The Thirteenth Chapter

Jiang Kai approached Bai Xiuming and bowed, "Master, Ji Chan has been brought."

Commander Jiang's voice was incredibly loud, drawing everyone's attention.

A Chan had no choice but to step forward and curtsy, "Ji Chan greets you, Master."

Bai Xiuming looked at the meek A Chan, his fingers unconsciously stroking his sword hilt. He recalled the booklet his subordinates had presented on the second day of the Flower Festival, the contents of which were quite fascinating.

Seeing Bai Xiuming staring at Ji Chan without speaking, everyone else grew anxious, unsure of what displeased the Commander.

Fortunately, Jiang Kai, who lacked social awareness, had accompanied Bai Xiuming today. Feeling the awkward atmosphere, he couldn't help but call out again, "Commander?"

Bai Xiuming glanced at him and finally spoke, "Take them to be questioned separately."

"Yes."

Jiang Kai directed his subordinates to take the Zhao family members to separate, vacant side rooms for questioning. The remaining masters of the Zhao family were to be handled by him personally.

He had intended to take A Chan with them as well, but Bai Xiuming stopped him.

"Leave her here."

"Ah? Yes." Commander Jiang turned and continued his work.

People bustled in and out of the main courtyard, busy yet orderly. The seemingly careless Battalion Commander was, in reality, quite capable.

A Chan, left alone, did not panic. She had experienced such a scene before.

"Follow me." Bai Xiuming turned, intending to lead her into the main room.

A Chan hesitated for a moment, then lifted her skirt and followed.

As they reached the doorway, the pungent smell of blood, mixed with a strong fishy odor, forced her to cover her mouth and nose.

Blood stained the ground everywhere. For some reason, it hadn't coagulated. A Chan looked at the expanse of crimson before her, unsure where to step.

She finally couldn't help but ask, "Master, how exactly did my aunt die? Why is there so much blood?"

"Suicide."

"Wh-what?" A Chan thought she had misheard.

Bai Xiuming said calmly, "She cut open her own belly with a dagger and died from excessive blood loss."

"How is that possible? Why would she do that?"

"Good question. That's precisely what I want to ask you," Bai Xiuming looked at A Chan. "In what circumstances do you think she would do such a thing?"

"I don't know."

"Can't think of it? Then you'll stay here tonight and think," Bai Xiuming's tone was gentle.

A Chan felt he was deliberately picking a fight today. She had to humor him carefully to avoid truly angering him.

However, given Lady Xiao Lin's personality, even if something happened, she wouldn't choose suicide.

A Chan suddenly thought of the large jar she had seen earlier. "Master, can you tell me what was in that jar?"

"The contents of her belly."

"Contents?" A Chan's voice rose slightly.

Bai Xiuming smiled. "Your memory is so good, you should know about the Yifu Fish, right?"

A Chan did know. Before she came down the mountain, she had heard the elders of her clan tell stories that mentioned this creature.

The Yifu Fish looked almost identical to ordinary fish, making it difficult for even experienced fishermen to distinguish.

Despite being called a fish, it was actually a strange monster born from the lingering resentment of a pregnant woman who died unjustly. They didn't attack people proactively and were not very dangerous. Their sole purpose was to create more of their kind.

Many human books of strange tales even recorded instances of women becoming pregnant after eating fish caught in the wilderness, only to give birth to monstrous beings after a full term.

Eating...

A Chan's heart leaped. She looked up at Bai Xiuming, only to find his gaze fixed on her face. He had been observing her the entire time.

Why was this man so unyielding? A Chan grumbled inwardly, deciding to strike first.

"Master, do you suspect me every time you encounter a case?"

Bai Xiuming averted his eyes. "I haven't said anything."

A Chan curved her lips. "Oh, Master might not know, but your eyes speak volumes."

Though a young woman was verbally teasing him, Bai Xiuming remained unfazed. He simply said, "Then can you tell from my eyes what I'm about to ask you?"

A Chan lowered her eyes and sighed, finally speaking. "During my visits to the Zhao Manor these past few days, I often heard people say my cousin has been very filial recently. When my aunt craved fresh fish, he would specially buy live fish from outside for her. Three meals a day, never missing a single one."

From the moment she ate the Yifu Fish, it was destined that her aunt would lose her child. But why would Zhao Wensheng do such a thing?

"Was it because my aunt found out she wasn't carrying a human fetus and couldn't bear it?" A Chan said hesitantly.

But she quickly dismissed this guess. If Zhao Wensheng had deliberately sent the Yifu Fish, he wouldn't have exposed himself or informed his aunt. How could his aunt have committed suicide because of it?

It didn't seem to add up.

"We'll know if we ask her good son," Bai Xiuming said, not moving from his spot.

