"Let that young lady in." A clear, jade-like voice brushed past my ear. I turned around in surprise, only to see a woman in a tight-fitting outfit winking at me. It was none other than Shen Suxin, a constable from the martial arts world. She still had the charming beauty of a young girl, but now she possessed a touch more composure.
"Suxin, what are you doing in Yuhang?"
“Ruyan, we are truly destined to meet. As the saying goes, the West Lake is beautiful in March, with spring rain like wine and willows like smoke. I was also captivated by the beauty of the West Lake, which is why I came here. Who would have thought that a bizarre murder would occur? There are only a few days left before the Imperial Concubine arrives in Yuhang for her visit, so I had no choice but to come out and help investigate the case.” Shen Suxin winked mischievously and said, “I just met Young Master Dugu and learned that you are also in Yuhang. With such a big event happening, you, being the busybody you are, wouldn’t stay hidden. I’ve been waiting here for half an hour.”
"You little rascal, you're getting smarter and smarter."
Jinxiu Yuanyang Embroidery Shop has been open for over a decade. Originally, it was run by two sisters from Miao territory, the elder named Jinxiu and the younger named Yuanyang. However, after Jinxiu and Yuanyang got married, the shop was handed over to Yingchun. This originally unremarkable embroidery shop was transformed into the most famous embroidery shop in Yuhang by this woman's skillful hands. Yingchun adored lotus flowers, especially blue lotus flowers. The silk thread she used for embroidery was dyed with the sap from the roots and stems of a flower, resulting in an incomparably beautiful blue, and the blue lotus flowers she embroidered were breathtakingly beautiful.
On the night Yingchun died, all the blue lotus flowers she had embroidered disappeared without a trace.
This includes the blue lotus embroidered screen from Prince Yan's mansion.
"Ruyan, the embroiderer's body has been pieced together, but she's missing a pair of hands." Shen Suxin led me to the well where Yingchun's body had been thrown. Bloodstains still lingered at the wellhead, and even after the yamen runners washed it, a nauseating stench of blood remained.
"Has the murder weapon been found?"
“The murder weapon was an ordinary wood-chopping knife, which the constables have already taken as evidence,” Shen Suxin said, her face scrunched up. “That murderer was a real pervert, cutting the person into pieces, but we couldn’t find the hands. Or maybe the murderer coveted the embroiderer’s skillful hands and kept them as a treasure.”
As a constable in the martial arts world, Shen Suxin had probably seen just as many corpses as living people, to put it dramatically. Judging from her horrified expression, it must have been a truly gruesome scene. I sighed and said, "Even Consort He's favorite blue lotus embroidered screen is missing. If we displease her, she might take her anger out on Prince Yan's residence."
The Princess Consort of Prince Yan's Mansion secretly met with Miss Yingchun last night. If I hadn't been so curious and followed her here, I probably wouldn't have known either. But why would the Princess Consort kill an embroiderer? Judging from her tone, the Princess Consort wanted her to embroider something, something that couldn't be mentioned to anyone else. If I'm the one who knocked over the tile and brought about her death, I'm afraid I can't have peace of mind no matter what.
5
A few emerald green lotus leaves floated on Chewan Lake, just as the new lotus leaves were beginning to grow, still attached to the withered branches at the bottom of the lake. Several red carp swam in the lake, and the princess was throwing some crumbs of dry food into it. A large group of red fish gathered on the blue waves, happily vying for the food. The maid beside her couldn't help but remind her, "Your Highness, be careful not to fall into the lake."
The princess slapped me hard, seemingly suppressing great anger: "You damned lowly servant, you wish I would fall into the lake and drown, so that all you pheasants could fly to the treetop and become a phoenix."
"Your Majesty, spare me! I didn't mean it that way..." The maid was so frightened that she knelt down and cried loudly.
"I doubt you have the guts. If you dare seduce the Prince, I'll throw your whole family into the lake to feed the fish." The Princess returned to the Chewan Pavilion, her anger still simmering, her hands trembling so much she almost dropped her cup. I casually led Xi'er to the lakeside, praising the beauty of the red carp, and when I looked up, I met the Princess's slightly dimmed eyes.
