Chapter 23.7

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The ranking inscribed on it—“Xuan”—meant that those sent this time were from the Xuan unit.

But these people weren’t here to kill him. They hadn’t even noticed he was hiding in this place. Only at the very last moment did the leader recognize him.

But why, after recognizing him, did the leader show such an expression—and then immediately take his own life?

The mysteries before him grew increasingly complex. It seemed the only way to uncover the truth was to investigate the true identities of that woman’s parents.

With her impressive martial skills, her father likely wasn’t an ordinary man either. He probably hadn’t died at the hands of common bandits but had fallen to death guards disguised as bandits.

Was there also a hidden story behind the name on her mother’s memorial tablet, the one with no family surname?

Xie Zheng pressed his fingers to his brow, considering whether to send a message to his former subordinates to investigate the origins of her parents. His peripheral vision caught sight of the gyrfalcon, its wing still bandaged, sprawled on the attic floor and eagerly devouring a bowl of minced pork.

The minced meat had been prepared by Fan Changyu. After the bird had saved Changning, its meals had been upgraded from scraps of pig offal to fresh minced meat.

The bird, having rolled through the snow several times, had finally regained its snowy white feathers. At that moment, its beak clamped onto a large piece of meat, and it raised its head—only to find Xie Zheng staring at it.

The gyrfalcon, with its beady eyes, met its master’s gaze. After a brief standoff, the chunk of meat in its beak fell back into the bowl with a soft “plop.” It looked back at him, foolish and innocent.

Xie Zheng coldly averted his gaze.

Forget it. With the Wei family’s watchdogs already paying attention to this place, he couldn’t count on that foolish bird to deliver any messages. If that Zhao merchant truly intended to cooperate with him, Xie Zheng could use the merchant’s shop to discreetly send out letters without anyone noticing.

With only a few days left until the New Year, Xie Zheng had instructed the merchant to exchange the silver notes for 200,000 shi of rice before the year ended. A reply should arrive soon.

The candy in his mouth had fully dissolved, leaving only a faint sweetness on his tongue.

He glanced out the window. The candy was gone, but the person who gave it to him had not yet returned.

Meanwhile, Fan Changyu went to the county office to relay Xie Zheng’s line of reasoning to Captain Wang. After listening, Captain Wang remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. “The case is already closed.”

Fan Changyu was stunned. “But the mastermind hasn’t even been identified—how can the case be closed?”

Captain Wang replied, “The men who died in the pine forest were the culprits. They were bandits from Qingfeng Stronghold. It’s common for bandits to kill for money during the New Year season.”

Fan Changyu couldn’t believe it. How could they be mere bandits? The attackers were clearly well-prepared. She wanted to argue, but when she caught Captain Wang’s gaze, the words stuck in her throat, and she swallowed them back.

She could guess why the county office was so eager to close the case.

With the New Year approaching, the string of murders had caused widespread public outrage. Beyond the complaints from the townspeople, the county magistrate would find it difficult to explain the situation to the provincial authorities. They needed a reason to close the case as quickly as possible.

Conveniently, the masked men had been dressed as bandits. Now that they were dead and could not testify, blaming the incident on bandits killing for wealth was naturally the most plausible explanation.

The county magistrate only needed to post a notice warning the townsfolk to be cautious of rampant bandits, and the people’s concerns would be temporarily appeased. Meanwhile, he could draft a petition requesting a bandit eradication campaign and send it to the provincial authorities, effectively shirking any further responsibility.

After all, the bandit problem at Qingfeng Stronghold had plagued Jizhou for years and was already a major unresolved issue.

Captain Wang, as just a low-ranking constable, couldn’t do much. With pressure from the magistrate to close the case, what more could he say?

Fan Changyu left the county office feeling heavy-hearted. As Captain Wang walked her to the door, he said, “Why not sell your family’s pigpen and rural property and move elsewhere for a while? I reckon your father must have offended someone during his early years escorting goods.”

Fan Changyu knew Captain Wang meant well. She thanked him and said she’d think it over, but a momentary sense of confusion arose in her heart.

Leave?

She had lived in Lin’an Town for over a decade. From the stone at the eastern end of town to the tree at the western end, she was familiar with every corner.

If she stayed, she might still have a chance to uncover the truth behind her parents’ deaths. But if there were another assassination attempt, she and her younger sister might not survive.

She wasn’t afraid of leaving her hometown and venturing into the outside world. But her parents were buried here, and their roots—hers and Changning’s—were here. The thought of leaving filled her with a deep reluctance.

After stepping out of the county office, Fan Changyu’s chaotic thoughts gradually settled. She looked up at the snowy sky and exhaled deeply, releasing a cloud of warm breath into the cold air.

As long as the green hills remain, there’s no need to worry about firewood.

Once Yan Zheng’s injuries improved, she would discuss leaving Qingping County with him. If he wasn’t afraid of further enemies seeking revenge and was willing to follow her, she would take him along. If he had other plans, she’d draft a divorce agreement, give him some travel money, and they’d part ways cleanly.

When Fan Changyu returned to town, she went to the butcher shop to tidy up a few things. The post-New Year period was the best time to transfer ownership of a business. Since she had decided to leave, she would sell the shop along with the pigpens and farmland in the countryside.

She planned to keep the house, though. If she ever returned, she’d have a place to call home. It was where she had lived with her parents for over ten years, and she couldn’t bring herself to sell it.

While she bustled about in the shop, the clattering noise of her cleaning tools echoed around her. Passersby, seeing movement inside, assumed the Fan family butcher shop was reopening. Some peeked in, noting the empty cutting boards, and even asked when the shop would resume business.

Not wanting to draw unwanted attention, Fan Changyu didn’t mention her plans to transfer the shop. She only replied that she planned to reopen after the New Year.

As she continued organizing, someone knocked on the shop door. Without looking up, Fan Changyu called out, “We’re not doing business today.”

A hoarse voice answered from outside. “Not even for an old man like me?”

Fan Changyu looked up and saw it was Chef Li from Yixiang Tower. Feeling a bit guilty, she said, “Apologies, Master Li. There have been some issues at home, and I don’t plan to reopen the shop until after the New Year.”

Chef Li waved it off. “It’s nothing. Actually, our boss would like to meet you.”