Chapter 7

The constables rushed out to apprehend people. After discovering Young Master Li’s untimely death at noon, the brothel keepers didn’t dare report it to the authorities. Instead, they sent someone to inform the Grand Secretary’s residence. Li Dongyang immediately ordered his men to seal off the brothel where the incident occurred, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. He also dispatched bailiffs to capture Liu Xiu, who had “fled in guilt.” At the time, most of the guests were still in the brothel—having played too hard the previous night, it was common for them to sleep until the afternoon. Thus, only two guests needed to be captured, while the majority of suspects were already locked inside the brothel.

Having lost his son in his old age, and after a sleepless night, Li Dongyang was struggling to endure. Time was relentless, and he was afflicted by an old ailment—hemorrhoids. The overnight fatigue and his overwhelming rage exacerbated his condition, causing a warm stream to soak his pants as the wound bled. The pain shot through his body so intensely it made his heart palpitate. Li Dongyang trembled and seemed on the verge of fainting.

Although his expression remained composed, Li Dongyang was barely holding on. From the efficient way Lu Shanrou conducted the postmortem examination earlier, it was evident she possessed actual skill—far better than his subordinates, who were running around aimlessly. He said: “I have served as an official in the capital for many years, and I know of your father Lu Qingtian’s reputation. When he was a judicial officer in Shuntian Prefecture, he solved cases with unmatched brilliance. You claim to have inherited your father’s skills, so I will trust you this time—do not let me down,” said Grand Secretary Li.

He handed his cane to Lu Shanrou. “This is a token of authority. Everyone in the brothel will obey your commands.”

Lu Shanrou accepted the cane with both hands. “Thank you for trusting me, Grand Secretary. I will not fail.”

Li Dongyang then put on a cloak to hide the embarrassing condition caused by his ailment. He was supported by his steward and went to rest. If he pushed himself any further, after sending his black-haired son to the grave, he, a white-haired father, might soon follow.

Once Grand Secretary Li left, Tao Zhu remarked, “The Grand Secretary has quite a broad-minded temperament to hand over the case investigation to Madam Lu.”

“This is a hot potato,” Lu Shanrou said with a bitter smile as she weighed the cane in her hand. “He’s a cunning old fox who’s been honing his skills for a thousand years. If I uncover the culprit, he’ll go with the flow and avenge his son. If I fail, all the blame for this commotion will fall squarely on me. But I have no choice now—I must see this through to the end.”

Wei Cuicheng, putting down his pen and paper, scrutinized Tao Zhu, whose face was swollen like a pig’s head. “You were acting strange just now.”

Tao Zhu took out the small ornate mirror Lu Shanrou had given her and examined herself. “Apart from being dirty and ugly, what’s strange about me?”

Wei Cuicheng said, “You usually talk the most, and with you around, there’s never a quiet moment. But you haven’t said a single word since you came into this room.”

Lu Shanrou glanced at Wei Cuicheng and then turned her gaze to Tao Zhu.

Tao Zhu was usually like a firecracker, loud and boisterous. Her sudden silence was strange to Wei Cuicheng.

Tao Zhu said, “Seeing a dead body all of a sudden scared me, so much so that I couldn’t speak. Now that I’ve gotten used to looking at it, I can finally talk. Even a tiger has moments of slumber, so can’t I be scared for a little while?”

Tao Zhu reverted to her usual self. Liu Xiu applied medicine to her fingers, and the cool ointment gradually relieved the burning sensation in her joints. Her face regained a bit of color as she said, “If not for all of you coming to my rescue, I fear I would have died unjustly here. Your great kindness and virtue, Liu Xiu will never forget.”

Lu Shanrou replied, “Heaven helps those who help themselves. It was your effort to save yourself that gave you the chance to meet us. Now that things have come to this, we will do our best.”

Although the corpse in the bedroom was temporarily kept from rotting and smelling due to ice, there was still an odor. Combined with the sealed doors and windows, the air inside was foul and unpleasant.

Wealthy households often set up a cool canopy in the courtyard during summer. By now, the rain had stopped, and the air was fresh. Lu Shanrou temporarily established a “courtroom” under the canopy and asked, “Who was the first to discover that Young Master Li was in trouble? Bring them here.”

