Chapter 193

C193 – It’s Always the Dark

The news of the Envoy of North Yue’s demise and the inn’s conflagration swiftly spread throughout Ye City, eliciting mixed reactions from the populace.

Given that it was the time for peace negotiations between the two nations, such extreme actions could jeopardize the talks, something most ordinary people did not desire. However, their sentiments towards North Yue were tinged with hostility, so the Envoy’s demise naturally brought them a sense of satisfaction.

In the Imperial Court, King of South Jin had issued a clear directive to Xue Tingwei: resolve the case within ten days. Faced with the assertive North Yue envoy delegation, King of South Jin had no choice but to first pacify them. As for the conditions the other party sought to impose, he would not accede to any of them.

“The matter remains unresolved, and the identity of the perpetrator remains unknown. It is premature to demand compensation at this stage,” King of South Jin stated, suppressing his anger.

“The perpetrator met their end in South Jin territory, implying that they must be one of our own. Investigation is warranted, but compensation is non-negotiable. Otherwise, even if it leads to another conflict, North Yue will not forgive us.”

King of South Jin couldn’t be bothered to engage in further arguments with them. He entrusted the matter to Crown Prince Zhao for appeasement and, accompanied by a few ministers, proceeded to the Imperial Reading Room to discuss national affairs.

Crown Prince Zhao approached the vociferous North Yue messengers, a cold smile gracing his lips as he declared, “War? Very well, I am ready to accompany you at any time!”

After uttering these words, he exited the hall without affording them a second glance, completely disregarding their presence.

The Envoy of North Yue was so infuriated that he stamped his foot, pointing at Crown Prince Zhao’s departing figure but struggling to voice any menacing threats.

Crown Prince Zhao’s reputation in North Yue was infamous, and the envoys dared not confront him directly.

After Wang Zixian and the others exited, they exchanged knowing glances with one of the North Yue envoys before leaving the main hall.

Outside the palace, Xue Tingwei’s footsteps quickened, his brows deeply furrowed. In a single night, it felt as if his hair had turned white.

“It’s true, whether he lives or dies, but he died at this crucial juncture. Who could have done this?” The captain muttered to himself for a moment, unaware of someone calling him from behind.

A civil servant walking alongside him gently pushed him, drawing his attention to the person behind. He chuckled and said, “Master Xue, Crown Prince is summoning you.”

Xue Tingwei’s demeanor shifted abruptly. He mustered a strained smile before turning around, whereupon he noticed Crown Prince Zhao approaching him with an intent gaze.

Swiftly, he inclined in a deep bow. “Your Highness, please accept my sincerest apologies. I was engrossed in pondering the case’s resolution and regrettably allowed my duties to lapse.”

Crown Prince Zhao advanced closer and gestured dismissively. He spoke amiably, “Master, your diligence in your work is commendable. All is forgiven.”

A sense of relief washed over Xue Tingwei, and he raised his countenance with a smile. He inquired, “What may I assist you with today, Your Highness?”

“I’ve heard about the incident from last night, the unfortunate demise of the North Yue envoy,” Crown Prince Zhao began.

Xue Tingwei concurred, albeit with a touch of dismay. “Indeed, a tragic event. The culprit took the life of a person of great significance. I understand that the envoy held a prominent position in North Yue.”

The assertion was preposterous; it was inconceivable for someone of low stature to represent their kingdom in negotiations.

Crown Prince Zhao maintained an impassive countenance. “His fate has been sealed, yet we must unravel the mysteries surrounding this case. Do you have any insights, Master?”

Xue Tingwei grimaced as he shook his head. “I visited the scene of the crime last night but found no discernible clues. My only recourse is to commence an inquiry into the inn’s fire, Your Highness.”

“You have but ten days. Can you assure this?” Crown Prince Zhao inquired.

“I shall exert every effort,” Xue Tingwei replied, his expression reflecting the weight of the task.

Crown Prince Zhao nodded and offered reassurance. “This is a challenging case indeed. We must focus on examining the crime scene for potential leads. Master, consider searching every residence for any pertinent information. If you require additional manpower, I can lend my assistance.”

Touched by Crown Prince Zhao’s willingness to help, Xue Tingwei expressed his gratitude. “Thank you, Your Highness. The Great King has already deployed guards to aid us, and we should have sufficient manpower.”

Following this exchange, Xue Tingwei felt greatly comforted, profoundly appreciating the kindness and benevolence of Crown Prince Zhao.

“Come on, let’s head to the inn and inspect the situation,” Xue Tingwei directed his men toward the site of the fire and the murder. He instructed them to systematically search each room.

Observing Xue Tingwei’s thorough room-to-room search, the adjutant inquired with skepticism, “Master, why are we searching all the rooms? The assassin didn’t even enter the building. What could we hope to uncover with this approach?”

