The case was finally closed, bringing peace back to the citizens of Lin'an City. The Emperor was greatly pleased and personally bestowed generous rewards.
That day, Jiang Yichuan had just emerged from receiving his reward in the Golden Hall. Looking up, the crimson palace walls loomed like mountains, their beast-faced roof corners glinting coldly in the bright sun. Hu Qi and Qi Feng had been waiting at the palace steps, and hurried forward as they saw him descending.
"My Lord," Hu Qi said with a sly grin, "shall we visit the Peach Blossom House today?"
Jiang Yichuan rubbed his temples, resigned. "Let's not. Just thinking about Su Xingyao's cunning gives me a headache."
"Ha!" Hu Qi's eyes sparkled mischievously. "My Lord, I heard His Majesty couldn't stop praising you! Said you were 'worthy of great responsibility' - quite the compliment!"
Jiang Yichuan gave a light laugh, waving his hand dismissively. "What great responsibility? I already told the Imperial Uncle - I'm only interested in the beauties at the Peach Blossom House."
Hu Qi perked up at this, raising an eyebrow in mock seriousness. "Oh? So which beauty has caught my Lord's eye? Lady Du, or perhaps Lady Su?"
But Jiang Yichuan suddenly fell silent. He pulled out a jade pendant from his sleeve, his expression turning grave. "Speaking of which, there's something else..." He tossed the pendant to Hu Qi.
Hu Qi caught it clumsily, blurting out: "What's this?"
Jiang Yichuan's gaze sharpened. "This was found on the deceased. Look at these patterns - incomplete, ancient. My father's feng shui manuals mentioned similar markings."
Qi Feng's brows instantly knotted at these words. "Could Du Qingshuang's death be connected to the Master's old feng shui formation?"
"Perhaps not." Jiang Yichuan paused, shaking his head. "This jade is of the finest quality - it might have been left behind by one of her patrons. Let's investigate further."
As they talked, they had unknowingly reached Lin'an's busiest market street. With the case solved, the streets had returned to their usual bustling state. Laughter rang from the teahouses, sweet aromas wafted from the candy stalls, and vendors' calls filled the air. Women carrying fresh vegetables and scholars clutching scrolls hurried past, creating a lively scene.
Suddenly, a hoarse voice called out from a street corner.
Jiang Yichuan turned toward the sound and saw a hunched Taoist priest approaching slowly. The priest wore tattered gray robes and an enormous bamboo hat that cast his entire face in shadow. His withered hands clutched a small porcelain bowl, his gaze unfocused.
"You..." the priest stopped, his voice low, "have you seen the rice?"
Jiang Yichuan's brow furrowed. "Rice?"
The priest drew closer, his face deeply wrinkled. A few grains of white rice were barely visible in his bowl. "Rice... it speaks..." he rasped, "souls hide in the rice, wronged spirits that none can escape..."
Jiang Yichuan replied coolly: "Thank you, priest, but the killer has been found."
"The one who died that day..." the priest's eyes flickered eerily, a strange smile playing on his lips, "is not at peace. If you wish to know the truth, look to the rice. Rice will tell you everything, secrets the living dare not speak..."
"I don't believe in such sorcery," Jiang Yichuan said coldly.
The priest's voice suddenly deepened, as if rising from the earth itself: "Such a pitiful soul, unwilling to be reborn. Believe or not as you will, but rice never lies."
With that, he sat cross-legged on a worn straw mat. His copper bowl gleamed strangely in the dim light, the white rice within emitting an ethereal glow, as if truly possessed of spirit. His withered fingertips traced the bowl's rim as he muttered incantations, seeming to commune with some unseen force.
His hands holding the bowl remained steady as stone, not a single grain spilling. He raised the bowl to his eyes, closed them in concentration, as if sensing the cycle of life and death within the rice.
Suddenly, his finger flicked.
The white rice scattered across the white cloth like stars, clustering and dispersing in mysterious patterns. His fingers moved among the grains as if reading the secrets of heaven.
"Rice has destiny, movement has purpose, stillness has fate..." his voice was hoarse and mysterious, his fingers trembling slightly. "What seems random has order."
He sighed, pointing to two grains lying close together: "Two grains together - neither pure nor impure, neither good nor evil, neither virtuous nor wicked. Between good and evil, all is illusion."
Moving his finger elsewhere: "The killing intent is done, karmic debts are paid."
