TDLC Chapter 44

Terms used in TDLC Chapter 44

Hou’ye (侯爷) – Marquis.
benhou (本侯) – a self-address used by a Marquis.
min’nü (民女) – commoner girl.
guniang (姑娘) – young lady.
gonggong (公公) – an old and/or high-ranking eunuch.
laonu (老奴) – old slave.
Daren (大人) – title of respect towards superiors.
xiaguan (下官) – a self-address that an official uses before his superior.
zui’chen (罪臣) – this guilty official.
Shizi (世子) – heir apparent of an aristrocratic family.
Ben Shizi (本世子) – a self-address used by the heir apparent of an aristrocratic family.
gongzi (公子) – a noble’s son.
xiao yatou (小丫头) – usually a deprecating way to say ‘ little girl’, but it can be used endearingly.

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How did an unconscious person manage to shriek miserably all of a sudden?

Shocked by that scream, Bó Ruò Yōu’s heart throbbed with terror. Beside her, Fu gonggong said: “If he wasn’t going to die, Hou’ye would have given him the chance to speak properly, but now that he’s about to die, Hou’ye will naturally think of a way to extract a bit of information out of him.”

Bó Ruò Yōu was slightly leery at the bottom of her heart, but she also knew that based on Huò Wēi Lóu’s temper, he would never give up on a chance to gain information out of the suspects.

Before the first miserable shriek could settle, another miserable shriek rang out again. Lù Kē’s low-sounding and interrogative voice travelled out of the room, whereas Wáng Qīng Fǔ’s voice was so weak it could not be heard at all. Not long after, the room door opened and an embroidered emissary walked out, “Did Míng gongzi bring any life-extending medicine on his person?”

Míng Guī Lán quickly beckoned the servants by his side, “Bring over the medicine.”

Míng Guī Lán was a young divine doctor, and since he was travelling far this time around, it was natural that he would always have prepared medicine on hand. However, Bó Ruò Yōu was cognizant that perhaps Wáng Qīng Fǔ could no longer hold on, and Huò Wēi Lóu was giving him the medicine in order to extend his life and question him via torture.

It was slightly cruel, but his target was Wáng Qīng Fǔ, who did not deserve any sympathy.

On the other hand, Fu gonggong was still worried about Bó Ruò Yōu, so he coughed lightly and said: “If Yōu Yōu feels afraid, perhaps [you] should go back and rest?”

Bó Ruò Yōu was somewhat amused, “Gonggong can be at ease, min’nü is not afraid, min’nü also wants to know where Wáng Qīng Fǔ hid the Śarīra.” After giving a pause, Bó Ruò Yōu added, “He is a smart person, he knew that he was being suspected, and since he resides in the Capital all year round, he is privy to Hou’ye’s methods, which is why he has chosen to take his own life.”

Bó Ruò Yōu furrowed her brows, “As opposed to fearing suffering and torment, it seems like he’s afraid of exposing something.”

At the side, Lín Huái chimed in, “If he was arrested and escorted back to the Capital, and Hou’ye can’t get anything out of him, he knows what will become of him. Therefore, he chose to commit suicide to end it all, it can be reckoned that he’s trying to hide an even bigger secret.”

An even bigger secret?

Bó Ruò Yōu visibly faltered, not knowing whether this even bigger was related to the Śarīra. Moreover, Wáng Qīng Fǔ lived in the Capital; was that secret related to the other noble clans?

She had left the Capital for too long; the memories of her youth had long become blurry, and her understanding of the state of affairs in the Capital and court was extremely lacking. Once she tried to contemplate deeper, she felt that her train of thought was slightly obscure and blocked up.

When her pondering reached this point, Bó Ruò Yōu raised her eyes to look towards the room, only hoping that Wáng Qīng Fǔ could reveal a thing or two about the inside story before dying.

Shortly after the servant delivered the life-extending medicine into the room, voices resounded again. However, as the sun lowered in the west, they could hear that Wáng Qīng Fǔ was gradually losing strength to even scream out loud. When the sunset glow extended across the horizon, the door which had remained firmly shut for a long time, finally opened.

Huò Wēi Lóu came out with a gloomy expression. Against the gazes of everyone present, he did not look at a single person as he stalked out of the meditation hall in large strides. Lù Kē was very quick to follow in his footsteps, but Fu gonggong pulled him to a stop, “How was it?”