Xue Tingwei waved dismissively, saying, “We’re currently without any leads. Our only option is to search blindly for clues.”

Just as he finished speaking, several constables emerged from the house, holding objects in their hands.

Xue Tingwei casually examined the items and discovered they were gifts brought by the North Yue Envoy. Among them were gold, silver, jade, clothing, shoes, and socks, all left behind during their hasty escape the previous night.

In any case, these items would eventually be returned, possibly even doubled in compensation, so there was no rush.

Xue Tingwei sighed. “Record these items in the ledger and arrange for their prompt return.”

“Understood,” the adjutant swiftly took charge of the task, having thought of the same course of action.

Realizing that no useful clues were forthcoming, Xue Tingwei sighed and stood amidst the disorderly courtyard, gazing at the sky. He silently prayed to the heavens that the murderer would face divine retribution.

“Very well, there’s nothing more to be found here. Dispatch someone to inquire about anyone who passed by last night. Anyone providing a lead will be rewarded with ten gold coins each.”

He could only hope that a substantial reward would entice someone to provide valuable information.

As he prepared to depart, he heard the adjutant call out to him, “Sir, please take care…”

“Oh?” Xue Tingwei turned back to face him.

The adjutant approached, clutching a box in his hand, his brow beaded with sweat.

“What is it?”

“Take a gander at this,” the adjutant opened the box and passed it to Xue Tingwei.

Xue Tingwei lifted a jade seal and examined it closely. It was crafted from high-quality chicken bloodstone but remained uncarved, clearly a novelty to him.

“What’s the matter with these items?” Although they were exquisite, they belonged to the people of North Yue, and he couldn’t afford to overlook that fact.

Xue Tingwei and his adjutant had encountered such situations numerous times during their investigations. They surmised that the other party intended for him to retain these items, which instantly irked them.

“Return these items and assess the current situation. How dare you appropriate them?”

The adjutant shook his head. “No, my lord. Take a closer look. These items are peculiar.”

“Oh?”

“Do any of these jade pendants strike you as familiar?” the adjutant inquired. Moreover, consider the begonia red hairpin. There were no women within the envoy group. Why did they bring it? “Do any of these seem recognizable to you?”

Indeed, the contents of the box appeared strangely familiar, as if they had encountered them somewhere before.

The adjutant possessed a sharper memory, reminding him, “Examine the edges of these items…”

“Ah… this, this originates from the palace…” Blast it, those North Yue scoundrels dared to pilfer from the palace?

“Reflect on it carefully, has the king ever bestowed anything upon these individuals?”

“No, absolutely not. The Great King despises them upon sight; why would he offer them anything?”

“In that case…” Xue Tingwei and the adjutant exchanged glances. “Fetch those items. We must locate those individuals. Without an explanation, they won’t be able to leave Ye City.”

The group set out with determination to locate the North Yue Envoy. Tang Yue could finally breathe a sigh of relief when news of their mission reached the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“I doubt a few items will faze Wang Zixian. Didn’t you mention their visit to Third Prince Prefecture this afternoon?”

Wang Dingjun nodded. “I wonder what our young master plans to do next.”

“Master Xue is likely to encounter resistance if he goes directly now. Have someone advise him to tail the two messengers and investigate their movements. Additionally, arrange for someone to provide him with leads so he can keep a close watch on Third Prince Prefecture.”

Wang Dingjun grinned. “With the Pearl Jade right in front of him and evidence of their connection, we can uncover more about Third Prince Prefecture. Wang Zixian will likely be unable to evade charges of associating with the envoy. But can we simply eliminate him?”

Tang Yue took a sip of tea and pondered, “The crucial factor is the king’s reaction. How do you think the king will respond to this news?”

“We lack concrete evidence to implicate Third Prince if it’s only about their close association.”

“Then we’ll have to take a risk. I believe North Yue and Wang Zixian must have forged some kind of agreement. Where there’s an agreement, there’s bound to be a token. Once we uncover this, Wang Zixian’s fate is sealed.”

Wang Dingjun’s mouth twitched slightly. He whispered, “Young master, this is just a theory. If we’re mistaken, our entire plan could be in vain.”

“But we haven’t lost anything, have we?” If they didn’t succeed this time, there would always be another opportunity. There was no rush to eliminate Wang Zixian this time.

Wang Dingjun chuckled. “You’re absolutely right!” Indeed!

They had cleverly used a box of jewelry and jade to ensnare Wang Zixian in trouble. This was a cunning strategy. The Crown Princess was indeed a formidable adversary. Typically, they were the ones who made mistakes.

Or perhaps… this was a case of “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”?