Capture the Jade (Attacking the Jade/Inverted Fate/Inverted Jade) - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Teng Yuyi’s heart leaped into her throat. If she weren’t bound by the rule not to move recklessly, she would have rushed over to Juesheng to inspect everything herself.

Lin Chengyou kept his gaze fixed on Juesheng.

“Who is it referring to?”

Juesheng was anxious beyond measure.

Tian Yunde had lost both hands, and gesturing with his severed wrists left far too broad a range.

In desperate haste, Juesheng jabbed his finger at a particular name.

“Boss Tian, is this the person you’re referring to?”

Tian Yunde shook his head frantically, thrusting his severed wrists forward with a tremble.

At that exact moment, the ghostly shadow of Madam Qi suddenly shook violently like a piece of paper.

Disregarding the red cord tied around her waist, she let out a piercing shriek and attempted to leap out of the formation.

Lin Chengyou was caught off guard by Madam Qi’s sudden assault.

He steadied the red cord with his right hand while decisively flinging out a talisman with his left.

But before he could subdue her, seven oil lamps flickered and went out simultaneously with a soft poof.

The small Buddha hall was instantly plunged into pitch darkness.

Realizing something was amiss, Lin Chengyou dispatched a flying talisman to ignite the candles on the altar behind him. The flames flickered for a moment, and his vision broadened once more.

The cords now lay quietly slack on the ground; the ghosts of the Tian couple had long since fled.

Lin Chengyou snapped the red cord tied to his fingers, stood up, and stepped out of the formation.

“Who did Tian Yunde mean just now?”

Juesheng drew a circle on the registry.

“The severed wrists were roughly pointing to this section.”

Lin Chengyou focused his gaze. Inside the circle were six names: Wo Ji, E Ji, Ge Jin, He Mingsheng, Baozhu, and Juan erli.

They had been just one step away from identifying the culprit.

Lin Chengyou sneered, “No matter. At worst, we simply do it again.”

As he turned to restart the array, the Taoist priests rushed over to stop him.

“Ah, no! You mustn’t! This is a dark art—you must be careful, Shizi, lest it harm your spiritual cultivation!”

Lin Chengyou squatted down to light the oil lamps.

“There are still many unanswered questions. Since we now know the killer is tied to the Tian couple, we might as well get to the bottom of it all at once.”

Jian Tian shook his head.

“As practitioners of the righteous path, we should never dabble in dark arts to begin with. Doing it once to investigate the case can be overlooked, but restarting the array over and over is out of the question.”

Hearing the word “dabble,” Lin Chengyou felt a sudden jolt through his body.

What was wrong with him?

Fully aware of the immense harm involved, he had still insisted on restarting the array.

Just a moment ago, his mind was entirely consumed by how to force out the killer’s name, unyielding to anyone’s interference.

Was such obsession not the very definition of succumbing to a dark nature without realizing it? No wonder Master had warned that “every art that defies heaven and reason harbors hidden danger.”

Even though he had been sufficiently on guard, he had almost fallen into the trap.

Lin Chengyou composed himself, blew out the candle in his hand, stood up, and chuckled softly.

“Senior, your reminder was correct. I was confused just now.”

Juesheng and Qizhi finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Teng Yuyi did not understand why the array could not be restarted, but judging by how nervous the Taoist priests were, she assumed it was related to some taboo in Taoist magic.

Lowering her eyes to the names on the registry, she pondered for a moment before speaking up.

“Twelve strokes—there is only one person here whose surname has twelve strokes.”

Qizhi said excitedly, “Let me take a look.”

Then he suddenly froze, dumbfounded. “Eh? Madam E?”

Juesheng was equally incredulous.

“How could it be her?”

Jian Xi sighed with emotion.

“You really can’t tell from appearances. This E Ji has always been slick and agreeable; who would have thought she could be so treacherous behind the scenes? Judging by her usual speech and conduct, one truly couldn’t tell she possessed such formidable skills.”

Jian Le nudged him with his shoulder.

“Xixi, that’s where you’re wrong. The deeper a person’s internal strength, the better they know how to conceal it. I only find it strange—how did she end up nursing a grudge against the Tian couple, and why did she want to harm Yaohuang and her sister ?”

“Don’t forget that E Ji is an established private courtesan in Pingkang Ward. She was living here back when the Caibo silk shop was still around,” Jian Xian said, his eyes brightening as he spoke.

“When you put it that way, everything fits together! E Ji not only knew the Tian couple, but she’s also the procuress of Caifeng Tower. Both pairs of the deceased had ties to her!”

Teng Yuyi coughed twice.

“However, as far as I know, courtesan-entertainers usually use stage names, and I expect the procuresses are no exception.”

Lin Chengyou, who was inspecting the broken red cord, paused to think upon hearing her words.

Teng Yuyi certainly knew a lot.

In all his years, apart from investigating cases and capturing demons, he had hardly ever stepped foot into Pingkang Ward.

She, on the other hand, had hired Juan’ erli and Baozhu with lavish generosity right upon arrival, and seemed to know quite a deal about the intricacies surrounding these courtesans.

Yet she was right; E Ji did not necessarily have the surname E.

What her real name actually was would depend on checking her indenture contract.

He picked up the silver nails scattered across the ground.

Though the array had failed halfway through, the harvest was still considerable.

Juesheng and Qizhi asked, “Senior Brother, are you heading back to the front building?”

“I’m going to investigate what wicked deeds the Tian couple committed while they were alive. You two gather everything on the ground, and don’t you dare lose my bamboo hamper.”

Though the two bailiffs had not turned around earlier, they had still been terrified.

Lin Chengyou walked up to them, retrieved two calming pills from his robe, and handed them over with a smile.

“No need to watch over this place anymore. Go down and take a good rest.”

Their nerves slightly settled, the bailiffs nodded and departed.

Teng Yuyi’s mind was entirely consumed by practicing swordplay.

Setting up the array had taken over half an hour; had she used that time to practice, it would have been enough to learn a move or two.

The moment Lin Chengyou took his leave, she unsheathed her sword.

“Honorable Masters, before the food and wine arrive, let us practice a few moves first.”

The Taoist priests had intended to rest, but seeing the glowing enthusiasm in Teng Yuyi’s eyes, they knew resting was off the table.

Pouting discontentedly, they ambled over to the long table.

Teng Yuyi shuddered.

One old Taoist priest pouting was barely tolerable; five old Taoist priests pouting simultaneously was nothing short of a grotesque spectacle.

Fortunately, she could turn her back under the guise of sword practice, saving herself from being forced to endure the sight.

—

Over by the doorway, Lin Chengyou was met head-on by a bailiff just as he reached the threshold.

“Shizi, a courtesan wishes to see you.”

“Who?”

“A lady named Baozhu.”

Her?

Lin Chengyou nodded.

“Bring her over.”

Shortly after, guided by the bailiff, Baozhu entered the Buddha hall.

She appeared to have dressed up with particular care tonight, a light touch of rouge applied to her cheeks and her lips looking fresher and suppler than during the day.

She kept her head lowered, staring at the hem of her skirt, walking with conscious charm in every step.

Upon entering, however, she suddenly realized the room was full of people.

Startled, she halted in her tracks, and her expression grew even more unnatural when she caught sight of Teng Yuyi.

Panicking, she bowed gracefully. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Teng Yuyi cast a strange glance at Baozhu.

Did she think Lin Chengyou was here alone?

“What do you have to report?”

Baozhu bit her lip and released it, causing her lips to instantly flush a rich, full red.

Lin Chengyou knitted his brows with impatience.

“Is there something or not?”

Baozhu shrank back, but still didn’t speak up.

“It seems there is nothing, then.”

Lin Chengyou nodded with a smile, before suddenly darkening his expression.

“Someone come! Escort this entertainer to the Court of Judicial Review. Impeding officials in the execution of their duties without cause warrants twenty lashes by law. Give her twenty strokes of the board first, and if she remains uncooperative, punish her further.”

Baozhu turned pale with fright and dropped to her knees on the floor.

“This humble girl… this humble girl indeed has an important matter to report! I simply didn’t know how to word it. I certainly didn’t mean to mock You, Shizi! I beg Your Highness to show mercy!”

She kowtowed repeatedly as she pleaded, clearly scared out of her wits.

Listening to the rhythmic thud, thud, thud of her head hitting the floor, the five Taoist priests couldn’t help but feel somewhat sympathetic.

This little beauty had dressed up specially to come over, likely harboring other intentions, but so what? With such exquisite beauty, a little devious scheming was harmless enough.

That brat Lin Chengyou possessed a fine set of looks for nothing—he didn’t understand how to cherish beauty at all.

Lin Chengyou looked down at Baozhu.

“You had better know what’s good for you. If you dare beat around the bush again—”

“This humble girl would never dare speak rashly!”

Dizzy and faint, Baozhu rested her forehead weakly against the floor.

Whatever subtle hopes she had previously harbored were now entirely replaced by terror.

“This afternoon, when Shizi summoned a few of us for questioning, I recalled a very strange matter after returning to my room. Shizi inquired today about the small Buddha hall and that Unfettered Daoist. In truth, Juan erli caught a glimpse of the Unfettered Daoist last month. I do not know if Juan erli mentioned this to Shizi.”

A slight ripple passed through Lin Chengyou’s eyes.

Last month? The Unfettered Daoist hadn’t shown his face for half a year; so he had actually returned to Chang’an in the interim.

“Where did she see the Unfettered Daoist?”

Not daring to raise her head, Baozhu recounted everything in honest detail.

It had happened on the eighth day of the month.

E Ji had granted special permission for Baozhu and Juan erli to visit the Bodhi Temple to offer incense.

Unluckily, Baozhu felt unwell, so Juan erli had no choice but to go out with the other young ladies.

Upon returning, she quietly told Baozhu, “The master sends people to Luoyang every day to capture the Unfettered Daoist, but who knew that priest was actually hiding in Chang’an!”

Baozhu hurriedly asked what had happened.

Juan erli replied, “After the sisters finished burning incense at the temple, they dropped by a tavern to buy some green-ant wine. I went to the shop across the street to buy candied cherries for you, and as I stepped out, I saw a Taoist priest walking past in a hurry. I thought to myself, isn’t that the Unfettered Daoist?”

Baozhu was startled upon hearing this. She had seen the Unfettered Daoist when he visited Caifeng Tower; he had a red face, a curly beard, and a long sword slung at his waist.

He didn’t look like an ordinary Taoist priest, but rather had the air of a wandering knight-errant.

His appearance was far too unusual, so it was no wonder Juan erli could recognize him at a glance.

“Isn’t that man a fraud? What was he doing?”

Juan erli had said, “He looked as if he were tracking someone. Unfortunately, the street was crowded with people, and he vanished in a flash.”

Baozhu urgently advised, “Doesn’t the master hate this priest to death? Quickly tell the master about this!”

Juan erli hesitated before saying, “That priest doesn’t look like a bad person. Perhaps he’s just wandering abroad and didn’t intentionally mean to swindle people out of their money. If the master catches him, he’ll inevitably face imprisonment. Maybe we should just let it be.”

As the two were discussing it, Qingzhi passed by the doorway in high spirits. Many entertainers had gone out for a stroll today, and Qingzhi was no exception.

She was clutching a large parcel of food in her arms, looking as though she had gathered quite a haul.

She appeared to have overheard Baozhu and Juan erli’s conversation, but she didn’t come in to press further.

Shortly after Qingzhi left, E Ji came in.

Juan erli whispered to Baozhu, “I wonder if they heard what we said.”

Baozhu replied, “If Madam E heard it, she definitely would have questioned us face to face. Qingzhi, on the other hand, might not have. We weren’t speaking softly just now, so I reckon she heard a few sentences. That girl has a loose tongue; she’ll surely try to take credit with the master.”

Yet after several days passed, there was no movement from He Mingsheng’s side.

Baozhu and Juan erli guessed that either Qingzhi hadn’t paid attention to what they were saying that day, or she hadn’t had the chance to inform the master yet.

After finishing her narrative, Baozhu looked up timorously at Lin Chengyou.

Lin Chengyou knit his brows in thought.

This clue was of paramount importance—why had Juan erli kept completely silent about it?

Seeming to guess what Lin Chengyou was thinking, Baozhu said with trepidation, “To tell Shizi the truth, ever since Juan erli was abducted by that male demon once, her spirits have been quite poor. She used to be an extremely talkative person, but recently she’s always dazed. Sometimes when I chat with her, she can’t even remember things between us. I estimate she didn’t conceal it intentionally, but rather truly forgot. I beg Shizi to consider that she has not yet recovered from her illness and not blame her.”

Over on the other side, Teng Yuyi was taken aback upon hearing this.

No wonder Juan erli had been acting dazed these past few days—she had been thoroughly frightened by the Golden-Robed Gentleman. That was hardly surprising; who wouldn’t be terrified coming across such a powerful demon? A more timid person might have been driven mad on the spot.

Qizhi, being soft-hearted, couldn’t help but interject, “Lady, you need not worry. Juan erli’s mind was disturbed on one hand, and she mistakenly entered a phantom realm on the other. She originally needed quiet rest to recover, but unluckily, frequent mishaps have occurred recently. This is a case of neglected recuperation. Later, we’ll send her some soothing and qi-nourishing talisman soup, and she’ll recover after resting a while longer.”

