Chapter 12

At that moment, a Constable guarding Su’s Old Back Door came galloping in to report:

Someone had been lurking outside the courtyard, peeping suspiciously. When discovered, they immediately fled, moving with remarkable agility.

“Did you get a good look at them?”

“No, it was too dark. The person was dressed in night clothes and seemed extremely familiar with the alley. After a few quick turns, they vanished.”

After dispersing the rioting townsfolk and extinguishing the fire, the scene was left in utter chaos.

Even so, we made a discovery.

On a branch of the osmanthus tree near the second-floor window,

a Constable found a very fresh friction mark.

It looked as if someone had been passing through frequently.

And in the soft earth beneath the tree, after carefully brushing aside the fallen leaves,

a half-blurred footprint was found.

It was quite large, unlikely to be a woman’s, and the sole had a distinctive pattern.

“This boot print…” Captain Yin squatted down to inspect it closely, his brows tightly knit. “It looks like a military issue, but the pattern is a bit unusual. I can’t tell the exact origin at the moment. Perhaps it’s a replica made by someone from the martial world.”

He stood up and brushed the dirt from his hands:

“Still, it’s a clue.”

I nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but inwardly I grew more alert.

Just as Xiao Zhang asked if I wanted to pursue the footprint clue,

Cui Sheng came running over again, mourning his newly purchased courtyard.

It’s not that I didn’t want to sympathize, but this courtyard of his truly gave me a headache.

As he spoke, he even got into an argument with the Constables putting out the fire, telling them to be careful not to ruin his newly bought property.

I could only feel helpless-your courtyard is already burned to this extent…

“Chief Zhao! Any progress on the case? My poor nephew…” he suddenly said.

“Eh? This mark… could it be left by the murderer?”

I didn’t respond, just looked at him.

Cui Sheng seemed to realize he’d misspoken and quickly changed the subject:

“Chief Zhao, I’ve just remembered something else that’s been weighing on my mind. I don’t know if I should mention it…”

He rubbed his hands, looking very uneasy.

“Go ahead.”

“It’s about Wang Defa…” he lowered his voice, “When I bought this courtyard, Wang Defa was already acting strangely, muttering things like ‘Debts must be repaid, that’s only right, stop coming after me.’ I thought he was just rambling and didn’t pay attention. But now that I think about it, could he have owed some deadly debt and been silenced? Do you think his death might be connected to the old affairs of this courtyard? I heard he wasn’t quite normal when he lived here before…”

He went on and on, repeatedly emphasizing Wang Defa’s odd behavior and the possibility of ‘debts.’

I said, “President Cui, you mean Wang Defa’s death might be related to the grudges of the previous owner of this courtyard?”

“Ah, I’m just guessing, just guessing…” Cui Sheng waved his hands quickly, but then added, “It’s just that these incidents keep happening, all revolving around this courtyard. It’s hard not to think about it! Chief Zhao, don’t you think so? Maybe we should thoroughly investigate who Wang Defa might have offended over the years…”

I suddenly asked, “Where’s Xu Kai?”

“He… should be at the carriage.”

Cui Sheng was startled by my sudden question.

I immediately sent someone to call Xu Kai.

However, the Constable soon reported back: “Xu Kai isn’t at the stables.”

“Where does he live?”

A Constable replied, “Yushu Alley, west of the city.”

I glanced at Cui Sheng without saying more, and immediately led my men to Yushu Alley.

Xu Kai’s house was tightly shut. We knocked for a long time, but no one answered.

Suspicion arose in my heart, and I ordered the door to be broken down.

Inside, the house was empty, the tables and chairs neatly arranged.

But the wardrobe was open, with several pieces of clothing missing, along with some valuables.

Xu Kai had fled!

“Search! Search carefully!” I ordered.

Soon, in a hidden compartment under the bedroom floorboards, we found a small packet of red powder wrapped in oiled paper, several unusually shaped throwing darts, and a small porcelain vial.

After Doctor Qian examined them,

he confirmed that the red powder was-Chiyang Powder!

“Issue a citywide warrant for Xu Kai immediately!” I commanded sternly.

Just then, an even more shocking message arrived-

A Constable guarding the evidence room at the yamen came running in, flustered:

“Chief Zhao! Something terrible has happened! Messenger Xu’s corpse… is missing!”