Since it was the New Year, Sister-in-law Fu brought me to Qingshui Nunnery, and I prepared some gifts for my master, Rong Qin. She thanked me indifferently, her face showing not a hint of joy.
The nunnery was bustling with people, as many devotees hurried to offer incense and fulfill their vows before the New Year. Even the back courtyard felt noisy, so Master Rong Qin took me to the mountains behind the nunnery. I followed her, leaping and darting along the mountain paths. We did this every day; it was a form of physical conditioning, though the requirements were clearly becoming more demanding. She would suddenly hurl small stones or branches at me; if I was hit, she would penalize me with an extra lap. These simple exercises, which seemed to serve little purpose, rapidly transformed my constitution—or rather, Wu Chao’s constitution. By the end of spring, I was already as tall as Wu Xiu.
Life in the mountains was very disciplined. Every day before dawn, I would follow Master to the back mountains for basic physical training. Starting in the spring, she began teaching me simple *tuna* breathing exercises and the introductory techniques of her mysterious sect. When I mentioned wanting to learn how to use weapons, she told me bluntly that I would have to wait another year or two. Her own weapon was a scimitar. Once, I asked her the name of our sect’s saber style. Without even looking up, she replied, "The Killing Saber Techniques."
Thinking about it later, it made sense. Isn't the point of practicing the blade to kill?
By the time summer arrived, I spent almost the entire month in the mountains to escape the heat. There was a small lake in the back mountains where I would sneak off to swim nearly every night. Master knew about this, but she never said a word. The greatest virtue of this cold-faced master was that as long as I practiced my martial arts diligently, she would not interfere in anything else.
Initially, I found Master Rong Qin too aloof, but as the years passed, I grew more accustomed to her coldness. Whenever I looked at her calm, rippleless face, I felt an inexplicable sense of peace. That thread of security winding around my heart was very similar to the feeling Father gave me. Perhaps, without realizing it, her status in my heart had gradually shifted from master to family.
Time flowed like water, passing quietly by my side.
Before I knew it, I had celebrated my twelfth birthday as Wu Chao. During this time, Father had been promoted twice more and was busier than ever. Following the traditions of the Kingdom of Yantian, Min Zhi had been sent to Xiangshan Academy to study alongside other sons of noble families. Thus, even when I was home, I rarely saw him.
Wu Xiu had blossomed into a true young lady of a great house. People frequently came to the door requesting her calligraphy or embroidery. Min Yan was now eight years old, at the peak of his playful age. Sometimes, my little mother would say, "Of the four children in the family, only Wu Xiu is truly worry-free." I also felt that a quiet, well-behaved girl like Wu Xiu would be beloved no matter where she was.
Moreover, she was very beautiful.
I heard vague whispers from Sister-in-law Fu that our parents had begun looking into marriage prospects for her.
As the summer of my twelfth year was drawing to a close, I finally caught a squirrel with my own hands.
I ran back to the nunnery in high spirits, clutching the little creature and wanting to show it to Master Rong Qin. I hadn't expected to burst into the back courtyard only to find someone standing quietly outside the bamboo grove, waiting for me.
It was Luo Jin, the Vice Minister of Justice, whom I hadn't seen since the Hongyan Restaurant incident.
"Are you surprised to see me?" He looked at me with a smile. Having not seen him for several years, he appeared even more composed in his bearing, but he was darker and thinner, with faint lines even appearing on his forehead. Only his eyes remained as piercing as ever.
The squirrel in my hand took advantage of my daze to escape, which left me a bit frustrated. I had promised Wu Xiu I would catch one for her to keep as a pet.
"I heard from your father that you have been staying here with a master?" He stood up, paced a few steps, and began to survey the small courtyard where we lived.
I composed myself, forcing down the slight sense of unease in my heart. I bowed respectfully to him. "It has been a long time, Uncle Luo. Are you here to enjoy the scenery, or do you have business with me?"
Luo Jin turned his head, gazing at me quietly with a very solemn expression. "Wu Chao, I don't have time to beat around the bush, so I'll be blunt. I've come to ask for your help." He studied my face, paused, and then continued, "I have a murder case on my hands involving a girl about your age. After thinking it over, I felt you were the most suitable person to help."
This couldn't be a dream, could it? He was actually asking for my help?
I stared at him blankly. For some reason, I suddenly remembered him once saying with a look of confusion: *“Even though you are a child, it feels perfectly normal to discuss a case with you...”*
Was it for that reason?
"The deceased was the owner of the Yunsheng Silk Shop, a man named Yun Jin. He died in his own bedroom. The body was discovered by a servant the following morning. The fatal wound was to the back of the head. According to the guards on patrol that night, no one was seen entering or leaving the Yun estate." Luo Jin leaned back in the carriage with his eyes closed, slowly recounting the details of the case. It looked as though he hadn't slept for days.
When he finished, it was my turn to ask questions. "Who else is in his family?"
"The Old Matron lives in the rear courtyard. Yun Jin’s elder brother, Yun Liao, and his wife, Lady Cao, also live there. Yun Jin was not yet married and lived alone in the study in the front courtyard."
I asked again, "Was there anyone attending to Yun Jin?"
Luo Jin slowly opened his eyes. "That brings us to the reason I'm asking for your help. There is a maid in Yun Jin’s room named Xi Hua. On the night of the incident, she should have been staying in the side room of the study, but the servants who rose early found her unconscious under a tree near the courtyard wall. It has been four or five days now, and every time the events of that night are mentioned, she either cries hysterically or faints again. I am truly at my wit's end. I know she must know something, yet I can't get a word out of her..." At this point, he let out a long sigh. "The Yun family is a local financial power with considerable influence. They’ve pulled strings with some high official, and my superiors are pressuring me daily to solve the case. Yet, I cannot use interrogation by torture on this girl, Xi Hua..."
"Why can't you use torture?" I asked curiously.
"Because... she is pregnant." Luo Jin’s expression was slightly awkward as he said this.
This was getting interesting. My spirits suddenly lifted: Since this Xi Hua was Yun Jin’s maid, the most likely candidate for the father was, of course, Yun Jin. If that were the case, and Yun Jin had been murdered, she—as the person with the most knowledge—should have been actively cooperating with the authorities for both public and private reasons. Why was she refusing to speak?