Baozhu was endlessly grateful.

“Thank you, Little Priest.”

Lin Chengyou looked at Baozhu.

“After that day, did anyone ever bring this matter up in front of you?”

“No,” Baozhu shook her head.

“If Shizi hadn’t inquired about the Unfettered Daoist this afternoon, I might not have recalled it either. Thinking it might be related to capturing the murderer, yet worried Juan erli had forgotten, I plucked up the courage to come and report it.”

Lin Chengyou pondered for a moment, then asked again, “Besides Juan erli, did anyone else see that Unfettered Daoist in Chang’an?”

“No one else either,” Baozhu added.

“At least, neither of us has heard of anyone.”

—

After Baozhu left, Lin Chengyou also went to the front building.

Having practiced a few moves, Teng Yuyi gradually felt the broad robe on her body growing greasy and heavy.

Sweating profusely, she needed to return to her room to change into fresh clothes.

Thus, she requested leave from the five Taoist priests, intending to return to Yicui Pavilion accompanied by steward Cheng and Huo Qiu.

Juesheng and Qizhi chased after her.

“Young Master Wang, we’ll walk with you.”

Knowing they were worried about the corpse demon breaking in, Teng Yuyi smiled as she walked forward.

“I still have some pastries over at my place; I’ll fetch them for you to eat.”

The two nodded happily.

Juesheng counted on his fingers.

“Qizhi, has Young Master Wang learned twelve moves in total now?”

“Thirteen moves,” Qizhi exhaled with serene calm.

“Only twenty-three moves left to master the whole thing.”

Teng Yuyi glanced at them with a smile.

She hadn’t expected them to be so invested in her learning martial arts.

At her current pace, there was hope she could finish practicing before nightfall tomorrow.

She only hoped no further disruptions would occur along the way, lest her hard work be in vain.

They soon arrived at Yicui Pavilion. The surroundings were quiet, with two bailiffs patrolling the corridor. The courtesans and procuresses remained confined to their respective rooms.

Steward Cheng waited in the adjacent room while Teng Yuyi went straight to her room to change clothes. After a brief wash, she retrieved several packages of vegetarian pastries that Juesheng and Qizhi liked.

Thinking that the five Taoist priests were still in the small Buddha hall, she also placed meat delicacies like pickled fish onto the tray along the way.

Having gathered everything, she looked around and noticed a small dish of candied cherries sitting on the long table.

Teng Yuyi froze for a moment.

This item had been laid out when Baozhu and Juan erli visited that day; it should have been put away long ago, but somehow had been forgotten.

She crossed the room and opened the door, yet felt an underlying sense of unease in her heart.

Hearing the commotion, Steward Cheng and the others approached.

Teng Yuyi spoke absentmindedly to Huo Qiu, “Carry these snacks to the small Buddha hall.”

Juesheng and Qizhi were the first to dash into the room. “Don’t trouble Brother Huo, let us do it!”

Huo Qiu was of an honest and straightforward nature.

He was about to speak with a hearty chuckle when he happened to catch the expression on Teng Yuyi’s face.

Surprised, he asked, “Young Master, what’s wrong?”

Teng Yuyi paused in her tracks, turned around, and walked toward the other side of the corridor.

“I need to go to the front building.”

Steward Cheng and the others exchanged glances, following closely behind in surprise.

As soon as Teng Yuyi arrived at the front building, she looked left and right.

“Where is Lin Chengyou?”

The bailiffs did not know Teng Yuyi’s real identity, only finding this young gentleman a bit peculiar.

“Reviewer Lin is on the second floor. Does this young master have business with him?”

“My surname is Wang. Please pass a message on my behalf, saying that Wang has an urgent matter to inform him about.”

The bailiffs hesitated slightly.

Ever since the Shizi and Judicial Officer Yan brought back several case files from the Court of Judicial Review, they had instructed the bailiffs to await the Wannian County Legal Officer downstairs while remaining on the second floor to examine the documents themselves.

The bailiffs had kindly bought sesame cakes and hot soup to bring up, only to be turned away at the door.

“Reviewer Lin might not be willing to see you,” a bailiff spoke up.

“Wait here a moment; I’ll go up and ask.”

—

Lin Chengyou stood leaning against the moon window, his eyes fixed on the portrait in his hand.

Although He Mingsheng came from a merchant background, his artistry was quite good.

The Unfettered Daoist in this portrait matched Baozhu’s description almost perfectly: tall and burly, with thick eyebrows and a curly beard, wearing black robes and straw sandals, possessing a heroic air at first glance.

He Mingsheng had drawn four portraits in total.

One was currently in the hands of the Jinwu Guard and the Mounted Archers, while the other two had been sent to two city gates respectively.

Within an hour, a dragnet would be cast inside and outside the city; the moment this priest showed his face, he would be apprehended immediately.

“You never know until you investigate,” Judicial Officer Yan said with a bitter smile under the lamp at the writing desk.

“Turns out that among the six people, three actually have surnames with ‘twelve strokes’! Juan erli’s real name is Qiong Qinwa, E Ji’s real surname is Tan, and Ge Jin’s real surname is Dong.”

Lin Chengyou picked up the conversation.

“And Baozhu—she was an orphan when she was picked up, and had no name or surname before being purchased.”

Judicial Officer Yan conscientiously added Baozhu’s name, then casually went to cross out He Mingsheng’s name.

“It seems this matter has nothing to do with Boss He then.”

Lin Chengyou, however, said, “Hold on.”

Judicial Officer Yan was startled.

“What is it? Could He Mingsheng also be using an alias?”

Lin Chengyou frowned.

“Earlier, I sent people to Luoyang to look into his background. His father is a prominent merchant in Luoyang, and his background shows no issues. However, he is the master of this establishment after all. Whether setting up the array in the small Buddha hall over a long period or concealing evidence after committing murder, it is far more convenient for him to act than for anyone else in the building.”

Judicial Officer Yan tapped his finger on Gejin’s name.

“After Gejin was disfigured, she spent her time recovering in her room. Reasonably speaking, she had the least possibility of committing murder.”

Lin Chengyou mused, “But she has a motive to kill.”

“Motive?”

Judicial Officer Yan said in astonishment.

“She doesn’t even know she was harmed by Qingzhi and Yao Huang, so how could—”

Suddenly, a quiet realization struck him.

That was merely Gejin’s side of the story. Perhaps she had known long ago who had harmed her, yet intentionally put on such a performance in front of everyone that night.

That wasn’t impossible; after all, no one in Caifeng Tower hated the sisters more than she did.

Unsettled by suspicion, Judicial Officer Yan said, “Then… it seems Juan erli and Baozhu carry the least suspicion.”

Lin Chengyou remarked again, “Don’t you think Juan erli’s dullness is a bit excessive?”

“You suspect she’s pretending?” Judicial Officer Yan’s gaze drifted over the portrait of the Unfettered Daoist.

“That makes sense. Baozhu’s words tonight also prove that Juan erli has been concealing an important clue all along. But as a Hu foreigner, how could she be connected to the Taozhi Embroidery Workshop in Yuezhou?”

Lin Chengyou pondered the matter back and forth, then walked over to a low couch and laid down facing upward. Having not closed his eyes for two nights, he was truly exhausted.

“Let’s not think about it for now. In any case, Officer Hong hasn’t arrived yet; I’ll catch a short nap first.”

Just as he closed his eyes, a knock sounded at the door.

Without opening his eyes, Lin Chengyou asked, “What is it?”

“Someone is requesting to see Reviewer Lin, saying they have an urgent matter to report.”

Lin Chengyou thought of Baozhu, a wave of distaste rising in his chest.

An urgent matter? Where do all these urgent matters keep coming from?

“I won’t see them. Tell her to beat it.”

“The person said his surname is Wang, and he seems quite anxious.”

Lin Chengyou turned over and sat up from the couch.

“Bring him up.”

The bailiff left to carry out the order, returning a moment later.

“Reviewer Lin, the person is here.”

Lin Chengyou opened the door and stepped out, indeed seeing Teng Yuyi waiting in the corridor.

She was wearing a fresh broad robe, complete with a proper headwrap, her forehead glistening with tiny beads of sweat, yet her scent remained strikingly pure and fragrant.

Failing to discern what scent it was, he gave her a side-long glance.

“What do you want with me?”

Teng Yuyi decided to cut a long story short.

“I think something is off with Baozhu.”

“Oh? In what way is she off?”

“On the day Qingzhi met with her accident, I invited her and Juan erli to my room to sing. Curious about the cause of Qingzhi’s death, I inquired about her with them. At that time, a dish of candied cherries was placed in my room. Baozhu was speaking normally at first, but when she suddenly saw the candied cherries, her expression changed entirely. When I asked her what was wrong, she said seeing the cherries reminded her of something. I asked her what it was, and she said she had once caught Qingzhi hiding jewelry inside candied cherries.”

“That story sounded perfectly reasonable, so I didn’t harbor any suspicions. After Baozhu left, I went to the small Buddha hall with Juesheng and Qizhi to find the five Taoists, just in time for your return. The five Taoists asked you about the case, and thinking Baozhu’s words were an important clue, I intentionally brought it up in front of you. You didn’t seem surprised in the slightest, showing you had known about it long ago. May I ask Your Highness, when did Baozhu mention this matter to you?”

Lin Chengyou vaguely guessed what Teng Yuyi was puzzled about. The morning he discovered something was wrong with Qingzhi’s corpse, he and Judicial Officer Yan had summoned the people in the building one by one for questioning. It was during that very interrogation that he had heard about the candied cherries from Baozhu’s mouth.

He said, “She told me on the morning Qingzhi’s body was discovered.”

Teng Yuyi said, “That is precisely what I find strange. Since she had already told you about this in the morning, why would she lose her composure like that upon seeing that dish of candied cherries in the afternoon?”

That’s quite interesting.

Lin Chengyou mulled it over.

“In the morning, she not only told me, but described it in extreme detail. Logically, seeing another dish of candied cherries shouldn’t have caused her such a sudden shock—unless…”

“Unless what made her lose her composure was something else,” Teng Yuyi said, grasping the point fully.

“She deliberately used the candied cherries and Qingzhi as a cover to hide the real reason behind her loss of composure.”

Lin Chengyou’s interest was piqued.

“So what was Baozhu doing in your room at that time? Was anyone else present in the room?”

“Besides me, there were only the two little Taoist priests. By the time the candied cherries were served, our conversation was nearly finished. I asked Juan erli and Baozhu to play [The Lotus Gathering Song] for me, but Juan erli had barely started before Baozhu looked as if she had seen a ghost. It was only because I repeatedly questioned her that she offered that explanation. To be honest, that explanation was seamless; had I not happened to learn that she had detailed Qingzhi’s matter to you beforehand, I wouldn’t have suspected a thing.”

“The Lotus Gathering Song…” Lin Chengyou pondered.

This song was requested by Teng Yuyi, and Baozhu had already started playing it, so losing her composure shouldn’t have been because of the song itself.

“What about outside in the corridor?” he asked again.

“Did anyone happen to pass by, or speak loudly?”

Teng Yuyi shook her head.

“I don’t recall clearly. The two little Taoist priests were also present at the time; how about I go back and ask them again?”

Having said that, she fell silent.

Lin Chengyou waited for a while, and seeing that Teng Yuyi wasn’t going to continue, he said, “Is that all?”

Teng Yuyi smiled.

“That’s all.”

Yet she made no move to leave. Lin Chengyou chuckled secretly to himself—he knew very well that Teng Yuyi never came without a reason.

Feigning ignorance, he turned around to push open the door.

“Very well, I’ve noted the matter. Young Master Wang, please take your leave.”

Just as his hand touched the doorframe, he heard Teng Yuyi say with a pleasant smile, “Please wait a moment, Shizi.”

Lin Chengyou turned back with feigned surprise.

“Does Young Master Wang have further business?”

“As Shizi has seen,” Teng Yuyi said cordially, “I have dealt with the procuresses and courtesans in this establishment quite a bit. There are words they might not be willing to tell you, but would tell me quite candidly. Take Juan erli and Baozhu, for instance; I know full well down to how many scars they have on their bodies. Sometimes, an offhand remark from them proves to be a crucial clue.”

Lin Chengyou pretended to listen attentively.

“Go on.”

“Having stayed here these past few days, I’ve heard my fair share of idle chatter. Yet for some reason, even though certain words are right on the tip of my tongue, I just can’t bring them to mind. Logically, my memory shouldn’t be this poor. Thinking it over, it can only be due to drinking the Fire Jade Spirit Root Soup—the true qi is coursing wildly through my body, leaving my mind in a complete jumble.”

“That makes some sense.”

Lin Chengyou nodded with utter solemnity.

“So, what does Young Master Wang intend to do?”

“If Shizi has a prescription to neutralize it, please tell me at once.”

Not wanting to reveal that he intended to enter the palace to obtain the Jade Radiance Pills, he deliberately played dumb.

“A prescription? What prescription?”

Teng Yuyi was astonished.

