Chapter 33

Qin Ying exclaimed, “He harmed Third Young Master?”

Xie Xinglan’s expression also turned grim. At this moment, Madam Huang shook her head and said, “He didn’t harm him—it was because he stood by and did nothing. The Third Young Master’s name was Dou Can, the eldest son of the third branch. Sixteen years ago, he was barely over three years old. It was a frigid winter, and his nanny took him to play by the lotus pond in the mansion. Unfortunately, he accidentally fell into the lake. The nanny jumped into the pond, but the water was too cold in winter, and she was old and couldn’t swim, so she couldn’t grab the child. At that time, Dou Wu was standing by the lake, watching that child drown without doing anything.”

Qin Ying frowned, “Could he have been afraid of water?”

Madam Huang sneered, “He wasn’t afraid of water. On the contrary, among the Dou family children, he was very good at swimming. He just stood by and did nothing. He wasn’t close to the child or the third branch. He felt that the child wasn’t worth risking his life for.”

Xie Xinglan was puzzled, “Did he have any grudge against the third branch?”

Madam Huang shook her head again, “I thought so at the time too, but I asked my husband, and he said that Dou Wu had always been indifferent since his youth, treating everyone in the family this way. It wasn’t so apparent on normal days, but his nature showed during critical moments. The year before last, when the old madam passed away, he only returned from outside the city on the day of the funeral. He didn’t shed a single tear during the funeral.”

“After that incident, the nanny was sold off, and the third branch resented Dou Wu. Although the Old Master wasn’t close to the third branch either, he was furious at Dou Wu over this matter. The Old Master decided that Dou Wu should go practice Taoism to atone for his sins. To everyone’s surprise, Dou Wu agreed and has been practicing ever since for so many years. He neither marries nor has children, and the Old Master can’t do anything about him.”

Xie Xinglan found Dou Wenjia’s personality quite baffling, “But Madam, you don’t think it was him who harmed Dou Yu?”

Madam Huang nodded, “His cruelty lies in his extreme cold-heartedness, but he wouldn’t harm others for no reason. It’s precisely because of his indifference toward the family that I don’t think he killed Yu’er. Over the years, he would return for three days every month; sometimes, he would spend the whole month outside the city. On the day Yu’er had the accident, he happened to be in the mansion.”

As Dou Yu’s mother, Madam Huang had no reason to speak in favor of outsiders. Xie Xinglan continued, “Do you know if Vice Minister Dou intended to pass the position of family head to Dou Yu?”

Madam Huang sighed, “The Old Master did mention it, but he wanted Yu’er to enter officialdom instead. The Dou family is a wealthy merchant dynasty with a long history, and although they are in business, they abide by family teachings—never engaging in low-class trades. Upon arriving in the capital, the Old Master intends to elevate the Dou family from merchant status to nobility. However, transforming from merchants to nobility takes generations to cleanse the association with commerce, even if Yu’er excelled in the imperial examination. The Old Master hoped Yu’er could attain a high-ranking official position, avoiding the long wait. But that’s no easy feat.”

Xie Xinglan added, “But Vice Minister Dou is seriously ill. He probably won’t live to see Dou Yu succeed in the imperial examination, which is why the eldest and fourth branches fiercely compete for the position.”

Madam Huang nodded again, “That’s correct. After the incident with Dou Shuo, the eldest branch already felt resentful, and as the eldest son, the elder brother naturally believed he should inherit the family position. The fourth brother, being a legitimate son, has his reasons for competing. He could not only secure the position of Vice Minister in the Treasury Department but also control the family’s business and wealth. The Dou family’s fortune rivals half the national treasury. Why wouldn’t they desire it?”

Xie Xinglan concluded, “The Jinwu Guards have already discovered that the Dou family’s business is now mostly controlled by the eldest and fourth branches.”

Madam Huang affirmed, “When it comes to business, the Old Master still favors the eldest branch more. Back then, when Dou Shuo couldn’t be saved, he felt guilt deep in his heart. Over the years, as Yu’er studied, he personally took Dou Shuo under his wing to teach him business skills. Later, the Old Master handed the silk trade entirely to the eldest branch, while the tea trade was entrusted to the fourth branch.”

