Chapter 93: Reoffending

The night wind was howling, and the dusk was falling. Ming Huazhang returned from Jingzhao Prefecture in Guangdefang with a chill. The attendant followed him, holding a large pile of files in his arms: "My dear, you have been running around outside all day today, you should have a good rest. It won't be too late to look at these files tomorrow..."

Ming Huazhang pushed open the door, took off his cloak, and said calmly: "Put these scrolls in the study..."

Ming Huazhang paused as he put down his clothes, turned around, and stabbed Shuli with a look like a cold blade. Shuli, who stayed behind to guard the Qinghui Courtyard, crossed his hands helplessly and apologized.

He tried to persuade her, but the Second Lady was determined to come in and wouldn't let him tell her husband, so he really had no choice.

Ming Huazhang looked into the dark room and could almost feel the chill of late autumn coming up from the floor. He finally glared at Shu Li and signaled them to put the files down and leave immediately.

The attendant did not dare to disobey Erlangjun, and after paying his respects, he quietly withdrew, not daring to make a sound when closing the door. Ming Huazhang put away his cloak and slowly walked into the inner room.

After closing the door, the breathing became more obvious. Ming Huazhang gently opened the curtain and found that she was squeezed inside the curtain and had fallen asleep against the wall.

Ming Huazhang felt angry and helpless, and in the end he could only sigh. He leaned over resignedly and hugged her.

Ming Huachang felt like she had taken a nap, and she seemed to feel a little cold in the middle, but then she felt inexplicably warm. She rubbed the soft and cool fabric in front of her, and continued to sleep without knowing it, and was finally awakened by hunger.

She climbed up from the pillow drowsily, and something slipped off her shoulder. She instinctively grabbed it and found that it was Ming Huazhang's clothes.

Ming Huashang held the clothes in a daze for a long time before she slowly came to her senses.

It seemed like she hid in her second brother's room to scare him, but she accidentally fell asleep and woke up on his bed?

A dim light was faintly visible behind the screen. A red figure was sitting behind it, and the shadow of the screen could only vaguely reveal his figure. His facial features could not be seen clearly, which only made him look more elegant and his face more like jade.

He turned a page of the book, his fingers softened as they passed through the screen, looking even slenderer and whiter: "Awake?"

Ming Huashang was unable to face this devastating situation and silently fell back on the couch, trying to close her eyes and realize that this was just a dream.

Ming Huazhang chuckled and said calmly, "You have done a good job of cleaning up the traces. Those months in Zhongnan Mountain were not in vain. But you forgot that it is too late. If you were carrying out the mission, you would have been arrested by now."

Who said he was arrested? Ming Huashang angrily ripped off his clothes and said unconvincedly, "Who said that? I can still run and jump, how could I be arrested?"

Ming Huazhang glanced at her steadily and said with a half-smile, "You mean, next time I should tie you up?"

An image involuntarily emerged in Ming Huashang's mind. She woke up and found herself on her brother's bed with her hands tied... Ming Huashang was startled and quickly sat up from the couch, driving these images out of her mind.

Oh my god, what was she thinking? My second brother was a gentleman, a man of integrity and good character, how could she defile him like this?

Ming Huazhang stood up, poured some tea, and walked towards her through the screen. He saw Ming Huashang sitting on the couch somewhat stiffly, with her cheeks flushed abnormally. Ming Huazhang leaned over and reached out to feel her temperature: "What's wrong?"

Ming Huashang hurriedly dodged, Ming Huazhang paused, raised his eyes, and looked at her steadily. Ming Huashang's body was burning when she met her brother's gaze, and she started to talk nonsense when she was nervous: "Second brother, why are you here? No, when did you come back?"

Ming Huazhang looked at her dodging eyes, and did not insist any longer. He put down his hand and said, "I came back at 11:00 p.m. Have some water, your mouth is dry."

Ming Huachang then realized that he had just handed her water. She took it reluctantly and sipped it. Ming Huazhang stood in front of the couch, staring at her red lips that were gradually becoming moist, and asked suddenly, "You asked me what I wanted to eat tonight, and this is what you prepared for me?"

Ming Huachang's throat choked and she almost choked to death. She knew that her second brother was the most serious person and definitely didn't mean that, but why did these words sound so strange?