“Naturally, the prescription to neutralize the Fire Jade Spirit Root Soup. I have dealt with all the individuals currently under the highest suspicion. If I can neutralize the Fire Jade Spirit Root Soup sooner, I can also recall important clues that much earlier.”

Lin Chengyou chuckled softly.

“Teng Yuyi, you really take the cake. What a long way for you to go around, only to end up back at this after all.”

Teng Yuyi offered a radiant smile.

“This benefits us both. The murderer is exceptionally crafty, and the courtesans each harbour their own sinister designs. You have been investigating for quite a few days now, Shizi, yet still remain completely without a clue. If an outsider were to recall some key clues at this juncture, perhaps the truth might surface. My recalling Baozhu’s strange behavior just now is one such example.”

A vein twitched at Lin Chengyou’s temple.

Investigating for quite a few days? Still completely without a clue?

What did Teng Yuyi mean by that? Was she practically plastering “contempt” across her face?

What a joke.

What right did she have to look down on him? The clues had been largely sorted out, and the truth was right within reach—he would drag the killer out by tomorrow morning at the very latest.

“I told you the method to neutralize it long ago,” he sneered.

“Believe it or not, it’s up to you. Rather than scheming like this, Lady Teng would do better to count how many hours she has left. Whether you practice your martial arts doesn’t matter much, but breaking out in hot sores certainly wouldn’t be pleasant.”

Having said this, he turned, pushed open the door, then turned his head back to glare at her sideways.

“Is Young Master Wang still not leaving?”

Teng Yuyi felt a wave of irritation, turned on her heel, and marched down the stairs with heavy steps.

Everyone had been anxious to find the murderer these past few days, and she had participated as well.

She had originally intended to appeal to his reason and emotions, but who would have thought Lin Chengyou was so obstinate and incorrigible?

In truth, it wasn’t that she insisted on taking a shortcut, but rather that she worried the two monsters might break in at any moment.

She constantly suspected that Lin Chengyou was hiding a better method of neutralization without telling her, which was why she had asked.

If there truly were a medicinal soup, she wouldn’t have to worry about failing to master the sword techniques in time.

Now, her hopes were completely dashed. It seemed she could only train relentlessly without sleep or rest.

She let out a icy, silent laugh in her heart: He who does not avenge an offense is no gentleman. Lin Chengyou, just you wait.

Upon returning to the room, Lin Chengyou walked straight to the writing desk, opened a certain case file, and began leafing through it rapidly.

Judicial Officer Yan said gently, “Chengyou, didn’t you say just now that you were going to rest for a bit?”

“Not resting anymore.”

Lin Chengyou’s expression was focused as he finished flipping through one scroll and picked up the next.

Judicial Officer Yan was somewhat puzzled.

Why had he suddenly refused to rest?

He looked toward the room door with curiosity.

“What did Young Master Wang come to see you for just now?”

Just as Lin Chengyou was about to answer nonchalantly, a bailiff rushed up from outside and knocked on the door.

“Reviewer Lin, we’ve captured those Hu merchants who sold the Rotting Heart Herb!”

Lin Chengyou perked up, dropping his things to open the door.

“Have the people been brought here?”

“They are all temporarily detained at the Court of Judicial Review.”

The bailiff wiped away his sweat.

“These men are implicated in other cases as well. The Chief Minister feared trouble on the road and refused to let them be brought to Caifeng Tower. However, the Chief Minister interrogated the Hu merchants on your behalf, Reviewer Lin. Half a month ago, someone from Caifeng Tower indeed attempted to purchase Rotting Heart Herb from them, but because the merchants didn’t have enough medicinal powder on hand at the time, the transaction fell through in the end.”

Lin Chengyou’s gaze sharpened.

“Who?”

The bailiff said, “Lady Gejin.”

Judicial Officer Yan was deeply shocked.

“It was really her?”

“Lady Gejin was already disfigured at the time and did not show her face personally. She merely entrusted a local rogue from Pingkang Ward named Tuotuo’er to help broker the deal. When Tuotuo’er failed to buy the powder, he sent word back to Lady Gejin through an intermediary. Upon hearing it, Lady Gejin merely said she understood, and didn’t mention wanting to buy it again.”

Judicial Officer Yan remained stunned for a long while before slowly nodding.

“Well, well—we were all played for fools by this Gejin. Chengyou, just as you said, no one wanted to kill the sisters more than Gejin did. She deliberately put on that show of misunderstanding Weizi just to clear herself of suspicion in public. Now that we’ve found out she intended to buy Rotting Heart Herb, can we make the arrest?”

Lin Chengyou paced two steps in thought.

While that made sense, would a killer with such depth of scheme make a grand display of buying Rotting Heart Herb? Moreover, even if Gejin had a motive to murder the sisters, what about the Tian couple?

Compared to the sisters, the Tian couple was where the killer’s evil deeds had begun.

Only by understanding the connection between the killer and the Tian couple could they explain that exceedingly wicked Seven-Ray Guidance Mark.

He stroked his chin, pondering as he was about to speak, when another bailiff came up from downstairs.

“Officer Hong has arrived.”

Lin Chengyou’s eyes lit up.

“Quickly invite him up.”

Legal Officer Hong was the Judicial Legal Officer responsible for interrogations and trials in Wannian County.

All cases, large and small, within the county first had to pass through his hands, and any case the county could not adjudicate would be reported upward by him tier by tier.

Though his official rank was not high, he held considerable prestige among the common people.

Legal Officer Hong was a broad-shouldered, stout man who walked with formidable momentum. The curly beard on his face turned upward like iron hooks, yet his teeth were snow-white and gleaming.

Upon entering the room, he bowed with a warm smile.

“The cases of the Tian couple and Lady Rong were both investigated and handled by me. Here are the records from that time—one for Lady Rong, and one for the Tian couple. Which one would Reviewer Lin and Judicial Officer Yan like to hear first?”

Lin Chengyou invited him to take a seat.

“Let’s start with Lady Rong first.”

Legal Officer Hong lifted his robe and sat down.

“Lady Rong died on the night of the second day of the tenth month the year before last. No one reported the case that night; it was only the next morning that Madam Qi sent someone to notify the neighborhood head. I had long heard that Madam Qi frequently abused and beat Lady Rong, so I suspected Lady Rong’s death was related to her. However, after investigating a full round, both the shop assistants and neighbors stated that they heard no cries for help from Lady Rong on the night of the incident. The coroner’s autopsy also revealed that the cause of death was indeed drowning. Furthermore, there were witnesses testifying that in the days prior to her death, Lady Rong was constantly weeping alone in a corner, looking as though she had long resolved to die.”

“I was unable to determine whether Lady Rong committed suicide or was murdered, so I could only report the matter to Magistrate Dong. Magistrate Dong stated that Madam Qi lacked sufficient suspicion, and Tian Yunde showed no intention of pursuing the matter further. Coupled with the fact that Lady Rong no longer had any relatives in Yuezhou, further investigation was meaningless. I had no choice but to close the case accordingly.”

Judicial Officer Yan asked in surprise, “Tian Yunde didn’t pursue the matter? His concubine suddenly died, yet he had no reaction whatsoever? Where was he when Lady Rong died?”

Legal Officer Hong said, “Tian Yunde had gone to Yuezhou. Upon returning, he heard the news of Lady Rong’s death and fell ill that very night. Perhaps the illness struck too suddenly, but he never pursued Lady Rong’s death from start to finish. Later, it was Madam Qi who took out some silver money and instructed the shop assistants to retrieve Lady Rong’s corpse for burial.”

“Yuezhou—”

Lin Chengyou and Judicial Officer Yan were startled.

Legal Officer Hong was taken aback.

“What’s wrong?”

Lin Chengyou held his breath and asked, “What did Tian Yunde go to Yuezhou for?”

“To procure damask silk. I heard he came from a poor background in his early years, starting out by trading silks and satins. Although his business grew larger in recent years, he would still personally go to Yuezhou every year to select fabrics.”

So Tian Yunde had always maintained dealings with Yuezhou!

“Tian Yunde already suffered from severe headaches, and after he fell ill, the physicians said it was caused by excessive grief. Other physicians claimed he was sickened by fright. In any case, once the illness took hold, it came on with fierce intensity.”

Legal Officer Hong recalled slowly, “I don’t know what Tian Yunde was afraid of, but he suffered nightmares day and night. According to the shop assistants, during one instance when Tian Yunde was delirious from fever, he suddenly opened his eyes and claimed there were ghostly shadows pacing in the courtyard. When everyone heard this, wasn’t that precisely Lady Rong? From then on, rumors of the silk shop being haunted began to spread.”

Lin Chengyou’s expression shifted slightly.

“Wait a moment. The rumors of haunting spread after Tian Yunde fell ill?”

“Indeed. Precisely because Tian Yunde kept saying during his illness that there was a ghost in the courtyard, Madam Qi specifically ran to the well several times to hurl abuse, shouting things like, ‘You seduced and harmed people while alive, yet dare to make waves after death!’ Later, for some reason, even Madam Qi grew terrified, and one day she even ran to the nearby Qingsheng Temple to request a talisman to paste in the courtyard.”

As if spellbound, Lin Chengyou stared motionless at the case files on the table.

He had initially thought the hauntings came first and Tian Yunde’s illness followed, but it turned out he had gotten it entirely backward.

Since the rumors of haunting only spread after Tian Yunde returned, then everything had to be re-examined from the beginning.

First, Tian Yunde went to Yuezhou, and upon returning, he took to his bed, bedridden with illness—which happened to coincide with his concubine’s demise.

Everyone assumed his condition was brought on by overwhelming grief, yet during his illness, Tian Yunde had no mind to investigate the cause of Lady Rong’s death, nor did he even attend to her burial.

Could it be that they had all guessed wrong? Tian Yunde’s severe illness had nothing to do with Lady Rong at all, but was instead connected to that trip to Yuezhou.

“How many days in total did Tian Yunde stay in Yuezhou before returning?”

Legal Officer Hong froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting Lin Chengyou to ask this.

He hurriedly used his thick, short fingers to rapidly flip through the records; fortunately, he had verified Tian Yunde’s itinerary back then.

“Ah, he left on the twenty-seventh day of the eighth month, and returned on the seventh day of the tenth month.”

Lin Chengyou lowered his eyes.

“Only forty days. From Chang’an to Yuezhou, the journey alone takes at least twenty days each way. Since Tian Yunde went to procure damask silk, why would he turn back as soon as he reached Yuezhou? How many days did he usually spend going to Yuezhou in previous years? Has Legal Officer Hong verified that?”

“This…”

A trace of embarrassment appeared on Legal Officer Hong’s broad, square face.

“I was foolish and thick-headed; I didn’t inquire about Tian Yunde’s trips to Yuezhou in previous years.”

“However…”

He pondered for a moment and added, “When I went to the shop for questioning, I heard one of the assistants say, ‘For Lady Rong to die like this in the back courtyard is truly terrifying. Thank goodness the master returned early, otherwise we wouldn’t even know how to run the shop’s business.’ From this, it can be known that Tian Yunde returned earlier than in previous years.”

Lin Chengyou tapped his fingers casually on the table. Lady Rong died on the second day, and Tian Yunde returned on the seventh; the news of her death couldn’t possibly have reached Tian Yunde so quickly. His early return could only be for another reason.

Could Tian Yunde have encountered something—or someone—in Yuezhou? This unexpected encounter not only forced him to abort his plans to procure fabric, but also left him bedridden with illness upon his return to Chang’an.

To terrify a grown man in his prime to such an extent, that incident—or that person—must have been extraordinary.

Legal Officer Hong added, “Tian Yunde died after being ill for two months, the cause of death being a worsening of his severe headaches. Two reputable physicians had been diagnosing and treating him by turns prior to that, and both can testify to it. After the county coroner examined the body, he also stated that there was nothing suspicious about Tian Yunde’s cause of death.”

“What about Madam Qi?”

“She hanged herself on the night of the third day after Tian Yunde’s death.”

Legal Officer Hong’s expression turned slightly odd.

“Before hanging herself, she left behind a bizarre letter.”

“Where is the letter?”

Legal Officer Hong hurriedly pulled out a sheet of stationary from the bottom.

Judicial Officer Yan moved the candle closer.

With a single glance, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

The paper was densely covered with characters, every single line repeating the exact same words: I am but swine and dog, unfit to cling to life; I am but swine and dog, unfit to cling to life…

Lin Chengyou stared at the writing on the letter.

“Was the handwriting verified?”

“It was verified. It is indeed Madam Qi’s handwriting.”

Lin Chengyou flipped the paper over to check the back. Given Madam Qi’s character, expecting her to suddenly see the light and write such a letter would be harder than reaching the heavens.

Unless, of course, someone knew dark magic—then that would be a different story entirely.

Lin Chengyou raised his eyes.

“Since Legal Officer Hong preserved this letter so immaculately, did you also suspect the cause of Madam Qi’s death?”

“Yes,” Legal Officer Hong said solemnly.