A woman dressed in red was brought to the canopy. In terms of appearance, the woman in red was even more exquisite than Liu Xiu. Her pomegranate-red pleated skirt was cinched tightly at the waist, which was slim and delicate. As she bent to give a respectful bow, her slender waist seemed as if it might break. “My name is Pei Yu. I was the first to discover Young Master Li dead on the Mingluan bed.” (Mingluan was Liu Xiu’s nickname.)

Perhaps because Tao Zhu had held back her words for too long, she chimed in before Lu Shanrou could speak, saying, “The Pavilion of Prince Teng overlooks the riverside, Pei Yu and Mingluan cease their dances. Your names both come from Wang Bo’s ‘Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng.’ Are you and Mingluan sisters?”

Pei Yu replied, “We are both courtesans of this establishment. Whether we are sisters or not depends on perspective. We grew up learning to dance together, and our nicknames are linked.”

Hero Tao even understands poetry!

Lu Shanrou glanced at Tao Zhu and asked, “Since you’re also a dancer at this establishment, you wouldn’t need to go in and serve tea or water. So, why did you go to Mingluan’s room? If you don’t tell the truth, look at her hands—”

Lu Shanrou pointed to Liu Xiu’s fingers, swollen and red from torture.

What were once delicate and slender fingers had become like sausages. Pei Yu hastily said, “I went to steal clients! A distinguished guest like Young Master Li—wealthy and powerful—if we could make him a regular, then those looking to curry favor with him would pay us handsomely to meet him and ask us to act as intermediaries. It’s easier than selling ourselves and earns much more…”

For performers, if they didn’t use their wits, their popularity would fade once their prime years were over, and their once-busy doors would grow quiet. At just eighteen, Pei Yu was already considered a “veteran” in the establishment and wanted to secure a livelihood for her future.

Pei Yu, having woken up around noon, had heard that her close companion Mingluan had gone out to offer incense. Mingluan’s fragrant boudoir was unoccupied, and even the servants outside had taken the opportunity to slack off and nap. Young Master Li was sleeping alone—it was the perfect chance to steal a client.

Pei Yu thought to herself, “I’m prettier than Mingluan. Young Master Li will definitely like me.” So, she dressed up elaborately and quietly entered Mingluan’s bedroom.

The room was cool, with ice floating in the water, not yet fully melted. Through the thin veil, she could vaguely see Young Master Li lying on his side on the bed.

“Young Master Li, I’m Pei Yu. I’m skilled in palm dancing. Shall I dance for you?”

Young Master Li didn’t respond. Worried that Mingluan might return from her incense offering and catch her stealing clients in her own bed, Pei Yu boldly pulled aside the veil, climbed onto the bed, and decided to take action before it was too late.

“…I saw blood all over the pillow and bed. Half of Young Master Li’s neck was severed, so I immediately ran out to call for help.”

For courtesans who relied on their youth, many were no longer sought after once they passed twenty. The competition in the pleasure quarters was fierce, and Pei Yu’s methods of attracting clients were common, and her motives were understandable.

Lu Shanrou continued questioning, “In this establishment, who had a grudge against Young Master Li?”

“No, absolutely not!” Pei Yu shook her head hurriedly. “Young Master Li is the patron saint of our establishment. Who would dislike a wealthy and influential guest who provides money and protection? It’s simply not possible.”

Lu Shanrou asked, “Has Young Master Li ever punished anyone?”

Pei Yu replied, “No, Young Master Li is generous with his rewards and often brings wealthy noblemen along to enjoy themselves. The courtesans and servants compete to serve and please him whenever he visits. It’s all business, making money—why would anyone push money away?”

Lu Shanrou continued, “Last night, besides Young Master Li, seven other guests were staying at the establishment. Among those seven, did any of them have a grudge against Young Master Li?”

Pei Yu shook her head again, “No, absolutely not.”

Pei Yu dared not offend any guests; if word got out, her future in the establishment would be ruined.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Shanrou said, “The people in this establishment have something to gain from Young Master Li. You say there are no grudges, and I’ll believe you for now. But things aren’t so simple between the guests. They’re all wealthy and powerful, here to seek pleasure—how could there be no friction? I’ll ask everyone this question. If others confess truthfully and you deliberately conceal something, I’ll have no choice but to suspect you’re an accomplice to the murderer, guilty of harboring them.”

