Chapter 10 These days, young women have such fiery tempers…
Before the person could be seen, a gust of wind carrying the scent of incense and wine wafted in, and then a figure dressed in a moon-white brocade robe swayed into the private room.
The newcomer had a handsome face, with a nonchalant and lazy air about him. He wore a fine black jade double fish pendant at his waist, which jingled as he walked.
He exuded an air of nobility, yet a nonchalant smile played on his lips, and his gaze swept over the people in the private room with the characteristic nonchalance of a spoiled brat.
Zhou Ping immediately released his hand from his sword, his tense expression relaxed, and he quickly stood up and bowed.
"Your subordinate Zhou Ping greets the Heir Apparent of the Marquis of Ding'an. I thought he was just an ordinary guest who had trespassed, and I didn't realize it was you. I'm sorry for making you laugh."
He had worked at the Dali Temple for many years, and there was no one in the capital who was not familiar with the sons of powerful and wealthy people who could walk on the streets.
Moreover, Xie Ji, the heir of the Marquis of Ding'an, was the kind of person who would flock to any lively place, making him an extremely familiar face.
Xie Ji waved his hand and walked a few steps to the table.
Without any hesitation, he picked up a pair of clean chopsticks, grabbed a piece of crystal pork knuckle, stuffed it into his mouth, and chuckled indistinctly, "Officer Zhou, why are you being so polite?"
"You've been watching crime scenes every day, your eyes are sharper than an eagle's, and the fact that you haven't arrested me as a suspect is already a big favor to me."
Xiao Yunzhan put down his silver chopsticks, a half-smile curving his lips.
His tone carried a hint of familiar teasing: "Xie Ji, your nose is even more sensitive than a hunting dog's. I've only been sitting down for a short while, and you've already found me."
Upon hearing this, Xie Ji exaggeratedly raised his hand and patted his chest, feigning surprise: "Oh dear, Your Highness, the way you say that makes it sound like I've been watching you on purpose."
I had heard that a new chef from Yangzhou had joined Zuixianlou, so I came specifically to try him out. Who would have thought that I would stumble upon Your Highness here at such an elegant gathering?
Xiao Yunzhan couldn't help but tease him: "You sure know how to find an excuse. I think you're not here to try it out, but you're so captivated by the aroma of the wine at Zuixianlou that you can't move away."
Two months ago, you got completely drunk at Chunxiang Pavilion in Pingkangfang, clinging to a pillar and refusing to leave, insisting that the lady playing the pipa play it three hundred more times.
In the end, it was your steward and servants who carried you back. It's only been a short time, and you've already forgotten?
Xie Ji's lazy smile froze instantly, as if someone had touched a sore spot. He hurriedly grabbed a plain handkerchief from the table, wiped his mouth haphazardly, and glared at Xiao Yunzhan.
"Your Highness, you're really hitting a sore spot! It's just that my mother's constant pressure to get married has made me feel down, which is why I had a few extra drinks!"
As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously fell on Pei Zhiwei, and his eyes showed a hint of curiosity.
The young woman was dressed in a plain-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with an elegant demeanor. She didn't look like the typical noblewoman in the capital, but rather had a composed and dignified air.
“This young lady looks unfamiliar,” Xie Ji said, turning his gaze to Xiao Yunzhan and gesturing for him to introduce her.
Xiao Yunzhan followed his gaze to Pei Zhiwei, his tone calm yet serious.
"This is Pei Zhiwei, daughter of Pei Lin, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. She was the one who discovered most of the key traces at the scene of the Qin family case."
Upon hearing this, Xie Ji immediately abandoned his previous arrogant demeanor, stood up, and bowed to Pei Zhiwei.
Although his movements were not as rigorous and orderly as those of court officials, they still revealed the manners expected of a young master from a noble family, without the slightest hint of disrespect.
"I have long heard that Young Master Pei has a clever daughter, and seeing her today, I can confirm that she is indeed extraordinary. Just now, I spoke about the embarrassing incident in Pingkang Lane, and my words were rather crude. I hope Madam Pei will not take offense."
He knew perfectly well that the woman Xiao Yunzhan had specifically mentioned for her "meritorious investigation" was no ordinary young lady, so he naturally dared not be frivolous in the slightest.
