"Could he have returned to Meijiang Prefecture City?" the pursuer inquired, as it was common for the newly wealthy to return home to bask in their newfound affluence.
Wang Er's relative shook his head. "I doubt it."
He then explained that Wang Er was an orphan and had no family to return to. They lived in impoverished conditions without land or fields. The only asset they possessed was a run-down house, mortgaged to someone in order to make money in the capital. In all likelihood, Wang Er, fearing the financial demands of acquaintances or even bandits, would have concealed his identity and sought refuge in an unfamiliar place to start anew.
Facing this information, those who had been tailing Wang Er had no choice but to return to the palace and deliver their report. The decision of whether to continue monitoring Wang Er in Meijiang Prefecture City now rested with the Empress Dowager.
