SGEIRS -Chapter 369 Wanting to Reopen the Case

The main branch of the Gu family had long been settled in the capital. Since the master wasn’t present, there weren’t many servants in the old residence in Huzhou, but the gardens and trees were always carefully maintained. Each courtyard was regularly cleaned and tended by the remaining staff, so nothing was particularly dirty. The maids quickly tidied up the courtyard.

After more than half a month on the boat, everyone was a little fatigued and returned to their rooms to rest. Zhou Yun and Yu Chuan stayed in the front courtyard, while Qingqiu and Chan’er followed Meng Jinyao and her husband to the back courtyard’s Qinya Pavilion, attending closely to Meng Jinyao.

Qinya Pavilion was elegantly arranged. The courtyard’s trees and flowers were lush, and various blossoms emitted a faint fragrance. A winding bluestone path meandered through it, graceful and refined.

The furniture inside the house was all made of pearwood. On a nearby display shelf were antique porcelain pieces, and a round table in the center held a blue-and-white porcelain vase filled with fresh flowers.

The curtains were light gauze, fluttering with the breeze, casting dappled sunlight across the room.

After bathing, Meng Jinyao lay on the bed and immediately fell asleep. Although life on the boat had been fairly orderly and the canal calm, the sound of water outside and the slight swaying of the boat, along with the small, hard bed, had left her with backaches from poor sleep over the past half month. Now, finally having a comfortable bed, she naturally wanted to rest properly.

Gu Jingxi also bathed and, seeing that his young wife was already asleep and having no immediate plans, lay down as well to rest for a while.

The couple didn’t wake until evening. After washing up and dressing, they went out to have dinner.

Steward Liu, unfamiliar with Meng Jinyao’s dietary preferences, had specifically asked Qingqiu before setting the dinner menu. To ensure she could adapt to the flavors of Huzhou, he had the chef prepare three special dishes from the capital, in addition to local Huzhou specialties: steamed white fish from Taihu Lake, Deqing-style braised mutton, and stir-fried white shrimp from Taihu Lake.

Meng Jinyao had never been picky. Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, or salty—she could enjoy all flavors, as long as the food was good. Seeing the table of dishes, her appetite was immediately piqued. Having spent the past half month on the boat with ordinary meals—not bad but not particularly delicious—she now indulged herself, finishing an extra bowl of rice and ending up full.

Gu Jingxi had originally been pleased to see her eat heartily, so he didn’t stop her. Seeing her overeat, he instructed the kitchen to make some sour plum soup to aid digestion and took her outside for a walk.

Once she stood up, Gu Jingxi noticed her small belly protruding slightly and couldn’t help but reach out and touch it, laughing: “A-Yao, next time take it easy. Someone might think I’ve been starving you all along.”

Meng Jinyao, slightly annoyed and embarrassed, swatted his hand away: “Isn’t it because I haven’t had good food in a long time?”

Gu Jingxi spoke gently: “It’s my fault for not planning ahead. When we return to the capital, I’ll have the maids prepare some preserved food for the journey and buy some snacks to eat on the way.”

It was already late, around the third quarter of the Hai hour. Having slept in the afternoon, Meng Jinyao wasn’t sleepy now.

She rolled on the bed and suddenly remembered Gu Xiuming’s parents. “By the way, husband, I’ve heard that Xiuming’s father was an official around his hometown. In which county of Huzhou Prefecture did he serve?”

Gu Jingxi was slightly taken aback, then replied: “He wasn’t in Huzhou Prefecture, just near his ancestral home. He served as the magistrate of Tongxiang County in Jiaxing Prefecture, adjacent to Huzhou. Tongxiang County is very close to Huzhou.”

Meng Jinyao nodded and asked again: “Husband, you said two of your attendants set off early for Huzhou, but I didn’t see them today. Surely they didn’t arrive later than us?”

Gu Jingxi answered: “They arrived before us, but I instructed them to secretly investigate some matters. They haven’t returned yet.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao nodded knowingly, then pressed further: “Husband, what case exactly are you investigating this time?”

Gu Jingxi didn’t hide anything from her. Calmly, he said: “The magistrate of Deqing County in Huzhou Prefecture suddenly died from a mysterious acute illness. Later, a newly appointed magistrate was sent there, but he also died under mysterious circumstances shortly after taking office. The coroner found nothing unusual during the autopsy. Rumors spread that the county office was haunted and that the magistrates had died from fright.”

“To investigate, the court sent officials, but the officials themselves also died in the Deqing County office. Allegedly, the servants truly saw a ghost and fainted from fear. The ghost story spread widely, even among prison guards. Later, the court sent people again, but found nothing unusual. They only invited a master to perform rituals, and the hauntings ceased. The case was considered closed.”

Meng Jinyao’s expression grew serious: “Husband, I don’t think it’s ghosts. Someone is behind it, using the ghost story to cover up the murder of imperial officials.”

Gu Jingxi nodded: “That’s why I plan to investigate the case and, if possible, reopen it.”

Meng Jinyao’s expression darkened further. Two magistrates had already died, and even the officials sent by the court had perished. The one who survived the second investigation proved that he hadn’t discovered anything. Those who died either knew something or possessed crucial evidence, which posed a threat to certain people, so they were eliminated.

Realizing this, Meng Jinyao suddenly worried about her husband. Officials who knew too much had met untimely deaths; if he uncovered evidence that endangered someone, he might also become a target. Though he was ostensibly in Huzhou to pay respects to his ancestors, there was real danger involved.

Seeing her frown and her serious expression, Gu Jingxi spoke gently to reassure her: “A-Yao, don’t worry. I’m just investigating a case. I’ve handled far more dangerous ones before.”

Meng Jinyao reminded him: “Then please be careful, husband.”

Gu Jingxi replied: “I will. Don’t worry, A-Yao.”

After a moment, Meng Jinyao asked: “Husband, do you have any leads on this case?”

Gu Jingxi said: “I have suspects, but no evidence yet. Everything depends on the results of the secret investigation.”

Fearing that she might overthink and worry, he quickly changed the subject: “It’s late. Let’s sleep. Tomorrow we’ll get up early and go out for a walk. We didn’t bring much from the capital, so we can see if there’s anything we need to buy.”

Meng Jinyao agreed and nestled into his arms, finding a comfortable position. She said nothing more, closing her eyes and letting sleep come.

The next morning, after breakfast, Meng Jinyao and Gu Jingxi went out to explore and buy a few things—seasonal clothing, jewelry, rouge and powders, facial ointments, and some interesting little items.

For three consecutive days, the couple spent their time enjoying themselves, doing nothing of particular importance.

To outsiders, it appeared that they had simply returned home to honor their ancestors and were taking the opportunity to enjoy sightseeing and leisure.