Chapter 40: Isn't This Handing the Knife Right Over?

Walking out of the bookshop, Miss Seeing Mo Mo had already run off into the distance with Meiqiu slung over her shoulder, looking as though she was afraid he'd snatch the book back.

Xie Jinhuan didn't chase after them right away. He first patted the Zhenglun Sword at his waist:

"Night beauty, are you the former girlfriend of True Person Qixia? She buried you—could it be a crime of passion?"

The moment the words fell, the red-clad wandering ghost stepped out from behind him, strolling down the street with a red umbrella slung over her shoulder:

"I like the likes of you—how could I possibly like women? You can't trust those unorthodox unofficial histories.

"I think it's more likely I bewitched that little Daoist nun, made her work for me, and later accidentally lost control of the situation, which is how she ended up burying me."

True Person Qixia was the previous Zhang Sect of the Daidanding Sect, and the Zhang Sect is usually held by the strongest cultivator of each branch. The Danding Sect branches throughout the Great Qian are countless, and among them are plenty of sect leaders ranked in Super Rank, but there is only one Zhang Sect.

And now, adding up the entire Great Qian, there are only three Zhang Sect ancestors—Daoism's Danding Sect's Lu Wu Zhen, Buddhism's Chanding Sect's Monk Wuxin, and the Martial Dao Southern Sect's Wei Wu Yi.

Xie Jinhuan didn't really believe a Daoist bigwig of that caliber would be a yuri love-brain, nor did he believe Night Hongshang could bewitch True Person Qixia. After thinking it over, he said:

"Whoever wrote this book definitely knows some inside information, but this book should have come from the hands of the Twin Saints of Ye Shrine. By rights, that person should already be dead—there's no way to investigate."

Night Hongshang gave a slight shrug: "The past is the past. Mortal lives are brief, white hair in the blink of an eye—living in the present is so much better. Why bother figuring out the reasons?"

"If I don't figure out your background, how would I dare dig you up?"

"What? After spending a few days together, you can't bear to bury big sis back?"

Xie Jinhuan wasn't reluctant, either—compared to digging up a grave, burying it back was far too difficult. After several days, he was still at the peak of Rank 4, with no idea when he'd ever be ranked in Rank 1.

If he could figure out Night the Succubus's identity and prove there wasn't too much risk, he could just dig her up and cling to her thigh—wouldn't that get him out of his current predicament?

He could also pick up a pretty wife for free…

After the two chatted like this for a few lines, Xie Jinhuan tucked the books away and hurried after them to the street corner:

"Miss Seeing Mo Mo?"

Linghu Qingmo strode forward, grinding her teeth in secret. Spotting Xie Jinhuan dart out, she quickly hid the book behind her lower back:

"This book is full of slander and defamation. I could never let you read it—don't you dare bring it up again!"

With her big eyes glaring and willow brows slightly furrowed, she actually looked rather cute.

"Why would I bring it up? Don't be nervous, I'm not snatching it."

Xie Jinhuan waved his hand and looked around at the bustling street:

"Where to next?"

"Squeak!"

Meiqiu instantly perked up—clearly meaning it was time to eat.

Linghu Qingmo had just eaten breakfast, so there was no way she'd go along with Meiqiu's wishes. After thinking it over:

"Let's go check the county office. We brought back so many corpses yesterday—if we can confirm their general identities, we should be able to find some clues."

Xie Jinhuan actually kind of wanted to slack off and go back to study the Jin Lan Chronicles, but yesterday he was still the lone righteous young hero pursuing the murderer, and today he was going to ignore the case entirely? His character setting would collapse. So he nodded:

"That works too…"

……

Not long after, the two returned to the county office.

Linghu Qingmo had just stepped onto the stairs when she spotted Yang Dabiao and two of his underlings huddled together whispering, all of them looking rather grim. She asked in confusion:

"Yang Dabiao, has something else happened outside?"

"Ugh, don't even mention it."

