Madam Gu

The depressing jail cell, the smell of filth, the dim lights.

But the woman inside sat up straight and spoke calmly, “I killed him. Please go home.”

She was kneeling quietly with her hands in front of her abdomen, her eyes…

Song Caitang had seen many people thrown into jail before, but she had never seen someone with such eyes. This woman had an extremely calm look in her eyes, like she knew exactly what she was doing. There was no hesitation and no fear. She didn’t look like she had a death wish either. At most, she looked determined.

Madam Gu did not regret going to jail at all.

She did not bow toward Old Madam Li and did not say anything emotional to her, like whether she was grateful or sorry, whether she was annoyed or troubled. None of it. But she also did not scold the old lady for being a busybody. She merely glanced calmly at Old Madam Li.

Old Madam Li did not dodge her glance and looked straight back at her. Madam Gu did not avoid her gaze either.

It was as though this one look was enough for everyone to understand everything. There was no need to explain or elaborate.

These two women, one relying on a walking stick, the other with a perfectly combed hairdo. They were equally obstinate.

Song Caitang asked in a low voice, “Did you really commit this murder?”

Madam Gu did not know who she was and didn’t ask either. She nodded and said, “Yes.”

Her admission was quick and certain.

Song Caitang looked at her and asked another question, “Committing murder is no small matter. Do you know what the punishment is for such a crime?”

“Murderers will be executed. I know that.”

Madam Gu lowered her gaze, then smoothened her skirt out gently before giving them an exceedingly elegant bow. “I am prepared to face the consequences according to the law of the land. Please head home safely.”

With that, she turned her back on Song Caitang and Old Madam Li. She refused to say anymore.

Song Caitang looked at Old Madam Li. Old Madam Li sighed heavily.

She asked Madam Gu, “All killers have a motive for killing another person. Could I ask what your motive was?”

But Madam Gu did not respond. She was clearly not going to cooperate.

Song Caitang paused to think.

There were some people who didn’t need to be analyzed too much, because you could understand their personality very easily. Madam Gu was an intelligent person.

Intelligent people could think very far ahead, could figure out the truth very easily, and they also enjoyed controlling their own destiny. Once they had decided on something, it was hard to change their minds.

Thankfully, the person who had come with her was Old Madam Li.

Old Madam Li was definitely a very intelligent person. Her age had given her even more experience and wisdom, so she knew very well which things she could do and which thing she ought to do. Old Madam Li felt bad for the situation that Madam Gu was in, and because Old Madam Li had been kind to her all these years, Madam Gu would definitely be touched by Old Madam Li’s actions. No matter how determined she seemed to be, no matter how certain she looked on the outside, it was impossible for her to feel nothing about Old Madam Li’s visit.

She spoke so quickly and turned around so fast. Was it because… she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep up appearances for long?

Song Caitang looked around and took note of every detail she saw. Then she turned toward Old Madam Li and said, “In that case, Old Madam Li, let’s…”

Old Madam Li probably knew that they wouldn’t be able to do anything today, so she replied without hesitation, “Let’s go then.”

Song Caitang did not expect to settle this matter with just one visit anyway. If she had been capable of doing such a thing, she would have gotten way further than this by now. There were just some things that she needed to see with her own eyes and experience for herself in order to understand them.

The journey out of the jail was just as long as the one they made to get in.

Song Caitang helped to support Old Madam Li along the way and asked her quietly, “You feel that given her character, she wouldn’t do something like commit murder?”

Old Madam Li laughed.

“I’m not too sure about whether she’d kill someone or not, but I know that if she wanted to kill someone, she wouldn’t be so stupid as to do it in broad daylight.”

Song Caitang furrowed slightly. “We’ll have to find a way to inspect the body then…”

The victim’s body was a true reflection of the scene of the crime. It would be able to tell her a lot more.

Old Madam Li paused to think, then nodded. “I think I can get that done for you, but… it will take a while.”

Song Caitang nodded, then asked, “You know the people connected to this case?”

No matter how well connected the old lady was, she wouldn’t have much access to the government itself. Besides, when it came to a murder case investigation, case details would be kept a secret while the investigation was ongoing. It would be hard for Old Madam Li to know many details.

Old Madam Li sighed. “Actually, I was there when it happened.”

Song Caitang was surprised now. “You were there too?”

“At that time, the ceremony had just ended and they were giving away blessed biscuits, so it was quite crowded,” Old Madam Li turned to look at Song Caitang, “Never mind me – it was a public holiday that day, so all Buddhists in the city, including many rich and influential people, were there.”

She spoke casually, but Song Caitang could hear what she was hinting at.

“Are you saying,” she turned to the old lady, “that there were court officials present too?”

Old Madam Li shut her eyes. “That’s why I say that this matter is really no small matter. Caitang, I’m afraid I’ve gotten you into trouble.”

Song Caitang laughed. “You’re not afraid, so why should I be?”

Every person had their own selfish desires and devised plans to attain those goals. It was just a matter of how big or small those desires and those plans were.

Song Caitang was very willing to help Old Madam Li.

If she was constantly afraid of trouble and always backed out when things went wrong, her life would be so boring.

