Wei Zhaoyang and Ye Nanqiao entered the dimly lit prison. The air was heavy, filled with dampness and a musty odor. Moss, like scars, spread across the walls, while occasional whimpers from other prisoners echoed in the distance. In the faint light of the corner, Hua Hai's frail figure was visible, his hands tightly clasped over his knees, as if seeking some meager protection.

Approaching slowly, the clinking of Wei Zhaoyang's badge echoed in the quiet. Hua Hai, noticing Wei Zhaoyang, involuntarily shifted backward, his mouth twitching into a pained smile.

"Hua Hai, it's me." Ye Nanqiao stood beside Wei Zhaoyang, calling into the cold bars.

Hua Hai lifted his head, his gaze filled with confusion and wariness. He glanced at Wei Zhaoyang and then back at Ye Nanqiao, as if searching for answers.

Ye Nanqiao crouched down to get closer, "Your wife has sought help from Prefect Chen to save you. This is Prefectural Officer Wei. We're here to help you."

Hua Hai's guarded look gradually faded, replaced with hesitation, "How can you help me?"

Ye Nanqiao nodded, "What happened that day? Tell us everything without holding back."

"It was early morning..." Hua Hai took a deep breath and recounted his entry into the forest, hearing a noise, finding Wang Li unconscious, and how he took the birdcage to sell it to Hu Bingju. "Mr. Hu had earlier encountered Young Master Wang and offered a high price for the parrot, only to be ridiculed and humiliated. I happened to see it and knew the bird's worth, so I picked it up and sold it to Mr. Hu..."

"Another thing!" Hua Hai suddenly remembered, pulling out a broken piece of a weaving girl figurine from his tattered clothes, "That day when I heard the noise, I thought I saw someone running away. I found this at the scene. It's well-made, and I thought of taking it home for my daughter to play with. But since it was in a different direction from where the person fled, I didn't think much of it."

Wei Zhaoyang studied the broken figurine, deep in thought. He slowly asked, "Do you remember any distinctive features of the person?"

Hua Hai shook his head, "Too far to see clearly, might have been just shadows moving..."

Ye Nanqiao, having quietly listened to Hua Hai's account, felt that the case was not as simple as it appeared. She reassured him, "Don't worry, we'll thoroughly investigate this. If you are innocent, we'll get you out."

"Prefect Chen will ensure justice for you," Wei Zhaoyang said softly as he pocketed the weaving girl figurine, then signaled Ye Nanqiao with a glance, and they both left the prison together.

Wei Zhaoyang and Ye Nanqiao, holding the broken piece of the Weaver Girl figurine, hurried back to the prefectural office.

In the study, Prefect Chen, clad in a dark robe, was deeply engrossed in writing. Hearing footsteps, he slowly raised his head, his sharp gaze landing on the newcomers. Relaxing slightly upon seeing Ye Nanqiao, he queried, "Miss Ye, what brings you to my office today?"

Wei Zhaoyang looked at Ye Nanqiao, scratching his head awkwardly, "We met on our way to the prison. Nanqiao is acquainted with Hua Hai, so she accompanied me. It's a good thing she did, as Hua Hai was initially reluctant to speak with an official from the prefecture. Without our 'Master Bingchen', we wouldn't have gotten this crucial clue."

He then handed the broken Weaver Girl figurine to Prefect Chen, "Sir, Hua Hai claims there was someone else present at the incident, and he picked this up from the scene."

Prefect Chen took the figurine, frowning, "Why is it so damaged?"

Ye Nanqiao snorted in dissatisfaction, "That County Magistrate Liu Changyu, pressured by the Wang family and lacking any clues, wrongfully accused Hua Hai, a man without power or a good reputation. This figurine is just an example. As for the man himself, he's barely alive."

"Such injustice!" Prefect Chen's disdain for Magistrate Liu intensified, "I'll have Hua Hai transferred to the prefectural office for custody. This case is full of doubts and must be re-examined. No one is to be tortured before it's concluded."

"That would be for the best," Ye Nanqiao sighed in relief, then inquired, "Any thoughts on this object, sir?"

Prefect Chen put down his brush, scrutinizing the broken figurine, "This Weaver Girl figurine seems unusual, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

Wei Zhaoyang agreed, "Although there are few puppet craftsmen in Jiangnan City, they are mostly street performers without any formal organization. Tracing the origin of this figurine won't be easy."

