Centurion Sir, the Embroidered Uniform Guard should immediately investigate Li'er and see which Young Miss she serves.
"That's simple." Centurion Song was excited: "I'll go back to the Garrison to arrange it now. I won't sleep tonight; I'll bring people to investigate it thoroughly. Changqing, what about you?"
"I'm going to visit Hei Zhu." Lu Zhenghai said, "Centurion Sir, let's meet at the Grand Tutors Residence tomorrow morning."
"Alright."
Lu Zhenghai took Zhou Hu to Zhao Black Pillar's house.
Zhao Black Pillar lay in bed, looking quite miserable.
"Luo Wang and Zheng Qu have already been killed by the boss," Zhou Hu said as soon as he came in.
"Ah?" Zhao Black Pillar was completely stunned.
"Hehe, isn't the boss awesome?" Zhou Hu had a smug smile on his Face: "You didn't see the Faces of those people in the Garrison, every single one of them was shocked into a daze."
"Alright, stop bragging, Zhou Hu, go invite an awesome doctor over."
Lu Zhenghai took out a 100 tael silver note.
This was almost his entire fortune, after all, the 70,000 taels in Gao Shihan's study's secret compartment had been spent to the last penny.
He was still short on money!
"Pei Muwan, I hope that after I help you solve this case, you'll give me some reward."
As the legitimate granddaughter of the Grand Tutor, if Pei Muwan just let a little silver slip through her fingers, it would be enough to make him ecstatic.
"Boss, no need…" Zhao Black Pillar felt bad about the money.
"Shut up." Lu Zhenghai rebuked him:
"Your health is most important. Money can be earned again. Besides, I, your boss, am now a Banner Commander, will I be short on money?"
"You and Zhou Hu both need to strive for success and Cultivate diligently. After the Grand Tutors Residence case is over, as a Banner Commander, I will have five Squad Leaders under me."
"I will definitely report your names then. Although you are both at the third level of the Houtian Realm, which is too weak, there isn't much hope."
"However, Centurion Song might give me Face."
…Zhao Black Pillar and Zhou Hu were both stunned, their Faces flushed with excitement: "Boss, can the two of us really become Squad Leaders?"
"What? I, your boss, eat meat, and you drink soup. Is there a problem? If others are not convinced, let them come find me." Lu Zhenghai snorted.
Nepotism, open and aboveboard.
"Hehehe, boss is awesome."
Lu Zhenghai had dinner at Zhao Black Pillar's house, and after bragging for a while, he returned to the Lu Residence.
After returning to the Lu Residence, he did not sleep but continued to Cultivate.
The Supreme Primordial Cycle Technique was so awesome that he wished he could Cultivate all the time.
The feeling of increasing strength was addictive.
However, after reaching the Innate Realm, each Breakthrough of a minor Realm required the accumulation of a lot of true Qi.
It was no longer possible to Breakthrough, Breakthrough, and Breakthrough again in one night, as it was in the Houtian Realm.
"So, it still needs to be combined with top-tier martial cultivation resources!"
"So short on money!"
"Get money, still damn get money!"
…Lu Zhenghai's desire to make money reached its peak.
Early in the morning, after washing up, he headed to the Grand Tutors Residence.
Speaking of which, the Lu Family also had some Maidservants and servants.
If he wanted, he could have the Maidservants warm his bed at night.
After all, he was a 20-year-old hot-blooded man, how could he not think about such things?
Unfortunately, the Maidservants in the Lu Residence were not very pretty.
It was a matter of price.
The bond of an ordinary-looking Maidservant was only 20 taels of silver.
If it was a beautiful Maidservant, the bond could reach 200 taels.
Looks really could be used to earn a living.
The Lu Family was just a declining Family, unable to afford pretty Maidservants.
Whether before or after the Awakening of his past life memories, Lu Zhenghai's standards were very high.
He really couldn't bring himself to deal with unattractive Maidservants.
So, for now, he had been enduring.
He endured his pent-up desire, prioritizing increasing his strength, official position, and net worth.
Visiting brothels came later.
Being surrounded by beautiful maids came later.
Having many confidantes came later.
Bitterness first, then sweetness!
As Lu Zhenghai was on his way to the Grand Tutors Residence, at this moment, inside Centurion Wang's office in the Jinyiwei Garrison.
Centurion Wang was questioning someone.
In front of him was his confidant, Chief Banner Officer Lü Tianyang.
"Last night, Centurion Song seemed to have not slept at all, leading his subordinates to search everywhere. The commotion was quite big. Did he find a clue for the Grand Tutors Residence case?" Centurion Wang asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Probably not. It felt like a lot of commotion but little actual result."
