TWWDS - Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Chao Qingxiu's argument was highly persuasive, but it was not good news for the Northern Xi delegation.

After Chao Qingxiu and her companion had been ruled out as incapable of committing the crime, and the academy faction had been set aside as well, the delegation was the only group left, and it came under the heaviest suspicion.

Until then, Aba Changhe had been sitting quietly behind her elder brother. Now she reached out, tugged at Aba Gaotai's sleeve, and whispered two short sentences in his ear.

Aba Gaotai nodded slightly, then relayed his sister's words to everyone. "With respect, your reasoning is mistaken. Even if Miss Shi chose to strike at this moment, it would not tell against her."

As soon as he spoke, they saw a white-robed young woman seated toward the outer edge of Wangyue Terrace turn to look their way. Her gaze was deep, like two blades of frost drawn from a scabbard.

Chao Qingxiu stared at Aba Changhe for a moment before asking, "Might I hear what you have to suggest?"

Aba Gaotai continued to relay the words. "If something is stolen from a storeroom under ordinary circumstances, investigators will usually suspect those who know what is kept inside. Miss Shi is the Academy Head's prized disciple and an expert of the martial world. With outsiders present, she could fish in troubled waters and more easily shift the blame elsewhere." He added, "She knows the academy well. At night, she could invent a reason to inspect the storeroom. A guard seeing a familiar face might not remain especially alert. Miss Shi could then make her move without leaving the slightest trace. Even if she did not launch a surprise attack, with her martial arts, she could kill the guard in a single blow without difficulty."

Though these words had come from the Northern Xi delegation, they could not be dismissed as unreasonable. The martial world had never been short of intrigue and double-dealing, and people on Wangyue Terrace immediately began to doubt. Could Shi Sixuan truly have struck in secret and then planted evidence to frame someone else?

Chao Qingxiu continued to shake her head. "That argument does not hold. Besides the item originally kept in the storeroom, the Northern Xi delegation's Wuling Pills have disappeared as well. If someone from the academy truly did this to shift the blame onto outsiders, why take the pills too and make people think that Northern Xi was also a victim?"

...

Great Xia's fiction industry was hardly flourishing, and most locals had never encountered detective fiction. After hearing Chao Qingxiu's explanation, many of those present promptly shifted their sympathy back to the "Shi Sixuan is innocent" camp.

Aba Gaotai said, "Or perhaps that person wanted the Wuling Pills as well and had no choice but to take them along when leaving. Once the incident occurred, the storeroom would certainly be placed under lockdown. Even if we had never intended to remove them, afterward we would have had to put them back in storage. That was why the person took both items away together."

The people on Wangyue Terrace looked from Chao Qingxiu to the Northern Xi delegation and back again. Their thoughts had been thrown into confusion by the exchange, so they decided not to take sides for the time being.

Chao Qingxiu continued to reject the argument. "The Wuling Pills are precious, but they are merely scarce in circulation, not entirely absent from the market. Even if their price is high, that is no obstacle. For a martial arts expert capable of killing the guard in an instant, acquiring a thousand taels would not be difficult if they were willing to climb walls and break into homes."

Aba Gaotai replied, "Saving up little by little. Who knows how many years that would take?"

Chao Qingxiu said, "Someone who can walk through Chongming Academy's storeroom as if it were open ground would not need long to accumulate money. You jest."

Aba Gaotai stared at Chao Qingxiu and said nothing for a moment.

One of the Six Doors chief constables said quietly, "What do you think, Chief Constable Tang?"

Chief Constable Tang shook her head. "Nothing in it struck me as wrong, though." She then looked at Wu Shidao and asked, "What do you think, Chief Constable Wu?"

Their allegiances within the court were not the same, yet they had to oversee the case together. Wu Shidao even outranked Tang by half a step, supported by important figures at court, which forced her to keep him informed of their work.

Wu Shidao did not reply, but wore a thoughtful expression. Prime Minister Sun had sent him to the Six Doors, where he was responsible chiefly for personnel management. Most of the time, he only gathered intelligence and won people over, then leaned the scales in the direction his superiors wanted when the proper moment came. He rarely took part in solving cases. Matching Chao Qingxiu at deduction was plainly beyond him. Now that even Tang Fuguang, who handled such matters professionally, could find no fault in the argument, he had even less hope of spotting a flaw.

What Wu Shidao did not know was that Tang Fuguang, who regarded Chao Qingxiu's professional abilities as outstanding, was herself filled with admiration for her at that moment. Most constables in the Six Doors were investigators who worked in the field, and Chao Qingxiu was not operating in the same arena.

After Chao Qingxiu had gained the upper hand in her dispute with Aba Gaotai, Shi Sixuan suddenly stepped forward and bowed deeply to Academy Head Ying. "This student is willing to submit to an investigation."

