Chapter 1452 - Hidden Agendas (Part 2)
When Cheng Yongxin saw Panpan again at the teahouse, she was sitting in a small private room looking utterly dejected, mechanically stirring her coffee with a small spoon.
Though Cheng Yongxin hadn't been directly involved in the Lin Xiaoya case, she had obtained all publicly available information in real time through Panpan's channels—including the results of Panpan's private investigation.
She knew the investigation hadn't gone smoothly. What disappointed her most was that Mu Min, Salina, and Su Wan—three female transmigrators serving in "police departments"—had all flatly refused Panpan's requests for information, unwilling to reveal even a shred of inside knowledge. She had assumed these three women, who shared common ground on defending women's rights and curbing male transmigrator abuse of power, would enthusiastically support Panpan's investigation. She never expected them all to obediently become slaves to "discipline." Even Salina, the American woman, had meekly complied!
According to her original plan, Lin Xiaoya must have been killed by some transmigrator—Su Wan had vaguely hinted at gatherings that Lin Xiaoya's death was not suicide. The Senate, to protect transmigrator sanctity, would surely falsify the case details: changing it to an accident, suicide, or murder by some naturalized citizen—all were possibilities.
With these three female transmigrators as "deep throats" providing inside information and evidence, and Panpan controlling Lingao's largest newspaper, she only had to wait for the falsified official case report to emerge. Then she would hold an excellent trump card.
Using this trump card to reform the current system was impossible—even she couldn't accomplish that. But at the very least, it could crack open a gap in this airtight iron curtain. Especially in securing greater editorial autonomy for Panpan at the Lingao Times. Panpan would also come to trust her more. With media came the power of discourse: the ability to influence ordinary transmigrators, and more importantly, the ability to influence naturalized citizens and natives.
Yet Panpan's investigation had yielded nothing, and the three female transmigrators' uncooperative attitude was beyond her comprehension. Cheng Yongxin realized: things weren't as simple as she had anticipated.
"What's wrong, Panpan darling?" Cheng Yongxin maintained her relaxed expression. "You look unsatisfied."
"Don't joke around, Cheng-Cheng darling." Panpan took a sip of coffee and produced a sheet of paper. "Look."
Cheng Yongxin took it and read it over. "This is the case briefing?"
Panpan nodded. "I just got it yesterday afternoon. The official report from Police Headquarters."
"Panpan, tell me—do you believe this report?"
"Not even a ghost would believe it!" Panpan said indignantly. "It's obviously been falsified!"
"I think the same as you." Cheng Yongxin thought: This matches my estimate. "Clearly they're trying hard to hide something."
"I've already started investigating, and the results are disappointing. I've found nothing!"
"Panpan darling, investigating this way won't get you anywhere—"
"No, early this morning I got permission from the Arbitration Court: I'm allowed to review the case file. Let me put it this way—the evidence is solid."
"Bah! Faked!"
"I also interviewed all the witnesses, and I even got permission to interview the suspect. Nothing deviates from the testimony in the file."
"Bah! Obviously they were coached beforehand. What's strange about that?"
Panpan nodded heavily. "But when I went to interview Mu Min, Salina, and Su Wan, what they said matched the testimony exactly! Mu Min even told me she conducted the investigation independently, without any external coercion. The case facts are completely true."
"Bah! They were forced!"
"No, I can tell whether someone is being forced to lie." Panpan said dejectedly. "They were telling the truth. Especially Mu—her attitude was very firm and certain. She absolutely wasn't being coerced into saying those things."
Both fell silent. After a long while, Cheng Yongxin murmured: "How can this be?"
"Maybe there was never anything suspicious about this case, and we've been overthinking..."
Cheng Yongxin pondered for a moment. "Can you let me study your investigation materials?"
"Would they be useful to you?" Panpan took a notebook from her shoulder bag and handed it over. "I don't mind, but I'm afraid there's nothing valuable in there..."
"It's fine. I just want to understand the full case and see if there are any other news angles worth exploring." Cheng Yongxin said with a smile. "Panpan darling, in the 'new society,' your journalistic instincts have grown dull."
"You can find a new angle?" Panpan looked at her in surprise.
"Definitely. How about this, Panpan darling—hold off on your report, let me go back and study this."
"OK, it's all up to you!"
Cheng Yongxin returned to her residence and instructed Sun Shangxiang: "Make coffee—use the best Golden South Sea blend, strong!"
Sun Shangxiang was wearing an apron. Seeing the Chief's manner, she knew she was about to be busy and quickly asked: "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? Shall I make sandwiches?"
