Chapter 100 The Qi-Liang Border (Part 12) Did Du Zhong find out? ...
After closing the door, Du Zhong walked to the desk. Yu Qiqiao turned around casually, held the book behind his back, and looked him up and down.
Du Zhong sensed a sharpness and impatience in his eyes, so he quickly shook his hands and protested, "Master, I only had two cups!"
Yu Qi's expression grew even colder. "Why aren't you eating more?"
He smiled ingratiatingly, "I was just following Master's instructions. They were drinking strong liquor, and I was afraid I'd get drunk and have to be helped back by Yu'er. She's not strong enough to carry me."
Yu Qi couldn't help but chuckle softly, "You're being obedient again now."
Du Zhong was bewildered and wanted to ask Jiu Li for her opinion, but when he turned to look at her, she immediately looked away. He wondered if he had seen wrong, or if she had just been glaring at him from behind? He was even more confused and could only lower his head and ponder to himself.
Yu Qi saw Jiu Li standing sideways behind Du Zhong, her eyes darting around the room looking for a place to rest, looking like she had a guilty conscience. This wouldn't do. She and Du Zhong had grown up together since childhood and had a tacit understanding. Even though Du Zhong was usually a bit slow-witted, everyone has a time when they start to understand things. She was afraid that he might actually figure something out on his own.
With that thought, he tossed the book onto the desk, stepped inside, and changed the subject, "Have the calming pills been delivered to the Qi family?"
"Huh?" Du Zhong snapped out of his daze, turned to look at Jiu Li, and nodded slowly. "I had A Xiang deliver dinner to you."
Jiuli was afraid that Du Zhong would see through his act, but when he heard Yu Qi ask him a serious question, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He stepped forward, put his hands on the edge of the table, and asked, "Uncle, is Madam Qi really scared out of her wits?"
Seeing that she was also very serious, Yu Qi found it amusing. He slowly leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands in front of his stomach, and smiled. "You can't detect someone's madness by taking their pulse, but judging from the pulse, you have indeed suffered quite a fright."
With Du Zhong guiding them, they had no time to think about anything else. He stroked his chin and chimed in, "I think this Mrs. Qi definitely harbors resentment towards Master. If we're talking about framing Master, she's the first one to do it!"
"And Liu, Chen Zifang's wife! She's also a suspect," Jiuli interjected, then recounted to Yu Qi the history of Chen Zifang and Liu's childlessness and long-standing discord.
Yu Qi lowered his head and pondered for a while before saying, "Zhong'er, tomorrow you will accompany Yu'er to ask Liu Shi."
"What about the Qi family? I'm afraid it might be inconvenient for Master to be alone."
"Why am I all alone? Zhang Da and Qi Xubai are here too."
Jiuli then realized that Xu Bai had not gone to the capital. Du Zhong hadn't mentioned it to her at all in the past half day. He just answered whatever she asked. He was like a spinning top; he wouldn't move unless she was whipped!
Indeed, something happened to the Qi family, and it involved a life. Xu Bai should stay at home. It wouldn't be difficult for him to ask Prince Zhao for leave to return. Last night, Yu Qi slapped him at Luoshan Post Station. I remember he vomited blood at the time. I wonder if he's feeling better? It's all her fault that he's been implicated.
She felt ashamed and embarrassed, her thoughts wandering. Yu Qi glanced at her and called out, "What are you thinking about, Yu'er?"
She blinked quickly, "Huh? No, I wasn't thinking about anything."
Seeing her guilty and absent-minded expression, he knew it was because Qi Xubai had just been mentioned. His expression turned cold, and he said in a low voice, "What, are you happy because you heard that Qi Xubai is back?"
Jiuli rolled her eyes at Du Zhong from behind his shoulder and muttered, "Who said I was happy?"
"If it's not happiness, then what is it?"
"I was just wondering if his injury was getting any better."
Yu Qi said impatiently, "He won't die. What kind of man can't even take a slap? Even if he dies, it won't be a shame."
Du Zhong was completely confused, but seeing that the two were about to argue about Qi Xu Bai again, he quickly interjected, "Speaking of Qi Xu Bai, won't this case be difficult to handle? Madam Qi is his legal mother. If she really framed Master, do you think she will obstruct and protect him? And that Qi Xu Yun, he is Madam Qi's biological son."
Yu Qi pondered for a moment, then slowly walked out of the room. “I think Qi Xubai doesn’t really treat his stepmother as his mother. He only respects her and listens to her in name, but there’s not much mother-son affection between them. As for Qi Xuyun, I heard from your Uncle Zhao that he has always been honest and upright as an official—but since his mother is involved, no one can say for sure. That’s all for later. According to Madam Qi’s maid, Wang Mama, this lady has been spoiled since childhood and can’t even watch a chicken being killed. If she were to commit murder, what deep-seated hatred could she have? Chen Zifang is just a servant in the Qi family. What kind of deep-seated hatred could he have for the mistress of the house? To investigate this case, we have to start with Chen Zifang.”
As he spoke, he walked up to Jiuli, twisted her hair behind her back with one hand, and used the other to tidy up her slightly messy hair. His face was still cold. "Go back. It's almost midnight. Call a constable to take you back."
Jiuli thought to herself, "I didn't realize he was such a jealous person." She complained while secretly finding it amusing, the smile spreading across her face. Suddenly, she took his arm with both hands, looked up at him, and asked, "What would you like to eat tomorrow? I'll have Aunt Qing make it and bring it to you."
Yu Qi was half-smiling, half-joking with her coaxing, but fearing that Du Zhong would notice, he pulled his arm away and sat down on the daybed. "I'm either at the yamen or at the Qi residence, I can eat in both places, so I won't bother." As he spoke, seeing that she looked unhappy, he added, "Go back to sleep, we can talk about it tomorrow."
