Capture the Jade (Attacking the Jade/Inverted Fate/Inverted Jade) - Chapter 37
Chapter 37
An unusual silence hung over the main hall as heavy, rapid breathing echoed throughout. Suddenly, someone shrieked in terror, instantly sparking a wave of panic and frantic screams.
“Ah! Someone died!”
“Help us, run!”
The performers and courtesans shoved past one another, fleeing out like headless flies. Amidst the chaos, a sharp metallic ring resounded as the guards unsheathed their blades, blocking the doorway.
Lin Chengyou shouted in a severe voice, “Try moving again, and you will be dealt with for inciting a riot. Step outside if you want to test whether you can take a thrashing!”
Everyone shivered, shrinking back as they hastily retreated their steps.
Judicial Officer Yan ran quickly over to Lin Chengyou’s side to inspect Yaohuang. Reaching out a hand to check her breath and neck, he found no pulse left.
He gritted his teeth and said, “What a venomous method.”
Lin Chengyou looked equally grim, “It looks like Heart-Rotting Herb. It was too late to save her.”
The chill in his eyes sent shivers down everyone’s spine. As he spoke, he looked up and scanned the room from left to right, as if branding everyone’s expression into his mind.
“Everyone stay put. No one moves before being searched.”
People from the Court of Judicial Review arrived quickly. Since most occupants in Caifeng Tower were women, they brought along two female forensic examiners specifically to search female suspects, in addition to the court’s usual coroner. Everyone in the hall was called in one by one for a search, yet nothing was found.
When it was Teng Yuyi’s turn, she took the initiative to hand over the mechanical device hidden within her sash. In her view, the murderer was right in this hall; to find the culprit as quickly as possible, she needed to cooperate fully with the investigation.
The female forensic examiner was taken aback upon seeing the device.
Keeping an eye on Teng Yuyi, she immediately instructed the other examiner to take the item to report to Lin Chengyou.
Teng Yuyi had a clear conscience, so she calmly waited for the Court of Judicial Review to release her.
After examining it together with Judicial Officer Yan, Lin Chengyou indeed instructed the examiner to release Teng Yuyi.
Teng Yuyi calmly took back the device.
Although it concealed hidden weapons and poison, the toxicity was far from lethal. Even though Lin Chengyou liked to cross swords with her, he was by no means stupid; he could distinguish various poisons and knew how to prioritize matters. With the real killer still at large, he would not make things difficult for her at such a critical moment, no matter how petty he could be.
However, since a fair amount of poison was concealed inside, she had harbored a subtle worry that Lin Chengyou might seize the opportunity to confiscate it.
Yet upon opening the mechanism, every single item remained intact.
She felt baffled.
These hidden weapons were crafted in an extraordinarily tricky and insidious fashion. Lin Chengyou had suffered a loss from them last time, and she had long guessed that he deemed her malicious precisely after seeing these items. But she only sought to protect herself in times of danger, so how could she care about such impressions?
Tonight, he merely inspected the weapons without confiscating her powders, which was truly unusual. Could it be that he was too busy tracking down the killer to spare the effort?
Over on the other side, the coroner completed the autopsy and confirmed that Yaohuang had indeed died of poisoning.
The poison needle was planted straight into the back of her corpse, precisely matching the “Heart-Rotting Herb” mentioned by Lin Chengyou.
This poison had spread from Great Shi decades ago. It took over half an hour from administration to outbreak. Once it activated, the victim’s eyes turned indigo blue, and they suffocated to death within seconds. Because of its fierce toxicity and lack of an antidote, it was once listed as a banned substance. After multiple rounds of searches and bans, it was rarely seen among the common populace now.
After hearing the coroner’s report, Judicial Officer Yan turned to look at Lin Chengyou in shock, “Over half an hour? Does that mean the murderer struck long before Yao Huang confessed? At that time, Gejin was caught attempting assassination in Weizi’s room, which was the most chaotic moment in Caifeng Tower. Looking at it this way, everyone in the building is a suspect.”
Lin Chengyou leaned down to look at the poison needle, “Heart-Rotting Herb has the effect of numbing skin and muscle. This needle is as fine as a strand of hair, so pinning it into skin causes neither pain nor itchiness. That is why Yaohuang never realized anything was amiss on her body right up until she died. The murderer knew about Yaohuang’s connection to Qingzhi before we did, and perhaps had long harbored intent to kill. Striking in the middle of the commotion caused by Gejin and Weizi tonight made it even less likely to attract attention.”
Saying that, he raised his head to observe the crowd. The murderer was far more cautious and decisive than he had anticipated. Who would have thought that such a small Caifeng Tower harbored such a capable individual?
Just then, a bailiff returned to report, “Every room has been searched. We found neither Heart-Rotting Herb nor any related murder tools.”
Lin Chengyou stated, “The poison needle is exceptionally sharp; the murderer could not have tucked it directly into a sleeve without wrapping it. My guess is there was something wrapping it. From Hong Xiang Court to the front building, the path is lined with rockeries and plants. The item is highly likely to have been discarded along the way. Go search the places I mentioned thoroughly once more.”
Judicial Officer Yan had always been gentle and meticulous. Once Lin Chengyou finished speaking, he earnestly instructed the bailiffs, “That thing is extremely toxic and lacks an antidote. You must be extra careful while searching.”
The search continued until dawn. The bailiffs searched every single corner, yet still found nothing suspicious.
The people in the hall had undergone body searches, and all necessary interrogations were completed. Lin Chengyou handed the front building over to Judicial Officer Yan while he personally went to the back to search.
When the bailiffs reached the garden at the back, Juesheng and Qizhi happened to crawl out from under the incense altar of the small Buddhist hall. The center of the formation was covered in dust; the two had spent the entire night sweeping underneath, turning into grey dust-covered figures by the time they emerged.
The bailiffs were startled when two chubby, grey figures suddenly emerged from underground. Before seeing clearly that they were just two children, they arrested them as thieves without another word.
