Chapter 26: Fighting Fire with Fire
Xue Qingxiu was stunned for a long time, unable to recover.
This is the Eldest Madam’s Sixth Girl?
Her posture was graceful, her beauty radiant, how could she be like a fairy?
Beside her was a handsome young man with sword eyebrows and starry eyes. Accompanying them were several young men dressed as martial world knights-errant, their movements swift and fierce. The two strong men who had been holding him barely resisted before their mouths were gagged with cloth strips, and they were kneeling on the side like tied-up rice dumplings.
Xue Qingxiu felt relieved.
No matter what, he had narrowly escaped death.
He tilted his head to look at the hand gripping his collar and not letting go. He gestured with his eyes several times for it to release him, but the person remained indifferent and motionless.
Xue Qingxiu finally sensed something was amiss and asked dejectedly:
“Sixth Girl, what is this all about?”
Xue Sui smiled and asked, “Third Uncle, I saved your life tonight, do you acknowledge it or not?”
Xue Qingxiu said with a bitter face, “I acknowledge it, I acknowledge it! I almost let those two scoundrels fall from Qiong Tower, following the same fate as Third Master You. Fortunately, you came, otherwise, Third Uncle would have met King Yama…”
Xue Sui smiled at Yaoguang beside her, “Senior Brother.”
Yaoguang had someone push Xue Qingxiu, along with the two scoundrels, into a secret room of the Qiong Tower’s connected bridge gambling house.
Xue Qingxiu didn’t think much of it. As soon as the door closed, he kicked the two scoundrels.
“Bastards! Speak, who sent you to harm me?”
The two strong men had their mouths gagged and couldn’t speak.
After enduring several blows, they curled up on the ground.
Once the cloth strips were loosened, they honestly confessed, saying that someone had hired them to take the life of Third Master Xue, but they could only say that the employer was a young lady wearing a veil, and nothing else.
“We take money and resolve troubles for others. We never ask for the employer’s identity or name…”
Xue Qingxiu’s anger flared, and he was about to step forward to beat them again.
Xue Sui stopped him and said calmly, “Third Uncle doesn’t need to get angry with them. These ruffians only act for money; it’s not worth you getting involved in a manslaughter case.”
Xue Qingxiu tilted his head, his anger subsiding by more than half, “You speak sense. Get lost!”
He kicked them again, and amidst their pained groans, Yaoguang stepped forward and searched the two strong men.
A few scattered copper coins, half a piece of dry rations, a rough sweat towel – all unremarkable, ordinary items…
Therefore, finding the coin purse filled with silver fragments on one of the strong men was particularly conspicuous.
Yaoguang smiled and glanced at Xue Qingxiu, “Third Master Xue’s life is quite valuable. There’s about twenty taels here.”
“I’m only worth twenty taels?” Xue Qingxiu roared, then came to his senses.
“This… who wanted to take my life?”
Yaoguang said nothing.
Xue Sui looked at the coin purse in his hand.
The fabric was woven gold Yun Jin brocade, very precious.
The stitches were fine and even, the embroidery exquisite and delicate. At a glance, it was clear that this was not something for laborers to use.
Xue Qingxiu followed Sixth Xue’s gaze, his eyes immediately bloodshot, and a chill ran up from his heels. He almost cried out in disbelief.
“Eldest Sister-in-law?!”
This coin purse was not unfamiliar.
Consort Xiao had once gifted Eldest Sister-in-law a bolt of Yun Jin brocade. His wife, Madam Qian, had liked it and shamelessly asked Eldest Sister-in-law for the remaining scraps to make two coin purses.
Madam Qian kept one for herself, and the other was given back to Madam Fu. At that time, she also added a very lustrous bracelet, placed inside the coin purse, before Eldest Sister-in-law was satisfied.
Xue Qingxiu didn’t understand women’s embroidery, but Madam Qian cherished this coin purse. The Qian family was not short of money, but items from the palace were rare. He often saw Madam Qian wearing it; it was embroidered with koi, which she said brought wealth and luck.
