The Golden Hairpin

Li Run seemed to recall something and said, "I just wonder how the case of the former Shu Prefecture Governor Huang Min is progressing now."

Li Rui, being the most well-informed, immediately responded, "That Huang Ziyao must have long since changed her name and fled. The world is vast—if someone chooses to live out their life in some remote backwater, catching them won't be easy."

"Who would have thought that someone as gentle and cautious as Governor Huang would meet such an end. It’s truly lamentable."

Huang Ziyao stood beside them, listening as they discussed her and the bloody tragedy that had befallen her family. Her expression remained eerily calm, almost icy. Only the unbearable pain slowly tightening around her heart betrayed her inner turmoil, like a cord slowly constricting.

Li Shubai didn’t bother to glance at Huang Ziyao’s expression behind him and merely remarked indifferently, "Perhaps Huang Ziyao is bold enough to take the opposite approach and come straight to the capital."

"That would be walking right into a trap—certain death," Li Rui said.

Li Run sighed softly. "I remember Huang Ziyao was once hailed as the capital’s child prodigy. Who could have imagined she’d end up like this? Pitiable, regrettable, detestable."

Among those present, Prince Kang Li Wen was too young to know the story and asked curiously, "What was so remarkable about Governor Huang’s daughter? Why does it seem everyone knows of her?"

Li Rui chuckled. "She once helped her father, then the Vice Minister of Justice Huang Min, solve several cases. Quite intriguing—even now, storytellers in the streets still relish recounting them."

Li Wen pressed, "I’ve never heard of this. Ninth Brother, tell me the story. Let’s see if you tell it better than the street storytellers."

Amid the laughter, Li Rui straightened up with an air of solemnity, cleared his throat, and began, "Very well, let me start from the beginning. About five or six years ago, one evening, the Ministry of Justice suddenly received word that a woman had hanged herself in Xingde Ward. When the coroner arrived, they found it was a newlywed bride. It was said she had quarreled with her husband the day before, stormed off in a huff, and upon returning that evening, took her own life."

Jin Nu covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide. "How tragic that some women can be so narrow-minded."

"Indeed. At the time, the coroner confirmed it was suicide by hanging, so the Ministry of Justice prepared to close the case. Vice Minister Huang Min went to review the findings. His daughter Huang Ziyao, then only eleven or twelve, was waiting outside the house with her brother for their father to finish. The people of Chang’an love a spectacle, and with a death involved, the place was bustling with onlookers. A cloth merchant claimed the bride hadn’t bought her wedding dress fabric from his shop, and the ill-fated color of her gown had led to this tragedy. A jeweler asked whether the husband still wanted the silver hairpins his wife had ordered that afternoon. A fortune-teller boasted he had predicted the family would face both joy and sorrow that year—if only they’d consulted him sooner... Chaos reigned. Just as Huang Min was about to sign off on the case, Huang Ziyao suddenly called out from beyond the door, 'Father!'"

Here, Li Rui paused, coughing lightly like a seasoned storyteller, and surveyed his audience. "Now, esteemed listeners, can anyone guess why Miss Huang Ziyao called out to her father at that moment?"Li Run smiled and said, "You've only just begun the story without any hints. How are we supposed to know why Huang Zixiao called out to her father?"

Li Rui chuckled, "Indeed, it's just the beginning, but by then Huang Zixiao already knew the cause of the bride's death and the true culprit. Besides, I've already given you a hint."

The group exchanged puzzled glances. Li Wen was the first to speak, "In my opinion, that fortune-teller seems highly suspicious. Could it be that he harmed someone just to gain a reputation as a living immortal?"

Li Rui burst into laughter and turned to Li Run, "What do you think, Seventh Brother?"

After a brief pause, Li Run replied, "I'm not sure about that. Could it be that the fabric merchant held a grudge against the bride over a dispute about the wedding dress? Or perhaps something unpleasant happened between the jewelry merchant and the woman when she went to buy accessories?"

