Chapter 7: Helping Out

Yang Qin was just about to stand up and sneak out to see what was happening when Xie Yuyan grabbed him.

Yang Qin didn't make a sound; no matter what they said now, it would be heard by the people outside.

Once Yang Qin sat back down, Xie Yuyan poured the water from her cup onto the table, writing as she spoke to Yang Qin.

"Actually, it’s not that I can’t remember anything."

"I vaguely remember the carriage bumping along the road; it must have been a long journey... We stopped a few times in between, and I heard people talking."

At this point, Xie Yuyan paused deliberately: "The carriage must have been stopped, and it only continued after someone paid them silver."

"I didn't mention it just now... because my mind was in a complete mess. Now that the physician has applied the needles, these things have become much clearer."

Yang Qin stared at the writing on the table for a long while. At Xie Yuyan’s signal, he repeated it word for word: "I see that Inspector He is a good official. In a moment... could you speak with the Inspector, Niangzi? Ask the official to go find those people."

Xie Yuyan was silent for a long time before sighing again: "But I didn't see those people, neither the traffickers nor the ones who met them."

After saying this, she seemed to recall something: "But I remember his voice. If he were standing in front of me speaking, I would definitely recognize it... Perhaps if I rest a while, I can remember more."

The soldier outside the window heard these words, especially "I remember his voice," and his expression changed instantly. He wanted to keep listening, but then thought of something and hurried away in a panic.

Watching the shadow disappear, Yang Qin whispered, "He's gone."

Xie Yuyan nodded.

Zhang Shi didn't quite understand why Xie Yuyan had said those things; even now, she couldn't figure out how much of that was true.

"You... did you really remember?" Zhang Shi still hoped that Xie Yuyan could recall her past.

Xie Yuyan said, "It was fake."

After saying this, Xie Yuyan looked at Yang Qin: "Go find Commander Chen and tell him someone was eavesdropping at the window. If Commander Chen learns of this, tell him not to take my words to heart—everything I said was a lie. If someone is intentionally fishing for information, I ask him to investigate thoroughly."

Yang Qin couldn't fully grasp everything Xie Yuyan was doing, only knowing that she was dealing with bad people, so he agreed and ran out.

Zhang Shi still couldn't help but ask: "Why lie to that person? This is the government office; everyone who can get in belongs to the yamen, he..."

Xie Yuyan pulled up her sleeve, revealing the purple and blue rope marks on her wrists, dense and overlapping, new scars layered over old ones. There were also bruises on her arms, likewise a mix of old and new.

"Those people took me a very long way. How did they pass through all the checkpoints along the way? Even if they were transporting a corpse into the city, they wouldn't have avoided inspection."

Zhang Shi finally understood. She looked outside nervously: "You mean, those traffickers are colluding with the officials?"

Xie Yuyan said, "Whether they are or not, that is for the Inspector's office to investigate."

She couldn't tell Zhang Shi that the greatest turmoil of the Zhi-Ping era was about to arrive. This was also the purpose of He Tan’s trip to Daming Prefecture: to catch the military officers and officials who were colluding with merchants.

Even without her tipping them off, He Tan would be able to find out, but the timing was perfect. If she gave it a little push, perhaps she could uncover the truth behind the original owner of this body sooner.

...

In the second hall of the government office.

He Tan handed the results of the midwife’s examination to Wang Hechun.

The woman's ordeal was all in this document: held captive for many days, jolted across many places.

He Tan said, "Without someone on the inside, they couldn't have brought her into the city. This isn't just finding a trafficker; it’s finding a smooth, unobstructed road to riches. It’s just a pity the woman knows too little; I’m afraid it won't cause much of a stir."

Wang Hechun raised his eyes: "It won't be difficult for you, brother, to probe their bottom line. Tell that woman we will use her name to release some news and let them panic. If we have people keep an eye on the city gate guards, the garrison, and the yamen, we will have results soon."

He Tan’s expression was solemn: "I originally thought those people were only using merchants to transport some grain and cloth for sale. I didn't expect them to dare dabble in human trafficking."