Having spent the entire night inside the formation, Juesheng and Qizhi had no idea what had happened in the front building. Stiffening their necks, they struggled and said, “Brave men, you have caught the wrong people. We are not bad guys, we are Taoist monks from Qingyun Temple.”
The bailiffs had been summoned on short notice and knew little about recent events at Caifeng Tower, “Heh, you even dare to impersonate Taoist masters from Qingyun Temple?”
As they jostled near Hong Xiang Court, Juesheng looked up, saw Lin Chengyou, and hurriedly called out in a loud voice, “Senior Brother! Save us, quick!”
Lin Chengyou was half-squatting in front of a peony bush, holding a long sword and poking at something unknown.
The two officials beside him recognized Juesheng and Qizhi and hastily said, “A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! These two are Reviewer Lin’s junior brothers. Let them go quickly.”
Juesheng and Qizhi scurried over to Lin Chengyou, looking around in surprise.
“Senior Brother, what happened? Why are there so many people here?”
Lin Chengyou paid them no mind, continuing to nudge the soil with his scabbard. Qizhi looked closely and realized it was an earthworm hole.
The two began rolling up their sleeves, “Senior Brother, are you looking for something? Let us help too.”
Lin Chengyou raised his sword to block their arms, “Do not touch anything carelessly. These plants are covered in dew drops. If the toxic powder of the Heart-Rotting Herb dissolves into the water, even a slight touch will transfer it into any cuts on your hands. Given how potent this stuff is, it will be more than enough to make you suffer.”
The official pulled Juesheng and Qizhi to the side, “Taoist masters, please wait a moment. Another life was lost at Caifeng Tower last night, and Reviewer Lin is searching for evidence.”
“A life? Who died?”
“The courtesan head named Yaohuang.”
The two gasped. The bailiffs returned to report, “Shizi, both Yaohuang’s and Weizi’s rooms have been searched, but no container for the needle was found.”
Lin Chengyou hummed in response, stood up, walked over to a nearby small pond, tucked the hem of his robe into the jade belt around his waist, and stepped into the water with one foot.
The pond water rippled in dark green waves, instantly submerging past his knees.
The official held his breath in tension.
This Shizi of Prince Cheng had passed the Mingjing and Zhiju examinations by his own merit last year and was appointed to the Court of Judicial Review by imperial decree.
Although he was only the lowest-ranking Reviewer, no one dared to treat him as a low-level clerk.
Just as they expected, Lin Chengyou retained his mischievous nature after taking office. While newly appointed officials usually worked diligently, Lin Chengyou was often nowhere to be seen.
Even when he stayed at the court, he refused to handle business properly—either lying under the veranda of the East Hall or lounging on tree branches to sleep.
Whenever the Court Minister asked, Lin Chengyou would claim he was memorizing legal codes, adding that the clerk’s office was too noisy and he could only memorize properly while up in the trees.
Yet, as lazy and uninhibited as this young master was, whenever an unusual or mysterious case arose, he would completely change his attitude. He would enthusiastically investigate cases by day and stay at the Court of Judicial Review by night. In just one year, he had solved several baffling cases.
“Reviewer Lin, the water is different from dry land; be careful not to get pricked by the poison needle,” the official called out anxiously, then turned to the bailiffs and commanded, “There must be drainage ditches below the pond. Quickly find craftsmen to drain all the water from the pond.”
“It cannot be drained,” Lin Chengyou said as he took a small net handed down from the bank and began scooping inch by inch, “That poison needle is as fine as a hair; it will float everywhere once the water ripples. If we drain all the water into the ditches, the needle might get washed away with the current. If all traces disappear then, wouldn’t that suit the killer’s intentions perfectly?”
The official looked embarrassed and made a motion to lift his official robe, “I failed to think it through. This pond is neither too small nor too large. Reviewer Lin, how long will it take for you to search it alone? We will step into the water to help right away.”
Lin Chengyou stopped them, “You lack the cultivation to resist Heart-Rotting Herb; it could kill you in an instant. It is better to let my two junior brothers help dredge. Just find two more nets for them.”
Juesheng and Qizhi hastily got into the water. The pond seemed to have been neglected for a long time; withered flowers and fallen leaves floated across the surface. As the three of them stirred it up with their nets, a thick, strange stench began to spread.
Juesheng and Qizhi quietly pinched their noses. Their senior brother was naturally obsessed with cleanliness, so he would feel even more disgusted than they did.
Lin Chengyou indeed looked up and let out a heavy sigh, “Good grief. Smell this any longer and I will not need to eat for three days.”
As he spoke, he tore off a piece of cloth from the sleeve of his snow-white robe, tying it over the front of his nose and knotting it behind his head.
The corner of the official’s mouth on the bank twitched. He wanted to laugh but did not dare to. Lin Chengyou had always been dashing and untamed, having done far more absurd things than this. Though they had initially made a fuss out of surprise, they had gradually grown accustomed to it over time.
The three of them dredged the pond thoroughly, yet strangely, they still failed to find anything suspicious.
Lin Chengyou gazed at the gently rippling pond water, a look of bewilderment appearing on his face for the first time. Judging by the properties of Heart-Rotting Herb, Yaohuang had been poisoned while Gejin and Weizi were entangled in a scene. At that time, all the performers in Caifeng Tower were outside Weizi’s room watching the commotion, and Yaohuang was no exception.
The murderer had blended into the crowd and struck while it was chaotic.
Afterward, everyone was ordered to gather in the front building. To avoid raising suspicion, the murderer would definitely discard the container holding the poison needles along the way. Following that, everyone in the building was trapped in the front building; being unable to break away, the murderer naturally had no chance to go back and handle the evidence. Yet why was nothing suspicious found despite searching the entire garden top to bottom?
The bailiffs all felt somewhat discouraged, “Could that person have been holding the poison needle with bare hands?”
“That would be far too risky. The poison of Heart-Rotting Herb has no antidote. Even if the murderer was not afraid of harming others, would they not fear poisoning themselves to death?”
However, two officials remarked, “Reviewer Lin, after searching for half the night, we have not even missed an ant burrow. If that item were really here, it would have been found long ago. It is likely nothing more than a bamboo tube or a sachet; even if we find it, there is no way to identify who the killer is. Why waste effort in vain? We might as well forget it.”
