The city of Kaifeng had a total of forty-five land and water gates. Considering that the suspect had taken Zhang Baozhu away in a sedan chair, the water gates could be temporarily ruled out. Removing also the main gates and central gates, which were not easily accessible to ordinary people, there were still more than twenty left.
Xie Yu spent half a day running around various places and briefly questioning the guards on duty that day. When he returned to the Kaifeng government office, it was already dark.
Even Yuanpei, who usually had abundant energy, felt exhausted and began yawning repeatedly, saying, “Sir, you must be tired. Go back and rest soon!”
Xie Yu replied, “You go to sleep first. I’ll check on the injured.”
Yuanpei scratched his head and smiled, “Now that you’ve said that, I’m not sleepy anymore, but I am a bit hungry. I might as well go out and buy some sesame flatbreads to eat.”
Add in some fatty, tender marinated pork, half-fat and half-lean, and each bite would ooze oil—just thinking about it was exciting!
As the weather gradually warmed, people tended to avoid going out during the day. Instead, they preferred to come out after sunset when it was cool and pleasant, making the streets ten times livelier than in the daytime.
All kinds of food and fruits were naturally available, and there were also many street performers making sugar figurines, molding dough figurines, and demonstrating martial arts. Colorful lanterns illuminated the streets for several blocks, creating a bustling and lively scene.
On the way back, they passed by a golden sesame flatbread stall. The aroma of wheat flour mixed with sesame seeds wafted straight into Yuanpei’s nose, making him extremely hungry. If not for being with Xie Yu, he would have jumped off his horse and bought some long ago.
Xie Yu laughed and tossed Yuanpei his money bag, saying, “Buy more and share with the brothers who went out with us today.”
Yuanpei quickly caught the bag and happily ran out the door.
Tomorrow would be the Dragon Boat Festival, and starting from the next day, there would be a three-day temple fair in the city. The common people would naturally be delighted, but the yamen runners might not feel the same.
The happier the common people were, the busier and more exhausted the officers became.
In recent days, Xie Yu had been occupied with another military patrol officer, making preparations for patrols during the temple fair. They coordinated with various fire prevention offices and inspected firefighting equipment such as water bags, fire pumps, and scaling ladders, promptly reporting any damaged or outdated items for replacement.
Therefore, even though it was already the Hai hour (9–11 p.m.), the Kaifeng government office remained brightly lit, with everyone still busily working.
As Xie Yu walked, he slowly stretched his arms and neck and soon arrived at the side hall.
Injuries were common among the staff at the government office, so the side hall behind the main hall was designed with convenient access for daily emergency treatment.
After entering and passing the screen partition, the first thing visible was a row of four large couches for seriously injured patients who couldn’t get up. On both sides were arranged tables and chairs in a swallow-wing formation, convenient for rest and treatment.
Since the Zhang family’s third son was seriously injured and required constant attendance at night, Wang Heng, who was older and couldn’t endure night shifts, had come during the day and sent an apprentice herbalist to take turns with Ma Bing at night.
When Xie Yu arrived, the apprentice was leaning against a pillar outside yawning.
Seeing Xie Yu approach, the apprentice started to get up halfway through his yawn to bow.
“Sit,” Xie Yu said.
After a tiring day, he was too exhausted to bother with formalities, and everyone appreciated the informality.
The apprentice had been at the Kaifeng government office for several years and knew Xie Yu’s character. He indeed sat back down and said, “Sir, he hasn’t woken up yet. Perhaps you should come back tomorrow morning.”
Xie Yu waved his hand and walked in himself after lifting his robe.
Ma Bing was half-propped up in the armchair closest to the injured person, her arms resting on the armrests, her cheek cushioned on her hands, breathing evenly, seemingly already asleep.
Though it was May, the night still carried a slight chill. She was still wearing the thin clothes from the day, and now, under the cold air, she had curled herself into a tight ball.
Only now did Xie Yu notice how thin she really was. She looked tall and slender, but curled in the chair, she seemed small and fragile.
Her brows were still furrowed in her sleep, and her long, dark eyelashes cast heavy shadows under her eyes.
He knew she had many worries, but even in her dreams, she couldn’t find a moment of peace?
Xie Yu stood there silently watching her, momentarily overwhelmed by the urge to touch her increasingly thin cheek, but he stopped himself halfway.
What was this?
He shouldn’t be so impulsive.
A gust of wind blew, and Ma Bing curled even tighter.
What a silly girl—she didn’t even remember to put on an extra layer while on night watch.
Xie Yu silently sighed and gently removed his cloak, preparing to drape it over her.