Lù Kē exhaled audibly, “He has breathed his last.”

Fu gonggong was shocked, “So fast? Wasn’t he fed the medicine?”

Lù Kē shook his head, “He’s a chunk of hard bone, and he was wholeheartedly begging for death. Should time be permitted, there would have been other methods, but with what little there was, in addition to how he has already fainted a few times, it was really very difficult to get anything out of him.” He sounded a little helpless, “This will be irritating for Hou’ye.”

At this moment, an embroidered stepped inside with large strides, “Hou’ye wants to interrogate Yuè Míng Quán.”

Lù Kē roused his mind as he walked outwards in a hurry, with Lín Huái tagging along.

Fu gonggong heaved a sigh upon seeing that. “It will be busy tonight, Shizi and Míng gongzi should go back and rest.”

Huò Qīng Hóng frowned, “The case was this close to being solved…”

This case was not just investigating the homicide, but also tracking down the whereabouts of the Śarīra. Although they knew the reason why the murder was committed, but with Wáng Qīng Fǔ’s death, the whereabouts of the Śarīra was thusly broken off, so how could Huò Wēi Lóu be reconciled?

Fu gonggong offered two more lines of comfort before watching the pair leave. When he turned around, he saw a few embroidered emissaries lifting Wáng Qīng Fǔ’s corpse out of the room.

Bó Ruò Yōu glanced over, only observing that the hair on Wáng Qīng Fǔ’s temples were not scattered, the lapels of his black robes were rather slack, and it was completely bloodstained, as if he his inner organs had been hurt. However, no visible injury could be seen on his head, face, on the chest that was revealed under his lapels, or other areas. Fu gonggong noticed her gaze, so he murmured in a low voice: “The embroidered emissaries have their ways to ensure that no injury is left behind.”

Bó Ruò Yōu took one final look at Wáng Qīng Fǔ’s tightly shut eyes and breathless face, before she returned to their meditation hall with Fu gonggong.

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Inside the hall, a group of embroidered emissaries were keeping quiet out of fear. Fu gonggong and Bó Ruò Yōu ambled towards the central hall’s entrance, and saw Huò Wēi Lóu sitting at the main seat, while Yuè Míng Quán was kneeling in the middle of the hall, thinly veiled shock apparent on his visage.

“… Zui’chen does not know why he was being so resolute…. To… to the point where he died like that…”

• 罪臣 (pinyin: zui chen) – self-address of a guilty official.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s phoenix eyes were freezing cold, “Think about it carefully, did he ever mention why he was stealing the Śarīra?”

Yuè Míng Quán’s brows were locked together tightly. He replied in a slightly fraught manner moments later: “No, he never mentioned it, because zui’chen has asked the same question numerous times, but he took strict precautions and defended it to his death—”

Having spoken to this point, Yuè Míng Quán’s eyes abruptly widened, “Back then, he said that knowing would be of no benefit to zui’chen, and his tone of voice seemed to imply that zui’chen would instead incur a fatal disaster if he knew about it.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s pupils shrank. Yuè Míng Quán continued to say: “Back then, zui’chen was thinking, he’s just a small official in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, what could he possibly be stealing the Śarīra for, perhaps… Perhaps there’s a great personage behind him, zui’chen was simply seeking a high position and great wealth for himself, why would he need to know so much? Hence, zui’chen stopped asking afterwards.”

The skies had already dimmed. Huò Wēi Lóu leaned against the chair’s backrest, his handsome facial features sinking into the dusk, which made it hard to perceive his emotions, but the fear-inducing oppressiveness that he was emitting came down on Yuè Míng Quán in torrents, and Yuè Míng Quán could not help but become aghast as he knelt in the middle of the hall.

Like he was trying to alleviate his terror, Yuè Míng Quán continued to try his hardest to remember, “That’s right, it was that kind of feeling. Although his official position was not high then, he always gave the impression that everything was within his grasp, and that everything had been arranged, as if he was just a subordinate handling the business for someone else. Up until now, zui’chen is still ruminating who received the Śarīra in the end.”

