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墨書 Inktalez
Lin Mingchang continued to review the case closure reports for the two incidents and discovered that the officer responsible for both cases was Liu Hongda, a well-known veteran at the Police Station. Liu had hastily classified the cases as "homicides resulting from a property dispute," conducting only a routine investigation before closing them.
Lin Mingchang took out his notebook and noted down the details of the two victims: one was Qin Rong, the owner of Qin Tong Antique Shop in the southern part of the city, and the other was shopkeeper from Tongbao Studio on Xi Street, along with Wang Qiming. Closing the file, he glanced at the wall clock; it was still early enough for him to visit both victims' homes.
He first arrived at Tongbao Studio on Xi Street. The shop had recently reopened, but business was quite slow. A woman in her forties was organizing items behind the counter. When she saw someone enter, she forced a smile.
"Good day, sir. What can I help you with?"
Lin Mingchang presented his credentials, and her expression changed: "Oh, you're a police officer. Didn't this case already close?"
"Routine follow-up," Lin Mingchang replied briefly. "Could I see Boss Wang's account records prior to his death?"
The woman did not hesitate and retrieved a thick ledger from beneath the counter, handing it to Lin Mingchang.
He flipped directly to last month's records and found an unusual entry from early last month—"Ancient Konghou fragment, recorded for eighty silver dollars."
Afterward, he headed to Qin Tong Antique Shop in the southern part of the city. There, he found Qin Rong's younger son managing the shop. In Qin Rong's ledger, Lin Mingchang indeed discovered another entry: "Ancient Konghou fragment, purchased for seventy-five silver dollars."
It seemed that all three antique dealers had recently acquired Ancient Konghou fragments; this was their most significant commonality.
Exiting Qin Tong Antique Shop, Lin Mingchang made his way directly to Ju Fu Yuan, where the proprietress had been his informant for many years. Ju Fu Yuan was located in a secluded alley in Nancheng. Approaching dusk, Lin Mingchang entered the unassuming tavern.
The proprietress greeted him with a smile upon seeing him: "Lin Boss! Long time no see!"
She appeared to be in her early forties, dressed in a simple blue cloth gown, her hair neatly tied up in a bun. One could still see traces of her former beauty.
"Sister Meng, how's business lately?" Lin Mingchang asked quietly as he surveyed his surroundings.
"Getting by," Sister Meng replied, gesturing towards the back courtyard. "Let’s talk back there."
She led Lin Mingchang to the kitchen area. He casually sat down by the stove and got straight to the point: "Sister Meng, have you heard any news regarding antique transactions lately?"
"Oh?" The proprietress squinted her eyes. "You’re here about those unfortunate antique dealers, aren’t you?"
Lin Mingchang was slightly taken aback: "It seems you’re quite well-informed."
"Ah, in our line of work, if you're not well-informed, you might as well prepare for closure," the proprietress sighed. "Speaking of which, it's quite strange. Recently, there's been a mysterious wealthy buyer offering high prices for fragments of ancient musical instruments. Something with 'Monkey' in the name... I don't really understand the specifics."
"Do you know who this buyer is?"
The proprietress shook her head. "No one has seen the person in real life; all communication is through intermediaries. However..."
She leaned closer to Lin Mingchang and lowered her voice. "I advise you to be cautious. Some matters are beyond what one person can influence."
Lin Mingchang's expression remained unchanged, but a chill ran through him. "What do you mean?"
The proprietress gave Lin Mingchang a meaningful look. "Just a reminder. The organization you're investigating—I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about without me saying it. That organization has significant power, so it's best if you don't dig too deeply into this matter."
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