Chapter 6
The yamen of Qinglan City was located in the south of the city,
an old building left from the previous dynasty.
A plaque reading “The Bright Mirror Hangs High” hung in the main hall,
its corners nearly worn smooth.
I sat in the back hall, with Xu Kai’s statement laid out before me-
it was no different from what he’d said before:
Last night at the hour of Xu, he escorted Xu Minghao back to his quarters, didn’t linger, and returned directly to the Cui Mansion.
I had someone check at the Cui Mansion, and the gatekeeper confirmed that both Cui Sheng and Xu Kai returned to the mansion one after the other just after the third quarter of the hour of Xu, and neither left again afterward.
In other words, Cui Sheng returned to the Cui Mansion after drinking at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
Xu Kai, the coachman, also returned to the Cui Mansion after dropping off Messenger Xu.
“Last night, they all ate the same food, and their schedule checks out. Messenger Xu didn’t see anyone else after returning to his quarters… But then again, Boss!”
“What is it?” I took a sip of tea.
“This President Cui is quite a good man. When I follow you to these banquets, I’m always standing guard at the door with a blade. But Xu Kai, just a coachman, actually knows exactly what his master and Messenger Xu ate! Does the Cui family even let their coachmen sit at the table?”
My hand, holding the teacup, suddenly froze!
That’s exactly what felt off to me!
Xu Kai’s statement at the scene of the crime
ran through my mind again-
“Last night, I drank two cups of rice wine with my master at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, ate a piece of fish cake, and didn’t stop on the way back.”
-A coachman, even if not at the table,
shouldn’t be able to enter the private room at all.
By rights, the coachman should have been waiting by the carriage…
Could it be that letting the coachman into the private room was some sort of Cui family custom?
Xiao Zhang continued talking to himself:
“Boss, could it be that Messenger Xu had some illness?”
“Impossible!!”
A loud voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.
A young man in armor strode in,
with a long sword at his waist-it was Captain Yin, Xu Minghao’s colleague:
“My brother Xu is as strong as an ox. Last year, he fought the barbarians at the border and didn’t fall even after taking an arrow. How could he suddenly fall ill?”
“And you call yourselves Constables! Haven’t you figured this out yet?!”
Captain Yin had only heard about Xu Minghao’s death this morning,
and had rushed over from the barracks immediately.
I simply bowed, saying nothing.
Xiao Zhang handed Captain Yin a cup of tea:
“Captain Yin, after you parted ways with Messenger Xu last night, where did you go?”
“My old illness flared up, I wasn’t feeling well, so I returned to the inn early!” Captain Yin sat down, looking quite indignant. “I only just heard that something happened to Brother Xu! Do you know what his position was?! He was a National Messenger! If something happens to him…”
Captain Yin quickly stopped himself, swallowing the rest of his words.
When President Cui reported the case, I’d already sent someone to verify at the barracks.
They came back saying Captain Yin hadn’t lied, and the innkeeper confirmed it as well.
“Could it be Cui Sheng? Even if he’s the uncle by marriage, we can’t overlook him!”
“After all, Messenger Xu’s aunt passed away long ago! That uncle is just a title!”
Captain Yin continued, “And the man died in his house! President Cui doesn’t even live in that newly purchased residence, yet let my brother Xu stay there alone. Don’t you find that suspicious?”
I shook my head:
“He has no reason to harm Messenger Xu. Besides, at last night’s banquet, President Cui invited quite a few people as company-you were there too, and nothing seemed amiss. Moreover, if he truly wanted to harm him, why do it in a house he himself bought?”
More importantly, all of Cui Sheng’s reactions were completely normal.
The case had reached an impasse.