Ming Huashang smiled awkwardly, tickling her nails: "I had prepared a surprise for you, I wanted to scare you before serving you the meal, who knew..."

She was so useless that she actually fell asleep.

Ming Huazhang looked at her and smiled softly, saying with an ambiguous meaning, "It's indeed a surprise."

Ming Huashang felt that this night had probably made her lose all her face for the rest of her life. What was even more shameful was that she was hungry. How could she have the nerve to be hungry!

Ming Huazhang had already asked the kitchen to prepare a delicious meal for her, and now that he saw she had regained consciousness, he had someone serve the meal.

Ming Huachang thought that she had lost face, so she should stop making things difficult for herself and just eat. She drank the lily and lotus seed porridge in a self-destructive manner. Ming Huazhang originally did not eat after dark, but seeing that she was eating so happily, he could not help but drink half a bowl as well.

After the meal, the servants cleared away the dishes and chopsticks, and they were the only two people left in the room. Ming Huashang was thinking about what to say to ease the awkwardness, but Ming Huazhang had already walked behind the desk and waved to her.

Ming Huashang's thoughts were instantly shattered. She said, "Second brother is the most serious and gentlemanly person. He only has the case in his eyes. How could he have other thoughts?" She lifted her skirt and walked to the case, asking, "Second brother, what's wrong?"

Minghua Zhang handed her a piece of paper and said, "This is the portrait of Chu Jun you asked for. After you suggested that there might be more than one murderer, I went to Yizhuang again to check Chu Jun's injuries. Her lower leg was cut off at the joints, and the bones were chopped into pieces at the cut. It can be seen that the person who chopped it off with brute force, which is completely different from the style of the injuries of Huang Caiwei and her servant. After I checked the bones, I helped you draw Chu Jun's face."

This was painted by Ming Huazhang based on the deceased's face. It is the closest to reality under current conditions. Ming Huachang took it, looked at it carefully for a while, and asked, "What does Huang Caiwei look like?"

"That's exactly the second thing I want to tell you." Ming Huazhang said, "I have sent someone to deliver a letter to the Imperial College's chief academician, asking him to ask about Huang Caiwei, but he hasn't replied yet. When he agrees, I'll find an excuse to bring you to his mansion. I've also found the address of the coroner who buried the beggar woman. If you want to know something, make a list and I'll send someone to take it to my hometown to find him."

Ming Huashang nodded quickly and frantically searched for a pen. Ming Huazhang picked up a pen from the pillow, moistened the ink and handed it to her. Ming Huashang took it and lowered her head to draw, while Ming Huazhang sat beside her, holding the file and reading it.

When she woke up just now, he seemed to be looking at these. Ming Huashang glanced at them curiously and asked, "Second brother, what is this?"

"All the documents of the 33 monks in Pudu Temple." Ming Huazhang said, "After you left, I went back to Pudu Temple to check again, but I still couldn't find the person who spied on us today. Their testimonies were flawless. I originally thought that the murderer might not be a monk in Pudu Temple, but someone spied on us this morning. This overturned my guess. There must be something wrong with this group of people. I plan to check their identities and backgrounds one by one. I don't believe I can't find out."

Ming Huashang was shocked and said in disbelief: "I just took a nap in the afternoon, and you actually managed to do so many things?"

"It's not done." Ming Huazhang corrected calmly, "We've only just started investigating, and we're still a long way from solving the case."

Ming Huashang was speechless and once again felt the gap between Salted Fish and King of Curly.

Ming Huazhang had to check the identity certificates of the monks in Pudu Temple one by one. The workload was huge. Ming Huachang was very self-aware and did not dare to stay here to disturb him. He stood up and said, "Second brother, shall I go back first?"

Ming Huazhang raised his eyes and glanced at her, as if he wanted to say something, but finally nodded calmly: "Okay. I'll let Shuli take you back. Stay well in the mansion tomorrow. The murderer hasn't been caught yet. It's too dangerous outside. Don't run out just for a little food."

Ming Huashang responded helplessly: "I understand."

Ming Huashang took Chu Jun's portrait back to her room. Ming Huazhang was afraid that she would sneak out, so he left her a file with the testimonies of people around Chu Jun, such as the brothel owner. At this moment, there was no substantial evidence in the Huang Caiwei case and the female beggar case, so Ming Huashang stayed at home and carefully studied the murderer of Chu Jun.