“After receiving the Śarīra, the skilfully flexible young man was sent away at night by zui’chen, but the Śarīra was personally placed in his hands by zui’chen. I don’t know how he sent away the Śarīra, so I asked him in a remote location a few days later, but he refused to answer, and instructed me to stay further away from him when we were in front of outsiders. Afterwards, zui’chen didn’t have another chance to ask him again.”

Huò Wēi Lóu ordered his men to summon Wú Yú once he heard that. Wú Yú was also aware of the news that Wáng Qīng Fǔ had died, and his legs were weak when he came inside. After he heard Huò Wēi Lóu ask about the events that year, Wú Yú proceeded to sift through his memories and say: “[I] didn’t notice any irregularities that year. After lingering around the temple for a month, it was he and xiaguan who returned to the Capital together. We went by the water route, and the journey was rather peaceful and leisurely.”

Hesitant, Lín Huái asked: “Does Hou’ye feel that he secretly hid the Śarīra on his person the entire time?”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s eyes were frozen over, “A watertight person like him would never entrust something as important as the Śarīra to someone else. Moreover, the Temple and its surroundings were under martial law then, since he didn’t hand over the task of escorting the Śarīra down the mountain to Yuè Míng Quán, then it’s unlikely that he arranged for someone else to take it away. Once an accident occurs, all of the previous effort would have been wasted. Additionally, no one would have suspected that he was the one who stole the Śarīra, and that he would hide it on his person.”

Lín Huái felt that it was reasonable, “The most dangerous place, is also the safest place, except [we] still don’t know what his motive for stealing the Śarīra is, nor do [we] know if he brought the Śarīra back to the Capital.”

“It will be known once [we] return to the capital to ransack his house and confiscate his property.” The bottom of Huò Wēi Lóu’s eyes were completely dark and gloomy, “There is no need to stay at this place any longer. You are to swiftly look for Liǎo Fán and the rest and have them record their testimonies, before packing up all the material evidence. Return to the Capital as soon as possible.”

If Wáng Qīng Fǔ really did bring the Śarīra back to his Capital residence, perhaps there might be clues within the residence even after ten years. Furthermore, his wife and concubines might also be aware of numerous old affairs, so they had to be interrogated one by one. Huò Wēi Lóu had always been swift and resolute by nature; this case could have been solved completely, and yet the metaphorical chain broke off at the most critical juncture, which made him quite frustrated.

After saying that, Huò Wēi Lóu paused momentarily before adding: “Lín Zhāo is here as well, you can order him to help you. Use the entire of tomorrow to prepare all the evidence that will be presented before the court, and start on the journey the day after.”

Fu gonggong stepped through the door once he heard that, “Hou’ye, will we be using the land route or the water route on our way back to the Capital?”

The land route was fast, but it was extremely tiring, the water route was slow, but it was more leisurely, and they had used the land route to travel down south. Hence, despite asking this question, Fu gonggong already had an answer in his heart; from what he could perceive, Huò Wēi Lóu definitely wanted to rush back to the Capital at the most urgent speeds.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows creased together. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Bó Ruò Yōu standing outside the door, and like Gods and demons were at work, he did not answer the question directly, only saying: “The corpses of Féng Lún and Wáng Qīng Fǔ have to be brought back to the Capital, which is slightly inconvenient on the road.”

Fu gonggong became slightly concerned as well. Huò Wēi Lóu then ordered Wú Yú and Yuè Míng Quán to withdraw before calling Bó Ruò Yōu inside.

As Huò Wēi Lóu looked at Bó Ruò Yōu, he asked: “Are you heading back to Qingzhou?”

Who could have thought that Bó Ruò Yōu would shake her head, “Min’nü will be converging with Yifu, before subsequently heading to the Capital.”

Fu gonggong was surprised, “Yōu Yōu will be heading to the Capital?”

Bó Ruò Yōu’s lips curved, “Yes, min’nü was originally born in the Capital, it can be regarded as returning to the homeland.”

Fu gonggong looked at Huò Wēi Lóu, then looked towards Bó Ruò Yōu and asked: “Then what you said earlier about having a request for Hou’ye, is it…”

“It was to ask Hou’ye to recommend min’nü to the Metropolitan Government Office as a coroner.”

Fu gonggong sucked in a mouthful of cold air, before joy emerged on his face, “Skies above, [I] thought that once this case was over, [I] would be parting ways with you. [I] didn’t expect that you were from the Capital to begin with, since you will be in the Capital in the future, we will still have the chance to meet again!”

