Sha Gu collapsed onto the snowy ground, curling into a ball, her shoulders trembling, head bowed low, not daring to look up.
Huo Weilou glanced at her, seemingly surprised that the one captured was just a young maid.
Bo Ruoyou whispered: “Marquis, this is Sha Gu.”
That night in the front courtyard, when the household servants were questioned, Sha Gu had stood quietly in a corner, barely noticeable. Thus, this was the first time Huo Weilou had seen her.
Bo Ruoyou softly explained the connection between the Eldest Madam and Sha Gu, and Huo Weilou’s brows furrowed even tighter.
(*) Note that the Eldest Madam is Madam Marquis An, Zheng Yunni’s mother.
Around them, the embroidered-uniform guards stood with blades drawn, their presence imposing. Huo Weilou’s aura was even more overwhelming.
Bo Ruoyou stepped forward, crouched down, and spoke gently: “Sha Gu? Why are you here?”
Sha Gu shrank further, shoulders hunched, silent.
Bo Ruoyou coaxed: “Look at me. You’ve seen me before.”
Sha Gu hesitated, then slowly raised her eyes to Bo Ruoyou. But her gaze was dull, her expression vacant, as if she could not recall when she had met her.
Everyone knew Sha Gu was simple-minded. Bo Ruoyou was not surprised she failed to recognize her. Yet looking into those eyes, though still beautiful, they lacked the liveliness she had once glimpsed. In the lantern light, they seemed strangely familiar. The scar across her face remained, more frightening now upon closer inspection than it had been at first glance.
A strange feeling passed through Bo Ruoyou’s heart. She asked softly: “What are you doing here?”
This place, though near the ancestral hall, was desolate. And with the hall just burned to ashes, smoke still lingered. Why would she come here without reason?
Sha Gu lowered her eyes again, shoulders hunched, refusing to speak.
That made things difficult. She was clearly more frightened than before.
Bo Ruoyou looked her over. She still wore the same plain robe as last time, her shoes stained with snow and mud. Nothing seemed unusual. And with her crippled leg, she could hardly be the killer.
On the ground were only the guards’ and Sha Gu’s footprints. Compared side by side, Sha Gu’s prints were obvious—her injured left leg left one deep and one shallow mark, smaller than the guards’ prints. Bo Ruoyou looked toward the bamboo grove, then at the tracks left by the killer.
The withered grass and layered snow bore clear signs of trampling. Comparing carefully, she realized they were identical to the footprints she had seen outside Zheng Wenyan’s study courtyard. And clearly, they were different from Sha Gu’s.
Bo Ruoyou frowned. “The person I saw just now did not limp, and wore a winter robe of a different style. It should not have been Sha Gu. But since she refuses to speak, we cannot learn why she came here.”
Among all the suspects, the most troublesome were those like Sha Gu—simple-minded or possibly mad.
Huo Weilou made a swift decision: “Take her to the front courtyard. Ask the stewards who she lives with.”
The guards obeyed. Just then, He Cheng hurried over. On the way, he had already learned that Bo Ruoyou had seen the killer. Now, seeing her, he said with lingering fear: “Xiao Bo, you must never go out alone again. It’s far too dangerous.”
Bo Ruoyou quickly agreed. Huo Weilou glanced at He Cheng. At that moment, another guard stepped forward: “Marquis, we searched the surroundings. There are many traces, but all are chaotic. The main paths of the estate are guarded. I suspect the killer has been moving through these desolate places to avoid the patrols. North of this bamboo grove lies a plum orchard, and beyond that, the high wall of the rear courtyard.”
As the words fell, Bo Ruoyou belatedly noticed a faint fragrance of plum blossoms.
Huo Weilou lifted his steps toward the orchard. He Cheng and Bo Ruoyou followed. Soon, a grove of yellow plum blossoms came into view. The bamboo grove was untended, but this orchard, farther north, was even more desolate. Yet in the bitter cold of midwinter, the hardy plum bloomed, its pale yellow blossoms clustered on the branches, their subtle fragrance drifting richly in the firelight.
A guard pointed: “There are traces of people in the orchard too. But it is open ground, not easy to hide in. At the northernmost edge, there is a dry well. We checked—it was empty.”
The bamboo grove was dense enough to conceal someone, but the plum orchard was sparse, easily scanned at a glance. Huo Weilou looked toward the distant high wall, pondered briefly, then led the group back toward the front courtyard.
The killer had appeared suddenly and nearly been caught. Huo Weilou ordered the entire estate searched. Half an hour later, Zheng Wenan and the others were gathered again in the front hall. Yet all of them, including Zheng Wenrong, had alibis for the night.