"I might have a way," Ye Nanqiao approached the desk, facing Prefect Chen, "Zuisheng Building has some connections in Jiangnan City. Perhaps I can make some inquiries."

Prefect Chen, impressed, nodded, "That would be great. This matter is crucial; we need to clarify the truth as soon as possible. I can ask Zhaoyang to accompany you."

"No need," Ye Nanqiao pondered, then added, "Ultimately, this disaster likely stemmed from Wang Li's valuable 'Great General' parrot. Perhaps..."

"I'll go and investigate right away," Wei Zhaoyang eagerly took on the task, then looked at Prefect Chen for approval.

"Very well," Prefect Chen nodded at Wei Zhaoyang, then turned to Ye Nanqiao, "Dr. Cheng's autopsy methods are unique. As this case is extraordinary, could you ask him to assist?"

Ye Nanqiao readily agreed, "He's moving to Zuisheng Building today. I'll convey your request. He's unlikely to decline."

Prefect Chen added, "This matter involves the Wang family. I must discuss it with them. Be cautious in your actions."

They both agreed and hurriedly took their leave.

As the heavy doors of the prefectural office shut behind her, creating a distinct separation from the outside world, Ye Nanqiao slowly walked forward, her thoughts deeply immersed in the day's clues. The breeze on the street, carrying the moisture and coolness of Jiangnan, gently brushed her hair.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Hearing her name called, Ye Nanqiao looked up to find a tall figure standing not far away. It was Mu Jin, her eyes usually cold, now showing a hint of warmth.

"Mu sister, what are you doing here?" Ye Nanqiao approached, her eyes revealing a trace of surprise.

"I was planning to find you for a trip to Ganquan Temple. I searched the streets and an old woman said she saw you heading this way, so I waited outside. What brought you to the prefectural office?"

"Right, I should have gone to pick up Wu Yue and Xiang Nan from the temple today," Ye Nanqiao slapped her forehead, remembering her original task. She hastily pulled Mu Jin towards Ganquan Temple, "I ran into Officer Wei on the street today and got wrapped up in a case."

"Wei Zhaoyang?" Mu Jin raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want?" At that moment, Wei Zhaoyang, just exiting the prefectural office, heard his name and turned to see Mu Jin, "Oh, Miss Mu, what brings you here?"

Mu Jin nodded at Wei Zhaoyang but didn't reply.

Wei Zhaoyang then turned to Ye Nanqiao, "Did you take good care of the Weaver Girl figurine?"

"Weaver Girl figurine?" Mu Jin turned to Ye Nanqiao, puzzled.

Before Ye Nanqiao could respond, Wei Zhaoyang eagerly explained, "We stumbled upon a case today, and a crucial piece of evidence is this Weaver Girl figurine. Nanqiao said she knows how to find its owner, so our lord entrusted her with the task."

Ye Nanqiao pulled out the figurine to show Mu Jin, "Here, this is it."

"So worn?" Mu Jin frowned as she examined it, then hesitated, "Hmm?"

"Is there something wrong?" Ye Nanqiao, sensing Mu Jin's hesitation, brightened up, "Sister, with your extensive knowledge, do you recognize this item?"

Mu Jin carefully felt the surface of the broken figurine, then finally spoke, "It seems to be a craftsmanship from the southern lands. I saw similar work when traveling with my master in the south."

"The south?" Wei Zhaoyang's curiosity deepened, leaning in for a closer look.

Mu Jin quickly handed the figurine back to Ye Nanqiao, "Indeed, it's from the south."

"That's interesting. I must thoroughly investigate this," Ye Nanqiao, putting the figurine safely away, her eyes shining, "Let's go to Ganquan Temple first."

Mu Jin nodded, ready to leave with Ye Nanqiao, but was stopped by Wei Zhaoyang.

"Miss Mu, what's so interesting about Ganquan Temple? Why not join me at Jinxiu Commercial Hall instead? There's another key clue in this case, the 'Great General' bird sold to Mr. Hu of the commercial hall. I heard the bird is quite valuable, wouldn't you like to see it?"

Initially planning to go to the temple with Ye Nanqiao, Mu Jin found herself entangled by Wei Zhaoyang's words. Compared to Ganquan Temple, accompanying Wei Zhaoyang could be more beneficial for her mission.

Ye Nanqiao, seeing her intention, didn't object, but winked at Wei Zhaoyang before saying to Mu Jin, "Go ahead, sister. Remember to come back and share any clues."

Mu Jin looked at Wei Zhaoyang, silent for a moment, then finally nodded, "Alright, I'll go with you."