Despite discussing at length, it still remained unclear how this related to Dou Yu’s case. At this point, Xie Xinglan said, “The third branch had grievances with Vice Minister Dou and Dou Wenjia due to what happened back then. They’ve operated independently ever since. Did Vice Minister Dou ever mention anything?”

Madam Huang replied quietly, “If there’s a branch that truly excelled in business, it’s the third branch. When they decided to go solo, the Old Master initially disagreed because he never intended for our branch to split. But back then, the third branch harbored resentment in their hearts, and the Old Master eventually approved it. He even provided considerable support at the beginning; otherwise, how could they have established themselves in the capital? In recent years, they haven’t received much help, but they’ve proven to be naturally adept in business. It’s just a pity that Third Dou is illegitimate.”

Dou Wenbin, being illegitimate, had no opportunity to compete for the position of family head. Moreover, his outstanding business achievements—apart from his old grievances with Dou Wenjia—have kept him separate from the affairs of the other three branches, making him the least suspicious.

After asking more about Dou Yu’s social connections and interactions, Xie Xinglan bid farewell to Qin Ying and left. Outside the courtyard, Qin Ying remarked, “The Old Master hopes for Dou Yu to enter officialdom. Regardless of the eldest or fourth branches, Dou Yu isn’t their only rival. Investigating solely based on the family head competition feels overly simplistic.”

Xie Xinglan shared the same sentiment, “Last night, the investigator confirmed that Dou Huan was indeed at Yuxiang Pavilion on the twelfth day. If we follow the alibi, he’s excluded from suspicion. Currently, only Ge Mingzhou and Dou Wenjia remain as suspects with no witnesses. Dou Wenjia is inherently cold-hearted, but Dou Yu’s mother made a valid point—such a person wouldn’t kill without reason.”

Qin Ying recalled Madam Huang’s words, still feeling a chill in her heart, “No wonder when I came that day, he was the only one with a cold, detached expression, like an outsider. So, this is his true nature.”

Qin Ying suspected Dou Wenjia might have an unusual personality type, but apart from his history of standing idly by, he had no record of actively harming others. Fortunately, Dou Wenjia is now deeply absorbed in Taoist practices; otherwise, he would be truly unsettling.

Qin Ying said, “Last night, I returned home and talked to my father about the Dou family’s case. He recognized Dou Wenjia, saying that he has practiced diligently for years and possesses remarkable resilience, though his true nature is inherently cold and detached, with minimal desires. Oh, and he mentioned that when Dou Yu was very young, he became a disciple of Su Huaizhang, the former Minister of Personnel.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Xinglan remarked, “I was planning to meet Su Huaizhang today. Yesterday, Cui Muzhi mentioned the camaraderie between schoolmates, referring to those under Su Huaizhang’s tutelage. After retiring, he now lives in seclusion at a villa outside the city.”

Qin Ying responded, “Then I’ll wait at the mansion and later revisit Hanguang Pavilion. We found too few clues at the crime scene, so I’ll check if anything was overlooked.”

Xie Xinglan looked deeply at Qin Ying. Not only could she examine corpses and use various secret techniques, but she also demonstrated meticulous thinking and strong independence in solving murder cases—skills even the Jinwu Guards and various government officers specializing in criminal investigations might lack.

Xie Xinglan suppressed his doubts and nodded in agreement, saying, “Let Xie Jian accompany you.”

Qin Ying hesitated, but Xie Xinglan had already instructed his men to prepare for departure. She swallowed her polite refusal and watched Xie Xinglan organize his team and leave the Dou mansion.

As soon as Xie Xinglan left, Qin Ying headed straight to Hanguang Pavilion. Upon approaching, she noticed the surrounding bamboo had been burnt by fire, leaving only remnants of charred stalks now being cleared by the mansion’s servants, who were tidying the southern bamboo grove.

Qin Ying followed the path to the pavilion, stepping into the flowerbeds outside the east wing. Xie Jian caught up and asked, “This area has already been checked twice. What are you looking for?”

