Chapter 2650: The Capital (Part 6)

Zhong Kai said nothing, but pointed to a bottle of Guoshi Wushuang resting on the wine table. A chill passed through everyone present—they understood at once that he was not pointing at the wine itself, but at what it represented.

"A report came from the yamen just now. There's been trouble at Delong Bank today. Apparently, the manager has vanished without a trace. This afternoon, they suspended all remittance services to Guangdong." Zhong Kai paused, letting the words settle. "By tomorrow, there will likely be long queues outside Delong's doors. The stewards of every great household are going to have their hands full."

"He's a grown man—how does someone simply disappear in broad daylight?"

"Could he be hiding?"

"The last time Delong nearly collapsed, he only went missing for a few days. But things have been calm lately. Why would he vanish now?"

"Hard to say..."

Speculation swirled, and no one could make sense of it. When news of Guangzhou's fall had arrived, Delong Bank had similarly shown signs of instability, nearly triggering a run on its holdings. Shuntian Prefecture had been forced to dispatch men to protect the establishment and maintain order. Yet somehow, that atmosphere of unease had dissipated like smoke in the wind. Zhong Kai had not yet been appointed Shuntian Prefecture Yin at the time, but he had heard the general story: because this bank entangled too many high officials and nobles—especially eunuchs within the palace—the matter had ultimately been left to settle on its own.

When Zhong Kai first assumed the post of Prefecture Yin, he had paid considerable attention to the bank. Yet Delong had always conducted itself with discretion and rigor. Apart from visiting clients at their residences, the manager and his clerks seldom ventured out. The gates were heavily guarded; outsiders could not even approach, let alone overhear a word of what transpired inside.

Maintaining local security was among the most important duties of Shuntian Prefecture. Over time, seeing that Delong made no unusual moves and receiving no decrees from the court, Zhong Kai had gradually allowed his vigilance to lapse. He had never expected a case like this to erupt so suddenly.

There was no question about it—by tomorrow his desk would be buried under calling cards, each one requesting that he help "investigate" this matter. And not just his desk: the Wardens' Office of the Five Wards, the Eastern Depot, the Embroidered Uniform Guard—practically any yamen in the capital with jurisdiction over thieves and public security would receive the same. If the matter was handled poorly, it would likely reach the Emperor's ears.

At this thought, Zhong Kai lost all appetite for drinking. He instructed his subordinates and private secretaries to "continue enjoying themselves" while he slipped quietly out of Liuquan Ju with his attendants, returning to the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen by sedan chair.

The clerk on duty saw the Prefecture Yin return unexpectedly and scrambled to his feet to greet him. Zhong Kai glanced at the items spread across the table, his expression growing darker still. Wasting no words, he asked, "Is Judge Lord Liu here?"

"Lord Liu went home at the sounding of the first watch..."

"Send someone to Lord Liu's residence immediately. Tell him I request his return to the yamen at once."

The clerk dared not delay. He agreed hastily and hurried off. The private secretary in charge of criminal justice, standing beside Zhong Kai, spoke up: "Master, it is nearly the third watch already. Whatever this matter is, surely it can wait until tomorrow morning. Why summon Lord Liu in the middle of the night? It's pitch dark—we cannot conduct investigations anyway..."

"No. Arrangements must be made before dawn." Zhong Kai's voice was low and urgent. "There are too many powerful figures in this capital. The disappearance of a single Manager Leng—who knows how many will be implicated? A great many people will lose sleep tonight." He turned toward the door. "Bring the man here. I will question him personally."

What had driven him back to the yamen was not merely the rumor of Delong's troubles, but another piece of news—more unexpected, and far more troubling. This news, to some degree, confirmed the whispers of Leng Ningyun's disappearance.

Moments later, the bailiffs brought in the man who had reported the case. Zhong Kai studied him: the fellow looked impoverished, dressed in a short hemp garment patched so many times it resembled quail feathers. Over this he wore a sheepskin vest, and his calves were wrapped in sheepskin leggings—the attire of a carter who traveled long distances.

"What is your name?" Zhong Kai asked.

The carter was already overwhelmed. He had never set foot in such a grand yamen before. Now, in this pitch-dark hall lit only by a single bean-sized lamp, a sternly dressed official in red robes and cap sat at the center like the City God enshrined in a temple. The man was frightened half out of his wits. Kneeling on the ground, he shivered uncontrollably, unable to utter a single word. The bailiff beside him delivered a kick, demanding a response.

"Do not frighten him. Let him answer calmly." Zhong Kai instructed the bailiff, then addressed the carter again. "This official is the Shuntian Prefecture Yin. Since you have come to report a case, do not delay—speak."

"Yes, yes." The carter finally gathered himself. He began his account in a rush: "This small one is named Jiang Quanwang. I make my living driving carts. Yesterday evening, I went to Haidian to haul goods. It was nearly dark—about four or five li from Xizhimen—when I came upon bandits blocking the road..."

To say they were blocking his road was not quite accurate. Rather, it was the large cart ahead of him that had been set upon by bandits. Though twilight hung low and visibility was poor, the sounds of fighting carried clearly through the dusk.

Jiang Quanwang naturally dared not advance. Fortunately, his cart was empty and easy to maneuver, so he immediately drove his mule off the main road and took temporary refuge in the graveyard beside it.

"...After a while, I heard a group of horses gallop past on the main road, heading northwest. Only after they had passed did I bring my cart back onto the road."

He had traveled less than two li when he spotted an overturned carriage by the roadside.

