Early in the morning, at Minister Pei's residence, three or four of the most renowned tailors in Luoyang were taking measurements for Master Xianya, the elegant and graceful son of the household. The ceremony between the Pei and Prince Jing's residences was approaching, and both families were busy with preparations: new buildings, new furniture, new servants, and new luxurious fabrics, such as the recently arrived Jingwei silk from Qiantang, a top-quality fabric for noble men, with a dark purplish color that exuded extravagance. The tailors respectfully measured and greedily felt the beautiful patterns, remarking to each other that only garments made from such silk could match the elegance of the young master.
However, recently, Xianya's complexion had become pale, and his body had become leaner. The measurements taken before were no longer applicable.
While one tailor was measuring Xianya's shoulder width, a servant entered with a note, which Xianya glanced at and his expression changed slightly. He seemed troubled and hesitant, as if he had finally made a decision. Without another word, he left, leaving the bewildered tailors behind.
Outside a small teahouse near the South Fuyuan Gate of the city, there were two apricot trees in front of the entrance. In the farthest private room, Xianya lifted the curtain and entered. There was already someone waiting for him—the constable, Zhao Lanzhi from the Luoyang County police bureau.
Seeing Xianya's arrival, Zhao Lanzhi stood up and saluted, "Brother, how are you feeling now?"
Xianya smiled and replied, "It's nothing serious. But you, Lanzhi, your eyes look red. You haven't rested well, have you?"
"That's how it is in my line of work. Sometimes, I'm afraid that the criminals will take advantage of the opportunity and escape in just a blink of an eye," Zhao Lanzhi replied.
Xianya said, "Well, I asked, is there something so urgent that you had to call me out to talk?"
Pouring tea into Xianya's cup, Zhao Lanzhi watched the tea swirling in the cup as he spoke slowly, "Yesterday, at your residence, there were many people, and the situation was chaotic. Later, the princess came to visit, and I didn't have a chance to explain everything clearly. So, I specially invited you to have a talk."
Xianya pondered for a moment and sipped the tea Zhao Lanzhi had poured, "Yes, you mentioned before that you were investigating two cases simultaneously. One was about the smuggling of private salt, and the other was about the mysterious death of the dancer Ru Yue from the Qianduan Pavilion. That's where we left off."
Zhao Lanzhi nodded and continued, "Yes, and when I mentioned that, you spilled the medicine in your hands on the floor."
Xianya looked up at Zhao Lanzhi with a slight smile. He was somewhat prepared and said calmly, "Then, let's continue chatting. This time, I'll make sure to hold the cup tightly."
"Great! Yesterday, we talked about the tragic death of Ru Yue from Qianduan Pavilion. I wanted to ask, do you know this person?"
"Lanzhi, what role are you asking me in?" Xianya's smile faded, and he pondered for a moment before sighing deeply. "I know I can't keep this a secret. After Ru Yue was killed, I dreamt of her twice. Ah, Lanzhi, I did have some connection with Ru Yue."
"She used to dance for me, and I played the zither for her. Our encounters left a deep impression on me. Whenever we met, the moonlight was always beautiful."
"Life in the Qianduan Pavilion was not easy. She had to dance and entertain guests, and if anything went wrong, the madam would punish her. I once thought of redeeming her, finding a place for her to settle down comfortably. It's not that I am heartless, but rather she refused. We both understood very well that the son of the Imperial tutor could never give a dancer from a pleasure house any status. In this situation, it was better for her to stay at the Qianduan Pavilion and have her freedom."
As Xianya spoke, there was still a smile on his lips, but tears welled up in his eyes.
"Ru Yue and I are like a bird and a fish—there was no way for us to become husband and wife," Xianya said, but before he could finish, someone entered the room and continued the story: "But not long after that, Official Pei's third son, you, were engaged to Princess Xinghui from Prince Jing's residence. Worried that your past affair with the dancer Ru Yue might be exposed and ruin your reputation, you took drastic measures! Moreover, you framed her maid, Xiao Yu, to cover up your promiscuity, debauchery, and drug abuse. There's no trace of any of it! And you, you are still the noble you, the husband of Princess Xinghui, and the younger brother-in-law of Prince Jing! You've planned it all so well!"
Xianya was shocked and stood up abruptly, asking, "Who are you?!" Then, looking at Zhao Lanzhi, he said, "Lanzhi, why did you ask me questions and bring a witness? What is the meaning of this?!"
Zhao Lanzhi was also surprised and said, "Why are you here?"
The person who exposed Xianya's secret was Yuan An. She walked in and coldly stared at Zhao Lanzhi. "Hmph, Constable Zhao, did you think you could get rid of me by saying that the account book from the ghost market pharmacy was lost? I trusted you so much! Let me tell you why I'm here! It's because of this jade hairpin inside this small box!"
Yuan An opened the box and showed the hairpin to Zhao Lanzhi. "This is a gift from your brother to Miss Ru Yue, and it's proof of their relationship. It just so happens that I found it. As a result, I was almost killed last night! The person who tried to kill me was sent by your dear brother."
"I waited on the wall of his mansion for a long time until I followed him here, and unexpectedly, I ran into you!"
"Constable Zhao, you two really are such great brothers!"
"If I'm not mistaken, the name written on the account book from the ghost market pharmacy is his, right?"
"You lied to me, saying it fell into the water and couldn't be found!"
"You didn't expect me to track it down myself, did you?!"
Zhao Lanzhi looked calmly at Yuan An. "The evidence is not sufficient. Don't make wild guesses."
Yuan An was furious and pointed a finger at Xianya. "The murderer is right in front of you! What more evidence do you need?!"
At this moment, Xianya picked up the box, took a close look at the hairpin, and tossed it back with a scornful smile. "Young man, where did you get this thing from that you keep going on about evidence? This thing is neither valuable in material nor exquisite in design. I would never give such a thing to Ru Yue!"
"You're right! This hairpin wasn't given to Ru Yue by you. You don't even know her! But denying it won't work, and telling lies is useless. I will take you to see the authorities! You have to pay for Ru Yue's life, and Xiao Yu deserves justice!"
Yuan An reached out to grab Xianya, but was blocked by a few bodyguards, each of them with a fierce look in their eyes!
Young Master Xianya sneered at Yuan An, "You're such a passionate young man, but do you know what you're really fighting for? You already know who I am, and you should know what I'm capable of doing. Do you think that even if I did it, you can do anything about it? I advise you to back off!"
With that said, Young Master Xianya turned and left.
Yuan An tried to follow, but she was stopped by the guards. Each one had a cold look in their eyes, making it clear that they wouldn't let her pass.
MiraiSaesang's notes: If he really did it, how cold...She didn't even want anything from him...*sigh*
~Thank You for Reading, Please Comment Below~
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