“Madam Qi had a domineering nature; even if she sought death, she would never compare herself to ‘swine and dog.’ However, firstly, no valuable items were missing from the silk shop. Secondly, Madam Qi seemed to have entertained the thought of seeking death long beforehand; just a few days before hanging herself, she divided her jewelry and trinkets into several portions and donated them to various Buddhist temples. I thought to myself that since Madam Qi had no sons or daughters under her knee, Tian Yunde’s death left her completely without support. It was entirely possible that she conceived the thought of ending her life overnight, leading to a drastic change in her temperament.”

Lin Chengyou sneered softly.

“But that doesn’t rule out the possibility of a revenge killing. The tone of this suicide note is far too peculiar—it clearly carries an element of punishment. Furthermore, judging by Madam Qi’s treatment of Lady Rong, was she the type of person to repent on her own accord? Apart from taking inventory of their assets, did Legal Officer Hong investigate who the Tian couple had incurred grudges with?”

A thin layer of sweat quietly broke out across Legal Officer Hong’s back. To be honest, deep down he had initially looked down on high-born youths like Lin Chengyou, who relied merely on their family lineage and status to boss others around when, in truth, these playboys didn’t even know the basics of investigating a case.

Of course, he only muttered these thoughts in his heart without letting them show on his face.

Furthermore, to avoid being criticized, he had made ample preparations before coming tonight.

Who could have known that Lin Chengyou’s mind was so thorough, pressing him sentence after sentence until he quickly found himself unable to parry?

He hurriedly gathered his spirits to respond.

“I investigated. Tian Yunde was a smooth operator, usually associating mostly with wealthy merchants, and was said to get along harmoniously with everyone, never making enemies. Even if Madam Qi clashed with others, it was nothing more than petty squabbles over business gains and losses. However, during my investigation, I did discover a very strange matter: the Tian couple had not a single relative by their side, nor had they ever entertained relatives visiting from out of town.”

Lin Chengyou let out a light “Oh?”.

“Interesting. The Tian couple were originally from Zhangqiu and only relocated to Chang’an in the winter month ten years ago. Zhangqiu isn’t terribly far from Chang’an; logically, they shouldn’t have been completely cut off from news of their relatives and old acquaintances back home.”

“That’s precisely what I thought,” Legal Officer Hong said suspiciously.

“The Tian couple possessed vast wealth; even if they didn’t wish to pay mind to their poor relatives from the past, that wouldn’t stop poor relatives from coming to seek shelter with them. I didn’t believe this at first either, but both the shop assistants and the neighboring households can bear witness. Furthermore, after Madam Qi died, no relatives came to handle the funeral arrangements. I thought at the time that it was no wonder Madam Qi donated her valuable jewelry to temples before her death—as it turned out, she didn’t have a single relative left in the world.”

Lin Chengyou asked as a matter of course, “So, did Legal Officer Hong investigate the Tian couple’s affairs in Zhangqiu ten years ago?”

Legal Officer Hong’s face burned hot.

He hadn’t investigated deeply to begin with, let alone over a year later.

Fortunately, his skin was dark enough that his blushing wasn’t obvious.

He said sheepishly, “I wrote a letter to the Household Registration Officer of Zhangqiu Prefecture to inquire about the Tian couple’s friends and relatives in Zhangqiu. But before the reply arrived, another case broke out in the county. I was overwhelmed with duties, and thinking that after all those days of investigation, there was nothing suspicious about the Tian couple’s deaths, coupled with Magistrate Dong pressing me to investigate another case… I… I simply set the matter aside.”

Lin Chengyou extended an open palm toward Legal Officer Hong.

“Where is the letter?”

Legal Officer Hong coughed awkwardly, his booming voice causing one’s eardrums to hum.

Lin Chengyou’s smile remained unchanged, though his tone hardened slightly.

“Since it was an official dispatch, there is no reason the Zhangqiu Prefecture wouldn’t reply.”

Legal Officer Hong’s face turned red and pale by turns.

He sheepishly retrieved a letter from his bosom and handed it to Lin Chengyou.

“The letter was brought along. I was afraid Reviewer Lin would laugh at my carelessness, so I was embarrassed to bring it out earlier.”

Lin Chengyou blew away the loose dust on the envelope.

From the looks of it, this letter had been shelved in a corner for over a year.

Fortunately, Legal Officer Hong wasn’t foolish enough to throw it away entirely; had they needed to send another letter to Zhangqiu, it would have taken at least ten-plus days to receive a reply.

The Household Officer of Zhangqiu Prefecture was very meticulous, listing all the third-degree relatives and broader family members of both the Tian and Qi families on the paper—Tian Yunde on the left, Madam Qi on the right, clear and structured at a single glance.

Tian Yunde’s parents had passed away long ago, leaving behind only one younger brother.

Since Tian Yunde’s father was an only child, Tian Yunde had no uncles, brothers, or nephews.

And after Tian Yunde’s younger brother died of illness eleven years ago, the entire Tian family consisted of only Tian Yunde and his wife.

Madam Qi’s side didn’t have many relatives either. She was the youngest daughter, with two elder sisters above her.

The Qi family had always been impoverished; her parents had passed away one after another from illness before Mistress Qi married, and her two elder sisters had married into other towns, remaining out of contact for many years.

As for whether the Tian couple had made enemies in Zhangqiu, the officer wrote in the letter: According to household registration records, the Tian couple left Zhangqiu in the seventh month of the Dingmao year.

Since then, both the Tian and Qi households became extinct in the local area.

Let alone remembering matters from over a decade ago, hardly anyone among the local neighbors even remembers this couple anymore.

After reading the letter, Judicial Officer Yan’s expression turned somewhat strange.

“I thought this couple was intentionally hiding from an enemy, but it turns out they truly had no relatives left in their hometown.”

Lin Chengyou suddenly remarked, “Something’s not right.”

Judicial Officer Yan and Legal Officer Hong asked in surprise, “What’s wrong?”

“The date is wrong.”

Lin Chengyou tapped a certain spot on the letter.

“The letter states that the Tian couple left Zhangqiu in the seventh month, but according to the household registration records here in Wannian County, they only arrived in Chang’an in the eleventh month. From the seventh month to the eleventh—where did they spend those four whole months?”

Silence fell upon the room so absolute that a falling pin could be heard. Four months was neither long nor short; apart from needing food and drink, two living, breathing people required a place to stay.

“Furthermore, the Tian couple repeatedly claimed back then that their fortune was built because Madam Qi sold her dowry. Yet according to the letter, Madam Qi came from a poor family; where would she get such a substantial dowry to sell off? Even if the family had some savings left over, after going through a famine, it would have all been used to buy grain.”

Eager to make up for his past negligence, Legal Officer Hong wished he could scrape up every last clue he knew.

“However, according to my investigation, when the Tian couple first arrived in Chang’an ten years ago, they immediately rented a shop in the East Market to sell precious fabrics.”

Lin Chengyou glanced at him.

“Don’t you find that suspicious? Renting a shop in the East Market is no easy task, and selling expensive fabrics like damask silk requires a massive amount of capital. If the dowry was a lie, where did that money come from?”

Judicial Officer Yan asked suspiciously, “Are you saying—”

The tragic state of the Tian couple’s ghosts flashed before Lin Chengyou’s eyes.

He sneered, “I am wondering what on earth happened during those four months. If we can figure out what the Tian couple did back then, perhaps we can discover the killer’s motive.”

Legal Officer Hong was both shocked and remorseful.

“So the Tian couple really were murdered?”

Lin Chengyou turned around and pointed at Madam Qi’s suicide note.

“The killer can fool others, but not us. This letter shares the exact same technique as the Seven-Ray Guidance Mark—both employ methods of trapping and manipulating souls, controlling victims like puppets to make them write letters and hang themselves. I believe if we exhume her body, we will find needle marks on the outside of Madam Qi’s clothing.”

Legal Officer Hong’s face turned deathly pale. Madam Qi had been dead for over a year, and her corpse was long decayed; exhuming the coffin to search for clues now was easier said than done. He only hated himself for closing the case too hastily back then—had he caught the killer at the time, perhaps none of the subsequent events would have happened.

Lin Chengyou suddenly asked, “Judicial Officer Yan, Legal Officer Hong, if your entire families were fleeing a famine, where is the very first place you would consider taking refuge?”

Judicial Officer Yan snapped back to reality.

“In times of terrible famine, one could probably only count on relatives to take them in.”

“But the Tian family had no relatives left to turn to.”

Lin Chengyou paced slowly before the table.

“Madam Qi, on the other hand, still had two elder sisters. For the Tian couple at the time, there was no better place to go. Unfortunately, the letter didn’t specify where they married into; otherwise, we might have known where the Tian couple stayed during those four months.”

As he spoke, he calculated in his mind: fleeing from Zhangqiu to a certain place, and then from that place to Chang’an—by the time the Tian couple resurfaced, they already had a sum of money to conduct business.

Their experiences during those four months had altered the destiny of the Tian couple’s entire lives.

Four months…

Four months…

Lin Chengyou’s eyelids twitched.

Could that place be—

He stood dumbfounded in the room, feeling the scattered clues gradually pointing clearly toward a single location.

Yuezhou, the sisters, that sachet from the Taozhi Embroidery Workshop, the Tian couple’s unexplained four-month disappearance…

He snapped his head up.

“Judicial Officer Yan, quickly write a letter to the Yuezhou Prefecture in the name of the Court of Judicial Review, and once written, dispatch someone to ride through the night to deliver it!”

Judicial Officer Yan was taken aback, hastily pulling up his sleeves and lifting his brush.

“What should I ask?”

“I want to know if any cold case occurred in Yuezhou between the eighth and tenth months ten years ago, possibly near Peach Blossom Ferry, where the killer was never brought to justice.” Lin Chengyou turned and hurried outside.

“Legal Officer Hong, come out with me.”

Legal Officer Hong stood up in surprise.

“Where are we going?”

“To try our luck. It so happens that several officials from Jiangnan East Circuit are in the capital reporting on their duties. If we’re lucky, someone might remember the events in Yuezhou ten years ago. If no one remembers, there are still several inns run by people from Yuezhou in the city; we’ll ask around thoroughly either way.”

Lin Chengyou spoke as he headed downstairs. The hall was already empty, surrounded by utter silence.

He walked to the front courtyard, looked around, and suddenly curled his fingers into a circle and blew a whistle.

Legal Officer Hong followed closely behind Lin Chengyou and paused in confusion at the sight, listening as the night wind swept through the hall, making the lantern hooks beneath the eaves creak softly.

After the whistle, the sound of the wind seemed to freeze for a moment.

Just as Legal Officer Hong was finding it strange, he heard faint noises from the roof, as if a massive creature was stealthily creeping across the top of the building.

The hairs on Legal Officer Hong’s back stood straight up. Having practiced martial arts for many years, he knew at once that whatever was on the roof was no gentle beast.

Yet before he could draw his blade, Lin Chengyou pressed down on his hilt.

Lin Chengyou turned to look at Legal Officer Hong, offering a half-smile.

“Let’s go.”

Full of doubts, Legal Officer Hong saw that Lin Chengyou was already turning toward the main gate, so he had no choice but to swallow his questions.

Once outside and mounted on horseback, he was still trying to guess what was on the roof, but Lin Chengyou handed him a slip of paper.

“Legal Officer Hong, take a look at this. Around the time the Tian couple passed away, did you see any of the people on this list entering or leaving the Silk Shop?”

Legal Officer Hong took the paper and saw six names written on it, including Wo Ji—all long-time residents of Pingkang Ward, names he was somewhat familiar with.

Knowing this was likely a list of suspects, he pondered carefully.

“During the few days the Tian couple died, quite a few people ran over to watch the spectacle. I saw the two procuresses, but only caught a fleeting glance. As for the others… I truly can’t recall clearly.”

“Wo Ji and E Ji?” Lin Chengyou reined in his horse.

“Did they exhibit any unusual behavior at the time?”

Legal Officer Hong shook his head.

“I only remember them crowding in the throng to watch, and when we dispersed the crowd, they scattered as well. Oh, right—this He Mingsheng only came to Pingkang Ward to open a shop half a year later; he shouldn’t have been in Chang’an at the time.”

Lin Chengyou held the reins and let his horse circle twice in place.

He hadn’t expected Legal Officer Hong to remember details from over a year ago anyway—for the killer to lay a plan spanning more than a year showed an immense amount of care, and such a person wouldn’t easily reveal a flaw in front of others.

He tucked the paper back into his breast pocket.

“We’ll split up. I’ll head to the Memorial Office first, while you wait for me at Chongren Ward. Chongren Ward has many inns run by merchants from other regions, including the Sirugui Inn, which is run by merchants from Yuezhou. Traders should know plenty of local anecdotes—ask them thoroughly about that cold case in Yuezhou from ten years ago.”

Legal Officer Hong cupped his hands with his riding whip.

“Rest assured, Reviewer Lin, I know what to do.”

Lin Chengyou nodded, shook the reins, and sped off.

Legal Officer Hong urged his horse to follow, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Once Judicial Officer Yan’s letter was sent out, Yuezhou would reply swiftly, and whether the Tian couple had gone to Yuezhou ten years ago would come to light in half a month.

Yet looking at Lin Chengyou’s stance, it seemed as if he couldn’t even wait for daybreak. In truth, he himself had experienced investigating cases day and night, but people always get exhausted; unless a case was critically pressing, there was no need to rush about late at night.

