Lu Wuxie looked at the case files Zhong Li had already tidied up, then watched as she picked up the four teacups from the table, dividing three into one group and placing the remaining one separately. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Peng Yong's case files show no apparent issues at first glance, as he was apprehended on the spot. However..." Zhong Li paused, her gaze fixed on the four cups before her. "Based on the case file's records of the crime scene and the associated methods of operation, if we were to combine the two cases, they wouldn't appear to be the work of a single perpetrator."
Lu Wuxie frowned. He seemed to grasp Zhong Li's meaning, yet at the same time, he felt a sense of bewilderment.
"Let me put it this way," Zhong Li said, placing the red coral hairpin – evidence borrowed from Xu Qing – between the two groups of teacups. "The victims in Peng Yong's case were Zhi Qiu from the Willow Alley, Shuang'er, and Shi Hua. The victim in Miao Jie's case was Ming Xia. Using the red coral hairpin as a dividing line, three of these four individuals share a commonality."
"The hairpin?" Lu Wuxie queried.
Zhong Li nodded. "Xu Qing mentioned that at the time of the incident, everyone's focus was on this red coral lotus hairpin. It wasn't until the appearance of the last victim, Shuang'er, ten years ago, and Peng Yong's arrest, that the hairpin was not found at the scene. Everyone assumed their direction was wrong, and the murders had nothing to do with the hairpin. So, could there be a possibility..."
"That these two cases were actually committed by two different people?" Lu Wuxie finished Zhong Li's unspoken thought.
Zhong Li nodded, but her expression quickly turned grave. "This is merely speculation. After all, the first case occurred ten years ago, and the bodies of Zhi Qiu, Shi Hua, and Shuang'er have long since turned to bone. Based on the condition of Ming Xia's body, it would be impossible to derive any conclusive results from just the bones of those three."
Lu Wuxie understood the implication of Zhong Li's words. He pondered for a moment, then pulled aside the carriage curtain and instructed Lin Jin, who was following alongside, "Turn the carriage back towards Dali Temple!"
West of Jincheng, Dali Temple.
"You want the evidence from Peng Yong's case from ten years ago?" Xu Qing looked at the two individuals opposite him, his surprise evident.
"What, Lord Xu doesn't want this case solved?" Lu Wuxie brushed dust off the grand tutor's chair and sat on the high seat. "Or are you unwilling?"
"My Lord," Xu Qing sighed, his face showing difficulty as he cupped his hands. "As you know, Dali Temple has its rules. Evidence from ten years ago has long been sealed away. If you wish to reinvestigate an old case and examine the evidence, it requires the Minister of Dali Temple to personally retrieve the files. Your..."
"You want to use Lan Heng to pressure me?" Lu Wuxie knew precisely what Xu Qing meant.
Xu Qing appeared embarrassed and was about to explain when Lu Wuxie continued, "Lan Heng is in Jinzhou for at least half a month, if not a full month. This case, Lord Xu, you don't dare to openly defy Lord Chen's wishes, so you're in a stalemate with him. Do you truly believe that matters in the capital can be kept from the Sage's ears for half a month?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's expression grew even more troubled. The current Sage, Lu Jing'an, governed in a completely different manner from the late Emperor. The late Emperor was gentle and inclined to heed opinions and the plight of the common people when governing, whereas Lu Jing'an was intolerant of any discussions or petitions from the court or the populace.
If the Sage were to learn that both the ten-year-old case and the current case remained unsolved, causing widespread fear among the people of Jincheng, his hard-won position as the Junior Minister of Dali Temple would be jeopardized.
"Alright!" Xu Qing bit his lip and stamped his foot, finally making up his mind. "This subordinate will retrieve the evidence for you, my Lord. I hope you can solve the case quickly."
With that, he turned and walked away.
"My Lord," a young constable following behind Xu Qing said as they moved further from the hall where Lu Wuxie was seated. "Are you really going to hand over the evidence from this ten-year-old case... to his Highness?"
When the young constable uttered the words "his Highness," his tone was noticeably tinged with a hint of sarcasm.
How could Xu Qing not detect the veiled meaning in his subordinate's words?
He sighed and glanced around the Dali Temple courtyard, ensuring no one was nearby. "Then tell me, my boy, do I have any other options?"
The young constable's lips moved for a moment, but he couldn't form a single word.
"This case is not simple," Xu Qing stated. "Let's not even mention the Sage. Even Lord Chen... if we don't have a patron behind us, we can't afford to offend him. So, it's better to play along and let this heir apparent of the Wise Prince's manor investigate. We'll cooperate. If, afterward..."
"If it's solved, the Sage won't blame Dali Temple," the young constable finished Xu Qing's sentence. "If it's not solved, or if something else is uncovered, the blame for offending people won't fall on us."
Xu Qing nodded. He found the young constable quite astute, certainly more so than that dullard, the dissolute Lu Wuxie. Since his Highness enjoyed stirring up trouble, he might as well let him have his fill this time.
"Let's hurry. His Highness has been waiting, and it's not good," Xu Qing thought, a hint of smugness appearing on his face as he urged the young constable on.
Lu Wuxie rested his head on his hand, his eyes closed as if in a doze.
The sounds of footsteps in the hall did not wake him from his slumber. It wasn't until Lin Jin, standing beside him, nudged him that he slightly opened an eye, looking at Xu Qing, who stood before him with objects in his hands.
"Lord Xu," he yawned, his gaze slowly focusing. "I've already slept for a while. Why are you only arriving now?"
Xu Qing's lips twitched slightly. "My Lord, I wished to come sooner, fearing you would be impatient. However, this case is ten years old, and retrieving the evidence was somewhat troublesome. I found it and rushed here without delay."
Lu Wuxie sat up straight, not looking at the evidence before him, but glancing at Zhong Li, who was already nearly poring over the case files.
Zhong Li did not stand on ceremony. Putting on gloves, she took the evidence from Xu Qing and began to examine it.
Ten years ago, the three victims were all courtesans. Apart from Shi Hua, who came from the Imperial Academy and had some valuable items, Zhi Qiu and Shuang'er were like Ming Xia, serving as subordinates to prostitutes and possessing no notable belongings.
Zhong Li set aside the irrelevant items. Amidst a pile of miscellaneous cheap jewelry and personal effects of women, she found two red coral lotus hairpins and held them for examination.
They were identical to the evidence from Ming Xia's case, with no discrepancies. Yet, Zhong Li felt that there was something amiss with these two hairpins.
"My Lord," Zhong Li, unfamiliar with such matters, turned and placed the hairpins before Lu Wuxie.
Lu Wuxie merely glanced at them indifferently. His previously casual expression tightened for a fleeting moment.
Zhong Li knew her suspicion was correct. She quickly asked, "My Lord, is there something wrong with these?"
As soon as she spoke, everyone in the hall turned their gaze towards Lu Wuxie.
Lu Wuxie glanced at Xu Qing and asked, "Is the evidence not problematic?"
Xu Qing, his answer ambiguous, instinctively nodded, fearing any slight delay would cause trouble.
Lu Wuxie's eyes narrowed. "These two hairpins are fake!"