The Golden Hairpin

Zhou Ziqin ultimately didn't get to taste that Sichuan pepper chicken whose aroma had stirred up the entire Songhua Lane.

That afternoon, the constables sent to Hanzhou for information all returned, looking sullen and dejected as they reported to Zhou Ziqin, "That maidservant, Tang Zhuniang, fell off a cliff on her way back from Chengdu to Hanzhou. She's dead."

Zhou Ziqin was shocked and immediately asked, "Really dead? Was the body recovered?"

"Yes, it was. When we reached the spot where it happened and looked down, we saw an older woman lying face-down on the riverbank, covered in blood. We, dutiful constables that we are, tied ropes around our waists without hesitation and climbed down the cliff to examine the corpse."

"Are you sure it was her?"

"Absolutely. Though her face was smashed beyond recognition, acquaintances mentioned she had a large mole behind her ear. We saw it—one inch behind her right ear. No mistake about it!"

Zhou Ziqin turned to Huang Ziguang, and the two exchanged bewildered glances. "Dead?"

Huang Ziguang frowned, instinctively pulling the hairpin from her bun again and lightly tracing a few lines on the table.

Zhou Ziqin quickly sat down in front of her and asked, "What are you thinking?"

She pointed at the intersecting lines she had drawn and said, "First, the reason for the suicide pact. After overcoming so many hardships to finally be together, why would they choose to die? Second, those pages in the study—they were clearly meant to be bound into a sutra for chanting. So why were half of them left with Fu Xinruan?"

Only then did Zhou Ziqin have an epiphany. "So that's what you meant earlier when you said the sutra was suspicious! What about the third and fourth points?"

"Tang Zhuniang's death and the origin of the poison." As Huang Ziguang spoke, she continued to ponder, twirling the hairpin in her hand. Just then, another constable rushed in, looking oddly delighted. "Chief! Chief! Big trouble!"

Zhou Ziqin shot him a glare. "If it's big trouble, why do you look so happy?"

"Well, a relative of one of the deceased has come demanding answers! Looks like we won't be able to leave unless we placate her properly today!"

Zhou Ziqin's glare softened into a look of pity, as if to say, You must be an idiot.

The constable quickly leaned in and whispered, "The relative is a stunning beauty!"

Zhou Ziqin immediately understood. He hurried to the entrance and, sure enough, saw an exquisite woman standing there. Dressed in plain blue robes without a single ornament, her figure alone made the ordinary street seem as radiant as a spring garden in full bloom.

She curtsied gracefully to Zhou Ziqin, her expression sorrowful. "Chief Zhou, you summoned me today. Has there been any progress in my younger sister's case?"

"Oh, it's you, Lady Gongsun!" He quickly stepped forward. "We've made significant progress today. Come in—we were just about to ask you a few things..."

Before he could finish, someone nearby cleared their throat.

Zhou Ziqin turned and immediately deflated, standing stiffly at attention. "Father."

Zhou Xiang gave him a look of exasperation. "Ah, the famed young constable of Shu Commandery! You certainly have a wide circle of acquaintances—high and low, all walks of life!"

Shoulders slumped, Zhou Ziqin nodded meekly before his father. "Yes, Father is absolutely right. Your son will strive to live up to your expectations, mingling with all sorts, high and low..."

"Hmm?" Zhou Xiang glared at him.Zhou Ziqin also looked at him blankly, completely unaware of what was wrong with his words.

Zhou Xiang flicked his sleeve and stormed off, saying, "Ungrateful child! You’re going to be the death of me!"

Someone behind him quickly smiled and said, "Father-in-law, please don’t be angry. Ziqin is innocent and pure-hearted—that’s a good thing."

As soon as Zhou Ziqin saw his father turn to leave, he stuck out his tongue and grabbed the person behind him, calling out, "Brother Qi, you’re here! Come, come, let me introduce you to two friends!"

Zhou Ziqin pulled him inside, where Huang Zixia and Li Shubai were speaking with Gongsun Yuan. He quickly said, "Brother Wang, Young Brother Yang, let me introduce you—this is Brother Qi Teng, a judge in the Western Sichuan Military Governor’s office. Brother Qi, these two are... temporary assistants I’ve enlisted, Brother Wang Kui and Young Brother Yang."

Qi Teng appeared to be in his thirties, with a very upright appearance that seemed even more amiable when he smiled. He clasped his hands and greeted them, saying, "I am Qi Teng. Are the two of you here regarding the case in Songhua Lane?"

Huang Zixia promptly returned the greeting, while Li Shubai merely nodded slightly.

Huang Zixia glanced back and noticed Gongsun Yuan’s lowered gaze, flickering slightly. Following her line of sight, she saw only Qi Teng’s left hand hanging naturally from his sleeve—nothing unusual.

Noticing her gaze, Gongsun Yuan quickly asked, "I came to ask... has there been any progress in my younger sister’s case?"

"Auntie, may we speak privately?" Huang Zixia gestured to her.

Zhou Ziqin hastily apologized to Qi Teng, "Sorry, Brother Qi, please have a seat. We need to ask a few questions."

