The next morning, the large convoy continued their journey. Midway, Uncle Ban finally regained consciousness. His injuries weren’t severe, but an old heart condition had flared up, and the medicine he carried had kept him unconscious until now. As for the other comrade, Lao Wan, his injuries were genuinely serious—he only managed to wake briefly after arriving at the relay station.
Once settled, Ling Buyi immediately summoned physicians to examine Wan Songbai, only to learn that the wounds on his chest and back were severe. If they set off again immediately, the injuries would reopen, causing further harm. Thus, Ling Buyi had no choice but to submit a memorial to his adoptive father, the Emperor, explaining the peculiar circumstances and requesting permission for Wan Songbai to recover for a few days before returning to the Capital City.
By now, the Shouchun campaign was nearing its end. Ling Buyi had already slain four or five of the Peng clan’s generals, crushed two enemy armies, and captured a semi-suburban county—enough merit to his name. The remaining military honors ought to be left for the other youngsters so everyone could continue sharing the spoils. After sending word to Cui Hou, he remained at the relay station. Xiao Hou Ban, needing to oversee his uncle’s recovery, naturally stayed as well.
The large group nearly occupied the entire relay station. Fortunately, with the ongoing war, local officials were required to remain at their posts in case of emergencies, leaving the station in its off-season. Aside from hosting a few couriers delivering military reports, they didn’t disturb anyone else.
Wan Songbai had lost a significant amount of blood and spent two days bedridden, waking only occasionally in a daze. Seeing her father so weakened, Wan Qiqi was heartbroken. But she wasn’t one for tears—instead, she retreated to a secluded spot to sharpen her blade, silently vowing revenge on those behind the attack. Just as she nearly ground her thick-backed cleaver into a fruit knife, Wan Songbai finally regained full consciousness.
After downing three large bowls of meat-bone congee and half a stewed chicken, Lao Wan recovered about sixty to seventy percent of his vigor and promptly refused the physician’s newly offered medicinal brew, his roars shaking half the relay station. Ling Buyi remarked that since the patient was so spirited, everyone might as well hurry over to "visit." Shao Shang and the others agreed. To bring along an "outsider" as a witness, Ling Buyi casually dragged Xiao Hou Ban along.
In the sickroom, Wan Songbai clutched his deflated general’s belly, heart aching: "...Who on earth is so determined to kill me?" He had already heard Ling Buyi’s deductions from Wan Fu.
"That’s something you’d have to answer yourself, Father!" Wan Qiqi said sternly. "Tell us, have you made enemies these past few months? Oppressed subordinates? Mistreated influential families in your jurisdiction?"
"Nonsense! Is there any superior officer as kind, generous, and easygoing as me in this world?" Wan Songbai matched his daughter’s volume. "Only my sworn brother Cheng could barely compare!"
Lao Wan’s thunderous bellows made Ban Jia shrink back. Cheng Song glanced awkwardly at Ling Buyi, hoping his future brother-in-law wouldn’t be scared off by the Cheng family’s in-laws. Cheng Shao Gong merely picked at his ears, unperturbed, while Shao Shang watched the spectacle with relish, wishing she had some melon seeds or preserved plums to snack on.
Wan Qiqi exploded: "Aren’t you ashamed to say such things, Father? I’ve never heard such shameless words!"
"Why should I be ashamed? I’m speaking the truth!"
"Wan Fu, you tell us—isn’t Father hot-tempered and harsh?""Uh... This humble servant thinks..." Wan Fu had barely uttered five words when Wan Songbai's glare swept over him.
Wan Fu immediately demonstrated the fine qualities of an excellent family servant, gushing without pause, "This humble servant thinks the master is absolutely right! Though the master may put on a fierce face, his heart is the kindest under heaven! Every word I say is true—let the sun and moon bear witness, heaven and earth can testify!"
"Ah Fu, has your conscience been eaten by dogs?!" Wan Qiqi shrieked.
"If you dare threaten Ah Fu again, I'll deduct half your dowry and give it to Zifu as private savings!"
"Deduct it then!"
As father and daughter were about to come to blows, Ling Buyi slapped the table and said sternly, "Lord Wan, please calm yourself!"
Both father and daughter were somewhat intimidated by Ling Buyi and had no choice but to fall silent.
"Lord Wan, please think carefully. Have you truly not offended anyone in these past few months?" Ling Buyi asked.
Wan Songbai, having quieted down, thought hard before replying, "I really haven't offended anyone. When I took up the post of Xu County's governor this time, my mother specially found an elder to serve as my advisor. That old man constantly reminds me that these are peaceful times, not war-torn years, and insists I must be humble and magnanimous, governing the county with benevolence—to be honest, in several decades, these past few months have been the most peaceful I've ever lived. I haven't even quarreled with anyone! If you don't believe me, I can summon Master Lu... Ah, but he's old now, his legs aren't what they used to be, and his health is weak, so I didn't bring him along to the Capital City for the imperial audience."
