Zhong Li looked up at the madam opposite her.
The madam shivered a few times and said, "This matter... this old servant does know a bit about it."
"You only know a bit?" Zhong Li sneered, "Mama, there's something you need to understand. According to Wang Pizi, both Jin Yi and Qiong'er had thoughts of redeeming themselves. Every time they saved enough, the money would disappear. Is it possible that you took the money, wanting them to continue earning for you?"
"That's not possible, not possible!" Upon hearing Zhong Li's analysis, the madam was so frightened that she knelt on the ground with a thud.
"This old servant truly knows. Miss Jin Yi spoke to this old servant about redeeming herself. The price was agreed upon, but the next day Jin Yi said the money was lost and she had to continue her trade. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
As for Qiong'er..."
The madam's brows furrowed. "What she lost wasn't money, it was jewelry."
"Is that so!" Zhong Li glanced back at Hua Yao behind her.
Hua Yao nodded. "It's strange, when I searched Qiong'er's room, I found something. Qiong'er's jewelry box only had half a chest of jewelry, and as for money, I didn't see any."
Zhong Li's gaze returned to the madam.
The madam tugged at the corners of her mouth and gave a dry chuckle. "These are the girls' own affairs, and this old servant truly didn't want to interfere.
But since things have reached this point, this old servant can only speak the truth. Miss Jin Yi wanted to leave because she disliked this establishment of pleasure, as mentioned before. Qiong'er had someone she loved and wanted to redeem herself to leave. As for where the money went, this old servant believes it has something to do with that person."
"The person she loved, do you know who it is?" Zhong Li asked.
The madam nodded with difficulty. "Now that the person is dead, this old servant will not hide anything. There was a poor scholar named Liu in the north of the city. Qiong'er's beloved was him."
"Yao'er!" Zhong Li turned to Hua Yao.
Hua Yao nodded and led a few subordinates out of Hua Man Lou quickly.
Zhong Li turned her attention back to Wang Pizi and asked him one last question: "Seven days ago, at Xu Shi, and yesterday at You Shi, where were you?"
Wang Pizi thought for a moment. "At the gambling house."
"Do you have witnesses?" Zhong Li asked again.
"Yes, the dealer at the time was a woman. I even transferred her, and she can testify for me." Wang Pizi said.
Zhong Li nodded and remained silent.
Wang Pizi cautiously glanced at Zhong Li and asked, "My lord, can I leave now?"
Zhong Li looked at him, knowing he had told the truth, and tacitly agreed.
Wang Pizi was delighted, tightened his clothes, wrinkled his nose, and was about to leave.
Zhong Li suddenly said, "By the way, since you admit that the old injuries on Qiong'er were caused by you, then according to the laws of Nanyue Kingdom, intentionally injuring someone means you must stay at Dali Temple for a while."
As soon as she spoke, a constable standing beside Zhong Li quickly restrained Wang Pizi and dragged him towards the prison cart outside.
"No... Lord Zhong... this is unfair, Lord Zhong, Lord Zhong!" Wang Pizi's voice grew fainter as he was dragged away.
The madam, seeing this, trembled with her bow legs, afraid she would be implicated as well.
Zhong Li glanced at the madam. "Mama, lead the way."
"Go... go where?"
"To Qiong'er's room, of course!"
-------------------------------------
Qiong'er lived in the innermost room on the second floor of Hua Man Lou.
Zhong Li followed the madam inside and looked at the furnishings.
A simple glance was enough to see everything.
Zhong Li knew that such simple decoration was usually only done by those who were temporarily staying or preparing to leave.
It seemed the madam and Wang Pizi had not lied.
Zhong Li walked to the dressing table and pulled open the drawers on both sides.
There were scattered pieces of jewelry inside, but they were not complete.
"Is this all that's here?" Zhong Li asked the madam.
The madam nodded. "Replying to Lord Zhong, apart from Miss Hua who visited, no one else has entered this room. As you saw, the seal was not broken before we entered."
Zhong Li remained silent. After taking out the jewelry inside and tidying it up, she went to the window to inspect it.
Both windows in Qiong'er's room were locked from the inside.
She first pushed open the first window and examined the windowsill. Then she went to the second window. As soon as she opened the window, she saw two familiar figures standing outside Hua Man Lou.
"Hua Man Lou is sealed, why haven't you gone back?"
"I still lack some money, I want to try and see if I can borrow some from Miss Tian."
"What if she's unwilling?"
"There are still some unwashed undergarments in the back courtyard. I'll wash them, and perhaps Mama will have mercy and give me some."
"You're just a young girl, it's truly hard work for you."
"There's no other way, how can servants have good fortune?"
...
Zhong Li narrowed her eyes and looked down at everything before her.
A Wu had come with her. While she was investigating the case, she hadn't seen him at all. Who would have thought he would be here with a woman from Hua Man Lou.
And that woman...
She seemed to recognize her as Gu Ling, Tian Lian Xue's attendant.
"What is the origin of that young girl?" Zhong Li asked the madam behind her.
The madam stepped forward and took a look, her brows furrowed. "Are you asking about Gu Ling, my lord? This young girl came to our Hua Man Lou three years ago. Unlike other girls who were sold, she came here willingly."
"Willingly?" Zhong Li was very surprised. She knew that no normal family would want their daughter to come to such a place.
"Yes, willingly. She's diligent and clever, but unfortunately, she's not good-looking. Otherwise, this old servant would have wanted to train her to be the next Tian Lian Xue." the madam said.
"Why did she willingly stay in Hua Man Lou?" Zhong Li asked again.
The madam shook her head. "This old servant doesn't know. I only know she's very short of money. She once approached me to discuss taking clients. I was afraid she would ruin my reputation, so I didn't agree, but I did increase her monthly allowance."
Zhong Li took a deep look at the man and woman still pulling at each other below Hua Man Lou. After thinking for a while, she closed the window and continued to search Qiong'er's room.
When Zhong Li came out of Hua Man Lou, dusk had already fallen.
At this moment, Hua Yao had also returned. As she had expected, she hadn't brought back any news.
That poor scholar who was somewhat related to Qiong'er only wanted to trick Qiong'er out of some money. As soon as he heard that Qiong'er was dead, he was so scared that he wet himself. He had no courage to kill anyone, and he also had an alibi at the time of Qiong'er's death.
"Still haven't found out anything more?" Zhong Li asked Hua Yao, who was following her as they walked out of Hua Man Lou.
"No, that scholar said he hadn't seen Qiong'er for some time. As for why Qiong'er committed suicide, he didn't provide any clues at all," Hua Yao replied.
"Did you not ask if Qiong'er had any chronic illnesses?" Zhong Li asked Hua Yao. The acupuncture points on Qiong'er's body had always bothered her.
Hua Yao shook her head again, indicating no results.
Zhong Li's willow brows furrowed, and she looked back at Hua Man Lou behind her. She had thought that the suicide of this courtesan was a small case. She hadn't expected that after a day of thorough investigation, there were so few clues, and it seemed that the investigation had been cut off halfway. In modern terms, the murderer had good counter-reconnaissance abilities.
"What do we do now, Li'er?" Hua Yao asked Zhong Li with some exhaustion.
Just as Zhong Li was about to answer, A Wu appeared beside her from nowhere and said, "Lord Zhong, may I speak with you in private."