Liu Sanqing didn’t mince words and explained, “To be honest, I’m constantly on the go, and when I get to the mines to buy raw stones, I have to outwit and outmaneuver people. The only time I can truly enjoy myself throughout the year is when I’m back in Chang’an.” Liu Sanqing smiled and said, “Having witnessed so much of what happened to my parents, I’ve come to think that marriage is just like that, and it’s better to be single and carefree. Therefore, I’ve never married or had children.”

Lin Fei and the others naturally already knew this.

Since he hadn’t married or had children, there was no need to hide anything.

“That day, the Mid-Autumn Festival was in full swing, and the atmosphere was quite nice. I drank a few too many cups, and when I got drunk, I summoned Hua Niang,” Liu Sanqing said, spreading his hands frankly. “Since I summoned Hua Niang, after I sobered up, seeing that everyone had left, I forgot to put on my soft armor and hurriedly left.”

Liu Sanqing’s explanation seemed to have no faults. He even gave Hua Niang’s name, and there were many people present when he called Hua Niang, so there were witnesses. According to the witness Liu Sanqing provided, although Liu Yuan and Bai Zhu still need to be verified later, judging from the witnesses Liu Sanqing provided—those boatmen and Hua Niang who were difficult to bribe—his years of experience in handling cases told him that it was unlikely that Liu Sanqing would lie about this matter.

If that was the case, then Liu Sanqing’s alibi must be complete…

Just as he was thinking this, Lin Fei spoke up. He was unmoved by Liu Sanqing’s evidence and continued to press him: “When did you find the courtesan, and when did you leave the pleasure boat?”

Since Liu Sanqing could use the boatmen and courtesans to testify that he did indeed hire a courtesan that night, this matter must be true. Therefore… because he needed those witnesses, the time before and after Liu Sanqing left the pleasure boat could not be faked due to the existence of those witnesses.

Hearing Lin Fei’s question, Liu Sanqing was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Lin Fei to pay such close attention to this matter. However, having already spoken, he could only continue, saying, “I boarded the pleasure boat around 5:30 PM that night, picked up a courtesan around 9:00 PM, and left just as the night watchman came out to strike the horn.”

He gave extremely detailed times, but Liu Yuantong’s and Bai Zhu’s expressions became subtle. Seeing Liu Sanqing’s confident demeanor and the seemingly complete testimony, they subconsciously assumed he had witnesses present that night and was not a suspect. However, after Lin Shaoqing’s questioning, they realized the merchant’s shrewdness and cunning.

The witnesses were all true, yet there was a hint of manipulation: at first glance, the complete witnesses seemed ineffective, but after Lin Shaoqing’s questioning, they discovered that providing so-called witnesses was practically the same as not providing any at all.

The pickpocketing incident occurred during the period between 5:30 PM and 9:00 PM, when Liu Sanqing had no concrete witnesses. As for leaving, without Hua Niang as a witness, even the bustling banks of the Wei River were nearly deserted by the time of Yin Shi (3-5 AM), and the streets were even less crowded. In other words, Liu Sanqing had no definite witnesses.

Liu Sanqing himself was well aware of this. After Lin Fei pressed him for answers, his previous calm and smiling demeanor faded considerably. He paused, then said, “Businessmen generally dislike dealing with the government. I know I lack witnesses for that night, but this matter has nothing to do with me. Please investigate, sir.”

Lin Fei glanced at him, neither confirming nor denying Liu Sanqing’s words, but paused and asked, “Do you know Feng Tong, who was brutally dismembered by the thugs?”

Liu Sanqing shook his head: “No.”

Indeed, there was no record of him having any connection to Feng Tong.

Lin Fei glanced at him, paused, and then asked, “What about Hu Siming?”

Liu Yuantong and Bai Zhu, who had been keeping a close eye on Liu Sanqing, noticed a fleeting glint in Liu Sanqing’s eyes, a fleeting expression that, though brief, was enough to be noticed by the sharp-eyed Liu Yuan and Bai Zhu. They exchanged a glance but said nothing.

While a glance might not be considered evidence, it was certainly a clue for the Dali Temple officials in their investigation.

Liu Sanqing was experienced, shrewd, and cunning, but what about Hu Siming?

The Dali Temple certainly wouldn’t imprison Liu Sanqing simply because of a piece of inner armor. After questioning Liu Sanqing about his recent whereabouts, the Dali Temple officials left.

Being shrewd and experienced merchants, even with their wariness of the Dali Temple officials, they maintained a consistently amiable demeanor.

Seeing Lin Fei’s interest in the rough stones in the courtyard, Liu Sanqing chuckled and teased, “Sir, are you interested in gambling on stones? What a coincidence! This batch just arrived, and they all look quite good. Who knows, there might be some top-quality jade among them! Would you like to pick a couple to take home?”

It was mostly just polite talk, but to his surprise, Lin Fei nodded seriously, picked out two stones, paid according to the price tags on the stones, and had them carried back without being cut.

Looking at the two “smooth” stones Lin Fei had chosen, Liu Sanqing’s lips twitched. Perhaps not wanting to offend the Dali Temple officials, he frankly said, “Sir, these two stones are probably not in good condition.”

The implication was that they were just stones, unlikely to contain jade.

Upon hearing this, Lin Fei shook his head and said, “It’s alright; a bet is a bet, it’s just for fun!”

Since the other party said so, Liu Sanqing had no reason to stop him anymore, so he took the money and watched the people from Dali Temple carry away the two “round” stones.

Although they were still thinking about the case, and Liu Sanqing was still an important suspect in their eyes, it was still the first time they had encountered something like gambling on stones. Unable to resist their curiosity, Liu Yuan and Bai Zhu kept glancing at the two “round” stones that Lin Fei had chosen on their way back to Dali Temple.

After the constables carried the two stones to Lin Fei’s room and everyone left, Liu Yuan immediately stepped forward and closed the door. He looked at Lin Fei, who had walked straight to the stones and squatted down to examine them closely. He and Bai Zhu approached excitedly and asked, “Lin Shaoqing, these stones… are there any beautiful jade inside?”

Everyone in the Dali Temple knew that their Lin Shaoqing was knowledgeable and well-versed in a wide range of subjects, from astronomy and geography to medicine and metaphysics—truly omniscient.

Given this, why couldn’t their Young Master Lin understand jade gambling?

Just as they were thinking this, they saw Lin Fei, touching the stones, shake his head and say, “I don’t know anything about this, but Liu Sanqing is an expert. If he says there isn’t any, then it’s probably just stones!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuan and Bai Zhu were stunned: If they were just two stones, why did Lin Shaoing buy them?

While he was still in a daze, he saw Lin Fei touch the stone, roll it over, flip it over, and then point to a dark spot on the edge of the stone, saying, “Call Wu Bucai over; this spot is very likely a splatter of blood.”

(End of Chapter)

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