“Aside from those two tables, what if someone left without calling for the bill?” Qi Shuo suddenly asked.
The waiters looked at one another, and one of them said, “No one comes to drink wine alone. If they left without paying after finishing their wine, it would certainly be noticed.”
Allowing someone to eat for free would be unthinkable!
Qi Shuo looked up at the stairs, his tone slow and steady. “Guests in the second-floor private rooms don't need to come down these stairs to go to the restroom, do they?”
The manager hurriedly replied, “No, there is another staircase on the other side that leads directly to the restrooms.”
The private rooms on the second floor shared the same restrooms as the guests in the main hall; if guests from the hall wanted to use the restroom, they had to enter through a side door located in one corner.
Cheng Maoming’s heart stirred. “Then what if someone went down the other stairs from the second floor, circled around to the side door, and left through the main hall?”
“This—”
The waiters looked at each other, becoming hesitant and stammering.
Seeing the look on Cheng Maoming’s face, the manager barked, “The officials are questioning you! Say whatever you think.”
One waiter said sheepishly, “It was mealtime, and we were busy serving wine and dishes and attending to guests. If someone passed through the main hall from the side door and went straight out, we might not have noticed.”
“During that time period... I saw someone leave.” Lin Hao spoke after careful consideration, immediately drawing countless gazes.
Yang Zhe also gazed at her silently.
Any ordinary young girl would have felt awkward or shy being stared at by so many people, but after speaking, Lin Hao remained composed. “There was a young man whose build was similar to Scholar Yang who walked out.”
When Grand Commander Cheng had asked this question, she had thought of it. The reason she hadn't spoken up immediately was due to her reservations.
She and A-Shuo had come to Wuwei Zhai happily to eat crab with orange, never expecting to encounter the Crown Prince being poisoned to death. Normally, it would be best to stay as far away from such matters as possible.
But she thought of the Prince of Wei, whom she first met at Qinglu Temple—a man who, despite his difficulty walking due to obesity, remained gentle and polite. She thought of the Crown Prince, who had asked her teacher to act as a guarantor to facilitate a happy marriage between her sister and brother-in-law. In the end, she could not stand by and watch coldly.
Regardless of the truth, the Crown Prince should not have died in such a confusing manner.
So, she spoke up, transforming herself from a bystander into a participant in the case.
“Does Second Miss Lin remember what that person looked like?” Minister Shen’s beard trembled, unable to hide his urgency.
After a brief silence, Lin Hao nodded. “I have some impression.”
Minister Shen was overjoyed. “Can the Heir draw him?”
It was now common knowledge that the Heir of Prince Jing had once drawn the true culprit behind the murder of Princess Yuli based on the descriptions of teahouse waiters.
Cheng Maoming remained silent, looking at Qi Shuo with a hint of confusion.
It shouldn't be. If Second Miss Lin noticed, how could someone as capable as the Heir have failed to notice?
Of course, he wouldn't ask aloud, lest he cause trouble for the Heir of Prince Jing.
Qi Shuo understood Cheng Maoming’s gaze and proactively explained, “I was ordering food at the time; I didn't notice anything else.”
A waiter jumped in to testify: “This humble one remembers; the Heir was ordering food at the time, and he even asked this young lady what she wanted to eat.”
Cheng Maoming’s expression shifted from confusion to realization.
As expected, the Heir's greatest weakness was being infatuated with his wife!
He couldn't help but glare at the waiter.
What was there to testify about? Had he eaten too much?
The waiter felt his scalp tingle under the glare and quickly shut his mouth.
“Then can the Heir draw him?” Minister Shen couldn't help but ask again, thinking to himself that at such a critical moment, why was Grand Commander Cheng staring at a waiter?
“I will try.”
Qi Shuo’s answer was gentle and humble, and a flash of appreciation crossed Minister Shen’s eyes.
Imperial descendants who were both talented and humble and polite like the Heir of Prince Jing were far too few.
