Chapter 16: Searching for Clues

Wei Tai, the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, was having a very hard time.

He was an official of the Third Rank. Look at others of the same rank. They enjoyed good food and drink, gave orders as they pleased, living a comfortable and carefree life. Not like him, a so-called “parental official.” No good food or drink for him. He had to answer for everything, even the smallest matters. If any trouble arose, the offenders were either the son of this lord or the child of that general. He couldn’t hit them, couldn’t lock them up, and had to smile apologetically. Where was the dignity of a Third Rank official?

Now, a murder case with five victims had occurred. The eyes of the entire Capital City were on him. He couldn’t eat well or sleep at night.

Just then, a constable hurried in to report. The Seventh Highness and the Ninth Highness had entered the prefectural office.

Oh, my dear mother.

Holding his forehead with one hand and supporting his old waist with the other, Wei Tai couldn’t help but sigh. “Why have these two young masters come?”

He didn’t dare to delay and quickly went out to greet them.

Seeing Xiao Rui and Xiao Yan, Wei Tai bowed with clasped hands. “Your humble servant pays his respects to Your Highnesses. What brings you here today?”

“We came to see how the investigation into the hunting ground murders is going!” Xiao Yan asked.

Wei Tai’s mouth twitched. He had expected this. “Your Highnesses, please, let’s talk inside.”

They entered a room and the three sat down.

Wei Tai let out a sigh. “Your Highnesses, for the past four days, all the constables and officers of this office have been mobilized. We searched every inn, guesthouse, and rented residence in the entire Capital City. We even asked the common people for help. But we have found no clues. No one has come forward to report anything relevant. It seems the victims did not stay in the Capital City for long. So, your humble servant suspects, could these five people have just been passing through the Capital City? If that’s true, it makes the investigation even more difficult.”

“Ah, I’m under so much pressure.”

“Look at my hair, it’s almost all fallen out.”

Xiao Rui understood his complaint and smiled. “You’ve worked hard, Lord Wei. My younger brother and I came here for two reasons. First, we reported the case, so naturally we are concerned about it. Second, we wanted to offer our slight assistance to help bring the killer to justice as soon as possible.”

“Yes, yes!” Xiao Yan nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Rui continued. “As Lord Wei said, if the victims were just passing through the Capital City, the difficulty increases greatly. But what if they weren’t? They came to the Capital City from elsewhere and were followed and killed when they left. If so, they must have interacted with others while staying in the Capital City. Why wouldn’t any witnesses dare to come forward? Probably because they fear the killer’s revenge.”

He paused. “So, the Ninth Highness is willing to offer a reward of ten thousand taels. We will post notices throughout the Capital City, heavily rewarding any commoner who can provide clues to the victims’ identities.”

Xiao Yan was dumbfounded. When had he agreed to that?

Wei Tai was overjoyed and quickly stood up. “Thank you, Your Highnesses, for your help! I believe under the temptation of money, witnesses will be unable to resist coming forward with clues. I will arrange for it immediately. The reward notices will be posted all over the Capital City.”

Xiao Rui looked at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan said grandly, “It’s just ten thousand taels, no big deal. As long as we can catch the killer, another ten thousand would be no big deal either.”

Xiao Rui asked Wei Tai, “Lord, did you find anything from the victims’ clothes?”

Wei Tai ordered someone to bring the coroner’s autopsy report. He said, “The two male victims’ clothing had no special features. Blue cloth robes with square flat caps. Quite common. The two female victims wore blue silk blouses and dark blue skirts. Especially the younger female victim. Her blouse was two feet eight inches long with sleeves one foot two inches wide. The outer protective sleeves were embroidered with fine needlework. The embroidery on the clothes had a Suzhou embroidery style. The patterns were elegant and the workmanship exquisite, but not entirely. It also mixed in some other characteristics.”

Wei Tai handed the report to Xiao Rui and continued. “I have already ordered people to take the victims’ clothes to the major cloth shops for investigation, hoping to find out where the victims came from.”

Xiao Rui nodded. He could think of starting from the clothes, and the prefectural constables and coroners naturally could too.

Wei Tai sent a servant to call for a constable.

A large man walked in.

“Did you inquire at the cloth shops? Any clues?” Wei Tai asked.

The constable saluted with clasped fists. “Reporting, my lord. This subordinate visited twelve cloth shops, large and small, in the Capital City. After examining the fabric and embroidery of the victims’ clothes, it’s generally believed to be Suzhou embroidery. Although the stitching techniques and patterns have been altered, the style has been changed quite a bit. None could tell exactly where it was from.”