"Ruyan greets Your Majesty. Xier said the koi in Chewan Lake are beautiful, but I didn't believe it. Now that Your Majesty has come, they are indeed extraordinary."
The princess's expression immediately changed, and she waved to me with a smile, saying, "These past two days have been busy with many matters in the manor. If there has been any inadequacy in our hospitality, please forgive me, Ruyan."
"Your Highness is too kind. The Imperial Concubine will arrive in Yuhang tomorrow, and I already feel guilty that I can't be of much help. However, I haven't been idle; I'm currently investigating the case of Yingchun, the young lady from Jinxiu Yuanyangfang, who was murdered. This is crucial to the whereabouts of the Blue Lotus Embroidered Screen in the manor." I pretended to drink tea, subtly observing the Princess's actions.
Her hands clenched nervously, and even her smile became somewhat awkward: "That's right, everyone in the manor says it's the work of a vengeful spirit, which has caused widespread panic."
"Does Your Highness know Miss Yingchun?"
"As a lady of noble birth, how could I possibly leave the palace on ordinary days? I've collected several of her handkerchiefs, all of which were embroidered by her maids."
I nodded silently, not exposing her lie. Not long after, a middle-aged woman dressed as a maidservant approached. The woman seemed very familiar with the princess, a fawning smile plastered on her face. Flattery never fails. She gave a deep bow, proclaiming, "This humble woman greets Your Highness."
"Grandma Zhang, get up. Have you brought the person?"
"Yes, the person has been brought here. They are in Jin Hong Courtyard in the manor. Would Your Highness like to go and take a look?"
"When the prince returns later, I'll go with him to see her. If that dancer is just an ordinary one, you'll never be able to do business with Prince Yan's mansion in your lifetime."
Waving her handkerchief with a confident expression, Granny Zhang said, "Your Majesty, I, Granny Zhang, will make sure you are satisfied with what I do. This girl is not from the Central Plains; she is a woman from the Western Regions. Her skin is as white as snow, her eyes as blue as jade, and when she dances, she is like a fairy flying in the sky. I went to great lengths to find this girl; I put in a lot of effort."
"If it's really as you say, the money you're given will be enough for the rest of your life."
Upon hearing this, Granny Zhang left, expressing her deepest gratitude. The princess turned to me and said, "The Imperial Concubine loves watching dances, so the dancers in the palace must be the best of the best. This Granny Zhang is quite capable; she must be quite skilled. You should come with me to find the Prince, and we'll go to Jin Hong Courtyard together."
Jin Hong Courtyard was the residence of the palace's dancers and singers. A maidservant went to invite the prince and Dugu Leng to see the newly arrived dancer. Sure enough, upon entering the courtyard, one was greeted by a vast expanse of peach blossoms and willows. The girls, vying for attention, fluttered like butterflies, their long sleeves flowing like water as they practiced their dances, their voices like nightingales singing. Most captivating were the women sitting leisurely on stone benches, sipping tea.
Her skin was as white as porcelain, her hair as black as ink, and her eyes were emerald green. Her long hair was casually braided and hung over her shoulders, her fragrant shoulders and ankles exposed to the cool air. Her anklets jingled as she walked, like pearls on a plate. Dugu Leng couldn't help but praise, "Truly a beauty."
The woman, however, showed no stage fright. With a twirl of her toes, she began to dance with an alluring, bewitching grace. Her eyes seemed to captivate, shimmering like peach blossoms in spring water. As she spun, she resembled a blooming peony, prompting Prince Yan Min to clap his hands repeatedly: "This Hu Xuan dance is truly beautiful; even the Imperial Concubine would be mesmerized." I glanced discreetly at the Princess Consort; her beautiful eyes were filled with resentment and jealousy, like a sharp sword piercing the spinning woman.
As a wife, hearing her husband praise another woman would surely stir resentment in her heart, no matter how magnanimous she is. I glanced sideways at Dugu Leng, who happened to be turning to look at me with a smile. My heart pounded, and I blushed without realizing it.
