Scared into illness?
Why would someone be startled?
“Also, Chen Si, the cousin who patrols that week, went out yesterday morning,” Ma Bing continued. “She claimed she went downtown to watch a play, left in the morning, and returned in the afternoon, with play tickets and the playhouse staff as witnesses.”
It sounded convincing, but wasn’t the timing too coincidental?
Spending such a long time outside, in a bustling playhouse, who could guarantee she hadn’t left in the meantime?
This gap was more than enough to travel back and forth between Jinze two or three times!
Initially, they thought only Dong Ping was lying, but now it seemed likely neither spouse was innocent.
Interesting, very interesting indeed.
Xie Yu immediately ordered two officers: one to stay and monitor, and the other to return immediately to Dong’s residence to bring back Dong Ping’s personal attendants, yesterday’s gatekeepers, servants, and maids for questioning at the Kaifeng Prefecture.
The couple had just been caught off guard, and at this moment, they must have barely recovered from their shock. If they indeed had something to hide, and their close associates were unexpectedly taken away, they would surely panic and might take some action.
Ade was puzzled, “My lord, weren’t we saying that their testimonies wouldn’t be reliable unless it was a critical moment?”
So why question them now?
His companion slapped him on the back of the head, “You fool, this is the critical moment!”
It was getting late; the sun had passed its zenith. Without delay, Xie Yu and Ma Bing headed directly into the city.
On their way back, it was lunchtime. The teahouses and street vendors were filled with diners. Countless stoves in the restaurants were burning fiercely, with bright orange flames licking the bottoms of the pots, and thick white steam mixed with rich aromas filling the streets.
“Crunch~”
“Sizzle~”
Preparing ingredients, pouring hot oil into the wok, tossing in various seasonings, golden flames rapidly climbing up the pot walls, reflecting red light onto the chefs’ faces.
“Three Delicacies Soup, White Fried Chives… Ready!”
“Crispy Tendon, Scallion Rabbit, just missing a steamed fish with scallion threads for your table, wait a moment… Sir, please come inside!”
Ma Bing couldn’t walk any further.
She had left early in the morning, only hastily swallowing a boiled egg and some vegetable stuffing, which was bland and without much oil, so how could she endure such depletion?
Now the sun had passed its zenith, and she was already so hungry her stomach was sticking to her back. Before she smelled the food, she was fine, but now that she had, her stomach immediately sang an empty city aria.
Just as she was smacking her lips, she saw Xie Yu dismount his horse and head straight into the restaurant.
“My lord?”
Xie Yu looked at her from the steps, “Aren’t you hungry?”
It was too late to return to the office for lunch, so they might as well eat outside before going back.
Ma Bing was delighted but hesitated, “But I didn’t bring much silver…”
A meal at such a large restaurant would cost at least three or four taels of silver.
“I’ll treat.”
Before the last word “treat” had even faded, Ma Bing had already rolled off her horse, tossed the reins to an approaching waiter, and rushed into the hall like a gust of wind, “Great, I want to eat roasted lamb!”
Xie Yu: “…”
Have you been here for reconnaissance before? You must have known the signature dishes without even asking.
A waiter approached, “Sir?”
Xie Yu shook his head with a slight smile, “A private room on the second floor by the window, order roasted lamb for her, and add a few side dishes.”
“Coming right up!” The waiter quickly ran off, shouting the order to the back, “Roasted lamb, several side dishes!”
When Xie Yu climbed upstairs, Ma Bing was already seated, even pouring tea for him with a smile and pushing it toward him, “My lord, you’ve worked hard, please have some tea.”
So attentive, it made Xie Yu somewhat reluctant to drink.
Could she have put something in it?
It wasn’t without reason that Ma Bing was so excited.
Beef was indeed rare, but compared to lamb, it wasn’t much.
Firstly, the central plains weren’t particularly suitable for raising sheep. Even if there were, the meat quality wasn’t fresh and tender enough. Most lamb available on the market was transported from the north, which added transportation costs.