This was no ordinary flatbed cart used for both goods and passengers, nor one of the mule carts commonly hired for long-distance travel. It was a four-wheeled "Australian" carriage—the kind that had only become fashionable in recent years. Comfortable to ride in and handsome in appearance, such carriages had quickly become popular among the capital's wealthy households. Some rental agencies had even begun purchasing them to offer for hire.

In short, those who rode in Australian carriages were either rich or noble. Greed stirred in Jiang Quanwang's heart. He wondered if there might be some windfall to claim from the wreckage. Without hesitation, he climbed down from his cart and groped his way over.

"...There were four corpses in and around the carriage. Blood covered the ground, and swords had been left behind." Even now, Jiang Quanwang's voice trembled as he recounted this. He had rummaged through the carriage and the bodies, managing to collect a few small items and several taels of silver.

He had thought himself fortunate—a small windfall in the night. But when he reached Xizhimen, the soldiers at the gate noticed bloodstains on his clothing and detained him on the spot. After some interrogation, he was transferred to Shuntian Prefecture.

"...Master! Master! This person was not killed by me! I should not have let greed blind me into searching the bodies, but I swear I never raised a hand against anyone!"

Jiang Quanwang knocked his forehead against the floor repeatedly, begging for mercy. He had already suffered considerably at the city gate, and now in Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, terror had loosened his bladder. If a murder case involving four deaths was pinned on him, it would mean eternal damnation and the executioner's blade.

Zhong Kai ignored his pleas and turned to the private secretary handling criminal affairs. "Has Wanping County sent anyone to survey the scene?"

"When this man was caught entering the city, the gates were about to close..."

Once the gates of the capital were sealed, no one could unlock them to enter or exit without a special decree. The scene survey would have to wait until morning.

But there would be travelers on the main road at first light—carts and people coming and going along the official highway. In these lean times, the poor were bold. Nine out of ten who spotted an overturned carriage would do exactly as Jiang Quanwang had done and help themselves to whatever they could carry. If they arrived too late, even the carriage itself might be gone.

At that moment, someone announced that Judge Liu had arrived. Zhong Kai ordered the bailiffs to take Jiang Quanwang to the prison for custody and gave final instructions to the private secretary:

"Go to the prison yourself. Question him thoroughly. Do not let a single detail slip by, from beginning to end."

"Yes. I will go at once."

The private secretary took his orders and departed. Meanwhile, Shuntian Prefecture Judge Liu Yike had already entered.

Judge Liu had been dragged from his warm bedding in the dead of night and arrived nursing a bellyful of resentment. Though a Judge was subordinate to the Prefecture Yin, both were court-appointed officials with no formal distinction of rank, so he came wearing a long face. "What urgent matter requires handling duty at this hour?" he grumbled.

Yet Zhong Kai had a reputation for being upright and incorruptible, and Liu Yike knew better than to test that bad luck. After a perfunctory greeting, Zhong Kai dispensed with ceremony and briefed him on the situation.

As he listened, Liu Yike's dissatisfaction only deepened. Cases of travelers and carriages being robbed and murdered were hardly rare these days. Though the capital was proclaimed the "Place of Supreme Goodness" of the Great Ming, its public security left much to be desired. Robbery and murder occurred not only on the official roads outside the city walls, but within the city itself—even within the imperial parks.

Nine times out of ten, such cases ended without the murderer ever being apprehended. Even after Zhong Kai, known far and wide for his integrity, had taken office, he had not fundamentally reversed the situation—only improved it slightly.

"The Prefecture Yin's meaning is...?"

"As soon as the city gates open tomorrow, you will take men to survey the scene." Zhong Kai's tone brooked no argument. "This case is of the utmost importance. The Emperor himself may inquire about it."

At these words, Liu Yike finally became alert. "Who exactly is involved in this case?"

"Manager Leng of Delong."

"Him?!" Only now did Liu Yike grasp the gravity of the matter. Delong was entangled not only with the Kun, but also with powerful figures throughout the capital and within the palace itself. If something had happened to this man, an earthquake would soon shake the entire city. He pressed urgently, "This Manager Leng..."

Zhong Kai produced a bundle wrapped in coarse cloth, opened it, and spread its contents across the table. These were the scattered items Jiang Quanwang had scavenged from the victims: a few pieces of broken silver, a portable ink box, an abacus, a stack of bosom paper, a small tin medicine box—mostly the sort of things carried by men traveling on business. When the medicine box was opened, it revealed an unassuming small seal carved from ox horn. The inscription was in obscure bird seal script, but Zhong Kai recognized it immediately. It was simply the character "Yun."

Zhong Kai had seen this cipher seal before. It was the one Leng Ningyun carried on his person at all times. Combined with the fact that both the ink box and abacus bore the words "Delong Bank," he had concluded that the robbed carriage—and its murdered occupants—not only included people from Delong, but was also connected to Leng Ningyun himself.

This alone could not confirm that Leng Ningyun had met with misfortune. But the discovery of this cipher seal made it highly likely that he had been in that carriage.

"This small ox horn seal is Manager Leng's personal cipher. He carries it with him at all times."

"So..." Liu Yike began.

"Precisely." Zhong Kai nodded. "The situation remains unclear. Brother, I need you to survey the scene. I will send more men to Delong to make inquiries. If Manager Leng is safe and sound, so much the better. Otherwise, I fear we will both have quite the headache."

"I will go the moment the sky lightens." Liu Yike showed none of his earlier reluctance. "I'll bring a few experienced hands from the Fast Squad."

(End of Chapter)