Yet Lin Chengyou acted as though he absolutely had to find the murderer tonight—

Legal Officer Hong pondered as he cracked his whip, galloping into the night.

Judicial Officer Yan waited and waited, but neither Lin Chengyou nor Legal Officer Hong returned.

Propping his head on his hand, he dozed off and accidentally fell fast asleep.

After sleeping for who knows how long, he vaguely heard noisy movements.

When he opened his eyes again, his vision was filled with bright, golden sunlight; Judicial Officer Yan’s back instantly straightened—he had actually slept until dawn.

He hurriedly raised his hand to adjust his headscarf, rushed to the door, and pulled it open, only to see a bailiff running up to say, “Reviewer Lin is back. He asked Judicial Officer Yan to bring paper, brush, and ink, and quickly meet him at the Hu cake shop next door.”

Judicial Officer Yan quickly found the same Hu cake shop as last time, and sure enough, Lin Chengyou and Legal Officer Hong were sitting inside, alongside several men who looked like merchants sitting to the side, all looking somewhat apprehensive.

Though clad in fine silks and satins, the merchants’ robes were stained with quite a bit of dust, looking as though they had tumbled on the ground.

Lin Chengyou washed his hands and face, looking all smiles as he glanced left and right.

“Hey, why isn’t anyone speaking? Do I look like a bad person?”

The merchants trembled as they said, “Earlier at the inn, we failed to recognize Your Highness the Shizi and committed many offenses. We beg the Shizi to consider our stupidity and not hold it against us.”

“Speaking of offenses, you indeed delayed me quite a bit of time.”

Lin Chengyou raised his long eyebrows.

“However, I am most generous, and today’s situation is somewhat special. Considering your willingness to make up for your mistakes, I can give you a chance.”

Several merchants hastily swore to the heavens: “As long as Your Highness the Shizi shows mercy, we will follow all of Your Highness’s arrangements.”

Lin Chengyou toyed with the wine cup in his hand.

“In truth, it’s merely a small matter. It’s rare that all of you lived near Peach Blossom Ferry and all remember that cold case from the eighth month ten years ago. Bringing you here is simply to ask you to identify a person.”

Fear showed on the merchants’ faces, but they were clearly even more afraid of Lin Chengyou.

Exchanging a few glances, they hurriedly nodded.

Lin Chengyou said pleasantly, “I know what you’re afraid of. Rest assured, though that person might be the killer, as long as you identify them today, I guarantee they will have no chance to retaliate against you in the future.”

Just as he was speaking, Legal Officer Hong suddenly said, “Judicial Officer Yan, please take a seat.”

Lin Chengyou nodded to Judicial Officer Yan and continued, “Don’t all talk at once like you did earlier. Pick the one with the clearest speech to tell the story, and if anything is missed, the rest can help supplement.”

Judicial Officer Yan was both surprised and delighted.

After sitting down, he asked Legal Officer Hong in a low voice, “Did a cold case truly happen?”

Legal Officer Hong nodded.

“It wasn’t sensational, but quite a few people knew about it. These few Yuezhou merchants lived near Peach Blossom Ferry back then, and happened to stay at the inn to sell goods in Chang’an this time. Once Reviewer Lin asked, everything matched up.”

The merchants whispered among themselves in consultation and openly chose the man in blue as their representative.

The man cleared his throat and slowly began.

“This happened over ten years ago, but fortunately some still remember. Back then, a family lived near our ferry, the head of the household surnamed Peng, a scholar.

“Scholar Peng was not originally from Yuezhou. I heard that in his early years, he went to Chang’an to take the imperial examinations. Having failed, he lacked the face to return to his hometown, so he simply took his wife and traveled around. Later, for reasons unknown, the family ended up in Yuezhou. Not only did they settle down here, but they also opened a private school near Peach Blossom Ferry.

“When I was young and played at the ferry, I often saw Scholar Peng. After he opened the private school, although the tuition he charged was extremely meager, because he held no official academic title, he couldn’t recruit many students. To make a living, he would sell calligraphy and paintings in the marketplace in his spare time, and sometimes even brought along needlework made by his wife. Unfortunately, Lady Peng was from the Guanzhong region, and her embroidery was far inferior to the local embroiderers in Yuezhou—”

Lin Chengyou interjected suddenly, “What was Scholar Peng’s wife’s surname?”

The blue-robed man nudged his companion with his shoulder.

“Does any of you still remember?”

“It was probably Yin, or perhaps Qi,” someone whispered.

“My elder brother studied at Scholar Peng’s private school and said this madam was exceedingly gentle, but unfortunately she always spoke with a Guanzhong accent, so much of what she said was hard to understand. Oh, right—Scholar Peng had a pair of children. The elder son was about my age; if he were alive today, he’d be about twenty-six or twenty-seven. As for the daughter, if she were alive today, she’d be fifteen or sixteen.”

Lin Chengyou’s eyes flickered slightly. He waited patiently for a while, and seeing that no one added anything, he could only say, “Continue.”

The blue-robed man then said, “Whenever festive seasons arrived, neighbors often asked Scholar Peng to help write and paint. Scholar Peng had a soft heart; if someone was short on cash and brought it up, he would never demand money. Later, as this family’s life grew increasingly impoverished, neighbors often sent food to relieve them.

“I remember Scholar Peng had a bit of a pedantic temper; even when his family was so destitute, he didn’t forget to teach his children to read and write. I often saw the Peng family’s eldest son squatting at the ferry reading books, writing a hand of calligraphy that was exceptionally beautiful. As for the Peng family’s little daughter, she was fair and pretty at a young age; whenever neighbors offered praise, the Peng couple’s faces would beam with pride.

“Things went on like this for several years. As Scholar Peng grew older and saw no hope for official rank, he gave up the idea of going to Chang’an for the examinations. But unable to swallow his pride, he secretly learned to catch fish from the people at the ferry. Once, while fishing at night, Scholar Peng accidentally saved someone. As luck would have it, this person was a prominent local merchant in our area who had accidentally fallen into the river after getting drunk. Grateful for Scholar Peng’s life-saving grace, the merchant hosted a grand banquet to entertain their entire family. We all guessed…”

The blue-robed man turned to look left and right, as if confirming whether his statement was correct, and only spoke again after receiving affirming nods from his companions.

“We all guessed that wealthy merchant gave Scholar Peng a large monetary reward, because after that, Scholar Peng rarely went to the ferry to fish. He couldn’t bear to replace his own clothes, but made new dresses for his wife and daughter, and soon after bought fine brush and ink for the eldest son, saying that with the boy’s talent, as long as he studied hard for two more years, he could go to Chang’an for the examinations the year after next. A while later, Scholar Peng sold that humble cottage, moved his children to a manor on the mountainside, bought two boats, and hired people to catch fish to sell.

“On the day they moved, my parents and I also went to join in the excitement. The neighbors knew why the Peng family had suddenly become wealthy, but seeing how happy they were, no one poked fun at them.

“After moving, the Peng family rarely came down the mountain, so old neighbors saw them far less often. Everyone said the Peng couple had finally seen their hardship turn to joy, and if the eldest son passed the examinations next year, the whole family might even move to Chang’an. Unexpectedly…”

At this point, a look of unbearable sorrow appeared on the blue-robed man’s face, and he let out several consecutive sighs.

“Unexpectedly, good fortune didn’t last long, and soon disaster struck the Peng family. It happened to be the eighth month, when famine was ravaging the north, and many refugees poured into the south. Strangers frequently landed at Peach Blossom Ferry, among whom were no shortage of thieves and petty criminals, causing endless chaos. To avoid trouble, everyone tried their best not to go to the ferry. Yet for some unknown reason, the Peng family went down to the ferry right at this juncture, unfortunately encountering bandits, and the whole family suffered. By the time they were discovered, the boat had been scuttled, and the family of four was nowhere to be found. Neighbors rushed to report to the government, and after searching for several days, they finally recovered the corpses of Scholar Peng and his wife. The August heat was sweltering, and having been soaked in water for so long, the couple was beyond recognition.”

Someone let out a faint sigh, as if recalling the tragic scene of that day.

The blue-robed man was silent for a moment before saying mournfully, “The government searched for a few more days but couldn’t find the bodies of the Peng siblings, only recovering their clothing. The ferry currents were swift; falling in left absolutely no hope of survival, and besides, if they were still alive, the siblings should have come ashore long ago. Official investigators also said Scholar Peng and his wife had head injuries, likely thrown into the river after being struck. When they searched the Peng family manor, there was not a single item of value left inside—one look showed they had been robbed by evil men.

“The government asked if we had seen strangers coming to find the Peng couple, but everyone hadn’t met for a long time. Coupled with refugees running amok at the time, every household kept their doors tightly shut. Neighbors neither knew if the Peng family had any recent guests, nor why they went down to the ferry. Coincidentally, the fisherman hired by the Peng family was also missing, so the government suspected him to be the killer. As it turned out, not long after, the fisherman’s floating corpse was found, reportedly with injuries on his body as well. Ever since then, the government was unable to find the murderer, and the case simply ended unsettled.”

Silence fell upon the room, everyone wearing different expressions.

For such a good-natured family to lose their lives overnight—anyone listening would feel deeply moved to sorrow.

Judicial Officer Yan sighed as he wrote, while Legal Officer Hong furrowed his brows, lost in thought. The merchants kept their eyes downcast, occasionally raising them to glance at Lin Chengyou.

Lin Chengyou rubbed the wine cup in his hand, remaining silent for a long time.

Scholar Peng’s wife was surnamed Yin or Qi—if it was Qi, she was very likely one of Madam Qi’s elder sisters.

Calculating according to this deduction, where the Tian couple stayed during those four months ten years ago seemed to have an answer.

The couple fled the famine from Zhangqiu in the seventh month, heading straight to the elder sister in Yuezhou. Taking about a month on the road, they arrived in Yuezhou right around the eighth month.

And the tragedy of the Peng family occurred precisely in the eighth month.

What was eerie was that by the time the Tian couple returned to Chang’an, they had acquired capital for business in their hands. They used this money to open a shop in the East Market and started a fabric business.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed. The Peng family of four had turned into piles of withered bones, while the Tian couple had become wealthy residents of Chang’an. The experience of those four months back then left virtually no trace in their lives.

But could it truly be erased? Lin Chengyou thought coldly. Those were four human lives; endless hatred would crawl out from underground like poisonous weeds.

That was why there was the self-accusing letter stating “I am but swine and dog, unfit to cling to life,” and why there was the shocking Seven-Ray Guidance Mark.

That was why taking the Tian couple’s lives wasn’t enough for that person—they had to trap their souls and subject them to brutal torture.

Moreover, the ghosts of the Tian couple had said the killer’s surname consisted of twelve strokes.

The surname “Peng” happens to consist of exactly twelve strokes.

Perhaps in that disaster back then, someone was fortunate enough to survive.

Lin Chengyou remained calm on the surface, but waves of shock surged in his heart.

Several cold cases, spanning a full ten years—had he not by chance ended up staying at Caifeng Tower, he might never have known about that unsettled case from ten years ago.

By now, the case was becoming clearer and clearer, yet for some reason, the closer he got to the truth, the more complex his feelings grew.

The flip side of shade is sunlight, and the other side of wrong is right; yet there are certain things in this world that can no longer be measured purely by right or wrong.

Composing himself, he spoke, “Were the corpses of Scholar Peng’s son and daughter never found?”

“No,” the wealthy blue-robed merchant shook his head.

“Someone drowns at our ferry every year. If the bodies don’t float up, they basically get washed downstream.”

“Then over all these years, have you ever seen anyone in Yuezhou who resembled that brother and sister?”

The several merchants were silent for a moment, shaking their heads one after another.

“If we had seen them, we’d probably have been scared half to death. Besides, the Peng family’s little lady was only six or seven when she died; even if she luckily survived, her appearance would have changed. The Peng family’s eldest son was sixteen or seventeen back then, but after all, more than ten years have passed…”

Lin Chengyou glanced at them sideways.

“No matter how much an appearance changes, there should still be some shadow of those years in the outline. Later I will take you to identify a few people; if you think someone looks similar, feel free to tell me. Also, do you still remember the names of Peng’s eldest son and little lady?”

The merchants shook their heads: “We only remember Scholar Peng always calling his son ‘Dahang, Dalang,’ but as for the little lady, we don’t know.”

Lin Chengyou thought for a moment. Investigating up to this point, he already had a general idea as to why the killer murdered the Tian couple, but why the sisters were killed remained a mystery.

Recalling the early experiences of the sisters, he opened his mouth and asked, “Years ago in Yuezhou Prefecture, there was a couple skilled in vocal mimicry, surname Nie, who had two daughters—the older named Nie Afu, the younger named Nie Aqu. Musician Nie was implicated in Li Changmao’s treason case, and his daughters were sold off; have you heard of this matter?”

This time the merchants answered very quickly: “We’ve heard of it, of course we’ve heard of it! There isn’t an eccentric story or piece of news in Yuezhou City that we don’t know. Musician Nie mimicked bird calls to perfection and was once quite famous for a time, but before their incident, they always lived in the music quarter inside the city, very far from the ferry.”