"Go ahead—cheese and lettuce, no ham."
Cheng Yongxin sat at the table and began studying the case briefing and Panpan's investigation notes. Based on the materials Panpan had collected, the case facts really did seem to have no suspicious points. The chain of evidence was interlocking—unless the entire investigation had been fabricated from the start. But Panpan had also said Mu Min wasn't lying.
Cheng Yongxin still trusted Panpan's judgment: as a journalist, she had considerable powers of observation. Moreover, whether it was Mu Min, Salina, or Su Wan, in their several contacts they had all expressed concern over the transmigrators' current moral standards and the system's deficiencies. One could say they shared common ground—"sympathizers" with her cause, if not outright allies. Even if they were truly under some threat and couldn't reveal the truth, they wouldn't be so obstinate as to not give Panpan even a single hint.
If that was the case, then the facts really were as the briefing stated?
Since Lin Xiaoya hadn't been killed by a transmigrator, the Senate had no need to falsify the case. The script she had prepared was entirely useless now. Even if she could play some small tricks with reporting techniques, they wouldn't have much effect.
Her gaze wandered across the table. There was a pile of crudely printed and bound pamphlets—materials she had specially borrowed from the Grand Library for this case: the Arbitration Court and Jurisprudence Society's work products from the past two years.
Yang Xinwu had been idling away his days at the Farm Teahouse recently. After Yang Jihong's arrest, he couldn't be bothered to go home—there was no one to cook, and the transmigrator cafeteria had been disbanded due to the dwindling number of diners. Transmigrator Yang ate breakfast at the residential quarter's cooperative in the morning, had lunch at the school cafeteria, then came to the teahouse for dinner after work. Afterward, he would play cards to pass the time, or sometimes just prepare lessons in the private room, not returning home to sleep until past ten.
His mood was deeply troubled. When Yang Jihong had been by his side, he never thought she was particularly important. She had been one of the first batch of maidservants that Zhang Xin brought from Guangdong. At the time, Transmigrator Yang had drawn a C-grade assignment. When selecting maidservants, his first sight of her face and height had been very disappointing. Fortunately, after a second look, his adrenaline started flowing and immediately changed his thinking. That pair, extremely rare in early 17th-century southern China, made up his mind—as for her looks, well, Lingao had power restrictions at night anyway. With the lights off, only hearing and touch remained. He'd make do with her for now and buy a better maidservant later.
Yang Jihong wasn't sexy or beautiful, and Yang Xinwu had nothing in common with her. But over these two years she had made his daily life comfortable, utterly devoted and attentive to him. Over time, feelings had developed. His original indifference toward the domestic secretary—treating her as a temporary housekeeper to be replaced as soon as better options appeared—had gradually faded.
After Yang Jihong was taken away, all she left him was an empty home. Yang Xinwu painfully discovered that his home had suddenly lost its "soul." When he came home, no woman welcomed him, took off his shoes and put on his slippers, had hot water ready in the bathroom, and hot food on the table. At night, there was no warm, soft body beside him—he especially missed that pair that could soothe his soul at any time...
That evening, after dinner in a private room where he was preparing lessons while reminiscing about his and Yang Jihong's bedroom affairs, he suddenly heard a soft knock. The door opened, and a female server entered:
"Chief, a female Chief wishes to see you—"
"A female Chief?" Yang Xinwu wondered if it was Du Wen. Before he could indicate whether he agreed to see her, a figure had already slipped in. She tossed her straight, flowing hair and smiled: "No need to announce me—I'll introduce myself." Speaking in a tone that brooked no objection, she said to the server: "You may go."
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Cheng Yongxin, and I work at the Grand Library." The visitor casually closed the door. "May I sit down? I have a few things to say to you."
"Of course." Caught off guard, Yang Xinwu could only express welcome. "A pleasure to meet you. I'm—"
"Yang Xinwu, teacher at Fragrant Fields. I know." Cheng Yongxin smiled and touched the pearl necklace at her neck. Today she had dressed carefully, wearing a simple gray short-sleeved V-neck top and a dark green plaid knee-length skirt. The moment she entered the teahouse, she had already attracted many eyes.
A radiant woman possesses considerable persuasive power when facing men. Her deliberate enhancement was precisely intended to achieve this effect.
Sure enough, this "stunning" outfit, rare by Lingao standards, had the desired effect. She noticed that Transmigrator Yang's gaze momentarily wavered.
(End of Chapter)