Chapter 304: The Money Pouch

When the topic of autopsy came up, Master Tian consulted the Capital Envoys on their opinion.

Those who had been clinging to the death of their colleague were firmly opposed.

Peng Tou said, “Master Tian, since the facts are clear, my brother was killed by Zhang Xuan. Please enforce the law and sentence him to death immediately.”

In truth, as the case had been examined to this point, the facts were clear, and it was undoubtedly Zhang Xuan who caused the fatal injury.

Given that he was already in shackles, sentencing him posed no difficulty.

The only unclear aspect was the cause of death, but it could be resolved by simply noting it as death from untreated severe injuries.

Yan Yu was still bewildered as to why this group of Capital Envoys was making such a fuss.

Wouldn’t Master Tian have ruled this way even if they hadn’t caused a scene?

Our Master Tian is fair and just!

Yet, in the next moment, the Capital Envoys revealed their true intentions.

“We have already handed the criminal over to Crouching Tiger. It was due to your office’s lax supervision that Zhang Xuan was able to seize the opportunity to attack my colleague with a stone blade. We cannot hide this matter and will report it truthfully. We hope Master Tian will not take offense, as we are acting impartially.”

Are they filing a complaint?!

Yan Yu’s eyes widened.

Seeing everyone else appear as if they had anticipated this, she instantly understood what was happening.

Master Tian said nothing, stood up, and left, giving Yan Huaiwen a meaningful look as he departed.

Yan Huaiwen frowned.

He understood Master Tian’s intention, but he was concerned that it might be inappropriate for him to intervene.

His gaze fell on Constable Li, who, sensing it, grinned back at him.

…

“Uncle, will giving them silver settle this matter? What if they take the money and still cause trouble, spreading rumors when they return?” Yan Yu asked worriedly.

Earlier, her uncle had sought out Constable Li, hinting that he should try to quell the matter. Constable Li, clearly expecting this, not only agreed readily but also promised to persuade the Capital Envoys…

“They’re making a fuss for the silver,” Yan Huaiwen explained. “This incident was brought upon themselves by the Capital Envoys, but since it happened at Crouching Tiger, we’re implicated. A charge of lax supervision can be severe or minor. Master Tian doesn’t want to haggle with them and prefers to settle this quietly, which is beneficial for both sides.”

“Why is Head Constable Li so pleased, siding with outsiders like that?” Yan Yu grumbled, not even addressing him as ‘Uncle’ anymore.

Yan Huaiwen replied, “Head Constable Li naturally doesn’t want the situation to escalate. If accountability is pursued, someone will have to take the blame. Those Capital Envoys are after money. If the government office doesn’t provide the silver, they would gather it themselves to pay off the matter. Now that Master Tian is willing to pay, of course, he’s happy.”

Yan Yu realized, “So that’s how it is. So earlier, when they were pretending to argue, they had already reached an understanding?”

Yan Huaiwen didn’t respond, which was as good as an acknowledgment.

Yan Yu still felt this whole affair was quite frustrating.

But after thinking it over, using silver to resolve the issue was indeed the quickest and most reliable method.

Since the incident occurred at Crouching Tiger, Yan Huaiwen had to draft a report to smooth things over.

He sought out a scribe from the Judicial Office, and together they deliberated on the wording.

Just as Yan Yu was about to step out for some fresh air, she unexpectedly bumped into the coroner, who was coming in with the stone used by Zhang Xuan in the crime.

Yan Yu glanced at it and couldn’t look away.

She stepped aside to let the coroner in and followed behind, overhearing the coroner say, “Gentlemen, please take a look. There’s something unusual about this stone.”

“What’s unusual?” the scribe asked.

“This is an ironstone, which turns rust-red when wet,” the coroner demonstrated to the two.

“Firstly, the rust color is unusual, caused by layers of accumulation. Secondly, it’s poisoned. I’ve tested it; when applied to a wound, it kills rabbits and chickens instantly.”

Yan Yu instinctively stepped back.

This wasn’t just a stone; it was a deadly weapon!

But what could this prove?

“Excellent!” The scribe was visibly excited. “If it were just a stone blade, one could argue it was picked up casually within our Crouching Tiger office. But with these two points, it’s enough to prove that Zhang Xuan harbored ill intentions and prepared during the escort. Their failure to notice during the journey is also a dereliction of duty!”

