Pei Yan was thoroughly entertained. It was the first time he had ever seen a maid order her employers to shut up. This maid truly was one of a kind. Even stranger, after she told them to be quiet, the mother and daughter actually fell silent. So she had gotten physical with them before? What a pity he had missed that scene. It must have been quite a spectacle.
Zhang Heting’s eyes reddened as she began sobbing softly. Moving a little closer to Pei Yan, she said pitifully, “Commander, this matter has nothing to do with our family. If you want to investigate someone, investigate her.”
“It was definitely her who encouraged my father to do it.”
Ning Yan had the sudden urge to sew Zhang Heting’s mouth shut.
Even if someone had encouraged it, hadn’t Zhang Xingben still been the one who gave the orders? In Pei Yan’s eyes, the Zhang family was one entity.
Pei Yan looked at Zhang Heting as though she were an idiot. Then he laughed.
The smile made Zhang Heting’s head spin. Her heart began pounding wildly.
“Mmm, that does make some sense,” Pei Yan said, nodding. He pointed at Ning Yan. “Men, take this maid away.” He deliberately emphasized the word maid.
Zhang Heting’s eyes lit up. She had never imagined that Pei Yan would actually listen to her. “However, Ma Si was injured, so you’ll be paying his medical expenses.”
Pei Yan stood up. “Bring five thousand taels to the military camp tomorrow, and we’ll consider the matter settled.” As he spoke, he shot Ning Yan a gloating glance and strode off with his hands clasped behind his back.
The Zhang mother and daughter were left behind, sighing in relief and thanking their lucky stars.
Ning Yan was speechless. They had just been swindled out of five thousand taels, yet they were acting grateful for it. She almost felt sorry for Zhang Xingben.
Brushing aside the men who came forward to escort her away, Ning Yan followed after Pei Yan. It wasn’t that she couldn’t argue her case. Rather, she genuinely wanted to know what exactly Pei Yan was trying to accomplish. She was merely a former maid. She certainly didn’t have enough influence to warrant the Commander targeting her personally.
Ning Yan had no horse, but she was in no hurry. She walked at an unhurried pace.
Surprisingly, Pei Yan was equally patient, guiding his horse along slowly beside her.
“I thought you were a young lady of the Zhang family,” Pei Yan said, snorting. “Turns out you’re only a maid.”
“My household happens to be short of a maid. How about coming to work for me? The pay would definitely be better than what the Zhang family offered.”
Ning Yan glanced at him and rolled her eyes without the slightest restraint. “This commoner is unworthy of Commander Pei’s favor.”
“No one in this world refuses me,” Pei Yan said, sitting up straighter in the saddle and gazing into the distance with an infuriatingly stubborn expression. “Because they’re all dead.”
“Just what about me has Commander Pei taken a liking to? Tell me, and I’ll change it.”
“I’ve taken a liking to those hands of yours,” Pei Yan replied, raising an eyebrow. “What, are you going to cripple them?”
Ning Yan stopped walking and looked him straight in the eye. “Let’s be reasonable. If you insist on using power to bully others, the only possible outcome is mutual destruction.”
“If I’m destined to die anyway, then what do I have left to fear?” Ning Yan looked at him with a cold smile.
“You’ve got nerve,” Pei Yan said, tapping the saddle. Pointing at her, he continued, “Since you’ve got guts, I’ll give you one chance to stay alive.”
“Then I suppose I shouldn’t waste time thanking you. Let’s hear it, Commander.”
“How about this? Let’s make a wager. If I lose, I’ll become your attendant. If you lose, your head belongs to me.”
“What are we betting on?”
Pei Yan had not expected Ning Yan to be this fearless. After a brief pause, he continued: “The Zhang family case. We set the deadline at exactly sunset tomorrow. Whoever catches the murderer first wins.”
Ning Yan studied him, feeling that he wasn’t joking. “You’re serious?”
“Of course.”
“Fine. Then, Commander, I trust you won’t go back on your word.”
“Tomorrow at sunset, then. We’ll meet at the county yamen.”
After saying that, Ning Yan turned and walked away.
Pei Yan called after her: “Little girl, keep that head of yours tied on tight. I’ll be coming to collect it.”
He had sincerely tried to recruit her, but she refused. Since she insisted on making things difficult, he would teach her a lesson and make sure she understood the difference between their abilities.
“Let’s go!” Pei Yan spurred his horse and headed straight for the yamen morgue. Once there, he did nothing unusual. He merely placed a hand on the victim’s hand and closed his eyes.
