The night in Jinzhou was not as cold as in Jincheng. Most shops on Yonghua Street had already closed. Occasionally, a vendor would still be selling hot yuanxiao to earn a little extra.
Zhong Li tucked in the carriage curtain and glanced back at the man opposite her, dressed in a black outer cloak.
The brazier inside the carriage was burning at its maximum. This man was even holding a hot water bottle. How afraid of the cold could he be?
She pondered, recalling the ice-cold fingertips of Lu Wuxie when he had pulled her hand early two days ago. Just as she was about to ask if he was suffering from internal deficiency, Lu Wuxie spoke first, "Ringer's meaning is that my maternal grandfather often went to Baiyan Lou to find Qi Shui Shui, leaving clues he wanted to say but couldn't?"
Zhong Li put aside what she was about to say and recalled the analysis of Xie Xu that they had made in a hurry before leaving.
If she were not Xie Xu, she would not know why he had called Lu Wuxie, but according to what Lu Wuxie had told her about Xie Xu's situation in Jinzhou, apart from Madam Liang, all the female members of the household had their own thoughts and agendas. It would be difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood during a thorough investigation and questioning. The only person who could be used as a starting point for the entire investigation was Qi Shui Shui, who had little to gain from the case.
"I heard she's a courtesan?" Zhong Li said.
Lu Wuxie nodded.
"Don't courtesans usually have to be booked in advance? Can we see her if we go?" Zhong Li thought of Tian Lianxue in Jincheng. Lu Wuxie was her honored guest, so he could enter and exit her boudoir freely whenever he wished. But as for Qi Shui Shui, wouldn't they be disappointed if they went tonight?
Upon hearing this, Lu Wuxie smiled wickedly and said, "Prostitutes are heartless; their affection lies in the spending of money."
As he spoke, he took out a gold ingot, about the size of a man's fist, from his embrace and tossed it lightly into the air.
"Thank you, sir!" The gold ingot landed in the hands of the madam at the entrance of Baiyan Lou.
The madam bit the gold with her bright red lips. After confirming it was genuine, her fawning smile grew even more pronounced. "Please wait, this old servant will go and make arrangements and be right back."
Before long, the madam did not descend. Instead, a young maid in a fine green jacket appeared. She bowed to Zhong Li and Lu Wuxie and said, "Please follow me, Miss Qi is already waiting for you."
With that, the maid turned and walked up to the second floor of Baiyan Lou.
Zhong Li glanced at Lu Wuxie and gave him a thumbs-up, following closely behind.
Qi Shui Shui resided in a first-class private room on the second floor, with a tranquil environment and superior decoration.
Zhong Li, dressed as a page boy, stood behind Lu Wuxie and watched the woman playing the zither and qin behind the beaded curtain. Her lips slowly straightened.
Previously, they had been in a teahouse next door. The distance was far, and she thought Qi Shui Shui was very much like Xie Xiao Yun. Now, looking at her up close, her features were about eight parts similar to Xie Xiao Yun in the portrait, but her temperament was poles apart. One was excessively bright and emitted a vulgar charm, while the other was like a lady from a good family, moderate and gentle.
If Xie Xu truly yearned for the beauty of his youth, then even a celestial being would not catch his eye with such a woman.
As expected, Madam Liang was right; Xie Xu had other uses for seeking out Qi Shui Shui.
"Does Master Lu like this song?" While Zhong Li was lost in thought, Qi Shui Shui's music stopped. She looked at Lu Wuxie through the beaded curtain and spoke, her voice carrying a hint of distance.
Lu Wuxie did appreciate music, but what kind of music couldn't be heard in Jincheng? Qi Shui Shui played acceptably well, but she was slightly inferior to those in the capital. Moreover, upon closer listening, one could sense that the musician was somewhat absent-minded.
However, today was not the time for him to judge music. He smiled, poured a cup of clear tea, and placed it opposite her. "It's beautiful. Miss Qi, please come over and speak."
Qi Shui Shui made no move. Her gaze through the beaded curtain coldly regarded the two sitting at the round table opposite her. She frowned slightly, seemingly unwelcoming to the two, and was about to say something.
Lu Wuxie spoke first, "Golden jade beauty's house, rustling glazed errors."
Qi Shui Shui was startled. She swallowed her words and glared at Lu Wuxie opposite her, saying, "How do you know this poem?"
"Miss Qi is meeting the poor scholar Xiao Chu today, right? I didn't expect to butt in," Lu Wuxie said lazily, looking at Qi Shui Shui.
"Hmph!" Qi Shui Shui snorted coldly and said, "Since you know about me and Young Master Xiao, then I, Qi Shui Shui, am not afraid to speak directly. Don't think that a few stinking coins can buy my affection. I and Young Master Xiao..."
"Without young masters like us, full of the stench of copper, wouldn't Miss Qi not even have money for secret meetings with lovers?" Lu Wuxie glanced at Qi Shui Shui and interrupted her.
Qi Shui Shui was so angry that she slammed the table. Her lips parted and closed for a long time, yet she could not utter a single word of rebuttal.
Zhong Li looked at the woman opposite her. She believed that from ancient times to the present, there had been virtuous women in the entertainment districts, but Qi Shui Shui was definitely not one of them. She was merely a courtesan of Baiyan Lou who wanted both chastity and money.
Otherwise, why would she have a prior engagement today, yet bend her back for Lu Wuxie's single gold ingot?
Her current pretense of high-mindedness was just her struggling with her own inner conflict.
"Miss Qi!" Zhong Li did not want to waste time and got straight to the point, saying, "My master and I are here today to ask Miss Qi a question. After we've asked, we'll leave. As for anything else, neither my master nor I are interested in knowing."
Upon hearing Zhong Li's words, Qi Shui Shui's anger subsided slightly, as everyone could seize an opportunity to dismount.
"What do you want to ask? Say it. After you're done, leave quickly," Qi Shui Shui was still trying to be sharp-tongued.
Lu Wuxie glanced at Zhong Li.
Zhong Li understood and said, "When did the master of the Xie Mansion, Xie Xu, leave here yesterday?"
"Xie Xu? Why are you asking about him?" Qi Shui Shui seemed to particularly dislike Xie Xu. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she looked impatient.
"Do you know that Xie Xu was burned to death at the Xie Mansion early this morning?" Zhong Li asked.
When Qi Shui Shui heard that Xie Xu was dead, her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly walked around the beaded curtain and looked at Zhong Li, saying, "He's dead?"
Zhong Li looked at the expression on Qi Shui Shui's face and was sure she wasn't faking it. She nodded and said, "The fire on Yonghua Street this morning was at the Xie residence."
"He actually... died? He's really dead? How could that be?" Upon hearing this, Qi Shui Shui couldn't help but stagger back two steps. Fortunately, she leaned against the screen frame to prevent herself from falling.
"What, Miss Qi knows something?" Zhong Li felt they were getting somewhere.
But in the next moment, Qi Shui Shui's words completely stunned the two opposite her.
"Xie Xu still owes me a hundred taels of silver. How could he just die like that?"
Lu Wuxie and Zhong Li exchanged glances.
Qi Shui Shui was so angry that she had lost all the demeanor of a courtesan. With her hands on her hips, she said, "Doesn't everyone know that his Xie family is not what it used to be? I only gave him some face because he used to be a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Works. Now he intends to die without settling his debts, isn't that right?"
"What does it mean that the Xie family is not what it used to be?" Lu Wuxie caught the key point in Qi Shui Shui's words.
Qi Shui Shui sneered, "The Xie Mansion is already an empty shell. How can you two be investigating Xie Xu's matters? Don't you know this?"