Qi Teng’s smile faltered slightly as he asked, "Is this about the case in Songhua Lane from the other day? I heard it was a lovers’ suicide between Wen Yang and a young woman. How is this auntie involved?"

Only then did Zhou Ziqin suddenly remember. "Oh, right! Did you know Wen Yang too, Brother Qi?"

Qi Teng nodded. "Yes, a few years ago, Chen Lunyun organized a poetry society, and we were both members, so we often exchanged verses. But last month, we had a disagreement and argued. Later, he even wrote me a letter to apologize. Who would have thought... we’d be separated by life and death so soon."

Huang Zixia listened carefully, studying Qi Teng again. He remained smiling, exuding a gentle demeanor, but his broad shoulders and tall stature made him seem reliable and undeniably masculine.

As a judge in the Military Governor’s office, his position was quite high, yet he was still relatively young and lacked the rough mannerisms often found in military circles—a rare quality.

But then she reconsidered—Prince Kui Li Shubai had once led troops to suppress rebellions, and Wang Yun was one of the rare Wang family members to join the military. Yet both carried an air of noble refinement, far from the typical martial demeanor.

Gongsun Yuan was led to a side room, slightly uneasy. Seeing their solemn expressions, she quickly asked, "Is there something wrong with the case?"

"I’d like to ask, Auntie Gongsun—do you truly wish for Fu Xinruan’s case to be solved quickly?"

Gongsun Yuan’s expression instantly changed, her ethereal figure stiffening slightly. Hesitantly, she countered, "Why would you ask such a thing?"

"Then why have you concealed certain matters from us instead of being forthright?"

Gongsun Yuan frowned, her uneasy gaze shifting to the courtyard outside, avoiding their eyes.Huang Ziyao continued, "Madam, please be honest with us. Where did the bracelet in your hand when we first met come from?"

Gongsun Yuan lowered her head and said quietly, "This matter... is truly hard to speak of."

Huang Ziyao looked at her and said softly, "Madam, please be honest with us. Otherwise, even if we wish to help you, we won’t know where to start."

Gongsun Yuan hesitated, and Huang Ziyao added, "Don’t you want to uncover the truth about your younger sister’s death as soon as possible? If you can’t clear our doubts, how can we help clear yours?"

Gongsun Yuan sighed and said in a low voice, "Young man, you’re right. I shouldn’t hide things from you. But this matter... I don’t think it has anything to do with my sister’s death... Actually, the bracelet I wanted wasn’t this one."

She had been carrying the jade bracelet with the double-fish design and now took it out, placing it on the table before them. "What I was looking for was actually a mutton-fat jade bracelet, plain and simple, without any decorations."

Huang Ziyao immediately recalled the exquisite jade bracelet found in Fu Xinruan’s dressing case. She hesitated slightly before asking tentatively, "May I ask what makes that bracelet so important?"

"That bracelet was given to A’Ruan by a nobleman from Chang’an. It was originally his mother’s heirloom, so he treasured it deeply," Gongsun Yuan sighed. "However, A’Ruan was much older than him and didn’t truly care for him in her heart. Though she accepted the bracelet at his earnest request, her heart belonged to another. When A’Ruan was about to marry, she mentioned in her letter to me that she wanted me to return the bracelet to him on her behalf, as it was his mother’s legacy and shouldn’t be misplaced."

Huang Ziyao thought of what Li Shubai had once said and couldn’t help but glance at him. Both of them were startled.

Though they had guessed earlier that the bracelet might belong to Prince E Li Run’s mother, they hadn’t expected that Li Run himself had given it to Fu Xinruan, only for her to have no feelings for him.

But upon reflection, Li Run was a prince of the court, while Fu Xinruan was merely a musician. Even if she entered the prince’s household, she would eventually have to watch him marry a noblewoman as his consort. Moreover, she was much older than Li Run. Once her youth faded, how many men would still remember the infatuations of their younger days?

She had forsaken the role of a prince’s concubine to become the wife of a commoner her own age. Aside from love, it was a calm and natural choice.

Yet, she likely never imagined that even without greed or ambition, she would still end up sharing the Yellow Springs with the man she had chosen.

Gongsun Yuan raised a hand to cover her face, hiding the tears in her eyes as she said in a trembling voice, "After arriving in Chengdu, I went to Songhua Lane to look for A’Ruan. But before I even entered the alley, I heard a commotion. The lane was filled with people gossiping. I hurried to ask and learned that a woman from the Fu household had died in the same room as someone else during the night, and the authorities had just taken the bodies away... I was shocked and grief-stricken, unable to understand why my younger sister had suddenly died at what should have been the happiest time of her life. I could only stand there, weeping uncontrollably, completely at a loss..."Even now, as Gongsun Yuan recounted the events of that day, the sorrow and confusion in her voice were deeply moving. Her breath was unsteady, and she choked up for a long moment before forcing herself to continue, "I don’t know how long I cried, but someone eventually asked me why I was weeping there. When I looked up, I saw a woman who appeared to be a servant. She introduced herself as Tang Zhuniang, a servant from the Fu residence nearby. I asked her if I could go inside to see the place where A-Ruan had lived. But she shook her head, pointing at the constables and officials coming and going, and said the authorities were about to seal the place. She herself had been sent home by A-Ruan a few days earlier and had only returned to collect her belongings."

