40. Xin's home
Shocked Zhu looked at the remnants of the Tong home. The charred, blackened standing posts were the only standing parts of the house Xin had once shown him as her home. They hadn't had time to visit, but he had seen the joy in her eyes, which told him she loved the home. And now nothing was left. Not only the main house had been destroyed, but also the workplace between the house and the entrance of the mine and most of the wooden fences surrounding the courtyard. What had happened here? Zhu turned to look at Pei and Su. Su was already looking around, seeing things they couldn't. That morning they had traveled to the border town, they had left Fei Yuan at the inn to sort out the luggage and Zihou had gone to find the soldiers. Pei, Su and Zhu had traveled on to the home of the Tong family, Zihou would meet them here. Su started to walk to the house, carefully stepping over the debris on the ground. They walked through the home, still being able to see what each rom had been used for. In the bedroom the bed wasn't completely gone, the drapery was burnt completely. "We need to know where Mr. and Mrs. Tong were found. How many people were in the home, where are they?" Zhu wondered whether she directed her questions to him and Pei , so they could respond, or was she just saying this for herself? "Where did the fire start? The villagers who put the fire out might know. Based on the damage I think the fire started in the kitchen, that would make the most sense." Su continued. Zhu noticed that his brother was also looking around, but he mostly kept an eye on Su. He knew his brother worried for Su a lot, Yan had once told him Su could get very invested in a case, sometimes losing sight of what she was actually doing. His brother had illustrated this by telling him abut the time that Su had put a noose around his neck to show bruising patterns. And now with her heavily pregnant in an area his brother had just sent troops to, to ensure the safety of the people living here, Zhu knew Pei would be extra worried. It suddenly dawned on Zhu how much his brother actually did for him, the empire and the citizens. At first when his brother had told him he was suspicious about the Honggu battle and the death of their father and that he wanted to investigate it, while in disguise, Zhu had thought it was maybe unnecessary to don the disguise. But as the case was starting to unravel, Zhu had realized even without his military power and without the support of the court his brother would do what was necessary to keep the empire safe. And now he was here, allowing his wife to investigate a missing girl case. A girl he liked even though he had only seen her for a very short time. "Brother…" Zhu said as he stepped next to him, they had reached the garden and Su was inspecting the remains of the wooden fence and gate, which led to the forest. Pei looked around and turned to Zhu.
"Brother, I'm sorry I made you come here with Su. I should have asked head officer Luo Xin to investigate this case. Su shouldn't be here."
"Don't worry, brother. With me, captain Liu and Zihou here we can protect her, at least from the rebels. I'll look out for her."
"As will I…" The brothers followed Su with their eyes, she was now walking to the workshop.
"Brother, when did you know you liked Su?" Zhu asked suddenly. Pei turned to his brother, surprised by this question.
"Why do you ask?" Pei asked, taking in the appearance of his brother. Zhu struggled for words, after he had realized the danger he had put Su in, he had started to wonder if he could justify his action in the palace. He had felt an overwhelming anxiety when he had read Xin was missing, it had overridden al logic. But why? Why had every letter he had written to her and received from her felt like a ray of the most beautiful moonlight in the darkest night? "I don't know. Forget it." He finally said, turning his face away from his brother. Pei continued to observe his brother, seeing doubt in his posture. Now was not the time to press him, Pei realized, but soon they should discuss what Miss Tong meant to Zhu. They remained standing next to each other in silence, until they heard Zihou call them from behind them. Su also came to Zihou, who had brought the soldiers. They had even taken a worker from the mine with them. Su asked the soldiers to tell them what they had found while they had been searching the home of the Tong family. "We got here four days ago, the fire was seven days ago. The villagers told us the fire had started at night, by the time that they reached the house it was already engulfed in flames. The fire had spread to the workshop and was also eating the wooden fence. It took a night and half a day for them to extinguish the flames. No one could remember if something strange had happened. The marquis asked us to inquire about that. The villagers found the remains of the people in the house, they took them to the shed behind the physician's house, where they'll remain until the court takes them. However no one from court has come, even though a young man was to report the incident and deaths."
"How many have died?" Su asked.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tong, two maids and six workers that lived above the workshop. Only after the fire was extinguished and the bodies were removed the villagers realized miss Tong was missing. A woman told us miss Tong had been gathering herbs, so the hope is that she was still in the forest."
