Just when Zhou Yan thought Zhu Huaizhang was softening, he turned back into a stubborn rock, this time not clamoring to open the coffin for an autopsy.
Instead, they interrogated everyone in Cloud Brocade Workshop again, not about how Bai Yunjin died, but starting with Yao Yuniang and asking when she last appeared.
Zhou Yan was too lazy to deal with him. It was something that happened five years ago... He didn't believe Zhu Huaizhang could find out anything about it.
Two days later, in the backyard of the government office, Zhou Yan lay on a rocking chair, holding a small twig in his hand, teasing the bird in the cage with a tsk-like sound. Just as he was enjoying himself, the gatekeeper suddenly came to report.
"My lord, Lu Chi, the Prefect of the Capital, has arrived."
Zhou Yan was slightly taken aback and slowly sat up. "What's a high-ranking official from the capital doing here?"
"I didn't know, but there were three other people following him, and they looked like officials."
Zhou Yan felt uneasy. Lu Chi was the Empress's nephew, and had grown up with the Crown Prince since childhood. He was a very important figure. If it were discovered that someone had died in Cloud Brocade Workshop, it would not be a good thing.
"Go and fetch my official robes..."
As soon as he finished speaking, four or five people strode in. Zhou Yan did not recognize Lu Chi, but he had seen Xiao Yuan during the imperial examination.
Upon recognizing the person, he was so startled that he jumped to his feet and, without thinking, knelt on the ground with a thud, saying, "Your humble servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Xiao Yuan chuckled and joked, " Lord Zhou... your greeting was rather sudden."
Zhou Yan was so frightened that his legs went weak and he couldn't stand up. He knelt on the ground, trying to calm himself down. "I'm just so excited..."
"Alright, get up... I came too suddenly."
Zhou Yan's palms were sweaty, and he secretly wiped them on the hem of his robe. He stood up, observed Xiao Yuan's expression, and tentatively asked, "Your Highness, why didn't you send someone to inform me beforehand so I could make preparations?"
Xiao Yuan walked to the birdcage and gently tapped the bamboo cage with his fingers, teasing the birds. He casually said, "I was just passing by and decided to come and take a look on a whim. I'll be leaving tomorrow."
Zhou Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that he was leaving tomorrow. He turned to look at Lu Chi, who bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Yuan, and smiled, "This must be Lord Lu."
Lu Chi nodded. " Lord Zhou, shouldn't you be on duty at this time? Why are you holed up in the backyard playing with birds, not even wearing your official robes?"
Zhou Yan's heart skipped a beat. He cursed under his breath, then coughed lightly twice, clutching his chest, and looked apologetically at Xiao Yuan, "Your Highness, you may not know, but I have recently caught a cold."
I was thinking of resting for an hour this morning before going to work; I hope Your Highness will not find fault with me.
"It's alright... Lord Zhou about the people and has fallen ill from overwork. He deserves to rest," Xiao Yuan said, shifting his gaze from the birdcage to Zhou Yan, whose expression was uncertain.
He laughed and said, " Lord Zhou, please don't be so formal... Arrange some lodging for us and prepare some food..." Before he could finish speaking, he could faintly hear a commotion coming from outside the courtyard.
Xiao Yuan glanced at the guards, but Zhou Yan couldn't stop them before they had already left. At this time, the area outside the government office was crowded with people, and a couple among them were crying uncontrollably.
They kept shouting, "We want to see Zhu Huaizhang, Lord Zhu..."
While maintaining order, the constables shouted, " Zhu Huaizhang is the prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture. You have come to the wrong place. Leave immediately!"
The guard, having witnessed this, returned and reported to Xiao Yuan, "Your Highness, a group of people are looking for Zhu Huaizhang, Lord Zhu."
Xiao Yuan gave an "oh," then looked at Zhou Yan with an ambiguous expression. "If I remember correctly, Zhu Huaizhang is the prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture, right? This group of people actually came to Jing'an Prefecture looking for someone."
He burst into laughter, "Interesting... Let's go take a look."
Zhou Yan was so anxious that he stamped his feet, but he didn't dare to stop him. He could only grit his teeth and follow behind Xiao Yuan. More and more people gathered outside the government office. Yuniang Niangdi saw two strangers coming out of the government office.
He pulled Madam Yao to the most authoritative position and made her kneel on the ground with a thud, saying, "This humble subject, Yao Dahai, greets Lord Zhu."
