Chapter 148: Passion Like Fire

Passion Like Fire

In the silent night, the senses replaced the eyes, becoming unusually sharp compared to ordinary times. And that touch, as if it were there yet not, made Nie Jinxuan's heart tremble slightly...

Unable to suppress her nervousness, her complexion gradually flushed. Therefore, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but close her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then let out a low, soft cough.

"Cough... um, Yin Fengzhan, are you asleep?"

"Mm."

Nie Jinxuan spoke in a very low voice, not expecting Yin Fengzhan to actually respond. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan immediately pursed her lips.

"If you're asleep, why are you making noise?!"

"..."

Yin Fengzhan fell silent again. But at this moment, Nie Jinxuan clearly felt Yin Fengzhan move slightly beside her. Suddenly, Nie Jinxuan, who had just calmed down a little, felt her face heat up again, and she couldn't help but purse her lips once more.

"Uh... right, right, I just remembered something. Yin Fengzhan, tell me, if Jin Jingyuan was really harmed by Huang Hu and Wang Fang, why didn't the Jin family pursue it at the time? After all, Jin Jingyuan's father, Jin Qi, was also a first-rank Minister of Revenue in the current court, and the Ministry of Revenue is!"

"Mm, it cannot be ignored. Because the Jin family didn't know at all!"

Listening to Nie Jinxuan's words, Yin Fengzhan spoke quietly. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was stunned.

"You mean, the Jin family never knew from beginning to end that Jin Jingyuan's death had anything to do with Huang Hu and Wang Fang?!"

"Mm! Otherwise, given Jin Qi's temperament, he could not have remained silent."

Yin Fengzhan had been in politics for some years, and having discussed state affairs in the same court, he naturally understood Jin Qi very well.

"So, there is only one reason why the Jin family, or rather Jin Qi, didn't speak up: Jin Qi did not suspect his own son's death."

"Then is it possible that Jin Qi knew at the time, but later couldn't even protect himself, so he had no time to investigate his son's affair? After all, didn't we hear before that not long after Jin Jingyuan died, Jin Qi was exposed for using his position to buy and sell official posts? So could it be..."

"Impossible! Although Jin Qi was investigated by the Emperor not long after Jin Jingyuan's death, there was a period of two or three months in between. Even if Jin Qi had already sensed that his situation was dire, he couldn't have said nothing when such a big thing happened to his son."

Interrupting Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengzhan spoke in an unchanging tone. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan fell into deep thought.

"Then this is strange. According to the evidence we have now, the murderer learned that there was something fishy about Jin Jingyuan's death more than two years ago. And it was from that time that they slowly plotted until now to take action... That is to say, the murderer has a great connection to Jin Jingyuan. But if the whole Jin family didn't know about Jin Jingyuan's death back then, then who could the murderer be?"

In this world, besides immediate family, Nie Jinxuan found it hard to imagine who else would do such crazy things for Jin Jingyuan!

So, at this moment, Nie Jinxuan felt a bit confused, yet she couldn't figure it out no matter how she thought. But just as Nie Jinxuan was lost in thought, Yin Fengzhan suddenly said in a low voice:

"It is not necessarily only relatives who would do such things!"

"Uh... what do you mean by that?"

Turning her head instantly, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but look at the man lying beside her. Under the dim candlelight, his near-perfect profile was outlined, and his lowered eyes cast a shadow, hazy and enchanting...

But at this moment, Nie Jinxuan's mind was on the case. So, after waiting for a while and seeing Yin Fengzhan remain silent, Nie Jinxuan reached out and poked him under the quilt.

"Speak, what do you mean?"

Nie Jinxuan always felt that Yin Fengzhan had more to say. Being touched by Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengzhan finally pursed his sexy thin lips and opened his deep eyes.

"Nie Jinhui!"

Word by word, Yin Fengzhan finally voiced the suspicion in his heart. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was stunned at first, then reflexively widened her eyes.

"You... you mean my second sister?"

Nie Jinxuan looked incredulous, but before Yin Fengzhan could speak, she shook her head directly.

"Impossible!"

"Why is it impossible?"

Raising an eyebrow in question, Yin Fengzhan turned his eyes to glance at Nie Jinxuan, then said in a deep voice:

"Back at Zuixiashanzhuang, when Concubine Tong was harmed, she was also there. And after returning from Zuixiashanzhuang, murders began to occur in the capital, so in terms of timing, she has absolute possibility. Furthermore, it has already been confirmed that the person who killed Concubine Tong was not someone from the inner palace..."