6
Night fell, and all was quiet. Only the old night watchman's drumbeats broke the stillness, warning of fire. The lanterns in Prince Yan's mansion flickered with an eerie light. Shen Suxin, like a black bat, hung upside down from the eaves and knocked on my window. Dugu Leng and I opened the window, and she pulled down her veil playfully, saying, "Seventh Young Master, did we disturb your intimacy with Seventh Young Mistress?"
Are you jealous of my seventh young mistress?
"Forget it, the best man in the world is my brother, the one-armed young master Shen Ruosu."
“When you meet the man you love, you’ll realize that there’s no one better than him in the world,” I continued.
Shen Suxin blinked, and asked meaningfully, "Is the man you love really such a good person?"
I chuckled softly, saying nothing. Dugu Leng's hand paused in mid-air for a moment, then he finally tied his face mask. Under the cover of night, we leaped over the rooftops and arrived at the courtyard prepared by the Imperial Concubine in the back garden. The blue lotus screen, which had originally stood in the bedroom, was carefully carried into the room by several strong farmhands. The screen was made of fine cherry wood and was quite heavy; it was certainly not something that could be blown away by a gust of wind.
We stood on the roof, while the servants patrolling back and forth were only concerned with looking around with their lanterns, not even glancing up. It seemed any expert in martial arts could freely enter and leave the palace at night; such lax security was truly worrying.
"It's just like going into an ordinary person's home," Dugu Leng said.
"Alright, we're going to investigate secretly. If they're so well-guarded that not even a fly can get in, that would be terrible." Shen Suxin winked at me and said, "Let's go check out the princess's villa."
Fortunately, Dugu Leng and I had stayed at the Prince's mansion for more than half a month; if we had blindly barged in, we would have been completely lost. The Princess's villa was behind Chewan Lake. Walking through the vermilion corridor, the bright red lanterns cast hazy shadows. There were no guards at the Princess's door, and the candlelight inside flickered, with occasional voices coming from within.
We exchanged a glance and then poked a small hole in the window paper. The princess paced anxiously back and forth in the room, a little maid kneeling beside her, still sobbing softly.
"Tell me, what do we do now? You can't even handle such a small thing, you're completely useless!"
"Your Majesty, please spare me! I know I was wrong. That day in the kitchen, I was preparing bird's nest soup to deliver to Miss Ruyan when the old woman in the woodshed called me. So I put the bird's nest soup on the stove, but I didn't expect that Miss Meixiang would take it away..."
"Stop talking! How could I have raised such a useless piece of trash like you!"
"Your Majesty..."
"However, that Meixiang was also destined by heaven. She became arrogant and domineering because she was favored by the prince. Such a lowly person actually wants to become a phoenix on a branch. It's laughable."
“Meixiang’s body was transported out of the city and buried overnight. We told the girls in Jin Hong Courtyard that she stole something from the manor and ran away. Those girls were always angry at her arrogance but dared not speak out. Now that she’s gone, it’s finally peaceful.” Xi’er became a little smug as she said this, “This can be considered an unexpected gain.”
"Yes, but Liu Ruyan is investigating the bloodshed at Jinxiu Yuanyangfang again. You really need to keep a close eye on her..."
"Your Majesty, rest assured, Xi'er will definitely not make any more mistakes."
Dugu Leng suddenly gripped my hand tightly, shook his head, and gestured for me to leave. I was momentarily stunned, wondering how I had offended this princess and almost brought about my death. Even after returning to the courtyard, I was still in a daze. Shen Suxin, on the other hand, slammed her hand on the table in anger, cursing, "This princess is truly ruthless! If such a person remains in the world, only more innocent people will lose their lives!"
Dugu Leng shook his head and said, "There are flaws in the conversation between the Princess and Xi'er. If the sedan chair carried out of the manor that night contained Mei Xiang, then according to Xi'er, she drank poisoned bird's nest, so how could there be blood outside the sedan chair? Furthermore, the reason why the Princess is so determined to get rid of Ru Yan is that she is investigating the bloodbath at Jinxiu Yuanyangfang. The blue lotus embroidered screen in the manor was lost; she should be eager for the case to be solved. This shows that she seems to be connected to that case and is afraid that others will find out about her."