"It is normal for her to be gone four days when she is herb gathering, but she should have been back by now." The worker said. Su turned to him and asked him who he was.
"I am Wang Jing, I've worked for the Tong Family my whole live. They were a loyal family and much appreciated in the village."
"Had something strange happened in the last weeks?" Wang considered the question and then replied: "There were two tradesmen from Beirong, who came to talk about trade. That was what they said when they came to the door. I let them enter on master Tong's order. Also there was a young woman from Beirong who wanted to buy a necklace from madam Tong."
"Why is this strange? The Tong Family is a family of tradesmen. Shouldn't they meet with other tradesmen and customers?" Su asked.
"You are right, but the Tong family always travels to Beirong and Liang in these months to do business. This year they first visited Beirong, they were supposed to leave for several large cities and the capital of Liang three days ago. Between these two journeys they never do business here. When traveling through Beirong and Liang they would meet with many tradesmen, new acquittances and old friends. All those people know to do the trade when the master is in their city, as the family Tong close their business and mine in the border town in between these two long journeys. So it was strange that these two meetings happened."
"Are these people still here?"
"I don't know. But detective, I did not like the tradesmen, they came very late, the family was almost seated for their meal. It is not what one should do, but the men did not want to return the next day. They said they would continue their journey and this was the last opportunity to speak with master Tong. When the tradesmen left, master Tong was very irritated and annoyed. He didn't take dinner with his wife and daughter afterwards. The next day he told us to prepare to leave early on the journey through Liang. This was two days before the fire. The family would have left in the morning after the fire. Three days earlier then they originally planned."
"And the woman from Beirong?"
"She came on the morning of the day of the fire. She was very respectful. She met madam Tong, maybe even miss Tong. Miss Tong left to go herb gathering that morning, but I do not know exactly when she left. The woman from Beirong came with a request made by the royal Family. So Mrs. Tong did not dare disrespect her. I do not know what they spoke about other than necklaces."
"Is this woman still here?" Pei asked as he saw Su consider what Wang had said.
"I don't know, I suppose she would be staying at the inn. But I don't know what the agreement was between her and mrs. Tong. Whether she should wait for the necklaces or whether madam Tong would send the requested necklaces to Beirong later."
"We'll inquire at the inn. Mr. Wang, you've been with the Tong family for a long time?" Pei enquired then.
"Yes."
"Could I ask you to walk through the house of the Tong family?" Wang responded in the affirmative. Su, Pei, Pei Zhu and Wang walked through the remains of the house. Wang indicated what every room had been used for. While they were in the kitchen he explained that Mrs. Tong had always been very cautious over the fire, as she had lost family members in a fire when she had been younger. He showed them the rooms of the staff and the bedrooms of the Tong Family. After they'd walked through the house they walked to the workshop where a few rooms upstairs were used by the workers who stayed on the premises. "Because they were expected to leave for the capital of Liang only those that would accompany them would be here. The others are with their families to help with the crops the families here grow."
"As with the house: Is there anything which seems strange or out of place?" Su asked, also looking around. Wang walked around sometimes lifting implements and objects on the tables and in the burned cases. "No, nothing strange or out of place." He then said. Su then spotted a large cage: "Did the family Tong have pigeons?"
"They didn't for long years, but a few months ago miss Tong was gifted two pigeons. It was said it was a gift from the people she had helped a few months ago. So Mr. Tong build a pigeon coop here." Su nodded: "Can you show us the mine?"
"Yes." Wang walked back into the workshop to a desk which was badly charred. He opened a blackened box on top, but after he looked into it he turned to the others in shock: They're gone!" This got everyone's attention, Pei was the one to comment: "What is gone?" With wide open eyes Wang looked at Pei: "The keys to the mine. They should be here!" He pointed to the small box, which was empty. One of the soldiers looked out to the mine: "But the mine is open." Indeed the mine was an open hole in the mountainside. Wang turned to the mine and started to run to the mine. Zihou and the soldiers ran after him. Pei, Su and Zhu followed them at a slower pace as running was something Su couldn't do easily anymore. They gathered with the others in the mine. The three men stood staring at a large door leading deeper into the mine. "This is the entrance to the actual mine, it's always locked after a days work the keys are kept in the box I showed earlier. There are two keys." Wang explained when Su, Pei and Zhu reached them.
