"It might not be Director Zhao."
After a stretch of silence, Black Sash Hu Yan answered cautiously beneath the lamplight.
"Inspector, that woman might well have made a false accusation to escape... besides, never mind that we no longer have a witness-even if we did, how could one person's unsupported testimony be used to challenge a director of the Northern Office? Especially one who served the emperor and has sole charge of a secondary capital's Temporary Palace?"
"Indeed."
Qin Bao, honest lad that he was, seemed to have thought of something too. "Inspector, don't forget why we came here... with something this groundless, if we fail to keep it under control, it could very well come back to bite us."
"I know. I know all of that." Bai Yousi swept her gaze over everyone beneath the lamplight, answering fluently without a moment's pause. "But have you considered that the circumstances are different? Former members of the Southern Chen court colluding with Yang Shen-that alone is enough to make Lord Lai and Duke Zhou wary and keep them from obstructing us. Because once Yang Shen is involved, even they have to avoid any appearance of complicity. And as long as those two aren't tigers blocking our path, doesn't the way through Jiangdu open right up?"
As she spoke, Bai Yousi glanced toward Zhang Xing, only to meet his gaze as he looked over.
Whether it was his imagination or not, Zhang Xing clearly saw a trace of smugness in her eyes. He smiled in understanding, then hastily clapped his hands in admiration.
"Exactly! The inspector's method is this: let them come from however many directions they like; I need only strike with one sword... seize on one matter, suppress the opposition, and break the situation open. Jiangdu is only so big,