Lanting

Chapitre 11

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Then I would like to ask, why did Young Master Duan lie?"

Queyue slowly raised his eyes, his smile changing, "I wonder what brings you to such a statement, Officer Long?"

Long Yan continued to stare at Que Yue's face, trying to discern any change in her expression, but her smile remained flawless, which inexplicably annoyed him. He flipped up the card and said, "Young Master Duan said that he has been in his room ever since he left the banquet?"

"yes."

"Is that what Young Master Di said as well?"

“I think I’ve already said that.”

“Alright, then, why did someone see you—Young Master Duan—leave?” Long Yan stared intently at Que Yue after he finished speaking, but to his surprise, she did not refute him at all.

“Since Chief Constable Long already knows, I have nothing more to say.”

Having said that, Queyue didn't think there was any point in stubbornly denying it; it would only increase his suspicion. Longyan, however, was taken aback and blurted out, "Where did you go? What were you doing? Why did you hide it?"

"This..." Queyue hesitated slightly, but Longyan pressed, "Don't talk to me about personal matters at a time like this. This is an investigation! If you don't explain clearly, you'll all be suspects!"

Queyue sighed softly, then smiled again. "Since that's the case, there's no need to hide anything. I did leave the room."

"Where to?" Long Yan pressed.

"Go see the owner of the clothing store."

"Him? What do you want to see him for?"

"It was just that the owner of the shop was quite interested in one of my musical scores, and we had a brief exchange."

"If that's the case, why did you and he hide it?"

Queyue looked at Longyan and slowly deepened her smile, which bloomed like a flower, making Longyan almost unable to resist looking away.

"Well... although we're just discussing the score, Master Yi is, after all, a man of the world. If people find out that the two of us are alone in a room, it will damage our reputation. We should avoid suspicion."

"That's just sophistry. You're both men, what do you have to offer—"

"But I am a woman."

"What!?" Long Yan asked subconsciously, then realized—"You're a woman!?" But the person in front of him—even though he was a bit slender and delicate, no matter how you looked at him, he was clearly a man!

Yet, a sudden realization dawned on him; he seemed to have finally found the source of the intense incongruity he sensed in this person. A woman dressed as a man! No wonder it struck him so strongly!

"If you are a woman, why do you dress as a man?!" He blurted out the question almost without thinking. Queyue deliberately showed a helpless expression, as if wondering why he would ask such a stupid question.

"I'm not a member of the martial arts world, so traveling like this is always inconvenient..." The implication was clear, and Long Yan realized her question was indeed pointless. What reason would a woman need to travel disguised as a man?

When Queyue acts, she's flawless; when she lies, she doesn't even blink. Now that she's physically weak, who could see through her lie if she claimed not to be a member of the martial arts world?

If revealing one's true gender could resolve the current predicament, why not do it?

"So...the owner of the clothing store also knew?"

"The owner of the clothing store has seen countless people over the years in the world of prostitution. How could he not recognize a mere piece of men's clothing?"

Long Yan thought to himself, but he couldn't see it at all... He clearly felt that something was wrong, but he just couldn't notice it... He secretly glanced at Que Yue, wondering if this woman had a masculine appearance?

"We can't just listen to your side of the story. Would you like to come with me to the clothing store owner so we can ask him directly?"

Queyue naturally understood that this meant a confrontation with the owner of the clothing shop. She nodded, and seeing Adi's gaze, smiled at him. There was no need to worry; the most skillful lie is one that is half-truth. She wasn't afraid to confront the owner about her supposed visit to "discuss musical scores," and the fact that she was a woman… the owner already knew. From the moment she entered the owner's room, she knew he had seen through her disguise. The desserts on the table and the sweet aroma of tea filling the room were all prepared to entertain her. The tea was sweet plum tea, a favorite among women. The owner had already hinted at the facade he had seen through.

Long Yan strode ahead, leading them towards the depths of the corridor where the owner of the clothing store was located. A Di hesitated slightly, exchanging a glance with Que Yue.

"What's wrong?" Long Yan seemed to have noticed something and stopped walking.

"Captain Long, is this the path to Master Yi's room?"

"That's right, it was the owner of the clothing store who requested that he be placed in a secluded place... Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, I wonder if anyone else lives here?"

"There is only the owner of the clothing store."

Adi remained silent for a moment. This place... was exactly where the blue figure had disappeared. Could that treacherous person be connected to the owner of the clothing store?

Just as they were about to take another step, they heard a cheerful greeting: "Captain Long, ah, Young Master Di and Young Master Duan are here too."

