Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 18 The Mystery of the Secret Chamber
"Look here." Rong Wanyin pointed to the upper right frame of the window, which showed some signs of wear and tear. "It looks like it's been rubbed by something."

Yan Mingzhang carefully observed the wear marks, which were in the form of lines, as if they were left by something being dragged.

Yan Mingzhang stood by the window frame, leaned out and checked, and sure enough, he found an iron ring the size of a walnut embedded in the outer wall.

"Iron ring? What is it used for? Is it related to the case?" Rong Wanyin also leaned forward to take a look, her face full of confusion.

Yan Mingzhang thought for a moment and said to Changfeng, "If there is a rope here, can you do it?"

"Of course I can do it myself, but it's hard to say if I can bring someone with me." Changfeng replied.

"What if...what if there were a pulley? Just like the ones used for unloading cargo on ships, tie the person up with ropes or nets, and use the pulley to pull them down. That way, the noise should be much quieter, and even someone with less strength should be able to do it." Yan Mingzhang clapped his hands, as if suddenly realizing something. He glanced at the crowd, then fixed his gaze on Butler Wen. "Butler Wen once ran shipping for Master Wen for many years, so he's definitely familiar with this!"

"Well, that's true, but the master and the mistress were still there during dinner, as everyone saw. How could the young lady have the time to take the master and the mistress away?" Butler Wen looked calm, with a hint of pride in his eyes, and even the corners of his mouth rose slightly unconsciously.

"I never said that Master Wen and Madam Wen were taken away by Miss Wen." Yan Mingzhang was not in a hurry at all, but sat down. "The three of them disappeared almost at the same time, but you, Butler Wen, said that it was Miss Wen who took them away. How did you know something about this?"

Butler Wen immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing and quickly made amends: "I'm just guessing, it doesn't mean anything."

Yan Mingzhang glanced at Changfeng, and Changfeng secretly ran out.

"Oh, really? In order to use roller skates to transport Master Wen away, it actually takes some strength. I'm afraid Miss Wen can't do it alone!" Yan Mingzhang said firmly, "This Siyi Garden should mean remembrance, right? It's about remembering Miss Wen's mother. Housekeeper Wen, do you think I'm right?"

"There's nothing wrong with the young lady missing her mother, right?" Butler Wen smiled slightly, but his eyes were full of sadness.

Yan Mingzhang continued, "Siyi Garden was given to Miss Wen as a birthday gift, so the renovation of Tinglanxuan should have been decided by Miss Wen and you, right? At that time, the iron ring could have been installed on the outer wall! Wait a few days, and then find a chance to install the hemp rope and pulley from inside the house. If the hemp rope is hung on the outer wall, even if someone opens the window, they won't be able to see it. As long as they don't lean out, they won't notice it for a while. Of course, you can also tell the maid, for example, that Master Wen can't be exposed to the wind, and no one will open the window.

After nightfall, you used a rope and pulley to sneak into Master Wen's room through the window, and then, after he had consumed the drugged food, you used the pulley and basket to carry him away. Madam Wen probably used the same method, right? Besides you, the only person who could freely enter and exit Master Wen's room over the past two days was probably Miss Wen.

"Master Wen, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! Although I have run a shipping business, I can't say that this is what I did! Besides, when the master was poisoned, I was in the courtyard and didn't enter the front hall! Those servants are all witnesses. Do you have any evidence to prove that I was the one who poisoned him?" Butler Wen asked back.

"You weren't the one who poisoned me. Someone else did. I already understand the method." Yan Mingzhang said confidently, "It's precisely because you didn't enter the front hall that I suspected you. A distinguished guest has arrived, and a butler doesn't focus on the all-important front hall, but instead pays attention to the minutiae of the courtyard's hygiene, as if deliberately creating an alibi. That's too deliberate!" Butler Wen was fearless: "So what?"

Butler Wen held out his left hand. It was slightly deformed, as if it had been burned and the injury had never healed. "This hand of mine was injured in a fire over ten years ago. I can't use any strength at all. I'd like to ask, Lord Yan, how am I supposed to get these two people out with just one hand?"

When Rong Wanyin heard this, she looked at Yan Mingzhang with some worry, but Yan Mingzhang was not panicked. He just smiled and waited.

Yes, no matter how much you say, it's all empty talk. At this time, Changfeng ran in, holding a cloth bag in his hand, nodded slightly at Yan Mingzhang, and whispered a few words in Yan Mingzhang's ear.

"Don't worry. Although you didn't poison him, you were the one who took Master Wen away. Or rather, you two." Yan Mingzhang smiled confidently, "You took Master Wen away last night. It was dark, and you didn't dare light a lantern. If you often walk by water, your shoes will get wet. Just compare the mud and water plants on the soles of your shoes with the shoe prints by the lake, and it should be clear. Changfeng..."

Changfeng put the cloth bag on the table.

After opening it, it turned out to be a pair of dirty boots. The soles were covered in mud and some water plants. "Sir, these were found under the bed in Butler Wen's room. There were also two footprints left by the lake, deep when leaving and shallow when returning. I compared the size and soles of the shoes, and one of them was wearing these boots."

"So what? I stepped on it when I went to the lake a few days ago." Butler Wen had beads of sweat on his forehead, but he still refused to admit it.

"The Wen family is the richest family in Fengxian County. The housekeeper's clothes, shoes and socks should be cleaned by a special person. How could such dirty shoes be left for so many days? Just call the servants over and a confrontation will make it clear. What's more, if the servants really were lazy and didn't wash them, then what about the footprints by the lake? There was a heavy rain the day before yesterday, and you have been busy during the day today. All the servants saw it. You didn't go to the lake at all. You only had time for dinner. I wonder if the housekeeper can explain why you went to the lake?" Yan Mingzhang raised the corners of his mouth slightly, looking calm and composed, like a cunning fox.

"I..." Butler Wen was a little speechless, "Why do you want to kill the master? The master has been so kind to me!"

"Is the favor really as heavy as a mountain? I think it's because of your previous wife. You have an affair?" Yan Mingzhang looked very confident.

"Don't talk nonsense... Madam is such a good person... Don't slander her!" Butler Wen was anxious and said angrily.

"Oh, so that's how it is." Yan Mingzhang clapped his hands, pretending to have suddenly understood. "I guess Master Wen is also related to the death of the eldest lady. The rumor that Master Wen killed the lady seems to be true. I'm afraid that the skeleton is Miss Wen's mother. And there was a fire at the old site of Zhenbaozhai. If my guess is correct, it was the fire that burned Miss Wen's mother to death?"

(End of this chapter)