"No need to hurry. Three days ago, I already sent someone to inform your office in Xu County. Since the deputy governor must remain in place, we only summoned the chief clerk and your advisor, Master Lu. They should arrive today," Ling Buyi said.
Wan Songbai awkwardly sat back on the bed, thinking to himself, You really don't stand on ceremony, do you? My subordinates, my advisor—you summon them as you please. No wonder my good brother Cheng always looks like the sky is raining blood whenever he mentions his only daughter's son-in-law.
Ling Buyi rested one hand on the table, his long fingers tapping lightly. "So, it seems Lord Wan truly hasn't offended anyone. Then..."
"Then it must be that Uncle is standing in someone's way!" Shao Shang chimed in. "Uncle, were you planning to promote reforms and eliminate abuses in Xu County this time, aiming for great achievements? If so, you might have stepped on the toes of the local gentry, becoming a thorn in their side that they must remove at all costs."
"What reforms and elimination of abuses?" Wan Qiqi muttered. "Shao Shang, you're really flattering my father too much. He's not that ambitious."
"Quiet! You're becoming more and more unruly!" Wan Songbai shot his daughter a glare before turning to Ling Buyi. "Lord Ling, you must understand—it's not that I'm idle in my post, but... Do you know who the previous governor of Xu County was? It was the renowned scholar Gongsun Bo. I rarely admire anyone in my life, but Gongsun Bo was truly capable and diligent. In just a few years, he transformed Xu County from a barren place into a well-ordered region."
Ling Buyi nodded. "Indeed. Gongsun Bo is truly a capable minister for governance. His Majesty has long heard of him and has now promoted him to guard Liaodong."
Cheng Shaogong muttered under his breath, "Such a remote place, so many uncivilized people... I hear they still have customs like eating raw meat and drinking blood. Seems being favored by the Emperor isn't always a good thing."
Cheng Song quickly pinched his brother hard under the sleeve. Fortunately, few heard the remark, except for Ban Jia, who had sidled over earlier.
Xiao Hou Ban smiled kindly and said softly, "I'd love to travel and see the world—the distant setting sun over deserts, the vast seas and jade towers. Just thinking about it fills me with longing."Cheng Shaogong clutched his arm and chuckled, "You even get lost in the Capital City, yet you dream of seeing the vast deserts?!"
Ban Jia's face flushed red, and he lowered his head in silence.
Wan Songbai continued, "...Lord Ling is right. The policies of our predecessors benefited the region, and I am not one to be arrogant. Since arriving in Xu County, I've followed established rules without introducing any disruptive new policies. How could I have possibly provoked any local conflicts?"
This wasn't it, that wasn't it either—the group fell into silence, truly unable to think of anyone who would want to kill Wan Songbai.
At that moment, guards announced the arrival of visitors from Xu County, and Ling Buyi immediately had them brought in. There were two: an elderly man and a middle-aged man.
The frail, white-haired old man whom Wan Songbai rushed to support first was Master Lu. Only upon seeing him did the others realize Wan Songbai's earlier remark about "having difficulty walking" had been a gross understatement. The old man's left leg had been amputated below the knee, and he occasionally let out hoarse coughs, likely having suffered greatly during wartime. He had been carried here on a sedan chair by strong servants.
The other, a plump, round-faced man, was Master Secretary Yin, a local recently promoted by Wan Songbai. He threw himself at Wan Songbai's side, alternating between lamenting his patron's misfortune and cursing the despicable attackers.
After Wan, Lu, and Yin rambled on for a long time, their message remained the same: over the past few months, Lao Wan had indeed been cultivating virtue, amiable and leading an extremely simple life. Apart from researching how to conceive a son, he could even be described as idle. None of the three could fathom who would want him dead.
Shao Shang grew increasingly frustrated. There's no guarding against a thief forever—if they couldn't uncover the mastermind lurking in the shadows, who knew when the Wan family might be targeted again? Unlike the previous case involving Qu Lingjun, which had unfolded in a fixed environment somewhat resembling a game of werewolf at Liang Manor where the truth would eventually emerge, this assassination attempt was like searching for a needle in a vast ocean, with no clues on where to begin.
Noticing her troubled expression, Ling Buyi took her small hand in his and reassured her, "Don't worry. We can still interrogate Huang Wen and trace the origins of those assassins. Nothing in this world is impossible, and I refuse to believe anyone can cover the sky with one hand."
Shao Shang inwardly scoffed. These ancients lacked not only investigative spirit but also any semblance of legal principles, always resorting to torture for confessions. Cover the sky with one hand? She suspected her dear fiancé was thinking more along the lines of breaking hands than covering skies... Wait, hands?
She stared intently at Ling Buyi's hand—pale, clean, smooth, and slender, with fingertips tinged a faint watery pink.
