Only when Chun Qiong and the constables' footsteps had completely vanished beyond the door did the man in green, Lu Zhiming, lower his head to look at Wen Chaosheng and say, "From today onwards, go to my house to chop wood and carry water."
"Food and drink will be plentiful, and you'll be paid daily."
Wen Chaosheng rubbed his stiff legs, struggled to stand up, and released his hand from the woodcutting knife.
"Such good fortune exists in this world?"
"You spent a gold leaf to get a Qi citizen's identity for a vagrant, just to have him chop wood and carry water?"
Lu Zhiming retorted, "Then what do you think I should have you do?"
Wen Chaosheng looked directly into Lu Zhiming's eyes, wanting to see through his window as he had with Chun Qiong, but Lu Zhiming was not like Chun Qiong. He seemed to hide his true thoughts in an unknowable place, preventing Wen Chaosheng from catching even a hint.
Wen Chaosheng's thoughts raced. He quickly searched through all his uses in his mind, not treating himself as a person at all. Finally, he said to Lu Zhiming, "My cheap life, to be exchanged with gold by you, is there some unsavory dirty work you need me to do?"
Lu Zhiming chuckled, "You have a hard life, not a cheap life."
"Besides, you are so thin and weak, you can't do any dirty work."
Wen Chaosheng shook his head, "I don't believe in things falling from the sky. If it were three years ago, I would have believed it, but now, I don't."
"You spent a lot of money to give me a Qi citizen's identity, which is a kindness to me. I shouldn't be speaking to you like this, but I think you should at least be more honest. You should receive as much goods as you spent money."
Lu Zhiming flicked his sleeve, his smile undiminished, "If we had to calculate so precisely, you've received my favor for more than just a day or two. Besides that gold leaf, there's also countless bowls of porridge. If we add all that up, shouldn't you give your life to me?"
Wen Chaosheng's body trembled slightly at his words.
Lu Zhiming turned and walked back the way he came, his voice lingering, "My home is the eighth house in Guihua Alley, west of the painting gallery bridge. The alley is deep, and you haven't wandered around in the county town, so I'll take you once. Don't get lost next time you come."
"If you're going, then follow me."
Wen Chaosheng hesitated for a moment, looking at A Shui at the entrance of the county yamen. Her gaze remained fixed on the iron hook above and the broken rope on the ground that hadn't been taken inside, a thoughtful expression on her face.
Seeing her like this, Wen Chaosheng followed behind Lu Zhiming.
"Little brother, what should I call you?"
"Wen Chaosheng."
"A good name."
Wen Chaosheng looked at Lu Zhiming's back with some curiosity, his voice respectful, "For the past few years, have you been the one feeding Dog Master?"
Lu Zhiming answered with a question, "Why do you call it Dog Master?"
Wen Chaosheng didn't feel ashamed, "It saved my life. I have nothing to repay it with, so calling it 'Master' is still me getting off easy."
Lu Zhiming led him into the alley, pointing to a fence with red apricots spilling over it and said, "Start counting from here, the eighth house forward."
"Remember, it's this side. Don't go the wrong way."
Upon entering Lu Zhiming's residence, the first thing that caught the eye was a loquat tree in the courtyard. Its trunk was straight, like a sharp sword thrust into the ground. Wen Chaosheng stared at the loquat tree, always feeling that it was somewhat strange, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was odd about it.
There was only this one tree in the courtyard; the rest were all flowers and plants.
Lu Zhiming walked to a stone table in the house, brewed a pot of tea, and handed it to Wen Chaosheng, saying, "The black dog's owner was my neighbor. After he left, the black dog came to my door begging for food. Since my family didn't lack food, I simply took it in."
As soon as he finished speaking, the wooden door in the courtyard was pushed open, and a white-haired woman in a blue fur long dress appeared, saying to the two outside, "The porridge is ready. Let's eat first."
...
Inside the county yamen, Chun Qiong stood before Liu Jinshi's corpse, reaching out to touch his neck, his eyes gleaming.
The guards who had escorted him to Ku Hai County were all standing in a neat line outside the door, like pine trees. Inside the room now, only Chun Qiong and a sword-wielding guard, over fifty with temples touched by frost, remained.
This guard was different from the others; he held his sword in his left hand, and his left arm was noticeably longer than his right, as if from an Innate disability.
But his eyes were like bright, sharp candles in the night.
"Wu Xie, cut open his belly."
Chun Qiong commanded, and the guard immediately drew his sword, cutting open Liu Jinshi's belly. Looking at the colorful contents, Chun Qiong's brows gradually furrowed.
"Is Magistrate Chun looking for poison?"
Wu Xie seemed to know what Chun Qiong was wondering and asked calmly.
Chun Qiong narrowed his eyes, "The poison Lu Chuan gave was gut-piercing poison. For ordinary people, drinking this poison would immediately cause their intestines to rot and their stomachs to burst. Yet there is no trace of poison in Liu Jinshi's corpse."
"Don't you find that strange?"
"In any case, it's suicide, but he chose to hang himself, and specifically at the main entrance of the county yamen."
Wu Xie pondered for a moment.
"In short, isn't it good that he's dead?"
"He's dead, so the secret is gone. Isn't that what That Lord wants?"
Chun Qiong examined the corpse, then took out a clean wet cloth to wipe his hands, saying, "I'm very worried. Is this secret truly gone, or has he hidden it?"
"That matter is too significant. If word truly gets out, Qi and even the whole world will fall into great chaos. We are here to clean up for That Lord; not a single trace can be left. We must confirm repeatedly."
"Liu Jinshi died a very short time ago, just before dawn."
"At that time, someone should have been watching him... Wu Xie, help me go ask Lu Chuan what Liu Jinshi was doing before he died."
"Also..."
"Go out and instruct the servants outside to search the entire county yamen. Before dark, I want to see the unused gut-piercing poison of Liu Jinshi."
PS: Updates might be unstable these two days. I'll be home on the 20th.