Chapter 81 A Monkey in a Panic
In the main hall of Yaoguang Garden, the charcoal fire burned brightly, and the tea brewing on the copper stove emitted two wisps of white steam. The fragrant tea aroma mixed with the warmth of the charcoal ash eased some of the tension during the investigation.
Xie Ji kept pacing around in the hall. He would reach out and tug at the jade belt around his waist, and then lean against the door frame to look outside, just like a restless monkey.
Xiao Yunzhan, sitting at the head of the table, watched him turn around again and finally couldn't help but say, "Can you please stand still? If you keep turning around, you'll trample the floor tiles in this hall."
Xie Ji paused, and when she turned around, her face was full of undisguised anxiety: "I want to stand still too, but I'm feeling panicked!"
You said your uncle is coming soon, what if he really has some lingering feelings for Wang...?
Before he could finish speaking, he shuddered.
Xiao Yunzhan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said with a wry smile, "Even if there's a past relationship, it doesn't mean he's involved in this case."
Don't you know what kind of person your uncle is?
"It's precisely because I know this that I panic!" Xie Ji leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"You know what he was like when he was young. What is there that he wouldn't do?"
just in case……"
"Ha," Xiao Yunzhan laughed in exasperation.
How could you have the nerve to say that?
No matter how unconventional Lord Cui may be, he is still a person who considers the big picture, far superior to you.
"Your Highness's words have really struck a chord with me."
"No matter what kind of person Cui was in his youth, he would still be considered an honest man in front of Brother Pei." A loud laugh, accompanied by the clanging of armor, rang out.
Everyone stood up at the sound, and when they looked up, they saw a man dressed in bright yellow armor stepping into the room.
Cui Yanwu was extremely tall, with broad shoulders and a thick back. He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were very sharp.
Xie Ji was the first to rush over, "Uncle! You've finally arrived! I was so worried!"
Cui Yanwu didn't even glance at him, but reached out and shoved him aside, pressing his large hand against his face.
Xie Ji staggered two steps after being pressed down, letting out a soft "Ouch!" Just as he was about to complain, he saw Cui Yanwu walking towards Pei Lin, clasping his hands in a fist and smiling, "Brother Pei, long time no see, how have you been?"
Pei Lin quickly returned the greeting, a familiar smile on his face: "Brother Cui, you still look as dashing as ever, even more energetic than when we last met in the capital."
"What spirit do you have? You're just tied up with military affairs." Cui Yanwu waved his hand, his gaze falling on Yan Jinghong again.
"How have you been these past few years, sister-in-law? I heard last time that you were following Brother Pei around investigating cases, and you seem to be more at ease than before."
Yan Jinghong curtsied and said, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Cui. I'm doing well. I'm just sorry to have worried you."
Xie Ji, standing to the side, listened with wide eyes and couldn't help but interject, "You...you've known each other for a long time?"
Cui Yanwu turned to look at him, his eyes looking at him as if he were an idiot: "Otherwise what? Back then, there were only a handful of outstanding people in the entire Liang Dynasty."
What, do you not know many people because you never leave your house?
Xie Ji blushed at what she was being said and muttered under her breath, "There are so many people here, can't you at least give me some face when you're talking?"
"Face?" Cui Yanwu scoffed, walked to the table and sat down with an air of authority. He casually unfastened the sword from his waist and placed it on the table, the blade making a crisp "clang" as it struck the wooden table.
“You guys got together to investigate the case, and you entrusted everything to each other. That’s what comrades-in-arms are all about.”
Between comrades-in-arms, why worry about saving face?
"You've been in the capital for too long, and your father has taught you to be too old-fashioned."
Xie Ji rolled her eyes, sat down on the chair next to her, and put her arm on the armrest: "It's all my dad's fault."
Cui Yanwu was too lazy to argue with him, so he turned to look at Xiao Yunzhan, gave a perfunctory bow, and the manner of the bow was so perfunctory that it could hardly be called a formality.
His gaze quickly fell on Pei Zhiwei, and after looking her up and down, he smiled at Pei Lin and said, "Brother Pei, you are really lucky to have raised such a clever daughter."
I've heard that Madam Pei has helped you solve many cases; seeing her today, I can confirm her extraordinary bearing.
Pei Zhiwei quickly stepped forward, curtsied, and said, "Zhiwei greets Uncle Cui."
