Chapter 29: The Mysterious Embroiderer

"Greetings, Proprietor Qiu," Xu Qi said, offering a slight curtsy. "You have a keen eye, Proprietor. I am the final closed-door disciple of Lu Sanniang, of the Xu clan of Gusu."

"A closed-door disciple?" Qiu Jinsheng had indeed heard of such a person, but he had also heard that this particular disciple came from an extraordinary background. He shuddered slightly and asked, "Could you be the daughter of the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, Lord Xu...?"

Xu Qi smiled faintly. "Indeed, he is my father."

"Ah!" Qiu Jinsheng hurriedly cupped his hands in a respectful bow, his face breaking into a flattering smile. "I had no idea the Third Miss Xu was gracing us with her presence. Please forgive my lack of a proper welcome; I am truly ashamed!"

"You are too kind, Proprietor."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Qiu Jinsheng invited her to take the seat of honor and asked about the handkerchief in her hand. "Might I ask if this piece is the work of the Third Miss?" The old merchant's eyes gleamed with undisguised avarice.

Xu Qi pursed her lips and smiled. "I have yet to reach even three-tenths of my master's skill, so naturally, I could not embroider such a masterpiece." Before he could show his disappointment, she shifted the tone of the conversation.

"However, the matter I have come to discuss today concerns the owner of this very piece. If you, Proprietor, could offer some assistance, let alone a mere handkerchief, even a full embroidered screen would be within reach."

These words hit Qiu Jinsheng like a pie falling from the sky, leaving him somewhat dazed.

Lu Sanniang’s legendary craftsmanship had once been world-renowned, earning her a place in the Imperial Textile Bureau to embroider the Emperor's dragon robes. Unfortunately, after suffering a hand injury years ago, her technique had declined. Consequently, any of her works still circulating among the public were worth their weight in gold and nearly impossible to find.

Qiu Jinsheng had no interest in wine, women, or the affected refinement of collecting scholars' calligraphy. His only incurable vice was a fanatical obsession with collecting Su embroidery, especially rare, peerless masterpieces like those of Lu Sanniang.

Now that someone was telling him he could own an entire screen featuring the "golden disk stacking needle" technique, he felt as though he could rise from the dead just to see it.

Yet, Qiu Jinsheng was, at his core, a businessman—a cunning and slippery one at that. He understood one fundamental truth: the most expensive things in this world are the pies that fall from the sky.

He immediately sobered up, cleared his throat, and restrained himself. "Ahem, I am but an old man who sells fabric. Regarding what you seek, Third Miss, I fear..."

Xu Qi stifled a laugh, calling him an "old fox" in her heart, while maintaining a pleasant expression. "Proprietor Qiu, you are a busy man; how could I dare trouble you with trivialities? Please, do not be alarmed. I am merely hoping to inquire about some information."

She gestured toward the handkerchief, upon which a cricket seemed to leap. "In truth, the owner of this handkerchief is currently here in Huaian City, but I have been unable to locate her. Perhaps you have heard if such a highly skilled embroiderer has appeared in the city recently?"

Qiu Jinsheng’s mind raced as he quickly asked, "And what relation is this person you seek to Lu Sanniang?"

"You are astute, Proprietor. She is my senior martial sister—the legitimate successor recognized by our master herself."

"Hiss..." Qiu Jinsheng drew in a sharp breath and fell into deep thought.

Xu Qi knew the old fox was weighing the pros and cons. She neither rushed nor panicked, picking up a cup of Rain Flower tea harvested before the Beginning of Winter to savor slowly, waiting in silence.

She trusted her own calculations: if Qiu Jinsheng knew about Zhou Zhiwei, he would certainly agree to help, then scramble to feed her false information to lead her astray. Conversely, if he knew nothing, he would offer vague excuses while secretly sending his own people to investigate.

His answer would determine her and Tan Jiuding's next move.

"Ahem, please forgive me, Third Miss," Qiu Jinsheng began. "I do not know if you have heard, but my residence has suffered a series of misfortunes recently. As if fate were mocking me, several of my prized embroidered pieces were coveted by thieves and stolen."

He rubbed his temples as if suffering from a headache. "I have been preoccupied with this matter lately and truly haven't heard of such a person appearing in the city. Had I known, I would have certainly sent men to invite her to my home as an honored guest."

Xu Qi’s lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and she rose decisively. "If that is the case, I shall not trouble you further." She pointed to the handkerchief. "If you like it, Proprietor, please accept this as a token of our meeting. It is a humble gift, but I hope you do not mind."

"Oh, not at all, not at all! Such a peerless masterpiece... alas, it is my incompetence that I could not assist the Third Miss. I am truly ashamed." Qiu Jinsheng wore a look of bitter regret.

In Xu Qi’s eyes, while he was undeniably shrewd, his acting left much to be desired.

After leaving the Qiu Silk Shop and boarding the sedan chair, Tan Jiuding instructed the bearers to head toward the west of the city. They disembarked at a luxurious restaurant, paid the fare, walked inside, and then quietly slipped out through the back door.

Xu Qi looked back at the path behind them, which showed no signs of pursuit, and frowned. "Is such caution necessary? Surely Qiu Jinsheng won't send people to follow us immediately?"

"Hard to say. If he knows something, he must already be aware that your path and mine—and that of the Inspecting Censor—are aligned, which would expose my identity. It is highly likely he will track your whereabouts to confirm our movements."

"Very well, caution it is."

Last night, following Tan Jiuding's instructions, she had packed her male attire into a silk bundle. She now found a convenient spot to change, making her appearance less conspicuous.

"It is still early," Xu Qi said, glancing at the sun. "You said we couldn't act until sunset. Where are we going now?"

Tan Jiuding had already planned it. "To the Huaian Prefectural Office."

"Eh? What for?"

"To investigate the thefts from these past few days."

Xu Qi’s mind spun as she grasped his train of thought, and she guessed, "What? Do you really intend to help Qiu Jinsheng recover his stolen embroidery? How do you know he isn't lying? What if what he lost wasn't embroidery at all?"

"Whether it was or not doesn't matter," Tan Jiuding said with a grin. "I just find these thefts intriguing. Call it intuition—if we look into it, we might find some unexpected gains."

"What is so intriguing about it?"

"Do you remember which places the thief hit?"

Xu Qi huffed, reciting what the innkeeper had said the previous night: "The Chen family on Salt Permit Alley, the Qiu family at the Yunjin Workshop south of the Zhenhuai Tower, the residence of the Huaian Garrison Commander, and... the Hengchang Pawnshop across from the wharf warehouse that was just robbed."

"Good memory! Not a single word off."

"Don't tease me. What is the point of this?"

"Look at the connections between these families. Don't you think there are some coincidences with the case we are investigating?"

Xu Qi disagreed. "Huaian is a vital hub for the grain transport; nine out of ten households are related to the transport administration, and the last one is a pawnshop. I don't see anything special. If you insist on a connection, it's far too forced."

"How will we know if it's 'forced' if we don't investigate?"

"Isn't this just a waste of time? You are the Inspecting Censor for the Southern Metropolitan Area; you don't have to manage every single thing. What if your intuition is wrong?"

"If we unearth something, wouldn't it be worth it to earn a favor from Qiu Jinsheng? With his connections and status in Huaian, wouldn't his help be like wings for a tiger? Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone out of your way to build a relationship with him, would you?"

"..."

Xu Qi found herself unable to refute him. She felt both a heartache for the missing Zhiwei and a stinging pain from the blisters on her feet.

"...Fine. Lead the way."