Chapter Thirty: Someone Else

“Tell me, did I say anything wrong?”
Han Qing’s gaze was fixed intently on the person before him.
Yet this individual’s disguise was flawless.
“You jest, young master. I wish nothing more than to shed this identity—how could I possibly respond to that name?”
“The skeletons below are the remains of the daughter of the medical hall’s proprietor, burned that night. Had she not obstructed your plans, would you have acted so swiftly?”
He slowly unveiled the truth.
Investigations from the Drunken Flower Pavilion.
Rumors of Xiao Cui’s forged identity, and the disturbances at the medical hall.
Every incident, including Liu Xiaowu’s imprisonment,
Had all been orchestrated by her.
Initially, she’d heard her sister’s life was in jeopardy, and thought to leverage her brother-in-law for profit.
She exploited Liu Xiaowu’s affection for her sister, while indulging her own twisted craving for suffering.
But who could have foreseen
That Miss Zhang from the medical hall would utter a single sentence—causing Liu Xiaowu to doubt his past deeds and resolve to mend his ways?
He yearned for redemption.
Xiao Cui would not grant him the chance.
She killed Miss Zhang outright.
Moreover, Liu Xiaowu was bound to her fate; even should disaster strike, he dared not report it to the authorities.
Watching her sister’s life hang by a thread,
She naturally sought a way to extricate herself.
Thus, she exposed a flaw.
“So you mean that night, she deliberately revealed her arm, and when we sent men to follow her, she intentionally led them astray?”
Wen Qi asked, incredulous.
He nodded.
“You sought to exploit the opportunity, to cast yourself as the victim, and gain entry into the homes of the wealthy. Yet all your careful calculations failed.”
“Oh? You are clever, I admit, but can you guarantee that everyone around you is truly loyal?”
After Xiao Cui was apprehended,
She confessed with composure,
But her final words were strangely unsettling,
Forcing one to take heed.
“Don’t let your thoughts stray. She’s clearly trying to sow discord among us.”
Only Wen Qi, naive and earnest,
Methodically went about resolving the case.
Thus, he cracked a major crime, and the Court of Justice promoted him.
But Han Qing’s mind turned to another individual.

Since his arrival, many events had indeed been guided by a certain someone.
Young Master Zhu appeared indifferent, living life as a game,
Yet his presence always coincided with pivotal moments.
It seemed the truth would not surface so soon.
Han Qing made a special trip to the Storybook Shop,
To see if the new marketing strategies had yielded marked profits.
“Big brother, look! After the renovation, the shop appears far more elegant than before!”
Er Zhuang exclaimed with delight.
Last time, the Bai family paid compensation, and it was put to proper use.
This time, they had gained much.
“We should offer more convenient items—perhaps gift brushes to longstanding customers.”
Han Qing surveyed the shop,
Flipped through the ledgers.
Everything seemed in good order.
“How many coupons have we given out recently?”
“About two hundred,”
The accountant recalled carefully.
This method seemed reliable, at least it attracted a large clientele.
Han Qing felt reassured.
But a few days later—
“These are all coupons and vouchers. Why aren’t they redeemable today?”
“Are you deceiving us?”
A crowd of dozens gathered outside the shop,
Brandishing a hundred coupons at once.
Impossible.
Seeing this,
Er Zhuang grew restless.
He instructed the staff to calm the customers and rushed off for reinforcements.
“Big brother, more people are redeeming coupons lately, but we had limited them at the start. The numbers don’t match at all—how should we proceed?”
Someone had forged coupons, targeting them directly.
Such vile tactics.
He saw through it instantly.
“We’ll redeem genuine coupons as usual. The fakes go straight to the magistrate!”
There was no dilemma here.
“But we can’t tell them apart. They look identical.”

Ah?
Han Qing smiled faintly.
When he commissioned those special coupons, Xiu Xiu had contributed as well.
That night,
Xiu Xiu saw him drawing coupons repeatedly,
And asked, what if someone tried to forge them?
She then inscribed subtle markings into the paper—
When touched by water, hidden marks would appear.
“Try this. Anyone who looks nervous, take them to the county office.”
He spoke calmly.
Er Zhuang nodded.
“Since our shop opened, our customers have been very enthusiastic, so we launched some special offers. But some people, intent on tarnishing our reputation, have produced counterfeit coupons…”
His words made some uneasy,
Though they believed their deceit would go undetected.
“Everyone, please see: coupons marked by water will be redeemed; those without marks will be reported to the authorities.”
The bustling crowd grew quiet at once.
The troublemakers were swiftly apprehended.
They admitted they’d been hired,
But refused to name the mastermind.
Han Qing had already guessed—most likely Bai Ershao’s doing.
Unable to succeed by other means,
He resorted to these underhanded tricks.
His aim: to ruin their business and drive them out of Beijun City.
But who would have the last laugh?
To prevent further forgery, Han Qing ordered an end to coupon distribution.
“This promotion is over; redemptions are nearly complete. From now on, anyone presenting a coupon will not be recognized.”
Almost all were fakes.
It was previously stated that coupons could only be redeemed in a fixed period; after the deadline, they were void.
“But what about the customers we attracted before? Some came for the interesting picture books, others for the affordable prices.”
Er Zhuang hesitated.
The promotion had barely begun—why stop it so soon?
“The longer an event lasts, the more it loses its novelty. Scarcity drives demand. And isn’t there still the lottery?”
Han Qing replied gently.