A Chan understood. "You already had suspicions about these matters, didn't you, Master?"

Zhao Wensheng delivering fish was done openly, and those with intentions could easily find out. The Mingjing Division had investigated so many cases; they wouldn't need an outsider to point things out, meaning they still had doubts.

"Master, you're not just looking for me to talk about my cousin, are you?" she asked tentatively.

"Tell me about the other members of the Zhao family. What are your impressions of them?"

A Chan thought for a moment. "Let's start with my cousin. Master should already know, my uncle seems to want my cousin to marry Xue Mingtang. My cousin has a good impression of him and once said she wouldn't marry anyone else. But my aunt disagrees, and they often argue about this.

Last time we went to the Flower Goddess Temple, we met the Xue siblings, and Madam Xue's son and daughter. My aunt got into an argument with the Xue family, and it was quite unpleasant. My cousin argued with my aunt again because of this, but later she bought a jade hairpin to appease her."

Bai Xiuming raised an eyebrow as he listened to her detailed account. "Are you implying that the Xue siblings are highly suspicious?"

A Chan looked wronged. "Master misunderstands me. I just have some questions. Did Lord Xue kill me because I blocked his older sister's path, or because I am of the Lin family bloodline?

Now that my aunt is dead, it seems that besides those exiled, only I remain from the Lin family. If I hadn't met Master, I might not have survived that night."

Although she intended to report them, these questions weren't baseless.

First, Ji Chan's mother died, then Ji Chan, and now Lady Xiao Lin. Although she didn't know the connection, it was too coincidental.

She couldn't help but wonder how many of the exiled Lin family members were still alive.

Bai Xiuming chuckled. "You didn't survive just because you met me."

"Master is joking. Without you, how could I have kept my life?"

"So?"

"So, Master, aren't you going to investigate Xue Mingtang? He's too suspicious."

From hinting to instigating, and then pinning the blame, A Chan's performance greatly opened Bai Xiuming's eyes.

Finally, she added, "I'm just telling the truth. Master, please don't misunderstand."

"I don't misunderstand. I just think you don't need to worry about him killing you."

A Chan looked at him, puzzled.

Bai Xiuming's beautiful peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly. "When you told Madam Xue that you and I were close, you should have worried if I would take your life first."

A Chan: ...

A Chan coughed lightly and said seriously, "Master, let's get back to the main topic."

Bai Xiuming continued to stare at her with a deep gaze.

A Chan avoided his gaze and said, bracing herself, "Actually, something else happened on the mountain that day that I found rather strange."

This sentence finally shifted Bai Xiuming's attention from her.

When he stared at her, A Chan broke out in a cold sweat. Who would have thought he had people monitoring her!

Fortunately, he didn't seem to care much about his reputation being "tainted" by her.

If he had truly cared, he probably would have dragged her back to the Mingjing Division and tortured her the day after the Flower Festival.

"Speak."

"It's the jade hairpin that my cousin bought for my aunt. Master can send someone to ask Mama Sun and my aunt's personal maid. They both know."

After saying this, A Chan quickly realized that since he had people watching her, he must know everything.

However, the spies only reported what she did truthfully and might not have noticed her thoughts, which gave her room to maneuver.

"What's wrong with the jade hairpin?"

"I didn't see anything wrong with it, but the jade quality was excellent. Yet, my cousin only spent five taels of silver, which was far too cheap. Later, my aunt asked me to go shopping, so I went to find the stall that sold the jade hairpin, but I couldn't find it.

The shopkeeper who sold silk flowers nearby told me that the person only sold one jade hairpin to my cousin, said a few words to her, and then packed up. This struck me as odd."

Bai Xiuming looked at A Chan, who appeared somewhat apprehensive, unsure if she was genuinely scared or putting on an act for him.

Putting aside the various suspicious points about Ji Chan, Bai Xiuming's impression of her had always been above average after their few encounters.

Intelligent, bold, adaptable, and good at gauging situations.

Unfortunately, these qualities had never been evident in the former Ji Chan.

He shifted his gaze away from A Chan and asked, "Tell me about Zhao Ming. What do you think of him?"

A Chan thought for a moment. "In my recent interactions with the Zhao family, I haven't seen my uncle. But according to my aunt, my uncle is the best husband in the world."

"How so?"

A Chan smiled. "For women, a man who never flirts, has no concubines at home, and is devoted only to his wife is already better than many.

Moreover, my uncle has always been ambitious. His official position isn't high, but it's enough to satisfy my aunt. I also heard Mama Sun mention that in all their years of marriage, even when they argued, my aunt always started it, and he always appeased her."

"Does this prove that Zhao Ming is a good man?"

"Isn't it?" A Chan's gaze shifted slightly. "Does Master know something?"