This Was Made by My Wife with Her Own Hands, Seeing How Hard I Work
A large crowd had gathered by the Longshou Canal near Pingkang Ward.
“Young Minister Lu has arrived.”
The constable announced upon spotting the figure, and the commoners quickly stepped back several paces, clearing a path.
Yongzhou Judicial Officer Zhang Zhuo approached, his expression grave. “Lu Shaoqing, this is the fifth one. The manner of death is identical to the previous cases.”
The deceased lay on the ground, his cyan official robe soaked through with water.
“Sun Wuzuo, provide the details.”
Sun Wuzuo bowed and replied, “Reporting to Young Minister Lu, the deceased is indeed Zhou Wen, Harmonizing Tunes Gentleman of the Taichang Temple, aged forty-three. He died between the transition from the hour of Hai to the beginning of the hour of Chou last night, less than six hours ago. Sediment is lodged in his mouth and nose, and his chest and abdomen are swollen, indicating death by drowning. The tip of his tongue is reddish, and there is a lingering scent of wine on his body, suggesting he consumed a considerable amount before his death.”
“There are no bruises or abrasions on his skin, no fractures or injuries to his bones, and no signs of external harm. However—”
Sun Wuzuo sighed and continued, “Like the four previous victims, his body has lost a significant amount of blood. His skin is pale and withered, unlike the typical coloration of a drowning victim. Also, on his neck, there is a faint, reddish wound.”
In the past half-month, there had already been four consecutive drowning cases, yet there were no leads.
“It’s the cat demon! It must be the cat demon causing trouble!”
A sudden exclamation rose from the crowd. An elderly man, his face filled with fear, cried out, “Weren’t the previous cases the same? Drowning in the middle of the night, blood drained—every ward is spreading rumors… it’s the cat demon harming people.”
At these words, the murmurs among the onlookers turned into open discussion.
“Outrageous!”
Zhang Zhuo sternly rebuked, “Under the feet of the Son of Heaven, how can there be talk of ghosts and monsters? Anyone who dares to spread rumors and mislead the public will be charged with disturbing public order!”
The crowd quieted somewhat, but many still wore fearful expressions, frequently glancing at the corpse as they whispered among themselves.
How could a person lose so much blood without any external injuries? It was too terrifying.
Zhang Zhuo added to Lu Jin, “Lu Shaoqing, the four previous victims included a merchant from Xi Shi who traded in spices, a laundress from the southern city, a young forest ranger from outside the city, and a courier who delivered messages. Their identities varied greatly, scattered across different parts of Chang’an. After investigation by the constables, they were found to be complete strangers to one another, with no overlap in their daily activities or routines.”
Lu Jin spoke slowly, “Zhou Wen, Harmonizing Tunes Gentleman of the Taichang Temple, has recently been a rising star in Chang’an. The Empress praised the music he composed, ‘Qingyun Music,’ for its elegant melody and peaceful aura, summoning him to the palace multiple times to perform…”
“Exactly.”
Zhang Zhuo nodded repeatedly. “He was practicing music at the Taichang Temple yesterday afternoon. In the evening, someone saw him heading to a wine shop in Pingkang Ward. After that, there was no further news of him. Who would have thought he would be found floating in the canal this morning?”
Lu Jin said no more and began walking slowly along the canal bank.
The canal water in winter was covered with a thin layer of ice, and the bank was slippery and muddy. A few scattered footprints could faintly be seen, likely left by the onlookers, which was not unusual. The Longshou Canal flowed slowly here, and along the bank stood a grove of low-hanging willow trees, making it easy for someone to hide in the deep of night.
Some commoners nearby were still whispering about the “cat demon,” with some even claiming to have seen a giant black-furred cat prowling by the canal.
Lu Jin stopped and said, “Everyone, please remain calm.”
The crowd gradually quieted, all eyes turning to him.
Lu Jin continued, "Cats have always been auspicious creatures since ancient times, capable of driving away rats and protecting homes. How could they possibly harm people? This murder case is definitely not the work of ghosts or monsters… I will order a thorough investigation. The weather has been cold lately, and the canal banks are slippery. After curfew, do not go out late at night. Be sure to take good care of yourselves."
With the words of the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the fear on the faces of the common people lessened slightly, and the murmurs gradually subsided.
Lu Jin turned and instructed, "Take the body back to the mortuary with care and examine it again thoroughly. Do not overlook any details."
"Yes, Young Minister Lu!"