After a long moment of contemplation with my head down, I asked, "Is there something you're hiding from me?"
Dugu Leng chuckled and said, "My dear wife, you couldn't hold back and asked after all. It was indeed a gift from Miss Yingchun regarding that blue lotus embroidered handkerchief."
When did you meet her?
"She went to the Dugu family's cloth shop to buy fabric, specifically the extremely expensive thin silk. I was in the shop at the time, and she carefully asked me if this kind of fabric was semi-transparent when embroidered, and translucent in the sunlight. The shopkeeper said yes, and praised her for her good taste. So she asked the shopkeeper to send the fabric over. Later, when I passed by her embroidery workshop, she welcomed me in and treated me to the best tea and water."
"Why is she so enthusiastic towards you?" I frowned slightly. "There's no such thing as a free lunch."
“Maybe she’s taken a liking to the Seventh Young Master,” Shen Suxin couldn’t help but interject. I glared at her, telling her to shut up, but Dugu Leng nodded in agreement: “I also find it strange. She seems to have known all along that I was staying at Prince Yan’s residence. After exchanging pleasantries, she gave me a blue lotus embroidered handkerchief.”
I immediately found it strange. This Yingchun was a famous embroiderer in the city, how could she not know what kind of silk was suitable for her embroidery? "What is that silk used for?"
"The shopkeeper said that the silk is for making screens." Dugu Leng asked curiously, "Ruyan, what does that mean?"
I turned to Shen Suxin and said, "Go to Jinxiu Yuanyangfang again tomorrow and see if they have any silk fabrics that they sourced from the Dugu family's cloth shop. If not, check if anyone has recently ordered a screen from that shop."
"Okay, I'll get on it as soon as possible."
The moon outside the window was half-full, and I couldn't sleep despite the sounds of summer insects. The moon suddenly turned blood red, almost suffocating me. Dugu Leng's arm seemingly casually rested on my waist; perhaps I was truly tired and needed a safe haven. Thinking this, tears involuntarily blurred my vision.
Section Two: Herbal Fragrance
1
The people of Yuhang flocked to the streets to watch Consort He's carriage arrive at the gate of Prince Yan's mansion. The Dugu family was originally from Fulong Town, bestowed by the late emperor, and could be considered half-noble, so Dugu Leng and I naturally stayed in the mansion to welcome Consort He. She was a few years older than me, but she was extremely well-preserved, with skin as smooth as jade and eyes as bright as morning stars.
This Consort He didn't seem to like the obsequious Princess Zhu very much. She cried when she saw Master He, and the scene of the father and daughter reuniting was indeed touching. We outsiders felt it inappropriate to be present, so we quickly withdrew. Xi'er followed closely behind, and I pretended not to notice, letting this little maid put on her act.
"Miss, why aren't you saying anything?" Xi'er asked coquettishly. "Miss has been silent all day, is something on your mind?"
“Xi’er, why don’t we go to Jin Hong Courtyard to watch the dancers practice? There was a dancer named Mei Xiang who left the deepest impression on me. Her court dance was the most beautiful.” I took the opportunity to head towards Jin Hong Courtyard, but Xi’er stopped me nervously and said, “Miss, that Mei Xiang stole something from the manor and ran away a few days ago.”
"Oh? Has the manor sent anyone to chase after them?"
"Anyway, it's nothing important. The princess said to let it go."
"That's right."
"Miss, please go back to the courtyard first. I'll go to the kitchen and stew some bird's nest for you."
"OK."
Xi'er deliberately evaded the question, knowing the truth and not pressing the matter further. As a guest, I had no way of questioning the Princess without evidence. I hurriedly left the manor to find Shen Suxin. The setting sun had already spilled over the clouds, and darkness was quietly falling. I saw lights illuminating the city, and in the restaurants, I heard scholars and commoners alike discussing Consort He's visit home. At the table next to Shen Suxin and me, a handsome scholar was speaking eloquently. He said, "I just passed by Prince Yan's manor. It was so heavily guarded that not even a fly could get in. I could hear singing and dancing inside. If I could go inside and see for myself, it would be like being in the palace."