Qin Ying said, “I want to check if the murderer left any clues when they left. According to your lord, the murderer used a delayed method. When they left, the fire hadn’t started yet. The murderer must have locked the door and then departed. Most likely, they wouldn’t take the most conspicuous path, but this bamboo forest trail leads in all directions—”

Qin Ying frowned deeply and walked to the front of Hanguang Pavilion. The main hall had been mostly destroyed by fire, and the front door had been entirely burned away, making it difficult to find any traces the murderer might have left on the door. She said, “Go and call Zhishu here.”

Given the complex layout of the mansion, Qin Ying needed someone familiar with the interior terrain. Shen Luo acknowledged the order and left. At that moment, Qin Ying overheard the conversation of several servants cutting bamboo in the southern grove.

“It’s really creepy. Hurry up and trample it out…”

“When we tended the grove before, how did we not notice there was an ant nest here?”

“Good thing we didn’t. The Second Young Master hates bugs and ants the most…”

Qin Ying’s heart stirred. Without hesitation, she walked into the bamboo grove, where the ground was covered in ash. The servants stopped their work and appeared nervous upon seeing her. Qin Ying asked, “You just said there was an ant nest here?”

An elderly servant in gray nodded. “Yes, right here, but it’s all been burned by the fire…”

They were standing at the outer edge of the fire’s reach. The bamboo leaves before them had all been scorched away, leaving only bare branches extending starkly into the air. The ant nest the old servant mentioned was right beneath their feet. Though obscured by ash and hard to see clearly at first glance, upon close inspection, one could make out a dense cluster of ants scorched yellow by the flames and even some flies. But to call it an anthill was inaccurate; the surrounding soil was firm and unsuitable for building an anthill.

Qin Ying found this odd in her heart. She picked up a piece of dried branch and poked the ground but only found some dusty, muddy, dead leaves. Puzzled, she looked at everyone who was staring at her respectfully, then threw the branch aside and walked out, saying, ‘You continue, I’ll just look around.’

As she exited the bamboo grove, Shen Luo summoned Zhishu. Qin Ying asked, “From just after noon to late afternoon, where in the residence are there more people and fewer?”

Zhishu thought for a moment and replied, “In the afternoon, the masters are mostly resting in their courtyards, and the servants are busy with their own tasks, so there isn’t really a place with significantly fewer people. However, most of the flowerbeds are tended to in the mornings, so fewer servants are there in the afternoons.’

Qin Ying said, “Lead the way and show me.”

Zhishu led the way, passing through lush flower gardens and beautiful courtyards. Though it was early autumn, most of the scenery was well-maintained, presenting a contest of beauty. But when they reached the northwest part of the estate, Qin Ying frowned again. The corridors of the residence branched out in all directions, and the abundance of decorative scenery blocked her view, making it hard to determine where the culprit had escaped from. Besides, the current suspects all lived in the southeast, a route unrelated to this path.

Qin Ying furrowed her brow tightly, her expression darkening. Bai Yuan softly asked, “County Princess, have you thought of something?”

Qin Ying replied, “Something doesn’t add up. If the deduction is correct, the clues we find should align with it. However, currently, the suspects contradict the discovered clues. This means there must be a mistake somewhere. Either the real culprit used some sort of trick to mislead us, or they are incredibly skilled at hiding.”

Qin Ying went to ask Xie Jian, “Have all the servants in the household been questioned?”

Xie Jian nodded, “All have been questioned, including the maids, attendants, elderly nannies, and rough laborers in various quarters. Most have witnesses, and those without witnesses have been recorded. But upon inquiry, almost no one seems to have a motive for the crime.”

Zhishu, who was listening nearby, remarked, “Our master treats the servants in the household exceptionally well. He has never regarded them as lowly and rarely even scolds them. Now, the household is abuzz with talk about the Old Master selecting someone as the next head of the family. I dare say that aside from the confidants of various quarters, everyone else surely hopes for our master to become the new head. Because he is kind-hearted and would never mistreat them.”

Qin Ying nodded and said, “Dou Yu was poisoned to death. If an ordinary servant were to deliver food to him, he would have found it odd.”

After Qin Ying finished speaking, she glanced towards the distant pavilion and saw two figures. Zhishu followed her gaze and softly said, “It’s the young mistress and the little lady.”

