Liu Qinshi
When Mo Wu's imposing figure stood next to Lord Chen, Lord Chen's arrogance visibly diminished by three points.
Shen Wumei turned and went upstairs expressionlessly, with Zhu Qinghe quickly following. Behind them, Lord Chen, with a grim expression, was escorted out by Mo Wu.
The two went straight upstairs to the Agarwood Pavilion, naturally ignoring the venomous gaze behind them.
Zhu Qinghe strolled around the Agarwood Pavilion, lingering over the dressing table for a while. She picked up a simple and elegant wooden hairpin and examined it closely before asking, "Is this Agarwood Pavilion Miss Linlang's residence?"
Shen Wumei: "Not bad."
Then, sensing something was amiss, she squinted and looked over: "Didn't you say you'd never been to Hongxiuzhao before?"
He didn't tell Zhu Qinghe that Chenxiang Pavilion was Linlang's residence. If it was true, as she herself said, that she had never been to Hongxiuzhao, then how did she know?
He walked over, his hand resting on the knife at his waist. Zhu Qinghe held out a wooden hairpin in her hand to him: "Look, there are words engraved on the hairpin."
Shen Wumei took it and examined it. Sure enough, she saw the two small characters "Linlang" on the head of the wooden hairpin. Although the hairpin had a unique shape, resembling a graceful crane, upon closer inspection, the workmanship was not very skillful.
Even the two characters "琳琅" were carved somewhat crookedly, looking rather clumsy.
"What insight do you have, sir?" Zhu Qinghe asked, noticing his focused expression and the slight furrowing of his brows, as if he had made a discovery.
Instead of answering, Shen Wumei asked, "Where do you think this wooden hairpin came from?"
Zhu Qinghe stroked his beard and said, "Miss Linlang is the most beautiful courtesan in Hongxiuzhao. This wooden hairpin is neither expensive nor exquisite, so it certainly wasn't bought by her."
Shen Wumei chimed in, "Then it was a gift from someone else."
“That’s right.” Zhu Qinghe nodded. “It was probably made by hand by that person, since the workmanship is rather rough.”
"So you think the person who gave you the hairpin is a suspect?" Shen Wumei's gaze fell on Zhu Qinghe. When this conman was serious, he actually seemed quite reliable.
But he really doesn't look masculine at all. Could it be that this kind of ambiguous, neither-male-nor-female temperament is required for people in their line of work?
Zhu Qinghe had no idea what Shen Wumei was thinking; all her attention was focused on the case.
"Not necessarily," Zhu Qinghe pondered for a moment. Perhaps it was just a handmade hairpin given to her by Linlang's sweetheart, which didn't necessarily mean anything.
It was just that this wooden hairpin stood out among the many ornate pearl and jade hairpins and accessories. Thinking of Linlang, Zhu Qinghe's eyes flashed, and she asked, "Linlang isn't still locked up, is she?"
She's a delicate and beautiful woman, and there's no conclusive evidence that she's the murderer. Isn't this cold-faced devil handling the case a bit too casually?
Shen Wumei didn't understand the condemnation in her eyes. "Chen Shikun died in Chenxiang Pavilion. If she hadn't been locked up, her personal safety would not have been guaranteed."
Zhu Qinghe hadn't expected it to be for this reason; it seemed she had misunderstood him.
Never mind, as long as she can solve the case quickly, she can go back to being her carefree Mr. Science.
After much thought, I decided to start with the madam, since she was the one who knew the girls at Hongxiuzhao best.
When they followed Shen Wumei to interrogate the madam, they unsurprisingly received surprised looks from the group of constables. Those looks, translated, clearly meant, "Why does the boss keep this conman around? Is he cursed?"
Zhu Qinghe rolled her eyes. She was the one who was the most miserable.
*
The madam had been confined to her room for the past few days and couldn't go out, so she couldn't do business. She was so worried that she lost a lot of hair. When the door was pushed open, she looked up and saw that very fierce-looking official.
Behind her followed a young man in a moon-white robe. Upon closer inspection, she realized—oh dear, he was an acquaintance.
"Mr. Science!" The madam's tone was as excited as if she had seen a relative. Ever since the day the accident happened, the madam had regarded Mr. Science as a god descended from heaven, after all, something had indeed happened to Hongxiuzhao.
With such undeniable facts before her eyes, how could she not believe it?
Zhu Qinghe calmly cleared her throat: "Aunt Zhang, you look quite haggard these past few days."
The madam looked distressed: "I'm so worried about this whole mess."
Zhu Qinghe nodded: "I understand."
Shen Wumei sat down at the table with an air of authority, her tone cold and stern: "Let's get down to business."
That concludes our reminiscing; let's get down to business.
"How did Linglong die?" Shen Wumei went straight to the point, and the madam's expression visibly changed upon hearing this.
The madam seemed a little guilty, her eyes darting away as she looked to the side: "Linglong... it was suicide. She was a girl with a tragic fate, but she shouldn't have anything to do with this case, right?"
Shen Wumei took out a booklet from her bosom and said in a calm tone, "This is a record about Linglong's suicide. I specially went to the Ministry of Justice to retrieve it. I do have a few questions I want to ask you."
The madam instinctively shrank back: "I...I...I don't know anything."