They didn’t live at Peach Blossom Ferry?

Lin Chengyou was secretly astonished. He had originally thought the sisters were killed because they recognized the murderer, but it seemed he had guessed wrong.

Since they weren’t neighbors, the chances of them knowing each other were miniscule.

What’s more, Yao Huang was only eight years old ten years ago, and Qingzhi was only five—too young to reasonably have any memory of the Peng family’s case.

Then why on earth were they killed?

He casually poured himself some tea.

After Caifeng Tower opened, the sisters lived under the same roof as the killer.

Qingzhi liked to steal things, so perhaps one day she inadvertently discovered evidence of the killer murdering the Tian couple.

No, the killer was so cautious—how could they let a little girl catch a hold over them?

But if there was no hold over them, why would the killer be blackmailed by Qingzhi?

Just what had been missed… Lin Chengyou’s brows furrowed tightly as he suddenly thought of Lady Rong.

“Have you ever heard of an embroideress surnamed Rong?”

The several merchants shook their heads blankly.

Lin Chengyou pulled the killer’s perfume sachet from his breast pocket. “Here, look at this. Any impression?”

Everyone let out an exclamation: “This looks like work from the Taozhi Embroidery Workshop.”

“You know this embroidery workshop?”

“Naturally we know it! This embroidery workshop is famous, located right near the ferry. The words ‘Peach Blossom’ were even modeled after the ferry’s name.”

Lin Chengyou stroked his chin.

“Since it’s so close, have you heard of an embroideress marrying her daughter to a wealthy family in Chang’an as a concubine?”

The blue-robed man was just about to shake his head, but a merchant behind him leaned forward.

“Yes, there was such a thing! My mother often went to Taozhi Embroidery Workshop to buy work and was quite familiar with the people there. Around that time I intended to take a concubine, so my mother kept an eye out for me. About a year or two ago, my mother suddenly came home and said she had originally taken a fancy to an old embroideress’s daughter, but before she had time to make match-making overtures, that young lady was taken with by a wealthy merchant from Chang’an. The wealthy merchant promised the old embroideress a heavy sum and took the young lady away to Chang’an.”

Judicial Officer Yan and Legal Officer Hong were surprised.

“Isn’t this Lady Rong?”

Indeed, Lady Rong’s mother was an embroideress from Yuezhou, and the years matched up as well.

Lin Chengyou’s expression turned a bit strange.

“According to this, Lady Rong also lived at Peach Blossom Ferry back then? Then could she also have known about the Peng family’s case…”

His voice came to an abrupt halt as he suddenly stood up.

He finally knew why Qingzhi had publicly claimed to be from the same hometown as Lady Rong!

Everyone had assumed Qingzhi was just trying to attract attention, because at that time Lady Rong had been dead for over a year, and Caifeng Tower was frequently haunted. With no family ties or connections, only a fool would be willing to claim a relation with a dead person.

So Qingzhi hadn’t been talking nonsense after all—those words were intentionally said for the killer to hear.

She was using this method to blackmail the killer, letting them know that she knew his/her secret.

As for how she knew, it was naturally related to Lady Rong.

Back when Lady Rong was still alive, Qingzhi had accompanied Wo Ji to the Silk Shop. Qingzhi, who at the time was bent on finding her lost sister, heard Lady Rong’s Yuezhou accent and bound to find a way to strike up a conversation with her.

Once they became familiar, there was more to chat about. Perhaps Lady Rong inadvertently mentioned something about the Peng family, which Qingzhi held in her heart.

A year later, when Caifeng Tower opened, Qingzhi also entered the building along with Wo Ji. She faced the killer day after day, and perhaps in a fleeting moment, Qingzhi caught a glimpse of the killer’s secret.

Qingzhi appeared simple-minded on the surface, but in truth was deeply scheming. After learning this secret, she seized the opportunity to extort the killer—and it seemed she had succeeded, which was how that pile of precious jewelry hidden under the preserved cherries came to be.

And in the process of dealing with Qingzhi, the killer inadvertently learned that Qingzhi and Yao Huang were sisters.

Fearing that the secret would be leaked, after killing Qingzhi, the killer also moved against Yao Huang.

No wonder the killer clearly hated the Tian couple, yet killed the sisters as well.

Lin Chengyou stared fixedly outside the door. After the morning drums, the market gradually grew bustling. Outside, horses and carriages noise resounded, but in his ears was only the roar of thunder and lightning. Several cases were tightly intertwined, and the killer had shown almost no flaws.

Had he not coincidentally found this group of Yuezhou merchants, it might have taken another ten days or so to untangle the truth.

How long had it been since he encountered such a deeply scheming opponent? He felt an itch like a hundred claws scratching at his heart; thinking of this person’s usual flawless performance, he could hardly wait for the moment he unmasked them.

He lowered his eyes and unhurriedly finished the tea in his cup.

The more anxious he was inside, the calmer he had to appear on the surface. Straightening his expression, he stood up, looked around, and smiled.

“Let’s go. To Caifeng Tower to identify the person. Once there, don’t make a scene—everything will follow my arrangements.”

—

Teng Yuyi was practicing her sword routine alone in the garden.

It had rained pattering all night, only clearing up in the morning. Sunlight fell upon the blue glazed tiles, bursting into tens of thousands of dazzling white glints. Such good weather yielded double the results with half the effort for practicing swordplay, but unfortunately, the later parts of the Beihe Sword Technique grew harder to practice. After learning the first twenty stances, Teng Yuyi’s speed slowed down sharply—what originally took half an hour per stance now required more than an hour to finish.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t anxious. Taking advantage of the clear weather, she paid no mind to the mud spots covering the ground and practiced with great vigor.

Suddenly, a bailiff led a group of people over and said, “Young Master Wang, please excuse us for a moment. We need to clear the garden to handle the case; no one can stay here for now.”

Why again?

Teng Yuyi turned her body to size up the newcomers. She recognized Judicial Officer Yan, but the rest were all strangers.

Lin Chengyou wouldn’t bring a bunch of strangers for no reason; it definitely had to do with solving the case.

The merchants were also sizing up Teng Yuyi. Trading goods between two regions year-round had long honed their sharp eyes; seeing this youth’s noble air all over, they secretly guessed he was a child of a prestigious family, though they didn’t know why he had stuck such a large patch of full beard on his face, hiding half of it.

Teng Yuyi calmly withdrew her gaze. It seemed that if the murderer wasn’t caught soon, she shouldn’t dream of finishing all thirty-six stances in one breath.

If she couldn’t practice in the garden, she would go elsewhere. Cupping her hands in salute to Judicial Officer Yan, she intentionally said in a raspy voice.

“Uncle, let’s go.”

Saying so, she turned on her heel to head to the small Buddhist hall. The bailiffs hesitated slightly; Reviewer Lin only said no one could stay in the garden, but didn’t specify about the small hall. Besides, this Young Master Wang seemed to have quite a background, so why invite unnecessary resentment?

Juesheng and Qizhi were dozing at the base of the wall, while the Five Taoists were busy dividing a few Hu cakes. Looking up to see Teng Yuyi walk in, they were just about to ask why she stopped practicing when they saw the bailiffs leading a group of richly dressed strangers inside.

“This is?”

Before the bailiff could speak, Lin Chengyou’s voice was heard.

Juesheng and Qizhi woke with a start, rubbing their eyes.

“Senior Brother.”

Before long, Lin Chengyou came in and said to the several merchants.

“In a moment, you will identify the person inside this small hall. Even if you recognize someone, do not make a sound.”

The several people nodded uneasily.

Teng Yuyi had originally intended to invite the Five Taoists elsewhere to practice swordplay, but seeing this, her curiosity was piqued again. Lin Chengyou had been busy all night and seemed to have uncovered quite a lot.

Should she stay to watch the show, or return to her room to practice her sword routine?

Lin Chengyou turned around to arrange things for the few Taoists, inadvertently spotting Teng Yuyi. Stroking his chin, he thought: Didn’t she just say last night that I was completely without a clue? Today is the perfect chance to open her eyes.

“Yo,” he smiled.

“What an inconvenience to interrupt Young Master Wang’s practice. We need to use this small hall to handle official business, so you won’t be able to practice here for the time being. Young Master Wang isn’t like others—you learn things far too slowly. You’d better move elsewhere sooner, lest it delays your sword practice.”

Teng Yuyi instantly sensed a trap. On the surface, these words were sarcastic, yet they subtly carried an element of provocation. Reasonably speaking, Lin Chengyou should wish they would stay far away, so why go out of his way to provoke her to stay?

Even knowing Lin Chengyou held bad intentions, she still couldn’t resist the temptation of “identifying the murderer”. She simply assumed a posture of watching the show and smiled sweetly.

“I can still afford this bit of time. Since the Shizi is very willing to let us stay and watch the show, I shall respectfully accept.”

Lin Chengyou’s skin was quite thick; even after being exposed, his smile remained unchanged, though he thought in his heart: You chose to stay yourself—just watch closely in a moment.

He turned his head to say something to the Five Taoists when someone arrived in the garden.

The Five Taoists looked at the group of merchants and couldn’t help asking.

“Shizi, do they recognize the murderer?”

“Hush, don’t talk.” Lin Chengyou looked out through the window lattice.

“Let them try.”

Juesheng and Qizhi had wanted to head straight for their senior brother, but seeing his grim expression, they realized the atmosphere wasn’t right and tiptoed over to Teng Yuyi, looking outside alongside her.

The first to arrive was Gejin. A bailiff led her to stand before a nearby clump of peonies.

After saying something unknown, Gejin hesitated, lifted her hand to remove her veiled hat, exposing her entire face to the sunlight.

The merchants seemed surprised by the scars on this beautiful woman’s face, their breathing growing heavier. Fortunately, Lin Chengyou seemed to have briefed them beforehand, so they didn’t cry out in surprise.

Teng Yuyi scrutinized Gejin carefully. Identifying a person was no easy task, especially when the killer was exceptionally cunning. They couldn’t alert the snake, yet had to ensure they could clearly see the other party’s features; as such, hiding in the small hall to identify them was a good method. As long as the person was brought to stand in the sun, what their nose and eyes looked like could be seen crystal clear by those inside.

While asking questions, the bailiff calmly led Gejin to turn around several times.

Lin Chengyou stared at the several merchants without blinking, but before long, all of them shook their heads in unison.

Though Lin Chengyou’s expression was somewhat strange, he didn’t feel very surprised.

Judicial Officer Yan, however, was greatly startled, grabbing the blue-robed man’s sleeve to signal them to look more carefully.

The several people cringed, but still expressed that they did not recognize her.

The second to arrive was He Mingsheng.

His body was already much tubbier than others, and after several days of confinement, he seemed to have grown even fairer and plumper.

Catching today’s warm and sunny weather, after walking just a short distance, his face was already covered in oily drops of sweat.

Arriving before the flower bushes, he looked around blankly, then piled on a smile and bowed to inquire something from the bailiff.

Meeting He Mingsheng’s fat, white, broad face, the merchants shook their heads in unison.

Next in line were Wo Ji, E Ji, and Juan erli.

The merchants denied Wo Ji and E Ji in turn, because the ages were incorrect.

However, when it came to Juan erli, the blue-robed man revealed a look of doubt.

Lin Chengyou stared at the wealthy merchant, signaling with his eyes for him to look closely.

The merchants exchanged glances with one another, and in the end, shook their heads.

The last to arrive was Baozhu.

This time, the expressions of all the wealthy merchants changed.

As soon as the bailiff led Baozhu away, they all spoke up, “She looks a bit like Scholar Peng’s little lady.”

Lin Chengyou said nothing, but Judicial Officer Yan and Legal Officer Hong asked in shock and doubt.

“Are you certain you didn’t mislook?”

“She looks a bit like her. In fact, when Scholar Peng’s little lady died she was only five or six years old, her features hadn’t fully formed. We only remember she had delicate features, a beauty in the making. But Scholar Peng’s wife was different; I saw her several times back then, remembering her fair skin and pointed chin. The appearance of that young lady just now bears some resemblance to Scholar Peng’s wife.”

Others agreed: “That’s right, out of these six people, she looks the most like someone from the Peng family.”

Teng Yuyi thought to herself: Could it really be Baozhu? When she ran over last night to talk about Juan erli, was she trying to clear herself of suspicion? The killer is a person of deep intrigue; if it really is Baozhu, what was her motive in suddenly mentioning that Unfettered Daoist last night?

Legal Officer Hong couldn’t hold back.

“Shizi, shall we arrest her right now?”

Everyone cast their gazes toward Lin Chengyou. Lin Chengyou looked suspiciously at Baozhu’s receding figure, remaining silent for a long time. After a good while, he let out a strange smile.

“Arrest her. But before arresting her, we must first do something else.”

—

After Lin Chengyou left, Teng Yuyi practiced for another hour. The latter part of the sword manual was intertwined with a large amount of Taoist internal techniques, growing increasingly difficult. Having no foundation after all, by the time she reached the twenty-second stance, she couldn’t move forward no matter what.

