Case One: The Twin Corpses in the Flowerbed
"Open the door!" Zhong Li turned her head to look at Miao Fenghua, who was catching up.
Miao Fenghua was extremely unwilling, but due to the other party's insistence at the moment, she could only reach for a key at her waist and prepare to open the door.
After a while, Zhong Li looked at Miao Fenghua, who still hadn't opened the lock, and then at the seven or eight keys in her hand, saying, "Doesn't Madam Miao know which key it is?"
Miao Fenghua started, raised her eyes to meet Zhong Li's scrutinizing gaze, and smiled awkwardly, "This... my locks are quite numerous, it's inevitable that I'd mistake one."
As she spoke, she took out another key and inserted it into the lock. With a crisp click, the door swung open.
Just as she was about to put the remaining keys back at her waist, Zhong Li suddenly stopped her and took a key from her hand, saying, "This is... the key to the northern suburb residence. You have one too?"
Miao Fenghua saw this and smiled, "Yes, I have one too."
Zhong Li looked deeply at Miao Fenghua.
Miao Fenghua said, "But I've been in Yongcheng for a while. Perhaps Judicial Inspector Zhong has forgotten?"
Zhong Li no longer spoke and followed Miao Fenghua into the house.
As she had predicted from outside, the room was not large, merely the size of one person's living space and a kitchen, visible at a glance.
"Judicial Inspector Zhong, you see no one is inside, you can leave now, right?" Miao Fenghua pulled open the kitchen curtain, allowing Zhong Li to see.
Zhong Li nodded and said, "Naturally. However, I felt a bit thirsty while searching Han Dong's room. If it's convenient for Madam Miao, could you give me some tea?"
Miao Fenghua looked at Zhong Li, thought for a moment, and finally nodded, walking into the kitchen. She emerged with a cup in her hand.
She looked up, wondering where the woman who had been standing at the kitchen door had gone. Zhong Li's voice came from beside the bed, "Here."
Miao Fenghua looked up and saw Zhong Li leaning by the makeup box, her arms crossed, looking at her.
"Please drink, Judicial Inspector Zhong."
Zhong Li's fingertip traced Miao Fenghua's hands holding the clear tea. She smelled the tea aroma and said, "Excellent tea. Truly worthy of Jinzhou's Longjing. Madam Miao certainly has many good things."
With that, she drank it all in one gulp, handed the empty cup to Miao Fenghua, and stood up to walk outside.
As Zhong Li's foot was already stepping out the door, she suddenly turned her head and asked, "Madam Miao, Zhong Li has a question she doesn't know if she should ask."
Miao Fenghua looked at Zhong Li with a hint of confusion.
"Since Madam Miao is a merchant who transports goods, I have a doubt I'd like Madam Miao to explain. Where is your warehouse?"
"I..." Miao Fenghua was stunned for a long time. Her gaze met the cold eyes of the woman opposite her, and she replied, "I've rented a small woodshed in the eastern suburbs. Everything is stored there."
"Oh? Is that so? Madam sells such valuable imported goods. Aren't you afraid of theft without anyone guarding it?" Zhong Li asked again.
Miao Fenghua swallowed a few times, unsure how to answer.
Zhong Li smiled and said, "Just asking casually, Madam, don't take it to heart."
With that, she closed the door casually and left.
Ren Wenshu, who had been waiting outside for a long time, saw Zhong Li walk out slowly and quickly stepped forward, saying, "I've already sent people to seal off the entire city of Jinzhou. Once Han Dong appears, this case will be solved."
As he spoke, he took out a piece of Xuan paper from his懷 and handed it to her.
Zhong Li opened it and saw a portrait of a man. The man was quite handsome, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding a strong masculine aura.
"Who is this?"
"Han Dong," Ren Wenshu replied.
"Where did this portrait come from?" Zhong Li asked.
