Chapter 144: Never Part Of The Plan
The atmosphere inside the Punishment Courtyard was unusually heavy. Within the investigation chamber, several oil lamps flickered quietly against the stone walls.
Xie Rong stood with both hands clasped behind his back, his tall figure facing the open window.
The black blindfold concealed his eyes, making it impossible for anyone to read his thoughts.
Behind him, Mo Yan stood silently with his sword at his waist.
Beside him was Gui Lin, ready for recording every statement given during the investigation.
Before them, two maids from Madam Liu’s courtyard knelt upon the cold stone floor. Neither dared raise her head, only the sound of trembling breaths filled the chamber.
After a long silence, Xie Rong finally spoke. "Repeat your statements."
The two maids instinctively exchanged nervous glances.
The elder of the two slowly bowed until her forehead nearly touched the floor. "This servant... noticed that Madam Liu had been unlike herself after returning from Master’s study two days ago."
Gui Lin immediately lowered his brush onto the paper. "What do you mean by ’unlike herself’?"
The maid swallowed nervously. "Madam Liu locked herself inside her room. She refused dinner. She also ordered this servant not to disturb her."
The younger maid hurriedly nodded in agreement. "That is correct. When this servant delivered the evening meal... Madam Liu merely said she had no appetite."
"Her eyes..." The maid hesitated before continuing, "were swollen, as though she had cried."
Gui Lin continued writing. "Did she say anything else?"
The two maids looked at one another once again.
Finally, the elder maid softly replied, "Madam Liu said... that she had disappointed both Old Madam and Master. She said... she no longer had the face to remain in the Xie Residence."
Silence settled over the chamber, even Gui Lin’s brush paused for a brief moment.
Those words sounded very much like someone who had already lost the will to live.
Only Mo Yan frowned, he had served beside Xie Rong long enough to know, something about these statements felt far too complete.
Almost as though they had been rehearsed beforehand.
Xie Rong remained silent. His expression did not change.
After a long while, he asked only one question. "When was the last time either of you saw Madam Liu alive?"
The two maids instinctively stiffened. Almost at the same time... they replied.
"The afternoon after Madam Liu returned from Master’s study—"
"The morning before that—"
The two voices overlapped.
Silence.
Both maids immediately realized they had answered differently.
The younger maid hurriedly lowered her head. "T-This servant misspoke."
The elder maid also looked flustered. "This servant means... The last time this servant truly saw Madam Liu was after she returned from Master’s study. After that... Madam Liu remained inside her room."
The younger maid quickly nodded. "Yes. This servant only left meals outside the door yesterday morning, we heard Madam Liu’s voice... but neither of us entered the room again."
Gui Lin slowly stopped writing as his eyes lifted from the record. "So... You never actually saw Madam Liu again after that afternoon?"
The two maids lowered their heads together.
"No. We only heard her voice from inside."
The investigation chamber became quiet once more.
Mo Yan frowned almost imperceptibly. The inconsistency was small, yet something about it did not sit right with him. "You are the head maid of Madam Liu’s courtyard?"
The elder maid quickly shook her head.
"No, Guard Mo." She lowered her gaze, "Head Maid Yun’er has always attended Madam Liu personally. She rarely left Madam Liu’s side."
Mo Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Where is Yun’er now?"
The two maids exchanged uneasy glances. After a brief hesitation, the younger one answered, "She... has been missing since Madam Liu’s body was discovered."
"Missing?" Xie Rong’s brows gradually drew together.
He slowly turned toward Mo Yan.
"Find her." His voice remained calm, "I do not care whether she fled of her own accord... or whether someone ensured she disappeared."
Mo Yan immediately cupped his fists. "Yes, Young Master."
Xie Rong continued, "If she is alive... bring her back unharmed." He paused for only a moment. "She may be the last person to have truly seen Madam Liu... or the only person who knows what happened before her death."
Mo Yan’s expression turned solemn. "This subordinate understands."
Without another word, he turned and strode out of the investigation chamber. The sound of his footsteps quickly faded into the distance.
Inside the room, silence settled once more.
Xie Rong slowly turned his head toward Gui Lin. "Continue. No matter how insignificant... I want every servant who came into contact with Madam Liu over the past three days questioned again."
Gui Lin lowered his head. "This subordinate understands."
Without another word, Xie Rong turned and walked out of the investigation chamber.
The heavy wooden door slowly closed behind him. Only after stepping beyond the entrance of the Punishment Courtyard did he finally let out a slow breath.
The autumn air carried a faint chill. He raised a hand and gently pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I really never signed up for a transmigration this chaotic." His voice was barely above a whisper as he slowly walked away from the Punishment Courtyard, the weight of yet another death settling heavily upon his shoulders.
When he first arrived in this world a year ago, the only thought that had kept him moving forward was survival.
Gemi had promised him that once every mission was completed, he would be allowed to return to his original world, to a time before everything had become irreversible. That promise alone had become the reason he endured this unfamiliar world, because there was still one regret he refused to entrust to fate.
The memory quietly tightened around his heart.
He still remembered the day he received the news of her death. He remembered returning to the empty apartment after the funeral, standing there in complete silence as though everything around him had lost its meaning.
Bottle after bottle of whisky had gradually emptied around him until grief finally overwhelmed reason, and his consciousness faded beneath the burning taste of alcohol. When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer himself. He had become Xie Rong.
For the past year, he had never once questioned that purpose.
Every mission he completed, every danger he survived, every scheme he endured... Everything had been for the day he could return.
Yet... His footsteps gradually slowed. Somewhere along the way, another person had unknowingly entered his life.
A woman who smiled despite being frightened.
Who pretended to be clever even when her lies were painfully obvious. Who could make him laugh with a single ridiculous remark and whose safety had somehow become more important than his own.
Xie Rong lowered his gaze.
Since arriving in this world, the promise he had held onto for an entire year no longer felt as unwavering as before.
He still wished to return and he still wished to change the past.
But, whenever he imagined the day he would finally leave, the face that quietly appeared before him was no longer just the one from his previous life.
Another face had unknowingly taken its place beside her.
He let out a quiet, helpless sigh.
"This was never part of the plan."