Dajin's Qingzhou occupied a unique geographical position—westward it led into Shudi, while three hundred li to the east lay Chang'an.
The entire city nestled at the foot of the mountain range, governing twelve counties, making it a strategic hub fiercely contested by all major trading houses.
Having spent a decade establishing herself as Qingzhou's wealthiest individual, Li Yan naturally held a prominent place in the commercial district.
Stepping down from the carriage, her gaze swept across the estate's enterprises—from silk fabrics and cosmetics to pawnshops and banking houses. Dozens of shopfronts bore plaques embedded with the golden emblem of Feilong Shanghang.
This was Qingzhou's most bustling district. With the sun yet to set, the streets teemed with a continuous flow of people.
Li Yan ascended a few stone steps, then turned back, rising on her toes to peer at the dense crowd behind her.
"Young Mistress, over here!"
Spotting two waving arms, she quickly grabbed Shen Hanzhou's wrist, preparing to push through the throng. "It's crowded; let's not get separated."
But Shen Hanzhou instead grasped her arm, turning her shoulder to forcibly pivot her sideways. "I'm not a three-year-old child."
Li Yan faltered, wanting to retort, but the jostling crowd left her no room for distraction.
Shen Hanzhou shielded her side, his faint sandalwood scent drifting over as he guided her forward.
"What's the occasion today? Why so many people?" she complained.
"The estate master doesn't keep the accounts, so she remains unaware of the cost of daily necessities," Shen Hanzhou remarked without lowering his head, offering a flawless profile as they walked. "Today is market day. Many farmers set up stalls to trade goods, offering better deals than usual."
He paused. "If you hadn't been so stubborn about meddling in official affairs while craving wine, I had planned to purchase many supplies today. The estate needs restocking of firewood, rice, oil, and salt."
"So it's my fault now?" She retreated half a step, suddenly feeling more space around her.
Beside her, Shen Hanzhou kept his arm raised, not turning back, and replied lightly, "It's my fault for lacking the means to procure Taohua Niang for you from Jingcheng."
His surrender came too swiftly, catching Li Yan off guard—like having her momentum cut short mid-performance, leaving her speechless.
Li Yan knew perfectly well it wasn't a matter of capability but rather his unwillingness to do so.
Amid the surrounding clamor, with people pressed shoulder to shoulder, it was hard to imagine that just ten days prior, a headless female corpse had been discovered here, sparking widespread panic.
"People forget easily when something doesn't concern them," Shen Hanzhou said, as if reading her thoughts, gently nudging her forward. "For common folk, the fate of a stranger matters far less than what their family will eat tomorrow."
Li Yan nodded, about to agree, when another remark swiftly followed: "Of all the bandits under heaven, you're the only one eager to take on the yamen's duties."
"Tsk! Of all the second-in-commands among bandits, you're the only one daring enough to challenge your leader like this," she retorted, curling her lip. "We're quite the pair."
Finally breaking free from the crowd, Li Yan turned to look back.
Covering just over ten meters had taken them the time it takes half an incense stick to burn.
"I should've known better than to alight here," she muttered, turning toward Cao Qie waiting at the tavern entrance. "…Was it this crowded on the day of the incident?"
Cao Qie was the chief manager Li Yan had stationed in Qingzhou, overseeing the operations of Feilong Shanghang and serving as one of the Li family's trusted confidants for three generations.
"Far less crowded than now," he answered truthfully, pointing toward the sea of heads before them. "It landed right here. At the time, the yamen constables found nothing, and now, ten days later, even a deity would struggle to uncover any traces."
"Indeed."
With such a commotion, no trace could possibly remain.
Cao Qie shook his head: "Even during market days, there were never this many people before. It's just that some busybodies, hearing about a death, treat it like some earth-shattering news and rush to gather here, creating this scene."
There was originally no spectacle, yet such a scene was forcibly created.
He sighed, leading the two inside Haixi Lou.
The spot where the body fell was indeed too coincidental—right at the main entrance of the commercial inn, with the literati poetry gathering's Qulou across the street, still displaying the verses personally inscribed by Duke Lu Su decades ago when he passed through.
Standing at the inn's entrance and tiptoeing to look over, one could still see those poems swaying in the wind.
Shen Hanzhou paused to gaze for a moment, then turned expressionlessly without a word.
The inn's location was excellent—a feng shui treasure that Li Yan's father had gritted his teeth to purchase years ago, not far from any of Qingzhou's four city gates.
Originally just an ordinary inn, after over a decade of renovations and expansions, it had become Qingzhou's most upscale establishment.
From the outside, the interior appeared plain and unadorned, but only those with a discerning eye could recognize the true value of its furnishings.
Li Yan lifted the hem of her dress, ascending the wide sandalwood steps beside the hanging gold-inlaid lanterns.
Behind her, Shen Hanzhou followed quietly, never speaking.
"That day, I happened to be in a private room on the second floor discussing supply business," Cao Qie said, pushing open the private room door. After turning to instruct the waiter a few words and closing the door, he continued, "First, I heard a thud, followed by continuous screams from the street. I quickly stood up to look out the window and saw someone standing there, clear as day."
He pointed to the roof of the neighboring Qulou.
That night, the moonlight was just right, with no clouds or wind.
Cao Qie had been drinking while discussing business. Just as he had stamped the Qiyin and was toasting, a white figure flashed past the window from above in his peripheral vision.
Then came a loud thud that shook him to the core.
He followed the sound and saw a silhouette standing against the light on the opposite roof.
It wasn't until people downstairs began shouting about a death that the silhouette moved.
"Backlit, couldn't see clearly. I thought it looked like a martial artist—the physique was there—but judging by the clothing outline, it seemed like a scholar. Then he jumped down and disappeared, probably landing in the courtyard on the other side." Cao Qie stood at the window, pointing across, "Right there, whoosh, he jumped down."
The roof of the opposite Qulou was slightly higher than the inn's. From the window, only a stretch of black tiles was visible.
Cao Qie exclaimed, "Ah!" and sighed, "But that's not the strangest part."
He paced back to the table, frowning as he sat down. "With such a major case, the magistrate's office should be conducting a thorough search. But the strange thing is, when the constable came with the notice seeking clues, it stated: 'The body fell from the roof of the rouge shop.'" He pointed to the small courtyard adjacent to Qulou. "That place has actually been empty for a long time, with no business for over half a year. Now that building has been sealed by the authorities, searched seven or eight times, turned upside down, yet no physical evidence was found."
Li Yan hissed, asking in return, "Didn't the patrolling constable realize it fell from Qulou?"
Cao Qie helplessly spread his hands. "Can't rule out the possibility that they're both blind."
This statement left Li Yan speechless. After a long pause, she finally reacted, "Blind?"
"What else could it be but blindness?" Cao Qie remarked coldly, with sound reasoning. "After the incident, I saw them investigating like headless flies. Worried that the prefectural office might suddenly turn their attention to our Feilong Shanzhuang again, I wrote an anonymous letter and had Yu Bei climb over the wall to place it on Prefect Lin's desk. It contained the true location where the body fell. But so many days have passed, and I see the notice posted by the prefectural office hasn't been corrected."
He clicked his tongue. "What else could this be but blindness?"