Pei Zhiwei also rose and curtsied in return, his tone calm: "Your Highness is too kind. It was just a few words of joke, Your Highness need not take them to heart."
Xie Ji waved his hand, sat back down on the stool, picked up the warm yellow wine on the table, took a sip before putting the cup down, his tone carrying a hint of natural curiosity.
"Speaking of which, Your Highness, I heard yesterday that His Majesty had already issued an edict to end the case by hanging. Why are you still here discussing matters with Madam Pei and Constable Zhou?"
Could it be that there are some undiscovered secrets involved?
His words immediately dampened the atmosphere in the private room.
Zhou Ping paused, his hand holding the teacup still, and subconsciously looked at Xiao Yunzhan. Xie Ji's information came very quickly.
Pei Zhiwei also looked up at Xiao Yunzhan, a hint of probing flashing in her eyes.
Xiao Yunzhan didn't respond to his words. Instead, he suddenly changed the subject, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery: "You still have the mind to meddle in other people's business?"
I ran into Lady Ding'an the other day, and she complained to me that I haven't dared to go home lately and have been wandering around outside all day.
Why do you have the leisure to come to Zuixianlou to investigate my whereabouts today?
These words struck a nerve with Xie Ji. He slammed down his wine glass, the bottom of which made a soft "clang" as it hit the table.
His face instantly contorted with a helpless and bitter expression, as if he had just opened a floodgate of words.
"Don't even mention it! Your Highness, you have no idea, my mother has been completely obsessed lately!"
"In the capital, she gave me a thick list of every eligible unmarried girl from a respectable family, from the legitimate daughters of officials of the sixth rank or above to those from prominent collateral branches of wealthy and influential families, and pressured me to go on blind dates with them every day!"
He counted on his fingers, his voice full of grievance.
"I recently visited the third daughter of the Minister of Personnel. She was quite dignified, but as soon as we met, she started talking to me about the 'Admonitions for Women,' from 'virtue of women' to 'appearance of women.' It was so confusing that my head almost exploded."
Then he went to see the eldest daughter of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Good heavens, she talked about "poetry, painting, music, and chess" all the time.
I told her, "It's windy today, perfect for horseback riding," and she ended up talking to me for half an hour about "spring breezes caressing willows in a picturesque scene," while I couldn't even get a word in edgewise to say, "This tea is good."
And the young lady from the Imperial Academy's Chancellor's family, upon hearing that I liked riding and archery, actually frowned and said to me, "A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent, and a man who indulges in riding and archery is also neglecting his proper duties."
"Your Highness, tell me, this isn't matchmaking, it's practically torture!"
These words made Zhou Ping chuckle. He quickly lowered his head, pretending to drink tea to cover it up, but his shoulders were still slightly trembling.
shake.
Pei Zhiwei couldn't help but smile, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes.
Only Xie Ji, with his playboy nature, could vividly describe the bitterness of being pressured to get married, making people laugh.
Xiao Yunzhan also smiled slightly, his tone softening: "The Lady of Ding'an Marquis is doing this for your own good. You're not getting any younger, you can't just keep drifting around like this."
"I know she means well, but she can't keep going through all this trouble!" Xie Ji sighed, but then suddenly sat up straight.
"However, I have a plan for dealing with your situation, which will surely calm my mother down for a while!"
Xiao Yunzhan raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with curiosity: "Oh? Because of me? What's the plan?"
Xie Ji smiled smugly and lowered his voice, saying, "I told my mother that we need to take our time and choose carefully when selecting a wife this time."
We can't let things happen like I did last time, or like you did this time, where after all that choosing, you end up with someone who already has someone else in their heart.
If the woman doesn't want to marry him later, we'll have to say she suddenly developed a chronic illness to save face for both families. How pointless!
"The last time?" Xiao Yunzhan looked at Xie Ji, his eyes filled with a questioning gaze.
Although he knew that Xie Ji had been engaged but the engagement was eventually called off, he did not know the real reason for the annulment. Xie Ji brought it up now, so there must be a hidden reason.
Xie Ji didn't hide anything. He picked up his wine cup and took another sip before slowly saying, "Ah, last time my mother almost arranged for me to marry Wang Yulan, the second daughter of the compiler Wang Chen."