Madam Wu was playing with Dou Xin in the pavilion while two maids attended to them. Qin Ying’s gaze deepened, and she stepped forward to approach them. Before she could get close, Madam Wu noticed her, her smile faded, and she stood up, “Greetings, County Princess—”

Qin Ying curved her lips into a smile, “No need for formalities. I will intrude on you for a moment.”

Madam Wu calmly said, “What does the County Princess wish to ask?”

Qin Ying raised her chin slightly. “Sit down and speak; otherwise, Xin’er will be frightened.”

Dou Xin was shrinking beside Madam Wu, timidly looking at Qin Ying. Seeing this, Madam Wu sat down again and instructed a servant woman to serve Qin Ying tea.

Qin Ying sat on the side as well. Turning her gaze, she saw a pen and paper placed nearby. Madam Wu had written the characters “Sun” and “Moon” on the paper.

Noticing her gaze, Madam Wu explained, “Xin’er has just turned four. I’m teaching her to recognize some simple words, but she’s learning rather slowly.”

Madam Wu’s handwriting was elegant, each stroke refined. However, Qin Ying remarked, “This method makes her learn slowly. Let me show you a faster way.”

She picked up a fine wolf hair brush, took a sheet of blank paper, slightly rolled up her sleeves, and began to write. Madam Wu thought she was merely writing words, but to her surprise, it was more than that. Before long, Madam Wu’s eyebrows were raised high in surprise.

Qin Ying wrote the four characters: “Sun, Moon, Mountain, and River.” However, each character was accompanied by two drawings. Before “Sun,” there was a picture of the sun and a representation of the character “Sun.” Before “Moon,” there was an image of a crescent moon and the character “Moon.” For “Mountain” and “River,” there were illustrations resembling peaks and flowing rivers, showing the evolution from drawing to writing. As soon as Qin Ying finished, Dou Xin stared intently at the paper in her hand.

Qin Ying smiled slightly and handed it to her. “This way, she’ll surely recognize them.”

Dou Xin’s timid expression faded away. She stepped out from beside Madam Wu and pointed at the pictures on the paper, saying, “Mother, the sun and the moon. Xin’er remembers. Xin’er can write them!”

A smile appeared on Madam Wu’s face. “Xin’er is bright. She learns at a glance.”

Dou Xin looked at the drawings, muttering to herself. Madam Wu’s tone softened. “The County Princess is considerate. Today, you’ve come to investigate Second Brother’s case. However, I’m afraid I can’t be much help to you. On the surface, our relationship with Second Brother is peaceful, but as you might already know, my husband’s injury back then was related to Second Brother. That’s a hurdle that no one could easily overcome.”

Qin Ying nodded, “We indeed know. However, Dou Yu was murdered, and the culprit always has a purpose and motive. If he dies, the first and fourth branches of the family gain the upper hand. Although the eldest son has been injured and cannot serve as an official, there is still an opportunity in the family business.”

Madam Wu chuckled, “In fact, Grandfather has always intended for the two brothers, one to focus on official duties and the other on the business. The elders in this household… as the County Princess witnessed yesterday, Grandfather is well aware of these matters. Whether it’s the position of junior official or the authority in business, he doesn’t trust them entirely with these. Therefore, my husband doesn’t need to compete excessively. What’s meant to be his will eventually come to him.”

Qin Ying observed Madam Wu carefully, and she was unbothered by her gaze. While conversing, a maid came briskly from outside carrying a food box. Upon reaching the stone table, she opened the box and took out two plates of pastries.

Madam Wu’s expression darkened as soon as she saw one of the plates of pastries. “Didn’t I say before that while Xin’er is around, do not bring grape pastries anymore? The grapes sent this time are all dried fruits, and the seeds inside haven’t been completely removed. Xin’er can easily choke on them.”

The maid appeared panicked and hurriedly attempted to take the pastries away, but Qin Ying said, “Wait—”

Qin Ying’s gaze fell upon the plate of purple-brown pastries. Her eyes scanned the pastries with large and small grape raisins inside, still referred to as “grape pastries.” She picked up a piece and broke it apart for a closer look.

