History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 226 A case within a case

As soon as Wei Yao turned around, her relaxed expression vanished, because the person who came to take her to the Xi official residence was none other than Yu Mei, a "Central Talent" from the Book of Poetry library.

problem occurs!
As expected, Lady Yu remained silent the entire way, and Wei Yao, being sensible, asked no questions.

Upon entering the Xi official residence, the Imperial Guards came into view. Only then did Consort Yu tell Wei Yao that Jiang Shunu, who was in charge of the palace school, had been killed by a stone inkstone in the office. The body was discovered by the palace maid He Shi just before dawn.

He had served Jiang Shunu diligently for over ten years, yet remained an ordinary palace slave. How could she not harbor resentment towards Jiang Shunu? Therefore, He was the most likely suspect in the crime.

Lady He was taken away, and Consort Dong, a fourth-rank female official in charge of the Erya (a classical Chinese dictionary) archives, temporarily took over the palace school, with classes continuing as usual in all the classrooms. When classes ended at noon, the Imperial Guards returned, and the eunuchs Su Xingshou and Liu Teng also arrived. The atmosphere was even more tense than in the morning. Clearly, Lady He was not the murderer!
Soon, the female officials relayed the message that everyone who had stayed in the palace school district last night would be questioned and would not be allowed to leave until they were cleared of suspicion.

Wei Yao could leave, but the sixteen students from Qixing Academy, along with the servants Xie Yi and Gong Ai, had all stayed in the office last night and were awaiting interrogation. The children were too young and were all frightened and helpless, so Wei Yao had no choice but to stay with them in the office.

Gong Xuesheng Pei Shen: "Lecturer, last night someone shouted outside that there was a snake, and we all ran out. It was only for a short while, and we can't testify against each other. What if Jiang Shunu died at that time?"

Oh no! Wei Yao immediately asked, "The people outside are shouting that there are snakes, why are you running outside?"

"Because at the time, they were shouting that a snake had crawled into the office through the window crack."

"What about the dormitories next door? Are there any students staying overnight?"

Pei Shen burst into tears: "It was too dark outside, I didn't notice. Lecturer, were we being used?"

The other students then realized what was happening and exclaimed in surprise.

Xie Yi quickly said, "I saw someone run out of the dormitory next door. It was the dormitory for lecturers at Xinye Academy! She was carrying something, probably a candle, but it wasn't lit. It was too dark, so I don't know who she was, but she must be a student!"

Wei Yao: "How long did she stay outside?"

Xie Yi shook her head and cried, "Waaah—I don't know. I just glanced over there. We shouldn't have panicked. Even if there were snakes, could they bite us all?"

Other regular instructors only began to follow Wei Yao's example and reward palace students with exemption from military service; very few allowed students to sleep in the official residence at night. In other words, the person who called for snakes was deliberately exploiting these students!

Even though she could guess the outcome, Wei Yao still asked, "Could you tell who it was from the voice that called for the snake?"

All the students shook their heads.

Wei Yao asked again, "If you were asked to imitate that person's voice, who could do it?"

Pei Shen: "I vaguely remember, but I don't know if I can learn it like that? Instructor, I can try now."

"Don't test it!" Wei Yao stopped her. "Testing it now would raise suspicions of collusion and fabrication. When you are interrogated, you can ask the officer to test your voice on the spot and let your fellow disciples go in to listen and identify it together."

The temporary interrogation took place in the Jiang Shu Nu's quarters, which were just across the street. Wei Yao saw Meng, the person who confessed, come out and walk toward her, followed by a member of the Imperial Guard.

Wei Yao quickly and gently instructed, "Listen carefully, you are all young, it's normal to be scared when something like this happens, don't pretend to be calm. When we interrogate you later, each of you should name the people around you that you can remember from last night, and you must tell the truth! Don't make things up if you can't remember them. As for who is a suspect, that's not your concern."

Meng Gongren: "Lecturer Wei hasn't left. The officer wants to ask your students some questions. Who wants to come with me first?"

Wei Yao: "Let's just let people take attendance."