They say the Wang family is a scholarly family, and Wang Yulan is a well-known talented woman in Beijing, a perfect match for me.
But I thought that girl was too gentle, not my type. I've made a fuss about not wanting to be with her several times, but my mother hasn't given in.
He paused, a hint of regret in his voice: "Before I could make a scene, the Wang family suddenly sent someone to annul the engagement."
He said that Wang Yulan had suddenly fallen ill with a chronic disease and was afraid of delaying my treatment, so he specially sent a lot of gifts to apologize.
I was puzzled. She was fine when I saw her a few days ago. How could she suddenly get sick?
Besides, the Wang family has laid the groundwork for this marriage for so long; why would they easily give in just because of a 'recent illness'?
He paused, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips: "Then I thought, since she could get my mother to agree to annul the engagement, she must have some way to persuade the elders."
At that time, I was being pressured to get married and was having a headache, so I thought I'd ask her privately how to get my mother to give in and stop pressuring me to go on dates with those girls.
"And then what? Did you get the answer?" Zhou Ping was so engrossed in listening that he couldn't help but lean forward, his eyes full of curiosity.
Xie Ji didn't reply. He picked up his wine glass and took another sip. His voice gradually calmed down, and even the arrogance in his tone faded a bit.
"How could I ask? I asked a few acquaintances to inquire at the Wang family, only to find out that it wasn't a recurrence of an old illness at all."
He gripped the wine glass tightly with his fingertips. "Wang Yulan already has someone in her heart, a poor scholar. I heard the two of them have been secretly seeing each other for almost a year."
When the Wang family found out, they disliked the scholar for having no family background or future prospects, and refused to agree to the marriage no matter what. They even locked Wang Yulan in her room, forcing her to give up her hopes and marry me.
“But that girl is very stubborn,” Xie Ji sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"They cried and made a fuss several times, but the Wang family was determined to marry into the Marquis of Ding'an's family and refused to budge an inch."
He paused, lowering his voice even further, which made the atmosphere in the private room even more somber: "A few days later, news spread from the Wang family that her 'old illness had relapsed'."
I later learned the truth from an old servant of the Wang family who had retired to his hometown: the girl had taken her own life from the roof beam while the maid was bringing water…
Pei Zhiwei's brows furrowed instantly, and her fingertips unconsciously clenched the corner of her sleeve.
Wang Yulan's death was strikingly similar to Qin Chaochao's; both refused marriage, hanged themselves, and were ultimately covered up by their families using "old illness" to save face.
Xiao Yunzhan's expression darkened, his fingertips stroking the jade pendant at his waist. He didn't speak, but he was clearly listening carefully.
“I was quite moved at the time,” Xie Ji continued. “Later, when I was drinking with my cronies, I even said, ‘Why are all the young women these days so fiery?’”
It's such a waste to just hang yourself like that.
As a result, a friend of mine said that it wasn't just my family that was like this; other families in the capital had also recently experienced similar incidents, all involving young women who were unwilling to marry into wealthy families and ultimately hanged themselves.
To cover up the shame, the family always said it was due to illness or an accident.
"Oh? There were other women who hanged themselves?" Pei Zhiwei immediately asked, her tone tinged with urgency.
Xie Ji was taken aback by her strong reaction, then nodded: "Yes, I was curious at the time, so I asked someone to investigate, and they actually found three cases."
For example, the second daughter of the official in charge of the Ministry of Rites was supposed to marry the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion last month, but she suddenly died of a serious illness three days before the wedding.
I found out that the girl actually had a childhood sweetheart cousin in her heart, and she didn't want to marry him, so she hanged herself in the end.
There was also the niece of the Grand Tutor, who was about to marry the eldest son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, but she suddenly "fell into the water" and died before the wedding.
Actually, he committed suicide by hanging himself after refusing to marry, but his family, afraid of losing face, said it was an accident.
He waved his hand, his tone somewhat dismissive: "To be honest, this is nothing new in high-class families. Every family has some shameful things to hide."
It was only that stubborn old censor Qin who insisted on making a huge fuss, asking the Court of Judicial Review to investigate the case and arguing with His Majesty.
