The Golden Hairpin

The purple crape myrtles in Suwei Garden were still in full bloom, their cascading blossoms exuding a deep summer vibe under the already scorching morning sun.

Imperial son-in-law Wei Baoheng was complaining to Li Shubai, "Your Highness, you know how it is—it's not that I don't want to attend to the princess, but I simply have no authority in my own household. If the princess doesn't summon me, how could I possibly go? I'd be more than willing to serve her tea and water, but she'd rather listen to Imperial Academy instructor Yu lecture about the Rites of Zhou!"

As he spoke, he noticed the eunuch leading Huang Ziguang in and gave an awkward, bitter smile, raising a hand in greeting. "Eunuch Yang."

"Greetings, Imperial Son-in-law Wei." She bowed and then stood behind Li Shubai.

Li Shubai gently steered the conversation away, saying only, "Recently, it seems there have been quite a few strange occurrences in the princess's residence."

"Indeed... Wei Ximin died, I had a minor accident while playing polo, and now... the princess's most treasured Nine Phoenix Hairpin has mysteriously disappeared." Wei Baoheng sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. "I really don't know if it's like those damned Taoist priests say—that something in the residence is stirring up trouble..."

Li Shubai asked, "Something like what?"

"Well... the matter of Zhijin Garden." He glanced at Huang Ziguang and asked, "Has Eunuch Yang also heard the rumors circulating in the residence?"

Huang Ziguang nodded and asked, "Are you referring to the incident where the maid Doukou, who served by your side, inexplicably drowned in Zhijin Garden?"

"Yes..." He nodded silently, a flicker of sorrow passing through his eyes that was almost imperceptible. But he immediately turned his gaze to the window, looking at the crape myrtles blooming fiercely under the sunlight, his voice still calm and measured. "After that, Zhijin Garden was sealed off because of ghostly weeping at night. But ever since then, strange things keep happening in the residence... Like the princess dreaming that her Nine Phoenix Hairpin was gone, and then it really vanished without a trace. Tell me, how could something like that disappear under such tight security? Isn't it bizarre?"

Huang Ziguang nodded. "It truly is. By all logic, it should have been impossible."

"So... I've been wondering if it's Doukou's vengeful spirit causing trouble." Wei Baoheng mused. "Perhaps only a ghost could make the hairpin vanish like that under such circumstances."

"Imperial Son-in-law Wei, do you think Doukou, who served you faithfully for over a decade since childhood, would be heartbroken to hear you call her a ghost after her death?" Huang Ziguang asked.

Wei Baoheng was taken aback, then said softly, "Perhaps... if she died unjustly and in great pain."

Huang Ziguang fell silent. Li Shubai interjected, "Let's set aside talk of supernatural forces for now. I'd like to ask you something, Imperial Son-in-law. Where were you yesterday at noon?"

Wei Baoheng paused slightly before answering, "At noon, I was in Daning Ward."

"Might I ask what business took you to Daning Ward?"

"The abbot of Xingtang Temple in Daning Ward, Wuyin, is a highly virtuous monk. With all the recent troubles in the residence, I went to ask him to chant sutras for the deceased." He recalled clearly, "After arranging the date with Wuyin, I wandered around the temple for a while and lost track of time. When I left, I heard there had been a murder in the ward. I went to take a look, but since the Dali Temple was already investigating, I returned to the residence."

Huang Ziguang asked, "While you were lingering in the temple, did you happen to meet anyone?"Wei Baoheng shook his head and said, "It wasn't the first or fifteenth of the month, so there were few pilgrims. I wandered around the backyard for a while but didn't encounter anyone."

"And then?" Li Shubai asked slowly, "Before you left Daning Ward to return to your residence..."

Wei Baoheng looked at him in astonishment and asked, "Your Highness means..."

"Yesterday, on my way back from the yamen, I saw you in Daning Ward," Li Shubai said without concealment, lightly mentioning, "You were speaking with that Lü Dicui."