"Linglong's death has nothing to do with me. She was just being foolish. She had already become the top courtesan, and she would have been living a life of luxury in the future. She was just stupid." When she mentioned this, the madam's expression showed some resentment and regret.
That's a pity, like losing a money tree.
"Can't think straight?" Shen Wumei quickly grasped the key point. "What is she unable to think straight about?"
The madam's face showed signs of exhaustion that even makeup couldn't conceal. Her drooping nasolabial folds made her look old and tired. She pursed her lips uncomfortably: "Naturally, she doesn't recognize her own status and is arrogant and delusional."
"There seems to be a story behind this," Zhu Qinghe thought to herself. However, with Shen Wumei in charge, the madam couldn't hold out for long and soon revealed the whole truth behind Linglong's death.
This beautiful young woman had a tragic fate. She was sold to a brothel by a slave trader when she was very young. The madam took good care of her because of her beautiful appearance. After she came of age, she was recommended to be the top courtesan and made a lot of money for the brothel.
Who knew she was unruly and ungrateful, always thinking of leaving Hongxiuzhao. The madam still felt indignant about it.
"That little slut, who does she think she is? If I hadn't bought her back then, she'd probably be dead somewhere. I raised her with good food and drink, and now she's all grown up and doesn't listen to me anymore."
"So Linglong committed suicide because she didn't want to stay at Hongxiuzhao. You forced her to her death?" Shen Wumei's tone was cold and intimidating.
Upon hearing this, the madam loudly protested, "Sir, that's not how it is. After all, I watched Linglong grow up. How could I force her?"
"Then why is that?"
The madam looked troubled, her pleading eyes unconsciously drifting towards Zhu Qinghe.
Zhu Qinghe lightly tapped the table, her tone gentle: "Mother Zhang, you should tell the truth. Lord Shen is not an easy person to deal with."
"If you anger him, not even a half-immortal like me, or a true god in heaven, can save you."
The madam shuddered, but still managed to say, "Linglong has fallen in love with Liu Bohan, the musician at Hongxiuzhao, but Liu Bohan loves Linlang."
Shen Wumei and Zhu Qinghe were on their way to Liu Qinshi's house. Zhu Qinghe asked, "Weren't all the people at Hongxiuzhao under your control on the night of the incident?"
"Why was this musician Liu notably omitted?"
Shen Wumei: "That person wasn't at Hongxiuzhao that night."
Zhu Qinghe: "In this way, Liu Qinshi has an alibi, so Chen Shikun's death should be unrelated to him."
"Although he was not present, it does not necessarily mean that he was not involved in this matter."
As dusk fell and the summer heat dissipated, the air around them became cool and refreshing. The two walked along Xiding Street. Zhu Qinghe's gaze swept to the place where she used to set up her stall. The big-character poster was pasted alone on the wall, and no one paid any attention to it anymore.
Zhu Qinghe suddenly felt a sense of crisis. It was a sensitive time when she was changing her address, and she was also involved in a murder case with nowhere to escape. Wouldn't she lose all her old customers?
How much money will be lost in one day?
Although she had obtained the land deed for the shop from the Song family, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't cause any trouble behind the scenes. She had experienced the Song family's treachery firsthand in her previous life.
Thinking of this, she looked at Shen Wumei and was about to speak when the man seemed to see through her thoughts and said, "Ten taels a day."
"…!" Zhu Qinghe's eyes lit up, and she beamed with joy: "I am willing to serve you, my lord, even if it means dying for you."
Shen Wumei curled her lip. "Only ten taels? What an ignorant swindler."
Liu Bohan lived in Qingwu Lane, a remote and inexpensive place where the rent was cheap. The residents were mostly poor, but the quiet and elegant environment made it quite suitable for a refined scholar like him who played the zither.
Shen Wumei glanced at her, and she resignedly went to knock on the door.
A moment later, a voice came from inside asking, "Who goes there?"
Zhu Qinghe introduced herself, and the visitor quickly opened the door. It was a thin young man of young age, with a pale face as if he were seriously ill. His brows were furrowed with deep melancholy, and his forehead was dark and sallow, indicating that he was plagued by bad luck and looked like he was about to die young.
Zhu Qinghe frowned slightly. This man was refined and elegant, how could he have such a fate?
Liu Bohan was also very surprised to see the two of them. He did not recognize Zhu Qinghe, but he did recognize Shen Wumei.
"Lord Shen, is there something important you wish to discuss with me today?"
"I've come to you to learn more about the case."
He had heard about the murder at Hongxiuzhao, and thinking of Linlang, he suppressed his grief and sorrow, took a step back, and welcomed her in.
"Please come in and speak with me."
Liu Bohan was extremely weak; he walked a few steps with difficulty, panting heavily. Zhu Qinghe couldn't bear to see him like this and asked, "Mr. Liu, are you ill? Have you seen a doctor?"
Liu Bohan smiled faintly and shook his head: "It's just a deficiency I was born with. I've taken a lot of medicine, but it hasn't helped much."
He placed a pot of tea on the table, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and Zhu Qinghe, seeing that he was really weak, took the initiative to reach out and pour tea for the three of them.
"Mr. Liu, please sit down and let's talk."
"Thank you, Mr. Science."
Liu Bohan looked at Shen Wumei and said, "If you have any questions, Lord Shen, you may ask them."
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