From the crowd, a maid squeezed forward, trembling as she explained that Concubine Chen was extremely particular about her embroidered clothing. Not a single flaw was tolerated—after each garment was washed and dried, Concubine Chen herself would inspect it before placing it in the wardrobe. Thus, the key was always in her possession.
Concubine Su, fiery and aggressive, ignored Concubine Chen’s resistance, straddled her, and forcibly searched her body until she snatched the key. Zhao Shaobai took it, opened the wardrobe, and Yao Shu stepped forward to rummage. After a moment, her eyes lit up. She pulled out a white shawl, upon which were two symmetrical black smudges. Holding it up against the carved railing of the bed, she confirmed the marks matched the dust rubbed away from that spot.
“Concubine Chen, leaving aside the dust stains that match the railing, look at the daisy embroidery—it’s come loose. Didn’t you claim you personally inspected every garment before putting it away? How could you miss such a glaring flaw, and hastily shove a dirty shawl into the wardrobe?”
With each word, Concubine Chen’s face grew paler, her lips bitten until they bled. Yao Shu tossed the shawl before her, pointing at the unravelled daisy.
“When Master Cao died, he was wearing a fine gold chain around his neck. When you strangled him with this shawl, the embroidery snagged on the chain. A thread is still caught there. Do you still want to deny it?”
This time, Concubine Chen said nothing. Suddenly, she shoved Concubine Su off her and shouted: “Do you think I wanted to be his concubine? Cao Hongfa forced me! I was betrothed to Liu Dali before he dragged me here. I resigned myself, but he spent every night whoring in the pleasure quarters, bringing back filthy diseases. I wanted him in hell!”
Ignoring the shocked stares, Liu Dali rushed forward to embrace her. Gritting his teeth, he declared: “He brought this on himself. The night before last, he tried to torment Yu’er again. She couldn’t bear it and struck the fatal blow. I was on night patrol—I moved the body to the study and hid inside. It had nothing to do with Yu’er. If only I’d lasted until afternoon, I could have driven the carriage out and buried the body in the countryside. It’s all ruined because you meddled!”
No sooner had he spoken than Concubine Su lunged to strike Concubine Chen, forcing Steward Wang to intervene. Chaos erupted.
Fu Xiujin gave Madam Guo a few instructions to hand the culprits over to the magistrate, then led Yao Shu and Zhao Shaobai out of the Cao residence without looking back. By then, the sunset had already climbed the treetops.
“We won’t make it to the magistrate today. Let’s return.” With that, Fu Xiujin and Zhao Shaobai boarded the carriage. Yao Shu, however, felt troubled.
The body’s original owner had spent all her money upon arriving in the city. Seeing the Court of Judicial Review recruiting coroners, she had joined immediately. Now, Yao Shu had nowhere to stay.
“Coroner Yao, aren’t you getting in? Where do you live? We’ll take you back,” Zhao Shaobai called from the carriage. Yao Shu thought for a moment, then made a decision.
“I need to find someone—an old friend of my parents.” She pulled a slip of paper from her robe.
From her inherited memory, she recalled that the original owner had promised at her parents’ graves to bring this address and token to the capital to seek out a family friend. Too proud to ask for help immediately, she had gone to the Court of Judicial Review instead.
Zhao Shaobai glanced at the paper, his expression twisting oddly, almost constipated. He wanted to ask more, but Yao Shu herself knew little. She simply said her parents had instructed her and refused to elaborate.
When the carriage finally stopped at “No. 3, Yuxiu Street, East City,” Fu Xiujin suddenly stepped down.
“Your Highness, why are you getting off? Weren’t you sending me first?” Yao Shu asked, puzzled—until she froze.
Fu Xiujin stood before a black-gold plaque reading *Prince Su’s Residence.* He said calmly, “No. 3, Yuxiu Street, East City—that is my residence.”
What kind of twist was this?
Yao Shu searched her inherited memories but found no mention of her parents’ friend. Before she could speak, the gates opened and an elderly matron approached with a lantern, stern-faced.
Yao Shu thought quickly. She couldn’t retreat now—otherwise she’d be sleeping on the streets. Resolutely, she drew out a jade pendant.
“My parents have passed. They told me to bring this pendant and this address to seek out their friend, Shao Susu. Could you please call her out?”
The matron’s expression changed. Before Yao Shu could ask if she was Shao Susu, Fu Xiujin took the pendant and strode inside.
“Girl, you may call me Nanny Ou. Come in first, we’ll talk.”
With her token gone, Yao Shu followed in confusion. Soon, she heard the full story.
Years ago, her parents had saved Fu Xiujin’s family during a flash flood while they were traveling incognito. The late emperor arranged a childhood betrothal between Fu Xiujin and Yao Shu, but her parents declined. The emperor then gave them Consort Shao’s jade pendant as a token, saying they could one day come to the capital and seek help at this address.
Her parents had dismissed it—until their dying wish was for Yao Shu to come.
“You don’t know—His Highness was only six then, terrified. You calmed him with sweet mung bean soup and peanut candy. That night, he even insisted on sleeping beside you. I said then you two were destined.”
Nanny Ou rambled on. Yao Shu, imagining the cold-faced Fu Xiujin clinging to her as a child, nearly laughed. She looked up and saw him fiddling with the jade pendant, moonlight outlining his sharp profile—and the faint blush on his ears.
Impossible. With that stern, handsome face, he was actually this pure-hearted? The contrast was too much; Yao Shu almost burst out laughing.
“I don’t remember much from childhood,” she admitted honestly. The original owner’s memories were vague, with no trace of this.
Though Fu Xiujin’s looks were exactly her type, she had no intention of marrying out of nowhere. She politely declined Nanny Ou’s hints, explaining she only wanted to borrow money to rent a place until her wages from the Court arrived.
Nanny Ou, seeing she could not be persuaded, offered a compromise: the marriage would be postponed, but Yao Shu must stay at Prince Su’s residence.