Considering the situation described by Zhao Di, Song Tuiguan and others focused their subsequent interrogation on the disappearance of servants from the Prince Su’s mansion.
This line of questioning actually yielded some new findings.
Following Zhao Di, several other maids and servants also mentioned that they seemed to recall someone suddenly quitting.
However, because the mansion was so large and there were many masters and mistresses, staff were frequently transferred and rotated. They hadn’t paid much attention to these departures. By the time most noticed, considerable time had already passed.
“Since all of you say Prince Su was so kind, didn’t it strike you as strange when people suddenly left?” Song Tuiguan asked.
The maids and servants all looked bewildered.
Strange?
It did seem a bit odd.
But… what difference did it make?
One of them bravely said, “Well… it wasn’t our business anyway…”
Once someone led off, the others seemed to find courage, quickly chiming in.
Song Tuiguan’s gaze swept across their faces, seeing only vacant, bewildered eyes, their expressions full of confusion and fear…
Numbness.
Compared to this, that little maid who spoke up earlier was truly exceptional.
There was a spark in her eyes.
The interrogation continued until evening, yielding nothing substantial.
But Song Tuiguan keenly noticed that several of the stewards no longer appeared as resolute as when they were first arrested.
“A prime minister’s gatekeeper ranks as a seventh-grade official.” As stewards of Prince Su’s mansion, though they were servants within the mansion, outside they were masters whom various factions vied to flatter.
Every time they handled official business, there were kickbacks, embezzlement, and tributes—didn’t everyone secretly earn a few hundred or even a thousand taels?
Anyone who worked in the mansion for a few years inevitably found themselves living in mansions with numerous servants, surpassing even ordinary wealthy families in opulence.
But after living comfortably for so long, they inevitably became delicate and soft—how could they endure the hardships of prison?
Some were loyal to the death, but naturally, there were also those who were not.
“Keep a close eye on those few. Let the brothers use whatever methods they have, but make sure there’s no visible injury.”
The constables chuckled ominously, “Sir, isn’t this exactly what we’re good at?”
“Good lads!” Song Tuiguan laughed and scolded them before finally stepping out.
Ade was waiting outside, “Sir, our master asked me to invite you to the herb garden for a meeting.”
“Oh, did that little girl say something?” Song Tuiguan asked.
Ade smiled, “Possibly.”
Song Tuiguan waved his hand, “Then let’s go! Although I’m afraid I’m disturbing those two doctors again.”
Since Ma Bing’s arrival, the herb garden, once avoided by everyone, had become quite lively. Several official meetings had already been held there, so Song Tuiguan was quite familiar with the way.
Passing by the large kitchen on the way, Song Tuiguan suddenly stopped and went inside. When he came out, he was holding a steaming hot roasted chicken.
“It’s almost mealtime. I shouldn’t show up empty-handed.”
Ade thought to himself, You sure know how to take advantage of the situation!
When Song Tuiguan arrived, he found Xie Yu and Tu Yao already there.
Normally, unless there was a murder case, Tu Yao wouldn’t get involved, but since this case involved a prince, he decided to participate throughout.
Under the eaves, a large pot was boiling half a pig, while Wang Heng’s two apprentices squatted in the corner peeling garlic.
Roast pork with garlic paste—delicious!
On the table was a large plate of golden, shiny pumpkin steamed cakes made with lard and honey, the sweet aroma detectable from afar.
After a day’s work, Song Tuiguan was hungry and grabbed a piece to eat.
When everyone was present, Ma Bing began speaking.
“She…” she paused, then corrected herself, “that little girl confirmed there were two missing girls. The first was about three years ago, named Xu Guizhi from Xiaohe Village. The second was last year, named Zhang Sannü from Baisha Village.”
Xie Yu had already taken out a nearby map, and everyone gathered around to look.
“They’re both quite remote villages,” Song Tuiguan said with his mouth full, exuding a rich aroma.
Lard, honey, and pumpkin—perfect combination!
Ma Bing nodded, “This little girl providing the clue lives in a village adjacent to Xiaohe. Reportedly, a steward from the Prince’s mansion came to buy young maids, and her parents sold her. After arriving at the mansion, the child naturally felt uneasy. Learning that Xu Guizhi lived just one village away, the two quickly became close.”
Xie Yu felt something odd.
“Would such a minor matter as buying a maid really require a steward’s personal involvement?”
In the Prince’s mansion, those called stewards inevitably managed large operations. Trivial matters like buying girls from villages wouldn’t require their personal handling.
At most, they might inspect the purchased girls before finalizing the transaction.
Everyone nodded.
Ma Bing said, “It does seem strange because, according to this little girl, the people from the mansion were extremely picky when selecting the girls, carefully inspecting their skin and teeth…”
Everyone frowned.
This didn’t sound like buying maids but more like purchasing livestock or… concubine girls.
Zhuang Peng, who was holding a bowl and eating pumpkin steamed cakes, felt dizzy. “Dr. Ma, with all these girls you’re talking about, I can’t even tell which one you’re referring to anymore. Can we just use their names?”
There were already three girls involved in this case!
Ma Bing hesitated slightly, reluctantly and helplessly glancing around the room, “Her name is… Zhaodi.”
The little girl had just taken a bath, changed clothes, eaten something, and then tearfully poured out everything she knew before begging Ma Bing to buy her.
“Sister, please buy me. I can do any work. Don’t send me back to the mansion!”