Li Rui smiled without confirming or denying, then turned to Li Shubai, "What does Fourth Brother think?"

"It was the husband," Li Shubai said casually.

Li Rui was instantly astonished, his expression saying, "Brother, I bow to you!" "Fourth Brother, how did you guess that?"

"I've seen similar case files at the Ministry of Justice before, so I roughly know the truth," he said calmly.

Li Rui sighed in relief and said, "Exactly. At that time, Huang Min was about to write his conclusion on the case file when he heard Huang Zixiao call out 'Father.' He looked up and asked, 'What's a little girl like you doing at a crime scene? Go back home!' But Huang Zixiao pointed at the jewelry merchant standing nearby and said, 'Father, did you hear what he said? That lady definitely didn't commit suicide—she was murdered and made to look like she took her own life!'"

Li Wen looked skeptical, "Ninth Brother, you said she was only eleven or twelve then, younger than me. Who would believe what such a little girl said?"

"Precisely. At the time, Huang Min also thought it absurd for a little girl to say such things. He scolded her lightly, 'Go play by yourself,' and intended to ignore her. But then she pressed her hand on her father's case file and said, 'Father, I once heard you chatting with colleagues at home about how people facing death become utterly disheartened. So tell me, have you ever seen someone so disheartened they'd commit suicide, yet still go to a jewelry shop to order a silver hairpin beforehand? Moreover, she only chose the design but never collected it!'"

At Li Rui's words, the hall fell silent. Even Jin Nu, who had been holding her pipa all along, momentarily lost focus, her fingers unconsciously strumming the strings—a soft sound went unnoticed as everyone was struck by sudden realization before breaking into applause.

Li Shubai lightly tapped the table, signaling to Huang Zixiao behind him. Understanding his intent, she knelt slowly, picked up the wine jug on the table, and filled his cup.

He glanced sideways at her profile—her long, thick lashes curled delicately over her deep, pool-like eyes. Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting a faint glow as it slid across her eyelashes.Li Rui's account continued: "Huang Min suddenly realized his daughter was right and immediately summoned the coroner for a second examination of the body. After careful inspection, they finally discovered subtle shifts in the rope marks—evidence that the victim had been strangled once, then strangled again over the same marks to create overlapping impressions. Thus, it was deduced that the deceased had first been strangled to death before being hung from the beam to stage a suicide. The only person who could have done this was naturally the first to discover her body and report it as a suicide—her husband."

Li Wen widened his eyes and asked, "Did her husband confess?"

Li Rui nodded. "When the coroner exposed the flaws in the body, her husband was already pale with fright. He immediately fell to his knees, begging for mercy, and confessed his crime. It turned out he suspected his wife of having an affair with someone from the streets before their marriage. Seeing her leave the house after an argument, he assumed she was going to meet her lover. Consumed by rage, he lost his senses. When she returned home and turned to close the door, he grabbed a nearby rope and strangled her. After regaining his senses, he quickly hung her from the beam to stage a suicide, hoping to deceive everyone."

Li Run praised, "He nearly got away with it, but who would have thought a twelve-year-old girl would see through it in one glance? Perhaps the heavens simply wouldn’t let him escape."

"Exactly. Huang Ziyao, at twelve years old, solved a murder case with a single sentence. From then on, everyone in the capital praised her as a child prodigy. Whenever the Ministry of Justice encountered difficult or unsolved cases, Huang Ziyao often helped Huang Min unravel the clues. Huang Min once told others, 'My daughter is worth ten sons from other families.' Yet no one could have imagined that in the end, this very daughter would poison her entire family, committing a shocking massacre."

Li Shubai noticed Huang Ziyao's sunlit eyelashes tremble slightly—just a faint quiver. Then she lowered her gaze, rising silently with the delicate grace of a flower branch swaying in the wind. Li Shubai thought to himself, who could have guessed that such a slender and ethereal girl could stand so composedly among those discussing her, listening expressionlessly as others recounted her past and sins, as if it were nothing more than a passing breeze.

