Chapter 5 Yaoer 5 Stones by the Pond
Does County Magistrate Zhao have a concubine?
Not only Xun Shu and He Xuan, but even Fang Yan, who worked in the government office and met with County Magistrate Zhao every day, looked stunned, as if he was hearing about this for the first time.
He Xuan's gaze swept across the bewildered Xun Shu, landing on Bai Xing's face. He asked in confusion, "I've heard that County Magistrate Zhao and his wife are very close and have a good relationship, but I've never heard that County Magistrate Zhao has a concubine."
Bai Xing snorted coldly, quite disdainfully. "Although a servant shouldn't discuss her master, since it's about my mistress's death, I shouldn't hide it. I've heard some of the rumors out there, but they're not entirely true. Four years ago, my master, having just taken office as the magistrate of Chaozhou, returned to his hometown and by chance encountered Zheng, a prostitute. He fell in love with her at first sight, and later redeemed her and brought her back to the mansion. Zheng was the descendant of a convicted official. Although she had fallen into prostitution, she had high aspirations and felt that being a concubine was a disgrace to the family. After entering the mansion, she withdrew to her own courtyard, rarely going out. However, this did suit my master's wishes, fulfilling his reputation as a loving wife, and thus earning the favor of many Chaozhou people. They had no idea that the loving couple they thought they had were already strangers. They had no idea that in addition to the eldest young master and second young lady, the Zhao family also had a third young master, born to a concubine, who could even recite the Three Character Classic."
Fang Yan frowned. "Why do you think this concubine would kill Madam Zhao? Is there any conflict between the two of them?"
"That's not the case. My wife is kind. After Zheng came into the family, she was heartbroken for a while, but she still accepted the matter and wanted to introduce Zheng to the noble ladies of Chaozhou. But every time my wife held a banquet, Zheng always found various excuses to refuse to attend, not giving our wife any face at all, and wasting her kindness in vain. But the master always sided with that vixen. He is really blind!"
Since moving into the Zhao residence, Bai Xing has been serving Madam Zhao. Despite their different social status, they are as close as sisters. After Zheng came into the house, Bai Xing had been secretly speaking up for Madam Zhao, but Madam Zhao always comforted her and told her not to dwell on these troubles.
Now that Mrs. Zhao is gone, all the grievances and sadness that were once suppressed finally have the chance to see the light of day.
"Is that all?" Fang Yan continued to ask, "From your description, Madam Zhao treated Zheng very well. Zheng had no reason to kill anyone!"
"So that's why Zheng is such a worthless person! She repays kindness with hatred!" Bai Xing raised her voice, sounding dissatisfied. "From the very beginning, Zheng has had ulterior motives! She just wants the Zhao family's fortune! The master only has two sons, and he already favors the youngest. Now that the mistress is gone, and Zheng is whispering in his ears, the family fortune will probably fall into the hands of Zheng and the third young master. Who will even remember the eldest young master? Poor eldest young master, he lost his mother at such a young age, what will he do in the future?"
Bai Xing was so heartbroken that tears fell down her face, leaving the people around her at a loss for words.
Zhao Yuanming, the eldest son of the Zhao family, was already sixteen years old and not an easy person to get along with. He was well past the age of innocence, so how could he be easily manipulated? How could he be as pitiful as Bai Xing described?
A breeze passed by, shattering the mirror-like stillness of the water and creating ripples; the reeds and surrounding weeds swayed from side to side, rustling and breaking the eerie silence.
Suddenly, He Xuan seemed to have seen something. He squatted down, brushed his fingertips along the stone railings beside the pond, and touched the bluestone slabs under his feet. He asked, "I see that the stone bricks and railings beside the pond are much newer than the bluestone slabs on this path. Was this pond dug later?"
Bai Xing didn't know how this incident related to Madam Zhao's death. She wiped her tears and answered seriously, "I don't know. I came to the mansion and served Madam four years ago. Back then, the backyard already looked like this." She paused, then added, "But I've heard from the elders in the mansion that my master is frugal. After taking office and moving into this house four years ago, he didn't do any major construction, only renovating a few courtyards where people live. This pond must have been there before."
He Xuan nodded and said no more.
Seeing that they had no further questions, Bai Xing bowed and said goodbye, heading to the front yard to help with Madam Zhao's funeral arrangements. Xun Shu and He Xuan stood side by side, one looking at the patterns on the railing, the other gazing out at the entire pond. Fang Yan, unsure of what they were looking at, approached them and asked curiously, "What are you looking at?"
Xun Shu did not hide anything. He pointed at the pond in front of him and said slowly, "Water belongs to Yin. If it is built in the north, the Yin energy will be too heavy, which will easily cause unrest in the family. If it must be built, it should not be built in such an angular shape. It should be built in an arc shape. As I walked along, I found this house very strange. The big layout pays great attention to Feng Shui, but the small details are a mess. I guess the house has changed owners, and the current magistrate Zhao who lives in it doesn't pay attention to these things. But this pond is really out of place. If it wasn't renovated by Magistrate Zhao-" Xun Shu's brows were twisted into a knot, and he sighed for a while, as if helpless, "Maybe I'm not good enough in my skills. I can't figure it out."