Secondly, oxen could be used for labor, so without government encouragement, people eagerly raised them. Sheep, however, couldn’t work, and required dedicated labor for care, and were prone to illness, making their numbers limited.
Due to scarcity, lamb remained expensive and was often considered a delicacy for officials and nobles, something ordinary people wouldn’t dare to ask about.
“Roasted lamb” meant taking a lamb about five months old, skinning and washing it, applying seasonings, stuffing it with various mushrooms and vegetables, and roasting it in a clay oven.
The roasting process required great skill from the chef, who had to precisely control the temperature and timing. The oven couldn’t be opened during roasting, or the aroma would escape, ruining the batch.
It was said that the roasted lamb had golden, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat inside, so soft that you didn’t even need your teeth.
Several major restaurants in Kaifeng sold roasted lamb very well. For example, this restaurant had twelve large clay ovens in the backyard, which were lit before dawn and kept burning until nightfall without a moment’s rest.
In a single day, they could sell over a hundred lambs!
“My lord, do you think Dong Ping and his wife might be the culprits?” Ma Bing grabbed some pumpkin seeds from the table and started peeling them.
Xie Yu didn’t like pumpkin seeds.
Because besides their odd shape, the shells were thin and tightly stuck to the kernels, making it hard to extract them intact.
Carelessly, the broken shells could easily get stuck in the flesh around the fingernails.
But Ma Bing seemed very skilled at such small, tedious tasks. She didn’t even need to look, just casually chatting to herself while her eyes idly scanning the street outside the window, and the plate was soon filled with one smooth, complete pumpkin seed after another.
“For now, they are the main suspects.”
Xie Yu couldn’t help but look down at those pumpkin seeds, beginning to doubt whether peeling them was really that easy?
Ma Bing tilted her head to look at him, “My lord, you’re truly airtight.”
Even at this point, you still won’t easily make a judgment in private?
As Xie Yu was about to speak, a small white porcelain dish was pushed toward him from across the table, filled with plump pumpkin seeds.
Ma Bing smiled, “My lord treated me to lamb, and I treat you to pumpkin seeds. It’s mutual courtesy.”
Xie Yu looked down at the pile of pumpkin seeds in silence.
“These pumpkin seeds cost my silver too.”
Ma Bing: “…”
But I peeled them for you!
Soon, a waiter came over with a large tray, spreading a strong aroma along the way, causing many diners to turn their heads and inhale deeply.
So fragrant, truly fragrant!
The roasted lamb arrived on the table, making the four legs tremble slightly. The golden-brown crispy skin immediately captured Ma Bing’s full attention.
The waiter wiped a shining knife with a cloth and, with dazzling speed and dexterity, cut through the joints, making it convenient for the guests to help themselves later.
Glistening fat dripped along the lamb’s texture, hot steam bursting out with a strong meaty aroma, making the pores on their faces slightly open.
Ma Bing whistled, “We can’t finish this.”
Those who often eat lamb know a saying: half a lamb means that after skinning, bleeding, removing the internal organs, and cutting off the head and feet, the lamb is roasted and served at about half its original weight.
A lamb around five months old weighs about twenty-five jin, so after roasting, it’s about twelve jin. Even after removing the inedible bones, there’s still nearly six jin.
Plus the vegetables inside the lamb’s belly, how could two people finish seven or eight jin?
Xie Yu said, “Take it back for Yuanpei and the others.”
Ma Bing happily ate the lamb.
The skin was coated with seasoning, forming a smooth thin crust after long roasting. One bite, a crisp sound, and the tender meat inside oozed juice…
She savored it for a moment, then slightly regretfully shook her head, “It’s delicious, but still not as good as the lamb in the north.”
Perhaps northerners don’t prepare lamb as meticulously, but she thought that was the best-tasting lamb in the world.
Lamb from the north, when brought inland for slaughter, seemed to always carry a bit of discomfort from the change in environment.
Xie Yu looked at her, “Miss Ma seems to miss your hometown days. If so, why come to the Central Plains?”
Ma Bing quickly picked the meat off a lamb rib, leaving the bone completely clean.