"That's still impossible! I know your suspicion has reasons. But Yin Fengzhan, have you thought about it? More than two years ago, Second Sister did have a marriage engagement with Jin Jingyuan, but that was nothing more than the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers. Later, because of Jin Jingyuan's death, the marriage naturally came to nothing. So think about it, how much affection could Second Sister have had for that Jin Jingyuan? Enough to make her kill people like cutting hemp for his sake?!"

Directly interrupting Yin Fengzhan, Nie Jinxuan frowned and retorted earnestly.

"Besides, if the murderer really were Second Sister, then her whereabouts during the days when the murders occurred in the capital would certainly have had problems. But before I got involved in this case, I was also living at home. Although I didn't go out, Second Sister lived in the courtyard next to mine, and I didn't find anything suspicious about her whereabouts! She didn't even step out of the mansion gate, so how could she commit the crimes?"

After divorcing Yin Fengzhan, Nie Jinxuan returned directly to the Nie mansion. During those days, although Nie Jinxuan didn't step out of the house, she still knew a little about the movements of the people in the mansion and some things. Therefore, even if Nie Jinxuan didn't know anything else, she could be very certain about Nie Jinhui's whereabouts!

Nie Jinxuan was very sure she hadn't made a mistake. At this moment, seeing her so firm, Yin Fengzhan pursed his lips and remained silent.

Yin Fengzhan fell silent again. Nie Jinxuan didn't know what else to say, and the room immediately fell into a quiet silence...

The night was quiet.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was late at night. Because of the matter regarding Nie Jinhui just now, neither Nie Jinxuan nor Yin Fengzhan spoke, but Nie Jinxuan knew he was not asleep yet...

The surroundings remained silent, and the rain outside had stopped at some unknown time. Perhaps because the weather was a bit chilly after the rain, or perhaps the quilt was a bit thin, Nie Jinxuan, lying on the bed, felt a trace of coldness. So, after blinking her eyes again, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but frown and said to Yin Fengzhan beside her:

"Are... are you cold?"

"No."

"Oh..."

"Are you cold?"

"Mm..."

Hearing Yin Fengzhan ask her, Nie Jinxuan nodded. Upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan, who had been lying on his back next to Nie Jinxuan, turned his head to look at her. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan was also stunned, but before she could speak, she heard a sound of talking coming from the next room.

"... you dead ghost, what are you doing?"

The one speaking was the farm woman. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan were stunned almost at the same time. Before Nie Jinxuan could figure out what was going on, she heard the woman's husband say in a low voice:

"What am I doing? Of course, I'm doing the deed!"

"Oh my, you really are... the young lady and her man next door are still there... hey, where are you touching?"

"So what? What are you afraid of? You're my wife, it's not against the law!"

The woman's husband said righteously. After he spoke, a rustling sound was heard, and then the man continued:

"Besides, it's so late, they're all asleep."

"But the light is still on in that room."

"You don't understand that. What kind of people are they? Can't you tell? Look at their appearance and temperament, they don't look like ordinary people at all. I've heard that young masters and ladies from wealthy families don't turn off the lights when they sleep at night..."

"Is, is that so?"

"Of course... alright, hurry up and let me in, I can't hold it anymore..."

"Hey hey, you dead ghost, gentle... be gentle... mm—"

At this moment, Nie Jinxuan, lying on the bed, was completely dumbfounded! Because she never expected that... that such a thing would happen!

And more importantly, she wasn't the only one here right now. Thinking of this, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but quietly turn her head to look at Yin Fengzhan beside her... but she immediately met a pair of deep and charming eyes.

Suddenly, Nie Jinxuan panicked. Her face flushed hot, and she hurriedly turned her head away and closed her eyes...

But at this moment, the battle next door was intensifying, and the sounds of passionate cries came through as clearly as could be.

"Ah— slow, slow down... mm..."

"Heh... hehe... can I slow down? Come, open your legs a bit more, it's a bit stuck here."

"Mm—"

"So wet today, come, open your legs a bit more~!"

"Hey— mm, okay, okay, it's too... too deep... I, I can't take it anymore..."

Nie Jinxuan was going crazy. The obscene words of the young couple next door made Nie Jinxuan's pretty face turn as red as a tomato. At the same time, thinking that Yin Fengzhan was right beside her... Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but want to reach out and cover her ears, then turn over...

But just at this moment, just as Nie Jinxuan raised her hand and made a move to turn over, a large hand grabbed her. Before Nie Jinxuan could figure out what was happening, Yin Fengzhan, who had been lying beside her, turned over and kissed her lips!

This kiss was fiery. Yin Fengzhan's suddenly overwhelming passion, mixed with dominance, made it hard for Nie Jinxuan to bear for a moment. Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but reach out to resist, but she was grabbed by Yin Fengzhan, who then took advantage of the moment she was about to speak to invade her lips and teeth, playing to his heart's content...

