TGCFNM -Chapter 400 Someone Else Comes Knocking

Not long after Cui Wan arrived at the Wan Residence, someone came looking for him. As a result, his plan to stay for lunch had to be postponed to another time.

Cui Wan gave a few more instructions to Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin before hurriedly taking his leave.

After he left, the Wan Residence returned to its usual calm.

But early the next morning, another visitor arrived. This time, Steward Liu directly invited the person inside and received him with proper courtesy.

In the inner quarters of the Wan Residence—

After Steward Liu reported the visitor’s identity, Chu Ling froze on the spot.

“Why has Lord Lu’s attendant come here?”

Wan Sanjin grew nervous and racked his brain: Had they done anything besides borrowing the tiger’s might to intimidate others?

“Is Lord Lu settling accounts after autumn?” Wan Sanjin asked, looking at Chu Ling.

Su He shook his head. “Unlikely. It’s only been two days.”

Wan Sanjin muttered softly, “Right, only two days… He wouldn’t come knocking just to beat someone up…”

Steward Liu thought for a moment. “He brought a bundle with him, and his expression and tone seemed perfectly normal.”

Chu Ling considered briefly, then stood up. “Let’s go meet him.”

When they reached the front hall, Lu Chong saw them and rose with a smile, bowing in greeting.

“Greetings, Lord Chu. I am Lu Chong, steward of the Lu Residence.”

Chu Ling returned the greeting with a smile, and the group took their seats.

“May I ask what important matter Lord Lu has for this subordinate?” Chu Ling ventured cautiously, then added, “How could I trouble Steward Lu to make the trip? I should have paid my respects in person.”

Lu Chong smiled. “I have come today under orders for two matters. First, Lord Lu asked me to inform Lord Chu that the courtesan case has been abruptly terminated. All those involved have already been secretly executed—including Xuanyuan Hong. However, the Xuanyuan family remains entirely unharmed.”

Chu Ling’s expression darkened, her fingers tightening slightly.

Lu Chong pretended not to notice and handed over the bundle he had brought. “The second matter: Lord Lu wishes for Lord Chu to take charge of this case. He also said that the back gate of the Lu Residence is open to you. You may freely consult all the records and documents in the Archive Pavilion.”

Chu Ling accepted the bundle and passed it to Wan Sanjin.

After opening it, Wan Sanjin found that there was only a single scroll inside.

Once he unrolled it, he immediately understood what case she was being asked to handle.

“A theft case?” Wan Sanjin hesitated. “A theft case from eight years ago?”

Chu Ling was momentarily stunned. “Lord Lu is renowned for his brilliant judgments. How could he have overlooked a theft case from eight years ago? Is a theft case difficult to decide?”

“Lord Lu’s intention,” Lu Chong said, “is for Lord Chu to reopen the case.”

With that, he cupped his hands in farewell and left.

It took Chu Ling a moment to process his words, but by the time she did, Lu Chong was already gone.

Meanwhile, Wan Sanjin had finished reading through the case file once. He poked Chu Ling’s shoulder in astonishment.

“Sir, this was a theft case tried by the Court of Judicial Review—presided over by Lord Lu himself!”

Chu Ling frowned, her expression turning strange.

“Lord Lu wants me to overturn a case he personally judged?”

Wan Sanjin immediately stepped aside so Chu Ling could examine it carefully herself.

Ghost Scholar followed Chu Ling’s movements and carefully reread the case file.

“In the twenty-ninth year of Dasheng, a theft occurred at the residence of Minister of Revenue Si Yuanchen. A one-foot-tall Guanyin jade Buddha vanished without a trace. The Si family then reported the case to the authorities.”

“After investigation, the culprit was identified as the young master of the Wu family, who had attended Madam Si’s birthday banquet that day. The Wu youth was a notorious dandy and gambler. Taking advantage of the celebration, he slipped into the Si family’s treasury, stole the Guanyin jade Buddha, and pawned it for five hundred taels.”

“And this Guanyin jade Buddha had originally been intended as an offering to Consort De of the imperial harem. So what should have been a theft case handled by the local magistrate was transferred to the Court of Judicial Review because of Consort De’s involvement.”

After reading, Chu Ling frowned and looked at Wan Sanjin. “I don’t see anything wrong. Do you see where the problem is?”

Wan Sanjin pointed to the record. “Look, Your Excellency—there are witnesses, there’s evidence. Wu Ting even signed his own confession. Lord Lu personally conducted follow-up investigations and even visited the gambling house. It was indeed him who stole it. What’s there to reopen?”

Chu Ling didn’t understand either. What was there to reopen?

Wan Sanjin suddenly looked at her. “Could it be that Lord Lu thinks you’ve been idle lately, wandering around stirring up trouble, so he deliberately found you something to do?”

Chu Ling shook her head. Lord Lu wouldn’t be that bored. So the case still had to be reopened.

At that moment, Ghost Scholar softly reminded, “Your Excellency, read it again.”

Chu Ling carefully read through it once more, yet still couldn’t pinpoint the issue.

“If I remember correctly, the Wu family should be the Ning’an Marquis Wu family. They may have declined later, but the title likely remained…” Ghost Scholar pointed at a line. On the confession, Wu Ting was still recorded as the Heir of Ning’an Marquis.

Chu Ling murmured softly, “Since Wu Ting was able to attend the Si family’s birthday banquet, whether it was genuine friendship or just courtesy, it means he was invited.”

As she spoke, she suddenly looked at Wan Sanjin.

“Wu Ting was sixteen at the time—not quite a child, not quite an adult. He likely attended with his family.”

Wan Sanjin nodded. Most likely with his family.

Chu Ling frowned and tapped the table lightly. “Let’s say, for example, an elder in my family brings me to your house as a guest. I’ve recently lost heavily at gambling. I know it’s a big birthday celebration at your house, so many guests will bring gifts. If I take one, chances are no one will notice. So I take it, pawn it, and go gamble.”

Wan Sanjin immediately understood her point and continued, “If my family elder discovers something is missing, they wouldn’t report it to the authorities right away. They’d first investigate the servants with sticky fingers, then discreetly check the visiting guests. After all, they’re guests—we’d have to consider face and settle it privately.”

Chu Ling added, “But they didn’t expect the item I took to be so valuable—something meant for the imperial harem.”

“Then my family elder certainly couldn’t let it go and would insist on retrieving it…” Wan Sanjin paused, frowning slightly. “But unless the two families already had a grudge, they still wouldn’t report it to the authorities. This is about face.”

Chu Ling nodded. That was exactly what felt wrong.

The Si family was an established aristocratic clan. Even if the Wu family had declined, they still retained their noble title. At the very least, they would preserve each other’s dignity.

Moreover, if there truly had been hostility between them, why invite them to the birthday banquet in the first place? That didn’t add up.

Wan Sanjin inhaled sharply. “Your Excellency, this really does seem off.”

“There’s another point,” Chu Ling said. “How did an outside guest manage to open the Si family’s treasury and take the most precious jade Buddha—the one prepared as an imperial tribute?”

An item meant for presentation to the palace would surely be guarded carefully. Was the Si family’s treasury an unattended storehouse? How could a sixteen-year-old with no martial skills casually evade the household servants, steal the item, and escape?

That didn’t seem right at all.