Yan Huaiwen immediately instructed the coroner, “Take this item and report to the master quickly.”

The coroner hurried out.

The scribe paced the room a few times, “Given this, the report can’t be written as we discussed earlier. If we talk about dereliction, we all have faults, but theirs are likely greater. Reporting truthfully won’t be an issue; at worst, it becomes a back-and-forth argument.”

Yan Yu quickly realized that whoever held the initiative could speak more assertively.

More importantly, the silver could be saved.

After a tumultuous half-day, the matter ended inconclusively. The Capital Envoys were clearly dissatisfied and planned to return to the Capital City early.

Unexpectedly, just as they were about to leave, another incident occurred.

They hadn’t found the money pouch on their deceased colleague. It’s known that during such an escort, even a dying camel is bigger than a horse¹, and everyone who came along had gained considerable rewards.

Prisoners wanting food and drink, wanting to have a good journey, needed silver to grease the wheels.

These Capital Envoys traveled thousands of miles from the Capital City to Guanzhou for what? For the silver collected along the journey.

In their own words, this was hard-earned money.

Now that the person was dead, they had to bring the body back to his family, and the silver on him had to be returned too. Otherwise, what would it look like?

Sending a naked corpse back without a single coin could lead to misunderstandings that they pocketed the money themselves.

Especially since the deceased wasn’t familiar with them, his family had just paid to buy this position from the advisor, and before he saw any benefits, he was gone. At the very least, they should send the last earnings he made before his death back to his family!

Their first suspicion fell on the Crouching Tiger’s yamen runners² and the coroner.

Well, now both sides were truly at odds, arguing until their faces were red and necks thick.

Someone mentioned Zhang Xuan, but he had been searched multiple times, and it’s said they even turned his cell inside out, yet nothing was found.

So, they turned their accusations back, and the argument continued fiercely.

Yan Yu finally understood what Zhang Xuan’s nephew was hiding.

It was the money pouch!

On the way home, Yan Huaiwen, accompanied by Yan Yu, no, it was Yan Yu driving the carriage, reviewed the events of the past half-day.

After much thought, she finally confessed the truth to her uncle.

“…Uncle, that deceased Capital Envoy’s money pouch should be with that boy, but… I don’t want anyone to know. Uncle, can we keep it a secret for them? Pretend we never saw it.”

Xiao Er³‘s soft voice echoed along the early autumn forest path.

The golden-red hues of the setting sun spread across the leaves.

The wind was a bit chilly, yet everything in sight felt warm.

Yan Huaiwen softly replied, “Then we shall pretend not to know.”

Yan Yu continued, “Zhang Xuan had prepared everything long before, waiting until he reached Crouching Tiger to act, all for that money pouch. Even his subsequent panicked escape was to cover up the pouch’s whereabouts.

So, he had long resolved to die, only wanting to make final arrangements for his nephew and niece before his death…

Uncle, Zhang Xuan, he will die, won’t he?”

(End of Chapter)

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Translator’s Notes

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1. even a dying camel is bigger than a horse: This is a translation of the Chinese proverb ‘shou si de luotuo bi ma da’ (瘦死的骆驼比马大). It signifies that even when a wealthy or powerful person falls on hard times or dies, their remaining assets or status still far exceed those of an average person. Here, it refers to the fact that even a low-ranking official from the capital would have accumulated significant bribes and ‘traveling expenses’ compared to local commoners. ↩
2. yamen runners: The ‘yamen’ (衙门) was the administrative office or court of a local magistrate. ‘Yamen runners’ (ya yi) were the lowest level of government employees, acting as guards, messengers, and police. They were often unpaid or poorly paid, relying on ‘fees’ (bribes) from the public to survive. This cultural context explains why the Capital Envoys immediately suspected the local runners of stealing the money pouch—it was a common practice among their rank. ↩
3. Xiao Er: While ‘Xiao Er’ (小二) literally means ‘Little Second,’ it is the protagonist Yan Yu’s nickname, reflecting her birth order or a casual family address. In historical contexts, ‘Xiao Er’ can also refer to a tavern waiter, but here it emphasizes her identity as a clever, younger family member. Her ‘soft voice’ in this scene highlights the contrast between her innocent appearance and her involvement in the complex moral dilemmas of the case. ↩