had not taken more than a few steps when she sensed that the people in front of her had stopped.
Confused, Li San Niang looked up and saw that it was Di Shaoqing, wearing a round-necked official robe and an official hat, in front of her, followed by Wang Jian, the chief clerk of the Dali Temple, and Su Qi, the clerk of the Dali Temple, who had previously questioned the Li family.
Li San Niang also saw more than twenty yamen runners carrying knives and wearing narrow-sleeved, round-necked military robes. These must be people from the Ministry of Justice. Sure enough, after the yamen runners with knives blocked everyone's way, a man wearing a scarlet official robe came out from where they came from, accompanied by three men in green official robes.
It seems that Li San Niang won't be able to go home on time today.
Although Li Sanniang did not know who the deceased Wu Silang was, she estimated that he was related to Emperor Wu. Otherwise, the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review would not have been mobilized just because a young man with the surname Wu died.
Ordinary young men with the surname Wu would not receive such treatment; even Li San Niang, who was not in officialdom, understood this principle.
Therefore, this fourth son surnamed Wu must have an extraordinary relationship with Emperor Wu. Li San Niang guessed that he was most likely Emperor Wu's nephew.
Seeing this, Li San Niang was very suspicious. Could it be that the Censorate was also going to send people, and in the end, a joint trial by the three judicial departments would be held to find out the truth?
Li Sanniang, the nobody, obediently waited to the side with the young women around her, watching the people from the Dali Temple, the Ministry of Justice, Princess Anding, and the Duke of Liang's mansion negotiate.
After a while, Li Sanniang saw no new people in official robes arrive, so it seemed that the Censorate would not intervene in this matter.
However, instead of the Censorate, the current Duke of Liang and his heir arrived.
Finally, after discussion among the people in charge, the people present were separated into men and women and moved to different rooms. They would be questioned one by one before they were allowed to leave.
When the Duke of Liang stepped forward and announced this arrangement to everyone, Li San Niang was very surprised that none of the noble young men present had any objections.
If the women have no objections, then so be it. After all, there are only a few female officials now, and most of them are still in Emperor Wu's harem. Only one or two female officials can move around in the front court.
Most young women, when they reach a certain age, simply want to marry into a family of equal social standing.
The young men present today are all sons of noble families in Chang'an. They may not be the eldest sons of the main family, or they may not inherit a title, but many of them will become officials in the court in the future. No matter how high or low their rank, they will all be officials.
But at this point, they didn't protest that they were essentially under house arrest, especially when it came to being questioned; they actually tolerated it?
Li San Niang was filled with regret. If she had known that so many things would happen today, she should have greeted Mr. Bu Ke from the Bad Guys when she came to the banquet and asked for some information. Now, Li San Niang knew nothing, felt uncertain, and was a little panicked.
It can be guessed that something must have happened to Wu Silang, or rather, to Emperor Wu's close relative, and it must have caused quite a stir, which is why everyone present had no objection to it, and could even be said to have kept it a secret.
Li San Niang didn't believe that these men, whose fathers, grandfathers, or brothers were fourth or fifth-rank officials in scarlet robes, or even high-ranking officials in purple robes, could be afraid of the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice.
Even noble families dared not object, so who among those present would dare to have any objections?
Li San Niang, along with the group of young women, was led to a guest room in a courtyard next to the garden.
The Duke of Liang's mansion did not mistreat anyone. They had just found a chair in the room and sat down when a maid came in with a tea tray. The maid behind her carried a food box and said that if any distinguished guest was hungry, they should have some snacks first.
Then another maid came and said that if any young ladies wanted to change their clothes, they should go behind the screen.
Li San Niang casually picked up a pastry and ate it while drinking tea. She thought to herself, "They've gone to such great lengths to separate all the people who came to the banquet. It looks like they're going to close the case that day. I guess they won't be done until the lamps are lit."
When Li Sanniang came over, she noticed that there were two armed constables guarding the gate of each guest courtyard, to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to escape.
As Li San Niang was sitting and lost in thought, she heard a voice beside her, "Li San Niangzi, it really is you!"
Li San Niang looked up and realized that it was Gao Ya Hui from the Gao family. "Young Madam Gao, what a coincidence that we are assigned to the same room."
The two seemed to have a sense of reunion after a long separation. They stood up to greet each other and then sat down at the table to chat.
"I didn't look closely at first. If I had noticed that Miss Gao was there earlier, I would have come looking for you sooner. How is your sister-in-law?"
"Thank you for your concern, Third Sister. My sister-in-law is doing well now. She's eating and sleeping well at home and doesn't feel unwell at all."
At this point, Gao Ya Hui leaned closer to Li San Niang and whispered, "They sent an invitation to my family a long time ago, but after what happened, I didn't want to come. But my grandmother said that those things in officialdom have nothing to do with us girls in the backyard. Since we didn't refuse before, we should come now. That's why I came."
Li San Niang nodded, indicating her understanding.
Although the two were of different ages, Gao Ya Hui was not very popular among the noble ladies in Chang'an City because of her grandfather's official position and her own figure. She didn't have any close friends or confidantes. However, after meeting Li San Niang, she felt that although Li San Niang was a divorced woman who had returned home, she was much more interesting and sincere than those fake noble ladies in Chang'an City.
Therefore, Gao Ya Hui was also willing to talk to Li San Niang.
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