Lin Chengyou pulled down the cloth from beneath his nose and stepped onto the bank.
He then took off his boot, poured out the water inside, confirmed that there were no fine needles or similar objects, and put the boot back on his foot.
“How can we just forget it? If Qingzhi and Yaohuang were killed by the same person, the needle container is the only clue left behind by the murderer. If we carelessly overlook even this clue, we can forget about dragging this person out.”
The bailiffs hurriedly said, “Then your subordinates will search the nearby area thoroughly once more.”
Lin Chengyou stared blankly at the pond for a moment, then suddenly smiled, “However, Reviewer Liu is right. If that item had truly been thrown away along the route, it would have been found long ago. There is no need to waste effort here anymore; we have missed the most important place.”
Everyone looked around in astonishment, “Where?”
The group returned to the front building, where Judicial Officer Yan rushed out to greet them, “Did you find it?”
“We did not find it,” Lin Chengyou walked briskly into the hall, “That is why I am back.”
Judicial Officer Yan was startled, “Could that thing have flown away?”
“It cannot fly.” Lin Chengyou walked straight toward the performers.
He Mingsheng, Eji, and the others were filled with astonishment. The lower hem of Lin Chengyou’s brocade robe and his sleeves were completely soaked, looking as if he had just crawled out of the water.
Teng Yuyi thought to herself, Lin Chengyou indeed searched even the water. It was just that she had not expected him to go into the water personally despite the filth just to investigate the case.
Then why did he stop searching? That was an important piece of evidence after all. Were it up to her, she would have dug three feet into the ground to bring the item to light. Suddenly, her thoughts shifted—wait a minute, could it be that—
If that was truly the case, the murderer was far too bold.
Lin Chengyou paced around the crowd of performers, then suddenly raised his voice, “Search.”
The bailiffs responded, “Yes.”
Panic broke out among the crowd. Everyone had already been searched just now; setting aside clothing and footwear, even their hair buns had not been spared. Since it was clearly not hidden on anyone’s body, why perform a search a second time?
Soon, a bailiff called out, “Reviewer Lin! Found it! It was stuffed under a tea table.”
That person was half-squatting under a long table, tilting his neck to look upward. Seven or eight such tea tables were placed in the hall. During evening banquets, guests could either gather around tables for meals or sit at separate tables.
Lin Chengyou and Judicial Officer Yan squatted down near the table to inspect it, and soon used a sword hilt to pry the item down.
Everyone gasped in surprise; it was a small sachet.
Lin Chengyou sneered, “It truly was hidden right inside the hall.”
Feeling it through the satin material, there were estimated to be dozens of fine needles hidden inside. They were likely embedded into a thick layer of cloth; as long as the tips of the poison needles were stuck downward into it, one would not need to worry about pricking oneself even if carrying it against the skin.
“The killer simply has no regard for the Court of Judicial Review,” Judicial Officer Yan’s face turned faintly dark, “Under the watchful eyes of everyone, just how was it hidden… I remember now, the hall was in chaos twice. Once was when Lady Weizi confronted Lady Yaohuang, and everyone in the hall scrambled to pull them apart, breaking into a mess. The other time was when Lady Yaohuang suddenly succumbed to the poison and died, and the performers rushed outward in a swarm… Could it have been at those moments?”
Lin Chengyou cast a cold glance over the crowd; everyone wore an expression of horror and helplessness. Yet this was not surprising—this person calculated everything without a single slip, so it was impossible for them to reveal any flaws at a time like this.
He only found one point puzzling: there were countless dark corners along the route to throw this item away, yet the killer deliberately hid it under the table right under everyone’s noses. He did not know whether this person was simply outrageously bold or conceited to the extreme.
Had he not suddenly rushed back, the item would have eventually found its way back to that person. After all, everyone had been searched, and no one would think to search a second time. Once the lockdown was lifted, that person could carry the item away without anyone being the wiser.
Lin Chengyou sniffed the sachet; there was not the slightest trace of fragrance. The satin surface was colorful and brilliant, its flower petals woven with colored silver threads. The fabric was common brocade, yet the embroidery was exquisite and skillful.
Such meticulous and refined craftsmanship was clearly a woman’s belonging.
He thought coldly to himself: So what if you calculated every step? Now that I have found the item, what happens next will no longer be up to you.
Yaohuang’s corpse was sent off to the Court of Judicial Review soon after, and Caifeng Tower was turned completely upside down by Lin Chengyou and his men. Unfortunately, the killer was extraordinarily cunning, so after a whole morning of searching, they still had no clue.
Seeing that noon had passed, Lin Chengyou and Judicial Officer Yan intended to take the sachet to cloth shops and embroidery workshops to look for clues. Having nowhere else to go, Juesheng and Qizhi hurriedly followed them out. Unbeknownst to them, as they stepped out of the building, Juesheng’s stomach let out a earth-shattering rumble.
The two rubbed their bellies. From midnight yesterday until noon today, they had not eaten even a piece of sesame flatbread. Fearing their senior brother would scold them, they did not dare ask for food either, enduring until now only to be dizzy and faint from hunger.
This behavior was quite unrefined. On any other day, Lin Chengyou would have given his junior brothers a hard knock on the head. Fortunately, he was likely busy listening to Judicial Officer Yan speak and did not even turn his head back.
Juesheng and Qizhi secretly eyed the flatbread stalls along the road as they walked. Their senior brother was probably hungry too; since it was getting late, buying a few flatbreads to stave off hunger was the sensible thing to do.
To their surprise, although Lin Chengyou had agreed to go to the cloth shop, he temporarily turned into the Hu shop from last time instead. After sitting down, he called out the Hu man named Hemai and asked him to personally prepare several portions of biluo.
Juesheng and Qizhi almost shed tears on the spot. Senior Brother might not say it out loud, but he still doted on them in his heart.
