Chapter 158: The Heart-Stealing Mystery (2)

"Something up?"

Gu Yun did not rush in, however. She waved her hand and, while backing out, said, "You two talk first."

Zhuo Qing smiled. "We're done talking."

"Let's go to the Ministry of Justice and talk more."

"Wait." Just as Zhuo Qing and Gu Yun pulled the door open, a low, hoarse male voice spoke up coldly once more.

Zhuo Qing turned back. Ao Tian's icy face remained expressionless, but he coolly tossed out four words: "I'm joining too."

Qian Jing's face was full of astonishment, and a trace of shock flashed through Ye Mei's cold eyes. Their Senior Brother had always been a man of his word; what had made him change his mind?

The two of them looked thoughtfully at the woman leaning against the doorframe—seemingly casual and lazy, yet constantly radiating an elite temperament. Was it because of her?

The Criminal Justice Official's Mansion.

"Did you find the case files I asked you to look for?"

Cheng Hang placed a stack of organized files on the table and replied, "I found them. If I hadn't gone looking, I really wouldn't have noticed that within these past six years, there hasn't been just one or two such heart-stealing cases within Qiongyue. It's just that they weren't all serial murder cases like this one. Some were solved, and the perpetrators have already been brought to justice; others remain unsolved and have become cold cases. Now that I count them, there are actually thirteen!" He had had to find over ten yamen runners and spend an entire night reviewing files just to find them!

Zhuo Qing had originally been lazily resting her chin on her hand, but upon hearing this, she perked up and asked, "Were the victims all female? Were they all locked-room murders, dying from having their hearts stolen and blood drained? Did they all show expressions of terror on their faces?" Even though they were all heart-stealing cases, it didn't necessarily mean they were all committed by the same person!

"Yes, they were all women. Only two were locked-room murders, but the victims all died from having their hearts stolen and blood drained. The files didn't record the victims' expressions!" The files were all reported from various regions, and the coroners' records and autopsy methods differed, making it hard to standardize.

Gu Yun tapped her index finger on the table and asked with a frown, "Are there any other commonalities?"

"There are." Although he said there were, Cheng Hang's face showed no excitement. "Three of the women were learning the zither from Su Mufeng at the time, but perhaps it's just a coincidence."

Zhuo Qing and Lv Jin both wore expressions of disappointment. Gu Yun asked, "Who is Su Mufeng?" She hadn't heard them mention him.

Zhuo Qing explained sheepishly, "The most famous zitherist in Qiongyue. He is a detached and cool-headed man who has taught many descendants of noble families. These three victims were all his students. But when I saw him with my own eyes last time, he had hemophobia, and it didn't look like he was faking it."

She trusted Zhuo Qing's judgment, but there were no such things as so many coincidences in the world; everything needed to be verified! Gu Yun rose gracefully and smiled. "Since he has suspicious points, regardless of whether his hemophobia is real, we should meet him, shouldn't we?"

The Su Mansion.

The Su family was settled in Xingfeng City, the most prosperous city in the Qiongyue Kingdom outside of the capital. This residence was merely a villa the Su family had built in the capital. The Su family was worthy of being a musical family; even though it was just a villa, it was decorated in a fresh and refined manner, revealing an air of elegance and tranquility everywhere.

Gu Yun habitually scanned her surroundings as she usually did, pacing back and forth in the middle of the main hall. She had thought that this so-called wealthy family would make them wait for a long time, but she hadn't expected that they would have only just arrived when a low, clear voice, like a deep spring, rang out leisurely: "Miss Qing."

Gu Yun turned to look, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. The person who arrived was dressed in white, his gait light, like a breeze blowing toward them. His handsome face, composed demeanor, and those calm, deep eyes could easily capture everyone's attention. Gu Yun finally understood why Zhuo Qing would use "detached and cool-headed" to describe him; he was like a cloud, giving people a feeling of coldness, etherealness, unpredictability, and aloofness.

Zhuo Qing nodded generously and smiled. "Young Master Su, is your health any better?"