If Ming Huashang only looked at Chu Jun's records, she could vaguely outline an image, but if she combined it with the previous two cases, she would be very confused.

Was it a gang crime? I don't think so.

Ming Huachang repeatedly overturned and redrawn the picture, and finally she began to doubt herself. She needed more information about the victim, but the yamen runners who went to find the old coroner had just left and had not returned yet. Ming Huachang negotiated with the Huang family several times, but Huang Jijiu was unwilling to see them.

Huang Jijiu was in charge of many students and presided over the annual ceremony to worship Confucius. It was a very noble and respected position, but his daughter died in such an unbearable manner. Huang Jijiu felt deeply ashamed and usually did not allow his wife and maids to mention Huang Caiwei. Ming Huazhang wanted to bring up the past and went to his house to question him. How could Jijiu tolerate it?

Others might have to consider the face of the Duke of Zhenguo and the Jingzhao Prefecture, but the Imperial College Chief Academician did not need to do so. The Huang family kept their doors closed and refused to allow anyone from the Jingzhao Prefecture to come in. Even when Ming Huazhang took the initiative to talk to the Chief Academician after leaving the court, he was given the cold shoulder by Huang.

Jingzhao Prefecture was turned away, and the case came to a standstill. Ten days passed before they knew it.

Rumors in Chang'an grew more and more unpleasant. Jingzhao Yin repeatedly urged progress, and even the Ministry of Justice intervened. Ming Huazhang became increasingly busy. He left the house as soon as the gate opened every day and returned only before curfew. He had to travel to several places a day, and even Ming Huashang could not see him.

In the Duke's Mansion, Madam Ming once again complained that Ming Huazhang should not go to Jingzhao Prefecture. The position of Fourth-Rank Shaoyin sounds glamorous, but it is not a good job with many responsibilities. If Ming Huazhang listened to her and went to Jixian Hall, Hongwen Hall and other clean places, why would he have to travel outside in the severe cold and wind like now?

After Madam Ming finished speaking, the second and third wives all agreed. Ming Huazhang was the only male official in the mansion, and his career was directly related to the marriage of Ming Yu and Ming Shuo.

If Ming Huazhang had followed the footsteps of the previous Jingzhao Yins and been dismissed and investigated early, the lives of all the women in the mansion would have plummeted. The lives of the second and third wives were like this, but what about Mingyu and Mingshuo? Their lives had just begun.

Yanshou Hall was filled with sorrow and sadness. At this time, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate daughters was irrelevant. Tang women had a close relationship with their natal families. If the brothers in their natal families were successful, even illegitimate daughters could live comfortably after getting married. If there was no one in their natal families, even if the legitimate daughter brought a rich dowry, no one would complain if her husband's family sold her.

This is why even though Ren Yao was the only daughter of the Pingnan Marquisate, Old Lady Ren was still busy adopting a concubine's son. In this era when daughters had no right of inheritance, all honor and disgrace had to be entrusted to men. The first half of life was the father, and the second half was the son.

Ming Huashang felt more and more uncomfortable the more she listened in Yanshou Hall. She could no longer sit there and found an excuse to leave. After she left, Zhaocai chased after her and asked, "Madam, why did you come out?"

"What else?" Ming Huashang asked, "Sit there and listen to them complaining about everything, hoping that a god will appear in the sky and pull the Duke of Zhenguo out of the mansion? It is a fact that my second brother went to Jingzhao Prefecture, and it is also a fact that the murderer has not been found. Instead of complaining about established facts, it is better to find a way to change the status quo."

Zhaocai also understood the truth, but Jingzhao Prefecture had been investigating for four years and still couldn't find the murderer. What could they do? Zhaocai comforted Ming Huashang and said, "My lady, don't worry, Erlang will definitely turn the bad luck into good luck."

Ming Huashang pursed her lips and said nothing. In her opinion, Zhaocai's blind optimism was no different from the blind pessimism of Old Lady Ming, the second and third wives in Yanshou Hall. Ming Huashang frowned, constantly thinking about what was wrong with her portrait and why she couldn't find the murderer. Suddenly, a maid ran in in a panic and said in horror: "Madam, you dare not go out. Another murder has happened in Chang'an!"