Within the small space of the bed curtains, it was a scene of splendor. Nie Jinxuan narrowed her eyes in a daze under the massive offensive... but Yin Fengzhan, whose passion had already been ignited, was not satisfied with just a kiss. He reached out a large hand, tore open the clothes of the woman beneath him, and leaned down to kiss those alluring snowy peaks...

"Mm..."

Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but moan softly. But then, Nie Jinxuan was startled and instantly bit her lip. At the same time, she reached out to push the man still hovering over her chest.

"Don't... don't do this..."

Nie Jinxuan's voice was trembling uncontrollably, but at this moment, the man who had already been burned into a demon by desire, how could he stop? Even, as soon as Nie Jinxuan finished speaking, he opened his mouth and bit down slightly on that alluring cherry...

That bite was the punishment he gave her! Nie Jinxuan let out a soft cry of pain. But then, she saw Yin Fengzhan suddenly lift his body, instantly kiss her lips again, while one hand stroked her bare back, and the other hand followed her snowy chest, winding all the way down to that mysterious place between her legs!

Feeling the man's movements on her body, Nie Jinxuan was startled, reflexively closed her legs, and pushed Yin Fengzhan again.

"Don't, don't do this... no, don't..."

The moment their lips parted, Nie Jinxuan spoke in a trembling voice, but upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan just frowned and kissed her lips again...

Yin Fengzhan was unexpectedly stubborn and persistent, his fiery dominance even more intense than before. At this time, the passionate cries next door reached a climax and then gradually returned to calm. Nie Jinxuan was extremely nervous and couldn't help but reach out her hands again.

But this time, Nie Jinxuan didn't push him away, but instead hugged him tightly. And it was precisely because of this that the moment Nie Jinxuan hugged Yin Fengzhan, she saw Yin Fengzhan tremble all over and stop.

The surroundings were quiet, and even the passion next door had completely subsided at some point. On the simple table, the candlelight remained, casting a dim yellow glow over the room.

At this moment, Yin Fengzhan just lay quietly on Nie Jinxuan's body, his hand still stroking her back, his fiery lips still pressed against that alluring softness, and Nie Jinxuan just hugged him quietly, not moving at all.

Neither of them moved, neither of them spoke. The teasing breath made both of their hearts tremble, and in the mist, a room full of ambiguity emerged...

Time passed, and after an unknown amount of time, Yin Fengzhan, who had been motionless, suddenly kissed Nie Jinxuan hard, and then, while Nie Jinxuan was still in a daze, he lifted his head.

"Do you hate me that much?"

Looking straight into Nie Jinxuan's eyes beneath him, Yin Fengzhan pursed his lips and spoke. At this moment, his hair was disheveled, blocking the dim light and his expression, but revealing a pair of deep, enchanting eyes that now faintly revealed an indescribable emotion...

Yin Fengzhan's voice was low and hoarse. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan's heart trembled, but then she couldn't help but increase the strength in her hands, hugging him even tighter.

"What do you think?"

Instead of answering, Nie Jinxuan threw the question back. Upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan's eyes flashed, and he kissed her again. Then, just as Nie Jinxuan wanted to push him away, Yin Fengzhan turned over, lay beside her, and pulled Nie Jinxuan into his arms...

At this moment, being held by Yin Fengzhan, the feeling of skin against skin and that indescribable warmth made Nie Jinxuan tremble all over, and she couldn't help but whisper:

"Yin Fengzhan, you..."

"Shut up!"

Interrupting Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengzhan tightened his arms and closed his eyes. At this moment, hearing this and feeling the strength of the embrace, Nie Jinxuan felt a warmth in her heart, so she really didn't say anything else, closed her mouth, and leaned slowly into his arms...

They stayed on the mountain for a night. The next morning, Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan got up early, bid farewell to the enthusiastic woman and her husband, and went down the mountain.

Of course, before leaving, Nie Jinxuan politely gave the farm woman a prepared ingot of silver and a hairpin. The woman and her husband, who had lived on the mountain all their lives, were startled and kept saying it wasn't necessary, but in the end, Nie Jinxuan insisted on putting the money and the hairpin into the woman's hand.

Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan went down the mountain, and once they reached the town, they returned directly to the inn. But as soon as they entered the inn, they saw Liu Fuquan, the magistrate of Yanxia Town, sitting in the hall with a troubled look on his face, with Yamen Runner Lao Gao and another Yamen Runner Lao Li standing beside him. At the same time, beside them, Zhongli was wearing a dark face that made people afraid to look directly at him.

Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan was stunned, then she and Yin Fengzhan walked in. Perhaps hearing the sound, the people in the hall looked up instantly, and seeing it was Yin Fengzhan and Nie Jinxuan, they immediately greeted them...