Seeing the two approach, Yang Dabiao turned and walked over, his two brows almost knitted into one:

"It's that damnable Li family again. This morning Xiao Wang and the others were searching the West Market for yaokou when they overheard some gamblers chatting, saying the Li family struck ruthlessly—buried alive a few deadbeats who wouldn't repay their gambling debts…"

"Huh?"

Xie Jinhuan instantly perked up, his gaze sharpening:

"There's such a thing?!"

Yang Dabiao put one hand on his hip, his face bitter:

"I didn't believe it at first either, so I had Xiao Wang and the others look into it. Turns out among the people reported missing in the past three months, those gamblers really were on the list. But they were all old gambling regulars, so we never paid attention before. Lord Linghu, what do you think about this…"

The words trailed off, but the meaning was clear enough.

The Sanhe Lou incident the day before yesterday had the Li family intervening with invisible hands, nearly keeping the entire county office up all night.

Yesterday the office discovered the yaokou was someone else entirely, and not wanting to keep tangling with the Li family over a Deng Xian San, had already compromised—preparing to let Li Shizhong take the blame and close the case.

And now suddenly a live-burial case had popped up. Even if the dead were gamblers, under the laws of the Great Qian it was a capital crime.

If the office investigated, the Li family—with their connections reaching all the way to heaven—wouldn't just sit and wait for death; they'd surely find ways to interfere.

Even if the office threw in a lot of manpower and energy, there was no guarantee they could do anything to the Li family in the end.

Right now everyone was searching for the yaokou—where would they find the energy to take on this thankless, rock-hard task?

Yang Dabiao's meaning was clearly to ask:

"The dead are just a few rotten gamblers—why don't we just turn a blind eye and let it go?"

Linghu Qingmo knew the yaokou was the greater danger; matters had their priorities. She had been about to say to set this case aside for now and investigate it after catching the great yao of Mount Zihui.

But before she could speak, the young master Xie beside her, who hated evil as fiercely as a sworn enemy, darkened his face:

"This is absolutely outrageous! I thought the Li family was just selling Deng Xian San—I never imagined they'd be burying innocent commoners alive right under the Wang Fu's nose! Though I hold no official post, I do know a bit of martial arts. If Brother Yang feels short on manpower, just say so—I'm at your disposal!"

"……"

Yang Dabiao wasn't short on manpower at all—he just didn't want to gnaw on this hard bone.

But the words had already been handed to him on a platter; saying he wanted to pervert the law obviously wouldn't make him look like a good brother.

So Yang Dabiao still braced himself and clapped Xie Jinhuan on the shoulder:

"Mm… I was just mulling over how to investigate this. Since you're here, you might as well go take a look and help your brother brainstorm."

"Let's go."

Xie Jinhuan gripped the handle of his mace and turned to walk out.

Yang Dabiao opened his mouth, then finally waved for the government office runners to follow behind.

Since yesterday, Linghu Qingmo had noticed Xie Jinhuan was overly zealous against evil and unafraid of power; compared to him, even her notorious workaholic reputation made her seem like a jaded government office veteran.

Yet she admired such a man, and as she walked beside him, she praised:

"If all officials in the world were as unafraid of power as you, there would be no demons or monsters left. Evil thrives in darkness—under the bright sun and clear sky, where could it hide?"

Xie Jinhuan blushed at being called "Xie the Qing Tian," but he had no reply.

The city's demon bandits alone couldn't withstand the Iron Fist of Daqian; to ease his own pressure, he had to keep sacrificing fellow cultivators to absorb the lightning, forcing the government office from top to bottom to run themselves ragged!

If the government office grew idle, he certainly wouldn't be idle!

He hadn't yet decided how to uncover wrongdoing in the Li family—when suddenly, the Li family themselves handed him the knife. If he didn't seize this chance to blow the matter wide open, how could he repay the Li family's earnest effort to rescue him?

"I'm no hero—just helping out when I have nothing better to do. To truly rid the world of demons, we still rely on Miss Linghu and Brother Yang."

Yang Dabiao was flattered and embarrassed:

"Oh my~ You really know how to talk, no wonder you're the son of Lord Xie."

"Hehe…"

——

Taoxian Alley, Chunping Pavilion.

