But during their conversation in the daytime, John Adams discovered that David Sutton could actually read.

It’s not that being literate is a bad thing, but in this era, for a rough man to be able to read? Especially that book, Xuan Yi Zhi, which uses the literary style of the Jin dynasties, with its convoluted and obscure language. Yet John Adams found that David Sutton could actually read it fluently.

This was interesting.

A rough man, rumored to be illiterate, could actually read Xuan Yi Zhi from cover to cover?

John Adams grew even more curious.

He hadn’t expected that, having just arrived in Chang’an, he would meet such an interesting person.

He had a feeling that his upcoming student life in Chang’an was bound to be very exciting...

Chapter 9 Top Secret

Night fell once again, darkness shrouding Chang’an.

Inside the county office of Chang’an County, the county magistrate James Page was sitting behind his desk, carefully reviewing case files.

If John Adams were here, he would surely exclaim, ‘Second Brother Pei!’ It turned out that the person he met in Taiping Ward during the day was James Page.

Speaking of James Page, his background was anything but ordinary.

He was from Wenxi in Jiangzhou, and a member of the Pei clan, one of the four great families of Hedong.

His father, Pei Renji, had once served as Minister of Rites in the previous dynasty.

His elder brother, John Page, was a fierce general during the transition from Sui to Tang.

In later generations, in the novel “Romance of Sui and Tang,” the prototype for the third greatest hero, Pei Yuanqing, was actually John Page himself.

However, John Page died young and did not bring any particular advantage to James Page.

Relying on the reputation of the Hedong Pei family, James Page passed the Mingjing examination five years ago and was appointed as Assistant Officer of the Left Tunwei Granary. After Emperor Taizong passed away last year, James Page was appointed as the county magistrate of Chang’an County, a position he has held for half a year now.

He opened a case file, read it carefully, and left his comments on it.

Standing up, he stretched, walked to the window, and looked outside, seeing the bright moonlight and the rippling waves of the lotus pond beyond the window.

“County magistrate, Chief Constable Shawn Wade requests an audience.”

A family servant reported from outside the door.

James Page’s thick brows furrowed, and he said in a deep voice, “It’s so late—what does he want?”

“Shawn Wade says it concerns the theft of the jade pillow from the Princess Gaoyang’s residence. He has made a new discovery.”

“Is that so?”

James Page’s eyes narrowed, and he immediately said, “Let him in.”

Princess Gaoyang was Emperor Taizong’s daughter by a concubine, married to Fang Yi’ai, Minister of the Imperial Household.

This princess was always unconventional, quite different from the other princesses. When Emperor Taizong was alive, he doted on her greatly. The most famous incident was just before Emperor Taizong’s death, when an Indian sorcerer named Na’er Suopo Mei presented him with a recipe for an elixir of immortality. At that time, Master Xuanzang’s disciple Bianji forcefully remonstrated, angering Emperor Taizong.

In the end, the monk Bianji was executed.

Princess Gaoyang was very close to Bianji. After failing to save him, she angrily denounced Emperor Taizong as a foolish ruler.

Emperor Taizong was very displeased, but did not punish Princess Gaoyang because of it.

The relationship between father and daughter was tense for a time, until Emperor Taizong fell gravely ill and suddenly summoned Princess Gaoyang. The two spoke at length in the Hanfeng Hall, after which Princess Gaoyang left alone. Not long after, Emperor Taizong died in the Hanfeng Hall.

After the new emperor, Li Zhi, ascended the throne, he took special care of Princess Gaoyang.

A month ago, Princess Gaoyang sent someone to report to Chang’an County, saying that the jade pillow bestowed upon her by the emperor had been stolen.

That was an imperial gift.

Naturally, James Page dared not take it lightly.

In fact, before Princess Gaoyang reported the case, James Page had already received seven or eight similar reports.

All the reports came from members of the Li-Tang imperial clan, and the cases were almost identical: items in their homes had been stolen by thieves.

If only one household had been robbed, it could be dismissed as a simple burglary.

But when seven or eight households of the imperial clan were robbed, it was no small matter!

James Page ordered all three classes of yamen runners and the entire constabulary to investigate these cases.

But a month had passed, and neither the yamen runners nor the constables had made any progress, which left him very frustrated.

Ten days ago, he gave another order, instructing Chief Constable Shawn Wade to focus all efforts on solving the case.

If there was still no result in half a month, all constables would be punished with twenty strokes of the rod.

James Page knew that the constables were already doing their best; it wasn’t that they were unwilling to work hard. But Princess Gaoyang had sent people to inquire several times, putting great pressure on James Page. If the case could not be solved soon, James Page himself might be implicated.

He hadn’t expected that after just ten days, Shawn Wade would have a breakthrough.

James Page returned to his desk and sat down. Before long, Chief Constable Shawn Wade entered the study.

Shawn Wade hurried forward and saluted James Page, saying, “Your subordinate Shawn Wade pays respects to the county magistrate.”

“No need for formalities.”

James Page waved his hand, indicating that Shawn Wade need not be so polite, and said, “I hear you have a lead on the jade pillow case?”

“That’s right.”

“What lead?”

“Yesterday, I received word that someone was buying and selling royal items at Lü’s Tavern in Da’an Ward.

I immediately ordered men to lie in wait, preparing to catch them in the act and seize both the criminals and the stolen goods. But unexpectedly, the thief was extremely fierce. Upon discovering our ambush, he struck first, killed my informant, and escaped without a trace.”

James Page’s face darkened. “That’s your discovery?”

“Please don’t be angry, county magistrate. I haven’t finished yet.”

“Continue!”