Although Madam Qian had argued with him over the years, they were still husband and wife, and there were times of affection. For the sake of their two children, she wouldn’t go so far as to take his life.
If it wasn’t Madam Qian, then it could only be Eldest Sister-in-law, Madam Fu.
Xue Qingxiu thought of the humiliation he had endured under the suppression of the eldest branch over the years. His blood rushed to his head, and he angrily cursed.
“Good! Seeing my mother dote on me, afraid I’d get more of the family fortune in the future, she’s now harbored evil intentions. What a vicious woman! I’ll settle with her properly when I get back.”
Xue Qingxiu was impulsive and was about to leave.
Xue Sui called out to him, “Third Uncle. Why not listen to me for a moment?”
Xue Qingxiu turned back angrily, “Sixth Girl, don’t try to persuade me. If your Third Uncle doesn’t fight this vicious woman to the death today, I’ll take your surname!”
Xue Sui: “…”
She chuckled and pressed Xue Qingxiu to sit down.
Xue Qingxiu’s anger had not subsided. He struggled a couple of times before realizing that this seemingly slender niece had such great strength…
He compromised, “Speak, say whatever you want. Just don’t try to persuade me, and don’t defend the vicious woman. I won’t listen.”
Xue Sui raised her eyebrows, “Third Uncle, you’ve wasted your years. Have you ever thought about one day bringing honor to Grandfather and Grandmother, achieving an official position through your own efforts, and then soaring to success, making everyone in the Xue Mansion look at you with new eyes?”
Third Master Xue’s chest swelled, and her words actually brought tears to his eyes.
No one is born willing to be a wastrel, and no one truly enjoys being “idle and unsuccessful.”
He straightened his neck, “As a man, who wouldn’t want that?”
“That’s good.” Xue Sui looked into his eyes and smiled slightly, “Then, Third Uncle, will you listen to my arrangements? I will help you rise to prominence.”
Xue Qingxiu was astonished, half-believing, half-doubting.
The two strong men also stared wide-eyed at the coin purse, their faces filled with disbelief.
Xue Sui knew what they were thinking.
This was not the coin purse from their bodies.
The one they had was another embroidered coin purse.
She had worn it to the family banquet at the Xue Mansion that day, and later a maid from Liuli Pavilion had quietly taken it away.
However, Yaoguang had casually swapped it just now.
Yaoguang’s nickname was “Nimble Thief.” Without anyone noticing, let alone the unobservant Xue Qingxiu, even the two strong men themselves were confused, thinking they had seen incorrectly in the dark.
~
That night, someone else fell to their death on Vermilion Bird Street.
The deceased, like Third Master You, had also fallen from the railings of the Qiong Tower’s flying bridge, but their death was even more tragic. Before falling, the deceased had been beaten, their entire body bruised and deformed, their face slashed beyond recognition. If not for Third Master’s attendant’s firm identification of the body, it would have been difficult to recognize them.
When the news reached the Xue Mansion, Old Madam Cui heard it and her eyes rolled back. She was so angry she almost fainted.
Madam Fu, Madam Qian, and the young ladies and masters of the mansion rushed to Shou An Courtyard. A doctor was called to administer acupuncture. The room was in a flurry, and only then did the Old Madam recover and lament endlessly.
“What a sin, I shouldn’t have spoken such disheartening words during the day. Who knew my words would come true…”
Madam Fu feigned a few tears, “Old Ancestor, you are trying to scare your daughter-in-law to death. Please don’t worry yourself sick…”
Madam Qian cried even more, her handkerchief soaked. She spoke to the young servant who delivered the message, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
“Where is Third Master? Has he been brought back?”
The servant replied, “Replying to Third Madam, people from Jingzhao Prefecture have taken Third Master away. They said they are investigating Grand Tutor You’s case, and this has coincided with it. They will investigate it together.”
“Investigate together? Heavens! Who has he offended to have their life taken so cruelly…”
Madam Qian cried buckets, while Madam Fu was much calmer.
