Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Looking at the Painting

Shangguan Yue didn’t speak, only looked at the opposite wall.

The shelves in this storeroom were not filled with pawned items, but with scrolls of documents. Another wall was hung with canvases, on which were densely written names of people. Lines were drawn between the names, winding and crisscrossing in a complex pattern.

Jiang Datong’s name was among them.

Cai Songnian’s expression was annoyed.

“Jiang Datong is greedy for life and afraid of death, unwilling to part with wealth and glory. He will surely rush to confess what Madam Du had done, and then we can tear open a hole in that old case.”

“It’s just that Zhang Ze, that petty man, refuses to make a move. We’ve been feeding him information for so long, it’s a real loss.”

Shangguan Yue laughed: “Don’t worry, Zhang Ze is a petty man, and petty men bully the weak and fear the strong. When Jiang Datong changes from strong to weak, he will surely make his move.”

He stood up and walked to the wall, looking at Jiang Datong’s name.

“We’ve found the opening, breaking through is just a matter of time.”

His gaze followed the drawn lines. The messy and seemingly chaotic lines converged towards the highest point, where there was no name written, only a blank frame.

It seemed like a name was waiting to be written there.

Shangguan Yue looked at the empty frame, his face devoid of his usual smile. In the dim light, his features were cold and aloof.

Cai Songnian watched from the side, his expression somewhat mournful. After a moment of silence, he softly said: “Zhang Ze also sent over a wanted poster.”

Shangguan Yue withdrew his gaze, his smile returning to his face: “Strange, someone actually escaped from Zhang Ze’s grasp?”

Cai Songnian pulled out a scroll from the shelf and unfurled it: “It’s a woman.” He turned it around to show Shangguan Yue.

In the slightly dim room, the woman on the scroll had sad, downcast eyes.

No name, no surname, no description of her origins.

“Clerk Song said, this is to prevent those who sympathize with the suspect from deliberately concealing information, or those who fear getting involved from reporting.”

Shangguan Yue smiled and gently ran his finger across the woman’s face in the portrait, saying: “I understand. What Zhang Ze wants is for people to see the portrait. There’s no need to know who she is, no need to think, just report if there’s even a hint of familiarity. This is casting a wide net, even if a thousand or ten thousand are wrong, he’ll eventually catch this person.”

It seemed that he would not let this person go. Cai Songnian looked down at the portrait in his hand and said: “She must be one of Empress Jiang’s remnants.” He then asked, “Shall we send people out to search?”

Hunting down Empress Jiang’s remnants was not their goal, but helping the Censorate catch this person and pleasing Zhang Ze would make their future actions more convenient.

Shangguan Yue looked at the woman in the portrait and smiled: “I’m a man who cherishes beauty. Let’s focus on those stinking men.”

That meant he wouldn’t interfere or get involved. Cai Songnian said “Yes,” and then heard Shangguan Yue speak again.

“Help me keep an eye on the movements of Zhou Jingyun’s wife…”

Zhou Jingyun’s wife? Cai Songnian was stunned for a moment, unable to react, especially considering Shangguan Yue’s previous words. What? Was Zhou Jingyun’s wife a stinking man?

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Zhou Jingyun didn’t return to his courtyard until dusk.

“I thought you would be having dinner with your mother,” Zhuang Li said.

Zhou Jingyun had changed into casual clothes and walked out of the washroom.

“The Empress bestowed some palace satin, mother asked me to bring it to you for safekeeping,” he said.

Today, Zhou Jingyun entered the palace and met with the Emperor. After discussing political matters, he brought up the incident with the silk flower. The Emperor was already dissatisfied with the Empress, thinking she always made a big fuss over small matters. Therefore, he specifically invited the Empress and, in her presence, expressed his apologies to Zhou Jingyun.

Although the Empress was unhappy with the Emperor’s veiled criticism, she suppressed her anger when she saw Zhou Jingyun’s face.

“Your new wife has been targeted by someone’s resentment, but don’t worry, I’m not someone who can be easily deceived. The accuser has been beaten to death, and this matter has been handed over to Zhang Ze for handling. He will certainly give you an explanation.”

“That silk flower was made by someone with bad luck. It was my lack of consideration to bestow it. As expected, it only brought about trouble.”

She glanced at the Emperor as she said this.

The Emperor knew she was mocking Bai Ying, frowned, and pretended not to hear.

The Empress then generously bestowed a bolt of colored silk.

“Marquis Zhou’s Heir, take this to appease your wife.”

