Xuanqing Guard-Chapter 70: Omission

"Wait a minute, did you just say you smelled a faint fragrance?"

"Yeah, I did. At the time I thought maybe one of the ladies passing by for breakfast brought the scent from her sachet. But when I looked up, I didn’t see anyone—what I did see was my girl had vanished."

"So that means the scent appeared at about the same time your child disappeared?"

"...It should be, yeah, I think so."

"Did you tell the government officials about all this? I mean, specifically, about the scent?"

"I told them! Why, is it something important?"

The vendor wore a baffled look. It was just a smell, after all. If it hadn’t happened right when his child was lost, he probably wouldn’t remember it at all.

Shen Hao sighed. From the vendor’s expression, he could tell the guy had mentioned the scent to the officials, but they hadn’t bothered with it—no wonder there wasn’t a single mention of "the faint fragrance" in the case files.

"You... oh, never mind. It’s not your fault. Just keep going." Shen Hao shook his head and didn’t explain further, letting the vendor recount everything again to be sure nothing was left out.

"Shen, what is it that you do anyways?" The vendor was now getting suspicious; this customer cared a bit too much about his missing daughter. Could he be with the government office?

"Me? You’ll find out soon enough. Alright, I’m going. Just put the meal on my tab."

"Oh, alright. Take care then."

Watching Shen Hao leave, the vendor felt more and more that he looked familiar, as if he’d seen him elsewhere, just couldn’t recall when.

...

Back at the public office, Shen Hao sent out urgent orders to Wang Jian and Zhang Liao.

"Verify with all victims in the cases: did they smell a faint fragrance during the time they discovered their children were missing? Make haste."

The orders swiftly made their way through the Xuanqing Guard’s intelligence channels to Wang Jian and Zhang Liao, who immediately began the verification and hurriedly compiled their findings to report back.

Even though every step was rushed, it was still the afternoon of the next day when Shen Hao got their compiled reports.

The materials said: Out of eighteen combined missing child cases, the victims in sixteen recalled indeed smelling a distinctive faint fragrance, at the exact time they realized their children were gone. The other two couldn’t remember for sure.

Wang Jian and Zhang Liao also spent the night backtracking the scenes of all eighteen cases. Based on witness memories and case records, that peculiar scent was not something that should have appeared at the scene at that time.

Someone guessed maybe it came from a passing woman’s sachet, but one or two cases could be coincidence—over a dozen? Hardly.

Therefore, that fragrance had to be directly tied to the disappearances.

Either it was a trace left behind by the perpetrator while they carried out the crime—just that the trace was subtle and faded quickly, so it went unnoticed.

Or perhaps the fragrance really did come from a sachet, only not from a passerby—rather, from the criminal. If so, there was a strong chance the perpetrator was female; after all, in this world, you’d rarely see any man carrying a sachet.

"Sachets... that’ll be troublesome."

...

After his shift, Shen Hao didn’t go home, but instead, for once, had his guard send him to the Brocade Pavilion.

Having spent over eight years in this world, Shen Hao wasn’t the least interested in the pleasures of the flesh. If he needed such things, places like this always sufficed—it was only a matter of money, and a Xuanqing Guard official never lacked for that.

But the more he went, the more he lost interest. He was too busy with work most days, and preferred to use his free time to cultivate or just rest.

This time, though, he had a matter on his mind—the flower house was, to him, the fastest way to get the help he needed.

As soon as he stepped down from the carriage, the madam standing by the entrance spotted him.

"Oh my, isn’t this Shen Zongqi? Please, come in, come in!" She turned and called back to the little eunuch, "Shen Zongqi is here! Quick, prepare the Celestial Number private room!"

Someone like Shen Hao—a venomous presence in Li City—the Brocade Pavilion dared not cross him, and would never stick him in the main hall.

Once seated, Shen Hao smiled and said, "I’d like to see Miss Wen Xiuyun today. Is she available?"

"Shen Zongqi, how could Xiuyun miss the chance to share a drink with you? Please rest here a moment, I’ll fetch her right away!"

The madam’s face was all but folding in delight. Normally, she wouldn’t call out her top songstress so casually, but ever since Shen Hao gifted Wen Xiuyun that poem "A Cut of Plum", he’d become the most favored guest among all the songstresses at Brocade Pavilion.

A new piece worthy of being sung—a treasure to a songstress not unlike a high grade elixir.

The moment the madam left, maids brought in plates of wine and dishes. It was dinnertime and guests alone usually wanted some food first anyway. Shen Hao didn’t have to say a word; everything was looked after—of course, at a price. There were no "discounts" at a flower house.

Shen Hao was actually hungry. He asked for rice, and started eating with the fine dishes before him, not even touching the wine.

Soon the private room’s door opened and Wen Xiuyun entered—as radiant as ever, though this time she wore a white gown, her hair draped loosely over her shoulders.

"Xiuyun greets Shen Zongqi."

"Pardon me, I was a bit hungry so started already. You haven’t eaten yet, right? How about we chat over a meal?"

"Of course." Wen Xiuyun smiled, nodding slightly as she sat by Shen Hao’s side.

Compared to Shen Hao’s hearty eating, Wen Xiuyun was all grace—eating slowly and elegantly. If you didn’t know better, you’d never match a woman with such poise to a songstress in a flower house.

"Miss Xiuyun, do you know much about sachets?"

"Sachets? I know a little. What, is Shen Zongqi interested in those now?"

"Heh, I wasn’t, but a case has made me curious. Would you teach me about them, Miss Xiuyun?"

"Of course I will—but does Shen Zongqi plan to reward me with a new lyric for my trouble? Just kidding! Still, I truly thank Shen Zongqi for the last one. All the flower houses in Jingxi are still singing it! Oh, and the piece you gave Sister Lian Xiang, ’Bushi: I Live at the Head of the White River’, is being sung everywhere too!"

"Haha, glad you like them. No new lyrics for now—maybe when inspiration strikes."

"Mmm, I’ll be waiting."

The two raised their little wine cups, exchanged a toast with a smile, and Wen Xiuyun continued, "When it comes to sachets, there are mainly two kinds: one is made from dried and blended herbs—this is called Dan Xiang; the second uses animal fat or internal organs: that one’s called Sweet Fragrance. Both types are divided into dozens of detailed fragrance profiles..."

Shen Hao’s mouth twitched as he listened. He thought to himself: My god, she calls that ’knowing a little’? Women are terrifying.

Wen Xiuyun spoke nearly a whole incense-stick’s length before pausing, allowing Shen Hao to interject, "Is there any kind of sachet that can not only give off a faint scent but spread it across half a street?"