“It’s useless for us to worry in the inner chambers. Quickly, send someone to inform Eldest Master. Let Eldest Master go to Jingzhao Prefecture, and he’ll know what’s going on.”
The servant added, “Jingzhao Prefecture has already informed Eldest Master and asked him to go and identify the body.”
–
Xue Qingzhi received the news and hurried on horseback towards Jingzhao Prefecture.
At the main entrance, he encountered Prince Duan Li Huan arriving with his men.
They exchanged greetings.
Li Huan said, “Minister Xue, my condolences.”
Xue Qingzhi sighed heavily, “To disturb Your Highness in the middle of the night.”
He then raised his sleeve to wipe his reddened eyes, “Although my third brother was fond of drinking, he always had a sense of proportion and cherished his life. He wouldn’t have climbed onto the flying bridge railings for no reason. Your Highness, there must be something strange about this matter…”
Li Huan nodded, “Has your brother made any enemies?”
Xue Qingzhi pondered for a moment and shook his head, “Third Brother has always been carefree and sometimes acted irresponsibly, but he had a very good temper. He spoke kindly to everyone and was very fond of… alas, being generous and helping friends, he had many acquaintances, but never made enemies.”
Li Huan nodded again and gestured with his sleeve for him to go inside.
The Prefect of Jingzhao was a small old man named Yin, who had already come out to welcome them and invited them in.
The body was in the yamen’s morgue.
Several bodies were densely stored inside, and the smell was very unpleasant and suffocating. Xue Qingxiu was easy to identify. Although his clothes were damaged, the fabric and shoes were recognizable at a glance.
Xue Qingzhi lifted the white cloth covering the body and looked. His face was swollen and disfigured, but there was a faint resemblance. He covered his nose and stepped back.
“Third brother…”
He shed tears, and Xue Qingxiu’s attendant also wept bitterly.
“I originally wanted to stop Third Master from going onto the flying bridge, but Third Master insisted on not letting me follow. Who knew he would encounter murderers…”
The master and servant talked for a while about Xue Qingxiu’s last moments. The attendant was then taken away to be fingerprinted and give his testimony.
Xue Qingzhi was invited into the main hall. Li Huan was sitting and talking with Lord Yin, reviewing the case files from the scene investigation.
He stepped forward and bowed. Li Huan responded faintly.
The atmosphere was heavy. Xue Qingzhi looked at his expression and took a seat. The attendant served tea, but he didn’t dare to drink it. He cautiously asked Lord Yin, “They say a culprit was caught. Have they interrogated them?”
Lord Yin shook his head, “When the yamen runners arrived to surround Qiong Tower, the culprit, seeing no escape, committed suicide out of guilt. Officer Wang recognized this person; he often committed petty theft in the Jingzhao area and had been caught twice. He was quiet for a while, but I didn’t expect him to dare to kill for money…”
He then looked at Xue Qingzhi, with some hesitation.
Xue Qingzhi’s scalp tingled under his gaze, “Prefect, please speak freely if you have anything to say.”
Lord Yin cupped his hands and said, “Minister Xue, a coin purse was found on the culprit. Besides twenty taels of silver, there was also a small portrait of Third Master Xue inside. Does it look familiar to you…”
He signaled for a yamen runner to bring the evidence forward and placed it before Xue Qingzhi and Li Huan. “I’ve inquired. This batch of Yun Jin brocade, besides the imperial consorts in the palace, among the noblewomen outside, only Madam Xue of the Xue family received a bolt.”
That was because Madam Fu was Prince Duan’s mother-in-law, and Consort Xiao had given her face.
Lord Yin stopped there, and Xue Qingzhi’s expression changed.
He felt something was strange and illogical. But glancing at Li Huan’s stern and serious face, he broke out in a cold sweat and stood up, bowing.
“Your Highness, this official will return home now to question that lowly woman and will certainly provide an explanation.”
See you tomorrow.