Fu gonggong’s tone was brimming with happiness, and his expression was rather tender as well. Despite being at her age, Bó Ruò Yōu did not have a lot of elders who treated her so kindly and affectionately, so she also felt rather emotionally moved in the moment, “Yes, [we] will have the chance to meet again.” 

Then, Fu gonggong remembered Huò Wēi Lóu’s expression last night. As he contemplated deeper, he seemed to savour some deeper significance in his reaction, and then said: “Since you are heading to the Capital, how will you travel?”

“Yifu is waiting at Xiling ferry crossing, min’nü will be going over to look for Yifu.” Having spoken to this point, Bó Ruò Yōu slanted her body and said: “Since Hou’ye is setting off the day after tomorrow, min’nü will also leave for Xiling ferry crossing on the morning of that day.”

The Xiling ferry crossing was located in the Xiling County to the east of Luozhou. If she was going to use the water route to travel up north, she could board a boat there. Huò Wēi Lóu’s expression was unmoved as he listened to her speak, and it was Fu gonggong who was slightly anxious instead: “Since you’re going back to the Capital, why don’t you travel with us?”

Bó Ruò Yōu became slightly embarrassed, “Yifu’s leg is impaired, and it is smoother and steadier to travel by the water route. Furthermore, Hou’ye has to take charge of official business with due haste, min’nü does not dare to burden everyone else.”

Fu gonggong came to an understanding. Just as he was feeling slightly regretful, he heard Huò Wēi Lóu say: “The autopsy reports for the human and skeletal remains have to be written up by tomorrow. Additionally, conduct a cursory examination of Wáng Qīng Fǔ, and write up an autopsy report for that as well.”

Without missing a beat, Bó Ruò Yōu agreed respectfully, before Huò Wēi Lóu gave her a brief look, “[You] may withdraw.”

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After Bó Ruò Yōu bowed and departed, Fu gonggong proceeded to issue a light cough, “Hou’ye, laonu’s bones are starting to find it slightly harder to endure…”

“Oh?” Huò Wēi Lóu stood up to move towards the left wing-room, “Then you must be growing old, there’s no need for you to follow on the next trip.”

Fu gonggong nearly choked on the air that was coming up. He threw a glare at Huò Wēi Lóu’s back figure before saying: “While it is said that there is a pressing need to return to the capital for official errands, the truth is that it is just the heavy manual labour of ransacking houses and confiscating property, does Hou’ye absolutely have to return to the Capital to deal with it personally? Let Lù Kē or Assistant Minister Lín take the land route back to the Capital, even if we took the water route, it won’t delay the proper business in the slightest.”

Huò Wēi Lóu was looking through the documents that were sent from the Capital as he listened to his speech, His demeanour did not move for the most part.

Fu gonggong said helplessly: “Yōu Yōu is barely eighteen, and her foster father’s leg is impaired. The two of them travelling alone is truly worrisome ah. Just travelling by the water route takes ten days at least, it’s unknown when they will arrive at the Capital.”

Huò Wēi Lóu raised his eyes from the folded booklet, “Capital…” He mumbled, before turning to ask Fu gonggong, “The matter that was supposed to be investigated, when will it have a conclusion?”

Fu gonggong faltered momentarily, “Hou’ye is taking about the investigation into Yōu Yōu’s family background?”

Huò Wēi Lóu nodded, to which Fu gonggong said: “Could it be that Hou’ye still distrusts Yōu Yōu? Someone has been dispatched to Qingshan County. Since they are travelling to the county from Qingzhou City, and making a round of inquiries for two days before coming to Luozhou, they are bound to arrive a few days later at least. It will depend on whether that person can return by tomorrow, or one fears that the news will only arrive when [we are] on the road back to the Capital.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s gaze landed on the folded booklets again, “It’s not the matter of distrust, it’s just that the thought of her being Capital native has never occurred [to me].”

Fu gonggong smiled with crinkled eyes, “This is predestined affinity, one supposes. However, it is rather strange that Yōu Yōu and her foster parents would leave the Capital to settle in a small place like Qingshan County.”