Su Mufeng smiled and replied, "Thank you, Miss. I am fine."

Few people could ignore Gu Yun's sharp, piercing gaze. Su Mufeng looked at the woman standing in the living room staring at him and nodded at her with great poise, though the smile on his lips was so faint it was almost invisible.

This person was very interesting; you wouldn't think he was impolite, but you could never feel his warmth. Zhuo Qing smiled. "She is my younger sister, Qing Mo, and these two are officials from the Criminal Justice Official's Mansion."

Su Mufeng looked at the other two, his face showing neither surprise nor impatience. He simply asked calmly, "Is there something you need by visiting?"

Lv Jin stood up, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "Young Master Su, please forgive our intrusion. The victims of the previous cases were all once your students, so we have some questions we would like to ask." Su Mufeng was not a member of the imperial court, yet his reputation was excellent. Facing such a refined and elegant person, anyone would find it hard not to be respectful!

Su Mufeng nodded gently and replied, "You two don't need to be so formal. Please, ask."

"When you gave those young ladies their final lesson, was there anything strange about them?"

"No." Su Mufeng answered calmly and concisely.

"How long have you been teaching them the zither?"

"Miss Si and Miss Li each had three lessons, and the Princess only had two." Su Mufeng's calm expression remained steady and composed. He even added cooperatively, "Do you need a list of everyone I have taught? If you do, I will have a servant deliver it to the Criminal Justice Official's Mansion tomorrow morning."

"This..." Su Mufeng was so cooperative that Lv Jin felt a bit embarrassed.

"That would be perfect!" Gu Yun's clear voice sounded somewhat pressing. She walked toward Su Mufeng step by step and asked coldly, "As their teacher, how do you feel about their deaths?"

Facing Gu Yun, Su Mufeng did not avoid her or get angry just because she wasn't from the yamen. His face still held that faint, indifferent detachment as he replied, "Very shocked. I hope the murderer can be found as soon as possible."

Gu Yun's bright eyes flickered. This person's expression was too calm—so calm that she could barely tell what he was thinking. Perhaps she had met her match. Gu Yun walked up to Su Mufeng and continued to press him, "What are your thoughts on the murderer's killing method?"

"I don't know how the murderer kills, so I have no thoughts on it." Su Mufeng's tone was level, his expression natural; every answer seemed seamless. Gu Yun continued to close in. Zhuo Qing stood up, wanting to pull Gu Yun back; she seemed to be going a bit too far today.

But just as Zhuo Qing stood up, she happened to step on Gu Yun's skirt. Gu Yun was focused entirely on Su Mufeng and didn't notice, stumbling forward. Fortunately, her reflexes were fast; she immediately grabbed Su Mufeng's arm to steady herself, preventing a fall.

Gu Yun straightened her body and said apologetically, "I'm sorry."

Just as she was about to pull her hand back, she noticed the arm under her hand was trembling. She looked up at Su Mufeng; that face, which had been cold and calm, now showed a deliberately hidden tension and panic. Gu Yun was slightly stunned—she had only steadied herself by holding his arm!

Zhuo Qing was just about to step forward to ask if she was alright when she saw Gu Yun's body go limp, leaning against Su Mufeng, and she cried out in a low voice, "I think I sprained my ankle."

Sprained it just like that? Impossible! Even if she had really sprained it, Gu Yun wouldn't just linger in a man's arms and refuse to get up. Zhuo Qing stepped back, waiting to see what would happen.

Gu Yun could feel that when she slumped into his arms, Su Mufeng stiffened noticeably. He pushed her toward a wooden chair to the side with considerable force, his voice also sounding stiff and cold: "Please sit, Miss."

A sharp light flashed in Gu Yun's eyes. Not only was her body still completely in his arms, but her hand was also brazenly wrapped around his waist. She feigned a coquettish tone and cried out, "It hurts so much, I can't walk. Please help me over there."

Su Mufeng was completely at a loss. His slender fingers pried away the hand Gu Yun had wrapped around him, his complexion shifting from its initial detachment to coldness. Just then, a sharp, low roar came from outside the door: "What are you two pulling and tugging at each other for?!"