This Imperial Guard soldier's surname was Zhang, and his given name was Longzi. His eyebrows and eyes carried a natural frivolity, reminding Wei Yao of the ruffians in Wuchuan Town.

Meng Gongren called Xie Yi over first, while Zhang Longzi remained standing there, asking Wei Yao, "You're just like that lecturer Wei, who likes to grab a piece of paper and make mistakes on whomever you've wrongly recorded?"

Wei Yao pulled out a pen and rolled-up paper from her waist and said solemnly, "Since I entered the palace academy, I've discussed matters related to lectures and recorded things related to the new school regulations. If you have any good suggestions for the new regulations or lectures, I can record them for you." Wow? So young, yet so shrewd. Why would the Left General of the Palace need to ask him to look after such a clever young lady?

Zhang Longzi smiled knowingly, deliberately trying to annoy people, and explained, "I'm not here to give a lecture, nor to discuss the new school decree. I'm here to keep an eye on your students. Oh, by the way, when Jiang Shunu died, she had more than a dozen strands of hair in her hand. Would you like to take a closer look at each of your students' scalps?"

Upon hearing "a dozen or so," Wei Yao turned around alertly, her gaze sweeping sharply over everyone behind her.

Gong Ai!

Her other page, Gong Ai, stood at the back, his hand nervously placed beside his ear. At this moment, such a gesture would arouse suspicion no matter how it was explained.

Gong Ai realized it herself, and she hurriedly explained, "It wasn't me! Last night, after I ran out of the door, the time between me running out and coming back in was very short. There was no time at all to harm Lady Jiang!"

She then shouted at the sixteen palace students, "You must have someone who can testify for me that I was with you and never left alone! Besides, I'm only a few years old, how could I have the strength to harm people?"

Zhang Longzi's face was no longer joking; his hand rested on the hilt of his knife. "Come out."

As Gong Ai cautiously passed by Wei Yao, she pleaded, "Lecturer, please save me... ah!"

Before she could finish speaking, Zhang Longzi grabbed her and dragged her out.

“Jiang Shu’s hands are empty. This woman is very suspicious and must be up to no good. I advise Instructor Wei not to take pity on her!” After giving this warning, he dragged Gong Ai to the interrogation site.

Time will be incredibly difficult to pass from this moment on.

Wei Yao remained silent, and the other palace students didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

With a piercing scream, Xie Yi was dragged out of the interrogation room by Meng's interrogation men. The person who screamed must have been Gong Ai.

Meng Gongren was completely different from before. She rushed into the office in a panic and said to Wei Yao, "Oh no, oh no! One problem after another has arisen. We haven't found the murderer of Jiang Shunu, and it has led to other cases!"

At this moment, everyone who looked towards the interrogation room stared in disbelief and covered their mouths. Gong Ai was pushed out, her mouth covered and her hands behind her back. Two imperial guards pushed her away from the Xi government office.

The eunuchs Su Xingshou and Liu Teng came out and ordered the Imperial Guards to search all the buildings in the palace school and to search everyone's bodies.

Liu Teng raised his voice and said, "Female teachers and regular lecturers, please stand at the front."

There were already few regular lecturers, and only Wei Yao remained at the palace school. The other four female teachers were all fourth-rank "middle-class talents".

Liu Teng instructed the young eunuch beside him: "Search them."

Zhang Longzi: "Wait. To avoid any misunderstandings later, I need to check him first."

Zhang Longzi wanted to search the eunuch first.

Liu Teng gave a forced smile: "There's no need for such trouble. Since Commander Zhang doesn't trust me, let the Commander search them."

Zhang Longzi had just been promoted to commander of the Imperial Guards. Not to mention the disgraced Liu Teng, even the eunuch Su Xingshou was unwilling to offend this notoriously difficult and skilled Zhang Manpi.

"What are you standing there for? Search me first, then I'll search them!" Zhang Longzi yelled at the eunuch.

Liu Teng suppressed his anger and kicked the eunuch in front of Zhang Longzi: "What are you dawdling for! Listen to Commander Zhang!"

(End of this chapter)