She then sighed, “Marquis Zhou’s Heir cares for his wife, such deep affection is truly enviable.” She meaningfully glanced at the Emperor several times.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere between the Emperor and Empress, Zhou Jingyun quickly and tactfully excused himself.

Of course, Zhou Jingyun didn’t tell Zhuang Li about these details, only saying it was a gift from the Empress to express her apology.

Zhuang Li examined the colored silk placed on the desk.

“Then we’ve made a profit this time,” she said with a smile. “One silk flower for a bolt of colored silk.”

Then she thought of something else.

“The silk flower was a gift from my aunt. I want to share this colored silk with her.”

Zhou Jingyun smiled: “Thank you.”

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Zhuang Li glanced at him: “We are husband and wife, why thank me?”

She said this so naturally, as if they were already an old married couple. Zhou Jingyun couldn’t help but touch his nose, glancing at the maids in the room.

“You may all leave for now,” he said.

Chunhong pursed her lips and smiled, winking at Chun Yue. The Marquis’s Heir was shy.

Chun Yue glared at her, but the smile on her lips couldn’t be concealed. She led the others out of the room.

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“Take a look at this wanted poster.”

Zhou Jingyun took out the portrait given by Zhang Ze and said in a low voice.

“Look at who they want to catch…”

He unfurled it in front of them. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the scroll, making the features of the woman in the portrait seem even more blurred.

Zhuang Li only glanced at it and smiled: “It’s me.”

As expected, Zhou Jingyun thought. He had already guessed it when he was at Zhang Ze’s place, but he didn’t show any reaction.

He looked at the portrait, then at Zhuang Li.

“This portrait is…”

Zhuang Li looked at the portrait and said: “It’s my older sister.”

So this was Bai Ying.

Although the late Emperor’s bestowal of marriage was quite a grand affair, she was, after all, a concubine, not a legitimate empress who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Prince Changyang and receive the bows of court officials. Her background wasn’t prominent either, so she wasn’t conspicuous in the palace.

If it weren’t for the Bai Xun case, no one would have even noticed the Emperor had this consort.

Naturally, Zhou Jingyun had never seen her.

As for why Zhang Ze wanted to arrest the younger sister but used the older sister’s portrait for the wanted poster, it was also easy to understand.

When the sisters were separated, Bai Li was only five years old. Even if Bai Ying remembered her younger sister’s appearance, she couldn’t draw a five-year-old girl to catch her.

So she simply used her older sister’s portrait to capture her younger sister.

The two sisters must have some resemblance.

Resemblance? Zhou Jingyun looked at the portrait, then at Zhuang Li sitting on the Arhat bed.

“You and your sister don’t look alike at all,” he said.

In fact, when he looked at the portrait in front of Zhang Ze, apart from being cautious and showing no reaction, he really couldn’t see any resemblance to Zhuang Li.

Zhuang Li smiled, glanced at the portrait, then looked at Zhou Jingyun, her eyes deep: “Zhou Jingyun.”

It seemed like this was the first time she had directly addressed him by his name. Zhou Jingyun couldn’t help but look at her.

The afterglow of the setting sun draped behind her, making her face appear somewhat hazy in his vision. He heard her continuing voice, “I’m often with Chun Yue, I look a bit like Chun Yue.”

Zhou Jingyun looked at her and slowly nodded: “Yes, you’re often together, you do look a bit alike.”

His voice was a little hesitant, as if he was still pondering.

“But you’re prettier than her.”

Zhuang Li seemed surprised that he could add another sentence. She was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

This laughter made Zhou Jingyun’s heart skip a beat. Although the light was dim, Zhuang Li’s laughter made her face suddenly clear and bright.

What was she laughing about? Zhou Jingyun felt his heart beating a little fast and looked away.

“Am I wrong?” he said, glancing at the portrait and putting it away. “It’s better to look like Chun Yue than… her.”

Chun Yue’s voice came from outside the door at this moment, “Marquis’s Heir, Young Madam.”

Zhuang Li raised her voice and said, “Come in.” Chun Yue walked in and saw Zhou Jingyun looking at her as soon as she entered the door, his eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny.

In the past, the Marquis’s Heir rarely looked at them. What was going on? Chun Yue looked at Zhuang Li in confusion and saw her smiling and turning her head away.

The next moment, Zhou Jingyun also withdrew his gaze, acting as if nothing had happened.

What secrets were the husband and wife whispering about? Did she come in at the wrong time?