Huò Wēi Lóu did not reply. This case was already settled. Although he felt that there might be opportunities to make use of Bó Ruò Yōu in the future, she was just a woman. She may possess a penetrating temperament and was not a hindrance to official business, but it was all the more impossible for him to expend too much thought on her. Whether it was knowing tomorrow, or knowing on the return journey, was of no consequence.

Just before he was going to rest, Fu gonggong asked Huò Wēi Lóu again: “Hou’ye, are we really taking the land route back?”

Huò Wēi Lóu muttered irresolutely to himself for a moment, “It will be discussed again tomorrow.”

    ……

Bó Ruò Yōu had a good night of sleep. Although the Śarīra was still missing, whereabouts unknown, that was beyond her capabilities when all was said and done. Thus, her entire person became relaxed, and when she thought about the fact that Huò Wēi Lóu was going to help her write a recommendation letter, she could not be more self-content.

On the morning of the second day, Bó Ruò Yōu headed to the morgue courtyard to do a rough autopsy of Wáng Qīng Fǔ’s corpse, before writing up three reports. By the time it was midnoon, she was planning on presenting it to Huò Wēi Lóu, but Huò Wēi Lóu was not around when she returned to the meditation hall.

“Bó guniang, Hou’ye and Assistant Minister Lín have gone to the Library Pavilion.”

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After hearing the embroidered emissary’s statement, Bó Ruò Yōu went to the Library Pavilion. Just as she reached the Library Pavilion, she proceeded to hear conversing voices inside the building. Bó Ruò Yōu stepped through the doors curiously, only to see three young men, whom were akin to a light breeze and clear moon, talking and laughing.

Huò Qīng Hóng had changed into blue robes today, which made him appear more solemn by three parts, and his smiling expression was visible at the corner of his long and thin eyes, adding some sentiment and affection to the phoenix eyes that resembled Huò Wēi Lóu. And by his side, Lín Zhāo’s facial features were handsome and light-hearted, his cultured character striking, his each and every gesture was filled with an inherent noble air befitting of a son from a prominent old family. Although Míng Guī Lán was sitting in a wheelchair and shorter than them by a length, his tranquil expression and benevolent eyes made him appear rather detached from the worldly matters, and his elegant demeanour did not lose to the other two in the slightest.

Upon hearing the movement, the trio turned around to look in her direction, and they faltered a little almost concurrently.

Bó Ruò Yōu stood in the middle of the ash eaves and white walled moon gate, clad in moon-white jacket and skirt, not a single jade or gold ornament adorned, or cosmetic applied, and yet she was like the cluster of verdant and serene bamboo at the corner wall; appearing soft and mild as the sun descending in the west, her elegant spirit and bones indelible.

“Tsk, Yōu Yōu is here—”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s manner of speech was the most impetuous. When he remembered how he failed to beguile Bó Ruò Yōu with a trick that day, he was annoyed in his heart, but he also felt that Bó Ruò Yōu was rather interesting. Once he used that affectionate address, Lín Zhāo and Míng Guī Lán looked at him disapprovingly, and just as they were afraid that Bó Ruò Yōu would feel humiliated and angry, they saw her calmly bowing with womanly obeisance instead, not paying it any mind at all, as if she had never placed the stately Shizi within her sights.

Bó Ruò Yōu was thinking about the actual business, “Is Hou’ye here?”

Huò Qīng Hóng did not answer, going forward to look at the autopsy reports in her hands, “What is this?”

“Reports from the post-mortem examinations.”

Huò Qīng Hóng wanted to reach out and take it out of curiosity. Míng Guī Lán said helplessly: “Shizi, Bó guniang is looking for Hou’ye.”

The arch of Lín Zhāo’s brows twitched minutely as he stepped forward, “Guniang, Hou’ye and Patriarch-Father are discussing official business inside, please follow me—”

Bó Ruò Yōu thanked him before following in Lín Zhāo’s footsteps. Huò Qīng Hóng said irately, “Both of you are quite keen on protecting that xiao yatou!”

• 小丫头 (xiao ya tou) – usually a deprecating way to say ‘ little girl’, but it can be used endearingly.

Míng Guī Lán chuckled as he shook his head, whereas Lín Zhāo, who was walking at the front, suddenly turned his head back to ask: “Guniang is surnamed Bó?”

