Zhong Li and Hua Yao escorted Shangyuan Hong out of the post station.
Following the Emperor's wishes, the two accompanied Shangyuan Hong on another stroll along Wenchang Street, and selected some good generals from the Hua family army to escort them. The group then grandly arrived at the south gate of Jincheng.
"All good things must come to an end. Lord Shangyuan, we bid you farewell here." Zhong Li clasped her hands and saluted Shangyuan Hong.
Shangyuan Hong nodded, raised his eyes to scan the sky, then swept his gaze around the city once more, saying, "I had intended to visit the Southern Yue Kingdom for only a month or so, and never expected to stay from summer until autumn."
"There were some minor twists and turns in between. Lord Shangyuan, you have worked hard in a foreign land!" Zhong Li offered courtesies.
Shangyuan Hong shook his head, looking at a large burlap sack hanging from his horse and said, "Thank you for your care, Governor Zhong. The only thing I didn't expect was that Lord Shentu would return to Yingzhou with us in this manner."
Zhong Li followed his gaze to the sack and said, "Lord Shangyuan, I have added preservative and deodorizing medicinal herbs inside. I can only trouble you and your Emperor to handle it."
"Governor Zhong, rest assured, I will speak truthfully. As for Lord Shentu's affairs, much of it was done behind our backs with the Emperor. We in Yingzhou will thoroughly investigate his true intentions," Shangyuan Hong replied.
"Then thank you, Lord Shangyuan." Zhong Li said, taking a letter from her embrace and handing it to Shangyuan Hong. "This is from His Majesty for your Emperor. Please trouble Lord Shangyuan to present it in person."
"That is naturally so!" Shangyuan Hong nodded. "Actually, Governor Zhong may not understand Yingzhou."
"How so?" Zhong Li asked.
"Our Emperor ascended the throne at a young age, and there were many twists and turns during that period. The reason the Emperor sent Lord Shentu to Southern Yue was to foster friendly relations with your esteemed country, and to make Southern Yue an ally of the Emperor.
However, the power lost in his youth cannot be regained overnight. The Emperor knew there were those with ulterior motives and was somewhat aware of the internal strife in Yingzhou, but he truly did not expect Lord Shentu to betray him. If we return safely, I believe the Emperor will send another envoy to sign friendly agreements with Southern Yue."
Zhong Li looked at Shangyuan Hong's sincere recounting and no longer doubted their honesty. She watched the Yingzhou contingent gradually move further away, then turned and led Hua Yao back onto Wenchang Street.
It was near dusk, and many of the small vendors who only came out at night were already setting up their stalls along Wenchang Street.
Both Hua Yao and Zhong Li enjoyed the night market, especially Hua Yao, whose feet felt as if they were lead-weighted whenever she visited such places.
"Autumn is almost over and winter is coming. This night market will soon disappear, so we must seize this opportunity to explore it thoroughly!" Hua Yao tugged at Zhong Li's arm, looking at this and touching that.
The small vendors at the night market had long since recognized Hua Yao and kept introducing their wares to her. She was beautiful, charming, and wealthy; everyone liked her.
Zhong Li followed Hua Yao to a place selling children's toys. She looked at the dazzling array of wood carvings hanging on the racks, picked out a cute little tiger, and paid the silver.
"Is it for Wuyou?" Hua Yao, seeing her admiring the small object, couldn't help but lean in and ask.
Zhong Li nodded. "Yes, Wuyou should like it. Actually, sometimes I feel quite guilty towards Wuyou. He is still so young, and I cannot always be with him."
"Not at all!" Hua Yao patted Zhong Li's shoulder. "Saving him from that man who devours people without spitting out bones is the greatest gift you could give him. You are just busy with court affairs, and it is for the sake of the people, so don't blame yourself too much."
As she spoke, she passed a small stall and bought a bamboo dragonfly, placing it in Zhong Li's hand. "Take this back. Consider it a toy from Sister Yao'er for Wuyou."
"Wuyou can only crawl, he probably won't be able to play with it." Zhong Li held it, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"He will in the future!" Hua Yao replied casually, then ran off again to a stall selling rouge.
Zhong Li followed her, treating it as a way to relax.
"Right, speaking of children..." Hua Yao, looking at the dazzling array of rouge in front of her, suddenly remembered something and said, rambling a bit, "The case of Shentu Jue that you and the Heir Apparent were investigating, didn't it involve Chat Grass? The Emperor suspects someone is selling this thing in the Jincheng black market. Before you returned, he handed this matter over to A Wu. Do you know about this?"
Zhong Li shook her head, looking blank. She thought the Emperor would assign such an important case to Lan Heng, but she never expected it to be A Wu. It seemed A Wu was truly in high spirits these days.
"It doesn't matter if you don't know; that's not the point." Hua Yao glanced at Zhong Li and waved her hand. "The point is, do you know what A Wu found out yesterday?"
Yesterday?
Zhong Li pondered. Yesterday, she was on the official road back to Jincheng.
"A Wu found a dead infant, stuffed with Chat Grass."
"What did you say?"
Zhong Li had expected Hua Yao to say something gossipy, but she never thought she would drop such bombshells. What did this mean? Someone was using human bodies for drug trafficking, and this person was an infant who had not yet grown!
"Li'er, I only heard about this myself. A Wu kept the information very tightly guarded. Even I, who have been in the Dali Temple, was kept in the dark. The only reason I know is from a few junior constables who privately follow A Wu," Hua Yao said, seeing Zhong Li's surprised expression, her own face also becoming solemn.
Zhong Li's delicate eyebrows knitted tightly, and she stood in place, stunned. She knew that even if Hua Yao didn't have concrete evidence yet, the Dali Temple was a place where rumors certainly wouldn't be baseless.
"Ah!" Hua Yao pulled Zhong Li to another stall selling wontons, and suddenly remembered something, hitting her forehead. "How could I forget? Lord Lan is on duty today and hasn't eaten dinner yet."
With that, Hua Yao went to a place selling oil cakes, bought two, and hurriedly bid Zhong Li farewell.
Zhong Li stood in place, watching Hua Yao's departing back, her mind filled with Hua Yao's words.
Before, she and Lu Wuxie had been puzzled. How was Chat Grass entering the country through the rigorously inspected city gates and checkpoints? Now, the answer seemed to be emerging.
Zhong Li felt her breathing begin to tremble. In any country, children were always the lowest line of tolerance for humanity's sin.
"Governor Zhong, Governor Zhong!"
Just as Zhong Li was lost in thought, a voice came from afar, approaching.
Zhong Li turned her head following the sound and saw a junior constable dressed in Dali Temple attire running towards her.
"Governor Zhong, so you are here. It took me a while to find you." The junior constable reached Zhong Li and clasped his hands.
Zhong Li saw his out-of-breath appearance and knew he must have been looking for her for a long time. She asked, "What is it?"
"Hua Man Lou, there's been a murder at Hua Man Lou."