Changsun Tang resided north of An Ding county. The two spent about two hours on the road before arriving.
Zhong Li dismounted and looked at the mud-brick wall and the simple fence gate made of a few high branches. She reached out and rang the bronze bell hanging on the gate.
After a long while, Zhong Li didn't know how many times she had rung the bell before a woman's voice finally called out from inside, "Coming, wait a moment."
Zhong Li stepped back and stood beside Lu Wuxie.
As the gate was opened, a woman in a patched shirt appeared.
"Are you two..." the woman asked, looking at Zhong Li and Lu Wuxie outside. Seeing their brocade clothes and gold-edged shoes, she awkwardly rubbed her hands on her skirt.
Zhong Li noticed the woman's actions and saw that her hands were wet and clearly chapped with frostbite. She frowned slightly and asked, "Is this the Changsun family's residence?"
The woman instinctively nodded and retorted, "Are you looking for my husband? He died several months ago. If you're debt collectors, I truly have no money. Could you give me some more time..."
"Madam!" Zhong Li heard the woman's words and guessed what was happening. She quickly said, "We are looking for Changsun Tang."
Upon hearing Changsun Tang's name, the woman's expression stiffened. She immediately prepared to close the door, saying, "The person you're looking for, my family doesn't have..."
"The Judicial Inspection Office is investigating a case. Madam, you should speak truthfully!" Lu Wuxie stepped forward, blocking the door with his foot. He casually pulled out a token from his waist and said.
The woman glanced at the token, swallowed her intention to argue, and slowly moved aside, opening the doorway.
Zhong Li glanced at Lu Wuxie and walked into the courtyard.
"You are officials, aren't you? What do you want to ask, just say it." After serving two cups of tea, the woman stood in the corner, rubbing her hands.
Zhong Li did not answer immediately but casually surveyed the room.
The mud-brick house was full of cracks. The few pieces of worn furniture had lost their edges from use. Several broken basins were placed on the floor; she guessed they were for collecting rainwater.
The only thing in the room that seemed somewhat valuable was a red shelf in the corner, but it was empty, with no trace of bamboo slips ever having been there.
"Are you Changsun Tang's..."
"I am her mother! Sir, you can call me Madam Qian," Madam Qian said, lowering her head humbly.
Zhong Li took a deep breath, feeling a sense of oppression. After solving so many cases, she never expected Changsun Tang's family to be so impoverished.
"Madam Qian, please don't be nervous. We are just looking to understand things about your daughter, Changsun Tang," she said gently to comfort her.
"Okay..." Madam Qian nodded meekly.
"Do you know why your daughter married into the Marquis's estate?"
"What, you're asking about that?" As soon as Zhong Li finished speaking, Madam Qian's body trembled as if struck by lightning, and she exclaimed.
"What, is there a problem?"
"Hmph!" Madam Qian snorted coldly and said, "Are you people sent by the Marquis of Anping? My daughter died under mysterious circumstances, and after all these years, you still won't leave me alone?"
"Madam, what do you mean by that? The Marquis of Anping is part of the Ministry of Works. The Prince and I are from the Grand Court of Revision and the Judicial Inspection Office, respectively. We are not from the same place. Please do not misunderstand," Zhong Li explained repeatedly.
"Misunderstand? It doesn't matter if you're from the same institution, but you should at least know each other, right? Then you can protect each other. Don't think my Changsun family is easy to bully!" Madam Qian's demeanor changed from her previous timidity. She looked at Zhong Li with eyes that seemed to want to devour her.
Lu Wuxie had not intended to intervene in the conversation, but seeing Madam Qian's agitation, he frowned. Just as he was about to say something, Zhong Li stopped him.
Zhong Li stared at Madam Qian and said, "Madam Qian, even if we protect each other, so what? Didn't you also sell your daughter and trade bamboo slips for someone's greed?"
"What did you say?" Upon hearing this, Madam Qian's gaze clearly became evasive.
Zhong Li sneered and continued, "Madam Qian, your husband, Changsun, is he a gambler?"
Madam Qian was startled and asked, "How do you know..."
"First, you took so long to open the door when I knocked. Second, when you opened the door, you said if they were debt collectors, could they have more time? Third..." Zhong Li said, pointing to the bookshelf in the corner, "Where are the books? You sold them all, didn't you?"
Madam Qian's brows furrowed, and her body instinctively shifted to the side, trying to block the shelf.
Zhong Li sneered and then shifted her gaze to the bedroom, saying, "And the furnishings in the room, such as the statue of Han Xin, that is a god of wealth, usually only worshipped in gamblers' homes, right?"
Madam Qian's emotions, already agitated, became even more intense with Zhong Li's words. She shouted, "Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted things to turn out like this? If it weren't for A'da changing, no matter what, my Changsun family would still be a scholarly household. How did we become like this, covered in mud and dirt?"
Zhong Li looked at Madam Qian. Although her face was now wrinkled, she could faintly discern her youthful beauty from her features. She must have been a great beauty in her youth.
"Madam Qian, neither the Prince nor I are from the Marquis's estate. We are simply investigating past events due to a recent murder at the estate."
"A murder?" Madam Qian looked bewildered.
Zhong Li glanced at Lu Wuxie. With his silent consent, she recounted the recent events at the Marquis of Anping's estate.
"Haha!" Madam Qian laughed heartily upon hearing this. "So, he, the Marquis of Anping, has his day too?"
Zhong Li pursed her lips and remained silent, waiting for Madam Qian's next words.
"Yes, Tang'er is my daughter, but she was forced to marry into the Marquis's estate!" As Madam Qian spoke, she remembered the past and covered her face with her hands, sobbing. "We were useless. Her father and I had no power or influence, and we were cowardly. With just a few threats from Chang Ji, we compromised and sent our daughter away."
Zhong Li sighed, took out a handkerchief from her怀 and walked to Madam Qian, offering it to her. "So many years have passed, Madam. Please do not grieve."
Madam Qian nodded through her sobs, took Zhong Li's handkerchief, and wiped her eyes before saying, "Tang'er and the Marquis of Anping knew each other. Ten years ago, Tang'er fell seriously ill.
At that time, my home was not as destitute as it is now. Her illness was very strange: always feverish, night sweats, coughing, and sometimes even coughing up blood. Her father and I sought renowned physicians from all over, but to no avail. At that time, her father almost sold the family heirloom for her.
Once, I took Tang'er to Jincheng for medical treatment. Tang'er, perhaps knowing she was going to die, slipped away while I was asking about her diagnosis. She was gone for over a month.
We searched all over Jincheng for her, but there was no news. The next time we heard about Tang'er was her wedding announcement to the Marquis's estate."
Night sweats, coughing, spitting blood?
Zhong Li heard these symptoms and two words came to mind: Consumption?
No wonder Changsun Tang wanted to escape. In ancient times, the chances of survival for such an illness were extremely low. At that time, Changsun Tang must have been prepared to die. However, fate is unpredictable, and heavens are not without mercy; she encountered the Marquis of Anping.
The man who fell in love with her at first sight saved her with all his might, the price being that she had to become his concubine.
"If that's the case, Changsun Tang has lived. If she is safe and healthy, it should be a good thing for you, Madam, right?" Zhong Li asked.
Madam Qian shook her head, her face full of helplessness. "If Tang'er is fine like this, then it would be good. But at that time, Tang'er was already engaged. She also liked someone else, and she had even vowed to marry no one but him. How could we, as parents, watch our daughter be unhappy?"