Beneath The Embroidered Brocade

"So this is the perpetrator?" General Pei raised an eyebrow while looking at the sketch. The person within the sketch was a youth, who looked rather plain, such that a glimpse at the person within a crowd would soon be forgotten the next moment one's head was turned around. "Well, it is indeed a face perfect for ȧssassination."

Just from the portrait alone, he could not tell if the perpetrator was male or female. It was unknown if the artist or the witness knew either.

"Who is the witness?"

"A serving girl from the Hundred Flower Hall."

When he heard 'Hundred Flower Hall, he furrowed his brows. Of course, general Pei knew what the Hundred Flower Hall was. Though he did not know who from the capital was behind them, he did not think it wise to suddenly barge in and question any person who worked for the establishment. Perhaps in his youth that is something he would have done without a second thought, but now, as years passed, he discovered that not all problems could be solved by drawing the sword.

"Then do we know who the perpetrator is?"

"General, you know the border town is not like a small remote village where everyone knows each other, if that were the case, we would have already known who didn't belong. Every day, there are countless merchants and travelers coming in and out of town, how are we to keep track of everyone with what little manpower we have?" Official Tao asked.

Though his words may have seemed more complaint than informing, general Pei did believe him. After all, the town had pitifully few soldiers guarding it and if they truly tried to track everyone coming and going from the city, the lines would be held up as far as the eye could see. Soon there would be too many complaints launched towards the magistrates' office. Thus to avoid trouble, the gates were usually opened and closed at the appropriate times, stopping those who looked overly suspicious. The downside was they did not really know who was coming in and out of the town, and if a crime were to occur, there would be no leads pertaining to the outsiders who entered.

"I see." General Pei simply nodded and considered if he should have more soldiers sent to the border town so that there would be a more detailed record of those who came and went from the gates. In the end, he decided that the best lead was still the person in the painting, it was best to find the person in the portrait first. He ordered the portrait to be copied and distributed to nearby cities and towns to widen the area of search. As to whether the person actually committed the ȧssassination, that was none of his concern. Any official in his shoes would have done the same.

"However … there is news that the ȧssailant was wounded in the alteration." Official Tao said quietly.

"Where did the news come from?"

"Speculation, or else why would the ȧssailant retreat to the woods in such a rush, leaving a trail of blood?"

"Is there a trail to follow?"

"No, I had some people check out that area, the trail, and the footprints eventually stop."

"Understood, you may retreat for now."

General Pei continued shifting through account books without asking for help. By the time he returned to his room, the servants had already prepared a shower, with a wooden bathtub behind the folding screen, and all the servants out of sight.

The water was lukewarm. Although not quite what general Pei was used to since he had been away from luxuries for such a long time. In addition, it was now winter, bathing in cold water was not too favorable after all.

Nevertheless, it was a token of goodwill and it had been long since there was warm water, thus general Pei slipped right in. As he was enjoying his bath, he heard a noise from the folding screen. He immediately threw the bamboo ladle in his hands at the shadow. The bamboo ladle though of uneven weight, in the general's hand was not inferior to a dart on the battlefield. There was a hole pierced in the paper folding screen.

Beyond the screen, there was the sound of someone falling over and hitting the floor.

This ȧssailant was oddly clumsy? General Pei found himself nearly laughing before jumping out of the tub and putting on his inner clothes in a flash. He grabbed the ȧssailant's hand, twisting it behind the person's back.

"Who sent you here?" General Pei whispered. Though it may have sounded like a whisper, it contained a trace of internal energy that vibrated the ȧssailant's ears and swayed the internal viscera. .

"Uncle!" The ȧssailant called out painfully.

At the sudden cry, general Pei stopped his movements, looking hesitant, "Nephew?" he whispered, though this time, it was slightly more gentle.

Pei Song smiled, and ceded all resistance, as a token of goodwill, general Pei also loosened his grasp on the boy.

General Pei got dressed and sat down at the desk, with Pei Song sitting across from him. There was a candle that separated them, the soft orange light lit up their faces, which showed a resemblance between the two. Though general Pei's features were harsher, the resemblance could be seen in their eyes.

"Hasn't the bureau taught you the proper way to sneak around?" General Pei asked with dissatisfaction written all over his face. He thought of that lousy method that Pei Song had employed to sneak around in his room, and was prepared to write a letter of complaint to the Bureau of Investigation, to get them to train their people better.

"I wasn't sneaking around." Pei Song said helplessly.

"Oh, so the magistrate's manor welcomed a new guest, I haven't heard." General Pei asked curiously.

Pei Song coughed and said, "Not that either."

"Speak, how did you get in here?"

"Through the front door."

General Pei raised an eyebrow in doubt that this nephew was speaking the truth. The light reflected in his eyes was filled with curiosity, as though anticipating for that nephew of his to continue on with the story.

Seeing that fervent gaze within his uncle's eyes, Pei Song helplessly continued "I jumped on the roof and listened to the conversation of the servants before finding out where uncle's room was, and I waited for everyone to leave before entering, but I… really entered through the front door. Also, the reason why you caught me was that I was not hiding."

General Pei looked at him with less dissatisfaction within his eyes but still doubted whether what he said was true or not.

Very well, it did not matter, after all, the boy had made it all the way into his room without being noticed by the guards. Within the magistrate's manor, where there had been a recent attempted ȧssassination, and the entire city stepping on pins and needles. There was an increase in security for the magistrate's manor, yet despite that he still managed to get in through a door was a rather impressive feat in itself. General Pei found himself feeling proud of his brother's child.

"Why did you come to find me?"