After Li Rui finished recounting the case, the group reflected for a moment before Li Run suddenly remembered something. "If Huang Ziyao were still in the capital, I wonder if she could solve the current bizarre case plaguing the city?"

Li Rui asked, "Are you referring to the 'Four Corners Case' that has everyone in the capital on edge?"

Li Run nodded. Li Wen pressed eagerly, "What Four Corners Case? How come I haven’t heard of it?"

"It’s a recent case in the capital—bloody, eerie, and brutal. Everyone thought you were too young, so they didn’t mention it in front of you," Li Rui said with a laugh. "Better not to ask. You should go listen to the lectures from the Hanlin Academy scholars instead."

"No, no! Ninth Brother, your stories are way more interesting than those stuffy scholars'. I have to hear about this Four Corners Case!" Li Wen stood up and scooted over to sit beside Li Rui, gazing at him with the eager eyes of a fledgling waiting for its mother.

Li Run chuckled. "Ninth Brother, go ahead and tell it. I’ve heard bits and pieces but only know the gist. I know you love listening to storytellers in teahouses and taverns—what’s the latest version circulating in the streets?"Li Rui turned to Li Shubai and asked, "Fourth Brother, you're familiar with the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice. Do you have any new leads or clues?"

Li Shubai shook his head slowly. "No, both departments are doing their best to investigate, but there's been no progress."

"Then let me share what I've heard about this matter." Li Rui gestured for Jinnu to refill his wine, then with a mysterious expression, he asked Li Wen, "Did you know that the eastern part of Chang'an is now in a state of panic? Though it's not quite deserted, most people have fled to stay with relatives or friends in other parts of the capital or the suburbs, too afraid to remain in the east?"

"Really? No wonder business in the East Market has been so slow lately. When I visited last time, many shops were closed." Li Wen grew even more curious. "What's going on? What happened in the east?"

"The story begins three months ago. On the morning of the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, guards at the Taiji Palace in the northern part of the city found an elderly night watchman in his sixties murdered beneath the palace walls. The word '净' (Jing) was written in blood on the wall." Li Rui recounted the tale vividly, his expressions animated. If one weren't listening to the content, they might think he was telling a romantic tale of scholars and beauties, not a gruesome murder.

"A month later, on the twenty-first day of the second month, a blacksmith in his thirties was killed outside a pharmacy in Anyi Lane in the southern part of the city. The word 'Le' was written on the wall. On the nineteenth day of the third month, a four-year-old child was murdered at a charity house in Chang'an Lane in the southwest. Another word, 'I', was left behind. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the handwriting and murder methods matched, concluding that the same perpetrator was responsible for all three cases. They temporarily named it the 'Four Directions Case.It's said that the four sides of the Bodhi tree symbolize 'Chang, Le, Wo, Jing'—east representing 'Chang,' south 'Le,' west 'Wo,' and north 'Jing.'' This caused widespread panic in the capital, and rumors began to spread that these people were killed by evil spirits. The story goes that on New Year's Day this year, Master Zhuangzhen mispronounced a sacred verse during a Dharma assembly, allowing the spirits to remain in the mortal world and wreak havoc. They must kill four people in the four directions of the capital before they can leave."

"I remember Master Zhuangzhen! Wasn't he a revered monk from Jianfu Temple? When Princess Suining was born, he was invited to perform rites because Consort Chen had a difficult labor." Li Wen asked curiously, "I heard he died recently—could it be related to this?"

Li Rui nodded. "Master Zhuangzhen heard the rumors in the capital, claiming the deaths were caused by his mistake. He recalled that during his lecture that day, he had indeed mispronounced the sacred verse—the character '乐' should have been pronounced 'lè,' but he mistakenly said 'yuè,' a grave error. Overcome with grief and remorse, he passed away shortly after. But after his death, the rumors only intensified. People said that since Jianfu Temple is at the center of the capital, Master Zhuangzhen's death aligned with the Bodhi tree, facing all directions. With the north, south, and west already having suffered bloodshed, only the east—symbolizing 'Chang'—remained. The people in the east, believing the rumors, fled in panic, seeking refuge with relatives. The eastern part of the city is nearly empty now."