Zhou Ziqin quickly interjected, "So you asked her to secretly retrieve the bracelet for you?"

"Yes... I thought, if all of A-Ruan’s belongings were to be confiscated, the origins of that bracelet might be investigated, and the noble person who gave it to her might face gossip. Moreover, A-Ruan had entrusted me in her letter to return the bracelet to that person. So I gave the servant some money and asked her to quietly fetch a white jade bracelet from the dressing case if she had the chance..."

"And she brought back this bracelet instead of the one you wanted, right?" Huang Zixiao sighed as she looked at the twin-fish jade bracelet. "We saw your younger sister’s dressing case—it was filled with gold and silver jewelry. How could the servant have known which bracelet you were referring to?"

"Yes... But the officials were urging her to leave, so I couldn’t ask her to go back and exchange it. I had no choice but to take the bracelet and leave... At least, it was still a keepsake of A-Ruan’s. It’s so smooth and lustrous—she must have worn it often, which is why the servant chose it for me."

"Auntie, that was really not acceptable," Zhou Ziqin shook his head disapprovingly. "The authorities were investigating a case, yet you bribed someone to take the deceased’s belongings. That’s highly improper."

Gongsun Yuan nodded. "I know it was wrong, but... the fact that someone cared for my younger sister moved us deeply. Why let unnecessary trouble arise and subject that person to criticism?"

Huang Zixiao said slowly, "Ziqin, it’s not a big deal. It was probably some young man from a wealthy family who impulsively gave a family heirloom to Fu Xinruan. Auntie Gongsun was thinking of his family’s reputation and wanted to return the bracelet after her death. Though improper, it’s not a grave offense."

Listening to Yang Chonggu’s words was second nature to Zhou Ziqin, and defending a beauty was his unshirkable duty. So he immediately forgave Gongsun Yuan for taking the deceased’s belongings, saying, "I understand. Besides, when Fu Xinruan took her own life, Auntie Gongsun was still outside Chengdu. She only entered the city the next day. I believe she had nothing to do with Fu Xinruan’s death!"

With his forgiveness, the matter was considered settled.

Huang Zixiao lowered her gaze to the jade bracelet on the table, stolen by the servant, and instinctively reached out to pick it up.

The bracelet was cool and pure white, exquisitely carved. The originally opaque jade had been hollowed out in the middle, making it appear exceptionally translucent, with a watery shimmer.

The meticulous craftsmanship had created a pair of perfect little fish, each biting the other’s tail, entwined in an intimate, endless embrace.

For a moment, she felt a pang of sorrow, her expression distant.

Li Shubai’s gaze slowly shifted from the twin-fish jade bracelet to Huang Zixiao.She finally let out a long sigh and pushed the bracelet toward Zhou Ziqin, signaling for him to keep it safe. In a low voice, she said, "This bracelet... is related to the case. Let the authorities take custody of it."

That simple gesture instantly dissolved the weight pressing against his chest, leaving him feeling clear and unburdened.

Without even realizing it, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile.

Zhou Ziqin picked up the twin-fish jade bracelet and gave it a casual glance. "This bracelet is quite lovely, and it seems to have been cherished by its owner—look how well-polished it is. Hmm... there's an inscription inside."

He held the bracelet up to his eyes, slowly turning it to read the engraved words. Softly, he recited, "The king of trees, unmarred by slight flaws..." Puzzled, he asked, "What does this mean?"

Huang Zixia lowered her gaze and slowly sipped her tea. The tea had gone cold, its icy bitterness sliding down her throat and piercing her chest with a sharp, astringent sensation.

Li Shubai's voice remained calm as he explained, "The king of trees refers to the catalpa tree."

"Oh, Zi... Xia... " Zhou Ziqin exclaimed, both shocked and delighted. "Zi Xia? Huang Zixia? So this belonged to Huang Zixia?"

Gongsun Yuan looked at him in confusion, unsure who Huang Zixia was.

Li Shubai and Huang Zixia pretended not to hear.

Zhou Ziqin was beside himself with joy. Ignoring the fact that the bracelet was evidence in the case, he immediately tucked it into his robes, protectively covering it with his hand as he threw his head back and laughed. "Hahaha! Who would’ve thought—Huang Zixia’s jade bracelet is now in my hands! Starting today, I’ll sleep with it every night! No one is allowed to lay a finger on it! I’ll fight anyone who tries!"

Gongsun Yuan pressed a handkerchief to her tear-stained eyes and hesitantly asked Huang Zixia, "Detective Zhou... is he alright?"

"Oh, he’s fine," Huang Zixia replied without looking up, cradling her tea as she added calmly, "If he weren’t acting like this, he wouldn’t be Zhou Ziqin."