The constable quickly complied, directing his subordinates to lift the body.
Zhang Zhuo followed Lu Jin's steps and said in a low voice, "Lu Shaoqing, we still can't find any commonalities among the victims who are completely unrelated. Now, with the addition of a Harmonizing Tunes Gentleman favored by the Empress, this case… Moreover, the rumors of the cat demon have been spreading widely in Chang'an lately, related to the Empress—"
"Military Advisor Zhang, disperse the onlookers and do not allow idlers to approach the canal bank."
He turned to look at Zhang Zhuo. Though his expression was gentle, his eyes were deep and serious. "Moreover, matters concerning the Empress are not for us to discuss."
In the sixth year of Yonghui, it was rumored that the Empress had strangled Consort Xiao, who, in despair and resentment, left behind a venomous curse—
"May Empress Wu become a rat, and I a cat, strangling her throat for all eternity."
Since then, rumors of the cat demon have frequently circulated both inside and outside the palace.
"Lu Shaoqing is right."
Zhang Zhuo understood and immediately changed the subject. "Please accompany this official to Yongzhou Prefecture, Lu Shaoqing."
The group proceeded to Yongzhou Prefecture, where the case files were brought over.
"Lu Shaoqing, these are the complete records of the previous floating body cases. The victims' native places, whereabouts, and autopsy details are all included."
When Zhang Zhuo entered with his subordinates, Lu Jin was standing to the side having a meal.
After unwrapping the oil paper, a golden, crispy youtiao was revealed. He took a small bite, and the aroma of flour mixed with oil spread through the air.
Zhang Zhuo couldn't help but ask curiously, "Lu Shaoqing, is this a new way of eating oil cakes? It looks crispy and delicious."
Lu Jin put away the oil paper, washed his hands, and picked up a case file. "This was made by my wife herself. Before I left, she reminded me that investigating cases is hard work, and I must fill my stomach."
"Pfft—"
Ming Yi, who was standing nearby, had just taken a sip of the hot tea offered to him. Upon hearing this, he choked abruptly and looked at his superior with wide-eyed astonishment.
His superior had always been indifferent to women. How, after only a few days of marriage, could he casually mention his wife like this?
Zhang Zhuo tactfully cupped his hands. "I see. This official was presumptuous. Please take your time reviewing the files, Lu Shaoqing. I will not disturb you further. If you have any instructions, feel free to summon me at any time."
This marriage of Lu Shaoqing's had come suddenly. It was originally thought to be merely a compliance with Old Madam Lu's arrangements, but who would have guessed he would be so affectionate with his Madam? He even brought food made by his wife while out investigating cases and mentioned her so casually.
He handles both official duties and household affairs appropriately. He is truly someone worth learning from.
Lu Jin gave a soft "hmm" and began flipping through the case files unhurriedly.
On the counter in the back kitchen of the Dali Temple lay half a freshly slaughtered pig, its meat still fresh.
Chen Yang stood to the side with his hands on his hips. "Clean this pork thoroughly, remove all the sinew, separate the fat from the lean, and properly freeze whatever can be used. You used so much sesame oil earlier—such extravagance and waste. Now hurry up and render some oil for me, or I won't have any oil to cook for the superiors today."
Wu Yu, who was chopping vegetables nearby, looked up and muttered softly, "Chen Chu, there's still plenty of sesame oil stocked on the shelves, enough for several days…"
"Who asked for your opinion!"
Chen Yang shot him a fierce glare. "How can sesame oil compare to the richness of lard? The officials have been working tirelessly on the case for days—what's wrong with them having a bit of lard to replenish their energy? Didn't you see how Young Minister Lu rushed out this morning without even finishing his morning meal? The case must be urgent and mentally draining. How can they keep going without eating more hearty food?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Shen Fenghuo again. "Work faster. The oil must be rendered before the Evening Meal."
"Understood."
Shen Fenghuo used a knife to meticulously remove impurities from the pork, her movements skilled and efficient.
New cooks being bullied by senior cooks—this wasn't just common in the Dali Temple; it happened frequently in restaurants and eateries across the wards. When Shen Fenghuo was fourteen, she took over a funeral banquet for an elderly villager who had passed away. The old Head Chef had practically nagged her with ten thousand words in a single afternoon, all to assert his authority.
Perhaps Chen Chu was simply accustomed to his ways at the Dali Temple.
Preparing morning meals for a hundred people, rendering oil…
That was… far too simple.