Bó Ruò Yōu nodded, “Precisely so.”

Lín Huái smiled, as if he found the fact amusing. Bó Ruò Yōu became slightly confused, which prompted Lín Zhāo to explain: “The surname Bó is seldom seen, though I do have affinity with the surname Bó.”

His words seemed to have a deeper meaning, like he was acquainted with someone else who had the surname of Bó. However, Bó Ruò Yōu was not familiar with him, so it was natural that she would not ask more.

Huò Wēi Lóu was presently talking to Lín Huái inside the tearoom. Although Lín Huái was assisting in the case, the current situation involved two fourth-ranked court officials, and Huò Wēi Lóu did not mind handing it over to the Ministry of Justice for them to hear the court. While they were discussing inside, the trio’s voice and laughter would travel into the tearoom from time to time. Lín Huái was fine with it, but Huò Wēi Lóu had been practicing his martial arts ever since he was young, so he had sharp ears and keen eyes. Just as he was feeling that Huò Qīng Hóng was making too much noise, he suddenly heard the trio stop talking. At this moment, Huò Qīng Hóng’s sentence of ‘Yōu Yōu is here” rang out harshly.

Huò Wēi Lóu shifted his eyes to glance out of the window lattice almost immediately. Lín Huái noticed his reaction and said smilingly, “Coroner guniang has arrived.”

Huò Wēi Lóu did not respond, so Lín Huái went back to their previous topic, “His Majesty holds Great Master Jìng Míng in great esteem, and the Famen Temple is a temple that belongs to the imperial household. What xiaguan means to say is that, perhaps Great Master Jìng Kōng should be taken out of the past events…”

Lín Huái’s voice was deep and profound, but it could not block out Bó Ruò Yōu’s soft murmurs. When Lín Zhāo was leading Bó Ruò Yōu over to the tearoom, he could essentially hear their footsteps with crystal clarity.

Hence, before the pair entered the door, Huò Wēi Lóu asked Lín Huái, “Lín Zhāo has a marriage engagement?”

Lín Huái did not know why he was asking such a question, but he replied smilingly, “Yes, it was determined earlier this year, the wedding date is next year.”

Huò Wēi Lóu nodded. In the next moment, Lín Zhāo walked inside with Bó Ruò Yōu, “Hou’ye, Father, Bó guniang has arrived…”

Lín Huái did not show much of a reaction upon hearing that announcement, and Bó Ruò Yōu bowed with womanly obeisance before she stepped forward to hand over the autopsy reports. “All the autopsies have been completed, may Hou’ye inspect it. If there are no errors or omissions, then min’nü has discharged her duties.”

Huò Wēi Lóu accepted it before flipping through it casually. Bó Ruò Yōu’s handwriting resembled her person, for it was upright, delicate, and pretty, and she must have written numerous reports, since it was orderly and clear at a glance. He pressed down the autopsy reports, only offering one word, “Satisfactory.”

• 雅正 (pinyin: ya zheng) – it can also mean righteous, or standard/correct.

Bó Ruò Yōu keenly sensed that Huò Wēi Lóu was dissatisfied again, but she did not know where her mistake was. After thinking back and forth, she gave an explanation: “For Wáng daren’s death, min’nü kept her words brief, and only stated that he swallowed gold and perished.”

It goes without saying that she would not be writing about the fact that Huò Wēi Lóu tortured Wáng Qīng Fǔ. However, even after she finished her words, Huò Wēi Lóu only gave a faint hum in response before he started discussing with Lín Huái on how the corpses should be moved tomorrow.

In Bó Ruò Yōu’s mind, she thought: Since ȳou, Marquis Wuzhao, refuse to state it explicitly, then she was going to assume that there were no errors or omissions and retire after winning merit.

Hence, she bowed, asked for her leave, and retreated outside.

Lín Zhāo followed closely behind her, “Hou’ye is quite strict when it comes to official business, Bó guniang need not take offence.”

Bó Ruò Yōu smiled, “That’s how it ought to be when it comes to official business. Many thanks to gongzi.”

Lín Zhāo was under the assumption that it must be very difficult for a small young lady to work under Huò Wēi Lóu, but he did not expect that she would be so incisive. When he eventually focused his gaze on her, he saw that the smiling expression was still on Bó Ruò Yōu’s face. The warm sun of the late afternoon happened to be high, and Lín Zhāo unexpectedly felt a ray of light piercing his eye, which stunned him.