Ye Nanqiao waved them off, watching Wei Zhaoyang leave happily with Mu Jin, and couldn't help but mutter, "This Officer Wei, why is he so transparent with his intentions?"

Ye Nanqiao lightly stroked her hair, and as if on cue, sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a golden hue over Jiangnan City. Taking a deep breath, she turned and headed towards Ganquan Temple.

In the Guanyin Hall of Ganquan Temple, the continuous burning of incense created a haze of smoke, intertwining with the sunlight streaming through the mottled wooden windows. As it was during their first meeting, Cheng Wuyue and Master Yuanqing knelt in the hall.

Master Yuanqing, with closed eyes reciting sutras, finally lifted his gaze and asked, "Are you about to leave?"

Master Yuanqing suggested Cheng Wuyue not get involved in conflicts that weren’t his, but Cheng's determination to seek the truth, especially regarding matters related to the Ye family, was unyielding. Seeing Cheng's resolute decision, Master Yuanqing could only bid him farewell from the temple.

The two fell into silence again, accompanied only by the burning incense and the passage of time, until Ye Nanqiao appeared at the doorway. Cheng Wuyue respectfully bowed to Master Yuanqing, just as he did when he first came to Ganquan Temple.

Master Yuanqing finally opened his eyes and slowly stood up, gazing at the pair standing side by side. He sighed deeply, "Life is but a grand dream, how many times must one endure the autumn chill? You both should take care."

With those words, he turned and walked away.

Moments later, Cheng Wuyue, Ye Nanqiao, and Xiang Nan left Ganquan Temple. They bowed deeply towards the temple before a young monk gently closed the temple doors. Outside, the hustle and bustle of Jiangnan City drowned out the faint sound of Buddhist chants.

A few steps outside, Ye Nanqiao turned to Cheng Wuyue, "Are you all packed? Don’t leave anything behind."

Cheng Wuyue shrugged with his bag on his shoulder, "I own little, what could I leave?"

Ye Nanqiao patted Xiang Nan's head, "The key is not to leave this little guy behind."

"Big sister! I can take care of myself!" Xiang Nan pouted, muttering under his breath.

"Of course, our Xiang Nan is the most capable," Ye Nanqiao smiled even more, walking alongside the two.

She took Cheng Wuyue shopping for clothes and daily necessities until the sun began to set, then returned to Zui Sheng Lou. On the way, she mentioned Chen Geng's request for Cheng Wuyue to perform an autopsy, to which he readily agreed.

As soon as they returned to Zui Sheng Lou, Ye Nanqiao sneaked away. She deftly climbed up to the roof and, as expected, found Xu Changfeng secretly drinking.

"Caught you, Uncle Xu! Drinking again!" she exclaimed.

On the rooftop, under the moonlight, Xu Changfeng, with a bottle in hand, drank deeply, almost lost in his own world. Startled by Ye Nanqiao's voice, he exclaimed, "You scared me, you little imp!"

"Pretending, huh?" Ye Nanqiao sat next to Xu Changfeng, "Who in the jianghu doesn't know about your skills, Xu Daixia? Scared by me?"

"Let's talk business," Xu Changfeng drained the last of his wine, "You never come without a reason."

"You know me well, Uncle Xu." Ye Nanqiao scratched her head and pulled out the broken Weaver Girl figurine, "This piece seems to be a craftsmanship from the south. I need you to help me find out who in Jiangnan City has such skills."

Xu Changfeng sobered up instantly as their eyes met. Ye Nanqiao's figurine shimmered under the moonlight. Taking it, Xu Changfeng's eyes gleamed cunningly, "There's no such thing as a free lunch, right?"

Ye Nanqiao glared at him, "What would happen if Auntie Wanqiu found out you're drinking again?"

Cornered, Xu Changfeng had no choice but to nod in agreement, "Alright, I'll help you."

With that, he leaped down and disappeared from Ye Nanqiao's sight.

In a secret chamber, Xu Changfeng rapidly wrote a few lines on a sheepskin map by the flickering candlelight. Approaching a wall, he pressed a protruding brick, revealing a small hole. He rolled the note and placed it inside, then closed it by pressing another brick. Only the ancient carvings on the wall remained.

Soon, under the moonlit streets of Jiangnan City, young beggars appeared as if summoned from every corner, their eyes gleaming cunningly. They exchanged glances, as if agreeing on a silent pact, and swiftly dispersed…