Wang Hechun didn't speak, only calculating in his heart how to use this case to pry open a crack in Daming Prefecture.

"Inspector, Wang..., two officials," Chen Ju hurried into the room, his face a mix of anxiety and joy, "The boy from the Yang family just came to find me. They discovered someone was eavesdropping on their conversation."

He Tan looked at Chen Ju: "Did you catch the person?"

"Not yet," Chen Ju said, "I’ve already had people follow him... but... that’s not the most important thing."

"They tricked the soldier who was eavesdropping."

Chen Ju repeated what Yang Qin had told him: "I had someone check; a soldier on duty left the office not long ago, and it looks like he went out to report the news. I’ve sent people to find his whereabouts; we will definitely catch them red-handed."

He Tan looked at Wang Hechun with delight: "Someone has already done what you were just calculating. It seems our luck is truly good."

Wang Hechun didn't know what to think.

He Tan continued: "It’s just that if Jiao Da doesn't reveal anything, we lose the source. It will be a struggle to figure out that young lady's identity. She isn't a daughter of the Xie family, and we don't know her origins. I don't know how to settle her in the future."

Wang Hechun interjected: "Why doesn't brother ask her what her plans are?"

He Tan poured a cup of tea and handed it to Wang Hechun: "You have an idea?"

The fragrance of the tea was refreshing, just enough to cut the cloying sweetness of the chestnuts.

Wang Hechun didn't drink the tea, instead peeling another chestnut and popping it into his mouth. The sweet, soft texture made him squint his eyes in comfort: "I think she already has an idea."

Someone who could find a way to save herself under those circumstances, and then come up with a plan to lure someone into a trap to investigate her own case, would naturally be able to assess the situation and choose a good path for her own future.

...

As the sky began to darken, Yang Qin brought back news.

"The people looking for Jiao Da have returned," Yang Qin said, "I heard they found him."

Xie Yuyan said, "Did you see him?"

Yang Qin shook his head: "No, I just think it’s strange. If they found him, shouldn't they have thrown him into the dungeon for interrogation? Just like... that matchmaker."

Before Yang Qin could continue guessing, Chen Ju’s voice sounded outside.

Zhang Shi hurried to open the door.

Chen Ju treated this family even more kindly than he had at the Yang house. In his heart, this family was truly his lucky star. Ever since he arrived in Daming Prefecture to oversee the garrison, those people on the surface were very respectful to him, but in reality, they were all watching from the sidelines, hoping that these soldiers who had come from the battlefield would lose face here.

Whatever he ordered, they would find excuses not to do it. When he went to find trouble, they all had excuses ready, waiting politely for him to lose his temper.

As long as he made a move, the Inspector would soon be impeached.

For the sake of the bigger picture, he had to endure, dreaming of finding an opportunity to properly discipline those thugs.

And then he encountered this case.

He could feel that the people in the yamen had all become cautious and terrified. This family had given him a reason to arrest people.

His heart couldn't be more satisfied.

Now he couldn't wait to solve this case and get justice for that young lady.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

Chen Ju sighed inwardly and said to Zhang Shi in a low voice: "Jiao Da was found, but he is already dead. We found his body at his home. Although he has been dead for several days, because it is winter, the body hasn't rotted yet, and his face can still be identified."

Using this case, they could throw a few people into prison, but the young lady's identity would be hard to figure out for a while.

Chen Ju said: "You must comfort the young lady well. We will continue to investigate, so let her rest easy."

Zhang Shi gripped her handkerchief tightly and pursed her lips before saying: "Shi Niang... that is, the child said she wants to stay in my home. Since she married the sixth boy, she is the sixth boy’s wife."

"But I’m afraid the Yang family won't agree, and I don't know what to do."

Chen Ju didn't expect the young lady to be so righteous. Hearing that the Yang family might not agree, Chen Ju immediately widened his eyes: "They dare to do that? That’s not a problem. I will speak to the two officials right now and ask them to come forward to guarantee this for you and fulfill this marriage."

"In the future, whoever dares to say the young lady is not a Yang family wife, you come find me, and I will have a word with them."