Madam Wu explained beside her, “These are rare goods sent from the West. The cook couldn’t bear to pick out the seeds while making the pastries. Occasionally, some seeds remain unremoved. For adults, it’s not a big deal, but for children, they could easily get stuck in their throats. I reminded them once, but they didn’t take it to heart.”

The young maid quietly apologized, and Qin Ying sternly asked, “When were these pastries made in previous times?”

Madam Wu replied, “They were delivered a month ago and have occasionally been made since then. Why do you ask?”

Qin Ying did not elaborate and simply said, “Please bring the cook who made these pastries. I have some questions to ask.”

A small, half-grain-sized hard object had been found in Dou Yu’s stomach. Qin Ying didn’t understand what it was at the time, but now she realized that the foreign object was indeed a grape seed!

Although Madam Wu didn’t know the reason, she understood it had to do with the case. She immediately instructed the maid to summon the cook. Before long, a middle-aged woman arrived nervously at the pavilion. Before she could even bow, Qin Ying asked directly, “On the twelfth day, were grape pastries made in this household?”

The cook froze for a moment, thought for a while, then shook her head and said, “No. This month, grape pastries are only made on the first, fifth, and ninth days.”

Qin Ying’s pupils trembled slightly. “Grape pastries were made on the night of the eleventh?”

The cook nodded. “Yes, that’s correct.”

Qin Ying asked again, “Where were they sent?”

The cook replied, “This is a rare treat, so only a small quantity was made. They were sent out as desserts after the evening meal. Except for those who don’t eat supper, each master’s room received a plate, with each plate containing only six pieces.”

Qin Ying immediately inquired, “Who received them? Were they sent to the Second Young Master?”

The cook shook her head. “No, they were not sent to the Second Young Master. Although he enjoys sweet treats, he does not eat after the evening meal. Additionally, the Old Master, the Second Madam, and the Fourth Madam are all in poor health and do not have the habit of eating after supper, so they weren’t given any. The others, including the young masters and young ladies, the eldest master and eldest madam, the third master and third madam, as well as the fourth master and Concubine Qian, all received them.”

Qin Ying fell silent. The cook, noticing her silence, looked towards Madam Wu.

Madam Wu glanced at the cook reassuringly and asked, “What’s wrong? I also recall that they were indeed made on the night of the eleventh. They were sent to us as well. That same evening, Xin’er almost choked on them, and later my husband and I shared the remaining pieces.”

Qin Ying’s heartbeat quickened. “How long can this item last?”

“Now that it’s cooler, it can last up to ten hours,” the cook answered.

Qin Ying’s gaze darkened. The grape pastries were not sent to Dou Yu that night, nor were they available the next day. This means that the pastries found in Dou Yu’s stomach must have been either gifted by someone else or given to him by the murderer. She immediately stood up and instructed Xie Jian and Shen Luo, “Go to each room and ask whether anyone kept the grape pastries from the eleventh day and gave them to Dou Yu.”

Although she made this arrangement, Qin Ying already had an idea in her heart. Several rounds of questioning revealed no mention of anyone giving pastries to Dou Yu. The only one, Ge Mingfu, had gifted pear syrup, and Dou Yu had refused to let her enter.

The only possibility was that the murderer had kept the pastries and, under the guise of their rarity, gifted them to Dou Yu as a gesture of goodwill. Dou Yu, unsuspecting of this person, consumed the item out of courtesy, which ultimately led to his demise.

Qin Ying anxiously waited in the pavilion for news. After a full hour, Xie Jian and Shen Luo returned.

Xie Jian reported, “County Princess, we’ve asked everyone, and the grape pastries from the night of the eleventh were all consumed within the household. None were specifically kept for the Second Young Master.”

Qin Ying’s gaze sharpened. “Someone is lying.”

---

By the time Xie Xinglan arrived at the Su residence, the sun was already slanting westward. Su Huaizhang, from the Linzhou Su clan, held the esteemed position of Minister of Personnel and was a veteran official who had served through three reigns. Despite retiring four or five years ago, he remained highly respected, and anyone visiting had to follow his established protocol.