She squinted at him, “My lord wants to trick me into talking again?”
“Perhaps,” Xie Yu said.
By now, he occasionally felt confused, unsure why he was so persistently pursuing the truth.
But… he still wanted to ask, wanted to know more.
Restaurants and teahouses in Kaifeng were very skilled in business. Besides their own operations, they also allowed various vendors to enter and sell goods. If customers wanted to eat something from another place, they could pay a few copper coins as a delivery fee, and waiters would help buy it for them.
Ma Bing was about to speak when her gaze accidentally met with a little flower girl holding a bamboo basket.
The girl first looked surprised, then her eyes lit up, and she actually ran over with her basket.
“Sir,” the girl said to Xie Yu, “buy this lady a flower.”
Xie Yu didn’t even lift his head, “No.”
The girl: “…”
You’re even eating roasted lamb, yet you can’t spare a few coins to buy a flower for the young lady?
Could it be that…
She quickly turned to Ma Bing, “Lady, buy this gentleman a flower!”
Xie Yu: “…”
Ma Bing: “…”
You’re quite clever!
Ma Bing laughed heartily and actually grabbed a handful of copper coins, “Alright, give me the whole basket.”
At that time, men also loved to wear flowers, considering themselves refined, though beauty was in the eye of the beholder.
She had never seen Xie Yu wearing a flower before, and imagined he must be even handsomer than the flowers.
The flowers were picked from the wild, and the basket was woven from willow branches by the roadside, costing little.
The little girl was delighted, handed over the basket briskly, and spoke sweetly with a string of compliments, then skipped downstairs happily.
Earning money, earning money, going home to let her mother buy some floral cloth to sew new clothes!
“My lord…” Ma Bing looked up and saw Xie Yu staring at her with a wooden expression, holding the lamb bone as if ready to poke her at any moment.
The roasted lamb was split into two halves, but they had only eaten a small part. The rest were packed in large oil paper by the restaurant.
Even through several layers of paper, the aroma was still noticeable.
Ma Bing smiled and asked Xie Yu playfully, “My lord, will you carry the lamb or the flowers?”
Xie Yu looked at her expressionlessly and demonstrated with action that he could carry neither.
Ma Bing: “…”
Alright then, you’re throwing a little tantrum.
How amusing!
Turning into the street where the Kaifeng Prefecture was located, from afar they saw Yuanpei standing at the government office gate, stretching his neck to look, like a stone waiting for her husband. As soon as he saw their figures, he ran up, “Oh my lord, you should at least tell me when you go to investigate a case! I was scared out of my wits…”
Today was his shift with Xie Yu. When they were patrolling the streets, he turned his head for a moment and Xie Yu was gone!
He was almost driven mad at that moment, thinking that an enemy spy must have sneaked into Kaifeng City and silently kidnapped his young master as a hostage.
When he returned and asked, he was told Xie Yu had gone to investigate a case, and he barely recovered half his life.
But no matter what, it was his fault, so he dared not sit inside, fearing bad news might suddenly come.
Only when he saw them return completely unharmed did he finally recover the other half of his life.
His gaze fell upon Ma Bing, who was holding a flower basket in one hand and an oil-paper package in the other. Yuanpei’s subsequent grumbles gradually faded, replaced by a growing sense of grievance.
“…Did you really go to investigate a case?!”
He could already smell the lamb!
Great, I was here worrying myself sick, while you two were off eating roasted lamb!
Are you even human?
Ma Bing nimbly jumped off her horse, thrusting both the flowers and lamb into his arms, “Your master specially brought these for you. Aren’t you moved?”
Yuanpei was taken aback and instinctively looked at Xie Yu, “My lord!”
The lamb was fine, but these flowers…
You’re giving me the creeps.
Xie Yu looked like he didn’t want to talk to these two fools at all and strode inside, “Have Dong’s people been brought back?”
Yuanpei held the flowers in one hand and the lamb in the other, his earlier grievances and anger vanished. With joy, he said, “They’re here, all of them. The theater staff are here too. Deputy Song is questioning them now.”
