Chapter 6

Flag Officer

This summer, there are several scratches on the cabin wall: "With the wall being scratched like this, one can imagine the commotion caused while moving the boxes. Such a significant disturbance can only indicate that these thieves are utterly unafraid."

How many large boxes are there in the birthday tribute? he asked Wang Fangxing

Lu Yi then entered, casting a faint glance around the cabin. This cabin was less than 2 zhang long and approximately 1 zhang wide, with only one door and one window, indistinguishable from an ordinary ship's cabin

The two individuals returned to Yang Chengwan's cabin and recounted the situation on Wang Fangxing's ship to him

"How can you say that?" Lu Yi stared at her and pressed for an answer

It is simply intolerable to see someone who takes advantage of others while pretending to be virtuous. This summer, I expressed my dissatisfaction, saying, "Without mentioning anything else, you disturbed my good sleep for no reason, causing chaos all around, merely to drag this group of people to bear witness for him."

Father, do you mean he stole the birthday gift? But where did he put it?

At this moment in the summer, the wax fragments were lost. Holding a candle, I walked slowly around the cabin, occasionally tilting my head to closely examine the scratches on the wall, sometimes bending down to measure the floor with my hand, and finally stopping in front of the window, ... then taking a crystal disc to closely inspect the window frame ...

These boxes are made of black lacquered camphor wood, measuring 2 feet 8 inches in length, 1 foot 6 inches in width, and 2 feet 1 inch in height, correct? This summer, she raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown

The crystal wafer rested in his hand, still carrying a hint of her warmth. It was smooth and lustrous. Lu Yi looked down at it; the crystal was exquisitely small, with a concave center and raised edges. Through the crystal, objects appeared magnified several times. In the fine scratches, wood shavings curled at the edges, and indeed, the direction matched what she had indicated, facing upwards, naturally caused by the scraping when the box was lifted.

Yang Yue poked her forehead

Oh ... ...

I found him a bit strange, noticing that there was a lot of wax on the hem of his robe, and there was also wax on his boots... At that time, I thought it was odd, but later I understood when I saw the wax in the cabin. This summer, I thought, "It seems there is nothing else."

I wondered why I felt hungry as soon as I smelled it

Lu Yi coughed lightly twice and also cupped his hands in farewell to Wang Fangxing, saying: "My lord, there is no need to worry too much. Once the soldiers awaken, there may still be a chance for a turnaround."

"Do you ever not feel hungry?" Yang Yue joked casually as he leaned into the cabin, seeing three or four soldiers slumped awkwardly on the ground, indeed looking as if they had been affected by some kind of intoxicating fragrance

Wang Fangxing completely disregarded her, chuckling, "What a joke. We, the guards at the border, slay the Hu people; how could we possibly fail to capture a mere thief? You, as a little constable, need not speak such intimidating words. Do tell, what clues do you have?"

Lu Yi grasped the wrist of another soldier, his long fingers resting on the soldier's pulse as he carefully took the pulse. Wang Fangxing looked on anxiously, unable to restrain himself from asking: "... How is it?"

This summer, I cast a sidelong glance at him, managing to barely hold back my words

Have you not paid attention to him

"Dayang, do you smell this delightful fragrance? It has a distinct flavor of chives."

Have you seen these boxes

Wang Fangxing listened in a daze for half a day, and only at this moment was he able to interject, nodding repeatedly as he said: "This river has many branches; if the thieves have already drifted downstream, how can we track them? I, Wang, have received great favor from the Grand General, and now that the birthday tribute has been stolen and the thieves are nowhere to be found, I truly have no face to return and see the Grand General"

This summer, I stuck out my tongue and suddenly realized: "Those waxes! They are not meant to prevent moisture, but to provide waterproofing. I understand now! He must have submerged the box in water. He surely feels more at ease with this batch of goods right under his nose"

Upon hearing this, Jin Xia halted his steps and turned to Wang Fangxing, saying: "Although we are not talented, we do have some clues, but I am concerned that even if I were to reveal them, the Deputy General may not be able to handle them."

The more details she observed, the greater her confusion became this summer. After exchanging glances with Yang Yue for a moment, she began to understand the words that Yang Chengwan had previously advised her—"Do not speak recklessly." However, if the case truly was as such, it was indeed quite dull. She straightened her back and secretly pouted, thinking it would be more appropriate to return to the boat and take a nap.

