The Golden Hairpin

Monk Mushan seemed to realize his own lapse in composure but was at a loss on how to cover it up. He could only hastily ask, "This... what is this?"

Huang Zixiang preempted him with a question, "Has the venerable monk seen this object before?"

Monk Mushan hesitated for a moment, knowing his earlier reaction had already betrayed him. He had no choice but to admit, "Yes, this belonged to Magistrate Qi. I have seen it before."

"Ah? So the venerable monk knows about this too?" Zhou Ziqin quickly added, "This is a piece of evidence we found in the case. Before his passing, Magistrate Qi mentioned that the deceased's belongings might be tainted and suggested we seek the monk's spiritual purification. That's the main reason for our visit today."

Monk Mushan glanced at him, then at the bracelet, hesitating to speak further.

Huang Zixiang asked, "Venerable monk, can this object be purified?"

Monk Mushan shook his head. "This object... is ill-omened. Purification would be futile. It would be better to bury it in the grave of Prefect Huang's wife to bring closure."

Zhou Ziqin remained oblivious, but Huang Zixiang slowly inquired, "So, the venerable monk already knew this belonged to Huang Zixiang? Did Magistrate Qi inform you of this?"

Monk Mushan hesitated. "Just now, Constable Zhou mentioned it was related to the case..."

"I was referring to the double suicide case in Songhuali, and Magistrate Qi had purchased this bracelet. We were puzzled..." Zhou Ziqin asked, confused, "But how did the master know this bracelet belonged to Huang Zixiang? Could there be a connection between this bracelet and the case involving Prefect Huang's family?"

"This..." Monk Mushan was left speechless, unable to respond.

Huang Zixiang said solemnly, "Though the venerable monk is a man of the cloth, we are here on official business. Please speak truthfully to clear our doubts. Otherwise, misunderstandings may arise, dragging the monk into unnecessary complications."

Monk Mushan's drooping eyebrows sagged even further, his face a picture of distress. "Yes... this humble monk does not lie. Ask whatever you wish."

Huang Zixiang began, "When did the venerable monk see this bracelet, and how did you know it was connected to Prefect Huang's family?"

"It was early this year, after Yu Xuan's suicide attempt. When I visited Magistrate Qi's residence, Yu Xuan saw this bracelet and reacted violently. Magistrate Qi told me it was an old item from the Huang residence, given by Yu Xuan to the Huang family's daughter. Seeing it now brings back memories that drive him to madness."

"And what did Magistrate Qi do with the bracelet afterward?"

"That, I do not know... nor how it ended up in Constable Zhou's hands or became involved in the Songhuali murder case." Monk Mushan narrowed his eyes, studying the bracelet thoughtfully. "It's just that its unique design made it memorable..."

Before he could finish, a loud "bang" came from the door behind the hall. All three turned to look. Yu Xuan stood there, the teapot and cups he had been holding now shattered on the ground, steaming hot tea still rising in wisps. But he remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the bracelet, his face ashen.

Huang Zixiang slowly rose to her feet.

Zhou Ziqin, still unaware, picked up the bracelet, looking from it to Yu Xuan. "Brother Yu, are you looking at this?"Yu Xuan's lips parted slightly, but no sound emerged, as if he had finally awakened from his daze. Like someone roused from a dream, he crouched down to hurriedly gather the broken shards of the cup and plate from the floor.

Huang Zixiang moved to his side, kneeling to help collect the porcelain fragments. In a low voice, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Suddenly... felt a bit dizzy," he murmured, his head bowed low. Only his thick, long eyelashes trembled uncontrollably, like dragonfly wings battered by the wind.

Huang Zixiang slowly turned her gaze, letting it slide past the bracelet in Zhou Ziqin's hand before settling on Monk Mushan.

The monk bowed his head in silent recitation of Buddhist scriptures. His aged, withered face revealed nothing, save for a lingering glint of sharpness in his eyes that betrayed no emotion.