In truth, Chao Qingxiu had already largely cleared Shi Sixuan of suspicion, but no one expected her to make such a declaration.

Shi Sixuan was not merely an ordinary academy student with slightly better grades. She was also an outstanding disciple of a major Jiangnan martial sect, and her safety likewise had implications that reached far and wide.

Lu Yuelou remained as ever politely amiable, seeking to offend no one, though a hint of concern showed in his expression. "Miss Shi is a distinguished disciple of Beicang Residence. Why would you..."

Before Lu Yuelou could finish, Shi Sixuan said, "The matter is grave. Everyone at the academy is a suspect. Even someone who appears to have had absolutely no opportunity to act must be investigated on equal terms."

At that, everyone understood what she was doing. Her target was the Northern Xi delegation. By submitting to investigation herself, she ensured that even if the academy went on to search the delegation once more, no one could accuse Academy Head Ying of handling the matter unfairly.

Academy Head Ying spoke up in support of her student. "Quite right. Given the gravity of the matter, forgive us for no longer being able to treat you all as guests. Everyone who belongs to the academy must have their personal effects searched thoroughly."

As she spoke, her gaze swept in turn over the Six Doors, Lu Yuelou, and every member of the Northern Xi delegation.

Lu Yuelou's expression tightened, then quickly returned to normal. He spread his hands. "I am within the academy now. As a guest, I naturally defer to the host."

He did not oppose Academy Head Ying's decision, but spoke only for himself, saying nothing about whether the Northern Xi delegation would have to comply as well.

Chief Constable Tang looked worried. As expected, once Academy Head Ying had finished speaking, the members of the Northern Xi delegation rose one after another to protest.

Aba Gaotai raised one hand lightly. His authority was so imposing that his subordinates fell silent at the sight, and the entire gathering became so quiet that the fall of a pin could be heard.

The Northern Xi envoy, who had traveled a thousand miles to reach them, fixed his gaze on Academy Head Ying, his expression as untroubled as a mirror. "Must you insist on this, Academy Head Ying?"

Academy Head Ying was equally expressionless. "I must."

She offered no further explanation, leaving the others little room to argue.

Aba Gaotai reminded her, "We are envoys of Northern Xi."

Academy Head Ying said, "When you arrived at the academy that day, you said the duty of an envoy had been fulfilled months earlier, and that this time you had come merely as a scholar from Northern Xi, wishing to exchange insights with the finest minds in Great Xia." Looking at the young Northern Xi men opposite her, she added slowly, "Your words are still ringing in my ears."

Aba Gaotai remained silent for a moment, then said, "We have been away from home for a long time. Once this matter is finished, we will take our leave."

Chief Constable Tang immediately looked at Wu Shidao. Perhaps he found the glance from his subordinate too pointed, for he had no choice but to speak. "Mm... but the academy's matter is not yet resolved. Surely you insist on leaving?"

Aba Gaotai raised his voice. "I am merely an outsider. What concern are Chongming Academy's own affairs to an outsider?" He then turned to Academy Head Ying. "Now we are the ones lying on the chopping block. If you insist on searching us, you may go ahead. But when you are finished, we are leaving."

Having said this, he did not wait for Academy Head Ying's reply. He rose and left the gathering with his sister and subordinates.

Academy Head Ying sat for a moment longer, then turned toward the Six Doors. "The search will be in the hands of you two, Wu and Tang."

Chief Constable Tang said, "I will do my utmost."

Chief Constable Wu said, "Heaven favors you, Academy Head Ying. Though misfortune may come for a time, it will turn to good fortune. As for this case, I expect the truth will soon come to light."

Academy Head Ying nodded slightly and waved to the others. The teachers and students on Wangyue Terrace dispersed.

Chao Qingxiu did not hurry to leave. Beside her, Yan Kaixian had obediently remained behind the Gang Leader from beginning to end, continually weighing how feasible it would be to simply run away.

Yan Kaixian glanced at her Gang Leader. Seeing the deep thought in Chao Qingxiu's eyes, she asked quietly, "Gang Leader, are we not leaving?"

Chao Qingxiu did not answer directly. Instead, she changed the subject. "Sister Yan, actually, there was one major flaw in what I said when refuting the Northern Xi. Pity they failed to notice it."

Yan Kaixian took this seriously and mentally replayed the scene, trying to locate the flaw.

Perhaps she was seeing things through rose-colored glasses. Having watched her Gang Leader solve cases so many times, the more Yan Kaixian thought it over, the more convinced she became that her Gang Leader was right. At last, she had to ask, "What was the flaw?"

Chao Qingxiu explained, "After the guard died, the storeroom door was left open. That means the person who stole the academy's belongings and the person who stole the Wuling Pills may not have been the same person."

