BXG - 12

Doubts

By now, news of the green-clad woman’s fall from the tower had likely spread throughout Bianjing like wildfire.

Qu You didn’t even have time to spend a night in the Zhaosi Office before the prefect of the capital personally arrived, sweating profusely.

“Lord Zhou, forgive the guards for not recognizing you—they were remiss! I was preparing to transfer the case to the Ministry of Justice when I learned that you and your wife were also at Fanlou. According to witness statements, you had no contact with the woman who fell—you can even serve as a witness! Once I received the testimony, I rushed here immediately. Please forgive me, Lord Zhou!”

Zhou Tan replied coolly: “The process is strict. Thank you for your efforts.”

Qu You was surprised by how quickly he had arrived. “Testimonies aren’t hard to obtain, but transferring the case from the capital prefecture to the Ministry of Justice requires scrutiny by three departments and notification of the Ministry of Punishments. By standard procedure, it should take at least three days. Yet, less than four hours have passed since today’s incident…”

She knew the process so clearly.

Zhou Tan glanced back at her but said nothing. The prefect hastily explained: “The capital prefecture hasn’t submitted the transfer application yet. The transfer order came directly from Chancellor Gao, acting on an imperial decree.”

Qu You had previously doubted whether this complex process would be fully followed. Now it seemed that procedures could be expedited with just a word from the emperor.

But how did Emperor De already know about this?

They rested briefly in the hall while the prefect went to arrange a carriage.

Qu You glanced around and leaned closer to Zhou Tan. “What did he mean by that? In just four hours, His Majesty already knows about this?”

“In the eastern wing today, there must have been someone important,” Zhou Tan mused. “That woman’s fall… perhaps…”

He didn’t finish, but Qu You immediately understood his meaning: “She deliberately chose the day of the courtesan’s performance, possibly knowing that important figures were present in the eastern wing. Her deliberate fall was likely intended to spark public discussion and escalate the matter to achieve her goal.”

Zhou Tan tacitly agreed with her reasoning: “If she hadn’t given you that pearl flower, I might not be so certain.”

“So her action—was it to seek justice or to accuse?” Qu You recalled the blood-soaked peony she had seen from the fifth floor earlier, feeling a pang of sorrow. “Using her life as bait means she had no other options. Since she left only this behind, we’ll start here.”

“Mm.” Zhou Tan closed his eyes to rest, and Qu You couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

After a moment, he suddenly spoke: “If you’re determined to involve yourself in this matter, go change into men’s formal attire when we return to the Ministry of Justice.”

“Why…?”

“If you don’t want to, then forget it.”

“I’ll change! Of course I’ll change!” Qu You quickly agreed, fearing he might change his mind.

Soon enough, she understood why Zhou Tan had insisted on her changing into men’s attire. After leaving the Ministry of Justice, Zhou Tan suddenly instructed the carriage to change course. After a short ride, Qu You lifted the curtain and stepped out, spotting a sign above the entrance bearing five characters:

——Spring Wind and Rain Pavilion .

Did Zhou Tan really bring her to a brothel?

She followed him closely as he confidently ascended to the fourth floor. The serving girls seemed to recognize him and silently led them into a private room.

As soon as the door opened, Qu You smelled the faint, sweet scent of plum blossoms burning inside.

Ye Liuchun sat at the table, holding a round fan, her delicate hand clasped by a man in white. Hearing their arrival, he turned and greeted them with a smile.

It was Bai Shating!

Zhou Tan wasn’t surprised and took a seat at the table, gesturing for Qu You to sit as well. She complied and, after sitting down, realized: “When Master Shisan mentioned taking us to consult someone, you already knew who his ‘friend’ was?”

“He carries the scent of Snow Amidst Spring Letters ,” Zhou Tan replied indifferently. “Princess Shouyang’s signature plum fragrance—only Spring Maiden is famously fond of it.”

Ye Liuchun covered her face and smiled charmingly: “Lord Zhou is perceptive.”

She turned to Qu You, her gaze flirtatious and enchanting: “This must be Lady Qu, yes?”

Though Ye Liuchun wasn’t extraordinarily beautiful, lacking the dazzling allure Qu You imagined of a top courtesan, every movement and expression exuded charm, evoking pity and affection.

Qu You stared at her, momentarily speechless. Ye Liuchun coughed lightly and gently touched Qu You’s hair: “I’ve heard much about Miss Qu—a rare beauty, tender and pitiable. Lord Zhou is truly fortunate.”

Yet Zhou Tan remained cold: “We need your help, Spring Maiden.”

Qu You snapped out of her daze and quickly retrieved the pearl flower from her sleeve. Ye Liuchun took it, examining it closely, while Bai Shating enthusiastically poured tea for everyone: “Thanks to Lord Zhou, or I wouldn’t have been released from the Zhaosi Office so soon…”

Qu You asked curiously: “Why were you detained?”

Bai Shating chuckled awkwardly and glanced at Zhou Tan: “I drank too much and caused a misunderstanding on a boat along the Bian River.”

“Drunk in public, harassing a virtuous woman, and getting into a fight,” Zhou Tan added coolly.

Before Qu You could ask how he knew, he continued: “Zhou Yang may be reckless, but at least he’s smarter than you—he knows better than to resort to violence.”

