After transmigrating into the book, I helped my mother reconcile with her divorced husband.

Lu Zhiyuan touched her nose; she hadn't intended to investigate the case at Huguo Temple.

This is clearly the Empress Dowager's doing; whether the missing jade Guanyin even exists is another matter. What if they investigate and find nothing? Do they just humiliate themselves and make a fool of themselves? What if they find something? Do they bring the Empress Dowager, who's accused of being a thief, to justice? If they don't investigate, Lu Yun's stain will likely never be washed away.

After some hesitation, Captain Ma stepped forward.

"Your humble servant believes this case should be investigated!"

As she stood up, her eyes met Lu Zhiyuan's out of the corner of her eye. Lu Zhiyuan understood then that the reason Commander Ma was here was most likely arranged by her second uncle.

Seeing that Lu Zhiyuan understood, Commander Ma slightly curled his lips and continued, "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager came to Huguo Temple to pray for the late Emperor. This jade Guanyin was a gift to the abbot, and it is no small matter. The loss of the jade Guanyin must be investigated. I believe that the thief has not yet left Huguo Temple, and the jade Guanyin is still in the temple. I beg Your Majesty's permission to thoroughly investigate this case, with the assistance of Lu Zhiyuan, the eldest daughter of the Marquis's family. As for the suspect Lu Yun, he can be temporarily detained in the abbot's courtyard until the jade Guanyin is found, and the abbot can have him guarded."

Captain Ma's move was very clever.

Releasing him would invite criticism. Separating him would risk him being silenced by the real mastermind. The abbot has a close relationship with the Empress Dowager; if he keeps him in his courtyard and sends someone to watch over him, he would be held responsible if anything happens.

Empress Dowager: "Why did you bring her along when you were investigating the case, my dear minister? What can she do besides being arrogant and talking nonsense?"

"You've done so much, what do you, an old woman, know?" Lu Zhiyuan thought to herself. "Captain Ma brought me along to find him an assistant. If this case can't be solved, he, as the captain, will inevitably be harassed by the Empress Dowager, and might even be kicked out of the captain's mansion."

Commander Ma chuckled and cupped his hands, saying, "This Lu Yun is Miss Lu's attendant. With Miss Lu by my side, it's as if I'm keeping an eye on her at all times, so that others won't gossip."

The Empress Dowager pondered for a long time before finally nodding.

The group arrived at the courtyard where the items were stored. Apart from Commandant Ma and Lu Zhiyuan, everyone else stood guard at the door, including the nanny sent by the Empress Dowager.

There were many and varied footprints on the ground, especially at the entrance, where numerous footprints were piled up together, giving Captain Ma a headache.

“Miss Lu, look at these footprints…”

“There are men and women, old and young. These are eunuchs, their steps are unsteady and weak. These are palace maids, their steps are small and quick. These are guards, and these are monks.”

"Miss Lu is indeed Miss Lu, how could you tell that?" Captain Ma bent down and circled the footprints on the ground again and again: "How did you tell that the guard's footprints were the same as the monk's?"

"The guards wore long boots with thick soles and fine stitches. The monks wore monk shoes with coarser stitches. Also, look here, this was pressed out by the shoe upper."

Captain Ma scratched his head: "Shoes... clappers?"

Lu Zhiyuan pointed to the side of the shoe: "Lord Ma, you don't think that Huguo Temple is really a secluded place, do you? Huguo Temple is no different from the Commandant's Office. There are high-ranking monks and low-ranking monks. The high-ranking monks, such as the abbot, eat well, dress well, and live well. They may not even have to recite the scriptures themselves. The low-ranking monks, such as those who sweep and clean, wear thin clothes that are old. Their shoes are either worn out or covered in patches. Some are even flimsy because of the fabric. Walking is fine, but if they drag heavy objects, the shoes will collapse completely."

"Is this your first time visiting Huguo Temple, Miss?" Seeing Lu Zhiyuan nod, Captain Ma became even more puzzled: "You know so much on your first visit?"

It's a professional habit that makes her unconsciously observe everything in every new place she visits. It's no exaggeration to say that she already knows which off-site she'll exit through as soon as she enters.

Assassins are used to leaving themselves a way out.

Lu Zhiyuan pointed to her eyes, and Captain Ma nodded with an "oh".

"With so many footprints, it's unlikely we'll be able to find the suspect."

"Not necessarily." Lu Zhiyuan snapped her fingers and pointed towards the door.

There was a bluestone step at the entrance to the meditation room, covered with footprints just like the ones below. Captain Ma followed, and following Lu Zhiyuan's pointing finger, saw two completely opposite sets of footprints. One was from entering, located on the right side of the bluestone step. The other was from leaving, located on the left side, both with a single foot.

“The door is very narrow, not allowing two people to enter and exit at the same time, but there is one exception. That is, one person carries things in, and the other person comes out empty-handed. Empty-handed, or carrying light items, they turn sideways.” Lu Zhiyuan gestured with her hands: “Thieves don’t necessarily steal when no one is around; it’s actually easier to do so when there are many people watching.”

Captain Ma clicked his tongue twice, his eyes wide with confusion: "What does Miss mean..."

"Whether it is or not, we'll find out by checking." Lu Zhiyuan pointed to the footprints near the edge of the steps: "The eunuch was about shoulder height, rather thin, and he only carried small items when moving things. He was quick and very polite. If you met him at the door, he would definitely be the one who turned to the side."

Pushing open the door and entering the room, he saw all the items laid out inside. Reaching out, he tugged at Captain Ma's sleeve and whispered, "Ask them what that box containing the jade Guanyin looks like? Where is it placed?"

Commander Ma cleared his throat and asked a couple of questions to those outside. The one who answered was the nanny beside the Empress Dowager, who said the jade Guanyin and the gold Buddha were placed together. Both the gold Buddha and the jade Guanyin were packaged in red boxes, but the difference was that the gold Buddha's box had a gold thread around its edge, while the jade Guanyin's box had a jade ribbon around its edge.

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Zhiyuan saw the box.

Commander Ma reached out, but Lu Zhiyuan stopped him.

"Don't move it, there's something strange about this box."

Captain Ma gasped, "A trap?"

Lu Zhiyuan shook her head, took out a small emerald green bottle from her waist, and poured out an insect. Before Commander Ma could speak, the insect darted onto the box. Its wings were enormous, covered with a shiny, luminous green powder. As the insect crawled across the box, the powder quickly fell, soon covering the entire surface.

“There’s definitely something strange about this box; there are no fingerprints on it.” Lu Zhiyuan pinched the little insect’s wings and put it back into the bottle.

Captain Ma, curious, leaned closer and pointed at the small bottle, asking, "What kind of insect is this? What does it have to do with the handprint on that box you mentioned? And why is there a handprint on that box? It's normal for the Empress Dowager's things not to have handprints; perhaps it was carried in on a tray or wrapped in cloth. The people in the palace are so fussy. Every time I go to the Emperor's place, I feel awkward; even the smallest things have to be carried on a plate."

"Whether it's being carried or lifted, a thief would have to open the box to take the jade Guanyin inside. To open the box, they would inevitably touch the surface. Look at this box, there isn't even a single fingerprint on it."

“I know that!” Captain Ma snapped his fingers. “The box has been cleaned; there are no fingerprints left!”