Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Failed Assassination

Young Master Zhu, upon hearing about the attempted assassination, hurried over in a rush.

Shouldn’t this be a charge laid against the Bai family? To dare, in broad daylight, to try and beat a man to death? And that man is a government official. If convicted, the Bai family would be utterly ruined.

“What are you thinking now?” Young Master Zhu asked in confusion.

There was no way to continue enduring this, especially since the other side had already shown murderous intent.

“They failed this time, but they’ll try again,” Han Qing said coldly.

The evidence at hand would never be acknowledged by those above. It was necessary to capture those masked men. Otherwise, what crime could truly be pinned on them?

“Yes, we need irrefutable proof,” Zhu nodded.

Meanwhile, Second Young Master Bai, upon hearing of the failed attempt, flew into a rage.

“What happened? Four of you couldn’t take him down?”

“Young Master, an old beggar suddenly appeared. We paid him no mind, but he turned out to be formidable and took all four of us down,” replied the leader, his face full of regret.

“Enough, I don’t want to hear excuses. I’ll give you one more chance. You must eliminate him.”

“Yes, Young Master.” The men nodded, beginning to plot their next move.

After the Third Prince returned to Luojing, he reported the incident. The so-called Dragon Blood Jade from Beijun City was, in fact, nothing more than common red jade. Clearly, someone had deliberately spread misinformation, causing him to make a wasted trip.

Annoyed, the Third Prince disparaged County Magistrate Bai of Beijun City, claiming the imperial inspector sent there had been utterly useless. Months had passed with no progress on the case; instead, the Bai family had run circles around the officials.

The court quickly recalled the imperial inspector and appointed Lin Fei, the Inspector. Lin Fei was known for his wisdom and ability to discern right from wrong.

Upon seeing the inspector depart, the Bai family was overjoyed. Yet their happiness lasted only a few days before a new order arrived: the Inspector would come to investigate the case.

He did not stay at the Bai residence, but instead took up residence in the Court of Justice. This meant that even if the Bai family wished to plead their case, they had no means to do so.

After reviewing the investigation files, Lord Lin found the case riddled with suspicious points.

He immediately questioned Wen Qi. “These matters, sealed for three years, why now do they surface?”

The Inspector’s mind was sharp; he saw at a glance that the woman from the Drunken Flower Pavilion alone could not overturn the case. Clearly, someone was helping her from behind the scenes.

To get to the bottom of things, Lord Lin needed to understand the cause and effect.

“My lord, you might ask Miss Zhi Lan of the Drunken Flower Pavilion for reasons; she should be able to explain,” Wen Qi replied slowly.

He knew the whole story, but had no standing to intervene, nor was he the lead investigator, so he kept his distance.

Zhi Lan, meanwhile, was somewhat discouraged. Several officials had come and gone, yet the Bai family remained untouched. Even her own guests at the Drunken Flower Pavilion had dwindled, making the past few days particularly quiet.

When Lord Lin arrived, the woman before him showed little interest, answering a few questions mechanically.

“Do you not want to uncover the truth?” Lin Fei noticed her perfunctory attitude.

“You cannot even solve the case, yet you come to question a victim like me. What’s the point?” She was unafraid, her gaze tinged with mockery.

“The case is indeed suspicious, but I believe you are a victim. As for the Bai family claiming ignorance, that is impossible,” he said.

Believe her? Zhi Lan’s expression brightened.

“You truly believe me?”

“Yes. I want to know who helped you uncover these documents. With that knowledge, I will have more ways to seek evidence,” Lin Fei replied calmly.

The woman hesitated. She did not wish to reveal the person’s name, remembering her previous mistake in putting another at risk. To do so again would make her ungrateful.

“Let me think,” Zhi Lan struggled for a moment before ultimately speaking. After all, she had intended to make use of the opportunity; why let it slip by now?

Lord Lin understood and proceeded to pay Han Qing a visit.

He found, in the courtyard, a young man holding a book. This pale, scholarly figure seemed to have so many connections? Lin Fei was skeptical.

He introduced himself, “I am Lin Fei, Inspector from Luojing, appointed by the court to investigate the case involving the Bai family in Beijun City.”

“Lord Lin, I am Han Qing,” Han Qing replied calmly, having already guessed that Lin Fei was here for the death of Merchant Chen and the Bai family’s gambling house, since the two cases were entangled.

“May I ask, does the Bai family’s gambling house have anything to do with you?”

“Indeed. The Bai family harmed my household before, and my elderly mother was injured in several ways. I have only used proper means to investigate. If they themselves became involved in a murder case, how could that possibly be because of me?” Han Qing answered.

Lin Fei was speechless. The other’s reasoning was sound—there was animosity between the two families. The Bai family’s accountant’s problems were their own fault, nothing more.

“Do you know of any other clues?”

Han Qing shook his head. “You are the court-appointed investigator. You should be able to find the truth yourself. I am but an ordinary citizen; isn’t it strange to ask me?”

This left Lin Fei at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.

Still, he wanted to learn more about the situation. He had heard from others that Han Qing’s actions in Beijun City over the past half year had been astonishing.

As Lin Fei debated whether to linger, he noticed in the courtyard a crooked, plate-like object burning continuously. It looked like sandalwood incense, but something was off.

“Master Han, the incense in your courtyard is quite unique.”

“My lord, that is mosquito repellent. If you are curious, I can send you a few trays,” Han Qing replied nonchalantly, then instructed his servants to pack several boxes for Lin Fei’s attendant to take away.

Lin Fei was intrigued—what exactly was this mosquito repellent? He had never heard of it before.

But he also sensed that lingering here any longer would only irritate Han Qing, so he left quietly.