She didn’t want to disappear silently one day.
After crying for half the day, the little girl had cried herself to sleep.
Ma Bing deeply disliked the name Zhaodi, feeling that merely uttering it from her own mouth was an insult.
Even if she were called Liuyao, at least she would be an independent person rather than the sixth disappointment for a couple desperate for a son.
Xie Yu understood Ma Bing’s feelings and gently hooked his finger with hers under the table.
However, one constable carelessly laughed, “What’s the big deal? Names like Pendi, Laidi, or Yinlong are common back in my hometown. Who doesn’t want a son?”
Ma Bing expressionlessly looked at him, noticing he was unfamiliar, “I don’t think I’ve seen you before. What’s your name?”
The constable, attending a meeting with core members of the Kaifeng Prefecture for the first time, was already excited. Now that she asked, his face flushed red with excitement, “I’m…”
Before he could speak, Song Tuiguan sensed trouble and quickly interrupted, “We’re short on manpower lately, so we promoted him from below. He’s a bit simple-minded. Let’s continue with the case and ignore him.”
Xie Yu snorted.
Ma Bing gave Song Tuiguan a fake smile, then ignored him and continued questioning the constable, “What’s your name? How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
The constable instinctively looked at Song Tuiguan, who sighed and turned away to eat chicken. Feeling confused, he hesitantly asked himself, “What did I do wrong?”
“Uh, my name is Li Jizong. I have four older sisters and one younger sister.”
Ma Bing chuckled sarcastically, “Li Jizong, what a great name! I hope you’re born elsewhere in your next life, where everyone longs for daughters, so you can be renamed Zhaomei, Yinmei, or Laimei.”
Li Jizong didn’t understand why she was upset, still naively saying, “That’s impossible…”
Xie Yu narrowed his eyes.
Where did this idiot come from?
Song Tuiguan painfully pinched the bridge of his nose, then kicked Li Jizong, “Get out!”
Who recommended him? Can someone handle official duties with just a big body but no brains?
Absolutely no sense at all—how could he accomplish anything!
After chasing away the still-confused Li Jizong, Song Tuiguan sighed and bowed to Ma Bing, “Forgive that lower-class ruffian. Miss Ma, please don’t take it to heart.”
Ma Bing didn’t hold a grudge, stepping aside, “It’s not your fault.”
In fact, even Li Jizong… was he guilty?
Strictly speaking, no.
He was merely a reflection of a certain segment of society.
Born into twisted expectations, growing up in such an environment, he naturally thought this way.
Even if Ma Bing forced Li Jizong to change his views today, tomorrow there would still be Zhang Jizong, Wang Jizong, Zhang Yaozu, Wang Yaozu…
Enough, thinking more won’t help.
Ma Bing closed her eyes briefly and continued the previous topic, “I carefully questioned her. All the little girls bought by the mansion were very pretty.”
Xie Yu looked at her, similarly feeling a faint sadness and helplessness.
He had sensed this same sorrow in his mother, Princess Ningde.
As a child, he had even dared to ask, “Mother, they’re both my grandfather’s children. Why can’t you be emperor?”
He loved his uncle, but he loved his mother more.
His mother was so noble, so capable—not a bit inferior to his uncle.
So if his uncle could be emperor, why couldn’t his mother?
At that time, Princess Ningde’s pupils had trembled for a moment, then she gently covered his mouth, “You must never say such things again.”
Later, Xie Yu indeed never mentioned it again.
Because he already understood—it wasn’t that his mother couldn’t, but that the world wouldn’t allow it.
Yuanpei rubbed his chin, “Now that you mention it…”
Just now, no one had noticed, but now upon reflection, that little girl named Zhaodi, though dirty and a bit thin, was indeed very delicate.
Especially her eyes—typical peach-blossom eyes with pale red tips, very beautiful.
Unfortunately, she had several pockmarks on her face.
Ma Bing nodded, “Indeed. After entering the mansion, Xu Guizhi and others weren’t immediately assigned chores. Instead, special nannies were responsible for teaching them etiquette and skincare. When they grew older, they would learn singing and dancing based on their individual characteristics… but at eight years old, she contracted smallpox, leaving several pockmarks on her face. Consequently, she was moved out of the original courtyard and began doing regular chores like others.”
But after several years together, Zhao Di and Xu Guizhi had developed a deep bond, secretly meeting occasionally.
Xu Guizhi would give Zhao Di delicious pastries, complaining how she had sung incorrectly the day before and been punished by the nanny.
The nannies were very strict, occasionally physically punishing the girls when they performed poorly. Zhao Di had also been punished before.
But she never left scars on the girls—either using wide bamboo strips to strike their palms or making them kneel on roof tiles under the scorching sun. These were the most tormenting yet least scarring punishments.
Therefore, when Xu Guizhi disappeared, Zhao Di was the first to notice something was wrong.
Given their close relationship, if Xu Guizhi had truly left, she would certainly have said goodbye.
Moreover, previously Xu Guizhi had mentioned that her family had many members, and her parents sold her to marry off her older brother.
Now in the mansion, her monthly wages were immediately taken by her father before she could even warm her hands around them. There was no way they would pay to redeem her now.
Noble families often emphasized etiquette, certainly not lacking money. Cultivating their own singers, dancers, or even concubines from childhood was not unusual.
But if that were all, why would Xu Guizhi and her entire family need to disappear?
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