After finishing a cup of tea, Monk Mushan rose to take his leave.

Yu Xuan, Huang Zixiang, and Zhou Ziqin saw him to the door before returning to their seats. The late summer heat was oppressive, and the small pool in the courtyard offered little relief. The steaming tea only made Huang Zixiang feel her undergarments clinging to her skin with sweat.

Yu Xuan handed her a fan, which she quickly took up and began waving. Zhou Ziqin, while muttering about "a calm heart bringing natural coolness," noticed there were no extra fans and could only wipe his sweat with a pained expression. After mopping his brow, he looked pitifully at Huang Zixiang and asked, "Chonggu, can I borrow your fan for a bit?"

Huang Zixiang shook her head. "You know I'm wearing a disguise on my face. If it gets soaked with sweat, it'll be disastrous."

Zhou Ziqin pouted. "That's what I find strange. Even His Highness the Prince has stopped wearing disguises. Why does a little eunuch like you still need one?"

Huang Zixiang shielded her face with the fan and replied coolly, "There are people here who know me."

"So what if they do? Meeting an old friend in a distant land is supposed to be a good thing..." Zhou Ziqin trailed off, as if suddenly realizing something. "Chonggu, confess—did you borrow money from someone in Shu Commandery and now you're afraid they'll come after you for exorbitant interest?"

Huang Zixiang, long accustomed to his wild imagination, ignored him and kept fanning herself.

Zhou Ziqin grew even more dejected. Clutching her hand, he wheedled, "Come on, come on! Beg me a little, and I'll help you pay it back. How about that?"

Huang Zixiang shook off his hand. "It's too much. You couldn't afford it."

Zhou Ziqin gaped. "No way... no wonder you had to sell yourself into servitude. I guess only Prince Kui can bail you out now."

Huang Zixiang lowered her head wordlessly, fanning herself as she muttered dismissively, "Yeah, I've decided to rely on him for the rest of my life."

Yu Xuan glanced at her silently, his hand tightening imperceptibly around his teacup, the tendons standing out faintly. But in the end, he said nothing, only refilling both their cups.

Huang Zixiang lifted the tea Yu Xuan had poured for her and met his gaze. "Monk Mushan has been at Guangdu Temple for many years. How come I never heard of him before?"

Yu Xuan replied evenly, "Weren't you always the most skeptical of gods and buddhas? I remember back then, even when your adoptive mother went to the temple near the governor's residence on the first and fifteenth days of the month, you refused to accompany her—let alone a temple on Mingyue Mountain in the outskirts."

Huang Zixiang nodded. "But Monk Mushan's reputation is so prominent. I should have at least heard of him."

"Monk Mushan spent years wandering before settling at Guangdu Temple last year. His fame only spread after the incident with Fan Yuanlong, Fan Jiedushi's son—by then, you had already left Chengdu."Zhou Ziqin, listening nearby, suddenly exclaimed, "I... I get it now!"

Huang Zixiang turned to look at him, her brow slightly raised. "Get what?"

"Chonggu, so you... so you're actually..." He pointed at her, his mouth and eyes both wide open in astonishment.

Thinking he had discovered her true identity, Huang Zixiang was slightly surprised. "I am?"

"You can't fool me anymore! My intuition is razor-sharp!" Zhou Ziqin declared solemnly, enunciating each word deliberately. "I've uncovered the truth! You, Yang Chonggu, the so-called debt you can't repay—it's owed to Yu Xuan!"

Huang Zixiang held her forehead and sighed helplessly. "Ziqin, you really are sharp."

Whether she owed Yu Xuan or Yu Xuan owed her—both interpretations made sense. In that regard, Zhou Ziqin wasn't entirely wrong.

Zhou Ziqin looked at her triumphantly and patted his chest. "See? I see through everything, nothing escapes me!"

Unable to help herself, Huang Zixiang covered the lower half of her face with her fan and laughed.

Meanwhile, Yu Xuan stood silently by the pond, gazing at the green lotus blossoms without a sound.