Zhou Yan shouted sternly, "You blind fool, this is no Lord Zhu... Get out of here!"
Xiao Yuan's smiling face instantly turned cold. He glared at Zhou Yan and stepped forward to help up Yao Dahai was already stunned.
"Fellow villager, Zhu Huaizhang is from Qingzhou Prefecture. This is Jing'an Prefecture. You've come to the wrong place."
Yao Dahai said awkwardly, "I... I'm looking for Lord Zhu. I know the owner of Cloud Brocade Workshop has died, and he's here to assist with the case..."
Xiao Yuan released his arm, turned to look at Zhou Yan, and said with an air of authority, " Lord Zhou, a murder has occurred in Jing'an Prefecture."
Zhou Yan was so frightened that a cold sweat broke out on his back. "Yes... there's a murder case that's connected to Qingzhou Prefecture. Zhu Huaizhang is protective of his own and insists on coming along to investigate. I had no choice."
"Oh... where is he?"
Zhou Yan gripped his sleeves and gritted his teeth, saying, "Let's go... to the small fishing village."
Everyone was taken aback by this. The Yao couple hadn't expected Zhu Huaizhang to come to their village. Xiao Yuan turned to Yao Dahai, "Fellow villager, since Lord Zhu isn't here, why don't you tell me what's going on? Perhaps I can be of help."
Before Yao Dahai could speak, his Madam Yao grabbed him, saying timidly, "We won't look for anyone else, we'll only look for Zhu Huaizhang..."
Yao Dahai snapped out of his daze, remembering what his benefactor had said, and mustered his courage to say, "Yes, we'll find Zhu Huaizhang."
Xiao Yuan couldn't help but burst out laughing. He turned to look at Lu Chi, "See... my prestige isn't even as great as Zhu Huaizhang's."
Lu Chi laughed, "They don't know who you are, of course they don't believe you."
Xiao Yuan glared at him reproachfully, then said to Zhou Yan, "Go get me a chair. I'd like to sit outside with this fellow villager and wait for Zhu Huaizhang..."
Zhou Yan sighed and turned to leave, but Xiao Yuan called out to him, " Lord Zhou... come, come, have them bring a chair, you can sit next to me..."
"Oh, by the way," Xiao Yuan casually pointed to a yamen runner and said, "Go and call the people from the Provincial Surveillance Commission over. Since we're cooperating on a case, it's best if all the officials are present."
The yamen runner, upon receiving the order, ran off to fetch the person.
Zhou Yan was extremely anxious. He had hoped to use the opportunity of moving chairs to send a message to Fang Rui so that he could give Zhu Huaizhang a quick death, but he was unexpectedly detained on the spot.
This time, it was truly a case of pulling up a radish and bringing out the mud along with it; even the Provincial Surveillance Commission was implicated.
At this moment, Zhu Huaizhang, Li Xiao, and Fang Rui were hiding in the shadows, watching the boatman load bags of Five Minerals Powder onto the carriage.
"Brother... I heard from Lord Zhou that Zhu Huaizhang is searching the whole city for Five Minerals Powder. Isn't Lord He going against the grain and courting death?"
The man said unhappily, "Is this something you should be worrying about? Lord He is in charge of him, a poor prefect... If he could die on our turf, we would have dealt with him long ago."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Fang Rui felt a chill on his neck as a sharp dagger was pressed against his throat.
A sense of helplessness welled up in Fang Rui's heart. He didn't know if he would even live to see his birthday this year. Given the way these people in Qingzhou Prefecture acted, even if he didn't die, he would be crippled!
After the carriage carrying the Five Minerals Powder left, Zhu Huaizhang slowly emerged from the shadows. His legs were numb from standing, and every step he took was excruciatingly painful.
Li Xiao put his arm around Fang Rui's neck and pushed him out.
Zhu Huaizhang looked at Fang Rui and warned him in a deep voice, "Smuggling Five Minerals Powder is a capital offense. If you abandon your evil ways and become a witness to find evidence of their crimes, I can spare your life. If you remain obstinate, I will have no choice but to execute you on the spot."
Fang Rui knew it was just a rhetoric. He was poisoned and had a dagger across his neck; he was doomed no matter what. He might as well stand with Zhu Huaizhang and try to save his life.
His Adam's apple bobbed, the dagger pressed against his neck. " Lord Zhu... is what you said true?"
"Nature..."
"Okay, I'm willing to be a witness..."