Centurion Wang sneered:
"Although Fang Qian is Centurion Song's man, I have to say that he is good at investigating cases."
"Even if Fang Qian couldn't find anything in a month, it would be a ghost if Lu Zhenghai found useful clues in one day!"
"Centurion Song is really fanciful, thinking that after Lu Zhenghai, by sheer luck, clarified the case of Gao Shihan's death, he became a Divine Detective?"
…Chief Banner Officer Lü: "Sir, Centurion Song is desperate to protect Lu Zhenghai, fantasizing that Lu Zhenghai will continue to create investigative miracles to atone for his sins and gain merit."
"Wishful thinking!" Centurion Wang became even more disdainful: "A blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse once is enough, but he wants a second time? Ridiculous! Chief Banner Officer Lü, within the Jinyiwei Garrison, spread the word about Lu Zhenghai investigating the Grand Tutors Residence case. It's best if the Deputy Commander and the Commander also know."
You, Lu Zhenghai, don't you want to make a name for yourself? I'll help you. Hehe, I hope you can handle it… A moment later, Lu Zhenghai arrived at the Grand Tutors Residence.
He thought he had arrived early enough, but he didn't expect to see Centurion Song and Zhou Hu waiting at the entrance of the Grand Tutors Residence.
Both of them were holding flatbreads.
"Here, you little brat, you woke up quite late." Centurion Song tossed a flatbread to Lu Zhenghai.
"This is late?" Lu Zhenghai was speechless.
The three of them, led by the butler, walked into Yunyi Tower of the Grand Tutors Residence.
Unexpectedly, Pei Muwan was already waiting.
Today, Pei Muwan wore a white dress, stunningly beautiful, like a Fairy, as if she might Ascend to the Guanghan Palace at any moment.
"Have you found any leads?" Pei Muwan asked with some anticipation.
Last night, the Embroidered Uniform Guard made a big move, even she had heard about it.
"There should be some leads," Lu Zhenghai said with a smile, judging from Centurion Song's expression.
Pei Muwan was very shocked. This Chief Lu was truly a Divine Being.
He got involved and found leads within a day?
For a moment, Pei Muwan felt a little nervous and expectant, her beautiful eyes fixed on Lu Zhenghai.
"Centurion Sir, whose Young Miss is the Maidservant Li'er?" Lu Zhenghai asked.
"Li'er is Sui Mingxin's personal Maidservant. Sui Mingxin is the youngest daughter of Sui Zhenliang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice," Centurion Song said solemnly:
"Sui Zhenliang dotes on this youngest daughter quite a bit, so Sui Mingxin's personality is somewhat overbearing and strong-willed."
"It is said that in the Sui Residence, if any Maidservant was prettier than her, Sui Mingxin would always find various reasons to torment them."
"Changqing, you are truly divine. Through investigation, it was confirmed that the cloth doll Li'er had made at Sujin Pavilion over a month ago was indeed ordered by her Young Miss, Sui Mingxin."
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard expended a great deal of Qi to have a rough Maidservant from the Sui Residence sneak into Sui Mingxin's room."
"That rough Maidservant personally saw the cloth doll. The doll had needles stuck in it, and Miss Pei's name and birth date."
"Unfortunately, to avoid alerting the enemy, we couldn't take the cloth doll out."
…"The daughter of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice?" Lu Zhenghai was slightly surprised.
The head of the Ministry of Justice must be the Minister of Justice, a second-rank official.
Below the Minister of Justice were the Left and Right Vice Ministers, with the Left being more esteemed.
In other words, Sui Zhenliang was the second-in-command of the Ministry of Justice, a third-rank official, and a high-ranking official in the imperial city.
"Sui Mingxin?" Beside him, Pei Muwan had already understood the conversation between Lu Zhenghai and Centurion Song. Her voice was full of surprise: "Two months ago, the Duchess of Jin hosted a tea party, inviting the noble ladies of the imperial city to attend. I didn't want to go at the time; I wasn't interested in such occasions, but Grandfather said it was hard to refuse the Duke of Jin's Face…"
Since she was the legitimate granddaughter of the Grand Tutor and a famous Young Miss in the entire imperial city, it was impossible to completely avoid gatherings among noble ladies.
"Did Sui Mingxin have any conflict with Miss Pei at that time?" Lu Zhenghai asked.
A trace of annoyance flashed in Pei Muwan's beautiful eyes: "Sui Mingxin did speak to me at the time, but I don't like to talk much, and her perfume was very strong, which I disliked…"
So, she just gave a perfunctory reply or two.
