Zhong Li and Lin Jin left the front courtyard together. The awkward silence between them stemmed from Zhong Li's accidental glimpse into Lu Wuxie's family affairs. It wasn't until Zhong Li pushed open the door to her room, preparing to retire for the night, that the usually taciturn Lin Jin finally spoke.
"Miss Zhong."
Zhong Li stopped but did not turn her head.
"You saw... just now?" Lin Jin hesitated before asking.
Zhong Li turned back. "Saw what?"
"The Young Lord should have told you, but the current Princess Consort is not the Young Lord's birth mother." Lin Jin continued.
Zhong Li nodded, recalling the woman standing in the shadows, backlit by the light. The woman's cheeks were as white as snow, her figure graceful, and her faint smile exuded an inherent allure. If this was Xie Yunxi, whom Lu Wuxie had mentioned, then his birth mother, Xie Yunxia, must have been an exceptional beauty.
"The继王妃 (Jì Wángfēi - Consort of the Prince of Xian) will surely send servants to probe you, Miss Zhong. I hope you will handle it with care."
With that, Lin Jin cupped his hands towards Zhong Li and turned to leave. Zhong Li remained standing there, watching the man's retreating figure disappear into the night for a long while before turning and entering her room.
The west wing of the Prince of Xian's mansion was, in fact, a place for guests to stay temporarily. Lu Wuxie was considerate. To make it easier for her, a woman, to remain hidden, he had the room's doors and windows fitted with latches that opened from the inside, and the screen that divided the room was replaced with an opaque solid wood one. Opening the wardrobe, she found it filled with men's clothes fitting her build. Zhong Li casually flipped through them and found a woman's garment at the very bottom. The fabric was light and smooth, simple yet elegant, adorned with a few peonies, which she found quite pleasing. She lightly traced her fingertips over the garment, but without hesitation, she picked up a set of men's casual clothes from the top and walked behind the screen.
After a simple wash, she changed into the clothes. Just as she was about to open her bundle to take out the memorial tablet inscribed with the name 'Gai Chen' to pay respects, a knock came from outside.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Who is it?" Zhong Li immediately stuffed the memorial tablet back into her bundle and stepped out from behind the screen.
"Young Master, this servant is Xing'er. The Princess Consort heard that the Young Lord brought a friend from outside and specifically asked this servant to prepare a bowl of lotus seed soup for you."
Hearing the clear voice of the woman outside, Zhong Li straightened her clothes and opened the door. A young girl stood at the doorway. While not exceptionally striking, her good demeanor made her appear quite clever.
"Oh, come in." Zhong Li stepped aside, letting Xing'er enter.
Xing'er placed the bowl of lotus seed soup on the table, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the entire room.
"Is there anything else?" Zhong Li asked again.
Xing'er started, then came to her senses and shook her head.
"Then please, do leave." Zhong Li tapped the open door.
Xing'er smiled faintly, her eyes darting about in their sockets. "May I know the Young Master's name?"
"Zhong."
"Young Master Zhong, this lotus seed soup won't taste as good once it's cold, won't it?" Xing'er said.
Zhong Li looked deeply at Xing'er, amused by her somewhat forceful remark. She walked to the table, hitched her robe like a man, and sat down, picking up the bowl of lotus seed soup and drinking it down in one go.
Instantly, the sound of shattered bowls and plates echoed within the room...
-------------------------------------
The study in the North Garden of the Prince of Xian's mansion.
Lu Wuxie released the carrier pigeon back into the night and unfolded the letter retrieved from its leg.
"Young Lord," Lin Jin's voice sounded from outside.
"Enter."
Lu Wuxie returned to his desk and casually tossed the letter he had just finished reading into the burning oil lamp.
"How is it?" he asked, picking up a booklet from the table.
Lin Jin glanced at the cover of the booklet, noting the characters 《暖春宫》(Nuan Chun Gong - Warm Spring Palace) printed on it. His eyebrows rose as he replied, "To answer the Young Lord, it is as you expected."
Lu Wuxie smiled faintly upon hearing this and continued, "The information? Has it been released?"
"Yes!" Lin Jin replied concisely.
Lu Wuxie stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the silver moon in the night sky. A warm breeze blew through his dark hair, brushing past the jade vase holding peonies on the high table, and rustling the pages of 《暖春宫》left on the desk. Others might have expected to see vivid pictures, but instead, the booklet was densely filled with text, which Lin Jin, standing by the table, could not decipher.
"Has there been any movement on their end?" Lu Wuxie asked again.
Lin Jin shook his head. "Not yet."
Lu Wuxie pushed the wooden stay of the window aside and handed Lin Jin a slip of paper from his怀中 (huái zhōng - embrace/bosom). "Gather your subordinates and search for the person named above. Remember, dead or alive."
"Yes!" Lin Jin accepted the order and turned to leave.
When the study fell silent once more, a rustling sound came from the roof beams. Simultaneously, a shadow landed behind Lu Wuxie.
"Master!" the shadow said, kneeling on one knee.
"Was it successful?" Lu Wuxie asked.
"Yes! With Miss Zhong's assistance, it was successful!" the shadow replied.
"Very good! Make sure to handle the rest cleanly!" Lu Wuxie instructed.
"Yes!" With that, the shadow vanished, and the study was silent.
Lin Jin left Lu Wuxie's study and returned to his own room. After confirming he was not being followed, he quietly opened the note in his hand. When he saw the name of the person on it, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Xie Xiaoyun? His master wanted to find Xie Xiaoyun?
The next day.
Zhong Li sat in the carriage, taking something from Lu Wuxie.
"Case files?" She lowered her gaze and opened the cloth bag.
"Yes, a promise made to Li'er cannot be broken," Lu Wuxie said with a smile.
Zhong Li opened the case files in her hand. Just as she had expected, they had been sealed for ten years, and the bamboo slips emitted a faint musty smell.
"What did you do with that girl named Xing'er last night?" Zhong Li asked about the previous night's events as she read. Prompted by Lin Jin's warning, she had become wary of Xing'er early on. Upon noticing that the lotus seed soup lacked its usual clarity and had a slightly cloudy appearance, she concluded that sleeping powder had been added. She decided to play along with the scheme, and indeed, after seeing her feign unconsciousness, Xing'er began to search her belongings. She seized the opportunity to knock Xing'er unconscious and also sent a signal to Lu Wuxie. As for what happened next...
Lu Wuxie lazily gazed at the sky outside, inhaling the morning air of Chang'an. "She was given some medicine. It won't harm her body, but she will lose some of her memory. Afterward, she was safely sent back to her hometown. At her age, it's time for marriage. The affairs of the inner court are not something young girls should be involved in."
Hearing Lu Wuxie refer to Xing'er as a young girl, Zhong Li's lips curved upwards involuntarily. She remembered the 'new' Xing'er she had seen early that morning and knew that Lu Wuxie had handled the matter properly.
"So, are there any new clues in these case files?" After a while, Lu Wuxie noticed Zhong Li had reached the last few lines of the files and asked.
Zhong Li closed the case files. Her previously calm expression became serious at this moment. "Indeed, there are issues with these two cases."