Lan Heng stood beside Zhong Li, listening to her speak of Ping'er. "Did Yuan Shang rape Ping'er?" he asked.
After checking Ping'er's lower body for other abnormalities, Zhong Li redressed her. Her gaze fell on Ping'er's fingertips. Just as A Bi had said, Ping'er's fingernails were indeed dyed red with Balsam. The condition of her fingertips confirmed that the dye was recent and the color was similar to that on the rope knots.
"It appears so," she replied to Lan Heng, then added, "But whether it was rape is not yet certain. At least it proves Ping'er saw Yuan Shang last night."
Zhong Li spoke with great caution. In modern times, establishing a rape charge required crucial evidence like DNA analysis, combined with external factors such as signs of violence. In ancient times, lacking such conditions, and with Ping'er's room easily accessible to others, she needed to be responsible for her words unless conclusive proof was found.
Lan Heng glanced at Zhong Li, who was still meticulously examining Ping'er's body. Knowing it would take some time, he began searching the room for other clues.
Beneath the bed were some of Ping'er's clothes. The young maid didn't have many; besides a few sets of everyday servant attire, there was a rather nice set of a long-sleeved embroidered vest and shirt. Perhaps due to lack of opportunity, this vest and shirt were still brand new.
Seeing no useful clues under the bed, Lan Heng was about to push the clothes chest back in when something inadvertently flashed in his eyes.
He lowered his gaze and picked up a golden floral ornament from a corner of the chest.
Wasn't this the item found in the black box on Yuan Shang's person?
Thinking this, he felt he was onto something. He quickly pulled the chest out again and began to meticulously examine the clothes one by one. As he reached the women's undergarments, waiting for Zhong Li to continue the search, his fingertips brushed against something hard on the topmost bodice.
Lan Heng's heart tightened. Disregarding any notions of propriety between men and women, he moved the bodice aside, revealing a stack of letters and similar items.
He casually picked one up and unfolded them one by one. At first, he found them somewhat difficult to understand, as they were filled with the thoughts of a young maiden. These letters also appeared to be unsent, and he couldn't tell who the recipient was.
As he read further into the letters, his brows began to furrow.
While Lan Heng was busy, Zhong Li had finished examining Ping'er's body. She removed her gloves and turned to call Lan Heng, only to see him holding a stack of items with a serious expression.
She hadn't spent much time with him, but she understood his disposition to some extent. It seemed he had found a crucial clue.
"Lord Lan," Zhong Li said as she walked up to him.
Lan Heng heard her call and turned to look at her. "Li'er, look at this."
Zhong Li took the letters he handed her and examined them one by one. As she progressed through the letters, her brow furrowed deeper.
These were Ping'er's love letters, filled with her longing and affection. As for why they were unsent and who the recipient was, her heart instantly understood when she saw the characters 'Mo Cang' written in Ping'er's handwriting.
Ping'er had been secretly in love with Lu Wu Xie.
Zhong Li's eyebrows knitted even tighter at this realization.
It wasn't uncommon in noble households for servants to be infatuated with their masters and wish to "fly up the branches." However, the sheer coincidences were unsettling.
From Shen Hong's death in Lu Wu Xie's private chamber in Huanxi Tower, to Yuan Shang's death, and now Ping'er's apparent suicide, everything pointed towards Lu Wu Xie, as if he were the mastermind behind the entire affair.
But anyone with a clear mind knew that too many coincidences in a case inevitably aroused suspicion. It was a case of "too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing."
But who was so desperate to frame Lu Wu Xie?
Zhong Li pondered this, then her gaze met Lan Heng's. Seeing his equally contemplative expression, she knew he too was beginning to suspect that the entire case might be flawed.
She took a deep breath, composed herself, and handed the letters back to Lan Heng. Then, she turned to the bed where Ping'er's body lay. "Lord Lan, I have determined two things after examining the body."
Lan Heng shook off his thoughts and stood beside Zhong Li, awaiting her analysis.
"First, Ping'er's death was indeed a suicide. Second, Yuan Shang was killed by Ping'er."
Lan Heng had no objection to Zhong Li's first deduction. As for the second, he furrowed his brow and asked, "Yuan Shang was six feet four inches tall. Even if Ping'er had the strength to carry Yuan Shang to Lord Lu's study, she is only five feet one inch. Before we arrived, everyone inspected the ground, and there were no traces of anyone carrying a person or of cart wheels. How could she have moved Yuan Shang to the study without leaving any trace of her actions?"
Zhong Li was not surprised by Lan Heng's question.
After all, with normal thinking, this was the question that would arise.
This was the confinement of preconceived notions.
Zhong Li glanced at Lan Heng and simply said, "Yuan Shang walked to the study himself."
"What?" Lan Heng's eyes widened in disbelief.
Zhong Li did not rush to explain. Instead, she opened the small bag she carried, took out a small packet, and handed it to Lan Heng. "Smell this. Is it familiar?"
Lan Heng took it and brought it to his nose. A faint, fragrant scent immediately emanated from it, and for a fleeting moment, his expression showed a trace of bewilderment.
"Is this Datura?"
Zhong Li nodded. Then, she walked to the table in Ping'er's room, picked up a cup that was on it, brought it to her nose, and handed it to Lan Heng. "Smell this."
"This contained clear wine?" Lan Heng asked, and then immediately understood.
Zhong Li explained, "The Compendium of Materia Medica states, 'Datura, when brewed with wine and consumed, induces laughter; when brewed with wine and consumed during dancing, induces dancing.' I have tried this. One must drink until half-drunk, and then have someone else induce laughter or dancing."
"In other words, Datura has aphrodisiac and hallucinogenic effects for most people. Let us assume that Yuan Shang found Ping'er that night and wanted to reminisce with her."
As she spoke, Zhong Li took the floral ornament from Lan Heng's palm.
"And perhaps he intended to marry Ping'er. Initially, Ping'er refused with all her might."
Saying this, Zhong Li walked to Ping'er's body, gently pulled open Ping'er's collar, and saw several scratches on her pale skin. Then she took out the servant's clothes Lan Heng had found, retrieved a green ruqun whose neckline buttons had been torn off, and continued:
"Afterward, I don't know by what method Ping'er persuaded Yuan Shang to drink the clear wine laced with Datura. Yuan Shang lost his senses and followed Ping'er to the young lord's study."
Lan Heng found Zhong Li's inference that Yuan Shang had walked to Lan Heng's study himself to be plausible. However...
He looked at Zhong Li and voiced his second doubt. "Li'er said Ping'er had marks of being violated, but Yuan Shang went to Lu Wu Xie's room. How do you explain that?"
Zhong Li glanced back at Lu Wu Xie's courtyard, separated only by a wall, and replied, "Lord Lan, the marks of violation on Ping'er are sufficient proof, but when did I say she had relations with Yuan Shang in this room?"