Chapter 33: The Murderer

Yu Jin thought for a moment, then said:

“Let them in.”

Although the Tianjinwei had now uncovered the crucial lead of Beiqi Mingqi, the immediate priority was to swiftly apprehend the murderer, and with the assistance of the Six Gates Bureau, it would undoubtedly accelerate the investigation.

Not long after, the guards brought Ji Feiyun and his party to the grand hall.

Alongside Ji Feiyun came another chief constable, Gong Lishan, who was also among the Ten Famous Constables of the General Office.

Not long ago, Ji Feiyun had been powerless to diagnose the acupoints on Guan Shanxue’s body, and thus had no face to linger.

He happened to meet Gong Lishan returning to the Six Gates Bureau, so he invited him to come along to Jiguang Pavilion.

After all, if even the Tianjinwei were at a loss, his coming alone still left him uncertain.

Gong Lishan, though broad and burly, had eyes like a hawk’s.

Not only was his martial skill high, but his memory was extraordinary—he was an expert in investigations, and having him here would surely increase their chances.

Yet, upon arriving at Jiguang Pavilion, they discovered the Tianjinwei had already uncovered the cause of death of the five victims.

“Beiqi Mingqi? It’s this thing? No wonder you couldn’t figure it out—but how did you, my lord Yu, discover it?”

Gong Lishan, well-traveled and knowledgeable, knew the danger of Beiqi Mingqi, yet still asked with some doubt.

“One of my young eunuchs stumbled upon it today.”

An Quan spoke up to explain, but concealed the involvement of Li Muxian.

Previously, when he informed Yu Jin and others of the matter, he had likewise omitted Li Muxian’s intervention.

Hearing this, Gong Lishan asked no further, but after a moment’s thought, turned to Yu Jin and said:

“My lord Yu, what are your next steps?”

“Investigate everyone in Jiguang Pavilion who had contact with the five deceased and the current ten, and identify the most likely suspect.”

Yu Jin spoke slowly, then added:

“Not just these young masters present—I will thoroughly investigate every member of the Tianjinwei.”

Gong Lishan nodded and said:

“That makes sense, but I fear the murderer is too cunning—he may not be among the people you’ve listed.”

“Then what advice does Chief Gong offer?”

“Advice? Not exactly—I suddenly recalled reading something in a Six Gates Bureau archive about Beiqi Mingqi.”

Gong Lishan bowed slightly, then continued:

“During the Daqi Dynasty, someone secretly observed another cultivating this art and discovered that Beiqi Mingqi’s dog-skin plaster-like trait stems from ingesting a herb called Kuluocao during practice.”

“Kuluocao itself carries an intense fishy stench; anyone who cultivates Beiqi Mingqi retains this odor. Thus, we might begin our search from this angle.”

Hearing this, Yu Jin’s expression shifted, his face deep in thought.

“Then we may need a hunting dog with an acute sense of smell...”

At that moment, Ji Feiyun, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke:

“No need to find another—my subordinate has specifically trained a skill to detect odors; he alone is sufficient.”

Saying this, Ji Feiyun gave a glance to Cao Po beside him.

The big man with a hawk-like jaw and tiger-like whiskers stirred, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully:

“Not to boast, but no scent within thirty zhang escapes my nose.”

Cao Po’s heart burned with eagerness—if he could uncover the true murderer in Jiguang Pavilion, this would be a great merit; in a few years, with further martial advancement, he might rise to Silver Badge Constable.

Why let a dog steal this glory!

Seeing this, Yu Jin exchanged glances with several senior eunuchs, then nodded:

“Then try it.”

Hearing this, Cao Po immediately replied, activated his scent-detection martial art, filled the nasal meridians and acupoints, and began sniffing throughout the hall.

Soon, he seemed to have found something, twitching his nose as he walked toward the courtyard outside the hall.

But Ji Feiyun suddenly grabbed his arm:

“Don’t go there—that’s the lotus pond, full of fish!”

Cao Po froze, halting in place.

This drew laughter from those in the hall—but then Cao Po’s eyes suddenly flashed with sharp light:

“Found it!”

He spun around and strode toward the direction where Li Muxian stood.

Ji Feiyun, beside him, hurried after, but upon first seeing Li Muxian, his eyes clearly revealed a flicker of surprise.

At that moment, Li Yuanling stepped forward, blocking Li Muxian, and coldly said:

“Stop right there. What do you want?”

Cao Po had seen Li Muxian once at a tavern; now seeing him here in Jiguang Pavilion, he too felt surprised.

But his focus was elsewhere—he waved his hand:

“I’m not looking for him—I’m looking for... him!”

As he spoke, he pointed behind Li Muxian.

Instantly, all eyes turned toward the direction of his finger.

There, less than a few chi behind Li Muxian, stood a guard clad in black armor, holding a spear.

He stood within the shadow cast by the curtains, head bowed, his true face completely obscured.

Li Muxian slowly turned his head to look behind him.

But in his mind, he thought: Oh, so I was found after all!

“You. Come here!”

Yu Jin spoke in a deep voice, his gaze sharp as he fixed on the armored soldier; his entire aura shifted, radiating suffocating pressure.

The surrounding senior eunuchs and Ji Feiyun and others also tensed, watching him warily.

At that moment, Li Yuanling snapped to awareness and immediately pulled Li Muxian backward.

The armored soldier in the curtain’s shadow remained motionless. Silence stretched for several breaths; the grand hall became utterly still.

Just as the Zhenfu Commander Yu Jin’s gaze grew dangerously sharp and he was about to speak again, the soldier finally let out a soft sigh.

The long sigh echoed throughout the hall, and slowly, the soldier raised his head, revealing a young face with clean, sharp features.

“Why rush to die? You weren’t meant to be next—you still had several days to live.”

A flat, emotionless voice issued from the young soldier’s lips; his lips curled into a smile that seemed utterly weary.

The next instant, his armor silently shattered into fragments, his spear cracked apart, then dissolved into a pile of iron dust that fell softly to the ground.

Then, streams of ink-black mist poured from his seven orifices, coalescing into chains of swirling vapor that wrapped around his body.

“Since you wish to die early, then today, no one in Jiguang Pavilion will live!”

(End of Chapter)