Chapter 386: Turned the Tables

The assistant regional commander was named Lu Renxing, and the law enforcer from Shunhua City was named Jia Luojing.

When An Chengyuan sent someone back to Shiyang Village to “urge” Xu Yuan to return to the unit, he had originally dispatched only Lu Renxing and Jia Luojing.

Zhu Zhanmei volunteered herself, persuading An Chengyuan to let her join this team.

As soon as Xu Yuan spoke those words, Lu Renxing and Jia Luojing both turned to glance at Zhu Zhanmei.

No wonder you insisted on coming along—you’re here to protect this man.

Zhu Zhanmei knew the relationship between the Zhu family and Xu Yuan; it couldn’t be hidden, and she never intended to hide it.

So she openly admitted: “Fine, we won’t go in.”

She squeezed her horse’s flanks with her long legs, and the steed obediently stepped back.

Zhu Zhanmei brought only two subordinates; all three withdrew to one side.

And they deliberately cleared the path, showing they would not obstruct Lu Renxing or Jia Luojing at all.

You’re in a hurry? Go ahead.

At this moment, Lu Renxing and Jia Luojing truly dared not enter.

So often things are absurd like this.

You try to protect them by keeping them out, but they refuse to listen and insist on going in!

You grow weary and say, “Fine, go ahead”—and then they grow suspicious and dare not enter.

Lu Renxing and Jia Luojing exchanged glances; finally, Jia Luojing, with thicker skin, cleared his throat and said: “Master Xu has arrived—excellent. We’ve come on Commander An’s orders to urge Master Xu to return promptly.”

Xu Yuan spread his hands: “Come in and drag me back? This place has become Ghost Gate Village—I can’t leave.”

Jia Luojing’s eyes darted, then he said: “What exactly has happened inside? Master Xu, why not tell us? We can discuss it together.”

Xu Yuan had nothing to hide, so he recounted everything that had occurred in the village from yesterday to today.

He naturally concealed his own movements last night, and the deaths of Zhao Xian and the other five.

Xu Yuan assumed Jia Luojing was merely asking out of idle curiosity.

But after listening, Jia Luojing stroked his chin and mused: “A century ago, this village suffered a horrific tragedy during gold panning…”

Jia Luojing slammed his fist into his palm and declared firmly: “Master Xu, immediately investigate the tree where that boy’s family was hanged. The main malevolent force in Ghost Gate Village must be directly tied to that tree!”

Jia Luojing felt his analysis was flawless; the mystery in this village wasn’t complicated, and he couldn’t understand why Xu Yuan had made no progress in two days.

How had he ever built such a reputation before?

In the village, Xu Yuan merely nodded calmly: “I’ve checked. Nothing suspicious.”

Jia Luojing blinked: “You really checked?”

“Really checked. I nearly turned that little mound upside down.”

Jia Luojing had absolute confidence in his deduction—he was certain this was the key to solving the case—and insisted: “Master Xu, you should check again…”

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes: “If Judge Jia thinks I’m incompetent, then why don’t you go in and investigate yourself?”

“This…” Jia Luojing hesitated.

Xu Yuan smiled: “Judge Jia, you’re confident you can solve this village’s mystery—so if it’s Ghost Gate Village, what’s the harm in walking in?”

“Once you solve the case, the village’s restrictions lift naturally—you won’t be in any danger.”

This sentence cornered Jia Luojing.

You don’t trust me? Then go in and investigate yourself.

If you won’t go in, it proves you’re not as certain of your deduction as you claim.

If you’re not even sure, why are you pushing me to check again?

Jia Luojing had wanted to demonstrate his investigative skill—but now he was stuck.

Xu Yuan silently shook his head; this Jia Luojing overestimated himself and treated everyone else as useless.

Xu Yuan knew that, whether in the Three Offices of the Supernatural, or in county or prefectural yamens, truly skilled investigators were as rare as phoenix feathers.

That’s why folk tales of “wise magistrates” circulated everywhere.

Because most constables and yamen runners, when a case arose, simply asked a few basic questions—who had a grudge against the victim, who was sleeping with the victim’s wife—then arrested and tortured the suspects until they confessed.

The overall standard of investigation was this.

There was no meticulous analysis, no unraveling of threads.

Perhaps the Ministry of Justice or the Embroidered Uniform Guard had a few skilled investigators, but in the provinces they were scarce.

Jia Luojing was the “general among the lame”—and he assumed Xu Yuan was also “lame.”

Jia Luojing dared not enter, but after thinking again, he asked: “Then… have you checked the boy’s old home?”

Xu Yuan shook his head: “It’s gone. A hundred years is too long—no one in the village remembers.”

Xu Yuan wasn’t making excuses.

When searching the small mound, he had already asked the old village head.

The old village head had clearly replied: it had long been lost.

The house had probably been torn down long ago.

Jia Luojing frowned again, utterly at a loss.

His level of insight could only reach this far.

Xu Yuan lightly shook his head and said: “Judge Jia, when investigating cases, pay more attention to details—for instance, this village’s mystery clearly relates to the century-old tragedy.”

But why did the boy who appeared by the river yesterday choose specifically Old Chen Bao?”

Jia Luojing instinctively replied: “Coincidence…”

“Heh heh,” Xu Yuan laughed: “How many coincidences are there in this world? Another example: I just mentioned the boy by the river—only Old Chen Bao saw him, and we know this only because Chen Bao’s two grandsons reported it.

But… did that boy truly appear by the river yesterday?”

Jia Luojing instinctively replied again: “Yes—he must be the boy who was murdered a century ago…”

“Hahaha!” Xu Yuan burst out laughing: “Judge Jia, that’s just what you’ve assumed in your mind.”

As an investigator, if you accept unverified claims as fact before confirming them, you’ll surely produce countless wrongful convictions.”

Jia Luojing’s face turned the color of liver.

Yet he couldn’t utter a single word of rebuttal.

He did possess some investigative ability—and with Xu Yuan’s few words, he realized he had indeed erred.

This made Jia Luojing feel deeply humiliated.

He had intended to instruct Xu Yuan on how to investigate—yet now he was the one being instructed!

And worse, the instruction made perfect sense—he even felt he had learned something.

Xu Yuan didn’t want to say more; he waved his hand: “You two decide for yourselves. My men have just calmed Chen Bao’s two grandsons; I’m about to question them in detail about yesterday’s events. Excuse me.”

Xu Yuan gave a slight bow and turned away.

Then he remembered something and turned back to say: “The malevolent force in this village invades the mind through the eyes. If any of you see the golden figures in the village, remember at once to look away and suppress your inner greed—otherwise, you’ll be corrupted!”

“Do you think we need your reminder?” Jia Luojing muttered irritably.

Clearly, he was no longer as bold as before…

Behind Jia Luojing and Lu Renxing, Zhu Zhanmei’s face bore an expression barely suppressed with amusement.

(End of Chapter)