Looking toward the direction of the shout, a woman in her thirties walked toward them with long strides. The woman wore a dark blue long dress, her hair tied into a towering cloud bun, adorned with several exquisite pure silver long hairpins. With a beautiful face and a slender, tall figure, she was definitely a great beauty, but her eyes were filled with annoyance, her phoenix eyes glaring fixedly at Gu Yun, looking as if she were burning with rage!

Seeing who it was, Su Mufeng called out respectfully, "Xin Yi."

The woman didn't even look at him, walking straight toward Gu Yun. "Sprained your ankle, is that right? I'll help you." Before the words had even faded, the woman grabbed Gu Yun's arm and yanked her away from Su Mufeng's side with such force that Gu Yun frowned slightly.

Almost thrown onto the wooden chair furthest from Su Mufeng, Gu Yun observed this "Xin Yi" who had suddenly appeared without changing her expression.

Her phoenix eyes swept coldly over Cheng Hang and Lv Jin. The woman hummed impatiently, "If you have anything else to ask or say, please hurry up. Mufeng still has many things to do!"

Cheng Hang and Lv Jin looked at each other, then at Zhuo Qing. Zhuo Qing shook her head slightly at them. Just then, Gu Yun suddenly stood up, laughed heartily, and replied, "Nothing left to ask. Sorry to have disturbed you both, we shall take our leave."

As the group exited the Su Mansion, the sky outside was already filled with twilight clouds, the crimson hue before their eyes dreamlike and beautiful, so lovely that one couldn't bear to look away. But no matter how beautiful the sunset was, it was in vain; the coming darkness would soon swallow all its brilliance.

Returning to the Criminal Justice Official's Mansion, Cheng Hang plopped into a chair and sighed, "Su Mufeng doesn't seem to have any problems, right?"

Gu Yun shrugged and smiled pointedly, "His attitude toward women is very strange, and that aunt of his is also very strange!"

What kind of problem was that?! Cheng Hang said unceremoniously, "He is a humble gentleman; naturally, he would keep his distance from a woman who suddenly 'throws herself into his arms'."

Gu Yun shot Cheng Hang a look with her cold eyes and asked in a deep voice, "His politeness, aloofness, awkwardness, and even disgust are all understandable, but why did he panic?! Isn't that strange?"

Panic—was it really that serious?! He truly hadn't seen it. Cheng Hang tried hard to recall Su Mufeng's expression at the time, while Lv Jin asked directly, "What could his panic possibly explain?"

Gu Yun smiled noncommittally. "I don't know." Panic could only indicate one emotion; it certainly couldn't explain anything.

Gu Yun looked at Zhuo Qing, only to see her holding a cup to her lips without drinking, her brows slightly furrowed, wondering what she was thinking. So, she asked in a low voice, "Did you think of something?"

Slowly putting down the cup, Zhuo Qing replied, "I remember that on the day Prime Minister Lou's younger sister, Xiwu, was attacked, she had also had physical contact with Su Mufeng like that, and something happened that night."

Originally, she hadn't paid attention, but just now, when Gu Yun mentioned the physical contact, she also felt that Su Mufeng's reaction to being touched by others was somewhat excessive, especially by women!

No sooner had Zhuo Qing finished speaking than Cheng Hang stood up immediately, leaving behind a "I'll go investigate," his figure already flashing out the door.

Gu Yun's lips curled slightly. Although this person was a bit impulsive, his ability to act and his thirst for knowledge were definitely worth acknowledging!

Zhuo Qing crossed her arms over her chest, her face frosty, and snorted coldly, "If the murderer is him, then his hemophobia was just a performance for me!"

Gu Yun patted Zhuo Qing's shoulder, which was tense with annoyance, and consoled her, "It's not impossible. When the three victims were mentioned, there wasn't the slightest guilt, panic, or pride on his face. This isn't the state a murderer should display. This can only mean that either his acting skills are truly high, or we guessed wrong!"

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 159 =====