Seeing Shen Fenghuo remain neither submissive nor arrogant, Wu Yu quietly gave her a sympathetic look before lowering his head to chop vegetables swiftly, not daring to provoke Chen Yang further.
As Chen Yang stepped out of the back kitchen, he saw several clerks walking over, chatting and laughing.
He hurried forward to greet them. "Officers, are you hungry? What would you like to eat?"
The clerk at the front replied cheerfully, "We'll have the scallion oil noodles made by Shen Niangzi this morning. We just followed Young Minister Lu to Pingkang Ward and recorded a lot of information. Now, the more we think about it, the more we crave that taste. Another bowl would really hit the spot."
He called out loudly toward the back kitchen, "Shen Niangzi, is Shen Niangzi there? Could you please make a few more bowls of scallion oil noodles?"
"Coming right up!"
Shen Fenghuo responded from inside.
Several steaming bowls of scallion oil noodles were brought out again, leaving Chen Yang, the Head Chef, with nothing to do.
He had gone to great lengths to make things difficult for Shen Fenghuo, yet in the end, the clerks still longed for the food she made. This frustration choked his chest, nearly igniting into anger, but he dared not show it in front of the clerks and could only force himself to endure it.
Just as he was suppressing his anger, he saw a man in a dark green official robe walking behind the clerks. He appeared to be in his forties, with a lean and refined face.
Chen Yang didn't recognize him and quickly hid his displeasure, forcing a smile as he inquired cautiously, "This Officer looks unfamiliar. What would you like to eat?"
A nearby clerk promptly introduced him. "Chef Chen, this is the newly transferred Temple Assistant Di. He just arrived at the Dali Temple today to take up his post—he's our superior!"
"Oh, so it's Official Di!"
Chen Yang's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately bowed and scraped, his attitude becoming ten times more respectful. "This humble one failed to recognize your eminence and has been negligent. What would you like to eat, sir? We have fresh pork and seasonal vegetables in the kitchen—just give your orders!"
Temple Assistant Di replied calmly, "No need for formalities. Anything simple will do; there's no need for extravagance."
"Understood. Then this humble one will prepare a pot of tender, fragrant braised pork for Official Di, along with two refreshing side dishes. I guarantee you'll enjoy the meal."
He turned and headed back to the kitchen. As he passed Shen Fenghuo, he instructed, "Hurry up with the oil. Don't serve this official any scallion oil noodles."
The dishes were soon brought to the table. Temple Assistant Di picked up a piece of pork with his chopsticks, placed it in his mouth, chewed carefully for a moment, and then frowned slightly.
A clerk nearby, still waiting for his scallion oil noodles, noticed this and chimed in, "Temple Assistant Di, how is the braised pork? Chef Chen's skills are among the best in the Dali Temple Dining Hall."
Temple Assistant Di took a deep breath. "It's passable, but the gaminess hasn't been fully removed, and it's slightly undercooked."
As soon as these words were spoken, several clerks nearby who knew Chen Yang's temperament couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Pang Lushi held a steaming bowl of scallion oil noodles and slurped up a large mouthful.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Di Sicheng. He stopped his chopsticks and exclaimed in surprise, "Huaiying! What are you doing here? Have you been transferred to the Dali Temple too?"
Carrying his noodles, he walked over to Di Sicheng's table and plopped down. Glancing at the stewed pork on the table, he curled his lip and said, "Why are you eating this? Chen Yang's cooking is only good enough to fool those who aren't picky. If you ask me, it's Shen Niangzi's scallion oil noodles that are truly delicious—so fragrant!"
Di Sicheng raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is it really that good?"
"Absolutely."
As he spoke, Pang Lushi picked up a clean pair of chopsticks, grabbed a large portion of scallion oil noodles, and without another word, brought them to Di Sicheng's mouth. "Come on, Huaiying, try it and you'll see."
With the noodles right at his lips, Di Sicheng had no choice but to accept. He opened his mouth and took a bite.
Hmm, incredibly savory and fragrant.
Author's Note:
A'He: Did I say that when I gave it to him?
Lu Jin: Just eat it and be done with it.
"May Empress Wu be a rat, and I a cat, forever choking her throat." —From Old Book of Tang: Biography of Empress Wang, Deposed by Emperor Gaozong, with Appendix on Consort Xiao
Empress Wu also ordered that no cats be kept in the palace from then on.
Di Sicheng is an Easter egg—in the second year of Shangyuan, he really did serve as Dali Temple Assistant, haha.