Soon, the flatbreads and soup were served to the table. Judicial Officer Yan had a portion of biluo enthusiastically stuffed into his hands by Qizhi. He voiced his thanks, yet had no appetite to eat: “Although Heart-Rotting Herb is a banned substance, it is only banned on the surface. In the shadows, Hu merchants from places like Great Shi and Uighur still risk selling this poison at high prices. Its reach spans across Guanlong, Hezhong, Jianghuai, and various other circuits. The clues are immensely complex, and the guests of Caifeng Tower come from all over the land. Trying to find the killer through this point alone is almost as difficult as scaling the heavens.”
Lin Chengyou looked at Juesheng and Qizhi and said, “Have you eaten enough? Take the food back to Caifeng Tower to eat. Judicial Officer Yan and I still have matters to discuss.”
Juesheng and Qizhi said happily, “Senior Brother, Judicial Officer Yan, please take your time eating.”
Hugging the biluo in their arms, the two darted away like a flash of smoke.
Lin Chengyou cleansed his hands and face, tossing the towel aside.
“Doesn’t Judicial Officer Yan find it strange? Since the killer is a cautious person, why strike right when I and Wudao are staying at Caifeng Tower? The first time, killing Qingzhi was disguised as a suicide, but it was still extremely easy to expose flaws. Was that person so certain they wouldn’t leave a trace? Why not wait until we left Caifeng Tower before making a move? By then, He Mingsheng and the others wouldn’t overthink it, treating it merely as Qingzhi taking her own life, burying her, and calling it a day.”
Judicial Officer Yan raised his wine cup halfway before setting it back down.
“I find this strange as well. Previously, when we uncovered that pair of gold armlets, we all thought Yaohuang killed her own biological younger sister. A conflict arose between the sisters due to monetary interests, and Yaohuang feared Qingzhi would publicly expose their dealings, making her anxious to kill Qingzhi. But judging by what Yaohuang said before her death, Qingzhi doesn’t seem to have been killed by her…”
“Setting aside other matters, it is a fact that Yaohuang knew no martial arts.” Lin Chengyou flicked a lapis lazuli bead from his sleeve, holding it between his fingertips.
Judicial Officer Yan hurriedly asked, “Shizi intended to test whether Yaohuang knew martial arts back then?”
Lin Chengyou smiled, “A single test reveals it all. No matter how unafraid of death a person is, they will instinctively protect their own eyes. Yet when I flicked it to strike Yao Huang’s eyes, she didn’t even make the most basic move to protect herself. Judicial Officer Yan, do you still remember those few pinholes on Qingzhi’s outer robe?”
“Of course I remember. It was precisely because of discovering those pinholes that you suspected Qingzhi didn’t die by suicide. I remember you saying it was a form of sorcery.”
“That’s right. Guiding Qingzhi into the well like a string puppet, then faking an illusion of suicide. The pinhole locations were discreet, making it hard to spot clues once soaked in water. If I hadn’t worried that Qingzhi’s death was related to corpse evil, I wouldn’t have thought to examine the chest and abdomen of the corpse so carefully either. Had I been even slightly careless, I would have missed those pinholes. Putting this matter aside for now, executing this sorcery first requires knowing Qingzhi’s birth date and eight characters, along with a certain level of internal cultivation. But I tested it with the Sese bead; Yaohuang clearly lacked that ability.”
“Who on earth is the killer?” Judicial Officer Yan let out a heavy sigh, “To calculate up to this point shows it was by no means a spur-of-the-moment impulse. For someone with such deep scheming, they should have waited until after you left before taking action no matter what.”
Lin Chengyou stared at the amber-colored fine wine in his cup.
“I guess for the killer, Qingzhi had reached a point where she simply had to die. Fearing that long delays would breed trouble, the killer couldn’t even wait a few days.”
“This…” A bewildered look appeared in Judicial Officer Yan’s eyes, “Qingzhi was merely an errand maid with little money in her hands, so no one would target her for wealth. As for lust, her clothing was intact after death, and her body suffered no violation. Could it be that the killer had some fatal hold over Qingzhi, but what kind of fatal secret could force the killer to murder two people in a row?”
Lin Chengyou dipped his chopsticks in wine and drew a few strokes on the table.
“In fact, since the incident occurred, several things have felt unbelievable. Qingzhi was simple and foolish on the outside, but stubbornly cold-hearted in reality. Even after personally ruining Gejin’s appearance, she ate and drank as usual. Yet a few days ago, she suddenly started having nightmares. My guess is she was either dosed with mind-confusing poison, or felt inner unease. However, according to the coroner’s autopsy, Qingzhi showed no signs of taking poison in the days before her death. This is strange—why would a person as unyielding as a rock suddenly grow so terrified as to have nightmares?”
Judicial Officer Yan pondered, “Could Qingzhi have noticed the killer harboring intent to murder and thus grown so terrified? Why didn’t she tell Yaohuang about this? Had she told Yaohuang earlier, Yaohuang wouldn’t have remained ignorant of the killer’s identity right up until her death.”
“So this is the first point that doesn’t make sense.”
Lin Chengyou drew two more strokes on the table, “Furthermore, Yaohuang said before her death that those jewelry items of Qingzhi’s were not given by her, and no pearl or jade items have been lost in the building recently. Thus, it is highly likely those treasures of Qingzhi’s were given by the killer. Qingzhi seized someone’s secret and used it for extortion; the other party first won her over with wealth, then ruthlessly struck to kill. If that’s truly the case, Qingzhi’s death isn’t strange, but why did the killer only murder Yaohuang last night? Did they not know the real relationship between Yaohuang and Qingzhi prior to this?”
Judicial Officer Yan tapped his forehead lightly with his finger.
“In my view, the killer didn’t know. Had they known earlier, with this person’s methods, they would have eliminated both of them that night. Why risk it again? Last night was fraught with danger, and the killer almost exposed themselves several times. Knowing it wasn’t a good time to strike, killing her could only have been a spur-of-the-moment decision.”
