Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter Forty-Seven: Dressed in Women’s Clothes

In the rest area of the Tribunal of Incarcerated Crimes, Hua Mulan and Ye Lin, both gravely injured by Zai Sheng, regained much of their strength after taking the elixirs sent by Cao Wu. They awoke and now basked in the sun in the courtyard.

Ye Lin, having suppressed his curiosity for as long as he could, finally asked, "Master Hua… I heard the case of Xiaolian from Princess Changning’s residence has been solved?"

"Yes," Hua Mulan nodded, her face taut. "It was Chen Chang’an who uncovered the truth. I cannot discuss the details just yet, but Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng will be here shortly to explain."

Ye Lin sighed in wonder.

"What is it?" Hua Mulan asked with some surprise.

Ye Lin shook his head ruefully. "I had a wager with Chen Chang’an to see who would solve the case first. It seems he is the victor—I lost completely. Even now, I don’t know exactly what happened."

Hua Mulan brushed dust from her lap as she replied, "Actually, you’re the true winner."

"How so?" Ye Lin immediately turned, looking at her expectantly, hoping for some comfort.

She paused, then said, "The reason you didn’t solve the case was because you were attacked by criminals. Why would they risk revealing themselves to strike at you? Clearly, you had stumbled upon an important clue."

"If you hadn’t been wounded and knocked unconscious, you surely would have won."

"Exactly!" Ye Lin slapped his thigh, his spirits lifting. "That’s it, that’s precisely it!"

At that moment, the hefty Wu Yuanheng—who occupied twice the space of an ordinary man whether sitting or walking—and Li Shu approached, their faces beaming with pride. After all, Cao Wu had supported Ye Lin, yet it was Chen Chang’an, whom the two men favored, who cracked the case. It was something worth boasting about.

"Mulan, about Chen Chang’an—"

"Ahem!" Li Shu was about to launch into a triumphant speech when Hua Mulan cut him off with a cough, slapping the table. "The three bureaus always share information. Tell me, what’s the situation with the Xiaolian case?"

Li Shu, disgruntled at being silenced, turned away in annoyance.

Wu Yuanheng, his plump lips pursed, sat opposite and laid out the details from start to finish. "It was the same gang from the Sanyuan Temple. They wanted to use Princess Changning to discover the method to reveal writing on the tong oil paper."

"So they bribed the maid Xiaolian to persuade the princess to invite Xu Hezi, the empire’s foremost painter, to create an imperial portrait as a birthday tribute for the empress. They then murdered Xu Hezi and assumed his identity to infiltrate the residence."

At this, Ye Lin’s eyes lit up. "So the headless corpse was Xu Hezi, and the stone I found in the ruins of Chun Yun Brothel belonged to the greatest painter of the Great Min?"

"Exactly," Wu Yuanheng nodded.

As he prepared to continue, Ye Lin raised his hand to interrupt. "Lord Wu, I can more or less guess the rest. The imposter wanted to learn the method for revealing writing on tong oil paper through the princess. By posing as the painter, he would naturally draw attention to the paper itself."

"I suppose the imposter claimed that the portrait for Her Majesty the Empress had suddenly vanished, and the anxious princess, thinking of the paper’s unique property of concealing writing or drawings, would attempt to restore the image on the spot."

"In that way, the criminal could learn the secret method right under everyone’s nose."

Wu Yuanheng and Li Shu exchanged looks of tacit admiration—the so-called Divine Detective of Luzhou truly lived up to his reputation.

Hua Mulan felt a measure of pride restored. She puffed out her chest. "Didn’t I say he’s no less talented than Chen Chang’an? It was only his injuries that delayed him."

Li Shu, face turned aside, whistled in protest.

Wu Yuanheng, gently dissenting, added, "But Chen Chang’an is blind."

Hua Mulan opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat, for she too admired Chen Chang’an. Now that the truth was known, she found herself reviewing every detail of the investigation. This son-in-law of the Su family was indeed meticulous in thought.

At the outset, when there were no clues, he had shifted his focus to Xiaolian’s daily life and gradually unraveled the threads of the case. When the headless corpse was discovered in the western district’s forest, he had insisted on its relevance to the case, even under great pressure, nearly quarreling with her. Yet the facts proved he was right.

Chen Chang’an was indeed exceptional—if not for his eye condition, he might have achieved even greater things.

Without realizing it, Hua Mulan had begun to appreciate and even admire him, though she refused to admit it outwardly.

As the three bureau heads were lost in their own thoughts, Ye Lin was pondering a detail the others had overlooked: the method for making tong oil paper and revealing hidden writing had been lost for years. How did the carefree, scatterbrained Princess Changning know of it? And why did the criminals focus on her so determinedly?

Moreover, how had Chen Chang’an uncovered this connection? There must be some hidden intricacy.

The case was closed, but Ye Lin’s curiosity only grew stronger.

"I’ll have to investigate quietly. And I must explain to Chen Chang’an that I wasn’t defeated—I was attacked by criminals, that’s all."

...