When Huang Zixiang turned and saw his profile—those cold, ethereal contours that seemed almost otherworldly, every curve achingly familiar—something stirred in her chest.

Lowering her eyes, she called softly, "Yu Xuan..."

He paused before finally turning to look at her.

Huang Zixiang asked, "Abbot Mershan mentioned he would be leaving tomorrow. Do you know where he's headed?"

"To Chang'an," Yu Xuan replied.

Leaning forward slightly, she pressed further, "What for?"

"He said an old friend was troubled in spirit, so he’s going to offer guidance."

"For someone of Abbot Mershan’s age to travel such a distance, this old friend must be no ordinary person."

Yu Xuan nodded silently. "I didn’t ask, as I had no interest in the matter. But if you need to know, I can inquire when I see him off tomorrow."

"Mm, thank you." Holding her teacup, Huang Zixiang turned to Zhou Ziqin. "Actually, the reason for today’s visit is still the Qi Teng case. But I don’t think there’s much left to discuss. Do you have any questions, Ziqin?"

"Of course I do!" Zhou Ziqin pulled out a small notebook from his sleeve with great seriousness and began reading his list. "First, at Qi Teng’s residence, we found a manuscript allegedly written by Zhong Hui. Is it the same one you saw at Wen Yang’s place?"

Yu Xuan took the booklet he handed over, glanced at it, and nodded. "It is."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. At the time, I said it was a forgery. Wen Yang pretended to tear it but ultimately kept it. Look—" His finger pointed to a small tear. "This mark is still here."

Zhou Ziqin made a checkmark next to the first item and moved to the second. "What kind of woman is Huang Zixiang? Can you describe her in detail?"

Huang Zixiang felt her eyelid twitch involuntarily. She pressed a hand to her cheek as if nursing a toothache.

Yu Xuan, already distracted, was caught off guard by the sudden question. Dazed, he echoed blankly, "What?""Well... I heard that when you used to live in the Governor's residence, you were very close to Huang Zixiao and had an excellent relationship... So I wanted to ask you about some things regarding Huang Zixiao, because, because..." Zhou Ziqin scratched his ear sheepishly, stammering as he spoke: "Because I greatly admire Huang Zixiao."

Huang Zixiao wordlessly turned her face away and stood up, walking to the pond's edge to look at the water lilies. Yu Xuan's gaze followed her, watching her figure standing before the lilies as he slowly responded to Zhou Ziqin: "She... is somewhat similar to Eunuch Yang."

Zhou Ziqin nodded: "Yes, they're both equally brilliant at solving cases!"

Yu Xuan didn't know how to continue the conversation and pressed his lips together in silence.

Zhou Ziqin looked at him with watery, expectant eyes, practically wagging an invisible tail.

Huang Zixiao crouched by the pond, gently touching the half-open water lily blossoms. The blue-green flowers brushed against her pale hand, their colors dazzling in the sunlight until his vision blurred momentarily.

She turned back to look at him, noticing his gaze resting on her, then released the lily and stood up. "Since Ziqin has nothing more to ask, we should take our leave now."

Zhou Ziqin pouted, looking at her reluctantly: "Chonggu, the tea is fragrant and the flowers lovely here. Wouldn't it be nice to sit a while longer?"

Huang Zixiao shook her head. "I must return now."

With no choice, Zhou Ziqin stood up unwillingly. "Chonggu, sitting in the yamen office is so dreadfully dull..."

Yu Xuan rose as well. When he reached the lily pond, he finally stopped and called softly: "Eunuch Yang..."

Huang Zixiao turned to look at him, waiting quietly for him to continue.

But Yu Xuan remained silent. He simply gazed at her for a long, long time before finally offering her a strained smile. "Let me see you off."

Huang Zixiao regarded him silently—this man who had illuminated her youthful days. Suppressing the faint flutter in her chest, she smiled back at him. "No need. We'll take our leave here."