Lin Chengyou hummed in response, “So this is the second point that doesn’t make sense, as I mentioned. Even if Qingzhi was cold-hearted, judging by her insistence on searching for her elder sister, she at least held genuine affection for her sister. It’s understandable if she refused to reveal her relationship with Yaohuang to the killer, but why keep Yaohuang in the dark as well? Precisely because she hid it from both sides, Yaohuang was severely constrained afterward.”
Judicial Officer Yan pondered for a moment, helpless without a single clue, and finally gave a bitter smile, “Is there a third point that doesn’t make sense?”
Lin Chengyou drew the sachet from his sleeve, pulled open the drawstring, and took a look. The poison needles had already been packed into a wooden box and brought to the Court of Judicial Review; the inside of the sachet was completely empty.
Toying with the sachet in his hands, he remarked, “As for the third point, it’s this sachet. Did the killer risk bringing the poison needles back to the main hall out of conceitedness, or because of some compelling reason?”
Judicial Officer Yan pondered for a moment, reached out to take the sachet, and rubbed his fingers along the silver threads that wove the intricate patterns.
Suddenly, his eyes brightened.
“Last year, I handled a cold case in the West Market. The victim was a butcher who held a torn piece of a handkerchief corner tightly clenched in his fist after death, so firmly that no one could pull it away. Suspecting there was something unusual about the handkerchief, I took the remaining corner to search nearby embroidery workshops. Guess what? We actually found the killer based on the embroidery work on that handkerchief. Chengyou, look at this sachet. The color scheme is unique, and the stitching is ingeniously exquisite. If we investigate starting from this, we might just discover something. Could it be that the killer worried about this exact issue, thus taking the risk to hide the sachet under the tea table, intending to quietly retrieve it when no one was paying attention?”
Lin Chengyou smiled upon hearing this.
“I thought so too. But a sachet is just a sachet—what’s hidden inside are poison needles. The killer’s reluctance to discard it might be due to what you suggested, Judicial Officer Yan, fearing we might trace something back through the sachet. Yet do not forget another possibility: the poison of Heart-Rotting Herb has no cure. The killer went to great lengths to obtain the poison and made the needles as fine as a strand of hair, making them seamless for killing without a trace. Could the thing this person truly couldn’t bear to part with be the poison needles inside?”
Judicial Officer Yan’s expression changed abruptly.
“You mean—the killer will use these poison needles to harm people again?”
Lin Chengyou didn’t answer directly.
He unfastened a jade plaque from his waist and handed it over to Judicial Officer Yan.
“I cannot leave Pingkang Ward right now, so I must trouble you to enter the palace on my behalf as soon as possible. In the imperial Weaving and Dyeing Office, there is an elderly master weaver named Tuoniang. She has served in the palace for thirty years and can recognize every style of needlework and embroidery under the sun. As long as you present the item before her, there is nothing whose origins she cannot tell. I find the stitching on this sachet a bit peculiar; asking every single embroidery workshop one by one would be too troublesome. It is better to take it into the palace first for Tuoniang to look at—at least she can tell at a glance which region’s embroidery style it belongs to.”
“Very well.”
Judicial Officer Yan hesitated for a brief moment before taking the jade plaque.
“I shall enter the palace immediately. Is Shizi returning to Caifeng Tower?”
Lin Chengyou looked at the sky outside.
“The celestial signs are amiss. I reckon the corpse demon will make its move tonight. I must return to wait for the trap to spring. If you discover anything, Judicial Officer Yan, feel free to look for me before dark. If you see Caifeng Tower with its doors locked and shut after nightfall, just lead the men away early and leave any matters for tomorrow.”
Judicial Officer Yan was stunned for a second, then let out a long sigh.
“I almost forgot. This Caifeng Tower holds both treacherous criminals and evil ghosts and demons. Yet when considered carefully, I truly cannot tell whether humans or demons are the more evil. Alright, we shall do as Shizi says. I shall go and return quickly; please be extra careful yourself.”
Teng Yuyi was learning the second sword move in the rear garden. Compared to her first attempt, she picked it up much faster this time. After practicing, her whole body felt invigorated, accompanied by a sense of clear vision and a refreshed heart.
Wiping away her sweat, Teng Yuyi gazed at the Xiaoya Sword in her hand.
“Uncle Cheng, don’t you find it strange? The moves are clearly in position, yet why does it always feel congested and unrefined at the very end every time I finish practicing?”
Uncle Cheng spoke thoughtfully, “Old servant was just about to report this matter to Lady—”
Several Taoist priests from Dongming Temple arrived together.
“Heh heh, Young Master Wang, you’ve been breaking out in strange sweats repeatedly since last night. Does it have something to do with that bowl of Fire Jade Spirit Root soup?”
Teng Yuyi sheathed her sword and smiled.
“The Taoist masters have seen through it. This soup has boundless wonders, but unfortunately, it is far too difficult to digest and assimilate.”
“This master thinks the sword technique Uncle Cheng is teaching you is quite good, but it’s just too slow.”
“Slow?”
Jian tian grinned cheekily.
“This master has come to understand it clearly. Young Master Wang’s current situation is like a craftsman planting flowers—one should dig deep enough, yet you only bury the roots in the shallow layer. Even if the flowers and leaves grow lushly, as long as the channels remain blocked, you cannot draw nutrients from the soil for a single day. The only plan for now is to dig the soil deeper and bury the roots firmer. Otherwise, this soup will bring you no benefit. But practicing the way you do, even if you train day and night without rest, it will still take a dozen days or so to clear the main channels.”
Teng Yuyi thought for a moment. Although what the Five Taoists said didn’t hit the mark completely, it wasn’t far off either.
Lightly tapping her palm with the sword hilt, she paced back and forth slowly.
“A dozen days it is. Learning martial arts is not an overnight task to begin with. Since I’ve made up my mind to practice properly, I’ve already prepared myself for years of training.”
Jian tian shook his head.
“Young Master Wang knows neither martial arts nor Taoist arts, no wonder you take things so lightly. This ‘taking it slow’ practice method only applies to other techniques of cultivating internal strength, but it won’t work for Taoist spirit herbs.”
The smile on Teng Yuyi’s face froze.
Jian le took a step closer, saying with a beaming face.