A luxurious carriage halted outside, and the secretary's retainers stepped forward carefully to assist:

"Young Master, take care…"

Hundred-Commandant Zhou He stood at the door with two Chi Lin Guards, and as Li Ziwen stepped from the carriage, he bowed:

"Young Master Li."

Li Ziwen was the nephew of Minister Li Gongpu, over thirty, quite capable; though he had not entered officialdom, his family's role was domestic affairs, and he had already begun managing family enterprises, earning great favor from his powerful uncle.

Having recently endured punishment at the government office, Li Ziwen's qi and blood were slightly weak, yet he remained refined and composed, refusing his servants' assistance:

"Hundred-Commandant Zhou, you're too kind. This unexpected misfortune has been a burden, and I'm deeply grateful for your tireless efforts—if not for you, I might still be drinking big-leaf tea in the government office."

Zhou He's demeanor was easygoing: "I merely followed orders to observe. The Sanhe Pavilion case had nothing to do with you—how could you speak of my efforts? In the past, while traveling in Jingcheng, I received much kindness from Lord Li; I've yet to repay your family's favor, and now you insist on hosting a banquet—I'm truly ashamed."

"It's just a simple family meal on our own turf—what talk of hosting? After you, my lord!"

……

Amid formalities, the group entered Chunping Pavilion.

As one of the largest taverns on Flower Street, Chunping Pavilion was dazzlingly opulent; to entertain their honored guest, the Li family had even summoned every courtesan on the street—over a dozen beauties waited in the hall, including several foreign Hu Ji, dressed in low-cut garments, their heads larger than normal…

Zhou He, cautious and meticulous, showed no reaction to this grand spectacle; the two accompanying Chi Lin Guards, however, stared wide-eyed, their faces lit with delight, even walking with awkward, stumbling steps.

Li Zixian was no fool—he saw Zhou He's demeanor and knew a simple meal wouldn't settle this debt. Once seated in the private chamber, he signaled the secretary to bring a box:

"I heard your father is elderly and suffers from weak legs; a friend recently gifted me some Longyang Flowers. I have no use for them now, and if left until next year, they'll lose their potency…"

Longyang Flowers were the top-tier ingredient for Body-Strengthening and Meridian-Stabilizing pills—ordinary martial cultivators couldn't afford even a single dose from a pill master, yet they were easily convertible to cash.

As a martial cultivator, Zhou He could never afford such an item on his salary alone, yet he could not do without it; his face softened with a smile. He was about to refuse politely when a retainer came pounding up the stairs, shouting:

"Young Master! Young Master…"

Li Zixian frowned: "What's the rush?"

The retainer bowed repeatedly in apology, stepped behind the chair, and whispered:

"Young Master, the County Inspector's men just went to the farm…"

Li Zixian frowned, raised a hand to halt the retainer, and glanced at the nearby Chi Lin Guards.

Zhou He was Jingcheng's Red Robe Plague—just hearing half a sentence told him the Li family had another scandal brewing, and they dared not speak of it before him. He said sternly:

"When we set out, Lord Li personally instructed me to handle matters properly. The Emperor dislikes those who pay lip service while secretly defying orders. Whatever the issue, best to clarify it privately."

Li Zixian rubbed his fingers, hesitated, then leaned close to Zhou He's ear:

"It's nothing major. Gambling dens always have deadbeats—animals who sell their wives and daughters. To make an example, I had these men buried alive on the farm as fertilizer…"

Zhou He frowned, visibly displeased:

"State the case in full detail. If debtors were sent to the farm to work off their debts, and died from illness or exhaustion, and you gave them proper burial plots—that's a great act of virtue. Bring me the IOUs and indenture contracts."

"Huh?"

Li Zixian was stunned, then immediately understood. He turned and barked:

"See? That's what a Chi Lin Guard official looks like. Go find the IOUs and indenture contracts—quickly!"

"Yes, I'll find a way right away…"

……

———

Drop a name:

Recommend the novel "1855: From European Turmoil to Steel Heart"—interested readers, take a look!

Interested masters, take a look

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(End of Chapter)