At the gates of the Princess’s residence, Chen Chang’an had just agreed to accompany Princess Changning to the palace for the Longevity Festival the next day. He turned to leave, ready to return home and sleep. As Cao Wu’s chosen candidate for the Black Robe Guards, he was confident his family was already well protected by secret arts and needn’t worry.

With a cloth over his eyes, he made his way through the streets.

"Wait a moment—when I peeked at that madwoman Changning earlier and lifted the cloth, my eyes didn’t hurt. Could there be another possibility?"

He speculated silently, then tentatively lifted the cloth and gazed directly at the passing scene. One second, two seconds, three seconds… No pain.

"I see!"

He had figured it out. His eyes weren’t averse to strong light, but rather couldn’t be used for long periods. They needed intervals of rest. Since he’d kept them covered for at least two hours, they weren’t fatigued.

So he could safely open his eyes now.

"If so, I’ll have to figure out how long I can use them before needing to rest, just like a woman anticipating her period—get the pads ready—no, the old cloth, to cover them again in time."

As he pondered, he noticed Ye Lin running toward him from afar, waving and shouting, "Chen Chang’an, over here!"

Chen grimaced but greeted him with a warm smile as he drew near. "Brother Ye, I was just about to visit you. How’s your recovery?"

Ye Lin flicked his sleeve. "Nothing serious, Brother Chen, no need to worry. About that wager—though you solved the case first, it doesn’t mean I lost."

Ah, so that’s it. Chen Chang’an graciously replied, "Naturally. In fact, you discovered an important clue before I did, or you wouldn’t have been targeted."

"If you hadn’t been injured, you would have caught the culprit even sooner."

Ye Lin was delighted by this response. He had expected Chen Chang’an to boast, but instead, he was shown rare humility and character.

Ye Lin grasped his hands. "Brother Chen, you are a man of true nobility."

Then, with raised brows, he added, "In half a month, the Black Robe Guards will start recruiting. Once I join, I’ll have access to higher-profile cases. I’ll surely come to Brother Chen secretly for advice."

Chen Chang’an felt awkward. "Why secretly?"

Ye Lin sighed, "When I join the Black Robe Guards, I’ll be subject to regulations and can’t compete openly with you anymore."

Such confidence! Chen Chang’an chuckled. "Not necessarily. Perhaps I’ll join the Black Robe Guards myself."

"You…"

Ye Lin’s tone turned regretful. "To be honest, Brother Chen, your investigative skills are equal to mine, your mind sharp and flexible. But your eyesight is a problem—it may be difficult for you to get in!"

When Cao Wu gave out the Black Robe Token, Ye Lin had been unconscious. Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng hadn’t mentioned it either, so he was unaware that Chen Chang’an had already been chosen.

Chen Chang’an gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to strike him.

Ye Lin misunderstood his reaction as despair and patted his shoulder. "Don’t worry. As long as you have ability, you won’t be overlooked. If you really want to join the Black Robe Guards, once I’m established, I’ll recommend you to my superiors."

Chen Chang’an was briefly speechless. Faced with Ye Lin’s exuberance, he couldn’t bring himself to shatter his pride with his own golden Black Robe Token, so he replied perfunctorily, "Alright, thank you."

"We’re brothers—no need to be so polite!" Ye Lin, excited, even lapsed into his hometown dialect.

...

The next day, after a night’s rest, Chen Chang’an rose early despite his dark circles and pallor, practicing tai chi in the courtyard. His movements were weak and listless; after all, his intermittent vision had returned only recently. The night before, lying on the floor mat, he’d inadvertently glimpsed Su Wanqiu sleeping unclothed and, awakened by her tossing and turning in the throes of some dream, had succumbed to temptation until dawn.

"Amitabha Buddha, lay down your blade and seek mercy," Chen Chang’an muttered, practicing tai chi in hopes of restoring his strength, seeking redemption with every move. Midway through the White Crane Spreads Its Wings, he suddenly remembered he was to accompany Changning to the palace for the Longevity Festival and rushed off to wash up.

Arriving at the princess’s residence, he found Changning, cheeks puffed and flashing her shiny tiger teeth, waiting impatiently. As soon as she saw him, she snapped, "Chen Chang’an, are you mad? We’re almost late for the palace!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Chen Chang’an apologized at once. "Family matters delayed me."

"Hmph!" Changning sniffed, then took a beautiful dress from a maid and thrust it before him. "Here, hurry up and change. We’re going to the palace."

Chen Chang’an plopped down at the hem of her flowered skirt. "You want me to wear… a woman’s dress?"

Changning hesitated, then forced a laugh. "Aren’t you supposed to be blind?"

Chen Chang’an mustered a timid smile. "Your Highness, didn’t I say I was using medicine yesterday? I’ve mostly recovered—can see a bit now."

"Oh, is that so?" Changning pushed the dress closer. "Even better! You can walk on your own, and I won’t have to guide you. The palace rules are strict—no irrelevant people or guards allowed inside. Only personal maids may enter."

"Change now!"

Chen Chang’an: "…"