"So, is it open?" Zhu asked, noting there wasn't a lock on the outside of the door. Wang pushed against the door, it gave way very slightly, but not nearly enough for someone to pass through. One of the soldiers tried as well. "Something is blocking the door." He commented. Su and Pei glanced at each other, after which they stepped forward and Pei took out his torch. He blew it on and gave it to Su, then he pushed the doors open as far as he could. Su stood between his arms and tried to see inside, the light of the torch reflected on a heavy lock on the inside of the door. "It is locked from the inside. Please have a look Mr. Wang, is it the same lock usually used to lock this door?" She and Wang traded places and Wan confirmed it was the same lock. "Who knows of these keys and lock?'
"Every worker knows of the lock, but only a few know where the keys are kept." Turning to one of the soldiers Su asked him: "Were all the bodies identified?"
"Yes, the physician has written a report, he hadn't yet sent it to court, since everyone is expecting someone from court. But he did tell us that all the people that were expected at the house had died, except miss Tong."
"Did miss Tong know of the lock and keys?"
"Of course." Wang replied, after which everyone remained silent. Zhu was the first to speak and when he did there was an incredulous tone in his voice: "Is Xin in the mine…in there?" Wang immediately protested: "No, that can't be, there is no water or food there. She know this. She must still be in the forest." One of the soldiers added: "We have watched the premises and no one was seen coming out of the mine. We haven't seen any movement here."
"Is there a way out of the mine other than this? Further up this mountain near the fortress there are many caves, could they be connected?" Pei asked. Wang looked up worried: "There are many caves, but it is very difficult to find the way out. Many workers have wandered and not gotten back. Miss Tong knows these caves, but it takes at least a full day, more likely two full days, to reach the next entrance. If she is tired… it would be easier for her to get back to the forest, she knows the forest the best of all villagers."
"Su?" Pei asked, seeing her lost in thoughts. "I need to see the workshop again." She stated and walked back out of the mine, not waiting for anyone. Zhu glanced at Pei, who simply gestured for the others to follow him. The men followed Su, but soon Pei saw Su needed to review the case by herself so he led the solders, Zihou, Wan and Zhu to the courtyard, where they could sit around a fire. Pei glanced at Su and saw her place her hand in her back, he motioned to Zihou: "Zihou, can you go to the inn and aske Fei Yuan to come with the carriage? I think Su will still want to visit with the physician to inspect the bodies, but she shouldn't walk so far any more. And ask captain Liu to join us." Zihou nodded and left. Zhu kept an eye on Su who was doing a close inspection of the pigeon coop. "She should be at home resting, like our sister-in-law had done, we hardly saw her when she was expecting her child." Zhu commented.
"Su wouldn't be able to stay at home doing nothing. Even I f you had asked head officer Luo to investigate this case she most likely would have insisted she'd come as well as we already know the village, Tong Xin and the marquis. Don't worry brother, I won't let anything happen to Su. When Liu comes I'll go and help Su. She sometimes needs quiet to work a case, which is why I took you here." Knowing he could trust his brother to do what was needed and right, Zhu nodded. "Can't we start looking for Xin while Su is working here?" he could feel himself get anxious, he had come with his brother to help search for Xin and so far they hadn't been in the forest yet. Unfortunately Pei shook his head: "No, soldiers from the marquis are already searching, they know the forest better then us. The best thing we can do is wait and see if Su can figure out what happened here and hopefully gain some insight where we should be searching. Don't worry brother, we will surely find her." The despair in Zhu's eyes was heartbreaking.
Zihou watched the carriage leave the inn for the house of the Tong family. "Zihou?" a female voice called out from somewhere behind him. Shocked Zihou turned around, barely believing his ears and needing to se the lady of that voice. There she was, had he not been shocked and worried about her being here, he might have taken in her appearance better and appreciated the vision before him. "Yunchuan?! Why are you here?" Suddenly realizing the need for a bow Zihou started, but Yunchuan quickly stopped him. "Please, Zihou, let's speak somewhere private. I'll tell you why I'm here, but you have to tell me why you are her as well." Zihou let Yunchuan lead him to what was apparently her room.