However, I don't know if those girls really hanged themselves. After all, it's just what their families said; who knows if there are other hidden stories?
The moment those words were spoken, the private room fell silent.
Pei Zhiwei and Xiao Yunzhan exchanged a glance, both of their eyes filled with seriousness.
All three cases of "refusing marriage and committing suicide" occurred in arranged marriages between wealthy families, and were covered up by the families with the excuses of "illness" and "accident." This could not possibly be a coincidence.
Could Qin Chaochao's death also be related to these cases? Could the dark figure that left half a shoe print be targeting these girls who refused marriage?
Zhou Ping's smile had long since vanished; his brows furrowed, and his hands, resting on his knees, clenched unconsciously.
"Your Highness, are the cases you described absolutely true? But the Court of Judicial Review has never received a single word about them."
"They would rather avoid such a disgraceful thing than report it to the authorities and let you know."
Xie Ji picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and spoke with complete disdain.
"The reputation of a wealthy and powerful family is more precious than anything else; for a young woman to hang herself is already a shameful act."
If the 'refused marriage and secret rendezvous' were to come up, wouldn't they lose everything? Naturally, they'd keep it a secret as much as possible, only telling the nice things to outsiders.
Xiao Yunzhan's fingertip stopped on the jade pendant, and his tone became a bit more serious: "When you were investigating these, did you find any commonalities?"
For example, were these girls' fiancés' families connected to them? Or, did they see any strangers before they died?
"Common ground?" Xie Ji paused, thought for a moment, and shook his head.
"I didn't check it carefully. I was just curious at the time, and I didn't take it seriously once I found out."
However, they all wanted to marry into families of higher social standing than their own, such as the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion or the family of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel—both top-tier families in the capital.
Just then, a steady footstep sound came from outside the private room. The carved wooden door was gently pushed open, and a figure in dark blue walked in. It was Pei Lin.
He stood tall and straight, his face showing a hint of composure. His gaze first fell on Pei Zhiwei, then turned to Xiao Yunzhan, and he bowed respectfully.
"Your subject Pei Lin greets Your Highness."
Xiao Yunzhan stood up and nodded, his tone calm: "What brings Young Master Pei here?"
Pei Zhiwei quickly stood up as well: "Father, what are you doing here?"
Pei Lin first nodded slightly to Xie Ji before turning to Xiao Yunzhan, his tone carrying a hint of tact and deliberation.
"I just returned to my residence and heard that Zhiwei was at Zuixianlou, so I came to check on her."
Speaking of which, His Majesty has already ordered the Qin family case to be closed. As a prince, Your Highness should not have to worry about these matters that are within the purview of the Court of Judicial Review.
Furthermore, Zhiwei is, after all, an unmarried young lady. Today, she is here with His Highness to discuss matters without even a maidservant by her side. If word gets out, it will likely be quite inconvenient for her reputation.
"Your Highness, I humbly request that you consider her reputation in the future."
These words were spoken with great tact, maintaining the respect due to a subject to a prince while clearly pointing out the two concerns: "matters of the Court of Judicial Review should be handled by the officials in charge" and "unmarried daughters should avoid suspicion."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunzhan's eyes darkened slightly, and he nodded, saying, "Minister Pei's considerations are thorough; it is my oversight today."
Seeing her father's solemn tone, Pei Zhiwei quickly stepped forward and said, "Father, it was because I heard that Prince Xie knew some old stories about the capital that I asked to come. It has nothing to do with Your Highness."
Pei Lin shook his head slightly, his voice softening: "This is a restaurant in a bustling area, with people coming and going. It's not appropriate for a young lady like you to stay here for too long. You should come back to the manor with your father first."
He turned to Xiao Yunzhan and Xie Ji, raised his hand and bowed solemnly: "I have disturbed Your Highness and the Crown Prince today, so I will take my leave now. I hope you two will forgive me."
Xiao Yunzhan simply nodded slightly and said nothing more.
Xie Ji waved his hand and watched them leave the private room before turning back with a teasing smile: "This Pei Shaoqing is quite protective of his daughter."
Xiao Yunzhan did not respond.
His gaze returned to the rubbing of the shoe print on the table, his fingertips gently tracing the cloud-patterned marks, the darkness in his eyes deepening.
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