Chapter 37: An Invitation for Tea

Arriving in front of the Charity Mortuary, the woman reined in her horse and raised an arm. The four men behind her brought their mounts to a halt as well. She turned her head slightly and asked, “The body is being kept here?”

“Yes.”

“Zhang Wei, Zhang Meng, you two stay behind. The rest of you, ride to the yamen at once and fetch the dossier and evidence.”

“Yes!”

With the sound of thundering hooves, two men spurred their horses away. The woman then dismounted along with Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng. Zhang Wei took the reins of the three horses and went off to tether them, while Zhang Meng followed behind the woman.

Suddenly, the woman stopped in her tracks, her deep eyes fixing on a single spot.

“Milady?”

She crouched down, poking gently at the snow with a finger. Then she frowned and said, “Why are there two rows of fresh women’s footprints around the Charity Mortuary?”

“Go record the shoe prints and their depths. Trace where these footprints lead.”

“Yes!”

Zhang Meng approached the footprints, pulling out a charcoal pencil and a strip of cloth. He sketched the prints in the snow and measured their depth with his knuckles, noting it all down on the cloth. Then he followed the two rows of tracks around the Charity Mortuary… until they led to the yard outside Embroider Maiden’s old house.

Crouching outside the half-collapsed courtyard wall of Embroider Maiden’s home, Zhang Meng compared the shoe impressions with the last print before the yard. He glanced up at the smoking chimney, then silently withdrew.

Inside the Charity Mortuary, the woman stood beside the coffin, gazing down at the murdered victim’s body with furrowed brows.

Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng entered the mortuary. The woman shifted her gaze and dragged over a long bench, sitting down not far from the coffin.

“Zhang Meng? What did you find?”

“Reporting to Milady, as per your orders, I recorded the shoe impressions. Tracing the footprints, I discovered their owner circled the Charity Mortuary once, with even spacing and no entry into the grounds. Following them further, the tracks vanished into a courtyard not far away. There’s only a dilapidated thatched hut inside, with smoke rising from the chimney. I surmise the owner is a local farmer. Here’s the sketch of the prints… Milady, should we summon the person for questioning?”

The woman took the sketch from Zhang Meng, glanced at it, folded it neatly, and tucked it into her bosom. “I’d like to see just what kind of woman dares to circle the Charity Mortuary hung with white lanterns. Zhang Wei, Zhang Meng, go to that household and bring the owner of these shoe prints here.” Inwardly, she thought: Let’s see if this woman is truly that bold, or if she has some other agenda.

“Yes!”

Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng gripped the swords at their waists and strode out of the Charity Mortuary with purposeful steps, heading straight for Embroider Maiden’s old house.

Half the courtyard wall had collapsed, leaving the interior structure fully visible, but Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng still cautiously circled the old house. Confirming there were no back doors or hidden passages for escape, they knocked on Embroider Maiden’s door.

Embroider Maiden and Wu Wei were startled awake by the knocking. Wu Wei rubbed her eyes and asked, “Who is it?”

Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng exchanged a glance. Zhang Wei replied, “We’re constables investigating a case. We need to speak with the lady of the house.”

“Looking for me?” Embroider Maiden woke fully at once, staring at Wu Wei with confusion and fear in her eyes.

“Get up and get dressed first. They probably noticed our place is close to the Charity Mortuary and want to ask about clues. Don’t worry.”

“Please wait a moment; we’ll be right there.” Wu Wei called out, then threw back the quilt. She and Embroider Maiden dressed quickly. Once presentable, they stepped out of the room together, and Wu Wei opened the door.

Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng hadn’t expected two young women rather than a married couple living in such a remote spot. They exchanged another glance, and Zhang Wei spoke again. “Please come with us, ladies. Our lady has some questions for you.”

Wu Wei half-stepped in front of Embroider Maiden and countered, “Do you have badges or warrants to prove your identities?”

Both men couldn’t help smirking. They’d been on the job for years, and after seeing Embroider Maiden and Wu Wei, they were fairly certain these women weren’t the killer—neither had the physical capability for the crime, nor the aura of ruthless malice. Relaxed now, they found Wu Wei’s question refreshing. Zhang Meng pulled a palm-sized wooden token from his bosom, engraved with the words “Bright Mirror.” “We’re constables from the Bright Mirror Division. Please come with us.”

Wu Wei nodded, took Embroider Maiden’s hand, and followed Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng toward the Charity Mortuary.

Halfway there, Embroider Maiden’s legs gave out, her body trembling uncontrollably. Wu Wei softly reassured her while switching from holding her hand to supporting her around the waist. Tears welled in Embroider Maiden’s eyes as she clutched Wu Wei’s collar, unable even to glance at the mortuary.

Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng felt a pang of sympathy, further convinced Embroider Maiden wasn’t the type to wander aimlessly around the place. What surprised them, though, was Wu Wei’s composure. Their eyes met in silent understanding.

“My lord, we’ve brought the person.”

“Come in.”

Wu Wei arched a brow. This “Lord” was a woman?!

Zhang Wei and Zhang Meng stood guard at the door, gesturing for Wu Wei and Embroider Maiden to enter. Wu Wei half-carried Embroider Maiden over the threshold, but the sight of the coffin inside sent Embroider Maiden crumpling to the ground.

