In the inner hall of Dali Temple at dawn.
Zhong Li looked at the two men sitting opposite her, one tall and one short. They were the first discoverers of Tian Lianxue's body and carriage two days prior.
Under the care of Wu Family Medical Hall, their spirits had improved, and they were mostly able to accept the discovery of the body.
"Tell me, did you two pry out the agates from the carriage?"
Zhong Li poured two cups of clear tea and placed them in front of them. The aroma of tea filled the room, bringing a sense of relaxation.
The taller man was a bit timid and couldn't utter a word for a long time.
It was the shorter peddler who spoke, "Lord Zhong, my brother and I have been transporting goods between Jinzhou and Yongcheng for many years. This trade seems profitable, but it's also truly more tiring than others. If disaster strikes, it becomes even more perilous.
My brother and I finally saw a magnificent carriage and didn't think much of it. We just thought that with a little more money, our wives and children could live more comfortably. If Your Lordship intends to punish us for taking the agates, then we are truly wronged!"
Zhong Li looked at the shorter man, impressed by his eloquent ability to do business and travel. She smiled and said, "I am also from a commoner background. I have no intention of blaming you. If there were no body in the carriage, the things you pried out would be yours.
It's just that a murder case has occurred. I am performing my duty, and I have called you here for a thorough investigation."
"Ah!" the shorter man understood. "Does Your Lordship mean we can keep the agates?"
Zhong Li nodded, "According to the laws of the Southern Yue Kingdom, this abandoned carriage is ownerless property. You two may take the agates you pried out.
However, as this case is unsolved, the agates on the carriage are considered evidence."
"What does that mean?" the taller man was bewildered.
The shorter man's eyes darted around, and he nudged the taller man beside him. "Don't you understand? His Lordship means we must hand over the items first, and the agates are now evidence.
If the case is solved, the agates will be returned to us, right, Your Lordship?"
As he spoke, the shorter man looked at Zhong Li for confirmation.
Zhong Li smiled at his astuteness and nodded, "That is correct."
Upon hearing this answer, the taller man's face bloomed with joy.
"So, what you need to do is help me solve this case," Zhong Li added.
"Ah?" the shorter man was taken aback.
Zhong Li continued, "You two were the first to discover the carriage. When I arrived, there were already many footprints at the scene. So, I wanted to ask if you could provide any clues that I might have missed."
"Clues?" the taller man scratched his head.
The shorter man also pondered.
After a while, just as the taller man was about to shake his head, the shorter man said, "Your Lordship, I do have a discovery, but I don't know if it counts as a clue."
"What is it?" Zhong Li asked.
The shorter man replied, "As I was lingering outside the carriage, I saw some remnants of 'Guo Zheng' on the ground."
"Guo Zheng? What is that?" Zhong Li had never heard of it before.
The shorter man explained, "Your Lordship is not from Jinzhou, so you wouldn't know. Here, we eat zongzi on the Dragon Boat Festival, wrapped in bamboo leaves. But in Jinzhou, they eat Guo Zheng, wrapped in winter leaves with pork, mung beans, or preserved sausage inside, then slow-cooked over a fire. It's very delicious.
It's also very convenient to carry when traveling."
"Is this item only found in Jinzhou?" Zhong Li asked.
The shorter man, sensing her underlying meaning, replied, "To Your Lordship, people in Yongcheng don't have a taste for this. So, it's only in Jinzhou. Moreover, people south of Jinzhou eat it, but those north of it do not eat it this way.
Your Lordship can rest assured. My brother and I have traveled all over the Southern Yue Kingdom, so we see a lot. We are correct."
"Are there any other discoveries?" Zhong Li asked again.
The shorter man shook his head, looking apologetic. "Lord Zhong, we are uneducated people. We can only know this much, and we don't even know if it can help Your Lordship."
Zhong Li smiled and stood up. "This has already been a great help. Later, other Dali Temple staff will have you two sign and thumbprint your statements.
As for the agates you pried out, Dali Temple will notify you to collect them after the case is closed."
"Oh, thank you, Your Lordship!" The shorter man, hearing Zhong Li's assurance, smiled broadly and stood up to watch Zhong Li leave.
Not long after, a constable entered from outside and began attending to other matters for the two men.
When Zhong Li emerged from Dali Temple, Lu Wuxie was already waiting for her at the entrance.
"How was it?" he asked as he helped her into the carriage.
Zhong Li picked up the warm tea left on the table and took a sip, feeling the chill in her body lessen. She said, "Jinzhou."
Lu Wuxie busied himself preparing tea. Upon hearing this, his fingertip paused. He then reached back, opened a small, carved cabinet beside him, and handed a piece of stationery to Zhong Li.
Zhong Li looked at the seal of Feiyuan Pavilion on the cover. "Didn't Feiyuan Pavilion belong to the Emperor?"
"The Emperor and we are on the same boat now. I am more familiar with Feiyuan Pavilion than he is, so it naturally serves me," Lu Wuxie replied.
Zhong Li knew Lu Wuxie was far-sighted. She hadn't expected him to have planned the matters of Feiyuan Pavilion so well. It seemed to be handed over to the royal family, but in reality, it remained under his control.
She opened the stationery and read its contents.
After a while, she said, "I didn't expect this secret letter to contain the personal writing of Governor Ren."
Lu Wuxie took it and explained, "The Empress has informants all over the court. It's possible she has hidden operatives in Jinzhou as well. The matter concerning Ren Zhong is related to the Wu Family's silver bank, so using the method of Feiyuan Pavilion for transmission is the safest."
Zhong Li nodded and said, "We had anticipated most of what is in this letter, but we lacked concrete confirmation. Now, Governor Ren's secret letter provides the necessary solid evidence."
"Yes, when Ren Zhong was leading the yamen to raid the Wu Family's silver bank in Jinzhou, he discovered that the bank had been almost completely emptied. Apart from some clueless employees and errand runners, even the managers of the various branches had disappeared.
According to the letter, the person responsible for all matters of the Wu Family's silver bank in Jinzhou was Wu Xingyan's two cousins, Wu Zhong and Wu You.
Ren Zhong searched all over Jinzhou but could not find any trace of these two men."
"Since they are not in Jinzhou, could it be..." Zhong Li spoke hesitantly.
Lu Wuxie understood her implied meaning. She suspected that these two from the Wu family might be involved in Tian Lianxue's case.
"Governor Ren was able to find Feiyuan Pavilion and deliver the letter to you. I believe the yamen also finds the case of the Wu Family's silver bank to be difficult," Zhong Li continued her analysis.
Although Governor Ren of Jinzhou was a bit arrogant and had some prejudice against women, he was excellent to the common people. Especially since the Wu Family's silver bank involved "qie te cao," he naturally attached great importance to it. Now, having to pass information to Lu Wuxie in this manner suggests that there might be problems around him.
"Alright, then we have no time to lose. Let's make arrangements and set off for Jinzhou."