But as he approached, Ma Bing suddenly opened her eyes wide, her right hand instinctively going to her waist, the sleepiness in her eyes vanishing at an astonishing speed, as if she had never been asleep at all.
Xie Yu froze mid-motion.
Seeing who it was, Ma Bing let out a deep breath, took her hand off her waist, and slumped back into the armchair, “It’s you.”
She pinched her meixin (the area between the eyebrows) and looked at him suspiciously, “Sir, what are you doing?”
Xie Yu’s face remained calm as he unfolded his cloak and neatly placed it aside. The entire motion was fluid and natural, as if he had intended to do so all along.
“I walked a long way and felt warm, so I took off my cloak. I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said calmly.
“Oh,” Ma Bing yawned, her eyes instantly filling with tears from fatigue, clearly extremely tired, and didn’t even have the energy to question the inconsistency in his explanation.
Xie Yu couldn’t help but glance at her waist—it was slender, seemingly not much wider than his palm.
She was very alert, he thought. Few people could maintain such vigilance even in their sleep.
He was sure his movement had been gentle enough, yet she had still woken up.
No, Xie Yu immediately corrected himself. It wasn’t because his movement was too large or too noisy, but because she was extremely sensitive to surrounding presences, so even the slightest approach had instantly awakened her.
This was an extreme form of alertness, an instinct formed only through years of accumulated experiences. Such people must have lived in turbulent and unstable environments for a long time, making them unable to relax even while sleeping.
Except for soldiers, Xie Yu had never seen such alertness in an ordinary person before.
No, perhaps she wasn’t an ordinary person after all.
Meanwhile, Ma Bing was pinching her forehead in self-reflection.
Careless, too careless! She hadn’t even noticed his approach until he was by her side!
If Xie Yu had been someone with ill intentions, her head might already have been separated from her body.
Sigh!
Was it really because recent life had been too comfortable, causing her basic defensive skills to deteriorate?
She quickly conducted a brief but profound self-reflection. When she finished, she secretly glanced at him, only to find him looking at her too. Their eyes met unexpectedly.
A brief silence followed, and then they both quickly turned their faces away.
Uh, a bit awkward.
“It’s very late. Sir, aren’t you going back to rest?”
“What kind of hidden weapon do you have at your waist, Miss Ma?”
They spoke simultaneously.
Xie Yu: “…”
Ma Bing: “…”
They had spoken too synchronously, and for a moment, neither could hear what the other had said clearly.
This somewhat awkward coincidence eased the previous tension, at least making their bodies less stiff.
Xie Yu gestured for Ma Bing to go first.
After she repeated her question, Xie Yu replied, “It’s already past bedtime, and I’m not sleepy yet.”
Ma Bing didn’t doubt him.
The human body was amazing. If one maintained a fixed schedule for a long time, it would form a habit. Once that habit was suddenly changed, even for the better, it could be difficult to adapt.
After Xie Yu answered, Ma Bing couldn’t avoid the question either, so she answered seriously,
“Poison! Poison that kills on contact with blood! Specifically for surprise attacks.”
Xie Yu: “… You’re lying.”
This lie was too superficial, clearly not well-prepared.
Unexpectedly, Ma Bing admitted it without any attempt to hide, “You said it yourself—it’s a hidden weapon. Do you expect me to tell you everything openly? A woman traveling alone having a few secret weapons isn’t unusual, is it?”
Xie Yu: “…”
That made sense.
Ma Bing stood up to stretch her stiff body and then went to check the pulse of the Zhang family’s third son.
“How is he?” Xie Yu followed and asked.
Ma Bing nodded with a smile, “For now, judging from his pulse, there probably won’t be any internal bleeding in his brain.”
It had already been nearly six hours since he was injured. If there had been internal bleeding, it would have shown in his pulse. Since there was no sign of it now, it was generally safe to assume there wouldn’t be any.
Xie Yu also smiled, “That’s good news.”
“Oh, it’s raining?” As Ma Bing stretched her shoulders, she noticed raindrops quietly falling outside the window.
Lanterns were lit in the courtyard, and the orange-yellow light leaking through the holes in the stone lanterns formed a hazy halo.
The rain was extremely fine and dense. To put it colloquially, it was like cow hairs; to put it poetically, it was like gauze.
The rain was fine, and the wind was gentle, blowing without a sound. Even the branches and flowers in the flowerbed remained quiet, only gently stirring the rain curtain. Illuminated by the lamp, it shimmered brightly.
It was the shape of the wind.
This sudden night rain was gentle and soft, not like the north, but rather reminiscent of the charming southern drizzle.
Feeling drowsy, Ma Bing reached out to catch some raindrops. The coolness in her hands indeed helped relieve her sleepiness.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Xie Yu nearby. Suddenly seized by a playful impulse, she quickly flicked her hand, “Hey!”