Wang Fangxing waved his hand, wearing an expression that suggested he had anticipated this all along: "This is not some ordinary petty theft; it is not surprising that you cannot uncover it. Enough, enough, I never expected anything from you anyway. Just disembark."

This summer, I handed over the crystal disc in my hand, gesturing for him to take a look himself, and then said: "The directions are different, and the marks made are also different; pay close attention to the subtle scratches."

Wang Fangxing only wore a sorrowful expression, and after returning the courtesy, he asked the flag officer to escort Lu Yi off the ship

There are a total of 8 boxes, not only containing gold and silver jewelry, but also including calligraphy and paintings as well as silk. Wang Fangxing sighed, saying, "Before departing, General Qiu repeatedly instructed me to be cautious. I was indeed careful, and since this ship was transporting the birthday tribute, I did not dare to let others board, for fear of too many hands and too much confusion. But who would have thought that the thief would be so cunning..."

Yang Yue nodded repeatedly beside her, making it unclear whether he was agreeing with her words or praising her for speaking well

Yang Yue also sniffed and said, "They must be having stir-fried chives with eggs on this boat tonight"

"Not at all, they all fainted on the ground"

Wang Fangxing nodded upon hearing this: "That is indeed the case; those calligraphies and paintings are quite valuable, and once they develop mold spots, they will be ruined"

Hmph! I let him off the hook, yet he thinks we are easy to bully!" Jin Xia said angrily, shrinking his neck in the cold, "He doesn't know how to appreciate kindness!"

Yang Yue coughed heavily a few times, signaling Jin Xia to refrain from continuing. He then said: "Although some clues can be discerned, this case is complex. We are merely minor constables with limited experience. We only know that it is the work of a notorious gang of thieves, likely consisting of four to six individuals. Their methods are skilled, indicating they are habitual offenders. At this moment, they are probably already drifting downstream, far away, making pursuit difficult."

For them, Wang Fangxing seemed to have exhausted his patience, and with evident dissatisfaction, he made a dismissive gesture. As he watched Jin Xia and Yang Yue exit the cabin, he turned to Lu Yi and forced a smile, saying: "Look at these people from the Six Doors; either they claim to have eye ailments, or they can only speak in grandiose terms, yet they accomplish nothing at all."

Lu Yi listened indifferently to Wang Fangxing's complaints, noticing that Jin Xia was half-squatting on the ground, lightly scraping her nails on the floor before bringing them to her nose to sniff.

The soldiers guarding the birthday tribute were not under the influence of incense, but had fallen into a coma due to having consumed a drug that induces sleep. Yang Yue reported to his father

Jian Jian yawned, and this summer did not intend to argue with him. After dragging Yang Yue along, he planned to leave, but he heard Wang Fangxing still lamenting about Lu Yi behind him

Wang Fangxing was utterly perplexed by what these two young constables were up to. Seeing them sauntering about leisurely without mentioning any leads, he was already extremely impatient. Had it not been for Lu Yi's reputation, he would have long since driven the two of them out.

Wang Fangxing and his subordinate flag officers were momentarily taken aback

Hearing the eagerness in her tone, Yang Chengwan warned her with a glance: "The family matters of Qiu Luan have nothing to do with us; if they are lost, they are lost. Do not interfere."

That's good, that's good. Wang Fangxing anxiously clenched his fists and said, "Perhaps they have seen the thief, and after waking up, they might be able to provide some clues."

Yang Chengwan, upon hearing this, showed no signs of surprise and calmly said: "That may not be the case. From the way he looked anxious, it doesn't seem like he was pretending. However, there seems to be some issues with the flag officer beside him"

It is merely conjecture based on the traces left behind; with so many wax oil marks on the ground, it would be difficult to pretend not to know. Jin Xia continued, "What I just said about the Deputy General not necessarily being able to capture them is because this group of thieves is numerous, fearless, and extremely arrogant, completely disregarding Wang Fangxing and his soldiers."

How do you know that these scratches were made by thieves? They could have been caused by the soldiers moving the boxes in.

So much wax? she murmured to herself

"Could it be that the soldiers inside have been killed?" asked Jin Xia casually while on the move.

Yang Yue surely knows Wang Fangxing's intentions, but as mere lowly constables, they are unable to stir up even a ripple, let alone turn the rivers and seas upside down. When faced with officials, they can only endure in silence and pretend to be deaf and mute

"I can't tell that you are such a meticulous person," said Jin Xia, with a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown, not looking at him, and taking out a small, transparent crystal disc from her bosom, carefully examining the wax under the firelight.

