Chapter 139 What is Truth?

Prefect Gao was also bearing immense pressure.
He could only wait for the two deputy envoys from the medical bureau to return before he could piece together the sequence of events and narrate what had happened.
It was impossible that the man would suddenly just give up on life.
For someone to die inexplicably within his own guesthouse, unless it was to cover up a certain truth or because he had been coerced, there was simply no logical explanation.
Moreover, his position had been personally promoted by the Third Prince, which meant an infinitely bright future ahead of him.
About three days passed.
Prefect Gao received word that Deputy Envoy Li from the medical bureau had returned.
Upon his return, upon hearing the news, he was utterly shocked.
Clearly, everything had been fine just a few days ago, and he had even instructed them to make sure the Crown Prince of the Chu State was safely escorted back.
How could such a major tragedy have occurred in just a few short days?
"Do you know if the guesthouse master had excessive contact with anyone else, or perhaps associated with people whom you had never seen before?"
"I am not entirely sure. At the very first, a few officials might have come by, simply wishing to win over the guesthouse master."
Deputy Envoy Li recalled.
That was indeed how things stood.
Because they only took orders from the Emperor and His Highness the Third Prince, whatever other officials had to say had very little to do with them.
Who could have ever anticipated that such a tragic case would occur?
"What about Deputy Envoy Wang, who went with you?"
"Ah, on our way back to Luojing, as we passed his hometown, he instructed me to go on ahead while he stopped by his home to pay his respects to his elderly relatives."
There was nothing improper about that.
Prefect Gao made another tentative inquiry, but the clues he ultimately obtained were pitifully few.
It seemed consistent with their initial speculations.
Yet the Third Prince remained perpetually dissatisfied with this state of affairs.
He felt that someone was challenging his authority, and if even such matters were handled without stability, the Emperor would inevitably grow dissatisfied with him in the future.
He had also sought Han Qing's opinion on the matter.
However, for the past few days, the other man seemed entirely preoccupied with his noodle shop.
He simply had no time to spare for this business.
After waiting another two or three days, that deputy envoy still failed to return.
Prefect Gao immediately arranged for someone to dispatch a letter.
Only then did they learn of another development.
Deputy Envoy Wang had also committed suicide in his own home.
The method of his death was identical to that of the previous guesthouse master.
This was most likely a series of serial murders.
Yet Luojing was at least several days' journey from their hometown.
Had the killer deliberately laid an ambush all the way out there?
This once again rendered the entire case shrouded in mystery.
The matter even escalated directly to the Emperor.
His Majesty demanded that the Ministry of Punishments swiftly apprehend the culprit. Furthermore, a group of scholars had gathered in Luojing, currently preparing for the imperial palace examinations.
Such an incident left everyone panicked and unsettled.
Some ordinary citizens were even afraid to venture out casually.
Discussions among the populace grew increasingly fervent.
For a brief moment, everyone felt themselves in imminent peril.

Unwilling to simply lose their official caps, they considered whether they could persuade the second young lady to have Han Qing personally step into the matter.
Yet Magistrate Chen seemed equally reluctant to undertake such a task.
After all, there was not a shred of benefit to be gained from it for them.
"Weren't you on rather close terms with Han Qing previously? Why is everyone dodging this case and refusing to investigate it thoroughly?"
Prefect Gao asked with blunt straightforwardness.
He was genuinely perplexed.
"Even if the truth is spoken aloud, it is ultimately impossible to officially finalize the case. Once it touches upon the affairs of the imperial princes, it invariably ties back to the struggle for the succession. Besides, anyone with eyes can see that this is most likely orchestrated behind the scenes by His Highness Prince Huai."
This...
Magistrate Chen's single remark completely enlightened him.
He had previously thought himself merely foolish for failing to uncover any clues.
Only now did he realize that it was not that he could not find them, but rather that certain people wished to keep those clues from seeing the light of day.
"I understand."
Ultimately, the matter had to be left to the Emperor to decide.
It was not their place to casually pass judgment on any imperial prince.
That being the case, why bother wading into such muddy waters?
Prefect Gao suddenly dropped the ball at this crucial juncture.
Meanwhile, the Zhu Family Noodle Shop was currently enjoying a booming business.
The customers coming through its doors were multiple times more numerous than before.
Prefect Gao specifically came to the shop to taste the food for himself.
He also hoped to chat with Han Qing about the recent events in Luojing.
Presumably, he wanted to know why Han Qing had suddenly grown indifferent to these matters and instead taken up the path of commerce.
"Brother Han, have you simply grown too leisurely of late?"
"Don't you find noodles to be exceptionally convenient, while also favored by the common folk? That alone makes it a successful commodity."
He replied with an air of absolute indifference.
"Yet previously, you analyzed numerous current policies and political situations for me, expressing distinct views of your own. Why are you now adopting such an attitude of complete apathy toward these events?"
Prefect Gao simply could not comprehend it.
Being rather straightforward by nature, his mind sometimes failed to navigate complex turns.
He was capable of cracking cases, but remained clueless about the intricate machinations hidden beneath the surface.
If he wasn't careful, he might just ruin the official career of his latter half of life.
"Major changes are about to take place in Luojing, changes neither you nor I have the power to shake. Besides, you must have heard that trouble has arisen at the border once again, haven't you?"
Han Qing stated abruptly.
It left Prefect Gao utterly dumbfounded.
Had they not already signed a non-aggression and friendship pact with the Chu State? Why was there still chaos at the border?
Furthermore, it was highly likely that the Chu State intended to instigate a war intentionally.
When that time came, one had to distinguish clearly between what was weighty and what was light.
They could no longer afford to remain confined to this immediate moment.
"Are you certain this war will come to pass?"
Prefect Gao had always managed affairs within the Ministry of Punishments and rarely concerned himself with matters beyond the rivers.
He held a half-believing, half-doubtful attitude toward such gossip.
After all, the intelligence they had received previously was largely unreliable.
Occasionally someone would claim a war was brewing, only for others to refute it as sheer nonsense.
No one was willing to believe it.
"Perhaps tomorrow, or perhaps a little later."
Han Qing answered ambiguously.
When their Crown Prince had come previously, it was merely to test the ruler of the Qing State.
Peace was never his true objective.
Has not the Chu State been biding its time and nursing its strength all these years precisely to expand its territory?
Moreover, the sulfur required under the terms of the treaty made their intentions as obvious as Sima Zhao's ambition.
They would undoubtedly use it to manufacture primitive gunpowder to launch a war.
He had guessed this much long ago.
Besides, the Emperor should have already made certain preparations for it.
Otherwise, His Majesty would not have seized the opportunity of this guesthouse incident to strip the Third Prince of half his military authority.
By now, an estimated fifty thousand Qing soldiers should have already reached the border.