A few almost invisible droplets landed on Xie Yu’s face, cold and refreshing.
Xie Yu: “…”
He couldn’t understand how someone who seemed to carry so many worries could be so playful.
Ma Bing laughed heartily, her laughter startling Yuanpei, who had just rushed in with sesame flatbreads tucked under his arms, completely confused.
What were they laughing about in the middle of the night?
Xie Yu expressionlessly took out a handkerchief to wipe his face and turned to look at him.
Yuanpei pulled out several bulging paper-wrapped packages from his arms, “I’ve already shared with the brothers. I thought you might be hungry too. Greedy for a bit more, I brought a few extra. They’re still warm.”
“Wow!” Ma Bing happily wiped her hands and ran over, sniffing, “I guessed it—sesame flatbreads, right? Mm, I can smell the meat too.”
Xie Yu and Yuanpei both looked at her with expressions of awe. What a nose!
What a waste to be human!
Yuanpei hadn’t eaten yet either, so he called the apprentice herbalist to bring a pot of hot tea, and the four of them sat down for a late-night snack.
“It’s getting late. Drinking tea might keep us awake,” the apprentice said with a smile, “There’s a pack of roasted flour in the cabinet. I can go make some for us to have with the flatbreads.”
Everyone agreed.
Soon, the side hall was filled with the simple fragrance of roasted flour tea, mingling with the rich aroma of sesame flatbreads and the savory scent of thick marinated pork slices, creating a balanced and harmonious blend.
Yuanpei was quick on his feet, so the sesame flatbreads were still crispy, as if freshly baked.
He had already arranged for someone to quickly cut them in half. Now, he took out several thick slices of marinated pork from another large paper-wrapped package and pressed them into the flatbreads. The oil seeped into the bread, glistening and shiny.
Ma Bing took a big bite, and her mouth was immediately filled with a complex, rich aroma.
Then she took a few hearty sips of the roasted flour tea, so fragrant it felt like her soul was flying.
Everyone was indeed hungry. When they took the first bite, the room was so quiet it was startling, with no one having the time to speak.
Only after picking up the second flatbread did the atmosphere gradually relax.
Ma Bing swallowed a mouthful of marinated pork and asked, “How did your investigation go today?”
“The temple fair in Kaifeng is famous. With the surge in people entering and leaving the city these days, the soldiers at the city gates can’t remember whether similar sedan chairs passed through,” Xie Yu said.
Although he had expected this result, hearing it directly still brought a sense of disappointment.
Ma Bing sighed and couldn’t help glancing at Xie Yu again.
Even when eating a simple, unpretentious marinated pork sandwich, his demeanor was still pleasing to the eye.
Not a single crumb fell from the crispy flatbread. Staring at the húbǐng (sesame flatbread), Ma Bing couldn’t comprehend how he had pulled it off.
“Later, I plan to visit the Zhang family again for a closer look,” Xie Yu said after elegantly and quickly finishing his second sandwich.
He felt the key to this case still lay in one point:
How had the news that the Li family had hired a sedan chair to pick up Zhang Baozhu leaked out?
If they could uncover this, the suspect’s identity might come to light.
Once the suspect’s identity was determined, their actions could be inferred, naturally leading to Zhang Baozhu.
Yuanpei was surprised, “Sir, you’re not going to sleep tonight?”
Xie Yu shook his head, “Even if we can afford to wait, Zhang Baozhu may not have the time.”
The number of sedan chairs was enormous. Unlike the Zhou Xun case, the suspect could have rented one from any shop inside or outside the city, making the scope too broad. It would take several days just to investigate thoroughly. They couldn’t afford to wait idly.
Ma Bing quickly swallowed her marinated pork, “Sir, do you suspect someone overheard?”
Seeing Yuanpei and the apprentice still looking confused, clearly not understanding how the conversation had jumped to eavesdropping, Xie Yu’s gaze toward her became increasingly appreciative.
“Yes, at least for now, that’s what I think.”
If it wasn’t the two families who had voluntarily spread the news, then the most likely possibility was that someone had overheard.
And if it was overheard, it would have been difficult to do during the day. Now that it was night, he could go to the Zhang family’s residence to investigate the suspect’s possible actions—imagining himself as the suspect, where and how would he have eavesdropped?
“Since the injured are fine, I’ll accompany you, sir!” Ma Bing wiped her hands, “Besides, I’ve been cooped up all day. It’s time to stretch my legs.”
Xie Yu nodded, “Alright.”
Yuanpei wanted to go too, but for some reason, he suddenly felt a bit… unnecessary?
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