“In that case, do you remember who was closest to the victim?”

Old Madam Li shook her head. “There were too many people around. I don’t know the victim, so I wasn’t paying attention to him. Things got even more chaotic when he died. Auntie Liu quickly pulled me to one side, so I didn’t get to see what had happened.”

“If that’s the case…” Song Caitang tried to approach this from a different direction, “is there anything that you remember in particular? It doesn’t have to be connected to the murder.”

Sometimes, one’s subconscious memory could be surprisingly good. When something like that happens out of the blue, you might think you went into a panic and you don’t remember anything, but actually, you did witness or notice some things, just that you couldn’t remember it at first.

“Something I remember in particular? I do, actually.”

She patted Song Caitang’s hand, “Let me gather my thoughts on the way home and I’ll tell you about them after we reach home? I’ve already sent someone to investigate the victim and he should have information for us soon. You’d be back just in time to get the information and we can analyze it together.”

Song Caitang agreed. “I’ll have to trouble you to make me a meal today then.”

Old Madam Li smiled dotingly at her. “I’ll get Auntie Liu to prepare a sumptuous meal!”

They made their way back to the horse carriage and had just seated themselves down when they spotted a young man walking toward the jail.

The young man looked around 16 or 17. He was very tall and extremely skinny, but it was hard to tell if it was because he was still growing or if he wasn’t eating well. He was practically just skin and bone. But he had a beautiful pair of eyes. They were extremely bright, burning and deep, like the stars in the sky. That really added to his presence.

Song Caitang realized that Old Madam Li was also staring at the young man, and she was staring quite intently too.

“You know this young man?”

“He’s Madam Gu’s son. Ji Yuanjia.”

That piece of information enlightened Song Caitang immediately.

They were at Jingzhao Jail and Madam Gu was a prisoner inside the jail. Ji Yuanjia was clearly here to visit his mother.

“This boy will turn 17 next year. He lost his father at a young age. His father was the eldest son of the family and was in charge of the family business, and Ji Yuanjia is his only son. His father passed away when he was very young and his widowed mother had to take care of him. They had a tough time.”

Old Madam Li sighed. “The life of commoners is hard, but life is hard for the well to do too. Madam Gu was the wife of the head of the family, so she had to do her best for the sake of her son, fend off all her husband’s brothers who were eyeing the business and keep it running well… Nobody will ever understand how much she suffered. Also, Ji Yuanjia was poisoned when he was young and almost died.”

“Mrs. Ji dotes dearly on her son?”

“Which mother doesn’t? He’s her only child. But the good thing about Madam Gu is that while she dotes on him, she doesn’t spoil him and is very strict with him. She came from a family of scholars and is very well educated. Ji Yuanjia was ill for many years because he had been poisoned, so it was Madam Gu who taught him everything, teaching him enough for him to enroll in a proper academy now.”

Old Madam Li clearly admired Madam Gu for this.

Most women were softhearted especially toward their own children. Yet Madam Gu had managed to both love her child dearly and discipline him when necessary.

“Ji Yuanjia is mature and polite, of good character but is also smart. If he can take the next few years to develop further, his future is bright and he will surely become a leader that this nation can rely on in the future…”

Song Caitang noticed that Old Madam Li had a look of great compassion and pity that she didn’t normally have.

She slowly began to understand that the old lady not only wanted to help Madam Gu, but she also wanted to help this boy.

Madam Gu and her son had had a difficult life and they were very close. Ji Yuanjia was a good boy but he was only 16 and had a long way before reaching full maturity, so he could easily become rebellious. If he could get through this age with proper guidance and reach 20 years of age, his worldview and moral compass would be stable and nobody would have to worry about him. But alas, something like that had to happen to his mother at such a point in his life.

Once a sensible young man decided to rebel, he might hurt himself very badly.

Old Madam Li didn’t want that to happen to him.

Song Caitang couldn’t help but feel admiration for Old Madam Li.

How could she not help an elderly like her?

She thought of a different approach, “Could this case have anything to do with Ji Yuanjia?”

Old Madam Li paused to think, then said, “I don’t think so? Ji Yuanjia has been studying at the academy all this time and he even went on a study trip this year, and only returned very recently. I’ve never heard of him getting into trouble, and he’s… not the type to create trouble.”

The old lady sighed again as she spoke. Something like that had happened just after the poor boy returned. That had to be rough.

Song Caitang asked another question, “Does the student who died have anything to do with the Ji family?”

“We’ll only find out after we get more information,” Old Madam Li knocked on the side of the carriage to motion to the horseman that they could leave, “but I don’t really think so. Over the past years, Madam Gu had already gotten rid of all the unsavory people in the family. Ji Yuanjia is the best of his generation in studying and he’s already able to take charge of the family. Besides, I know a lot about the people involved with the family and the things that have happened to them. I have no impression of the man who died…”

As the two spoke, time passed quickly and it didn’t take them long to arrive back at the Wens’.

Song Caitang helped Old Madam Li out of the carriage and a servant came over to report that he had managed to gather some information on the case.

“There’s no hurry,” Old Madam Li smiled, “Get the coals burning and make some hot tea first. We’ll talk about this after Miss Song has warmed up.”