As the three walked, they exchanged known clues. Perhaps inspired by the combination of fresh flowers and roasted lamb, Yuanpei was the most talkative along the way.
“According to the people at the playhouse, Chen Si indeed went to watch a play yesterday morning. Because she accidentally dirtied her skirt when entering, they had a deep impression. The two maids following her said that since Dong Ping had to settle accounts at home that day, Chen Si found it boring to go home early, after watching the short plays, she didn’t return home immediately, had a meal, and took a nap in a private room before leaving.”
“Did she leave at any time during the day?” Xie Yu asked.
“They said no,” Yuanpei replied. “But after Deputy Song questioned them separately, one maid said that since it was rare for them to go out, Chen Si didn’t restrict them. When she took her nap, she even ordered a separate meal for them. They had sweet rice wine with the meal, and in the afternoon they felt drowsy, so they dozed off for a while while waiting outside. Fortunately, Chen Si slept soundly and didn’t notice.”
Truly worthy of Deputy Song!
Ma Bing secretly cheered, “So that means, during Chen Si’s nap, there was no witness, and she was alone in the room?”
Yuanpei nodded, “Yes.”
The maids were dozing off and dared not enter to disturb her, which meant… Chen Si could have taken this opportunity to go out and commit murder, then returned, thus having a perfect alibi.
“By the way,” Yuanpei became more and more excited, “there’s also Dong Ping. Although he claimed he was settling accounts in his study, the young servant attending him said that Dong Ping never allowed anyone to easily enter his study, especially when settling accounts. Unless he called, no one was allowed in the courtyard.”
Many merchants were suspicious of others and guarded their account books carefully, so being cautious wasn’t unusual.
But once this behavior was linked to a murder case, it seemed suspicious no matter how you looked at it.
Ma Bing couldn’t help but sigh, “Truly, they are a pair made for each other!”
Although the reasons of Chen Si and Dong Ping were different, their actual practices were exactly the same!
Both seemed to have solid evidence on the surface, but it couldn’t withstand scrutiny.
Couldn’t you two at least discuss beforehand and use different methods?
Xie Yu suddenly asked, “Can Chen Si ride a horse?”
The playhouse was quite a distance from Jinze. To return in time, she would either have to take a carriage or ride a horse.
The coachman confirmed that Chen Si hadn’t called for a carriage during that time, so she must have hired one from outside.
A carriage was too conspicuous and slow. If it came with a coachman, it would be easier to expose the truth, so hiring a horse was better.
Yuanpei shook his head, “We don’t know that yet.”
Ma Bing said, “How about this, I’ll go draw portraits of Dong Ping and his wife, then visit the carriage and horse rental places in the city and near the Jinze ferry to see if they appeared there that day.”
Xie Yu thought for a moment, “Alright.”
So the three split into two groups. Xie Yu went to find Deputy Song to continue the investigation, while Ma Bing and Yuanpei went to draw portraits and then go out to investigate.
After parting, Ma Bing recalled Yuanpei’s anxious appearance at the government office gate earlier and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Has he always stayed within your sight all these years?”
Yuanpei thought for a while, rubbing his chin, “Not exactly.”
Although Xie Yu now looked like a dignified gentleman, only those who had served him since childhood knew that he had once been quite unruly as a child, yearning for the so-called freedom of ordinary people, and was annoyed by their presence as his little shadows.
You can imagine a little child always frowning, but his little head was constantly thinking about how to escape…
Yuanpei was a bit younger than Xie Yu. Back then, he wasn’t as composed as he is now. Sometimes he would blink and realize the other person had run away again, and he would get so anxious that he would start crying on the spot, then cry while searching.
In the end, Xie Yu usually couldn’t bear it first, coming out from his hiding place on his own, then looking at Yuanpei crying with a blank expression…
Combining what she had seen at the restaurant earlier, where Xie Yu had been teased by her, Ma Bing suddenly burst into laughter.
Although she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, it must have been quite interesting, right?
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