Da Li Temple - Chapter 30.2

Chapter 30.2
Stalking

They went out of the teahouse one after the other, quietly following the woman. She was in a hurry and did not look like she was going out to shop. After leaving the bank, she traveled briskly, unlike she was going back to the Song Residence. Suddenly, she walked to a small stall selling hairpins and stopped, picked up a few beaded hairpins, looked at them for a while, and then paid for one.
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They could only stop at a nearby food stall and pretend to pick one.
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“She might have found us, don’t look over there.” Su Moyi reminded softly.
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Lin Wanqing’s hand shook a little at the words, burying her head. When she turned her head again to look in front of the stall, the maidservant had already disappeared.
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“My Lord!” She tugged at Su Moyi, pointing at a touch of pale yellow skirt at an alley entrance at the end of the street, “She ran away!”
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The two followed closely and chased after her. That servant girl couldn’t run fast because of her legs and was forced to a dead end shortly.
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Lin Wanqing was anxious and rushed over to pull her arm.
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“Hiss!” A flash of white light came to her eyes, and she felt a coolness on her arm. She looked down, only to see an addition of a bloody wound to the smoky pink outer robe at her arm.
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Lin Wanqing didn’t have time to deal with it and reached out to grab her again, but she felt a tightness around her waist, and Su Moyi swept her behind him.
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In a flash of lightning, the knife in the hand of the maidservant arrived in Su Moyi’s hand. He turned the knife against the base of her neck. The tip didn’t enter the skin, but the blood dripped into the lapel.
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“Eh!” When Lin Wanqing saw Su Moyi looking like he was going to kill someone, she panicked and pulled him, “She is a witness, not a suspect!”
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Su Moyi didn’t care, not letting go of the hand against her neck.
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Lin Wanqing saw that she could not persuade him. She could only turn her head to the servant girl and explained: “We are from Da Li Temple. We are under orders to investigate the case. Cooperate a little.”
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The maidservant was stunned at her words and sized her up with guarded eyes.

“I’m sure you’ve heard about Concubine Zhao’s death in your residence.” Seeing that she was somewhat relieved, Lin Wanqing continued to persuade, “The previous suspect told me before he died that he had seen you outside Concubine Zhao’s room.”
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That maidservant froze, bit her lower lip, and did not explain anything.
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“You’re in a dangerous situation now,” Lin Wanqing said, “If the real culprit knew that you had appeared outside Concubine Zhao’s room, he would kill you. So, you’d better tell us the truth.”
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“Then …… how do I know you are not the murderer’s spy?”
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Lin Wanqing froze. No wonder she fought fiercely just now, so it was because she mistook them for bad guys. Thinking about this, she unclasped the name tag around her waist and waved it in front of her eyes, “This is my name tag.”
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The maidservant saw the words ‘Da Li Temple’ on it but was still suspicious.
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Lin Wanqing had to walk over and hold up Su Moyi’s face, “Look, such a good-looking gentleman. In Sheng City, beside the Chief of the Da Li Temple, Lord Su, who else can there be?”
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Lord Su, who was being molested again: “……”
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The maidservant seemed convinced and sized up the two people before her from head to toe before speaking, “Although I have no evidence, I know that Songxing has killed Concubine Zhao.”
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“Oh?” Lin Wanqing patted Su Moyi’s hand, signaling him to put away the knife, “Why?”
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That maidservant’s expression was sad and angry, looking at Lin Wanqing, “Because Concubine Zhao must have known something untrustworthy about him, and he wanted to kill to silence her.”
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“You don’t know what it is?” Lin Wanqing pursued.
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The maidservant shook her head, “Me and Concubine Zhao only met after entering the mansion. I also inadvertently knew that her family was the same as mine, who died in the ‘fake silver case’ the year before, and that she was an informant from the imperial court who came into the mansion to look for evidence of the crime.”
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“What about the evidence?” Lin Wanqing asked.

“Evidence?” The servant girl smiled bitterly, “Concubine Zhao didn’t let me know too much to protect me. After she died, I secretly went to her room but found that someone had replaced all the things she had used with new ones, and I found nothing.”
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“Oh ……” Lin Wanqing could not help but be disappointed.
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Su Moyi, who stood by the side for half a day, suddenly remembered something and interjected, “Concubine Zhao may have left a knife behind. Let’s go to the Da Li Temple with me to identify it.”
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The maidservant embarrassedly said, “I sneaked out this time. Concubine Zhao left money for me to use as traveling expenses to escape. It was hard for me to wait for today’s opportunity. If I go to the Da Li Temple, this ……”
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“Don’t worry,” Su Moyi said, “I also don’t want to scare the enemy. Since Da Li Temple can seek you out for questioning, we naturally can help you escape.”
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After a moment of contemplation, the maidservant finally nodded her head.
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Lin Wanqing gave her hat to the servant girl to put on and found someone to go to the Da Li Temple to report and let Ye Qing drive a carriage to fetch them.
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On the way back, Lin Wanqing and Su Moyi shared a carriage.
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The wheels rattled, and the carriage veils shook. Lin Wanqing was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice that the person beside her had looked at her for a long time.
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“You seem to be particularly attached to Song Zhengxing’s case?”
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Lin Wanqing was stunned, turned her head to look at Su Moyi, and smiled in a fake relaxed manner, “No …… how could I? I’m equally concerned about all cases.”
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Su Moyi was not impressed. His eyes fell on the blood-stained arm, and his complexion darkened, “You were arresting a criminal last time, and this time you are looking for witnesses. When arresting a criminal, you would hide at the sight of the weapon. This time, you got stabbed, but you still want to pursue.”
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“Is Song Zhengxing’s case more important than your own life?” That sharp analysis made Lin Wanqing’s heart beat like a drum. She paused, pretending to calmly said, “No, no …… As I said, I loved the criminal affairs. I had ambition but got nowhere to show. Thanks to your support, I entered the Da Li Temple, so I naturally want to repay you properly ……”
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Interrupting the words, Su Moyi looked at Lin Wanqing with his sharp-as-a-knife eyes, “Then Lin Recorder might as well say, why do you love the criminal affairs so much? It’s not like you were born with it, right?”
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“I ……” Lin Wanqing was speechless. She suddenly shifted the words to ask rhetorically, “Then is Lord’s obsession with the criminal affairs not a natural born?”
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Su Moyi narrowed his eyes at the words, his expression bland, “Of course not.” As he spoke, he fished out a clean handkerchief from his sleeve and wrapped the wound that was still seeping blood for Lin Wanqing.
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“No one is naturally interested in these shadows of the world.” He was as calm as ever when he spoke, but the hands that trembled as he tied the knot betrayed his mind.
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Lin Wanqing heard a hint of long-suppressed sadness in his tone, like salt from a century ago, extraordinarily salty. The carriage clattered and moved. The two were silent, silent all the way.
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Upon arriving at Da Li Temple, Su Moyi stopped Lin Wanqing just after she got out of the carriage. He looked at her and said with a solemn expression, “Do you know that this case is different from a rape and murder case?”
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Lin Wanqing was stunned and did not answer.
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“Song Zhengxing was in a high position of power and had many parties behind him. The turmoil from the former dynasty and the open and secret attacks tend to harm one’s body. If you are too hasty, you will most likely bring yourself to the point of no return.”
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“So …… “Su Moyi paused and continued, “If you can’t give me an understanding, I don’t have any reason to let you continue to meddle in this case.”
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——

Author Notes :??
Lord Su: Talk only! Don’t get physical!
Do you believe me when I say I’m preparing another meat stew —