"Oh, Judicial Inspector Zhong may not know. When we searched Han Dong's house, the artist drew it based on Miao Fenghua's description," Ren Wenshu explained.
"Is that so? Then it's quite good." Zhong Li heard this, turned her head to glance at the door behind her, and said lightly, "Then let's distribute these portraits to every corner of Jinzhou as Mr. Ren intends. Hopefully, we'll get some clues."
As she finished speaking, she turned and walked towards Yonghua Street.
Ren Wenshu watched Zhong Li's retreating back, feeling extremely pleased. He called out to her back, "Tomorrow noon is the third day. Truly worthy of Judicial Inspector Zhong, this case will be solved!"
Zhong Li went around the alley entrance and came onto Yonghua Street. If she remembered correctly, the Xie Mansion should also be on this street.
She casually bought a baked flatbread and walked along, leisurely looking at the surrounding stalls.
Speaking of which, Ren Wenshu's efficiency was quite high. By the time she was nearing the Xie Mansion, the entire Yonghua Street was already plastered with Han Dong's portraits.
"This person looks familiar," several citizens discussing the portraits clustered together.
"He does look familiar, but I can't recall who it is."
"Are you blind? Didn't you see it says Han Dong on it?"
"Hmm? Why do I feel like this person... shouldn't be called this name?"
"Really?"
As Zhong Li walked past them, listening to their casual discussions, her gaze inadvertently swept over their clothing. It was winter, yet they were not wearing much on their feet. Their trouser legs were even tucked into their ankles, and their exposed skin was covered in frostbite. She had already confirmed their identities in her heart.
Just as she was about to step forward to ask them about the person in the portrait, a voice came from the entrance of the Xie Mansion.
"Miss Zhong."
Zhong Li came back to her senses and saw Lin Jin holding a carriage at the entrance of the Xie Mansion.
She gave up on asking these people questions and quickly walked up to Lin Jin, saying, "Are you about to leave, or have you just returned?"
"Just returned," Lin Jin said, casually tying the reins of the horse to a tree at the entrance of the Xie Mansion. "I took the Heir to Baiyan Tower. Since lunch hasn't been eaten yet, I came back first to find something to eat."
Hearing Baiyan Tower, Zhong Li turned her head towards the direction of the adjacent alley.
Lin Jin saw her like this and quickly explained, "The Heir's maternal grandfather was drunk at Baiyan Tower last night. The Heir went to look for him. Miss Zhong, please don't misunderstand."
Zhong Li's gaze returned to Lin Jin. Misunderstand? What could she misunderstand? Where Lu Wuxie went was his freedom; could she control it?
"I came to ask the Heir for a favor. It seems he's very busy. Forget it," she said. Although her words seemed to reflect a clear thought process, they carried a hint of petulance.
"Miss Zhong," Lin Jin saw her about to leave and quickly stepped forward to block her path, asking, "Where are you going, Miss Zhong?"
"Back to..." Zhong Li intended to say back to Jinzhou Wine House, but then suddenly remembered that the number one room there was paid for by Lu Wuxie. The rest of her words felt stuck in her throat.
Lin Jin had also spent some time with Zhong Li and rarely saw her so hesitant. Thinking she hadn't made up her mind, he stood aside and said, "Miss Zhong, are you feeling unwell? Perhaps you should go back to the wine house to rest. As for the matter you were looking for the Heir for, I'll tell him when he returns."
Zhong Li, who had intended to argue, found that the more she explained, the more misunderstandings were likely to arise, so she nodded and said, "Tell your Heir, if I haven't misjudged, the case should be solved. Once it's solved, I plan to leave that same day. I will pay the accommodation fees to Jinzhou Wine House, and the portion he covered, please remember to collect it from the wine house."
Lin Jin was caught off guard by Zhong Li's sudden unfamiliarity.
He looked at her retreating figure and asked, "Where is Miss Zhong going?"
"To the yamen. There's still something I need to confirm."