Shen Shixu did not hide his thoughts just because they were merely speculation. “Reporting to Your Highness, I do have some conjectures. There are probably many more girls like Qiaoying.
The fabric of her clothing is tianxiang silk. It looks beautiful, but the satin flowers on it fray easily and are difficult to wash, so most ordinary families wouldn’t wear it, while wealthy families look down on it, leaving its price in an awkward middle range.
It’s mostly prepared by wealthy households for the personal maids who attend their young ladies more like a uniform. So I suspect Qiaoying had companions.”
Hearing this, Xiao Jinyi found a term he didn’t quite understand and asked in confusion: “What is this ‘uniform’ you speak of? From what you say, it seems to be a set way of dressing prescribed by some place or family, much like how my Black Armor Army always wears black. Lord Shen, is my understanding correct?”
Shen Shixu nodded. “Your Highness is exactly right. By my estimation, this is no ordinary case of a missing girl. There should be much more hidden behind it.
By the way, might I ask someone to take me to the rice shop where the body was found?”
Xiao Jinyi felt his reasoning had some merit, and since he wanted to see the scene himself, he supported the idea and personally took him to the Qian Family Rice Shop.
Shen Shixu chose not to ride in a carriage but to walk, wanting to take the opportunity to observe the buildings near the rice shop.
As he was silently noting the buildings along the way, 011 suddenly popped up, his crisp youthful voice carrying guilt and self-reproach. [Big Brother, I’m sorry. I’m so useless, I can’t help you with anything.]
Shen Shixu, who was mentally reconstructing Qiaoying’s escape route, paused at these words, then felt a wave of warmth.
[Xiao Yi, don’t blame yourself or feel guilty just because you can’t help me. Many things I need to do myself. If I relied on you for everything, wouldn’t I just be a grown baby?
Besides, don’t underestimate me. Your big brother here became the top scholar at a young age, beating out all the other examinees. Solving a case is nothing I can’t handle.
You just sit back and watch me catch the mastermind!]
Comforted by this, 011 perked right up again. [Okay! Go get ’em, Big Brother!]
Xiao Jinyi had heard their entire exchange and formed a new impression of Shen Shixu. Beyond his outstanding talent, good looks, and keen observation, he now added another label: independent and self-reliant.
Shen Shixu did not go straight to the Qian Duoduo Rice Shop, but circled around it first, eventually identifying a house he found suspicious.
The place he discovered was one street away from the rice shop, close enough for a gravely injured woman to run there. Moreover, a large lock hung on the door, covered in a layer of dust, yet there were no weeds at the entrance. Clearly, someone had deliberately created the illusion that the house had long been uninhabited.
“Your Highness, there’s something wrong with this house. Could you have someone investigate it?”
Xiao Jinyi followed his gaze and saw the weed-free entrance and the dust-covered lock, understanding what he meant.
“I’ll have someone look into who owns this house right away!”
Xiao Jinyi instructed Mo Yu, who had been following at a distance behind them, to go to the Household Registry Office and check on the property’s owner.
While waiting for Mo Yu’s results, Shen Shixu and Xiao Jinyi didn’t stay idle either. They went knocking on the doors of nearby households, asking if anyone knew the family in question.
After asking around, no one recognized that household.
Just as they gave up asking others and prepared to wait for Mo Yu to bring back the results, a skinny little beggar came running over with a broken bowl in hand.
The little beggar was filthy all over, his clothes tattered and ragged, the exposed skin marked with scars. His eyes were big and bright, yet carried a cautious wariness.
“Big brother, I just heard you asking about the owner of that house. I know, I can tell you.”
Shen Shixu hadn’t expected a turning point just as they’d given up, and said with delight, “As long as you tell me, I promise you’ll never go hungry again for the rest of your life. Come on, I’ll take you to get something to eat right now.”
Shen Shixu led the little beggar to a noodle stall, the only place nearby selling ready-to-eat food; the others sold either tofu or vegetables.
The little beggar wolfed down two big bowls of noodles, and just as he was about to start a third, Xiao Jinyi stopped him. The little beggar looked at his cold face, a little frightened.
Seeing that the boy was about to be scared to tears, Shen Shixu hurriedly explained on Xiao Jinyi’s behalf, “Don’t be afraid. It’s not that this brother doesn’t want you to eat, it’s just that if you suddenly eat this much, your stomach might feel unwell later.”
Hearing this, the little beggar realized he had misunderstood, and nervously apologized to Xiao Jinyi, “Big brother, I’m sorry. I misunderstood you just now.”
Xiao Jinyi nodded without saying anything, but Shen Shixu caught sight of the tips of his ears turning slightly red and secretly laughed to himself. Who would have thought the cold-faced prince could be so easily embarrassed?
“Ahem. Let me ask you do you know the owner of that house? Who is he?”
Just as Shen Shixu was snickering, he suddenly received a cold glare from Xiao Jinyi. Realizing he’d been caught laughing in secret, he quickly changed the subject and questioned the little beggar.
The little beggar didn’t even need to think before describing what the owner of that house looked like, the man was simply too distinctive.
“The one living in that house is Big Gold Tooth. He’s Granny Lin’s son from the end of that street. Because he has five gold teeth in his mouth, we all call him Big Gold Tooth.
But it’s strange, Big Gold Tooth is just a loafer. He depends entirely on Granny Lin for food and drink, so there’s no way he could have bought such a big house.
But he did say so himself when he was drunk once, so it probably isn’t a lie.
Still, I’ve never seen him live there. But three nights ago, a carriage stopped at the gate. A man with a big belly got out of the carriage. He stayed inside for about an hour, and then it seemed he was injured, he was helped away by the attendants beside him.”
Hearing this, Shen Shixu and Xiao Jinyi understood that this man was the key figure. If they could find this injured man, they might be able to peel back a layer of the mystery surrounding the missing girl case.
“Do you know where that injured man went?” Shen Shixu pressed further.
The little beggar shook his head. “I don’t know, but I saw that the carriage carrying him headed west down the street.”
Shen Shixu said to Xiao Jinyi, “I’d trouble Your Highness to arrange for men to search the medical clinics along the west side of the street. See if anyone sought treatment three nights ago, focus on finding a man with a big belly who was injured and had a servant attending him!”
Xiao Jinyi felt more and more that Shen Shixu was perfectly suited to be Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He grasped the key points well, reasoned with clarity, and made bold conjectures, a real master at solving cases.