"Neither pure nor impure, neither good nor evil..." Jiang Yichuan murmured, his gaze deepening. "What does this mean?"
The priest had already risen, leaving only these words as he vanished into the bustling crowd: "My rice has never lied."
Jiang Yichuan stared thoughtfully at the scattered grains of rice. Just as Hu Qi was about to speak: "My Lord, what the priest said..."
"To the Peach Blossom House," Jiang Yichuan suddenly interrupted, his gaze profound.
Before they knew it, the three stood before the brothel's entrance. Warm yellow light filtered through the carved windows, and fallen osmanthus flowers scattered at the doorway released their sweet fragrance.
The moment Madam Liu saw them enter, she acted as if she'd seen the God of Wealth himself, repeatedly bowing: "Your Highness graces us with your presence! Our humble establishment is honored! Thanks to Your Highness's brilliant deduction, Lady Du's wrongful death has been avenged. Everyone at Peach Blossom House is eternally grateful!" She called out loudly, "Quick, attend to His Highness properly!"
In an instant, tea cups and snacks filled the table. A girl in lotus-colored silk gracefully approached, offering pastries: "Please enjoy some refreshments, Your Highness."
Jiang Yichuan picked up a lotus cake, his thoughts still dwelling on the priest's words "neither pure nor impure." Suddenly, a breeze carrying osmanthus fragrance drifted in through the window. He turned abruptly toward the osmanthus tree, the scent inexplicably reminding him of someone. The pastry had somehow found its way back to the plate, as if all sweetness had lost its taste in that moment.
Just then, Du Qingdai approached with graceful steps, curtseying to Jiang Yichuan: "Thank you, Your Highness, for clearing my sister's name and capturing the culprit. Yet I feel such guilt - if only I hadn't switched rooms with my sister, she wouldn't have..."
"Lady Du, don't blame yourself," Jiang Yichuan replied flatly. "This was beyond your prediction."
Du Qingdai sighed softly: "I only hope my sister's spirit knows and can rest in peace. The title of top courtesan means nothing to me now - family peace is all I desire."
Just as Jiang Yichuan was about to speak, whispers drifted from nearby.
"Have you heard? Su Xingyao won this year's top courtesan title."
"Su? Wasn't she divorced by her husband's family?"
"I heard it was because she couldn't bear children."
Before the words faded, a figure flashed out. Su Xingyao grabbed the speaker's ear, saying coldly: "Why concern yourself with whom I marry? What business is it of yours to gossip!"
The person yelped in pain, quickly begging for mercy: "Ouch! Lady Su, spare me! I'll never dare speak such words again!"
Both Jiang Yichuan and Du Qingdai couldn't help but smile at the scene.
"I'm truly happy for Xingyao winning the title," Du Qingdai sighed softly, her eyes showing melancholy. "I remember when we three first arrived here, supporting each other like sisters..."
"Once," Du Qingdai continued, her eyes misty with memories, "a client specifically requested my sister, but she was unwell and unwilling to entertain. So I secretly wore her clothes and received the client in her room. Xingyao stayed with my sister in my room, both squeezing onto one bed, hardly daring to breathe until the client left."
Her voice trembled: "After that, whenever my sister didn't want to receive clients, she'd have me substitute for her. Ah, it was my carelessness that got us sold to the brothel, but all these years as her elder sister, I've tried to make amends, taking care of her in every way. Who knew she would still harbor such hatred..."
"If you truly cared for your sister so much, why did you strike her name from the records? Your words ring hollow." Jiang Yichuan thought coldly, but kept his face neutral, merely saying: "Lady Du, please take care."
At this moment, the servant who had testified against Manager Zhang hurried forward, placing dishes before Jiang Yichuan: "Your Highness, please enjoy while it's hot."
Du Qingdai bowed slightly: "Please enjoy your meal, Your Highness. I'll take my leave." With that, she turned and left.
Jiang Yichuan nodded, about to speak when his expression suddenly turned grave. A thought struck him like lightning - Su Xingyao knew about the Du sisters' habit of switching rooms! This realization made his face change dramatically, and he slowly sank back into his chair.
"My Lord, is something wrong?" Qi Feng noticed the change and hurried forward.
"Something's not right... nothing's right..."
Jiang Yichuan muttered, a hint of fear in his voice, his brows tightly knitted. His fingers unconsciously gripped the table edge until his knuckles turned white.
"My Lord, what happened?" Hu Qi asked, confused.