It turned out that the reason everyone looked troubled and gloomy was because Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan had not returned all night! But seeing them return safe and sound, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Afterwards, Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan went upstairs to change their clothes and freshen up before coming back down. By this time, it was almost noon, and the innkeeper's wife brought up lunch.

The innkeeper's wife was also hospitable. Although the food was ordinary, it could be seen that it was prepared with care. Seeing that Liu Fuquan and the others hadn't left yet, Nie Jinxuan asked them to stay and eat together. Yin Fengzhan was a bit dissatisfied with this, but he didn't say anything, and everyone sat around the table to start eating.

With many people eating, there was naturally no shortage of topics. Liu Fuquan and the Yamen Runners Lao Gao and Lao Li were all talkative, so it was imaginable that this meal was full of joy. Afterwards, after the meal, the innkeeper's wife brought tea, and everyone chatted while drinking tea. While chatting, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but start looking at the inn's lobby, and finally, her gaze fell on the two pillars at the entrance of the lobby.

She saw that on the pillars, which were thicker than a bowl, a couplet was written:

Leaning on Mu Mountain, the mountain dances like a long rainbow, seven-colored glow shrouds the ancient town.

Beside Jin River, the water drifts like a wide silk, a pool of mirror shadows reflects the yellow dragon.

Nie Jinxuan didn't have much research on couplets, but she could see that this couplet was fitting for the scene. So after savoring it carefully, she couldn't help but say loudly to the innkeeper's wife, who was recording accounts behind the counter:

"This couplet of yours, Innkeeper, is truly wonderful. It fits the scene perfectly, truly capturing the artistic conception of Yanxia Town with its mountains and waters accompanying each other~!"

Nie Jinxuan praised it herself, but upon hearing this, the innkeeper's wife, who was recording accounts, was stunned. She looked up at Nie Jinxuan, then looked at the couplet, and then let out a light laugh.

"This young lady really overestimates me. I am just a village woman, how could I write such a good couplet?"

As she spoke, the innkeeper's wife put down the pen in her hand, took a small plate of preserved fruits and candied snacks, walked over, placed them on the table, and sat down next to Nie Jinxuan.

"Actually, to tell you the truth, young lady, this couplet was written by a scholar who passed through here more than two years ago~!"

"Oh? More than two years ago?"

"Yes, it was more than two years ago~!"

Raising her eyebrows with a smile, the innkeeper's wife continued:

"More than two years ago, several scholars came to the town. They looked like they came from wealthy families. I heard they were traveling for study and stayed at the inn. Then one day, one of the scholars surnamed Jin, while eating breakfast, looked at the empty space at the door, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and wrote this couplet with a brush..."

She said with a smile, but when she got to this point, the innkeeper's wife paused slightly, her face darkened instantly, and she couldn't help but sigh.

"It's a pity, heaven has unpredictable storms. The next day, that scholar surnamed Jin went boating with his friends and fell into the lake and died... Sigh, young lady, you don't know, that scholar was really a person with a great temperament, he looked upright, and was full of talent. Sigh, it's really a pity~!"

The innkeeper's wife sighed to herself. At this moment, hearing her say two years ago and that the person was surnamed Jin, Nie Jinxuan was stunned. She turned to look at Yin Fengzhan and asked in a low voice:

"Uh, so, that scholar was Jin Jingyuan who came from the capital more than two years ago?"

Nie Jinxuan said this to the innkeeper's wife. At this time, Liu Fuquan hadn't left yet. So upon hearing this, before the innkeeper's wife could speak, Liu Fuquan answered:

"Sigh, young lady, it's him! Who else could it be?! Nothing has happened in Yanxia Town for many years, just him! There is no second one!"

Liu Fuquan spoke quite readily. After he finished speaking, the innkeeper's wife also said slowly:

"Young lady, I don't know the scholar's name, but judging by his accent, he was definitely from the capital! Because my maiden home is also in the capital, so I could tell as soon as I heard it~!"

The innkeeper's wife told the truth. After she finished, she turned her gaze to the couplet. But just when everyone in the hall was looking at the couplet, Yin Fengzhan, who had been silent, was suddenly stunned, and without thinking, he said directly:

"Impossible!"

Yin Fengzhan said this suddenly. Hearing the sound, Nie Jinxuan, who was sitting next to him, was startled.

"What's wrong? What's impossible?"

Nie Jinxuan was a bit confused. At this time, she saw Yin Fengzhan turn his head and meet Nie Jinxuan's eyes.

"The characters on this pillar are exactly the same as the characters on the mysterious note that appeared at Zuixiashanzhuang!" ===== CHAPTER 149 =====