Ultimately, Pei Muwan was still too aloof, inadvertently offending people.
Sui Mingxin was also a noble lady who grew up pampered, accustomed to being overbearing and strong-willed. As a result, when she eagerly tried to befriend you and you ignored her, it was normal for her to secretly resent you.
More importantly, your appearance was already exceedingly beautiful.
And Sui Mingxin's appearance wasn't particularly good-looking, so she was already quite displeased.
"Just such a small matter, Sui Mingxin wouldn't go to such lengths to retaliate, would she? Cursing with a doll isn't enough, she also wants to kill Nanny Yi?" Centurion Song couldn't understand.
Sui Mingxin was only 19 years old. Was a 19-year-old noble lady of the imperial city so extreme in personality?
Pei Muwan hesitated for a moment, then said: "I heard from Mingzhu that Feng Yu, the heir of the Duke of Feng, likes me…"
Even as aloof as Pei Muwan.
For her to personally say that so-and-so likes her, she also felt a bit awkward.
Mainly, she wasn't actually familiar with Feng Yu.
She had no interest in matters of love between men and women.
She had long told her grandfather that she would not seek a man in this life.
Pei Muwan wanted to devote all her energy to calligraphy and painting.
She wanted to forge a grand Dao in the art of calligraphy and painting, and achieve the Realm of Heaven and Human Immortal through it.
Her goals were far-reaching.
"Feng Yu likes you, and then what?" Lu Zhenghai asked.
With Pei Muwan's appearance, like a Fairy from the Moon Palace.
It was normal for any heir, prince, or even imperial prince to like her, wasn't it?
"Mingzhu said that Sui Mingxin saw Feng Yu once and couldn't forget him," Pei Muwan bit her lip softly.
Lu Zhenghai gave Pei Muwan a strange look.
Even the most aloof and cold women would gossip when chatting with their best friends.
Hahahaha, even Pei Muwan was no exception.
The Mingzhu she mentioned should be the other of the twin beauties of the imperial city, Princess Mingzhu, right?
Pei Muwan seemed to sense the meaning in Lu Zhenghai's eyes, and for a moment, a rare blush of annoyance actually appeared in her heart.
She couldn't help but retort: "Young Master Lu, what are you thinking, staring at me like that?"
"Hahahahaha…" Lu Zhenghai burst out laughing.
Pei Muwan had such an interesting personality. She had the delicate, frail demeanor of Xi Shi, yet she would retort, a bit like Lin Daiyu.
Pei Muwan rolled her eyes at Lu Zhenghai, a fleeting glance.
Then, Pei Muwan composed herself and spoke faintly:
"Let's assume, according to Young Master Lu's speculation, that Sui Mingxin, out of jealousy, wanted to harm me but couldn't."
"So, in anger, she used a curse doll to curse me, then found that the curse doll didn't seem to have any effect."
"Thus, she went to assassinate Nanny Yi, who is very important to me."
"But where is the evidence? A mere cloth doll is not enough."
…Centurion Song, however, suddenly sighed:
"Last night, I had the Embroidered Uniform Guard thoroughly investigate the Sui Residence."
"Especially Sui Mingxin's actions over the past one or two months."
"It can be confirmed that she orchestrated the curse doll, and her jealousy towards Miss Pei is a fact."
"This means she has a motive for murder."
"However, neither she herself, nor her Maidservants, nor any of the Sui Family members, including their advisors, servants, subordinates, guards, etc., passed through Tongfu Restaurant at the time Nanny Yi was assassinated."
"In other words, the entire Sui Family has an alibi."
…Having only a motive, without a time of crime, is not enough.
A curse doll cannot convict Sui Mingxin of murder.
"Is that so?" Lu Zhenghai frowned slightly: "Is it possible that Sui Mingxin hired an assassin?"
"The Grand Tutors Residence has confirmed that no assassin organizations in the imperial city have received a mission to assassinate Nanny Yi in the past two months," Pei Muwan emphasized again, as she had said yesterday.
Next.
Silence.
The case seemed to have reached another stalemate.
It wasn't until half an incense stick later that Lu Zhenghai sneered: "This Sui Mingxin is quite clever, no, to be precise, Sui Zhenliang is clever…"
Pei Muwan suddenly looked up at Lu Zhenghai, her beautiful eyes filled with anticipation and excitement.
Could it be that he had found the answer?
"Speak quickly," Centurion Song urged even more anxiously.
Lu Zhenghai didn't keep them in suspense, uttering a few words: "What department is Sui Zhenliang from?"
The Ministry of Justice!