Wei Baoheng's expression finally changed. He hadn't expected that his conversation with Dicui in Daning Ward would reach their ears.

His face flushed and paled alternately, but he eventually nodded in admission. "Yes... before, when I went to settle the matter, I met her once."

"But your behavior and words toward her didn't seem like those of someone who had only met her once," Li Shubai remarked coolly, yet unrelentingly.

Wei Baoheng let out a long sigh and said, "Indeed... after all, the Princess's residence owes her. I wanted to treat her as kindly as possible."

Li Shubai watched him coldly without speaking.

"Just because I appeared in Daning Ward and spoke a few words with Lü Dicui, does Your Highness think I'm involved in that Sun Laizi's death?" Unable to contain himself any longer, he hurriedly defended himself, "Does Your Highness believe I would go alone to Daning Ward to kill a disease-ridden wretch? With just a word from me, Sun Laizi could die a hundred different ways. Isn't that so?"

Li Shubai leaned back in his chair, watching the flustered Wei Baoheng jump up to defend himself without even blinking. "Consort Wei, you overthink. This prince merely meant to say that, as Princess Tongchang's consort, meeting privately with a young woman seems rather thoughtless."

Wei Baoheng was momentarily stunned before slumping back into his seat with a weak nod. "Yes... I will remember Your Highness's admonition."

After lingering in the Princess's residence for a long while, the sky was once again ablaze with sunset hues.

The consort personally escorted them to the outer gate of Suwei Garden, then said somewhat nervously, "Your Highness, take care on your way back. I shall first see if the Princess requires my presence."

Li Shubai nodded. "Go ahead. With so many incidents occurring in the residence recently, you must take good care of the Princess. It's best not to go out or meet with outsiders."

"Yes," Wei Baoheng replied respectfully, agreeing to each point.

Huang Ziyao followed behind Li Shubai as they walked along the path toward the side gate.

The Kui Prince's residence in Yongjia Ward wasn't far from the Princess's residence—just a passage through Xingning Ward. The Princess's residence was located in the Sixteen Princes' Mansions at the northeastern corner of Chang'an, and exiting from the southwestern side gate led directly to the various wards of the city.

Seeing the splendid brocade-like sunset in the sky, both unconsciously slowed their pace. Ignoring the Kui Prince's carriage waiting for them, they strolled leisurely through the Princess's residence.

This most renowned and opulent mansion in Chang'an shimmered under the twilight, its golden and vermilion hues intermingling. The high terraces, small pavilions, winding corridors, and magnificent halls resembled the illusory fairy mountains of Penglai and the immortal isles of Yingzhou—dwellings of the divine.

Yet those who lived within seemed burdened with inescapable sorrow and melancholy. Did such resplendent towers and pavilions then go to waste?

As Huang Ziyao pondered this, she heard Li Shubai murmur softly, "Daning Ward yesterday was indeed as lively as the consort described."

Hearing him suddenly bring up the events of the previous day, Huang Ziyao turned to look at him and nodded in agreement."When Sun Laizi died, all the relevant parties had gathered at Daning Lane—Zhang Xingying, Lü Dicui, Lü Zhiyuan, Qian Guansuo, and... Consort Wei."

"What's even more remarkable is that every one of them had a motive for murder," Huang Zitang said.

"Hmm, but I'm sure you've noticed that from the very beginning, the consort seemed to subtly direct our attention toward Doukou. What do you think his intention was?"

Huang Zitang nodded. "The first time we visited the princess's residence, the consort deliberately glanced at the painting and poem of Doukou on the wall in front of me and Cui Shaoqing, drawing my attention and naturally leading to the revelation of Doukou's death in the household."

"But I've already had people investigate. There was indeed a maidservant by the consort's side, ten years his senior, named Doukou," Li Shubai paused on the deserted stone path and said quietly. "She had cared for him since childhood, and he stubbornly refused to let her marry, insisting on bringing her even to the princess's residence. Last month, she drowned in the small pond of Zhijin Garden."