As Wu Wei knelt to help her up, she apologized. “Forgive her, Milady. Embroider Maiden has a weak constitution.”

The woman stared at the pale-faced, shaking Embroider Maiden for several breaths before saying, “Zhang Meng, escort this lady home.”

“Yes!” Zhang Meng stepped inside and lifted Embroider Maiden. She grabbed at Wu Wei’s collar and cried, “Weiwei!”

Wu Wei soothed her. “Go back and wait for me. Once Milady finishes questioning me, I’ll return right away. Don’t be afraid.” Only then did Embroider Maiden let go, and Zhang Meng led her away.

Wu Wei turned to face the woman seated on the bench, clad in a greatcloak. Her heart skipped a beat.

Those eyes… Weren’t they from the older of those two disguised women she’d encountered at the Hundred Flavors Building that day?

Even without the disguise and in different attire, Wu Wei recognized her at once. She’d only seen such a gaze once since arriving in this era—she couldn’t be mistaken.

Wu Wei thought to herself: She’s a big shot, after all.

Composing herself, Wu Wei cupped her hands in salute. “Commoner Wu Wei pays respects to Milady.”

The woman regarded Wu Wei for a moment before saying leisurely, “That embroidered sample you ruined on your back—did you mend it?”

Wu Wei’s heart sank. Damn, she was still wearing that day’s clothes; there was no denying it… She hadn’t expected the woman to settle old scores like this!

Her mind raced as it hadn’t in ages. After a few breaths, Wu Wei smiled candidly. “I didn’t expect Milady to remember this commoner. I’m honored.”

“Not bad. At least you’re honest. Sit.”

“Thank you.” Wu Wei pulled over a bench and sat a short distance across from the woman.

“How did you spot that day that the two of us were women?”

Wu Wei pressed her lips together before answering, “Truth be told, I didn’t fully spot it. Mostly, what man would care about embroidery flaws on someone else’s clothes? And when the younger lady drew near, I caught a whiff of feminine perfume on her… That’s how I guessed.” Inwardly, she added: I didn’t specify rouge scent—feminine perfume is open to interpretation.

From the Bright Mirror Division and the woman’s current actions, Wu Wei had roughly deduced her identity. She certainly wouldn’t reveal her true method of discernment. What if it piqued the woman’s professional interest? As an unregistered outsider, that could spell trouble for her.

The woman smiled faintly at Wu Wei’s answer, neither confirming nor denying it. Then she continued, “There are two rows of fresh footprints outside the Charity Mortuary. Yours, right?”

“Yes.”

“What were you doing at the Charity Mortuary?”

“If I said… I came for ice, would Milady believe me?”

The woman shook her head. “No.”

“My friend had a heartbreak and cried all night. I knocked some ice from the eaves to soothe her puffy eyes. There’s still half a bag of crushed ice in a blue cloth pouch in the yard—Milady can verify it at a glance.”

“You’ve got some nerve.”

“No guilty conscience, no fear of ghosts knocking.”

“From your accent, you’re not local. Where’s your home? What brings you here? What’s your relationship to that young lady from earlier?”

We’re done for! Looks like detectives ancient and modern all share the same occupational habits…

The woman’s gaze lingered on Wu Wei’s suddenly interlaced fingers, but she glanced away after one look and continued studying Wu Wei’s face.

Wu Wei felt a chill run down her spine as cold sweat beaded on her back. The matter of her transmigration was far too arcane to mention aloud. Yet with the imposing presence of the person before her, they likely wouldn’t let her go without digging up every last detail of her background. Lying, though… With her meager skills, getting caught in a falsehood would happen in an instant. Besides, she’d been in this world for so long, consumed with finding a way back home, and had never properly considered what her backstory even was.

Even if she fabricated one ahead of time, what good would it do? This wasn’t the village head of Little Locust Village, whom she could fool with some made-up tale of her origins. If this woman truly wished to investigate her, it would be as easy as lifting a finger.

Wu Wei’s silence carried an entirely different implication in her eyes. Moments ago, she had handled the accusation of murder with fluent responses, yet now a simple question about her background had her stumped. It defied all logic.

Qinglu County was a sensitive place to begin with—a buffer zone between the Imperial Court and Prince Yan’s fiefdom. A woman who had crossed paths with them at the Hundred Flavors Building, showed no fear of the Charity Mortuary or its corpses, lived out in the wild outskirts, and yet could not account for her origins… It was enough to give the woman before her pause for thought.

“Is there some unspeakable secret?” she asked.

Wu Wei let out a soft sigh and nodded.

The woman narrowed her eyes. She lifted the edge of her greatcloak, revealing the embroidery on her chest, and asked, “Do you recognize this official?”

Wu Wei glanced at the official robes but shook her head once more.

“You don’t recognize this official?”

“No, I don’t.”

With a cold laugh, she said, “This official’s family name is Dongfang, given name Rui—the Liang Dynasty’s only holdover official from the previous dynasty and Chief Envoy of the Bright Mirror Division. You bear a proper name, and your speech is refined. Are you truly telling me you don’t recognize this official?”

“I…”

“Zhang Wei! Zhang Meng!”

“Here!” Two burly men shoved the door open and strode in.

“Find a quiet spot,” Dongfang Rui ordered, “and invite Miss Wu for a cup of tea.”

“Yes, sir!”