Chapter 43: Blushing for the Same Man

Hearing Qin Gui's words, everyone present was also somewhat surprised.

Where did another Northern Pacification Office captain, long dead, suddenly appear from?

Could it be that he didn't die?

Yang Hanlu hadn't been at the Southern Pacification Office long; hearing this, she asked:

"Captain Qin, how did Captain Qiu die?"

Qin Gui's expression remained grim; he said in a low voice:

"Northern Pacification Office Captain Qiu Feng, eight years ago colluded with bandits, inside and outside cooperation killed the silver convoy escorts, seized the thirty thousand silver being transported; when we destroyed the bandits' lair, we found his corpse and evidence—he was likely killed by the bandits who destroyed the bridge after crossing the river and surrounded him."

The surrounding Pacification Office officers, hearing this, also began to whisper among themselves.

"Could it be that Qiu Feng's ghost has returned for revenge?"

"No way; otherwise, go ask someone from the Wuji Temple or the Lotus Temple to take a look."

Qin Gui turned his head and snapped:

"What nonsense; even if there really were a vengeful ghost, it should go find the exterminated bandits—what grudge does it have against the Pacification Office?"

Several officers behind him were startled and dared not speak further.

Jiang Yunzhou recalled the junior sister of the heroine Zhen Qing, Su Tao; if they were all ghosts like that... it wouldn't be so scary.

Seeing Qin Gui's expression still grim, Jiang Yunzhou pressed further:

"Captain Qin, does Captain Qiu have any descendants?"

"He had a wife and children, but because Qiu Feng secretly communicated with bandits, his wife and children were sentenced to exile in Dian Prefecture."

"Dian Prefecture lies at the southernmost tip of Great Liang; going further south leads to the Southern Border Hundred-Thousand Great Mountains, which is demon tribe territory."

Jiang Yunzhou raised his eyebrows, puzzled:

"If there are descendants, it would be more likely that they returned for revenge; Captain Qin, why are you so certain that no one else knows the Thousand-Blade Cross Slash, and that only a ghost could have returned for revenge?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Gui turned his head to look at Jiang Yunzhou and said sternly:

"What do you mean? Eight or nine out of ten people exiled to Dian Prefecture never make it back alive—everyone knows that."

"Oh, it's fine; I haven't experienced exile, so I'm not really familiar."

Yang Hanlu suggested:

"Since Captain Qin is more familiar with those circumstances, why not tell us in detail?"

Who would have thought Qin Gui would turn around and say:

"The Northern Pacification Office is cooperating with you, not serving you; the Northern Pacification Office still has its own duties to handle. If you want to learn about past events, you can go to the Pacification Office to check the records. Also, I must remind Captain Yang: don't let this case cause panic among the Northern Pacification Office personnel—you need to solve it quickly."

Having said that, he left without looking back, and the other Northern Pacification Office personnel also withdrew.

Zou Zhen grinned:

"How about it? I told you—it's useless, you just keep urging."

Yang Hanlu seemed not to care about these, lowering her head to calmly analyze:

"Old Biao Tou and Old Ba Tou, as veteran coroners of the Northern Pacification Office, are both bachelors; this courtyard belongs to Old Biao Tou, and judging by Old Ba Tou's attire, he seems to have come for a visit."

"We've done a simple check inside; nothing was stolen or rummaged through—the killer clearly came just to kill."

"So we now have two leads: first, we examine the personal connections of Old Biao Tou and Old Ba Tou, checking where they've recently been and who they've seen, looking for anything unusual;"

"Second, the Thousand-Blade Cross Slash—though many talented people exist in the world, we can't be certain it's truly related to Captain Qiu Feng; so we'll first check the archives to see if the two victims have any connection with Qiu Feng."

"Let's act now!"

"Yes!"

The Southern Pacification Office officers hurriedly led their subordinates to split up and act.

Jiang Yunzhou was still seeing for the first time the usually aloof Yang Hanlu speaking so much.

After arranging things, she turned back and saw Jiang Yunzhou smiling at her; Yang Hanlu also froze for a moment before asking:

"Young Master Jiang, do you have anything to say?"

"No, no, I just think Captain Yang looks cool when giving orders."

Yang Hanlu turned her head, seemingly helpless against Jiang Yunzhou's idle flirtation, though the corner of her mouth still curled up a bit, forcing out a wry smile.

The seductive voice in Yang Hanlu's mind appeared again:

"I'm giving you a friendly heads-up—don't wait until you've given your body to me to regret it; if you want to sleep with this little medic, you'd better hurry up."

"I don't need your good intentions; I know how to use my own body."

"That said, this little medic's deductions are pretty impressive."

