Yao Shu understood now—Zhu’er was a loyal servant. In ancient times, reputation and chastity were considered paramount. If an unmarried girl were seen unclothed, gossip would inevitably follow her for life. That was why Zhu’er would rather be beaten than speak out.
Having obtained useful information, Fu Xiujin immediately took the two companions back to rejoin Fan Zhongliang. Fan Zhongliang did not disappoint—he had also extracted an important clue from the people at the charity hall.
“Niu Daguai is from Han County. During an argument, Liu Yu said she wanted to return to Niu Daguai’s hometown. Later, she mysteriously disappeared, so Madam Chen reported it to the authorities. Within two days, Niu Daguai claimed he had found her, and that very night, he left with a bundle for the dock at Dongtou Village in the northern part of the city. They were certain it was the Dongtou Village dock, because at that time, due to the flood season, all other docks had been closed. Only Dongtou Village dock had private boats willing to take passengers.”
Now the trail pointed directly to Niu Daguai. Thinking that Chen Suqing might still be alive, none of them complained about the exhausting search. They immediately set out for the dock to gather evidence.
Heaven rewards perseverance—perhaps fate also wished to give Chen Suqing a chance. After less than half an hour of questioning at the dock, they received a clear answer from an old boatman.
“Three years ago, on the ninth day of the fifth month—I remember it clearly. The flood season came suddenly, and the authorities ordered all docked boats to stop operating. But I had to earn money to feed my family, so I secretly took out my smuggling boat. You mentioned someone traveling to Han County in the middle of the night—yes, there was such a man. He said his wife was ill and needed to return to the countryside urgently. I saw that his wife’s left leg was crippled, and he carried her on his back. He was in a great hurry, so I ferried them straight to Han County.”
The old boatman continued to describe his heroic rowing that night vividly, but Fu Xiujin simply pressed a piece of silver into his hand:
“Take us to Han County.”
Thus, Yao Shu followed the three men swiftly to Han County. Upon arrival, their first stop was the county yamen (government office).
With Prince Su himself present, the prefect immediately ordered his men to assist in the investigation, terrified that any delay would cost him the chance to curry favor.
After half an hour of formalities, a bailiff rushed in, knelt, and reported, “Reporting to Your Highness, we have checked. There is indeed a man named Niu Daguai in Niujia Village, but he has not returned. His house is empty.”
This was troublesome. He had come to Han County, but deliberately concealed his identity and avoided returning home. Where had he gone? Where could he be hiding?
“Niu Daguai has ransom money. He would never continue living in a shabby house. And with Chen Suqing, crippled in her left leg, he should not be too hard to find. But Han County is not small. If we make too much noise, he might notice and slip away.”
Fan Zhongliang agreed with Yao Shu’s reasoning. They could not search openly—it had to be done quietly.
“The severed left leg had a clean cut, done in one stroke with great force. Before Niu Daguai became a cook, did he have another profession?” Yao Shu returned her thoughts to the corpse. She was not skilled at field investigation, but as a “corpse whisperer,” she believed the body held answers.
“A butcher! An old man at the charity hall mentioned it once. Niu Daguai told him in casual conversation that he had been a butcher in his youth, before later apprenticing as a cook.”
Yao Shu and Fan Zhongliang’s answers clearly narrowed the scope. Fu Xiujin immediately ordered men to watch the villages near the outskirts, to see if anyone lived there with a crippled wife.
“Why do you think it’s the outskirts?” Yao Shu asked directly.
Fu Xiujin gave her a look as if she were foolish. “In his hometown, even with a false name, he could easily be recognized by acquaintances. The outskirts are sparsely populated and safer. Besides, he has ransom money—spending lavishly in the city would draw too much attention. In the countryside, where few people travel, he could live quietly. Many taverns and teahouses like to buy freshly slaughtered game from butchers, sometimes bartering goods. Only then could he spend his silver without worry.”
With the search area narrowed and the yamen fully cooperating, within an hour new information was brought back.