They turned their heads and saw Old Man Rong walking in from outside the courtyard.

"Master Rong." The three greeted him briefly, and Long Yan asked, "What brings you here?"

“Sigh, such a big thing happened in the neighborhood, how could I, an old man, sit at home with peace of mind? I came to see if you need anything. If there is any inconvenience, please tell me.”

"You're too kind, Master Rong. However, since everyone here is involved in the case, it would be best if you were to leave."

"Yes, yes, I was rash. But Zifeng and Xiaotao are my most beloved disciples, and the others are also talented in the class. I couldn't help but be overly concerned."

Indeed, apart from Adi and Queyue, two outsiders, and some disciples of Qinlou, most of the people here were members of the dance troupe. Old Man Rong's concerns were indeed reasonable.

Long Yan had no intention of making things difficult; he had only offered a slight reminder. Now, he softened his tone even further, saying, "This is, after all, the troupe leader's place. If the troupe leader wants to come, I, Long, cannot stop him. However, I will inevitably have to ask the yamen runners to accompany him to avoid suspicion."

"Thank you very much, Officer Long! Ah, where are you and the two young masters headed?"

"However, I'd like to have a chat with Master Yi." Although the person who left the banquet was the prime suspect, it couldn't be said that anyone at the banquet was innocent. Long Yan didn't want to reveal too much to Old Man Rong. After all, one doesn't necessarily have to do the killing themselves. Before the case is solved, no one can be completely absolved of responsibility.

Episodes 23-24

With his years of experience, Master Rong knew how to read people's expressions. Seeing that Constable Long's words were ambiguous, he took the initiative to leave, not wanting to join the fun at Master Yi's place.

The three of them walked to the main entrance of the clothing store. Long Yan had just raised his hand and hadn't even knocked when he heard a soft voice from inside: "Please come in."

Pushing open the door, the owner of the clothing store emerged from the inner room, dressed in a light blue robe. His demeanor was as serene and composed as a gentle breeze carrying clouds. He smiled faintly, not in a hurry to ask their purpose, but simply greeted them, "Please have a seat, gentlemen."

"No, Master Yi, there are some things I'd like to confirm with you."

Yi Moran's gaze swept over the three of them subtly, and she nodded. "Alright, please speak."

"Master Yi, why did you conceal the fact that Duan Jin had been in your room during the previous investigation?"

Yi Moran wasn't surprised by Long Yan's question. From the moment they entered, he had already guessed most of what was going on. He glanced again at Duan Jin's delicate and gentle demeanor as she followed behind Long Yan—Duan Jin was usually polite and refined, possessing a completely masculine air, utterly devoid of femininity. But her current behavior was somewhat unusual. Knowing the underlying reasons, how could Yi Moran not understand her implication?

He deliberately feigned hesitation and said slowly, "It seems that Chief Constable Long already knows something about this, but after all, this concerns other people's private affairs..."

“Master Yi, I’m afraid we should put personal matters aside for now, before dealing with the case.”

“Yes, in that case, I hope Young Master Duan will forgive me.” He gestured slightly to Queyue and continued, “It’s just that Young Master Duan is a woman disguised as a man, while I am a woman of the night. Although no one here knows her identity yet, we still have to be careful to avoid ruining her reputation.”

Since Queyue and Yiguanzhu were of one mind, Longyan could say nothing more.

It was Queyue who spoke up: "Officer Long, now that this matter has been explained... I wonder if you could ask Officer Long not to publicize the fact that I am a woman, since I am still traveling and it is inconvenient for me."

"I'm afraid I can't do this, please forgive me, Young Master Duan. After all, when investigating a case, even a slight misunderstanding could lead to missing important clues. I can only try my best not to make this public, but the officers handling the case need to know about it, and I will instruct them not to spread it."

"That's enough. I understand Officer Long's position. Thank you, Officer Long."

Long Yan felt extremely awkward looking at his composed and polite demeanor. Although he already knew she was a woman, he still saw her as a man, and besides, how could a woman possess such magnanimity?

As he pondered this, he became conflicted again. On one hand, he felt that she was a woman, which confirmed his intuition; on the other hand, he felt it was a real pity that such a person was not a man. The sense of incongruity he had previously dispelled lingered again.

He's just making trouble for himself, getting stuck on trivial matters without even realizing it.