After a long moment, Shiwen leaned closer and asked quietly, “Master, did you see anything?”
“Take that Zhang family servant we captured and hang him up for a beating,” Pei Yan said coldly. “If he still won’t confess, break one of his legs first.”
At the Zhang residence, Zhang Xingben exploded in anger at his wife and daughter.
Zhang Heting cried as she defended herself: “Father, how were we supposed to know there were so many twists and turns to this? When something happens, of course we’d try to clear your name first!”
“Foolish!” Zhang Xingben roared. “Did neither of you stop to think? If I really wanted Ma Si captured, would I send a few servants to do it? He’s a deputy commander! Do you seriously think a handful of ordinary servants could catch him?”
Mother and daughter froze.
“B-but Ning Yan didn’t deny it either!” Zhang Heting protested. “It’s all her fault. She didn’t say a word and just went with Commander Pei as if she were admitting guilt.”
“Was she admitting guilt?” Zhang Xingben snapped. “She knew that once Commander Pei came in person, she had no choice but to go.”
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He had painstakingly raised and educated his daughter, yet she could not compare to even one of Ning Yan’s toes.
“Now that Ning Yan has been taken away, why don’t the two of you investigate the case yourselves and save your second brother?” he said furiously.
Just as he was getting up to leave, a gatekeeper hurried over with a message. “Master, Miss Ning said she’s fine and that you shouldn’t worry. However, she also said not to forget to send the five thousand taels to the military camp.”
Zhang Xingben immediately relaxed. As expected, Ning Yan was clever. She had actually managed to get herself out of trouble even after falling into Pei Yan’s hands. The next instant, he nearly fainted with anger. “Five thousand taels?”
The Zhang mother and daughter shrank back, unable to utter a word.
Zhang Xingben erupted into another round of scolding.
Then someone arrived with urgent news, saying that something had happened at the Chamber of Commerce and asking him to come immediately. When he arrived, seven or eight merchants were already arguing heatedly. Even after he entered, the quarrel did not stop. In fact, the words being exchanged were particularly harsh. He stepped forward to mediate.
One plump, fair-faced man let out a cold snort. “Zhang Xingben, back in the day people might have listened when you spoke. But now, when you try to act like the boss again, do you really think anyone’s going to follow you?”
Zhang Xingben froze. “W-what do you mean by that?” he asked.
“What do I mean? You know perfectly well.” The man sneered. “You can’t even handle your own family’s affairs. Your businesses are in complete disarray. Do you really think you’re still qualified to be the chairman?”
The man finished speaking, and everyone else fell silent as well, staring coldly at Zhang Xingben. In an instant, a chill ran through his hands and feet, and he found himself completely speechless.
“How can you talk like that? Brother Zhang has managed the Chamber of Commerce for so many years. Even if he hasn’t accomplished great feats, he’s certainly worked hard,” a young man stepped forward to defend him. The man looked refined and scholarly, yet wore a saber at his waist.
“Thank you, Escort Chief Yu,” Zhang Xingben said gratefully.
Meanwhile, Ning Yan sat at a roadside stall eating wontons, while Liu Zhan worried so much his hair looked like it might turn white.
“A Yan, what are we going to do?” he asked miserably. “You explained everything to me just now, but somehow I still don’t understand any of it.”
“Who exactly is the murderer?”
Ning Yan looked at him and laughed.
Liu Zhan was so anxious he nearly cried. He transferred the poached egg from his own bowl into hers. “You’re far too calm about this.”
Ning Yan remained completely composed, finishing both the wontons and the egg. Just as she was about to get up, Jin Shu arrived. “Big Sister, I’ve found out what you asked me to investigate.”
“What is it? Was it Xu Yao?” Liu Zhan immediately fired off a barrage of questions. “He said he went straight home that night. Was that a lie?”
Earlier, Ning Yan had explained the case to him, and he felt that Xu Yao had the strongest motive. First, Xu Yao might have been jealous of Zhang Heyu. Second, Xu Yao’s father was currently competing with Zhang Xingben for the Chamber of Commerce chairmanship. With a scandal like this, Xu Yao’s father’s chances of winning had increased considerably.
Jin Shu lowered his voice and told them what he had discovered.
Liu Zhan instantly brightened. “So it really was Xu Yao who killed Mudan?”
If they had identified the murderer, then Ning Yan was certain to win the wager. Then another worry suddenly struck him: could they catch the killer before Pei Yan did?
Ning Yan remained as calm as ever. “We’ll know tomorrow.”