“All things depend on affinity, and Taoist spirit herbs are no exception. This stuff refuses to yield easily and often settles inside the body within a few days. If it succeeds, it becomes ‘a smooth process brought to fruition’; if it fails, it becomes ‘a false path that is no true way.’ In short, to enjoy these seven or eight years of cultivation strength, one boundly must pay a price. Although this master doesn’t know the exact number of days set for the Fire Jade Spirit Root, it definitely won’t give you the chance to digest it slowly.”
Teng Yuyi’s brow twitched. According to this, taking it slow wouldn’t work?
“What happens if the time limit is exceeded?”
“The consequences are afraid to be quite severe.”
Jian le sighed with his hands behind his back, “Last night, because we drank the Fire Jade Spirit Root soup, we specially flipped open the Classic of Medicine in our bundle to check. Every spirit herb has a different medicinal nature, with time limits ranging from three to seven days. If one fails to digest it within the limit, the mild consequence is developing severe headaches, while the severe consequence is turning deaf or foolish. However, Young Master needn’t be so worried; the Classic of Medicine didn’t mention the Fire Jade Spirit Root, so perhaps its digestion limit is somewhat longer.”
Teng Yuyi curled her fingers slightly. Last night she had also glanced at Lin Chengyou’s booklet; failing to digest it would only cause hot sores to break out.
She didn’t believe a single word of the Five Taoists’ so-called “turning deaf or foolish.”
Yet their words made a certain degree of sense—this spirit herb possessed a domineering medicinal nature, and there truly might not be time for her to digest it slowly.
It seemed that if she didn’t want to grow hot sores, her only option was to switch to practicing Taoist sword techniques as soon as possible.
But she wasn’t a member of the Taoist sect, so how could she learn genuine Taoist sword techniques?
She looked at the Five Taoists, and an idea struck her.
Changing to an agreeable expression, she said modestly, “I understand now. Since it is a Taoist spirit herb, it naturally requires Taoist moves to digest it. You masters possess profound and brilliant Taoist arts; I wonder if you would be willing to point out a clear path?”
“Well…” Jian tian feigned a dignified posture and stroked his beard.
Teng Yuyi and Uncle Cheng exchanged a quick glance. The Five Taoists had always been greedy, money-grabbing, and unreasonable. Seeing this stance, they clearly had a way, yet deliberately acted hesitant—they were likely plotting some wicked scheme again.
Suddenly, Juesheng and Qizhi were heard shouting from afar.
“Young Master Wang, Uncle Cheng, Brother Huo! So you were all in the garden!”
Qizhi was holding an item wrapped in a cloth napkin in his arms. It looked bulging and stuffed, roughly the size of flatbreads or similar food. Before the people arrived, the fragrance had already wafted over with the wind.
The Five Taoists swarmed up all at once.
“You’re finally back! Did you find out who the killer is? Eh, what is smelling so delicious? Wow, biluo!”
Teng Yuyi seized the chance to ask, “Have you masters not had your lunch yet?”
Speaking of this, the Five Taoists immediately flew into a rage.
“From last night to noon today, Caifeng Tower hasn’t had a moment of peace! We heard that just for the kitchen alone, Shizi led men to search several rounds. Now that everything has been turned into a mess, the cooks are busy organizing items. Just now He Mingsheng said that at the earliest, food won’t be ready until evening.”
Teng Yuyi nodded, “It just so happens that Huo Qiu needs to go out to buy a few things for me. Let him buy some meat dishes on the way. This spot is fairly quiet and secluded; why don’t you masters take a seat over in that pavilion? Huo Qiu, before you leave, go to my room and fetch a few bottles of Luofu Spring wine.”
After a moment, Huo Qiu returned with the wine and snacks like pickled venison. The group sat in the gazebo, sipping wine and chatting as they relaxed.
Jian tian gazed into the distance toward Southern Pond and Hongxiang Court. Sun shine was bright at noon and the garden was thick with springtime vitality, yet the guest quarters in both places were dead silent, without a single young lady coming out to stroll around.
“After last night’s fuss, I’m afraid no one dares to run around carelessly anymore. When Qingzhi died earlier, everyone could still deceive themselves and others, but last night Yaohuang was killed right before everyone’s eyes. As long as they think of a ruthless killer lurking right beside them, anyone would be trembling in fear for their own safety.”
Teng Yuyi asked Juesheng and Qizhi, “The embroidery and fabric of that sachet were extraordinary; going to the nearby cloth shops should allow one to inquire about something. How did it go, did you find any clues?”
Juesheng shook his head like a rattle, “Senior Brother chased us away before we even sat down.”
Jian tian shot a sidelong glance at Juesheng, “There are many people and mixed eyes in the building, so he was probably afraid you might accidentally let something slip. Speaking of that sachet, the killer must be a lunatic. Wouldn’t it be fine to toss it on the road? To actually hide things right under our noses, it was only because everyone’s attention was fully focused on Gejin and Lady Yaohuang at that time. In a room full of people, not a single person noticed the killer’s actions.”
“Maybe it’s a beloved item of the killer, perhaps given by some favored young gentleman, which is why they couldn’t bear to throw it away.”
Jian xi pulled a face as if his teeth were aching from something sour, “Lele, you’re already so old, so why is your head still full of these foolish affairs between young men and women? Couldn’t the killer just be afraid that the stitches and silk threads on the sachet would betray them?”
Teng Yuyi burst out laughing.
Jian xi and Jian le turned their gazes toward Teng Yuyi in unison, “If Young Master Wang has any other brilliant insights, why not share them for us to hear? It’s just a tiny sachet; this old Taoist doesn’t believe Young Master Wang can come up with any other clever twists.”
Teng Yuyi set down her wine cup, “If I cannot come up with any other twists, how about I forfeit all twenty bottles of Luofu Spring wine in my room to the five masters? But if what I say makes sense, the five masters must agree to one request of mine.”
The Five Taoists rubbed their hands in delight. Luofu Spring was a famous brew from Jiangnan, and these few bottles brought by the Teng Manor were top-grade liquors among wines. Having drunk a few mouthfuls just now, they were already hooked and unable to stop. If they could drink to their heart’s content, they would surely be happier than immortal gods.