The implication was that she could visit again the next day. Jiu Li was overjoyed and happily went home with Du Zhong, lighting lanterns.
The next day, before dawn, the two got up and, without even having breakfast, headed to Xiaowang Lane to find Liu. The morning mist hadn't yet dissipated, and the rising sun was half-hidden in the fog. Yuqing, worried about the shop, rushed to the ceremonial gate and asked, "Since you two have both gone out, who will look after the shop?"
Jiuli turned around and sneered, "Hmph, with that Xu guy spreading rumors about our family like that, how can we expect to have any business these days? Besides, everyone in the neighborhood knows that Uncle has been taken to the yamen, and those who want to see Uncle for treatment haven't come back these days. Brother Xiang can take care of us by getting medicine according to the prescription. If we don't solve this case first, the shop's business won't be good."
Yuqing thought it made sense, and luckily she also knew how to dispense medicine, so she said, "Alright, you guys go ahead, wear more clothes! Look how cold it gets these days."
The two readily agreed, but instead of returning to their rooms to put on more clothes, they went out again through the ceremonial gate, walking and talking as they went. Du Zhong asked about what had happened the night before: "You said last night that Qi Xubai was injured? I saw him yesterday and he was perfectly fine. Where was he injured?"
Jiuli had no choice but to tell him about Yu Qi slapping him. Du Zhong was surprised to hear this, "Master knows martial arts?"
She raised her eyebrows and said, "Your uncle never really used much force when he hit you before."
Du Zhong pouted, "Why doesn't he teach me martial arts? Maybe I'm just born to learn martial arts."
“My uncle doesn’t like fighting, so naturally he doesn’t want to teach others. What’s wrong with living a peaceful life? Why does he have to fight and kill?”
"Then where did he learn his martial arts?"
She shook her head, thinking, "I don't know. I guess it was his master who taught him. Even his medical skills were taught by his master."
"Who exactly is Master's Master?"
Jiuli shook her head again, "I don't know either. My uncle only said he was a traveling doctor, but he never told me his name or anything."
Du Zhong looked at her, then suddenly leaned closer with a grin, "Is there something your master isn't telling you? Don't you two often talk about things I don't know? For example, what did you and your master talk about in the room last night?"
So all that going around in circles was to find out what happened last night. Could it be that he figured something out overnight? Jiu Li's heart tightened. She glanced at him, then pulled his ear over and whispered with a smile, "Master said he wants to find you a wife. He already has someone in mind."
Du Zhong immediately raised his eyebrows. "Who?"
She whispered in his ear, "She's the daughter of the Hengfeng Cloth Shop owner on our street."
Du Zhong suddenly jumped up and down in a panic, "I'm going to die! I've seen the young lady from Hengfeng Cloth Shop, she doesn't look like Zhang Fei but she looks like Li Kui! I won't allow it!"
"That's not up to you to decide," Jiu Li snorted and walked forward.
This interruption distracted Du Zhong from his doubts. He kept pestering Jiu Li to plead for him, even if it meant putting aside Xiu Zhi's matter, he wanted to get back to the Hengfeng Cloth Shop. Jiu Li laughed and joked the whole way, but didn't tell him a single truthful answer.
Amidst laughter and chatter, they arrived at Yuchang Street, where Xiaowang Alley was located. The shops along the street were already open, and there were many tourists hurrying forward, wondering what exciting event was in store.
The two of them rushed over to see what was happening. They saw Liu, dressed in mourning clothes, weeping with one hand covering her face, and leaning on a thin bamboo pole with the other. A banner hung from the pole, with a large character for "injustice" written at the top, and several lines of bold regular script below, detailing how Yu Qi had set fire to the Qi residence and burned her husband to death.
Jiuli was furious and turned to Du Zhong, asking, "Didn't the autopsy results already come back to Liu yesterday? How come she's still saying Chen Zifang was burned to death?!"
"Who knows her?" Du Zhong frowned and looked into the distance, then nudged Jiu Li with his elbow and offered his chin, "Look."
There was another Xu family employee standing on the street in the distance. Needless to say, even this Liu woman was instigated by the Xu family!
With tears streaming down her face, Liu said to the passersby, "Neighbors, if you have any free time, please accompany me to the Censorate and help me make a scene. I have no other choice. The Yu family is rich, and he's a clerk in the yamen. They say they'll arrest him and take him to the yamen, but who knows what's going on inside? They're just trying to fob me off. What can a widow like me do? I have no choice but to trouble the magistrates of the Censorate to do this for me!"
She actually managed to persuade a few idle busybodies to go with her. As Jiuli watched them walk forward, she pulled Du Zhong aside and whispered a few words in his ear.
Upon receiving the order, Du Zhong hurried over to Liu Shi, deliberately adopting the airs of an adjutant, and stroked his chin as he asked, "Are you Liu Shi?"
Liu nodded in surprise, then said, "The magistrate summons you for questioning. Come with me to the yamen!" As he spoke, he pointed to the onlookers in the street, "If any of you know any clues, come with me!"
The crowd immediately waved and dispersed. Jiu Li stepped forward, looking at the banner in Liu's hand and laughed, "You've been a servant in the Qi family for so many years, don't you know that by writing this petition, hanging this banner, and even taking it to the Censorate, if it's found that Doctor Yu wasn't the murderer of your husband, you'll be accused of false accusation. Don't you know how your husband really died? Yet you insisted on listening to others' instigation and making such a fuss. If you're countersued in the future, will the people who instigated you have to clear your name?"
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Author's note: Thank you for reading.
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