Liu Xiu raised her injured fingers as an example and said, “Sister Pei Yu, if you speak truthfully, you won’t have to suffer as I did. Being placed in the finger clamps is so painful, and I fear my hands will never be able to play the strings again.”

“I’ll talk! I’ll confess!” Pei Yu exclaimed in panic, clutching her chest in a dramatic pose like the legendary Xi Shi holding her heart. “There was a conflict between Young Master Jin and Young Master Li—it happened at another establishment years ago. Supposedly, Young Master Li’s father, Grand Secretary Li, impeached Young Master Jin’s cousin, and Grand Secretary Li even ended up in prison because of it. The two families have been bitter enemies for years. Last night, Young Master Jin arrived first, and later, Young Master Li came. The madam and the brothel manager warned the servants to keep their mouths shut and not reveal that Young Master Jin was also here to avoid another fight.”

It just so happened that Young Master Jin was one of the two guests who left before the establishment was sealed.

Wei Cuicheng recorded the testimony rapidly, his pen flying across the paper. After Pei Yu departed, Lu Shanrou prepared to summon Young Master Jin, who bore a grudge against Young Master Li, for questioning. At this point, he was the prime suspect.

Lu Shanrou had another question to resolve. She dismissed the crowd and asked her trusted circle, “How is Young Master Jin’s cousin so powerful that he managed to send Grand Secretary Li to prison? Who is Young Master Jin? And who is his cousin?”

Liu Xiu shook his head blankly, “I only started receiving guests last year, so I know very little about the patrons of this establishment. I’ve never served Young Master Jin and know even less about court matters.”

Wei Cuicheng, who had spent the past ten years in the capital managing elephants, was indifferent to the workings of the bureaucracy. He said, “I don’t know Young Master Jin or anyone named after precious metals. What I do know is that Grand Secretary Li was imprisoned in the Jinyiwei’s prison.”

It was none other than my foster father, Jinyiwei Chief Mou Bin, who personally imprisoned him. As for the reasons, Wei Cuicheng didn’t know—unless his elephants were locked up, he didn’t bother asking questions that didn’t concern him.

Though the three were clueless, Tao Zhu from Shandong quickly unraveled the connection in just a few words. “I don’t know Young Master Jin’s full name, but his cousin is definitely Zhang Heling, the Marquis of Shouning. The Marquis is the younger brother of the current Empress, and the Empress’s mother, Lady Chang, has the surname Jin. That makes Young Master Jin and the Marquis maternal cousins.”

“Grand Secretary Li once submitted a memorial to the throne, accusing Marquis Shouning of allowing his servants to encroach on the lands of commoners and urging the Emperor to punish the Marquis severely. As his brother-in-law was impeached, the Emperor became furious, and Grand Secretary Li was sent to Jinyiwei’s prison as a result. However, he was released after only a few days, fined some of his salary, and reinstated to his position. From then on, the Jin and Li families became sworn enemies, unable to coexist peacefully.”

Lu Shanrou murmured, “So, Young Master Jin is part of the Empress’s maternal family and is her cousin as well?”

Tao Zhu nodded. “The Jin family isn’t particularly capable; they survive by clinging to the Zhang family’s power like foxes borrowing the might of tigers. When Grand Secretary Li impeached Marquis Shouning, it was a battle of gods, leaving the smaller players busily scrambling. The Jin family targeted Grand Secretary Li’s household, and Young Master Jin and Young Master Li became bitter enemies. In my opinion, Young Master Jin is the most likely suspect.”

Lu Shanrou suddenly realized the implications. However, a new question arose, and she asked, “Aren’t you from Shandong? How do you know all this? Are you hiding something from us? You claim to be from a merchant family, coming to the capital to find relatives, yet you spend your days acting like a chivalrous wanderer and even call yourself Hero Tao. Who exactly are you?”

Tao Zhu’s eyes darted around nervously. “Isn’t it just a coincidence? I have a friend whose relative has ties with Marquis Shouning’s family. Who says merchants can’t be heroes? Can’t I earn money while eliminating injustice and fighting for the good? I do what I want—my father couldn’t even control me.”

She then shifted the focus onto Lu Shanrou, saying, “Madam Lu, aren’t you going to interrogate Young Master Jin? Why are you conducting a threefold trial on me instead? Are you afraid of Young Master Jin? Afraid of his cousin, the Marquis of Shouning? Afraid of the Empress?”