Li Run sighed softly and asked Li Shubai, "Fourth Brother, this matter has escalated so much—three people are already dead. Haven't the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice taken any real action?"Li Shubai said, "The murderer is ruthless and precise, adept at hiding. With Chang'an's population nearing a million, tracking such a person is like finding a needle in a haystack. Although the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice have mobilized all their forces, they've found nothing so far. Now it's April, and given the killer's pattern of one murder per month, another strike is imminent. The Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple have no choice but to deploy their men throughout the capital—there’s no other solution for now."

Li Run sighed, "The phrase 'Eternal Joy, Purity, and Serenity'—a Buddhist verse—has been left at the crime scenes. This case is truly bizarre and brutal, beyond comprehension... Even if Huang Zixia were in the capital, she might not be able to solve it."

Li Rui chuckled, "She’s just a woman who happened to solve a few cases with her cleverness—nothing more than a narrow-minded woman’s unconventional thinking. In this case, she’d be just as helpless as anyone else."

Li Wen widened his eyes and said, "But Zhou Ziqin keeps telling me that Huang Zixia is extraordinarily talented, that there’s no case in the world she can’t crack."

"Unfortunately, the extraordinarily talented Huang Zixia, daughter of Vice Minister Huang, is now a fugitive murderer, wandering the world, with everyone seeking her life," Li Shubai remarked.

Behind him, Huang Zixia stood motionless, silent.

Amid the sighs of the others, only Li Run spoke up, "I believe there’s more to the Huang family massacre than meets the eye—at the very least, it’s not as straightforward as it seems."

"But the evidence is irrefutable—witnesses and material proof are all there. Huang Zixia’s guilt is undeniable; there’s no overturning this case," Li Rui shook his head, then asked, "Seventh Brother, do you know something about this case?"

"Not at all. It’s just that Wang Yun is my close friend, and I find it hard to believe."

Li Wen asked curiously, "Which Wang Yun?"

Li Run replied, "Naturally, the cousin of the Empress, the only son of the main branch of the Langya Wang family—Wang Yun."

"Exactly. Wang Yun is Huang Zixia’s fiancé," Li Rui said mysteriously. "There are rumors that Huang Zixia refused to marry Wang Yun because she had another lover, which is why she poisoned her entire family—to elope with him."

Behind Li Shubai, Huang Zixia stood with her hands at her sides, silent. For some reason, Li Shubai let out a soft laugh.

Li Rui quickly turned to him and asked, "Fourth Brother, what do you think?"

Li Shubai smiled, "Nothing much. I was just thinking—since Seventh Brother is close to Wang Yun, has he ever met Huang Zixia?"

"I suppose I’ve seen her once," Li Run nodded. "Three years ago, Huang Zixia was summoned and commended by the Empress for helping her father solve several baffling cases. That day, Wang Yun came to me and mentioned that Huang Zixia was his betrothed. I understood his intention, so I accompanied him to the palace under the pretense of paying respects to his cousin, the Empress—but really, it was to catch a glimpse of his fiancée."

Li Wen eagerly asked, "So you must have seen her? What does Huang Zixia look like?"

"I suppose I did. We arrived late, and she had already left. We only saw her from afar on the winding corridor, following the palace maids—dressed in silver-red gauze, with jet-black hair and porcelain-white skin. Her figure was light and slender, like the first bloom of a flower. At the very end, as she turned the corner, we caught a glimpse of her profile."Li Rui asked, "Is she a beauty?"

Li Run nodded. "Just like the image on the wanted poster, undoubtedly a beauty indeed."

"Wang Yun is truly a pity," Li Wen said with a laugh.