Putting this matter aside, the case stalled again. Having exhausted all avenues, he immediately turned to a new one. Without wasting a moment, he instructed several trusted constables to expand the search area and question those who attended the banquet and those who were at the dance hall that day but did not participate in the banquet, in order to find new clues.

Long Yan left Yi Moran's room first. Que Yue paused slightly before leaving and asked, "Master Yi, did anyone come by just now?"

Yi Moran gently shook her head, "No, what is it?"

"It's nothing, goodbye."

The constables who had been dispatched to various places returned one after another as night fell. However, upon asking, it was discovered that one of the servants who had been doing odd jobs in the kitchen that day had seen Ah Di walking towards the inner courtyard!

Upon hearing this news, Long Yan frowned and told Adi without any concealment. If Adi could not explain this matter, he would have no choice but to imprison him.

"Captain Long, I'm sorry, I've never been to the inner courtyard, and I know absolutely nothing about this matter." Adi stood before Captain Long, neither humble nor arrogant. His words were just that—words; believe them or not, it was up to you.

"So after Duan Jin left the room, is there anyone who can prove that you were still in the room?"

"No."

“Young Master Di, although this is only a testimony, I cannot help but doubt you. Please do not leave the room from now on. If we discover any other evidence that is detrimental to you, please come with us back to the yamen.”

Adi returned to her room with a cold expression, her usual gentleness completely gone. She was cold all over, making people feel no warmth, and she didn't even have any "anger".

“Adi…”

Adi then realized her mistake, adjusted her mindset, and smiled helplessly, "Zhijin, it seems someone is intentionally trying to make us scapegoats." The clues initially pointed vaguely to Queyue, not clearly, as if testing her to see if she was a suitable candidate. Once it was discovered that this path was blocked, the blame immediately fell on Adi.

Adi sighed softly, "I just wanted to live a peaceful life with you, but things never go as planned... If they didn't bother me, I naturally wouldn't want to provoke anyone, but I can't ignore being framed like this."

Queyue nodded. Adi already had a very good temper, but even a good temper shouldn't be taken advantage of. She simply said softly, "I'll help you."

A gentle and kind smile returned to Adi's face as she jokingly said, "Zhijin, finding you is truly my blessing."

The two then sat down calmly to analyze the situation. Queyue glanced at Adi and asked, "Do you already have an idea in mind?"

Ah Di just loves talking to Que Yue; he's intelligent and perceptive, so Ah Di doesn't need to say a word more.

“That’s right. In my opinion, there are two possibilities. One is that someone from the dance troupe is going to kill someone on his own turf, so he naturally needs to find a scapegoat. The other is that it’s the owner of the clothing store. Is Qin Lou’s arrival here at this time a coincidence or a deliberate arrangement to frame the dance troupe, but we just happened to arrive at this time.”

Queyue seemed to care a little about this guess. Adi noticed this, looked at her, but said nothing.

"You suspect the owner of the clothing store?"

“I just have no reason to exclude him. If it were someone from the dance troupe, it could be anyone. But if it were Qin Lou—the only person who can decide the fate of so many people in Qin Lou is Master Yi.”

"But if the goal is assassination...wouldn't it be more appropriate to do it at the residence? It would be less likely to leave any clues. Why go through all this trouble..."

Adi couldn't help but smile at Queyue's question, a hint of curiosity creeping into her mind about Queyue's past. She seemed quite familiar with assassination techniques and related matters, yet perhaps less so with the style of these scattered assassins in the martial world. "The corpse I saw back then certainly wasn't the work of an amateur, but the killer wasn't a master either, probably not a professional assassin. There are many clandestine organizations in the martial world that sell information, provide spies and informants, and occasionally commit murder. For them to infiltrate and kill undetected would be difficult; they wouldn't do something that could cost them their lives. So, if the reward is tempting enough, they'd rather go to great lengths to plan carefully and ensure success before taking action. Completely different from the desperate assassins."

Queyue nodded to indicate that she understood. It seemed that although she often traveled around the martial world, she was always carrying out missions and would return to the waterside pavilion after completing them. After all, she had no way of knowing about things that she could not come into contact with.

"But... I don't think it could be the owner of the clothing store..." Queyue was somewhat surprised that she would say such a thing without any evidence. She wouldn't easily let her subjective opinions lead to unverified speculation, much less draw conclusions so readily. Why...?

But when she thought of that man who was as calm and collected as the wind and clouds, she secretly didn't want to doubt him.

Adi glanced at Queyue, said nothing more, and smiled gently at her, "Alright, let's focus our attention on the dance class for now."

“Adi…”