41. The forest or the mine?
Sighing Su briefly closed her eyes, when she felt her husband pressing his hand against her lower back. She hadn't really noticed the fatigue or strain on her back, but Pei had obviously guessed it. "Zihou is arranging for the carriage to come." The battle in Su's eyes told Pei what he needed to know. "Tell me what you found and still wish to discover today."
"Alright." Su turned to the pigeon coop and showed him the hatch meant to close the little door of the coop. "Look here, the latch is open, the fire couldn't have done that. The bodies of the workers were all in the upper rooms, only one was found outside the door. But there are also drag marks visible, so I think someone tried to rescue the person."
"Miss Tong?" Pei suggested, looking at the hatch more closely and seeing that it wasn't forced in any way.
"It seems likely. I think she understood she couldn't save anyone anymore. She then took the pigeons from their cage. You did say the pigeon smelled a little bit odd."
"I remember. Where did she go after she took the pigeons? Wait, how come you are so sure miss Tong was here? Quite a lot of people think she is still in the forest." Pei asked as he looked out over the courtyard to the burned down fence, with the forest behind it and then he shifted his gaze to the mine on the other side. The fence with the entrance to the forest was much closer to where they were standing. Su nodded her head, understanding what Pei meant to say. While we walked from the house to the workshop Wang pointed out a basket, which was always used by miss Tong when she went to the forest. Even Zhu remembered it and told us the blue ribbon weaved through the top ring was a present from him. According to Wan g she never left for the forest without it and always placed it where we found it when she returned. I think it is safe to assume miss Tong came home before or during the fire." Su pointed to the house, while she continued with her explanation: "The fire started in the kitchen, but not near the cooking fire. We've seen that the Tong family had the firepit very well isolated and we know from Wang that they were very careful and would have made sure it was properly extinguished. The bodies of the family and servants were found in their beds, so the kitchen fire should have been extinguished. Furthermore the wooden posts of the door and the wooden windowsills are the blackest indicating that is where the fire burned the longest. The fire then spread to the other rooms. From here the fire also spread to the fence, the fence carried the fire around the courtyard. I think the fire in the workshop was also started by human hands. This side of the workshop is closest to the fence from where the fire could have jumped to the workshop, but the other side has the most fire damage. Maybe that's why someone tried to save the people inside, they may have been able to enter from this side while the fire was on the other side." Su and Pei had walked around the workshop so Su could point out the different clues she had found.
"All right. So miss Tong gets one person out of the burning building."
"I need to see the bodies to see whether or not the person was dragged all the way out. And we need to take Wang to see if anyone is missing, who could have known about the keys. So we need to get to the physician." Su interrupted Pei. He nodded and continued: "What does miss Tong do next? She releases the pigeon to send the message to Zhu. I'll aske him if he brought the message." Su nodded and turned back to the burned down door of the workshop, seeing Xin exit it in her minds eye. "Why doesn't she go to the forest?" Pei asks, after which both Su and Pei turned in the direction of the forest, which was much closer from this side of the workshop.
"She couldn't, the fence was already burning, she couldn't get back to the forest." Su explains, pointing to the blackened fence and gate.
"So she goes to the mine? Why didn't she go to the village, she could have gotten help. We know she didn't raise the alarm… Wait." Before Su could explain Pei held up his hand stopping her in her tracks. He turned to the house, then the fence and then the workshop, tracking the fire. He noted the three different paths Xin could have taken: the forest, the mine or the village. Then he continued to speak what his mind was conjuring up: "The fire was started in the kitchen and later in the workshop. Those that started the fire might still have been here. If they were, she wouldn't have been able to get to the village without being spotted. And so the mine is the only option she's got left. She must have written the note to Zhu in a hurry." He turned to the entrance of the mine, where they knew the closed door was and behind it a labyrinth of caves. Somewhere in that labyrinth was Xin hiding. Su broke Pei's reverie: "I think she was spotted, which is why she closed the doors on the inside. You saw the doors, could we break them open?" Pei shook his head: "No, the doors are very sturdy and there is no way to reach the lock to pick it open. The only possibility is sawing a hole in the door near the lock and try to get the lock open that way." Pei sighed: "Let's ask Wang if he knows where the entrance is which Xin might try to find and search the caves from there. And even then…Wang told us it takes a good day and a have to get to that entrance."
"At least we know she isn't directly on the other side of the door, she would have let us know when we were at the door." Su then placed her hand on Pei's arm. Pei looked down into Su's tired face and he could see she was getting uncomfortable.
"Come, my dear, you need to sit down first." He led her to the circle of men in the front of the house, to his relief he saw Fei Yuan as well, which meant the carriage was also waiting. Fei Yuan had boiled water and made tea, Pei helped Su sit down and Fei Yuan handed her tea. "Thank you Fei Yuan."
"What have you found sister-in-law?" Zhu asked as soon as Su put her cup down. Together Pei and Su explained what Su had discovered and what had most likely happened. After they had rested for a while and had discussed all possible scenario's of where Xin could be, Zhu, Su , Pei, Fei Yuan and Liu took the carriage and mr. Wang to visit the physician. The elderly man opened the door and was clearly relieved when Su showed him her badge. The old physician told them he had send a letter to the court, request them to come and pick up the bodies for further examination. He then handed Su a veil to cover her nose and mouth, Su saw the worry in Pei's eyes and decided to do the inspection quicker then she would normally do. "I'm not a coroner, but I do know a fire can't cause a clear cut to a man's heart. Both mr. Tong and mrs. Tong have a cut to the heart. Ne of the maids as well, the others have all died in the fire, although a coroner will have to corroborate my findings." The old physician showed the cuts and the other bodies. It was luckily still possible for Wang to recognize the bodies and he told Su these were all the people at the house and workshop. "Apart from the family Ton only old Jing knows of the keys to the mine." And he pointed to one of the bodies, to indicate that old Jing had also died. Su looked up at Pei: "We have to search those caves. Mr. Wang, do you know where the other entrance is?" But Wang shook his head. Noticing the agitation in his brothers demeanor, Pei grabbed Su's hand and walked out of the room where the bodies were laid down. The others followed them, before anyone could say anything Pei thanked the physician for his help and asked if they could come back if it was necessary. "Of course sir." The physician replied.
"Thank you for all your work. We'll contact the court." Su took of her veil and handed it back. The physician accepted it and said: "if you have any questions or need medicine please come by."
"My own physician will come soon, but thank you." Pei then placed her hand on his arm and motioned for the other to follow them. Wang bade them farewell and left for his own home. When Zhu, Su and Pei were seated in the carriage Zhu immediately spoke up: "We should start searching for the entrance in to the mountain."
"Calm down, brother. This day is near its end, we can't go now. We'll go to the inn, have Zihou find the soldiers and discuss the search for tomorrow." Pei said, while he placed his arm around Su's shoulder and pulled her against him, indicating she should rest. To Pei's great delight she actually closed her eyes. In silence they sat in the carriage until it stopped in front of the inn.