Wei Tai sighed and waved his hand to dismiss him.

“Your Highness, you see, the lead is broken again,” Wei Tai said with a worried look.

Xiao Rui smiled instead. “Lord Wei, although the cloth shop experts in the Capital City have good eyes and can see the changes in embroidery stitches and patterns, due to the limitations of their business, they don’t fully understand the embroidery characteristics of every region. But I know a place that might be able to spot some clues.”

“Where?” Wei Tai quickly asked.

“The Imperial Wardrobe Service and the Needlework Department!” Xiao Yan suddenly shouted.

Xiao Rui nodded.

Wei Tai slapped his forehead. “Right! How could I forget those two places? The Imperial Wardrobe Service is responsible for purchasing fabrics and clothing from all regions. The Needlework Department specializes in embroidery and sewing. They serve the Imperial Palace. They are the most knowledgeable experts on fabrics and embroidery in the world. But… this matter would still trouble Your Highnesses.”

Xiao Rui laughed. “It’s a small matter. Please prepare the victims’ clothing, Lord.”

“Good, good. I’ll do it right away,” Wei Tai immediately made arrangements.

Xiao Rui was about to close the coroner’s report when suddenly, his eyes scanned a piece of information and his gaze stuck there.

He asked, “Lord Wei, the autopsy result says the young female victim was an unmarried maiden? The infant in swaddling clothes was not hers?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Wei Tai nodded.

Xiao Rui and Xiao Yan exchanged a look, even more puzzled. What kind of combination was this family?

Leaving the prefectural office, Xiao Rui and Xiao Yan took a carriage towards the Imperial Palace.

Entering the inner Imperial City, Xiao Rui and Xiao Yan arrived at the Imperial Wardrobe Service. When the Seal-Holding Eunuch saw the two Highnesses visiting, his heart skipped a beat, thinking he had offended them somehow.

Xiao Rui explained their purpose. The Seal-Holding Eunuch immediately sent someone to summon people from the Needlework Department and called over the master craftsmen from the Imperial Wardrobe Service to begin examining the victims’ clothing fabric.

The head of the Needlework Department brought embroidery craftswomen to study them together.

Finally, they reached a conclusion.

“Your Highness, looking at the fabric of this clothing and the dyeing technique, it closely resembles the style from the Luzhou area. Moreover, this embroidery originates from Suzhou embroidery, but it incorporates characteristics of bright colors and an archaic, grand style. The stitching technique shows slight modifications, which should be the local characteristics of Luzhou embroidery. Our Needlework Department happens to have embroidery craftswomen from Luzhou, so we are quite certain.”

Xiao Rui and Xiao Yan looked at each other and immediately left the palace, returning to the Yingtian Prefecture office.

“Luzhou!”

Finally, they had found a lead. Wei Tai felt as if his luck had turned.

“Your Highnesses, I will immediately send people to Luzhou. I believe we will certainly gain something,” Wei Tai said with a smile.

Xiao Rui nodded. “Lord Wei, then we leave the hard work to you.”

“It is this official’s duty,” Wei Tai said solemnly.

Afterwards, Xiao Rui and Xiao Yan left the prefectural office.

Xiao Yan said happily, “Now we have a breakthrough. Catching the killer is in sight.”

But Xiao Rui was calm. “What if the victims just bought the clothes while passing through Luzhou?”

“Uh…” Xiao Yan’s smile instantly vanished.

Xiao Rui sighed. “It’s not that simple.”

Xiao Yan asked, “If the investigation in Luzhou yields nothing, wouldn’t this become a case without a lead?”

Xiao Rui said, “Let’s hope the reward is useful too, and we can find some clues.”

“Should we increase the reward amount?” Xiao Yan suggested, speaking like a man of great wealth.

Xiao Rui shook his head. “Ten thousand taels is enough. If that doesn’t work, then it’s not a matter of money anymore. Let’s go…”

“Seventh Brother, let me accompany you back to Fourth Brother’s house,” Xiao Yan said flatteringly.

Xiao Rui flatly refused.

He didn’t want others to know he had moved out of Prince Duan’s Mansion. First, it was embarrassing for himself. Second, it was also unsightly for Prince Duan’s Mansion.

Xiao Yan looked annoyed, but could only obediently go home.