Lu Zhaoling accepted the single copper coin and handed over the talisman.
"Put it in a sachet and have the child wear it at all times," Lu Zhaoling instructed.
"I'll do as you say."
Gousheng's mother took the talisman. Seeing Hu Dali staring with eyes as wide as an ox's, she hurriedly ran back inside the house.
"Second Miss, what is the meaning of this? I asked you to pay for my medical expenses, so why are you throwing money at them?" Hu Dali glared at Lu Zhaoling.
Qingyin could barely restrain the urge to strike him. It was absolutely preposterous a mere servant showing such blatant disrespect to a young miss.
"Uncles, aunts, I mean nothing else by this," Lu Zhaoling said to the surrounding crowd with gentle politeness. "It is simply that if something happens to Hu Dali later and the authorities come here to inquire,
I would appreciate it if you all could testify for me. I was merely passing through, I did not initiate conversation with Hu Dali, and I certainly did not touch so much as a corner of his clothes."
The people living here were all destitute. Lu Zhaoling giving out a few copper coins to each person made them feel they had struck a bargain.
Each person received about seven or eight coins; that was enough for a full meal. They had expected her to ask for something difficult, but it was just to be a witness? How simple!
Immediately, everyone began to offer their assurances.
"Young lady, don't you worry. We saw everything clearly just now you didn't touch Hu Dali at all!"
"That's right, that's right! He lunged forward himself, couldn't stop his feet, and took a tumble."
"I'll testify! Hu Dali climbed back up after he fell and even started arguing with Hu Xiaoxing. He's perfectly fine!"
They had watched the entire scene play out.
"Shut your mouths! Can't you see the blood on my face?" Hu Dali shouted, his face dark with rage as he brandished his fists at them.
However, these were not powerful people. His father was only a servant, and because Hu Dali lived there making a noisy nuisance of himself every day, he had no standing with his neighbors. None of them feared him.
Several of the neighboring households had tall sons who worked as laborers; they were strong and possessed plenty of muscle. If a fight truly broke out, Hu Dali would be no match for them. Consequently, they didn't take his threats seriously.
"Pah! Hu Dali, I just heard you call this lady 'Second Miss.' She's clearly a lady of a noble house! You're just a servant, yet you're acting so aggressive toward a miss you're nothing but a rebellious scoundrel!" someone shouted.
Hu Dali was fuming, but when Lu Zhaoling looked over, her gaze was unsettling.
Hu Dali couldn't quite describe the sensation. For some reason, he felt as though the way Lu Zhaoling looked at him was the way one looked at a dead man. The feeling made his skin crawl.
"Second Miss, you've got guts!"
He spat out the words with forced bravado before turning and retreating into the house, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. However, the force of the slam sent a fresh jolt of pain through his injured hand.
Lu Zhaoling's gaze swept over the Hu family's front door. She turned to Qingyin and said, "Let's go."
She had originally intended to see if Butler Hu was hiding any secrets or if he knew anything about the items her biological mother had left behind at the Lu residence. But Butler Hu wasn't home, and Hu Dali and Hu Xiaoxing didn't look like the type who could keep a secret. Even if Butler Hu knew something, he likely wouldn't have told his children.
Though she hadn't gained much on that front, she had found a clue regarding the Liu family's Thousand-work Lantern from Hu Xiaoxing.
As for Gousheng, she considered it a small act of kindness. After all, it was highly likely that his family's misfortune had been influenced by the resentment clinging to the Thousand-work Lantern.
After Lu Zhaoling left, the woman hung the talisman around Gousheng's neck. Not long after, Gousheng actually spoke of his own accord.
"Mom, food."
Gousheng's mother was overjoyed. The child had been unable to eat, and every day she had to spend ages coaxing and force-feeding him just to get a few bites down. Now, he was actually asking for food!
She hurriedly served half a bowl of vegetable porridge. Gousheng finished every drop, bite by bite, and he didn't throw up!
This brought tears of joy to her eyes. she rushed out the door and bowed several times in the direction Lu Zhaoling had departed.
"That young lady must have sought that talisman from a great master. It must be blessed! To sell it to Gousheng just like that... what a good person!"
She was so happy she didn't even realize she was babbling. Lu Zhaoling wouldn't have heard her anyway, and even if she did, she wouldn't have taken it to heart.
Once they were clear of the area, Lu Zhaoling boarded the carriage. "To the Liu residence."
Qingbao was confused. Why the sudden trip to the Liu family?
"Miss, if those lanterns really were made by the Liu family, going there could be far too dangerous."
Anyone capable of creating such a lantern had to be more than just ruthless. Although Prince Jin's Mansion had previously discovered that the Liu family sold those lanterns to others and they might not have originated directly from their hands, who could say for sure? What if the investigation wasn't thorough enough?
"I want to see Third Master Liu. We don't necessarily have to enter the Liu residence," Lu Zhaoling said.
The lantern was already in her hands, and that pair of green jade bracelets had also found their way to her. Since she had accepted them, she had to resolve the resentment attached to them. Those lanterns involved at least two people who had died tragic deaths.
Hu Xiaoxing couldn't possibly have afforded such a green jade hairpin. If she was involved with the Third Master of the Liu family, then the hairpin had likely been a gift from him.
"Miss, I've heard before that although this Third Master Liu is not young, he has always been an idle loafer. The Liu family is famous for their lantern-making craft, but Third Master Liu can't even assemble a single lantern. The third branch has always relied on the main branch for support," Qingyin noted.
"Oh? How old is this Third Master Liu?"
"He should be in his mid-thirties. However, he married quite a formidable wife. It's said that Third Madam Liu keeps him on a very short leash, so he has no concubines or bed-warmers. His two sons and one daughter were all born to Third Madam Liu."
"Since he's an idle loafer, he must go out for amusement often. Do you know where he frequents?" Lu Zhaoling asked.
Qingyin thought for a moment. "There is a place we could check. It's a favorite haunt for many idle masters in the Capital."
"Where?"
"Yanbo Tower. It's a tea house with storytellers and musicians. The place is very elegant, and they often host gambling matches. Those sorts of people love to gather there to watch the excitement."
Qingyin knew of the place because she had heard Uncle Yun mention it while lecturing the servants. He had said that no matter how little work there was to do, no one from Prince Jin's Mansion was allowed to amuse themselves in such a place. If caught, they would be sold off immediately.
Lu Zhaoling nodded upon hearing this. "Then we shall go to Yanbo Tower."
Qingyin hesitated and glanced at Qingbao.
"Miss certainly knows what she's doing! Let's go have a look together!" Qingbao, on the other hand, had total faith in Lu Zhaoling. Nothing bad would happen if they went there. Wasn't Qingyin just worried that the atmosphere would be unsuitable for a young miss?
"Yes, I know what I'm doing. It'll be fine to just have a look," Lu Zhaoling said.
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