Li Cha's small courtyard was located in the southwest corner of the estate, remote and quiet. After leaving the firewood shed, it seemed Madam Zhao truly intended to let her fend for herself—aside from restricting her movements, she paid her no further attention. This, however, gave Li Cha a certain degree of freedom.
She didn't waste the opportunity. She began moving about the courtyard, seemingly at random but actually observing everything with keen attention. Though the yard was small, she could see some servants passing by outside. Occasionally, with Cui'er's company, she would stand briefly at the courtyard gate to breathe in the fresh air while observing the distant scenery.
She noticed that the servants in the estate adhered to a strict hierarchy, each with their own circles. Old Liu, the gatekeeper, though not of high status, seemed to hold some authority among the servants due to his frequent contact with outsiders—and likely knew many things.
She began looking for a chance to approach him. The gatehouse was near the main entrance, far from her courtyard, and going there directly would seem too abrupt. Li Cha pondered. She noticed that every morning, the estate's provisions were delivered through the main gate, checked by Old Liu, and then sent to the kitchen. This was an opportunity.
The next morning, Li Cha deliberately "strolled" to a corridor closer to the main gate. She had Cui'er pretend her legs were sore and leaned on her as they walked slowly. Passing near the gate, she "accidentally" spotted Old Liu tallying the supplies.
"Old Liu," Li Cha called softly.
Hearing her voice, Old Liu looked up in surprise. After all, this young lady had always been timid, rarely initiating conversations, let alone coming here. He bowed slightly. "Miss Li."
"You've worked hard, Old Liu," Li Cha said with a warm, sincere smile—an attitude the original owner had never shown. She knew that to win people over, respect came first.
Old Liu was taken aback, clearly not expecting such words. A hint of flattered surprise crossed his face. "It's my duty, nothing worth mentioning."
Li Cha didn't linger, merely nodding before letting Cui'er support her as they walked on. For this first encounter, she only wanted to leave a good impression—to open a door.
Over the next few days, Li Cha continued seeking chances to interact with Old Liu. She would pass near the gate under the pretext of taking walks, each time simply greeting him or commenting on the weather. She made no requests, only slowly closing the distance between them.
Meanwhile, Cui'er brought back more news about Li Rong. Recently, Li Rong had indeed been frequenting the rear garden. Moreover, Cui'er had overheard the kitchen maids gossiping—Li Rong's private kitchen often requested special pastries and sometimes even rare medicinal herbs.
*Medicinal herbs?* Li Cha's interest was piqued. Pastries might be for romantic meetings, but what were the herbs for? Illness? Or something else? She recalled that in the original owner's memories, Li Rong had no major health issues. So, were these herbs meant to conceal something? Or were they for someone else?
She pieced the information together with the original owner's fragmented memories of Li Rong's secret meetings. A thought gradually took shape: the person Li Rong was meeting was likely not from the estate but an outsider who needed to hide his identity. The herbs might be for his poor health—or perhaps to mask his presence?
Li Cha instructed Cui'er to keep track of Li Rong's visits to the garden, noting the times and frequency. At the same time, she began considering how to confirm the identity of Li Rong's secret lover without raising suspicion.
She thought of Old Liu. As the gatekeeper, he would know about outside visitors. If Li Rong's lover was a young man from the capital, Old Liu might have noticed something.
A few days later, Li Cha decided the timing was right. She returned to the gate area, this time bringing a box of pastries—purchased discreetly by Cui'er with her modest monthly allowance.
"Old Liu," she said, offering the pastries, "a small token of appreciation for your hard work."
Old Liu was flustered, hastily declining. "Miss Li, this is too much—how could this old servant accept your gift?"
"Please don't refuse," Li Cha insisted warmly. "You guard the gate day and night, enduring wind and sun. This is just a small treat for you." Her tone was sincere, without a trace of condescension.
After a moment's hesitation, Old Liu finally accepted the gift, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Miss Li is too kind. This old servant thanks you."
Seizing the moment, Li Cha asked casually, "Old Liu, has anything interesting happened in the estate lately? I've been confined to my courtyard and know nothing of the outside."
Old Liu chuckled. "What could happen here? Just trivial matters. But outside… the capital has been uneasy lately. Strange incidents, they say."
"Strange incidents?" Li Cha's interest sharpened—could this be related to the disappearances Cheng Mo was investigating? But she kept her expression neutral. "Oh? What kind of incidents?"
"Ah, just rumors," Old Liu lowered his voice. "They say several young ladies and gentlemen from noble families have vanished—no trace of them, alive or dead. The authorities can't find any leads. It's got everyone on edge."
*The disappearances!* Li Cha's mind raced. Just as she'd suspected. She feigned calm. "How frightening. Has the government said anything?"
"The government? They've only posted notices warning people to be careful. I heard Minister Cheng of the Dali Temple is investigating, but there's been no progress." Old Liu sighed.
*Cheng Mo!* Li Cha's thoughts spun. The disappearances, Cheng Mo, the weekly bulletins—everything seemed to be converging toward something.
She didn't press further about the case, steering the conversation back. "Old Liu, I heard my sister Li Rong often visits the rear garden. Does she… have frequent guests?" She posed the question casually but watched Old Liu's reaction closely.
At the mention of Li Rong, Old Liu's expression shifted subtly. He glanced around before whispering, "Miss Li Rong often goes to the garden. But guests… no, no guests go there."
"Oh, really?" Li Cha replied lightly. "I thought perhaps she was meeting friends."
Old Liu didn't respond, only smiling. But the hesitation in his eyes and the pause in his voice convinced Li Cha further—Li Rong's garden visits were suspicious, and Old Liu likely knew more than he let on.
This exchange didn't give Li Cha direct proof of Li Rong's affair, but it confirmed Old Liu as a potential source of information and deepened her suspicions about Li Rong's unusual behavior. She had also unexpectedly learned about the disappearances and Cheng Mo's involvement, making her realize the estate's affairs might be more complex than she'd imagined—possibly even tied to a major case in the capital.
She bid Old Liu farewell and slowly returned to her courtyard. She knew she needed more concrete evidence to expose Li Rong's secret. This would require deeper investigation and careful planning. Old Liu would be a crucial link to outside information—and Li Rong's secret would be her first step in breaking the stalemate in the Minister's estate.