Seeing that no clues could be found on the corpse, Yang Hanlu suggested:

"Zou Zhen, we should still look up the old files on Qiu Feng; Young Master Jiang, you'll need to provide any leads from the corpse side; the rest we can investigate first, and you can return to the Cang Medical Pavilion—we'll inform you if we find anything."

"No problem; since we're already out, let's go together. Hey, Elder Brother Zou, how far is the Red Sleeve Pavilion from here?"

"The Red Sleeve Pavilion is in the east city, still quite far from here."

"Hehe, the farther the better—I wonder if Heroine Zhen Qing can resist the feeling of being consumed by the love parasite."

Seeing Jiang Yunzhou's smirk, Zou Zhen whispered:

"Young Master Jiang, are you planning to go to the Red Sleeve Pavilion tonight for some fun?"

"Ah? No, no, Elder Brother Zou got the wrong idea—I have a friend living nearby."

"I understand, I understand—when acquaintances meet at the Red Sleeve Pavilion's entrance, they usually say that."

"......"

————————

While Jiang Yunzhou's group was solving the case in the west city, on the second floor of the Cang Medical Pavilion.

Seated by the window, Shen Qingu was recalling how, last night, Yunzhou's forced kiss had left her dazed and infatuated.

I never expected that after the first deep kiss, my legs would go weak like that; I'm still an elder, yet now looking back, it seems......

What was Yunzhou thinking? Was it just an impulsive act under the drug's effect? Or was he using the drug......

I actually ended up feeling resentful, but I shouldn't think too much; there's no need to put pressure on Yunzhou invisibly—he surely has his own ideas.

While Shen Qingshu upstairs was lost in reverie, downstairs a white-clad Zhen Qing also entered the Cang Medical Hall.

Finding that Jiang Yunzhou wasn't in the courtyard and the door was locked, Zhen Qing then came to the Cang Medical Hall.

Even though she wore a veil, her unique bearing still drew the attention of the surrounding staff and patients.

Looking at the golden signboard hanging in the center of the medicine hall that read 'Miao Hand Dan Heart,' Zhen Qing, who had been tormented by the feeling of her body burning from the love gu for most of the day, silently cursed:

Little thief doctor, still claiming 'Miao Hand Dan Heart'—I think he's more like 'Miao Hand Lustful Heart'.

The attendant nearby, with a somewhat dazed gaze, politely stepped forward and asked:

"Miss, are you here for a consultation or to pick up medicine?"

"I have something I'd like to see your shopkeeper, Shen."

"Sure, please wait a moment; I'll let him know."

Soon Shen Qingshu came downstairs, and upon seeing this woman as beautiful as a snowy expanse, she was also taken aback—such a fresh and unsophisticated lady, though she seemed to have slight dark circles, as if she hadn't slept well.

At the same time, Zhen Qing widened her almond eyes; she hadn't expected the Cang Medical Hall's shopkeeper to be so handsome, truly living up to the name 'Hai Tang Medical Official,' though his face was a bit flushed.

Two lovely faces, both flushed from the same man, took their seats in the tea room.

"May I ask what brings you here, miss?"

"Shopkeeper Shen, I am a wandering cultivator who needs to settle in the capital for a while. After surveying the surrounding feng shui, I have taken a liking to the second room on the east side of the Cang Medical Hall; its feng shui is just right for my cultivation, so I'd like to discuss with you the possibility of renting it to me."

"The second room on the east side? Isn't that the room behind the courtyard where Yunzhou lives?"

"Sorry, miss, but the Cang Medical Hall is currently considering expansion, so we don't really have enough space around here; this lodging probably won't be of help."

"Oh, I see. Then I'll just have a cup of clear tea—sorry for the trouble."

"You're welcome."

After hesitating, Zhen Qing did not ask about Jiang Yunzhou's whereabouts, for fear that if that thief doctor found out, he would surely mock her.

At that moment, Bai Zhi happened to enter the tea room and asked Shen Qingshu:

"Miss, should we still decoct the young master's medicine tonight?"

"Let's not decoct it tonight; let Yunzhou rest a bit."

"The point is also to let myself rest; otherwise I couldn't take it."

Hearing this, Zhen Qing also furrowed her brows slightly:

"Young master? It seems Jiang Yunzhou isn't just a hired medic at the Cang Medical Hall."

"Decoct medicine? Rest a bit? Could it be that Jiang Yunzhou suffers from some grave illness? A healer can't even heal himself? I must have misunderstood him."

"Afraid of giving herself away, Zhen Qing rose and bade farewell, leaving."

"Watching Zhen Qing leave, Bai Zhi whispered and asked:"

"She really is pretty, miss. She rented the young master's house and the courtyard afterward—could she have designs on the young master?"

"Ha, just seeing a handsome girl makes you think she has designs on Yunzhou—you're being overly paranoid."