Zheng Yunni arrived last. As she entered the courtyard, she saw Sha Gu standing outside the hall.
Sha Gu kept her head bowed, standing quietly. But when she heard footsteps and turned to see Zheng Yunni, fear flashed across her face. She stepped back, her spine striking the railing of the corridor.
Bo Ruoyou, standing at the doorway, witnessed the scene clearly.
Zheng Yunni looked coldly at Sha Gu, as if displeased that she was even there. Seeing Bo Ruoyou at the doorway, she lifted her chin and entered the hall with a graceful bearing.
Inside, Zheng Wenan was speaking: “Following the Marquis’s orders, I have been at the ancestral hall overseeing the clearing of the fire ruins. Sha Gu is clumsy at work, and today’s tasks were all heavy labor, so only household men were called. I do not know why she went over there.”
At this, Zheng Yunni spoke: “She went to pick yellow plum blossoms for my mother. Though the estate has many plum trees, my mother loves only the yellow plum. The grove in the north is the only place where they grow.”
This explanation seemed reasonable. Yet sending a simple-minded girl out at night to pick plum blossoms sounded strange and unsettling.
Huo Weilou looked at Zheng Yunni for a moment, then turned to Zheng Wenan. “That robe of your mother’s—can you confirm it was burned?”
Zheng Wenan hesitated. “Third Brother ordered one of Mother’s maids to burn it. The deceased’s belongings are usually not kept. And the robe was not gold or jewels…” His words implied he had not personally seen the robe destroyed.
Huo Weilou glanced at He Cheng, who immediately left the hall.
Zheng Wenan, seeing Huo Weilou silent, asked nervously: “Marquis, have you found some clue?”
Huo Weilou had searched the estate but had not explained why. When everyone gathered, he first questioned Sha Gu. Thus, none yet knew what had happened that night. His eyes narrowed slightly. “Tonight, the killer appeared in the eastern bamboo grove, wearing that plain robe. He was seen.”
At this, everyone’s expressions changed. Zheng Wenan froze. “What… the killer was seen?”
Zheng Yunni asked: “Was the face clearly visible?”
Huo Weilou’s voice was heavy. “No. Not clearly.”
Zheng Wenrong, standing nearby, said: “Then he must have been hiding in the bamboo grove, perhaps for days. The estate has many desolate corners. You should send more men to search.”
Eunuch Fu sighed: “Fourth Master, we already searched. There were many traces, but still no one found. We don’t know where he hid. Everyone must be cautious these days, lest the killer strike again.”
Zheng Yunni clenched her fists tightly in her sleeves, her expression grave. Zheng Wenan also seemed lost in thought.
At that moment, He Cheng returned to the hall. Seeing him hesitate, Huo Weilou dismissed the others first.
When they had gone, He Cheng said: “Marquis, I asked. The robe was burned by the old madam’s maid, Mo Yi. She gave it to a rough servant woman to burn. That woman was superstitious—she tossed the robe into the brazier and left. Later, when she returned to remove the ashes, the brazier held many other burned items. The robe was no longer visible. She assumed it had been consumed.”
Since no one had seen it burned with their own eyes, doubt remained. At that moment, another embroidered-uniform guard entered and reported: “Marquis, Sha Gu usually lives in the servants’ quarters, sharing a courtyard with more than ten rough maids of the inner residence. Because the Madam favors her, she has her own small room. Incidentally, the servant woman who burned the old madam’s robe also lives in that courtyard.”
Huo Weilou’s brows lifted. “Take men to search her room.”
Bo Ruoyou felt a strange unease in her heart. Was it all a coincidence—or had she misjudged? She looked toward the doorway and saw Sha Gu shrinking in the corner, clearly avoiding Zheng Yunni and the others.
After a moment’s hesitation, Bo Ruoyou walked over, took Sha Gu’s hand, and led her inside.
Perhaps because of Bo Ruoyou’s gentle manner, Sha Gu followed step by step.
Bo Ruoyou closed the door, crouched before her, and spoke softly: “Sha Gu, I am a doctor. Let me examine your old injury, will you?”
Sha Gu stared blankly at her, surprised. Though timid, she sensed Bo Ruoyou’s kindness and did not resist.
Bo Ruoyou’s hand moved up from her ankle. Her slender calf was wasted, little more than skin clinging to bone. The scars were rough, and upon careful touch, Bo Ruoyou could feel the marks of a healed fracture. She frowned at first, then exhaled in relief. Standing, she gently patted Sha Gu’s head. “The injury has healed. It’s all right now.”
Sha Gu’s guarded eyes softened slightly. Bo Ruoyou led her back outside. Upon re-entering, she said: “Her leg injury is real, and her limp is genuine. She cannot be the killer.”