In fact, I know that almost all the cases in the capital are handled by the Jinyiwei, while the Six Doors is merely a nominal entity, maintaining a group of idle individuals, often passing cases that cannot be solved onto you...

What she meant was that Lord Wang could work under General Qiu, which is a rare opportunity for wealth and honor, and we truly envy it greatly. Yang Yue interjected before Jin Xia could speak, cupping his hands towards Wang Fangxing and said: "We are incompetent and unable to offer assistance, so please forgive us, my lord." The implication was that he intended to take his leave.

Oh... this is..." the flag officer hurriedly explained, "I sealed the joints with wax to prevent the calligraphy, silk, and other items from being affected by the moisture on the ship. I have reported this matter to the deputy general.

This summer, I suddenly realized the truth

"Do you two have any clues?" Without missing her subtle expressions, Lu Yi immediately asked

Yang Yue crouched down in front of the unconscious soldier, leaned closer to his mouth and nose, and wrinkled his brow in disgust

The flag officer who answered glanced at her, noticing that she was merely a girl of seventeen or eighteen, with an appearance full of innocence and romance. However, when she spoke, she sounded quite mature. Therefore, he did not dare to be negligent and quickly replied: "Everyone's food on the ship is the same, and the shift only changes after dinner; they have not eaten anything else since then"

Wax oil is scattered everywhere on the ground! Footprints crisscross over it!

Yang Yue turned to glance at Wang Fangxing's standing boat and then said to her: "Father repeatedly instructed me not to speak carelessly, what did you just say? Fortunately, I managed to retract my words, otherwise it would have been troublesome."

This summer, Yang Yue agreed, and Nuo Nuo quietly withdrew.

Since that night at the Xinfeng Bridge, having heard Jin Xia point out the flaws in the fortune teller's attire, and now knowing that she is following Yang Chengwan, Lu Yi is quite eager to witness the tracking technique mentioned by his father. Therefore, he remains calm and patient, slowly waiting for the two of them to investigate indoors.

I understand, I understand. For the sake of the money, I will endure a little longer next time. This summer, there was no other choice.

"Was it the seductive fragrance? Or the sleep-inducing drug? Who is responsible for the food on the ship? Are they still here?" She asked in rapid succession, as was her habit.

The transport ship carrying the birthday gifts is significantly larger than the one they used this summer. The batch of boxes containing the birthday gifts is stored beneath the soldiers' quarters, and there are soldiers guarding the entrance outside. According to Wang Fangxing, the guards change shifts every two hours, and there are soldiers stationed both inside and outside the cabin.

Master Xia, could you refrain from showing off until the day you rise to the position of Chief Minister... The salary from the yamen is not substantial, but it is still a sum of money after all

This ... ... '' Yang Yue glanced at it this summer, then slowly said, `` The thief has left almost no clues, I fear we are powerless to act. ''

"It should still be on the ship," Yang Chengwan said with a hint of dissatisfaction as he looked at the two of them. "Haven't you noticed the waterline of this ship since you returned? This ship's waterline has not changed at all since it docked."

Returning to the station on the boat, the sky is dimly lit with a fish belly white, the river surface is shrouded in morning mist, and a chill permeates the air

"You ... ... what does this mean?" Wang Fangxing suddenly fixed his gaze on Jin Xia, his eyes clearly filled with anger

Without the slightest consideration for Wang Fangxing's feelings, this summer jested: "Lord Wang, you must think more positively and not take any drastic actions, otherwise it would be a great pity to waste this current wealth and prosperity..."

There were soldiers leading them towards the cabin where the birthday gifts were stored. This summer, they moved very slowly, looking around as they walked. Just as they bent down to enter the cabin, they suddenly stopped in their tracks, sniffing several times, and said with a smile:

This summer, without further ado, I will state directly: "All the footprints in the cabin are those of soldiers, and there have been no outsiders entering at all—Wang Fangxing is clearly trying to swallow the birthday tribute himself, a thief calling to catch a thief"

After a while, Lu Yi finally released the soldier's wrist and said to Wang Fangxing in a calm manner: "His life is not in danger. Just wait for another one or two hours, and he will wake up once the effects of the medicine wear off"