Bó Ruò Yōu stepped into the courtyard, bowing to the three noble sons again before she departed from the pavilion. Huò Qīng Hóng issued a huff, “That xiao yatou does not place ben shizi in her eyes.”

• 本世子 (pinyin: ben shi zi) – the self-address used by the heir apparent of an aristrocratic family.

Míng Guī Lán laughed out loud, “You’ve finally realised it. Were you assuming that all the young ladies in the world would be similar to those you encounter in the Capital, who will treat you respectfully and fawn all over you?”

Once Míng Guī Lán was done speaking, he turned his head back, only to see Lín Zhāo was still standing under the eaves, looking like he had lost his soul. He could not help but call out to him, which made Lín Zhāo snap back from his reverie, and he restored his previous demeanour before sauntering towards them.

Inside the tearoom, Huò Wēi Lóu continued to converse with Lín Huái for another hour before coming out. It was unknown where the trio had gone, but when Huò Wēi Lóu recalled the scene just now, a thread of ice-cold astringency emerged from the recesses of his heart. The autopsy reports had been given to Lín Huái, but his fingertips seemed to retain the warmth of her glancing touch when he accepted those papers.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows were knitted as he headed towards the ten square feet monastic room. Jìng Kōng was still locked in the monastic room, and now that he was going to leave, he needed to dish out an instruction or two about the various regulations of the temple, so that he could better meet the Emperor in the Capital.

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Before he even reached the monastic room, he saw Fu gonggong walking over briskly from the Hall of Great Strength instead. Fu gonggong’s pace was urgent, and his expression was slightly flustered as well. Huò Wēi Lóu came to a stop and waited, not knowing what troubles had arisen again.

“Hou’ye, the person that went to Qingshan County has returned, and some information about Bó guniang’s family background has been looked into.”

Huò Wēi Lóu raised an eyebrow slightly, while Fu gonggong looked left and right, “Hou’ye, it is not convenient to speak here, we should change to a different location.”

Huò Wēi Lóu was slightly baffled. If Bó Ruò Yōu’s background was normal, he just needed to summarise it in a few lines, why did they need to change locations?

Despite having that thought, he started veering towards the meditation hall. Upon returning to the meditation hall, he noticed that Bó Ruò Yōu’s room door was closed, and it was unknown what she was doing. He entered the principal room directly and sat down, “Speak—”

Fu gonggong swallowed, “Hou’ye, Yōu Yōu is really a native of the Capital. Ten years ago, she followed her foster parents to Qingshan County and bought a compound to settle down. The natives initially thought they were a rich family that came from somewhere, but they did not expect that they would stay without leaving. Yōu Yōu’s foster father is called Chéng Yùn Zhī, her foster mother goes by the patronymic of Fāng, everyone thought they were a blood related family of three at the beginning, and it was only after the surrounding neighbours became familiar with them, that they learned they were not related by blood.

“Afterwards, they opened a clinic in the county town. Yōu Yōu’s foster mother treated patients, while her foster father became a coroner. Later on, her foster mother became ill, and the clinic was subsequently closed. Three years ago, her foster mother died of an illness, and since her foster father’s body wasn’t in the best condition either, Yōu Yōu started to help the county government office examine corpses in a formal capacity, and everyone knows that she is very skilled.

“At the beginning, everyone only knew that they came from the Capital, but as time passed, those that became close them, became aware that Yōu Yōu heralded from the Capital’s Bó clan.” Fu gonggong pursed his lips, “Hou’ye, while it is not absolutely certain, it should be the Bó clan that we know of.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows were furrowed, “Within the Capital, benhou only knows of the ‘One Door Three Ministers’ Bó clan.”

Fu gonggong replied, “It is precisely that Bó clan. Not just that, there’s something that laonu would never have conceived of, Yōu Yōu is already betrothed, and ȳou will never think of who she was meant to marry!”

Huò Wēi Lóu stared at Fu gonggong quietly. With an expression that conveyed how unimaginably queer he felt the situation was, Fu gonggong exclaimed: “It’s Assistant Minister Lín’s gongzi Lín Zhāo, this is way too coincidental!”

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