Huang Zitang nodded thoughtfully. "Changpu told me the same thing."

"There's one more thing you might not know," Li Shubai said, gazing at the lush grass ahead, dotted with summer flowers blooming brilliantly yet withering one by one under the scorching sun, unnoticed. "Doukou had over ten siblings at home. Because her brothers couldn't afford betrothal gifts for their marriages, she was sold into the Wei household at the age of twelve. Intelligent and obedient, she was assigned to serve the three-year-old Consort Wei the following year. Twenty years passed, and she rose from a lowly maid to become the most important person by the consort's side—yet she had no savings because she had seven parasitic brothers, each demanding her support."

Huang Zitang nodded silently as Li Shubai continued, "Her eldest sister, over twenty years her senior, died in childbirth shortly after Doukou entered the Wei household, leaving behind a daughter named Lü Dicui."

Huang Zitang looked up at him in surprise. "Did they have any contact?"

"None. Doukou spent all these years supporting her brothers because she believed only they were her true family, while her married sisters were outsiders—especially since her eldest sister was so much older. She had married Lü Zhiyuan before Doukou was even born, and the two rarely met. After Dicui's mother died in childbirth, those uncles were too lazy and selfish to care for their sister's orphaned daughter. I doubt Doukou ever even saw her niece."

Huang Zitang nodded thoughtfully. "Dicui's mother and Doukou were sisters. Perhaps the niece resembled her aunt. That might explain why the princess suddenly felt unwell and had her driven out upon seeing her."

"So Doukou's death must be connected to the princess."

Huang Zitang frowned. "Many witnessed this, but why did the consort deliberately lie to me about the shawl—something so easily disproven—when he first mentioned Doukou?""It seems you're quite adept at solving cases, but not so familiar with court affairs," Li Shubai remarked coolly. "At the time, Vice Minister Cui went with you. Given the princess's unusual attitude towards Dìcuì, it's clear the imperial consort and Dòukòu must have had an improper relationship. Perhaps he wanted to alert you, but what need would a nominal Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review—just there for appearances—have to know about such scandals?"

Huang Zixiao asked again, "Did Lü Zhiyuan know about Dòukòu's affairs?"

"Lü Zhiyuan secured the candle contract for the princess's residence, which had nothing to do with Dòukòu. For someone like him, do you think he wouldn't have come demanding benefits from Dòukòu if he'd known?" Li Shubai gazed at her, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of his lips. "The relationships between people are quite intriguing, aren't they?"

Huang Zixiao fell silent, and the two walked out of the princess's residence without further conversation. Ahead lay the side gate, beyond which stood the mansions of princes and high-ranking officials, their towering walls enclosing a quiet, deserted expanse.

As they rounded the corner near the side gate, they spotted someone passing by the outer gate.

Yu Xuan.

She had thought he'd left long ago, yet here he was, departing only now—and directly in her path.

Unconsciously, her steps faltered, leaving her trailing behind Li Shubai.

Yu Xuan didn't notice them. He seemed distracted, his usually graceful bearing slightly unsteady.

Li Shubai turned slowly to look at her. She was staring blankly at Yu Xuan, her expression caught between shock and sorrow.

"Aren't you curious?" Li Shubai paused, then added, "Go see what he's holding."

Huang Zixiao nodded, snapping out of her daze to look up at him in surprise.

But Li Shubai was already walking toward the carriage waiting at the gate. "We'll talk back at the residence," he said.

Huang Zixiao stood rooted for a moment before finally setting off in the direction Yu Xuan had gone.

Back in Shu, she had tailed suspects before. Now, though her steps were slightly uneven, Yu Xuan ahead seemed even more preoccupied, utterly oblivious to his surroundings.

In the quiet, deserted streets between Daning and Xingning wards at dusk, she followed him from a distance, catching sight of the object clutched in his hand—a letter.