Fang Yan gently soothed her, "If you can't figure it out, stop thinking about it. Even if this pond and this house weren't built by the same person, or at the same time, that was many years ago, and probably has nothing to do with this case."
"That's right." Xun Shu put the matter aside for the time being and stopped worrying about it.
He Xuan still had his head down, seemingly not hearing Fang Yan's question. Fang Yan didn't bother to pay attention to him and was about to pull Xun Shu to go somewhere else, but Xun Shu tugged at He Xuan's sleeve and asked, "What did you mean by that question just now?"
He Xuan pointed to a pile of pebbles on the ground and answered irrelevantly: "It seems there is one missing."
Xun Shu and Fang Yan followed his finger and saw that the ground he pointed to was covered with round stones of varying sizes, some as large as apples and some as small as grapes. In the center of the pile of stones was a fist-sized gap, revealing the yellow-brown soil. It looked as if a piece of the ground was missing.
Xun Shu immediately understood what he meant. "Brother Ni just mentioned that there were signs of blunt force trauma to the back of Madam Zhao's head... Are you saying that the murderer picked up a rock from here and hit Madam Zhao?"
"That's possible."
Fang Yan frowned. "Perhaps there has always been a missing piece of stone here. How do you want to prove it?"
He Xuan looked at the pond in front of him and said calmly, "It's just a guess, so it can't be proven. Besides, even if this stone is really the murder weapon, the murderer would have thrown it into the pond after committing the crime. It would be difficult to find any trace of the stone after it's been soaked in water... Just think that what I just said was a joke."
-
After walking around the area for a few times and finding nothing unusual, they left the garden and headed towards the front yard. Fang Yan was going to Madam Zhao's compound to review the autopsy results. Xun Shu and He Xuan, not working for the government, did not follow him, and the three of them parted ways at the intersection.
After Fang Yan's figure completely disappeared, He Xuan said, "Let's go. Let's go back and report to Uncle Jiang that we're safe."
"Wait." Xun Shu pulled his sleeve, but his eyes were fixed on the direction of the mourning hall in the front yard. He pursed his lips and said hesitantly, "I want to go there and see if there is anything I can do to help."
He Xuan raised his eyebrows and looked at the little girl opposite him who was a head shorter than him: "Why, did you really believe what that maid said?"
Xun Shu hung his head, his shoulders slightly bent inward, and he looked dejected, like a wilted vegetable. "Yes and no. Madam Zhao's death had nothing to do with me, but I did interfere with Madam Zhao's fate, so I should do something for her. Otherwise, I'll always feel uneasy."
He Xuan heard her say this and stopped trying to dissuade her. He raised his foot and headed towards the mourning hall first: "Then what are you waiting for? If you go too late, there will be nothing you can do to help. You can only kowtow and burn incense with everyone else."
Xun Shu was stunned and hurried to catch up with He Xuan: "Slow down, wait for me."
-
Madam Zhao's mourning hall was located in the courtyard on the south side of the central road. The courtyard had two entrances, one in front and one in the back, sheltered by a massive shed. The space where the coffin was placed was now empty, likely because Madam Zhao's passing was sudden and the family had not prepared anything, so they had to make temporary arrangements.
In the center of the main room sat a long table, upon which sat an incense burner. Three incense sticks burned in the burner, and three wisps of smoke rose from it. Two lit white candles stood on either side of the burner, and in the corner stood an eternally burning lamp.
A woman in a coarse linen dress was sitting at the table, fiddling with the tribute on a plate. Hearing footsteps, she turned and looked at Xun Shu and He Xuan. Seeing that they looked unfamiliar and were not wearing mourning clothes, she frowned and asked, "Who are you?"
Xun Shu couldn't lie, and at a loss for words, she could only look to He Xuan for help. He Xuan gave her a reassuring look, then smiled at the woman and said, "We are friends of County Magistrate Zhao. We heard about Madam Zhao's situation and came to your house to see if there was anything we could do to help." He paused, then continued, "I've never met Madam Zhao before, and I don't know if she is—"
"I am Madam's former maid, my name is Sumei. I have left the Zhao Mansion for many years, so naturally you have never seen me."
This turned out to be Su Mei, she came quite quickly.
Xun Shu raised his eyes and looked at Su Mei quietly.
The person in front of me looked to be in his fifties, with a thin build, dull features, cloudy eyes, deep furrows at the corners of his eyes, dark circles under his eyes, mottled temples, and more silver hair than black hair.
This face is thin and vulgar, short-sighted and weak-willed. It is not a good face.
Su Mei noticed Xun Shu's gaze and frowned slightly: "Is this girl also a friend of Lord Zhao?"
He Xuan was about to answer for Xun Shu, but Xun Shu spoke first: "Mrs. Zhao came to look for you the day before yesterday. Did you two have a quarrel?"
Su Mei was startled by her sudden question and replied subconsciously: "It's not a quarrel, just a few arguments..."
"What's the matter?"
Su Mei bit her lower lip, not knowing how to answer. After a moment, she finally came to her senses, and a strong rejection appeared on her face: "This is a matter between my wife and me, why should I tell you?"
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