Seeing Cui Yanwu ramble on for a while, Xiao Yunzhan sighed and said with a hint of seriousness, "Lord Cui, let's skip the formalities for now."
"I've invited you here today to discuss the Xu family's case."
Cui Yanwu: "Ask whatever you want. I also want to hear what you've found out in Yangdu these past few days."
Upon hearing this, Pei Lin smiled and looked at Xiao Yunzhan, Pei Zhiwei, and Xie Ji, "The three of you have been investigating this case. You know the details better than I do, so you should ask them."
Xiao Yunzhan and Pei Zhiwei exchanged a glance, both agreeing that it was more appropriate for Xiao Yunzhan to ask.
Before Xiao Yunzhan could speak, Xie Ji preemptively asked, "Uncle, let me ask first!"
Are you and that Xu Wangshi acquaintances from the past?
Cui Yanwu glanced at him, and without beating around the bush, nodded directly: "I guess so."
Xie Ji's face paled instantly, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on the table.
"How...how did you meet her? When did it happen?"
"That's premature." Cui Yanwu picked up the tea on the table and took a sip, the steam blurring his features.
"When I was fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen, I saved her once on the streets of Beijing."
Not long after, I ran away to join the army, and I lost contact with her.
Xie Ji held his breath and pressed, "And then what happened? You haven't been in contact at all?"
"No contact." Cui Yanwu put down his teacup, his tone very certain.
"I spent more than ten years in the military, walking back step by step from the border."
Until two years ago, he was transferred to Huainan as the military governor and arrived in Yangzhou.
Only then did I learn that she had actually married Xu Fengyan and become the matriarch of the Xu family.
Xie Ji finally breathed a sigh of relief, slumped into his chair, and patted his chest.
"It's alright, as long as you haven't been in contact, it means you don't have any past feelings for her."
Xiao Yunzhan looked at him from the side, shook his head helplessly, and turned to look at Cui Yanwu, speaking in a calm tone.
"Lord Cui, two or three years ago, didn't you casually save Xu Li, the eldest son of the Xu family?"
Could you tell us more about this?
Cui Yanwu's right hand habitually rested on his sword, his thumb unconsciously rubbing it: "That's true."
At that time, I led a small team to Yangzhou for official business.
The specifics of what will be done involve military intelligence, so I cannot go into details with you.
Xiao Yunzhan quickly replied, "We understand. You don't need to go into the details of the military situation. Just talk about things related to Xu Li."
"Okay," Cui Yanwu replied, speaking a little slower.
"That year, it rained for a long time, and many places were flooded. The disaster was very serious."
We were already delayed a lot because of things on the road, and if we were any later, we would miss the deadline.
When they stopped to rest at a tea stall halfway through their journey, they heard that the main road ahead was completely blocked by a horse-drawn cart stuck in the mud and would not be passable for a while.
I figured I couldn't wait any longer, so I decided to take a detour and go down a side road.
They hadn't gone far after turning onto the side road when they heard fighting ahead. When they went to investigate, they found out that Xu Li and his men had encountered bandits.
I didn't think much of it at the time. Since I'd run into it, there was no reason to ignore it.
The bandits fought us for a few rounds before realizing they were no match for us and fled.
Since it was on the way anyway, they took the injured guard to a nearby clinic.
Then we went to do some official business.
Xiao Yunzhan frowned and asked again, "Then what happened later when you saved Madam Xu?"
It was a little over a year ago, around the time of Zhang Xuren's birthday.
"Oh, that's what happened." Cui Yanwu recalled the scene and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.
"Zhang Xuren invited many officials to a banquet to celebrate his birthday."
Although we're not on the same wavelength, we're colleagues after all, so I had to show him some respect at his birthday banquet and went.
But ultimately, I just couldn't connect with those people, and I got annoyed just talking to them.
He went to a corner of the courtyard to shoot arrows with several other officials who also disliked socializing.
I was having an archery contest when I heard a commotion over there, along with a woman's scream.
When I turned around, I saw a vicious dog rushing towards Xu Fengyan.
However, Zhang Xuren threw a cup at him, and then went after Xu Wangshi.
At that time, I didn't have a bow in my hand; the bow was in the hands of another official. But he was completely dumbfounded and stood there motionless.
I was still some distance from the bow stand, so I had no choice but to take his bow and arrows and shoot at the dog.
Xiao Yunzhan pressed, "And then?"