Jiang Yichuan slowly raised his eyes, his gaze heavy:
"Su Xingyao knew about the Du sisters' habit of switching rooms and clothes."
"But Manager Zhang already confessed to the poisoning - what does this prove?" Hu Qi asked, bewildered.
Jiang Yichuan's gaze sharpened like a blade as he stared at the serving boy, making him shiver:
"Zhang's poisoning is true, but he may have been merely a pawn..."
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Yichuan's eyes, as if he'd grasped something crucial:
"This game was Su Xingyao's from the start."
"Lady Su wanted to harm Du Qingdai too?" Qi Feng stood up abruptly, his face changing.
"No, her target was always Du Qingshuang." Jiang Yichuan's eyes flashed cold as steel, each word sharp as a blade.
"Think about it - who best knew the Du sisters' habit of switching rooms? Who would know most intimately about her bedmate's private affairs? Su knew exactly how to make a frightened bird fly straight into her trap."
These words struck Hu Qi and Qi Feng like lightning.
Qi Feng frowned deeply, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, his eyes gleaming. Hu Qi's round face turned red with concentration, clearly struggling to piece something together.
"Oh my word!"
Hu Qi suddenly slapped his thigh so hard the teacups jumped:
"I remember now! Didn't that servant say he 'heard Manager Zhang plotting poison while warming food in the kitchen' -"
He pointed at the serving boy who was still serving dishes, his voice rising sharply:
"It must have been when Lady Su went to find this servant in the kitchen that she overheard Manager Zhang's poisoning plan!"
"Exactly!" Jiang Yichuan gave a cold laugh, his gaze sharp as a blade. "What a masterful chain of schemes by Lady Su! First, she secretly entered Du Qingshuang's room to set up the trap, creating the illusion that someone had broken in."
"Then, while chatting with Du Qingshuang, she casually mentioned that someone meant her harm. When Du Qingshuang returned to her room and found it tampered with, how could she not believe it?"
His eyes grew colder: "As for that person in black, hah, it was nothing but a play she fabricated out of thin air!"
"That explains it," Qi Feng suddenly understood, "no wonder Manager Zhang said 'Du Qingshuang was fine while talking to Lady Su, but rushed back to her room in panic right after.'"
"What a clever way to kill by borrowing another's knife..." Hu Qi shuddered, "but how did she ensure the poison meant for Du Qingdai would end up with Du Qingshuang instead?"
A fragrant breeze wafted by, and before the three could react, a sweet voice responded: "What assurance? It was simply a gamble."
Su Xingyao appeared before them with graceful steps.
Her lips curved in a smile, but frost lurked in her eyes:
"I bet on Du Qingshuang's burning hatred for her sister. I bet she would switch rooms with her sister, planning to have her sister die in her place."
Her voice was sweet as honey, but hidden with blade-sharp edges: "With that room switch, my gamble had a chance of success."
She glided to Jiang Yichuan's side, her slender fingers tapping the table edge, her smile deepening while her eyes grew colder:
"Since I won the bet, naturally I can't be called the murderer."
Her tone was casual, as if discussing something trivial: "After all, Du Qingshuang entered the game willingly - she must accept the outcome of her gamble."
She straightened up gracefully, lightly touching her hair ornament, her red lips parting:
"It's just that this time, the stake was her life."
Cold laughter echoed through the hall, like the sound of snow falling on frozen ground. As the laughter faded, she raised her delicate hand, examining it in the candlelight:
"My hands are cleaner than anyone's."
She gently caressed her fingertips, her eyes cold, as if admiring her own "innocence." Then, she called to several sisters: "Take good care of His Highness." With that, she turned and left, leaving only a swaying silhouette.
Her skirts swished elegantly, that flash of red appearing and disappearing in the shadows.
Watching her retreating figure, Jiang Yichuan suddenly recalled the priest's words: "Neither pure nor impure, between good and evil, all is illusion."
His gaze hardened, a chill running through his heart - this woman who emerged from a brothel had proven remarkably cunning.
After a cup of tea's time, Su Xingyao had changed into plain white robes, pacing leisurely in the hall. Her gaze kept drifting intentionally yet seemingly carelessly toward the bronze mirror in the corner.
Her reflection in the mirror showed her in snow-white clothes, cold as frost. But those eyes seemed to be watching something invisible.
Jiang Yichuan gently touched the jade pendant in his sleeve, his mind made up.
The secrets of Peach Blossom House, it seemed, ran far deeper than they appeared on the surface.