Yan Kaixian said, "...Gang Leader, you think Miss Shi may be under suspicion too? If the two items really were taken by two different people, then the Northern Xi account of planted evidence and a frame-up would hold."

Chao Qingxiu smiled. "Naturally not. But if the Northern Xi had countered that way, I could have used the opportunity to ask what other pieces were in the collection..."

When she had refuted the Northern Xi, part of her motive had been the habit of defending her own side, though she may also have been curious about the details of the case.

Unfortunately, Ruan Shifeng belonged to the Six Doors and was bound by the law of the court, so she could not tell Chao Qingxiu the details.

After most of the others on Wangyue Terrace had dispersed, Academy Head Ying looked from a distance at Chao Qingxiu as she spoke with her subordinates. She said something to the student beside her, then rose and left.

Xu Feiqu walked over to Chao Qingxiu and said, "Doctor Chao, and you, Sister Yan, the Academy Head asks you both to come with her."

As Academy Head, Ying Lusheng had a private study within the academy. Xu Feiqu led them deeper into the grounds and suddenly asked, "How did you come to Shouzhou, Doctor Chao?"

Chao Qingxiu answered honestly, "I was escorting a consignment and happened to be passing through."

Xu Feiqu considered Chao Qingxiu rather unlucky. Unexpected incidents could occur whether she was treating patients as usual or working a routine escort assignment. Still, these might simply be troubled times, when hardly anywhere offered peace.

Chao Qingxiu saw matters differently. She had the Detective System with her. Compared with many of her fellow professionals, she thought her life was still remarkably peaceful and quiet. Even while out on the road, she could go an entire day without encountering a single case. She was nothing like the great detectives.

Chongming Academy had stood here for a hundred years. The marks of time covered its walls and eaves, and some of the ancient, simple patterns had gradually been worn smooth. Walking through it, Chao Qingxiu could hear birds singing near and far.

Since Xu Feiqu had once been her patient, Chao Qingxiu took the opportunity to conduct a follow-up examination. "Now that you are at the academy, have your headaches returned?"

Xu Feiqu answered, "They have already improved greatly. Even if I feel some discomfort now and then, I can take out the prescription, brew a dose, and sleep properly, and then I am well again. Chongming Academy is unlike the other government academies. They also teach internal boxing here. I rise early every morning to practice, and I feel clearer and more refreshed with each day."

Chao Qingxiu said, "You are intelligent and perceptive. Whatever you study, you will never find it difficult. Whether you remain in officialdom or enter the martial world, you will surely rise to great heights."

Xu Feiqu shook her head. "Headaches troubled me in the past, and I felt that even if I studied, I would never pass the examinations. I was deeply disheartened. But now that my illness has improved, I have come to Shouzhou, and my heart only feels heavier."

The fact that Northern Xi envoys could reach the secondary capital showed that, after years of unsuccessful war, the court had already grown quite weak. The emperor himself thought only of his own comfort and refused to consider what Great Xia's future would be.

Xu Feiqu hoped to pass the examinations. But even if she entered the court now, she had no idea how many years it would take before she could reach a position from which she might turn the tide of the realm.

Time rushed past, waiting for no one.

Every time Xu Feiqu thought of this, an endless sense of sorrow welled up within her.

Her ability to enter the academy among the top five in a single examination said all that needed to be said about her exceptional talent. She must also have studied diligently every day to achieve what she had. Academy Head Ying had privately remarked that, if Xu Feiqu wished, two more years of honing her skills would surely be enough for her to pass the imperial examinations.

Yet what good would passing the imperial examinations do?

There had been many officials on Wangyue Terrace that day. Academy Head Ying was merely an academy head, and in official rank she might not even outrank Ruan Shifeng. The deference others had shown her had little to do with respect for her ability to teach and raise students. They feared the martial arts she had learned from Venerable Eight Sufferings.

After escorting Chao Qingxiu all the way to the courtyard where Academy Head Ying was staying, Xu Feiqu was just preparing to take her leave when she heard the Academy Head call, "You stay as well."

Xu Feiqu was startled, but she answered, "Yes."

Shi Sixuan and the others were already standing in the courtyard when Chao Qingxiu and Yan Kaixian arrived. Li Guixian immediately rose with his sword in hand, walked over to Chao Qingxiu, and nodded to her. He then took his place beneath the corridor, serving as a guard outside the door.

The sun had already begun to sink westward. A few flecks of sunlight fell upon Chao Qingxiu's hair by her temples, and her white outer robe seemed still to hold some warmth from the sun.

Academy Head Ying watched the two women enter from outside. The one behind was somewhat familiar to her, a woman who seemed to be called "Mountain-Cleaving Saber." The half-grown girl walking ahead, however, was someone she had never heard of before. She wondered which school or sect this promising young martial artist belonged to.

Get instant access to all chapters now.

Previous Table of Contents Next