When Xie Xinglan arrived, Su Huaizhang was tending the soil. Once he had planted a dwarf pine properly, the servants led Xie Xinglan to the backyard garden. Su Huaizhang, with white hair and beard, wore a deep blue robe, the hem of which was tucked into his belt. Leaning on his hoe, at a glance, one might mistake him for an elderly farmer. Yet his spirit was vigorous, and his gaze sharp. Upon meeting, he scrutinized Xie Xinglan for a moment, then smiled faintly and said, “You look very much like your biological father, but not so much like your adoptive father—”

Xie Xinglan bowed and got straight to the point, “I apologize for disturbing you today, Elder Su; it’s regarding Dou Yu.”

Su Huaizhang’s smile stiffened slightly. “I’m aware of what happened to Dou Yu.”

He sighed, handed the hoe to a servant, straightened his robe, and washed his hands with water brought by the servant. As he did so, he said, “The last time he came to see me was after he failed in the Spring Imperial Examination. He looked so ashamed, saying he had let me down. At the time, I advised him not to dwell too much on it. The imperial exams occur every three years, and the number of candidates is like fish in the river. Besides, it’s rare for someone to pass at such a young age.”

“After that, it’s been about half a year since we met.” He dried his hands, took a step toward the study, and asked, “Was he murdered?”

Xie Xinglan nodded. “The killer first took his life, then set a fire, displaying great cruelty. Our investigation reveals he had few social connections but held you in high regard. Every time he visited you, he stayed the whole day.”

Su Huaizhang sighed deeply. “He was a good child, but life was too harsh on him. I told him long ago that his aptitude wasn’t the best. Even if he were to pass the exams, it would likely be after the age of twenty-five. However, his family placed too many expectations on him, and he couldn’t afford to rest even for a moment. Despite all his hard work, things still ended up this way.”

Hearing this, Xie Xinglan couldn’t help but ask, “If his talent was ordinary, why did you take him as your student?”

Su Huaizhang narrowed his eyes slightly as if lost in thought. “Initially, I was reluctant to take him in. When I visited the Dou family as a guest, his grandfather was insistent on me accepting a student. I ended up meeting four children—was it four? I gave them a question to test their abilities. After the test, I originally intended to take another child, but his grandfather pleaded with me to take Dou Yu instead. And so I did. Setting aside other factors, Dou Yu was upright and diligent in his studies. Just for these qualities alone, his future was bound to be promising.”

Xie Xinglan frowned. “You intended to take someone else as your student back then? Who was it?”

Su Huaizhang hesitated for a moment. “It’s been more than ten years, thirteen or fourteen, to be exact. I don’t remember the name, but at the time, the child was about the same height as Dou Yu. That child was very clever. I wonder how they’re doing now. When I asked Dou Qiguang why he insisted on me not taking that child, he didn’t explain—he just said he valued Dou Yu.”

Xie Xinglan’s heart stirred slightly. “Did that child know you had wanted to accept them?”

Su Huaizhang sighed wistfully. “I didn’t explicitly say it, but I think he could sense my preference for him. When I announced Dou Yu as my student, that child was visibly disappointed.”

Suspicion flickered in Xie Xinglan’s eyes. He asked a few more questions regarding Dou Yu and his classmates before departing Su’s residence as the sun set in the west.

Riding hard back to the capital, he arrived at the city gates just as night fell. When he reached the Dou residence, he encountered Xie Jian upon entering. Seeing Xie Jian reassured him momentarily, but Xie Jian immediately said, “Lord, you’ve finally returned. The County Princess has already left. Today, she adamantly refused to let me accompany her. I’m a bit uneasy…”

Xie Xinglan frowned deeply. “Where did she say she was going without you?”

Xie Jian replied, “She mentioned going to the Flower Goddes Temple. She said she had an appointment with the young lady of Imperial Physician Lu’s household, explaining that it was a meeting among women, and my presence would be odd and might frighten Miss Lu.”

A layer of frost seemed to settle over Xie Xinglan’s expression. “Did you uncover anything in the household today?”

Xie Jian hurriedly recounted what Qin Ying had investigated regarding the grape pastries. Noticing Xie Xinglan’s increasingly grim expression, he tried to apologize, but before he could utter a word, Xie Xinglan had already turned and left. “To the Flower Goddes Temple,” he said.