He Lingchuan asked her, "What kind of man is Fu Songhua?"
"He doesn't talk much, dislikes socializing, and… and rarely smiles, but he's shrewd and decisive."
"How was he arrested a few days ago?"
"It was hot. He came home, had two bowls of chilled plum soup, and lay down for a midday nap when suddenly men came bursting in from outside. Master Fu… Fu Songhua leaped over the wall to flee, and right away I heard fighting and shouting outside. Before long, someone came in and said Fu Songhua had been captured, and that all of us were accomplices and… and were going to jail!"
"Have you seen Fu Songhua since you were locked up?"
Lady Li shook her head.
"Who else is in his family?"
"I… I don't know. I've never seen his family, nor heard him mention them," Lady Li said. "Whenever he finished entertaining outside, he usually came straight home, and he hasn't taken another concubine in these past few years."
"You know nothing of his parents, brothers, wife, or children?"
"I asked once before, but he only said his parents passed away long ago, and that he had no brothers and had never taken a wife. Whenever I pressed further, he grew impatient."
As a renowned resort for rest and convalescence, Baishaqu saw many powerful nobles buying land and estates here, keeping an extra concubine on the side. Such women had no connection whatsoever to the family back home, serving their masters solely within Baishaqu.
If Fu Songhua had done the same, it would not be the least bit surprising.
He Lingchuan leaned forward slightly and said in a low voice, "Fu Songhua has already confessed. Do you know what that means?"
Lady Li shook her head. From the moment she was thrown into prison until now, she had been entirely in the dark, gathering only from the constables' scattered remarks that Fu Songhua had committed a grave crime.
"Lingxu City has always dealt with foreign spies and troublemakers with utmost severity; beheading is the lightest punishment. His associates will be implicated through collective liability—you will not survive either."
At these words, Lady Li turned deathly pale, struck dumb with terror.
"So think carefully. Does he have any kin at all? Even the slightest clue will do."
Facing life or death, Lady Li finally wracked her brains.
After a long while, she spoke. "Twice during the New Year, Fu Songhua was not in Baishaqu, and no one knew where he had gone. When I asked, he claimed he had gone on a trading trip, but the stewards under him were all still in the city."
The New Year was a time of family reunion; at the very least, one would want a living soul by their side.
"Very good. What else?"
Lady Li pondered before continuing, "My maid, A'mei, twice saw Fu Songhua buying things in the street. Once he bought pine-nut sweetcakes that children love, and another time, two toys. Neither was cheap. At the time, I thought he was currying favor with a visiting merchant's children, but looking back now, perhaps…?"
Perhaps Fu Songhua had bought them for his own child.
Lady Li could offer nothing more. Before the jailers hauled her away, she begged desperately for her life.
He Lingchuan could only say, "I will do what I can."
Next came the interrogation of Fu Songhua's head steward.
Only upon questioning did it emerge that Fu Songhua dealt primarily in the aquatic trade. With so many lakes, rivers, creeks, and coves surrounding Baishaqu, fishery catches were extraordinarily abundant. Demand and supply both thrived in and around Baishaqu, naturally creating a need for middlemen to transport seafood from the fishermen's docks to the dinner tables of city dwellers. Merchants peddling fresh catch could be found at every turn throughout the city.
Beyond that, Fu Songhua ran a few side ventures to hedge his bets during the fishery off-season. These included trade in oilseeds and medicinal herbs, though only in small quantities—at least according to the steward's account.
Across all of Baishaqu, there were at least three to five hundred people engaged in these three trades, if not eight hundred or a thousand.
The three traveling merchants further corroborated the steward's testimony.
He Lingchuan also asked the steward, "Did you often accompany Fu Songhua on business trips?"
"Yes. Over these past seven years, I frequently went out with him."
"Where did he go most often?" He Lingchuan raised a hand to cut off any rambling. "In recent years, which place did he visit most frequently?"
He placed heavy emphasis on the last two words.