A bet is a bet.
“Good! We shall do as Young Master Wang says.”
Teng Yuyi said with a serious expression, “When that sachet was found this morning, all of you Taoist masters saw it clearly. Dozens of poison needles were hidden inside. Although I don’t know what kind of poison Lady Yaohuang was struck with, judging from how she remained completely unaware from the moment she was ambushed to when the poison flared up, those poison needles must have undergone meticulous design. The killer preferred risking exposure just to hide this sachet; why must it strictly be for the sachet itself? Could it not be that they couldn’t bear to part with the poison needles inside?”
The corners of the Five Taoists’ mouths twitched, and they immediately changed their tune, “Actually, this old Taoist had thought of this long ago. It was just that I got excited while drinking wine earlier and forgot to say it for a moment.”
Catching sight of the contemptuous expressions on Juesheng and Qizhi’s faces, they said with high-minded sanctimony again, “Forget it, forget it. A bet is a bet, and I accept the loss. Young Master Wang, speak up—what do you want us to do for you again?”
Teng Yuyi flicked the black hair ribbon resting on her shoulder behind her, “My request is simple. I only need the five masters to teach me a set of Taoist moves so that I can digest the Fire Jade Spirit Root soup within three days.”
Jiantian narrowed his eyes, “Ever since our humble temple was built, it has never accepted female disciples. This is a rule left by the Founder, and our generation dares not alter it without authorization.”
Teng Yuyi was not annoyed in the slightest and nodded, “I originally intended to send the twenty bottles of Luofu Spring wine to the small Buddha hall as a thank-you gift, but it seems there’s no need for that now. Did you two little Taoist masters see that? Even the seniors of Dongming Temple back out on their words—”
The Five Taoists’ cheeks tightened. Although their reputation had never been good, “promising lightly and breaking faith” was a direct violation of the Founder’s teachings. More importantly, if they didn’t agree, those twenty bottles of Luofu Spring wine that had been lost and found again would slip right away from their mouths once more.
Jian xian said with a hearty smile, “Young Master Wang, please do not be angry. Senior Brother had only said half of what he meant. It is true that Dongming Temple never accepts female disciples, but it never said it cannot help those in distress and aid the weak. Young Master Wang is facing an urgent crisis now, so how could we stand by and watch with folded arms?”
“Right, right, right. As long as Young Master Wang doesn’t mention it to outsiders after learning it, it does no harm to teach you a few simple moves.”
Teng Yuyi stood up and bowed, “Please rest assured, masters. My original intention was never to covet your temple’s sword techniques. As long as I can smoothly clear my meridians, I will never speak a word of what shouldn’t be said. Counting the soup I drank last night, the remaining time is less than three days. Since you masters have agreed, why don’t we start practicing right now?”
As she spoke, she made to unsheathe the Xiaoya Sword. Jian xian hurriedly stopped her, “Hey, no rush. Let the few of us discuss first which set of moves is the easiest to pick up.”
This discussion lasted for nearly half an hour. By the time the Luofu Spring wine on the table was almost finished, Jian tian smacked his lips and said, “Our humble temple excels in sword techniques. Since Young Master Wang is a beginner, why not start learning from a sword technique with fewer moves?”
“How many moves are there in total?”
“Not many, thirty-six moves.”
Teng Yuyi almost spat out a mouthful of wine. She couldn’t even handle ten moves of the Keling Sword Technique; how long would it take to learn thirty-six moves?
“Young Master Wang, don’t look at us like that. This set of moves is called the Beihe Sword Technique. It refers to ‘wearing coarse clothing on the body while harboring jade in the heart,’ stressing the cultivation of obscurity in proper times. It is a famous hermit’s sword technique. Once you master it, you can be considered to have entered the doors of the Taoist sect. Furthermore, although there are many moves, they are simple and easy to understand. If you don’t believe it, you can ask the two little Taoist masters.”
Teng Yuyi shifted her gaze to the left, and Juesheng and Qizhi nodded their heads.
However, the two were quietly calculating in their hearts. Even if it was easy to pick up, practicing all thirty-six moves would take at least two full days—and that was assuming no rest or sleep. The Five Taoists could take turns in shifts, but Lady Teng only had one body. Even if she was refreshed after drinking the Fire Jade Spirit Root soup, she wouldn’t be able to handle it after practicing.
They had felt guilty toward Teng Yuyi all day long. As soon as their confinement was lifted, they sought out Teng Yuyi to explain the reason, saying that this matter was entirely caused by their taking initiative on their own and really couldn’t be blamed on Senior Brother.
Lady Teng said she understood out loud, but as soon as they looked at Lady Teng’s expression, they knew she definitely felt Senior Brother did it on purpose. Later, they explained a few more times, only for the story to get darker the more they painted it.
Now there was no other way; helping Lady Teng digest it as soon as possible was what truly mattered. If only they could get Senior Brother to agree to teach that Peach Blossom Sword Technique, that would be great. That was the easiest Taoist sword technique to learn in the world, so Lady Teng wouldn’t grow hot sores and could get seven or eight years of cultivation strength for free.
Unfortunately, it had been brought up once last night and was rejected on the spot by Senior Brother. They hadn’t seen the sword manual themselves, so even if they wanted to teach Lady Teng, they had no way to start.
Seeing that Juesheng and Qizhi also nodded, Teng Yuyi drew her sword enthusiastically once more, “Good, then it shall be the Beihe Sword Technique. Masters, let us begin right away.”
The Five Taoists lined up in a row, set up their stances, and taught two moves, only for two yamen runners from the Court of Judicial Review to walk over and say, “Please return to your rooms immediately.”
The Five Taoists exchanged glances with one another, “We are merely practicing martial arts in the rear garden without bothering anyone else. Must you meddle in this as well?”
“Review Officer Lin instructed that without his permission, no one is allowed to wander outside tonight.”
clean-cut shock registered on the Five Taoists’ faces, “Is it because of the murder case? But we are not people of Caifeng Tower; we are only here temporarily to help capture demons—”
“This subordinate is merely following orders.”
