Chapter 108: The Victim Named Li, A Life Hanging by a Thread

Di Ying: "…You're already thirty years old, shouldn’t you be more steady?"

Song Wen: "Heh heh heh, you say I’m steady, yet you’ve managed to steady yourself right into prison. How’s the injury? Better now? If not, I just bought a wild boar yesterday—I’ll toss it over the wall into your courtyard."

Di Ying: "…Can wild boar heal wounds, or is it nourishment?"

Song Wen: "Who cares what it does? Just treat you like a pig and raise you well."

Di Ying: "You’re the pig. Your whole family is pigs."

Song Wen: "Well then, pigs are lucky—they eat and sleep, sleep and eat, and when the end comes, the pain isn’t much. Thanks for your blessings."

Di Ying: "…"

But he wasn’t really insulting him; he genuinely meant it as a sort of blessing.

Seeing Song Wen understood, Di Ying didn’t bother arguing further.

“Here, take a look and see if there’s anything wrong with this case.”

He pushed the case file over.

The moment Song Wen heard there was a case, his demeanor immediately grew serious.

He took the file and examined it carefully, reading back and forth twice.

Pointing at a line of small text, he said, “There’s a problem here. The little maid Cui’er didn’t sell herself into slavery; she only signed a three-year employment contract.

According to the customs of wealthy households, a maid like her wouldn’t be allowed into the master’s main quarters, or even into the courtyard.

At most, she’d work as a kitchen helper, sweeping the courtyard, or clearing snow—doing the lowest tasks in the household.

How did she get close to Princess Yongtai? How did she enter the princess’s bedchamber?

There are always servants attending the princess’s residence twenty-four hours a day; how did Cui’er sneak in?

And she didn’t steal anything else, only a single jade hairpin?

Caught red-handed, and it was found on her person?

If there’s no problem with this, then I’ve been a magistrate in vain.”

“So what do you think? Where’s the problem?” Di Ying asked with a smile.

Song Wen paced around like a donkey going in circles.

Then he replied, “The case file is too brief. We need to investigate further. You always emphasize the motive behind a criminal’s violation.

This case is no different. Until we understand the conflict between the princess and Cui’er, we won’t figure out where the real issue lies.”

Di Ying nodded with a smile.

Then he asked, “That’s Princess Yongtai, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Wuchengsi household, Li Xianxian. How will you go about questioning?”

Song Wen only then realized that the person who reported the little maid was Li Xianxian.

This complicated things.

He furrowed his brows and hesitated, asking Di Ying, “So she’s just a common-born little maid…”

He couldn’t continue.

Facing Di Ying’s serious gaze, he couldn’t bring himself to ask more.

After pacing a few more circles, Song Wen rubbed his face and said, “I’ll go ask the servants in the princess’s residence.”

He started to leave.

Li Xianxian had her own residence; she and her husband lived there, not in the Wuchengsi mansion.

Song Wen took a few steps then turned back, glancing at both sides of Di Ying.

He asked, “Where’s your fifth-rank armed guard, Xiao Peng? Can I borrow him for a bit?”

“He’s digging in the fields at Di Family Manor,” Di Ying replied casually.

“Huh? Di Family Manor? When did your family get a manor? Where is it? Why did you send him to dig there? Shouldn’t he be with you? There are so many people hiding in the shadows wanting to chop you up for hot pot,” Song Wen exclaimed, surprised.

Di Ying: “…My brother likes farming. So I used my salary, the compensation silver, and the lands granted and awarded by His Majesty, all to build Di Family Manor about twenty miles west of the city.

I have a lot of people to support, plus their families. I let them all work the land there.”

“That’s actually a good idea. I’ll have my household’s lands either swapped or bought and moved next to your manor,” Song Wen chimed in.

Without realizing it, as they chatted, he forgot again that he wanted Xiao Peng’s help.

Only when they were about to leave did he remember and nervously ask Di Ying again about safety.

Di Ying just smiled.

A cool, calm smile.

“No one dares touch me now.”

Song Wen paused, then nodded somberly.

“Indeed. You were reckless before, and now you’ve been demoted and transferred without cause. Everyone knows you’re simmering with anger.

Even His Majesty feels a bit sorry for you. Anyone who dares make a move now would be lighting a big firecracker.”

Di Ying: “…Go solve cases then.”

Song Wen grabbed him, pushing and pulling.

“Together, together. I’m your eyes and ears, brotherhood united.”

Then he whispered in Di Ying’s ear, “Is Wuchengsi in trouble?”

Di Ying: “…Do you think I have a long life? I’ll tell you: this time, I’m scared of being reckless. His Majesty will tolerate me once or twice, but there won’t be a third time. I have a big family to care for, I can’t be reckless anymore.”

Song Wen shot him a sidelong glance.

One look, then another, full of disbelief.

“Even you, Di Ying, can be scared? Do you even know how to write the word ‘scared’? You’re always fooling around, don’t you find it fun?”

“You’re fun indeed. But I’m really scared. These past few days you’ve come to my house every day, lifting my blanket to check my wounds. After surviving something so miserable, why wouldn’t I be scared?” Di Ying countered.

Those words reminded Song Wen of that grisly scene, and he pursed his lips.

Once they were out of earshot, he murmured, “You should be scared. There are endless villains. We only have one life. With such a big family, you really can’t be reckless anymore.”

Di Ying smiled quietly, watching his back.

Before finishing his smile, Song Wen turned around.

Di Ying grinned more openly.

Song Wen gave him a look, then said oddly, “What are you so happy about? Hey, tell me—if Li Xianxian really has a problem, what do you want me to do?

You know better than me—it’s just a little maid. Even if I prove she’s innocent, at best Li Xianxian will pay some fines and compensation.

Other than that, I can’t do anything.

Even if it goes all the way to His Majesty, the little maid’s hands and life are still intact. Li Xianxian will walk away unscathed.

At most… her reputation might suffer a bit.

But even that’s not much. People will just say it was a misunderstanding. What can we do?”

“Nothing at all.”

Di Ying smiled brightly. “A case is a case. You just handle it according to the law. Clearing the innocent is your duty and responsibility. Don’t overthink it.”

Song Wen: “…That’s true, but why do I always feel you’re acting strange?”

Di Ying: “If you had all these injuries and had to be dragged along a long way to solve a case, you’d be strange too.”

Song Wen: “…Brother, I was wrong. I’ll call a carriage for you right away.”

The journey was indeed a bit far.

Li Xianxian’s princess residence was almost diagonally opposite the palace.

Probably for safety reasons—after all, her surname was Li.