Soon, everyone moved indoors. Listening to Lin Hao’s description, Qi Shuo sketched the image of a young man.
Looking at the lifelike portrait, Cheng Maoming couldn't help but praise, “Second Miss Lin truly has a great memory.”
Qi Shuo’s brush paused, and he looked up at Cheng Maoming.
Cheng Maoming blinked.
Was there... something wrong with his words?
“Finished.” Qi Shuo put down the brush and asked casually, “What color were the clothes?”
“The person was wearing black.”
“This doesn't match.” Minister Shen stroked his beard, frowning slightly.
Cheng Maoming felt it wasn't an issue. “Even a face can change, let alone a piece of clothing.”
Minister Shen nodded.
That was true.
Soon, Cheng Maoming ordered his subordinates to take the portrait and have everyone in the restaurant identify the person. Fortunately, one diner also had an impression: “This humble one was calling a waiter for wine when I saw this person walk past, but I didn't pay much attention at the time.”
With the testimony of Lin Hao and this diner, it was sufficient to prove that such a person existed.
Cheng Maoming and Minister Shen immediately ordered their subordinates to search for the person based on the portrait.
Although the portrait provided a lead, it was clearly not something that could be found immediately. Cheng Maoming and Minister Shen stepped aside to a secluded spot to deliberate.
“The Jinlin Guards have strict security; it is naturally most secure to lock these people up in the Jinlin Guards' custody,” Minister Shen said, immediately trying to pass the burden.
Cheng Maoming gave a fake smile. “Minister Shen is too modest. No one has ever escaped from the Ministry of Justice's dungeons either.”
The old thing was useless at investigating cases, but he was quick at offloading burdens.
After some back-and-forth, they finally decided that Yang Zhe and the others who had been drinking with the Crown Prince would be detained by the Jinlin Guards, while the others would be temporarily taken to the Ministry of Justice's dungeons.
“And what about the Heir of Prince Jing?” Minister Shen asked in a lowered voice.
Cheng Maoming looked bewildered. “The Heir is, of course, returning to the Prince's manor.”
Minister Shen: “...” Then why had he just tried to pass the burden? Wasn't it because he felt it would be tricky to have the Heir of Prince Jing among the detained guests?
He hadn't expected Grand Commander Cheng to be so brazenly biased.
Seeing Minister Shen’s silence, Cheng Maoming felt even more puzzled. “Not to mention that the Heir and Second Miss Lin helped us so much; even if there were an issue, could the massive Prince Jing Manor possibly run away?”
Minister Shen suddenly saw the light. “The Grand Commander is right.”
The orders were soon passed down. Upon hearing they were going to a dungeon, some wept, some pleaded, and some were scared witless; the reactions were varied.
Cheng Maoming and Minister Shen entered the palace together to report the investigation findings. Other government offices were not idle either, as the city fell into a panic while they busied themselves with the Crown Prince's funeral arrangements.
On the way back, Qi Shuo apologetically took Lin Hao’s hand. “Are you hungry?”
Lin Hao shook her head, her expression grim. “I was hungry, but now I don't feel it anymore.”
With the Crown Prince's death, the situation that had stabilized by suppressing the news of Princess Lingque's death was about to become chaotic again—it would likely be a great upheaval.
Thinking of this, Lin Hao’s heart grew heavy.
“A-Shuo, do you think Yang Zhe is innocent in this matter?”
The sun had already shifted west, and pedestrians hurried through the streets; the vast majority of people still did not know of the earth-shattering event that had occurred at Wuwei Zhai.
“What do you think?” Qi Shuo asked back, his calm voice sounding somewhat low.
The girl walking beside him turned her head, letting the gentle, pale sunset fall upon her fair, jade-like face. “I just feel... it's too coincidental.”
Even if there were another true culprit, how could one guarantee that Yang Zhe would happen to go to the restroom in the middle of the drinking session?
Rather than a coincidence, it was more likely coordination.
(End of Chapter)