Judging by this progress, she couldn’t hope to finish practicing before dark. Biting her lip as she looked at the jade sword in her hand, what was she to do—let herself break out in hot sores? Hmph, don’t even think about it. Yet even if she refused to admit defeat, martial arts were something that couldn’t even be stolen; for someone like her who had never learned martial arts to practice to this extent in one go had already cost half her life.

Could she really not neutralize this strange soup? She paced anxiously. Setting aside the hot sores, just considering the immense benefits after neutralizing it, she wasn’t willing to let it rest like this.

The sky was growing later and later, and sitting around waiting for death was not her style; she had to find a way as soon as possible.

While Teng Yuyi racked her brains for an idea, the Five Taoists were not idle either.

They were naturally rogueish, and besides, teaching martial arts was no easy chore.

Seeing that Teng Yuyi couldn’t master it anytime soon, they intended to throw in the towel.

“Lady Teng, it’s not that we aren’t teaching you properly, but this old Taoist has also come to understand that one shouldn’t act against heaven’s will in all things. A delicate young lady like you should learn slowly; why not just forget it? It’s nothing more than breaking out in a few hot sores. You’re young, and they’ll fade in a few months. Sigh, sigh, let’s not talk for now—the weather phenomenon outside is getting worse, this old Daoist must go to the garden to protect the formation.”

Juesheng and Qizhi stomped their feet in anger.

“Seniors, how can you be like this?”

Yet the Five Taoists slipped straight toward the door. Teng Yuyi gave Steward Cheng a look, and Steward Cheng quickly blocked the Five Taoists’ path, saying with a mild smile.

“Masters, hear me out. Exactly how many hours it takes for the Fire Jade Spirit Root Soup to flare up is still uncertain. If she keeps practicing, there will eventually be a breakthrough, but refusing to teach leaves things completely hopeless. Please have a bit more patience, Sires; my lady is exceptionally bright, perhaps she’ll break through all of a sudden.”

The Five Taoists clamored: “It’s not that this old Taoist doesn’t want to teach, but shouldn’t we prioritize what’s important right now—”

Teng Yuyi paced over slowly.

“In ancient times there was the trustworthiness of Weisheng, and in recent times there was the promise of Ji Bu. It can be seen that in the eyes of the world, the word ‘promise’ is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. You Taoists always speak of the Dao on ordinary days, and should hold promises even more sacred than ordinary people. Going back on your word at the last minute seems somewhat improper.”

The Five Taoists stammered: “No—”

Teng Yuyi reached the door, her steps pausing.

“When drinking at the Zuidie Pavilion the other day, you Taoists personally agreed to teach this entire set of sword techniques. Since you agreed, when to stop and how to stop is no longer up to you to decide.”

Jian tian and the others choked for a moment: “You—”

Teng Yuyi turned around with a smile.

“I know you Masters don’t truly mean to break your promise. You were up all night and grew confused from fatigue. Rest well here in the small hall while I go fetch some wine. Once you’ve had a drink and built up your spirits, you can teach me the sword style properly.”

While she spoke, Steward Cheng had already stepped up to block the doorway without a word. Knowing his martial arts were formidable, the Five Taoists realized trying to force their way out would inevitably end in a brawl. Besides, they were in the wrong to begin with, so winning wouldn’t feel very triumphant anyway.

Thus, they huffed crossly: “Lady Teng, what do you mean by this? We didn’t say we definitely wouldn’t teach you—why coop us up here?”

Teng Yuyi turned a deaf ear, leading Huo Qiu down the steps on her own accord. After taking two steps, she suddenly turned back and beckoned to Juesheng and Qizhi.

Juesheng and Qizhi squeezed out and urged anxiously.

“Lady Teng, don’t worry just yet. It’s uncertain when the Two Monsters will arrive, and there are still several hours before dark. As long as you seize the time to practice, there is still hope to master it.”

Yet as they said this, their expressions and tone held some hesitation, showing that even they felt the hope was slim.

Teng Yuyi whispered, “That Peach Blossom Sword Style you mentioned last time—is it true it can be picked up in half an hour? Is the sword manual right here in your Qingyun Temple?”

“It is,” Juesheng said blankly.

“Lady Teng, surely you’re not thinking of going to the temple to fetch it now? That won’t work—even if you find it, we don’t know how to use it.”

“Fetching the manual… it really is too late for that.”

Teng Yuyi looked at the sky, then suddenly shifted the topic, “Doesn’t Lin Chengyou know this sword style?”

Qizhi opened his eyes slightly wide.

Has Lady Teng figured out a way to get Senior Brother to teach her?

“Senior Brother knows it, but—”

Teng Yuyi pondered.

As long as she was sure Lin Chengyou knew this style, everything would be easy to handle.

She smiled and nodded.

“You two go back and rest first. I’ll go arrange some good food.”

Soon arriving at Yicui Pavilion, Teng Yuyi surveyed the surroundings.

The doors everywhere were tightly shut, and the bailiffs had not withdrawn.

Lin Chengyou said earlier he was going to make an arrest, yet there was still no action.

As she saw it, he either hadn’t figured out how to make the arrest or was still waiting for a certain piece of news…

Feeling increasingly confident, she took Huo Qiu back to the front building and bumped into Lin Chengyou coming down the stairs.

“Over an hour, and still no news?” Lin Chengyou asked.

Judicial Officer Yan replied, “The constables are currently taking the Unfettered Daoist’s portrait to check the inns, but there are too many inns in the city. Questioning them one by one, I’m afraid—”

Lin Chengyou was about to answer when he raised his eyes and saw Teng Yuyi.

“Young Master Wang?”

He walked straight to the table, flicked his robes, and sat down.

“Why isn’t Young Master Wang practicing hard in the back? What did you come running over here for?”

Teng Yuyi cupped her hands with utter solemnity.

“Wang has come to help catch the killer.”

“Catch the killer?” Lin Chengyou had just brought his teacup to his lips, but set it down with a laugh.

“I didn’t realize Young Master Wang was so warm-hearted. But as you saw earlier, we already know who the killer is. You should leave quickly, Young Master Wang—it’s good enough if you don’t add to the chaos.”

Teng Yuyi feigned confusion.

“Since you are certain who the killer is, why haven’t you arrested them?”

Lin Chengyou’s smile faltered slightly, then he sneered.

“In Young Master Wang’s opinion, why would that be?”

Teng Yuyi refused to elaborate further, merely pointing with a smile to Huo Qiu behind her.

“My guard here has an important matter to report to the Shizi. I must ask you to step aside for a word.”

Noticing the slight surprise in Huo Qiu’s eyes, Lin Chengyou knew Teng Yuyi was mostly talking nonsense again.

He originally didn’t care to bother, but his curiosity had been piqued by her previous sentence.

Knowing full well what she wanted, he reluctantly stood up anyway.

Following Teng Yuyi straight to behind a clump of flowers in the front courtyard, he lazily crossed his arms.

“Whatever you have to say, say it right here.”

Teng Yuyi ordered Huo Qiu to step aside before speaking at an unhurried pace.

“In truth, I do not know who the killer is. But after staying in this building for the past few days, I’ve witnessed the killer’s capabilities. This person is not only resolute and decisive, but also well-versed in sorcery. That is why, despite knowing who the killer is, you dare not act rashly. You know that given the killer’s temperament, without conclusive evidence, they will never confess. You insist on waiting for news of that mysterious Unfettered Daoist precisely for this reason, isn’t that right?”

Lin Chengyou listened attentively, and when she finished, he remarked with great interest.

“Keep going.”

Teng Yuyi smiled.

“I imagine the Shizi also believes that rather than expecting the killer to confess, it’s better to set a trap to lure them in. As for how to do it, we must start with that perfume sachet. From the incident until now, the sachet was the only flaw the killer revealed. The reason, naturally, is because they still had someone left to kill, but their plan was interrupted by you, leaving the deed unfinished. Since the killer’s wish remains unfulfilled, you need only lay a trap to make them falsely believe they can make their move.”

Teng Yuyi’s words struck right at the heart of Lin Chengyou’s thoughts. Setting aside whether the killer would confess, the mere fact that this person killed twice right under his nose meant it wasn’t a simple matter of searching for evidence.

He wanted to give them a taste of their own medicine, tearing away their mask in an unexpected way.

As for setting the trap, he had already devised two schemes over the course of the afternoon; yet because the killer was overly slippery, several details remained uncertain.

This was no child’s play—he had to ensure the killer took the bait.

“I brought Huo Qiu here precisely to help you set the trap,” Teng Yuyi said.

“I have a brilliant idea that guarantees the killer will take the bait. It’s just—”

“It’s just that you want to negotiate terms with me?” Lin Chengyou interjected.

“Young Master Wang, not to mention I’ve already thought these things through and know what to do in my heart, but strictly in terms of familiarity with the case, you fall far short of me. Do you really think I’d be interested in your so-called brilliant idea?”

The deep dark ink in his eyes seemed to melt alongside his laugh as he turned his head to leave with a laugh.

Teng Yuyi watched Lin Chengyou’s retreating back with a smile.

“So what if the Shizi is more familiar with the case? The moment the killer sees you, they will naturally be on guard. I am different. I am merely staying here temporarily, completely unrelated to both the killer and the victims. How the case progresses has nothing to do with me. If you set the same trap, the killer won’t necessarily take the bait; but if an outsider like me sets it, the killer’s guard will drop by half.”

Lin Chengyou paused in his tracks.

Teng Yuyi circled around to stand in front of him.

“You’re hesitating because there aren’t many people available to set the trap, right? The killer knows Juesheng and Qizhi are your junior brothers, while Judicial Officer Yan and Legal Officer Hong belong to the government. The Five Taoists are unreliable, and calling in people from the outside at short notice will only startle the snake. If the choice of bait isn’t settled, the trap won’t work easily, because if the killer suspects anything, the trap will fail. As it stands, apart from me, there seems to be no better candidate.”

“Furthermore,” she pointed to Huo Qiu nearby, “Huo Qiu once reported to you that on the night before Qingzhi died, he ran into her outside. Qingzhi died in the middle of the night, so when Huo Qiu saw her, something was likely already off about her. That serves as a great hook. The killer is extremely smart, and smart people are often suspicious. If we include Huo Qiu in the trap, it will be even easier to lure them in.”

The remaining words needed no saying—Huo Qiu was her man, and getting his full cooperation required her permission.

She maintained a sincere expression.

“I genuinely want to help set the trap. The killer is atrocious, and stepping up to serve as the bait carries a huge risk for me.”

Having said this much, she knew it was enough. Arrogant as Lin Chengyou was, he was an exceptionally sharp man. Compared to holding a grudge against her, investigating and apprehending the killer was naturally far more important. Besides, he was a stubborn and flexible person who knew when to bend and wouldn’t insist on putting on airs when he needed to lower his stance.

“Time is running out.” Teng Yuyi turned on her heel with a beaming smile. “If the Shizi changes his mind, send someone to the small hall for me.”

As she walked, she counted silently in her heart. When she reached five, Lin Chengyou’s voice sounded behind her.

“Hold on.”

The corners of Teng Yuyi’s lips curved upward.

Lin Chengyou walked up to her with his hands behind his back and a smile.

“Speak. What do you want?”

—

As twilight fell, Lin Chengyou ordered the bailiffs to pass down word that the ox-drawn carriages from Daxin Temple were arriving soon, telling the courtesans to pack up and come out.

The courtesans had long heard they needed to relocate to Daxin Temple today to avoid disaster, so they had packed their clothes and shoes early on.

Following the bailiffs to the front building, they heard a woman’s terrified scream from afar.

“N-No, it wasn’t me!”

Everyone’s heart skipped a beat, their footsteps instinctively quickening. Upon reaching the main hall, they saw many people inside—besides Lin Chengyou and his group, there were several unfamiliar merchants.

Lin Chengyou wore a jade crown and a dark green gold-embroidered bamboo-patterned robe.

He leaned sideways against a long table, looking exhausted as if he hadn’t slept for nights, yawning constantly.

Gejin was kneeling on the ground, her body trembling incessantly.

Judicial Officer Yan pointed at one of the merchants beside him.

“These men can all testify that you once inquired about purchasing Heart-Rotting Herb. Now that the evidence is conclusive, you still dare to deny it!”

Gejin’s face was as pale as paper: “I did inquire about Heart-Rotting Herb, but Tuotuo’er replied that the powder was insufficient, so I gave up on the idea. I never asked about it again afterward—Tuotuo’er can testify to this!”

Judicial Officer Yan raised his voice, “Tuotuo can only prove you didn’t buy it that time. Whether you sought other channels afterward is something you know best in your heart! Heart-Rotting Herb is unlike ordinary poison. You offered a heavy sum to buy it—dare you say you harbored no evil intent? Coincidentally, Yao Huang died from Heart-Rotting Herb; how could there be such a coincidence in this world?”

“No, no, no!” Ge Jin shook her head in panic.

“I bought the drug to end my own life, not to harm anyone!”

Lin Chengyou rubbed his temples.

“Keep making up stories. I hope you can remain this stubborn when you reach the Dali Temple.”

When the bailiffs tried to pull Gejin up from the floor, her face turned pale as paper.