Without needing to deliberate, the steward replied, "That would be Shalun Town, sixty li away. We went there three or four times a year. Nowhere else was visited nearly as often."
"What did you go there for?"
"To purchase goods. Shalun Town produces white lacquer, which prevents rot and decay."
After a moment's thought, He Lingchuan asked, "Did you always stay at the same inn in Shalun Town?"
"Yes, the Dazhao Inn. Another inn was closer to where the raw materials were harvested, but Fu Songhua said the Dazhao Inn was quieter. I had assumed he did it to save money."
One final question: "During your stays at the Dazhao Inn, did he ever go out alone?"
"Yes. When entertaining visiting merchants, he didn't always bring me along."
He Lingchuan had finished his questioning.
Once all of them were led away, he stared blankly at the prison wall opposite him.
Having already hit a few snags with He Lingchuan, the County Magistrate of Baishaqu dared not make a sound.
Only after a long silence did He Lingchuan suddenly ask him, "Since Zhongsun Mou arrived in Baishaqu, which local households has he been in closest contact with?"
The County Magistrate of Baishaqu jumped in fright and said at once, "How could this humble official dare keep tabs on Lord Zhongsun's movements?"
"I think you would," He Lingchuan said, fixing his gaze on him. "If your eyes and ears didn't blanket the entire city, how could you have noticed the Inspector the moment he set foot in your territory?"
Arrogant though Zhongsun Mou might be, he still had official duties to perform; he hardly went around brazenly announcing his identity everywhere he arrived.
With so many outsiders in Baishaqu, how could the magistrate have recognized an Inspector from Lingxu City so swiftly?
The magistrate waved his hands frantically. "Ah, well… how could this humble official possess such capability?"
"If not you, then who?" He Lingchuan looked at him, speaking with profound gravity. "Magistrate Tian, can you still not tell friend from foe? When the Emperor's wrath strikes, neither Zhongsun Mou nor the nobles in this city will be able to shield you!"
The warning in his words was unmistakable, leaving the magistrate caught between a rock and a hard place.
So be it. Whether he stretched his neck out or pulled it back, a blade was waiting either way; better to survive the trial before his eyes first. He sucked in a quiet breath.
"It was the wealthy and powerful from Lingxu City who first caught wind of the Inspector's whereabouts. Within a few days, word spread across all of Baishaqu. That is why Lord Zhongsun has been so swamped these past few days, juggling official duties and social obligations."
He Lingchuan's eyes darted. "I hear high-ranking officials from Lingxu City also reside in Baishaqu?"
"Indeed!" Every official in the city outranked him; his post as magistrate was no easy task.
"Do these nobles and dignitaries favor living in the northwest quarter of the city?"
"Yes, the powerful and the immensely wealthy all prefer living there, where the scenery is exquisite and the air fresh." What was that saying again? *In the midst of bustle when stepping out, wrapped in tranquil peace when stepping in.*
He Lingchuan murmured thoughtfully, "What business do these prominent clans usually engage in?"
"Virtually whatever makes money within the Chiyan Kingdom, they probably have a hand in it. After all, they have both coin and connections." The Magistrate of Baishaqu pulled a bitter face. "As for the specifics, this humble official dares not pry."
"You dare not pry, but you have certainly 'heard' things. Come, take the brush and write it down." He Lingchuan shoved the paper and ink on the table in front of him. "Do not be afraid. There is no one else here, and I promise you, not a word will leave this room."
This paper and brush had originally been prepared for Lady Li and the other suspects; who could have imagined that in the end, it would be the magistrate himself putting them to use?
The Magistrate of Baishaqu took up the brush as though gripping a branding iron. Knowing resistance was futile, he had no choice but to write furiously.
From across the table, He Lingchuan kept prodding him. "Be thorough. The more detailed, the better."
It looked for all the world as though Magistrate Tian were penning his own confession.
In no time at all, he had filled two full sheets of paper.