“He extorted me!” Bai Shating protested indignantly. “He grew up in the military camp; my blows barely fazed him. He immediately had me arrested and feigned victimhood!”

He scoffed: “Lord Zhou’s younger brother needs discipline. Don’t think I’m the only frequent visitor to the Zhaosi Office. He gallops through the streets, overturns stalls, and mouths off recklessly. When trouble arises, he drags you into it—I suspect your reputation among the common folk has suffered greatly because of him.”

Ye Liuchun sipped the tea Bai Shating had just poured and gently patted his arm, silencing him instantly.

“This pearl flower comes from a craftsman’s shop on East Street. It’s a popular hair accessory in Bianjing—many identical ones can be seen on the streets.”

Qu You exclaimed: “Then won’t it be difficult to trace who bought it?”

Ye Liuchun shook her head and pointed to a finely engraved mark beneath the flower: “On the contrary, the popularity of this pearl flower stems from an ingenious strategy by the craftsman and his wife, a skilled engraver. Anyone purchasing this flower could have their name engraved on it. Many young lovers use it as a token of affection, inscribing both names as a symbol of commitment. Though pricey, it remains highly sought after.”

“Look—these are the engraved patterns of two surnames.”

Qu You examined it closely but found the characters written in seal script, which she couldn’t read. Just as she set the flower down, Ye Liuchun said: “Lord Zhou should note this pattern and visit the craftsman’s shop. They record all engravings, so tracing it shouldn’t be difficult.”

Zhou Tan immediately stood and gave her a slight nod: “Thank you.”

He turned to leave, hesitating slightly when he noticed Qu You hadn’t followed. Reluctantly bidding farewell to the enchanting courtesan, Qu You promised to visit again and reluctantly departed from the Spring Wind and Rain Pavilion.

Night had fallen over Bianjing. Lanterns lined the pavilion, extending along the Bian River to the bustling cluster of buildings around Fanlou, where lively songs filled the streets.

The Ministry of Justice official who had driven them earlier had somehow procured a boat. Standing at the bow, Qu You noticed that the lights in the eastern wing had been extinguished, leaving only faint starlight amidst the vibrant skyline: “Are the Ministry of Justice officials still in the eastern wing?”

“The capital prefecture evacuated the eastern wing’s guests shortly after noon. The imperial decree was swift—I hadn’t even left the Zhaosi Office when the Ministry of Justice had already sent people there,” Zhou Tan stood beside her, hands clasped behind his back. “However, they likely won’t find much inside. We both witnessed her fall firsthand; she wasn’t pursued. The most crucial evidence is the pearl flower in your hand. When we arrive at the eastern wing, it will be confiscated as evidence.”

His words were measured, yet more numerous than usual. Qu You, accustomed to his reticence, reflected that though Zhou Tan often avoided answering directly, he usually offered some explanation: “The Ministry of Justice is complex. Follow me closely and don’t speak unnecessarily.”

A dozen Ministry of Justice officials remained in the eastern wing. Upon entering, Qu You spotted Liang An, who appeared extremely nervous. He bowed deeply to Zhou Tan, avoiding eye contact and failing to recognize Qu You in her disguise.

They briefly surveyed the fifth floor of the eastern wing. The crowd had been too dense earlier, and despite the immediate evacuation of guests, no significant clues remained.

After memorizing the pattern on the pearl flower, Qu You handed it over to the evidence-collecting guard.

From his report to Zhou Tan, Qu You learned that the only thing the woman had left behind was a bamboo hat discarded on the wooden staircase between the fourth and fifth floors.

In other words, she had entered Fanlou wearing the hat, climbed to the fifth floor, and jumped directly.

Clearly, it was premeditated.

As they exited, Qu You casually asked: “How did you know whose hat it was?”

Though unaware of her identity, the guard respectfully answered, seeing her proximity to Zhou Tan: “Her surname was embroidered on the hat. We’ve confirmed that she was a low-ranking prostitute from North Street. It’s late now, but tomorrow we can summon her brothel madam for questioning.”

Zhou Tan asked: “Is she from Bianjing?”

The guard replied: “Yes. This Gu family originally hailed from a farming household in the suburbs. However…”

Qu You, still pondering the pearl flower, was startled by this revelation: “Wait—what did you say her surname was?”

The guard repeated: “Gu, as in grains. A common surname among farming families in the suburbs.”

To study the criminal laws of Northern Yin, she had not only read official historical records but also various folk tales and anecdotes.

Among these, an unclear story lacked dates and details, merely stating that during the Northern Yin era, a woman named Gu had fallen from a building in the capital’s bustling district, shocking the city. It exposed scandals of powerful elites oppressing and forcing women into prostitution.

The minor official recording this event had been vague, noting only that the investigation was suppressed and ended inconclusively. Throughout history, collusion among the powerful was common—who’s to say those enforcing the law weren’t among the perpetrators?

Qu You tightly closed her eyes, recalling the scene earlier. Zhou Tan had paused upon seeing the woman, and she had tried to speak to him before jumping.

Could it be… they knew each other?

Worse yet, if the folk tale held any truth—if the woman had been abused and driven to death by powerful men—could Zhou Tan… be one of the culprits?

Zhou Tan, noticing she hadn’t followed, turned back questioningly. He saw Qu You standing there, staring at him. Her sharp brows, deliberately drawn for her male disguise, framed eyes as cold as stars.