“Shizi, I beg you to hear me out! After I was disfigured, I was utterly heartbroken and wished to end my life. But I heard that whether hanging or drowning, one suffers immensely before death. I recalled hearing a few young gentlemen mention a poison called Heart-Rotting Herb, said to take one’s life without pain or itch. I thought if I hardened my heart to take it, I wouldn’t have to suffer in this world anymore. I had a mind set on dying when buying it, but who knew Tuotuo’er couldn’t procure it? I thought this might be Heaven’s intent—after all, the person who harmed me hadn’t been punished, so I couldn’t die so senselessly. Afterward, I realized I was still young, with hands and feet, and living was better than seeking death. So after that, I never inquired about Heart-Rotting Herb again.”

“If I remember correctly,” Lin Chengyou said, “after Yao Huang died, I repeatedly inquired if anyone had bought poison. When asked to your face, you didn’t utter a single word. If you had a clear conscience, why remain silent?”

Ge Jin was struck dumb.

“Because… because I was afraid speaking up would draw suspicion. After all—”

“After all, it was Yao Huang who ruined your face.”

Lin Chengyou sneered with a laugh.

“Fine, save your explanations for the Court of Judicial Review. Take her away.”

Gejin’s voice pierced through like an awl.

“Shizi, I am innocent! I have never harmed anyone!”

The bailiffs dragged Gejin out from both sides, her cries and screams echoing continuously until she was past the main gate.

Judicial Officer Yan shook his head.

“If she were truly innocent, why would she harbor designs on Heart-Rotting Herb? Murdering Yao Huang and Qingzhi while pretending to be in the dark, then running to Wei Zi’s room that night to commit an assassination—she almost fooled everyone.”

Perhaps the matter was too shocking; no one spoke in the hall for a long time. Lin Chengyou let out another yawn.

“Alright, the truth has finally come to light. My two days and nights without sleep weren’t in vain. Next, we need only focus on dealing with the Two Monsters. Ah, it’s getting late—why haven’t the monks from Daxin Temple arrived yet?”

Legal Officer Hong hurried to reply, “Oh, earlier Reviewer Lin was busy interrogating the suspect, so I didn’t get a chance to report. One of the ox-drawn carriages from Daxin Temple broke down midway and isn’t enough now. A monk came to ask whether to hire a temporary carriage or wait for Daxin Temple to send another.”

“Where are they? I’ll go take a look.”

Suddenly remembering something, he stopped in his tracks.

“Right, Boss He, bring the ledger. If we can subdue the Two Monsters tonight, I’ll be leaving tomorrow. Let’s take this chance to calculate how much we’ve spent on food and wine these past few days.”

He Mingsheng said in astonishment, “I haven’t even thanked the Shizi for finding the killer—how could I have the nerve to ask for wine money? The expenses of the Shizi and the Taoists ought to be offered by Caifeng Tower.”

Lin Chengyou smiled softly, “Bring it over. I don’t have the habit of owing people wine money.”

Unable to hide the smile all over his face, He Mingsheng semi-reluctantly fetched the ledger. Lin Chengyou flipped it open, took a look, and smiled.

“Understood.”

He drew a piece of gold from his sleeve and handed it to He Mingsheng.

“The extra money can count as future wine money.”

Once he left, the courtesans slowly regained their senses.

Complex emotions quietly diffused through the hall, stirring up small ripples.

At first, there were only scattered words, but gradually the voices grew chaotic.

Wo Ji looked ready to cry.

“What sin have I committed! Gejin was a great beauty I hand-picked and bought. Not only was her face ruined by that wretched Yao Huang, but even she herself—”

E Ji spoke in a tone full of regret.

“Sigh… that child Gejin, why was she so shortsighted?”

Someone else said: “You can’t blame Gejin either. Having a heavenly beauty ruined like that—who wouldn’t feel unreconciled?”

For a time, there were those who were heartbroken and those who were indignant; but without exception, as the killer was brought to justice, everyone’s expressions relaxed a bit.

E Ji wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, turning to glance at Baozhu and Juan erli beside her.

Baozhu was quietly scrutinizing Juan erli with a strange expression, wondering what was on her mind, while Juan erli stared blankly at the ground, seemingly oblivious.

E Ji poked Juan erli hard.

“I’ll see how long you stay stupid!”

He Mingsheng ran up to Judicial Officer Yan to inquire smilingly, and upon gaining permission, sent a servant to the kitchen to fetch some tea and fruit.

Sitting in a corner, Teng Yuyi couldn’t help sighing with emotion upon seeing this.

“Fortunately we found out who it was. Just thinking about the killer being in this building kept me from sleeping soundly at night.”

Only after speaking did she realize Huo Qiu’s expression was off. She asked strangely, “Huo Qiu, what’s wrong with you?”

Huo Qiu lowered his voice.

“I feel something isn’t quite right.”

Teng Yuyi knitted her brows.

“What is it?”

“On the night Qingzhi met her end, I saw that person.”

Huo Qiu glanced at Juan erli not far away.

“Juan erli?” Teng Yuyi looked ahead in surprise.

“Where did you see her? On the night Qingzhi met her end?”

These words were spoken loudly, instantly attracting the attention of those nearby.

Huo Qiu anxiously looked left and right.

“My lady, keep your voice down.”

“What’s there to fear? The killer has been caught anyway.”

Teng Yuyi asked curiously, “Tell me, what did you see?”

Huo Qiu whispered, “It was actually nothing. Just that after Qingzhi left, Juan erli also loitered in the corridor for a bit. I thought she was just passing by, so I didn’t think much of it afterward.”

Teng Yuyi looked at Juan erli thoughtfully.

“No wonder she seems like a changed person recently. Could she have seen something that night and gotten frightened half to death?”

Steward Cheng’s eyes flickered.

“My lady, should we report this to the Shizi of Prince Cheng?”

“No need to pry into extra business—the killer has been found anyway. No, wait… in case there’s another twist, we’d better tell him.”

Huo Qiu nodded vigorously.

While they spoke, the sky grew darker.

The orange-red evening clouds were replaced by deep blue, and the flowers and trees in front of the courtyard were gradually cloaked in shadows.

The hall grew increasingly dim, making everyone’s faces blurry.

As He Mingsheng bustled around arranging for lamps to be lit, a dark shadow swished past the flower bushes in the courtyard.

Baozhu shrieked, “A ghost! There’s a ghost, ahhhh!”

He Mingsheng, timid as a mouse, trembled in voice, “D-Don’t talk nonsense!”

Just as everyone was bewildered and uneasy, a chilling female laughter suddenly drifted in from outside.

The voice was strangely shrill, like a broken, raspy Huqin string.

A eerie gust of night wind surged, bringing a thick stench of blood.

The Xuanyin bells on Teng Yuyi’s wrist jingled rapidly. Startled, she raised her hand to look—it was the string of bells Lin Chengyou had given her.

Unable to take it, the crowd fled in all directions in terror.

“Run, quickly! A ghost! It’s a ghost!”

Juesheng and Qizhi drew their swords and leaped up.

“Not good! The Corpse Demon is here!”

These words were like a thunderclap, scaring people out of their wits. Over the past few days, everyone had heard many rumors about the Corpse Demon—it was said to rip out human hearts and livers, and encountering it meant certain death.

The Five Taoists shouted urgently in the dark: “Don’t panic! With us here, it can’t harm you!”

Juesheng and Qizhi shouted outside.

“We’ll lure it away! Masters, hurry and lead everyone to the back!”

“Right!”

The Five Taoists drew their swords together.

“Your senior brother will be back soon anyway. We’ll head to the rear garden to guard the formation first—everyone follow us quickly!”

In the chaos, Teng Yuyi hurriedly called out: “Juan’erli! Juan’erli!”

Juan erli gave a mumbled reply.

“The Corpse Demon’s targets are the three of us. Now that Lady Gejin has been sent to the Court of Judicial Review, only you and I are left! Hurry to Lady Gejin’s room—the Shizi set up a talisman array outside her room. As long as we hide inside, we’ll be fine!”

Hearing this, Jian tian hurriedly said, “Jian Le, escort Young Master Wang! Jian xi, escort Juan erli! Once they are settled, hurry to the rear garden to guard the formation! The Corpse Demon is here, so the Golden-Robed Gentleman must be nearby too! Listen up, the rest of you—everyone head to the small shrine! You aren’t the Corpse Demon’s targets, so stay as far from those two as possible!”

Judicial Officer Yan and Legal Officer Hong called out loudly in the dark.

“Quickly, follow the five Masters!”

Jian xi followed the sound to find Juan erli, shouting, “Follow this old Taoist quickly!”

Jian le also found Teng Yuyi. Barely distinguishing their bearings, the crowd ran toward the back in utter disarray.

Teng Yuyi ran nervously to Yicui Pavilion. Locating the spot, she opened the door and slipped inside.

The room was pitch-black. Unable to find a candle for the moment, she sat panting by the window, relying on the moonlight to look at the Xuanyin bells on her wrist.

Perhaps because she was far from the evil aura, the bells finally stopped ringing.

Confused footsteps still echoed in the corridor.

Jian xi’s voice was heard, “Juan erli, the talisman on this door was drawn by the Shizi—it’s enough to withstand the Corpse Demon for a while. Stay inside properly, and don’t open the door no matter what you hear!”

Teng Yuyi’s heart thudded like a drum as she tilted her head to listen to the movements outside. After an unknown time, the surroundings fell silent. It seemed everyone had gone to the small hall; distant noise drifted over from the direction of the garden, the bustling commotion making the quiet in the corridor stand out all the more.

Sitting in the dark for a long time, Teng Yuyi’s senses became abnormally sharp. Unexpectedly, a rustling sound suddenly echoed in the corridor. At first listen, it sounded like wind blowing fallen leaves; but listening carefully, it was the sound of a person’s footsteps.

—

That person had been crouching in the corner earlier, slipping out quietly only after confirming no one was around. Locking onto the direction, they walked forward cautiously.

Yet because they walked so carefully, over a short distance, their footsteps took on a light and lingering trace.

Arriving outside Gejin’s room, this person surveyed the surroundings once more. Then, channeling their inner energy, they pushed open the door and slipped inside.

They had thought if the person inside screamed, they would claim they entered by mistake out of fear. Unexpectedly, the young girl by the window didn’t move at all, merely sitting on the low daybed with her head lowered.

This was fine—it saved wasting words. Everyone in the building had run to the garden, making right now the perfect opportunity to strike. It was said the Corpse Demon liked to rip out hearts; they could follow suit, so when Lin Chengyou and the others found her corpse, they would think she was killed by the Corpse Fiend.

In truth, they really didn’t want to kill anyone else, let alone someone with whom they had no grudge. But who told her to see them tailing Qingzhi in the busy market? That was one of the pieces of evidence of their murder of Qingzhi. Her senses hadn’t fully recovered right now, but once her illness cleared, she might tell Lin Chengyou about it. That brat was far too difficult to deal with—once the two sides matched stories, nothing could be hidden anymore.

Full power was already gathered in their palm. Aiming at her back, a single thrust forward would pierce through her chest. Yet for some reason, a intense sense of guilt surged in their heart.

This was their conscience at play, just like when they murdered Qingzhi and Yao Huang, suffering such torment back then.

They say one shouldn’t practice evil arts often, as it will sooner or later ruin one’s nature. Now they finally felt it—knowing full well it was wrong, atrocious deeds became easier and easier to do. Wanting to turn back, there was no turning back anymore. If father and mother knew… No, the moment they thought of their parents, their chest ached so hard they couldn’t catch their breath. If there was justice in this world, how could father and mother have met such an end? Good people all their lives, only to end up with their corpses sunk at the bottom of the river.

Thinking this, the malevolence in their chest swelled fiercely. There was no time to hesitate—any later would invite suspicion. Having been confined these past few days without finding a chance to strike, the Corpse demon barging in tonight was help from Heaven. Leaning forward, they slammed a hand toward the young girl’s back. The young girl remained unmoved and unevasive, yet her mouth called out a person’s name.

Three words hit like a heavy sledgehammer, smashing straight into their face. In a flash of lightning, a silver chain flew in from the window like a shooting star, wrapping tightly around their neck.

At the same time, someone leaped in from outside the window. That person pulled the silver chain taut with his left hand while kicking them right in the pit of the stomach with his other foot.

Their chest felt as if it had been crushed. Everything happened in a split second; given their skill, they could have dodged, but at that moment, those three words left them no time to react. That was a form of address all too familiar in memory, accompanied by the creaking of oars at the ferry, called out time and again from the mouth of their dearest kin.

How could this be? Impossible! Why would she know!

The young girl jumped up and hid behind the tall youth, exposing only a pair of cunning eyes.

“It really is you!”

Young Master Wang!

How could it be her? Where was Juan erli?

Lin Chengyou? He had been hiding outside the window all along!

Fine! The whole thing was a trap from the start! Despite being careful enough, in the end, they still fell into their hands.

A crowd flooded through the door. Judicial Officer Yan and the bailiffs held lamps in their hands, illuminating the room in an instant.

Someone gasped: “It’s actually you!”

With a heavy yank on their neck, there was no room for thought.

Lin Chengyou raised his hand and pulled the person up from the floor, sneering, “Not in vain of all our effort—you’ve finally revealed your true colors.”