Cui Yanwu: "Then Xu Fengyan, along with his entire family, brought a large amount of gold, silver, jewels, and rare calligraphy and paintings to the governor's mansion to express their gratitude."
I know they are genuinely grateful, but I am the military governor of Huainan. If I get too close to the imperial merchants, I will be courting death.
So I picked two very ordinary items as a token of my appreciation.
From then on, I deliberately kept my distance from the Xu family and never had any private dealings with them again.
Xiao Yunzhan frowned, and before he could speak, Cui Yanwu looked at him and suddenly laughed: "What, do you think I've been too cautious this time, unlike my usual self?"
Xiao Yunzhan also smiled and said frankly, "Indeed, it cannot be hidden from Lord Cui."
You've always been straightforward, but this time you've deliberately avoided anything that might seem suspicious; it's understandable that people might overthink it.
Cui Yanwu didn't respond to his comment. The smile on his face suddenly faded, and his eyes sharpened, like a bowstring suddenly taut. He looked at everyone in the hall.
"So I've answered all your questions, but do you dare to believe them?"
Xiao Yunzhan remained silent, but Xie Ji was eager to speak, only to be gently pulled on the arm by Pei Zhiwei.
Xie Ji turned to look at her, his eyes full of confusion.
Pei Zhiwei didn't look at him, but instead curtsied to Cui Yanwu, saying, "Uncle Cui, there are some things I don't understand, and I would like to ask for your guidance."
Cui Yanwu raised his chin, gesturing for her to ask.
Pei Zhiwei straightened up and looked directly at Cui Yanwu. "Uncle, when you rescued Xu Li during your official duties, did you notice anything strange?"
Upon hearing this, Cui Yanwu's gaze suddenly changed, as if he had transformed from a casually chatting elder into a general who had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, his murderous aura completely undisguised.
When his gaze swept over, it carried a chilling sense of oppression, as if the person in front of him was not a person, but his prey.
Pei Zhiwei felt a tightness in her back, and the hairs on her body stood on end in an instant.
She subconsciously clenched her hands, forcing herself to calm down, her gaze unwavering as she looked directly into Cui Yanwu's eyes, while keeping an eye on his subtle movements out of the corner of her eye.
Cui Yanwu stared at her for a long time, then a slow smile appeared on his lips. "You little lady, you're quite interesting."
Aren't you afraid I'll lie to you? Or do you believe me?
Pei Zhiwei was very frank: "As for what Uncle said, I can't say whether I believe it or not."
No matter what you say, we have to verify it.
Even if you are Xie Shizi's uncle and an old acquaintance of my parents, we cannot draw conclusions based solely on your words.
"Good! What a great way to say we won't talk about whether it's true or not!" Cui Yanwu suddenly laughed, his voice so loud it shook the roof beams.
"Brother Pei, your daughter is much better than you were back then!"
Although Pei Lin's face clearly showed his pride, he didn't say anything, but simply took a small sip of his tea.
Cui Yanwu's smile faded, and his tone became more serious: "To be honest, when I saved Xu Li, I didn't think anything was strange."
Mountain bandits robbing people on the road is common during times of severe disaster. I just thought it was bad luck that they happened to be there.
But then some things happened that made me gradually become suspicious of what happened.
Pei Zhiwei pressed, "What is it?"
“I know a soldier named Zhao who was ordered to apprehend bandits in that area,” Cui Yanwu tapped his sword twice with his fingers.
"Later, when I was drinking with him, I casually mentioned the rescue of Xu Li and even described what those bandits looked like to him."
He was a busybody; the next day he brought over portraits of all the escaped bandits in the area, asking me to see if I recognized any of them.
He paused, his tone becoming more serious: "But those portraits don't contain any of the bandits I saw back then."
Pei Zhiwei paused for a moment, then subconsciously asked, "Were those bandits masked at the time?"
If they are masked, how can you be sure they aren't in the portrait?
“They were masked, but their eyes were still visible,” Cui Yanwu pointed to his own eyes, his tone very certain.
"After so many years on the battlefield, the only way to find enemy generals among a bunch of people wearing all sorts of helmets is by looking into their eyes."
Pei Zhiwei then asked, "So...did you see these people again later? Is that why you became even more suspicious?"
Cui Yanwu: "That's right, it's still in the shop that Xu Wangshi brought with her as part of her dowry."
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