Two days later, at Huanxi Lou.
Wei Fu arrived at the entrance of Huanxi Lou in a carriage from the Liu family troupe.
Her mood today was exceptionally good. With Liu Wu's assistance, she gracefully stepped out of the carriage and called out to the maid following her, "Be careful with these. These are the autumn shirts I just bought from the silk shop. If they get stained, I'll hold you responsible."
The young maid nodded timidly at her words, busying herself with taking a large pile of dried snacks out of the carriage while carefully carrying several wrapped garments down the carriage shaft.
"You spent a lot of money going out with me today. Are you satisfied this time?" Liu Wu also casually picked up a bag of dried snacks and carried it into Huanxi Lou, asking Wei Fu.
Wei Fu glanced at Liu Wu, her crimson lips curling upwards, and let out a cold snort from her nostrils.
"Now, I am the only star left in the Liu family troupe. Isn't it natural for Master Liu to curry favor with me?"
Hearing this, Liu Wu did not appear as dejected as others might have expected. Instead, his eyebrows lifted, and he hooked his arm around Wei Fu's slender, willow-like waist, saying, "Yes, yes, curry favor, curry favor. Tonight I will curry favor properly..."
However, he had only spoken half of his sentence when the doors of Huanxi Lou were pushed open, and the suggestive, racy jokes caught in his throat, unable to escape.
"Clatter!" Liu Wu watched a group of Dali Temple constables, led by Zhong Li, standing inside Huanxi Lou. The dried snacks in his hands slipped to the ground.
Wei Fu, whose eyes had been filled with a smile, saw Liu Wu's expression and followed his gaze forward.
However, her reaction was not the same as Liu Wu's. Her willow-like brows furrowed, and she stepped forward a few paces, saying, "Miss Zhong, what are you and the Dali Temple people doing here? If I recall correctly, this building has been searched seventy to eighty times."
Zhong Li was too lazy to engage with Wei Fu. With a wave of her hand, the constables behind her, carrying handcuffs and shackles, rushed forward in unison, pinning Liu Wu and Wei Fu.
"You... what are you doing?" Wei Fu was startled. Looking at the shackles on her wrists, she tried to wrench herself free.
Zhong Li stepped forward a few paces and stood before her, saying, "Miss Wei."
Wei Fu looked up, glaring at Zhong Li, and said, "Zhong Li, what do you want? You're just an imperial coroner appointed by the Emperor, just because you have some official position, you're still just a stinky corpse examiner. What do you want to do to me?"
Zhong Li paid no attention to Wei Fu's scolding and shifted her gaze to Liu Wu, who was also being restrained. Seeing that his legs had begun to tremble, she said, "It seems Master Liu knows why I am here."
Liu Wu swallowed a few times, about to offer a defense, when Zhong Li flicked her fingers, and the two were escorted out.
Dali Temple.
By the time Liu Wu and Wei Fu entered the main hall, they were already in a sorry state.
Ancient people had simple minds. In their view, anyone being paraded by Dali Temple was certainly not good. Moreover, Wei Fu and Liu Wu were not from influential families whom others would hesitate to offend. Thus, on the half-hour journey from Willow Alley, the two were already covered in rotten vegetables and rotten eggs.
At this moment, presiding over the court was Lan Heng, and seated to his right was Lu Wuxie, who looked like a dandy after his period of self-reflection.
As Zhong Li entered the hall and had yet to report to Lan Heng above, the sharp-eyed Wei Fu glimpsed Lu Wuxie. She exerted all her strength to shake off the two constables holding her, stumbled forward, and threw herself at his feet, crying, "My Lord, my Lord, I am innocent. You must uphold justice for me."
Lu Wuxie found that his ears could not tolerate noise after his period of self-reflection.
He frowned, lowered his gaze to the woman whose face was covered in egg yolk, and asked, "Who are you?"
Wei Fu was startled. She quickly wiped her face and was about to answer when the constables she had shaken off stepped forward and pulled her back.
Zhong Li took in everything before her, especially Lu Wuxie's reaction. She knew that this calculating man was beginning to play dumb again.
"My Lord," Zhong Li cupped her hands towards Lan Heng.
Lan Heng nodded and began his reprimand.
With the sharp clap of a gavel, Wei Fu, who had been struggling, finally became still.
Lan Heng glanced at the two below and said, "State your names."
Wei Fu pursed her lips and replied with some reluctance, "This humble woman is Wei Fu, a dan actor from the Liu family troupe."
"I am Liu Wu, the master of the Liu family troupe."
"Why were you two apprehended, do you know?" Lan Heng asked again.
Before Liu Wu could answer, Wei Fu stepped forward, smoothed her hair, bowed gracefully, and looked up with tears streaming down her face, saying, "Replying to Lord Lan, this humble woman is innocent. I do not know why Miss Zhong has brought me here."
"In the hall of justice, how can you act so coquettishly?" Lan Heng seemed displeased with Wei Fu's theatrical behavior, especially her series of actions just now. He frowned and reprimanded her.
Wei Fu was startled and her tears began to pour down like rain.
Zhong Li glanced at Lan Heng on the dais. She knew Lan Heng to be methodical, but after spending so much time together, she had not realized this until now. Truly, he was not very compassionate towards women.
She cleared her throat lightly, stepped forward, and cupped her hands, saying, "Replying to my Lord, the reason Zhong Li has brought Wei Fu and Liu Wu to Dali Temple is very simple. Zhong Li is convinced that these two are the culprits behind the deaths of Shen Hong and Wu Xiuchu!"
"What did you say? Zhong Li, do not wrongly accuse good people." Hearing this, Wei Fu shifted her gaze to Zhong Li, pointing her finger at her back.
Following this, Wei Fu seemed to recall something. She grabbed Liu Wu, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said, "Don't just lie there like a dead person. Tell me, isn't this Zhong Li wrongly accusing us?"
When shouted at like this, Liu Wu finally sobered up. His gaze darkened, and he looked at Zhong Li, saying, "Miss Zhong, in truth, my Huanxi Lou has not offended you. Now, with only Wei Fu left alive from the Liu family troupe, Huanxi Lou is completely out of business. If I were the one who killed Shen Hong and Wu Xiuchu, wouldn't that be like me lifting a rock only to drop it on my own foot?"
Zhong Li looked at Liu Wu and gave a cold smile, saying, "Lifting a rock might not be the case, but getting rid of trouble has always been what you, Liu Wu, have hoped for, hasn't it?"
"What do you mean?" Liu Wu shouted.
"What do I mean?" Zhong Li raised her eyebrows and said, "After all, if the actors in the troupe are gone, you can find new ones. If your money is taken, and some matters become a handle for others, that would become Master Liu's heartache, wouldn't it?"
"You... Zhong Li, do not speak nonsense!" Liu Wu pointed his finger at Zhong Li.
Zhong Li turned around, her gaze wandering over Wei Fu and Liu Wu for a long time, and said, "The Liu family troupe was not called the Liu family troupe before, was it? Twenty years ago, it should have been called the Wu family troupe. Am I correct?"
Liu Wu had not expected Zhong Li to say this. The words he had prepared for a defense instantly vanished, leaving him completely stunned by this fright.
Wei Fu, being sharp-witted, gave a mocking smile and said, "What Miss Zhong says, this humble woman does not know. Please do not speak ill of others."
"Speak ill of others? What if I have a witness?"
Saying this, Zhong Li clapped her hands, and a blind old woman slowly appeared in everyone's sight.