Setting down the brush, Magistrate Tian pushed the papers over, speaking in a small, meek voice, "My Lord, please have a look."
He Lingchuan picked them up and examined them closely, asking as he read, "Are you certain nothing has been omitted?"
"Well… in such haste, it may not be completely exhaustive…"
He had expected He Lingchuan to reprimand him, but instead, the young man smiled. "No matter. I demanded it on short notice. If you recall anything later, you may come find me at any time to fill in the gaps."
Magistrate Tian felt overwhelmed by the unexpected grace. "Yes, of course, of course."
"What I asked you today must not be breathed to another soul."
Magistrate Tian nodded vigorously. "Most certainly, absolutely!" He wished for nothing more.
He Lingchuan then turned to the great tiger lying on the floor, beaming with a wide smile. "Old Jiao, did the journey wear you out?"
Long accustomed to his ways, Jiao Yu remained utterly unmoved. "Just say what you want from me."
"I need you to run an urgent errand." He Lingchuan leaned in and murmured directly into its ear.
The Magistrate of Baishaqu dared not eavesdrop, taking two steps back to avoid suspicion.
He saw only the great tiger twitching its ears repeatedly—He Lingchuan was leaning far too close.
When he finally finished, the tiger gave a prompt nod. "Fine, I will go at once." It stood up, arched its back in a stretch, and padded out with heavy tiger strides.
Watching its retreating figure, He Lingchuan remarked with admiration, "Demons are truly honest folk. Once they give their word, they go do it—none of those hollow pretenses."
Feeling pointedly mocked, the Magistrate of Baishaqu could only keep plastering on a subservient smile.
Only then did He Lingchuan stand up and stretch lazily.
"Alright. Find me a place to stay—somewhere with good scenery."
Magistrate Tian let out a long breath of relief. At last, they had arrived at the domain where he excelled most!
***
Early the next morning, He Lingchuan headed out to take in the sights.
He made no attempt to conceal his movements. Hearing that the Crown Prince's special envoy had arrived, numerous local notables and wealthy magnates sent calling cards requesting an audience.
With no time for socializing, He Lingchuan was about to discard them all when his eyes caught the signature on one card. He tucked it into his robe and set out.
It had been sent by a retired official of the Chiyan Kingdom.
Even in a realm abundant with green hills and clear waters, Baishaqu stood out as uniquely captivating. Sandbanks fine as powdered snow, tranquil lakes gathering tens of thousands of birds, and icy springs that still breathed frigid mist in the swelter of midsummer—it was truly a paradise for travelers.
Today, the Magistrate of Baishaqu accompanied him once more.
Emerging from a soak in the hot springs, He Lingchuan straightened his robe and cap.
"Magistrate Tian, Baishaqu's scenery is indeed breathtaking, well-deserving of its reputation. But why is everything under repair? All this clattering and banging is quite the buzzkill."
Along the way here, he had seen at least two scenic spots undergoing renovations, as well as a temple and three private manors where craftsmen were working up a sweat.
Even the Hot Spring Lodge they had just walked out of had a gatehouse under repair; the main doors had only recently been painted, leaving a sharp, pungent odor in the air.
"My Lord, Baishaqu is known as the confluence of a hundred waters. There are thirty-seven lakes of varying sizes alone, not to mention rivers, streams, ponds, and marshes. With so much rain this spring and summer, the moisture erodes the timber severely. How could we not repair them frequently? If falling beams were to crush someone, it would cause no end of trouble."
There were far too many dignitaries here; drop a single flowerpot or wood splinter from an upper story, and whoever it struck was bound to be wealthy or noble.
He Lingchuan gave an understanding nod. "I wish to visit Chaohu Pagoda. How far is it?"
"Very close, barely a quarter-hour's walk," Magistrate Tian recommended warmly. "Sipping tea and taking in the view from up there is wonderfully pleasant."
"Good. Lead the way."
Chapter 476