Teng Yuyi inquired of the yamen runner, “Is Prince Cheng’s Shizi making this arrangement because he worries that someone else might meet with an accident next?”
The Five Taoists turned their heads in astonishment, “What do you mean by this?”
Teng Yuyi sheathed her sword, “We speculated earlier that the killer’s reluctance to throw away the sachet might not be because of the sachet itself, but because they couldn’t bear to part with the poison needles inside. Think about it—what would this person keep the poison needles for?”
“What else could poison needles be used for? Naturally… they can only be used to harm people.”
Juesheng and Qizhi broke into a shiver, “Young Master Wang, are you saying the killer will murder someone again?”
Someone chuckled over from that direction, “How lively it is here.”
Juesheng and Qizhi hurriedly rushed over to greet him, “Senior Brother, the five seniors cannot be confined to their rooms. They promised to teach Young Master Wang sword techniques, and this has only just begun.”
The Five Taoists clamored as well, “Yes, yes! If we stop right here, don’t even think about finishing the remaining moves within the time limit.”
Lin Chengyou’s gaze swept across everyone’s faces. He hadn’t expected that after going out for a trip, the Five Taoists would actually begin teaching Teng Yuyi sword techniques in proper style. He wasn’t surprised that Teng Yuyi could convince the five of them to pass on their skills; thinking about it, it was nothing more than the usual tactics of coercion and inducement. This sword technique seemed to suit Teng Yuyi’s style remarkably well; if she truly managed to master it and clear her channels, it would count as her own ability.
He spoke to the two yamen runners, “You two return to the front building first. I have other arrangements for the few of them.”
Jian xi shouted out, “That’s more like it! Shizi, we were brought here by you after all. It’s fine if others are confined, but we will absolutely not be cooped up in our rooms.”
Jian tian stared at Lin Chengyou for a moment, and an idea suddenly hatched in his mind.
He hurriedly said to Teng Yuyi, “Young Master Wang, in truth, our humble temple’s Beihe Sword Technique is nothing special. The Peach Blossom Sword Technique is the simplest and easiest Taoist sword technique in the world. However, that isn’t external martial arts at all; its exquisite brilliance lies not in the moves, but in the mental cultivation formula. It is said that when an expert who had attained the Dao lived as a hermit in Mount Zhongnan years ago, he often took his frail and sickly wife into the mountains to pick herbal medicine. His wife knew no martial arts, yet possessed a profound understanding of medical principles. Having lived in the mountains for a long time, she would occasionally ingest spirit herbs by mistake. To help his wife digest and assimilate them, that senior came up with this set of Peach Blossom Sword Technique. I’ve heard that it requires no background in martial arts; clever ones only need one run-through to learn it, and even if someone is a bit foolish, half an hour is enough.”
Teng Yuyi was having a headache over how to learn thirty-six moves within two days.
Upon hearing these words, her eyes sparkled instantly, “Why not teach this set then?”
Jian le shook his head sorrowfully, “This sword technique is said to have been lost long ago. It was only when a prince from the Kingdom of Bohai came to pay tribute many years ago that this sword manual resurfaced in the world. It is likely kept either in the palace or inside Qingyun Temple right now. You two little Taoist masters, have you learned this sword technique before?”
“We’ve heard of it,” Qizhi said sheepishly, “but we’ve never learned it. However, this sword manual has always been kept in the temple, so Senior Brother should have read it long ago.”
Jian tian seized the chance and urged, “Isn’t Shizi right here? Young Master Wang, why don’t you let Shizi teach you the Peach Blossom Sword Technique instead?”
He had already planned it out just now: teaching the sword was too exhausting, so why not dump this matter onto Lin Chengyou? Regardless, the Fire Jade Spirit Root was obtained by Lin Chengyou, and he bore a certain responsibility for Lady Teng’s accidental ingestion.
If Lin Chengyou didn’t help her digest it, who else would?
The moment these words came out, the expressions of both Teng Yuyi and Lin Chengyou turned peculiar at the same time.
Teng Yuyi knew full well that Lin Chengyou would never teach her sword techniques; the Five Taoists bringing up this terrible idea was a clear attempt to throw her off onto someone else.
Lin Chengyou, however, was thinking—were the Five Taoists doing this on purpose? Did they truly not know the alternative name of the Peach Blossom Sword Technique?
Recalling the moves in the sword manual, he flicked his eyes toward Teng Yuyi.
Teaching Teng Yuyi like that? How could that be possible?
He sized up the expressions of the Five Taoists suspiciously, feeling that they might have just said it offhandedly. That made sense too—very few people had ever seen this sword manual, and even if people had heard of the technique, they wouldn’t know the secrets within it.
“Shizi, how about it?” Jian tian said, “The Peach Blossom Sword Technique is far easier to learn than the Beihe Sword Technique. With you personally teaching Young Master Wang, I guarantee she will learn it very quickly.”
Lin Chengyou smiled, “I have glanced at that sword manual a couple of times, but I cannot teach Young Master Wang either. Since Young Master Wang has already started learning your temple’s Beihe Sword Technique, do not be half-hearted. I looked just now; Young Master Wang possesses exceptionally high comprehension. If you start practicing earlier, learning it in two days is well within reach. Once you truly digest it, that will be gaining seven or eight years of cultivation strength out of thin air.”
Although he said this, he also knew that Teng Yuyi might not necessarily be able to learn the sword technique in such a short time. If she failed to digest it, it was very likely that hot sores would break out…
At worst, he could go into the palace to fetch a bottle of Jade Radiance Pills for her. Last year, the Crown Prince grew a face full of red hot sores, yet after applying the Jade Radiance Pills, not a single trace was left on his face. It was said that this medicine could eliminate light, old scars, so a few pimples and sores would naturally be nothing to worry about.
Unfortunately, it was kept in the Empress’s hands. If he were to ask for the medicine on Teng Yuyi’s behalf, he would still have to think of a pretext in advance.