Another sighed and said, "My cousin works in the palace. He said the most famous maid in town hired a dancer from the Western Regions, and that dancer is absolutely stunning." Men's eyes always light up at the mention of a beautiful woman, and their conversation shifts from the banquet at the palace to the dancer. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I probably wouldn't have believed the rumor. Rumors are passed down orally, embellished and exaggerated, until they become unrecognizable.
I tilted my head back and drank a glass of wine, only to be mocked by Shen Suxin: "This is someone else's business, why are you trying to drown your sorrows in alcohol?"
"You just said that half of the silk fabric purchased from the Dugu family's cloth shop in Jinxiu Yuanyangfang is missing, but the order cannot be found in the accounting office, nor can the other half of the silk fabric be found?"
"How could it be fake? Based on my deduction, Miss Yingchun first accepted the mysterious person's order to buy the silk material for making the screen. After the screen was made, she let the mysterious person take it away. It was a cash-on-delivery transaction with no record kept. Presumably, this person made the screen for something that could not be seen by others."
I smiled and nodded. "You're absolutely right. That night, I sneaked into the Brocade Mandarin Duck Pavilion and peeled off a tile from the roof. What I saw was Princess Zhu. Yingchun was embroidering a blue lotus, but whether it was an embroidered screen, I don't know. However, this allows us to make a bold deduction. If Princess Zhu was indeed making a blue lotus embroidered screen, what was her purpose? There's already a blue lotus embroidered screen in the mansion, and it's something Consort He likes. A woman as clever as Princess Zhu would never do something so foolish at this critical juncture."
Shen Suxin chimed in, "It is indeed very unreasonable to do this."
"Let's change our assumptions. Suppose that Princess Zhu already knew the Blue Lotus Embroidered Screen was going to be lost. According to the records, the time when Miss Yingchun went to Dugu Manor to order the silk was the day before the screen was to be delivered to the Prince's residence. Princess Zhu knew the screen was going to be lost, so when she saw the screen, she had the design copied and gave it to Miss Yingchun. According to the accounting records, Miss Yingchun didn't take on any other orders in the days after she bought the silk. If she was working day and night, the night she died should have been the night Princess Zhu went to collect the goods. After receiving the goods, Princess Zhu killed her to silence her. In this world, only the dead don't speak."
"But while this makes sense, it also makes things more illogical. For example, where did the original blue lotus embroidered screen go? And where did the blue lotus embroidered screen that Princess Zhu embroidered go?"
"I'm also completely baffled. Where exactly is the trickery hidden here? I'm afraid the longer this goes on, the closer we get to the answer. So this is definitely not the end, but just the beginning."
Shen Suxin shook the wine pot and said, "There's no more wine. Let's stop here, so we don't get too sober. Ruyan, you're too pessimistic. This isn't like you. Has something happened between you and Seventh Young Master lately?"
"Isn't it the same as always?" I gave a wry smile, unsure how to answer.
"We've been friends for a while now, so feel free to speak your mind. Maybe I can give you some advice. When it comes to matters between men and women, it's often the case that those involved are blinded while bystanders see things clearly."
"We're probably nearing the end of our journey too."
What do you mean by that?
"There is no romantic love between Dugu Leng and me; it was all arranged by our parents. Although I am in love with him, a one-sided marriage can never bring happiness. If I didn't love him, that would be one thing, but I have fallen in love with him, and he doesn't love me. This is something I absolutely cannot accept."
Hearing this almost brought tears to my eyes again. Many things are easier said than done; if the time truly comes to part, I will have to be ruthless to leave him. We've become so accustomed to each other's presence, yet I cannot have his love. If he falls in love with another woman and takes her as a concubine, how can I bear it?
Seeing my silence, Shen Suxin's bright eyes were full of laughter. I looked at her with a hint of resentment, which made her laugh out loud: "I say, Ruyan, you are supposed to be a very intelligent person. How come you become so confused when it comes to your own affairs? Look at a man like Seventh Young Master. He has been married to you for a year and a half, and he takes great care of you both openly and secretly. He has seen so many women, but none of them have caught his eye. If you are not at ease, you might as well ask him yourself, instead of making wild guesses here."