The first snow of early winter fell upon the grey tiles of the Jingyuan General's Mansion. Inside the main hall, the charcoal fire burned brightly, yet it failed to dispel the chill in the air. Jiang Wan, dressed in a moon-white skirt, clutched a gold-plated box tightly in her sleeves. Behind her stood the dejected Xiaocham and the bound Wang Bao. Lu Jingyuan stood with his hands behind his back before the window; his dark, fitted attire made his expression appear all the more cold and stern. Liu Shiyao huddled in a grand armchair, her Gold Step-Shaker gone, leaving only a plain silver hairpin pinned aslant in her hair.
"Miss Jiang," Lu Jingyuan turned, his robes catching a gust of wind, "where is the evidence?"
Jiang Wan bowed and gestured for Lüluo to present the box. Inside, silver ingots, pawn tickets, and a secret letter were laid out in order. The characters "Ming Yao" were clearly visible on the base of the silver ingots, and the peony pattern on the pawn ticket matched the design on Liu Shiyao's bracelet. Most damning of all was the secret letter; although one corner had been burned away, words like "Jiang Wan" and "frame" were still glaringly visible.
Chapter 112