Zhong Li never would have imagined hearing such a thing from a young maid.
"Blood? Are you sure?" she asked, disbelievingly.
Bi'er nodded her head vigorously, like a garlic pounder. "How could this servant not know it was blood? My family used to slaughter pigs and cows, so the smell is very familiar."
"Besides these, did you find anything else?" Zhong Li pressed.
Bi'er furrowed her brows and remained silent for a long moment before shaking her head. "Nothing else. However... I think my mother was quite normal apart from occasionally wandering in the backyard at midnight. She was kind and never scolded us servants casually. Rather..."
"Rather what?" Zhong Li inquired.
"Rather, the family head was temperamental at times."
"How so?" Zhong Li asked.
Bi'er put her index finger in her mouth and thought for a moment. "We servants were alright, but it was particularly evident with my mother. He would be extremely gentle and doting at times, and then at other times, his emotions were unreadable and he was particularly strict. My mother feared him."
"Moreover, the family head placed particular importance on the objects in my mother's room. Does Magistrate Zhong remember when I broke my mother's vase?"
Zhong Li nodded.
"This servant wasn't afraid of my mother, but if the family head found out, this servant couldn't avoid punishment." Bi'er said, her brows furrowing even tighter. She then corrected herself, "It's not exactly like that. Sometimes he would punish, and sometimes he wouldn't."
Zhong Li looked at Bi'er, her gaze deepening.
Bi'er thought Zhong Li didn't understand and quickly explained, "Magistrate Zhong, I am just an ordinary pig butcher's daughter. Some of my words might not be accurate, and Magistrate Zhong might not understand."
"No, I understand perfectly," she said, looking in the direction of the Meng family to the south.
After Zhong Li sent Bi'er back to the Meng residence, she returned to the yamen to find Lu Wuxie already waiting for her. In the past, she would have been curious about how quickly this man worked, but now she was accustomed to it.
"See what I've found," Lu Wuxie said, sitting at the table. After taking a sip of clear tea, he handed her several sheets of Xuan paper.
Zhong Li looked at the first sheet. "Yu Zhen never went home?"
"Yes!" Lu Wuxie put down his cup. "I checked Yu Zhen's ancestral records at the prefectural office and then ordered someone to investigate Yu Zhen's home. Yu Zhen, ever since he started following Feng Niannian, has never returned home, only occasionally sending money back."
Never!
Zhong Li knew what Lu Wuxie meant by these seemingly simple words. She took a deep breath, realizing that both Feng Niannian and Meng Yuan were lying.
"I remember when we thoroughly investigated the identity of the corpse, Yu Zhen was on the list but was the first one I ruled out. Now that Tan Ling is alive, the owner of that corpse is very likely Yu Zhen," Zhong Li said, her eyes filled with self-reproach. If she had harbored even a little suspicion towards Feng Niannian back then, she wouldn't have taken so many detours. This was why the Dali Temple required investigators to have no involvement with those involved in the case.
"Oh, right. While you were out, a bailiff reported that they found something regarding the sword hemp you were investigating." Lu Wuxie took out a green hair ribbon from his embrace.
"This sword hemp came from the Meng family's shop, didn't it?" Zhong Li already had an idea of the answer.
Lu Wuxie nodded. "I also thoroughly investigated the purchasing records of the Ding family and the fabrics worn by their servants. The Ding family servants' clothes were all purchased uniformly from Xue family silk shops. As for the ribbons on the women's heads, they were dyed from the most common flax scraps."
Hearing this, Zhong Li slowly closed her eyes. If things were as she suspected, the case was almost solved. The only thing left to do was to find physical evidence and apprehend the murderer.
"Oh, and I also found some other information. If you're interested, you can flip through the rest," Lu Wuxie reminded Zhong Li.
Zhong Li opened her eyes and quickly scanned the content on the second sheet of Xuan paper. Her expression turned grim. "This..."
The next moment, she realized, "No wonder I thought he was so erratic. So that's why."
"Magistrate Zhong."
Just as Zhong Li finished reading the information in her hand, a young bailiff ran into the yamen. "Madam Feng is outside the yamen and says she wishes to see you."
Zhong Li and Lu Wuxie exchanged a glance. She put down the Xuan paper and said coldly, "Tell her I'm busy and we can talk another day."
"This..." The bailiff looked hesitant until he saw her warning gaze, and then he quickly ran out.
Seeing that Feng Niannian had been sent away, Zhong Li wanted to return to the inn to rest. She bid farewell to Prefect Dong Qing and got into the carriage with Lu Wuxie.
"The Lantern Festival is in two days."
In the carriage, Zhong Li watched the merchants who had already begun decorating the streets, becoming somewhat lost in thought. Lu Wuxie looked at her eyes, which shone brightly in the candlelight, making her appear even more vibrant.
"You seem very interested in the Lantern Festival," he said, taking off his outer cloak and quietly draping it over her.
"Yes." Zhong Li was uncharacteristically relaxed, her elbow resting outside the carriage window, her delicate chin on her arm. She spoke with a slight shake of her head, making her appear remarkably spirited. "I was with my adoptive father for over ten years, and in my memory, we never celebrated the New Year, let alone the Lantern Festival. All my memories are of moving and dodging pursuers. The longest I stayed anywhere was in An Ding County, but even there, people with intentions found me. While I was out, these people killed my adoptive father."
Hearing this, Lu Wuxie's brows furrowed slightly. He could imagine what kind of difficult life the young Zhong Li had endured. But he was also relieved that Zhong Li wasn't present when Gai Chen died, otherwise, with the methods those people used, she probably wouldn't have survived.
"You can release water lanterns during the Lantern Festival in Yong Cheng and Jin Zhou. I'll take you then," Lu Wuxie said, his tone becoming exceptionally gentle.
Zhong Li turned and looked at him. This time, his eyes held no trace of his usual flippancy; his sincerity almost overflowed. Her cheeks flushed, and she didn't know how to respond.
"Li'er."
Silence ensued in the carriage. After a good while, Lu Wuxie broke it. Zhong Li dared not meet his eyes, her gaze flitting over every small stall without lingering.
Lu Wuxie curved his lips and looked outside along with her gaze. He said softly, "No matter what you experienced in your childhood, if you are willing, I will accompany you for all the festivals you haven't celebrated, or have already celebrated."
Zhong Li's eyes flickered. Her red lips parted for a long time, but no sound came out.
The carriage soon arrived at the inn. The inns in Yong Cheng were already adorned with lanterns, their vibrant red illuminating the small building and the entrance exceptionally brightly, much like... Feng Niannian's room.
Just as Zhong Li thought of this, a familiar voice sounded from behind her.
"Magistrate Zhong."
Zhong Li and Lu Wuxie turned their heads simultaneously. Feng Niannian stood at the entrance of the inn, looking at her.