Chapter 40: Fishing for Someone

After two days of starvation in the prison, the drunkard was left with only half his life. He devoured a bowl of swill like a starving beast, and once his hunger was satisfied, he began to spill everything without the need for interrogation—confessing to every scam, trick, and misdeed he had committed over the past thirty years.

The man’s surname was indeed Jin, Jin Ershun, but he was certainly not the son of the Commander. He was merely a street hoodlum from the North City. He had impersonated the Commander’s son only because he heard that a notoriously ruthless Commander in the capital shared the same surname, so he used the tiger's skin as a banner to intimidate others.

That night, after drinking, he was wandering along Qipan Street. Feeling the few dozen copper coins he had pilfered elsewhere burning a hole in his pocket, he felt a craving to spend the evening with a favorite courtesan. He hadn't expected to run into the veiled Mrs. Qiu, who was looking about by the roadside.

Such matters were unspoken and understood; they exchanged a glance, knowing exactly what the other wanted, and trailed one another to the wall. When Mrs. Qiu mentioned that a pretty widow with a proud temperament and a captivating beauty had recently moved into Pear Blossom Lane, and offered to play matchmaker, Jin Ershun was immediately tempted. He went deep into the alley in search of pleasure, which led to the events of that night.

Jin Ershun even boasted that if the young widow were easy to handle, he would take her elsewhere to sell her after playing with her a few times.

Sell her! To put it mildly, that was human trafficking!

The Magistrate of Wannian County furrowed his brows in frustration. Ten women had already gone missing in the capital; there was neither word of them nor a single lead, and none of the cases involved kidnapping for ransom. With so many young women vanishing at once, it was clear that the brothels and pleasure quarters were involved. Now, Jin Ershun not only sought to satisfy his lust but had also intended to abduct her for profit. Had Mrs. An not been vigilant and strong-willed, her fate would have been uncertain, inevitably linking her to the string of disappearances.

Such an important figure could not be allowed to escape; it was better to arrest a thousand innocents than to let one guilty party go. The Wannian County office placed Jin Ershun in shackles and threw him into prison, while also arresting Mrs. Qiu for her involvement. Both suspects were transferred to the Jingzhao Prefecture for special investigation.

While the authorities acted with lightning speed, An Chunfeng remained unaware. When she returned to Pear Blossom Lane from the agency, the crowd in the lane had already dispersed. By the time she returned to her courtyard, the sun was sinking in the west, and another day had come to an end.

An Chunfeng suffered from poor sleep at night, so she often caught up on rest during the day. Having reached her limit, she felt utterly exhausted. After a quick wash, she lay down to rest. However, it was broad daylight, hardly the time for sleep, and she had just drifted off when a thunderous pounding on her door startled her awake.

An Chunfeng felt a fire of rage ignite in her heart: Was there no peace to be found? She didn't want to get up, but the knocking persisted. With no time to arrange her long hair, she simply tied it back with a silk ribbon, threw on her clothes, and slipped into her clogs to open the door.

Outside, Qiu Rong stood with a dejected expression, his hands hanging at his sides. Beside him stood a burly man dressed in a brown military uniform. The man glared fiercely at Qiu Rong and cursed in a low voice, "I’ve only been away for a month, and you two siblings have already landed yourselves in prison. You’ve really outdone yourselves!"

Qiu Rong cowered. "Brother-in-law, I... I didn't know my sister... would do this. She only said that once I... I married, I could move out, so you and my sister could... have more space, and maybe even have a... child!"

The man’s brows knitted together. He spat at Qiu Rong. "Look at your pathetic state. You want a wife? Your waist isn't even as thick as my leg. You couldn't even support a wife if you had one; you’d just be sleeping in someone else's bed."

Qiu Rong’s nose turned red. "Brother-in-law, you... you must save my sister!"

"Save her? Where were you before? Always causing me trouble. I do nothing all day but clean up after you two!" The man grumbled and began to pound on the door again.

After two strikes, the gate swung open. The man’s swinging fist hit nothing but air, nearly throwing him off balance. "Blast it! What’s with the door opening so suddenly? You scared the life out of me!"

"You're the one who isn't worth a damn, pounding on a widow's door in broad daylight! What do you want?" An Chunfeng stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, coldly sizing up the brother-in-law pair. Judging by what she had overheard, she correctly identified the man as Mrs. Qiu’s husband. Given his attire, he was clearly a soldier, which explained his crude behavior.

"Oh! You have a sharp tongue, Mistress. What kind of talk is that? If it weren't for the sake of that unforgetful woman in my family, we wouldn't bother coming to find you." The man seemed stung by the remark about "pounding on a widow's door" and denied it repeatedly.

Once he said this, he noticed An Chunfeng’s disheveled appearance. Hastily, he spat, turned his back to the gate, and shouted, "What bad luck, lying down in the middle of the day!"

After spitting, he couldn't help but slap his brother-in-law, who was peeking lewdly. "Your sister picked this woman for you? Are you blind? A short runt wanting to ride a wild stallion—you think too highly of yourself. Look at your own thin bones—see if you can handle it. Turn around, don't embarrass me!"

Qiu Rong turned around obediently, pouting, and stammered, "Brother-in-law, my sister, my sister..."

"Shut up!" Liao Da roared.

He was furious. His brother-in-law had rushed to his camp outside the city to tell him Mrs. Qiu had been arrested, and he had hurriedly requested leave to return. He had first gone to the Wannian County office to ask a familiar bailiff, who only revealed that she was involved in a case and could not disclose details, warning him to hurry to the Jingzhao Prefecture to get her out before she was transferred to the Ministry of Justice prison.

Liao Da was terrified upon hearing this. Mrs. Qiu was an illiterate woman, yet while she was talkative and doted on her brother, she was frugal and managed their home in perfect order, maintaining friendly relations with the neighbors. Because they had been married for years without children, she had even offered to find him a concubine. How could a law-abiding woman like her be involved in a criminal case and end up in prison?

Returning home, Liao Da grabbed his brother-in-law and forced the truth out of him, finally learning that it was about the widow who had recently moved in. Mrs. Qiu had tried to use a "damsel in distress" plot to help Qiu Rong find a wife.

Liao Da finally understood the sequence of events and wished he could strike the two fools dead. They were truly dim-witted. Even if she were a widow without a husband’s family to back her, someone who could afford such an expensive courtyard was clearly capable of living on her own. How could she possibly have any interest in a weakling like Qiu Rong?

But now was not the time to beat his brother-in-law. He had to get his wife out before nightfall, and he knew the key still rested with the widow.

The bell must be untied by the one who tied it. If this woman was willing to come forward and show leniency, Mrs. Qiu’s punishment could be reduced.

Ordering his brother-in-law to be silent, Liao Da turned slightly, averting his gaze, and said to An Chunfeng, "My name is Liao, known as Liao Da. I am a corporal in the Vanguard Battalion outside the city, and Mrs. Qiu is my wife. I have been busy at the camp lately and neglected affairs at home. I did not know my wife intended to match-make my brother-in-law with you, nor that she would resort to such disgraceful methods. I offer you my sincerest apologies." With that, he bowed deeply.

An Chunfeng was surprised. Mrs. Qiu, who always wore a smile, was clearly a smiling tiger with deep-seated schemes. Yet this soldier, despite his crude exterior, behaved with propriety, turning his body to avoid looking at her directly.