"What's wrong?" Ling Buyi asked, noticing her odd expression.
Shao Shang gently touched his left arm and whispered, "Do you remember that time... when you broke your own arm? What was the reason?"
Ling Buyi's eyes darkened.
Shao Shang continued, "Because I stumbled upon something I shouldn't have seen."
"Why bring this up now?"
"Could Uncle Wan have also unintentionally witnessed something?"
Ling Buyi paused, seemingly caught off guard by the idea.
Shao Shang turned and asked, "Uncle, in these months since taking office in Xu County, where have you been?"
Wan Songbai hesitated, confused. "What do you mean? I've been in Xu County the whole time, never left... Right, A-Fu?"Wan Fu thought carefully and said, "My lord is right. Apart from the detour you took to visit the neighboring Chen County on your way to assume office to attend the birthday celebration of the Chen County governor, you've been in Xu County for the past few months... Teacher Lu wouldn't let you go anywhere else. Oh, right—last month when Marquis Cui's army passed through our county, you greeted them by the roadside. That's all there was."
Teacher Lu stroked his beard with a light chuckle. Wan Songbai turned and said, "Niao Niao, you heard that—this is the truth!"
Shao Shang continued questioning, "Teacher Lu, Master Secretary Yin, please think carefully. Have there been any inexplicable murders in Xu County over these past few months?"
Wan Songbai added, "Old Yin, you have a good memory. Has there been anything like that?"
Master Secretary Yin gazed at the ceiling for a while, counting on his fingers: "In these peaceful times, our county has no bandits, so inexplicable murders... Hmm, five months ago, a woodcutter died silently at home. His clan accused his wife of murdering her husband."
Teacher Lu shook his head. "No. Later, someone else at the foot of the same mountain died the same way. The county coroner then realized it was a peculiar mountain snake—its bite takes several hours to kill."
Master Secretary Yin continued, "Four months ago, two villages clashed, and six or seven militiamen died from nosebleeds after returning home."
Shao Shang thought it was likely intracranial bleeding and said, "Since it was a village feud, that doesn't count either."
Master Secretary Yin indeed had an excellent memory and proceeded to list several other reported murders from various counties.
There was a child who drowned while playing by the river; a drunkard who cracked his skull on a stone; an elderly man who accidentally ate rat-poisoned pastries; even a landslide that crushed a few farming families... In total, about a dozen cases.
Some, like Ling Buyi and Teacher Lu, were beginning to understand Shao Shang's intent, while others, like Wan Qiqi, were completely baffled. The rest were only partially grasping it.
"...A fire?" Wan Fu suddenly interjected. "May I ask, Master Secretary, what was the name of the shrine that burned down?"
Master Secretary Yin had just mentioned a remote small shrine catching fire, where four shamans were trapped and burned to death.
"Uh..." He racked his brain. "I think it was called something like... Water Shrine?"
"Was it the Overlapping Water Shrine?" Wan Fu pressed.
Master Secretary Yin thought for a long time before sighing in frustration. "Ah, I truly can't remember. Our counties are full of superstitious beliefs—there are countless rural shrines like this. Mountain shrines by the hills, water shrines by the rivers, even an old sturdy tree might have a sacred tree shrine beside it."
Wan Fu pressed further: "Then was this shrine in the southeastern part of Xu County—almost bordering Chen County?"
Master Secretary Yin slapped his thigh. "Exactly! It was in the southern part of Anguo County, just beyond a forest from Chen County."
"What's going on? What's the connection?" Wan Songbai was confused. "What's this Overlapping Water Shrine? I've never heard of it."
Teacher Lu sighed. "My lord, you've forgotten. Four months ago, a disheveled shaman claiming to travel the world visited Xu County. You even asked him to divine about your descendants."
Wan Songbai's face reddened. "Oh, that matter."
"Father, you consulted another charlatan? I'm telling Grandmother when we get back," Wan Qiqi grumbled.
Wan Songbai chuckled awkwardly and scolded, "Your grandmother isn't well—don't you dare blabber!"“Oh, Qiqi, don’t interrupt. Uncle, please continue. What did the shaman say? How is it related to the burned shrine?” Cheng Song pulled his fiancée back and eagerly pressed for more details.
“What else could it be? That damned scoundrel gave me terrible advice, saying the southeast is associated with metal and fire, full of yang energy, which favors male offspring. He told me to travel southeast for seven days and nights, bowing at every shrine or temple I encountered along the way, and my sincerity would bring results!” Wan Songbai grumbled.
“Uncle, did this method work?” Cheng Shao Gong’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Work? Bah! Nine out of ten shamans are frauds. I exhausted myself half to death, still no son, and nearly collapsed! None of my concubines showed any signs either!” Wan Songbai felt a dull ache in his back—proof that marital exertions were fiercer than tigers.
Master Lu, noticing the presence of unmarried young ladies like Wan Qiqi and Shao Shang in the room, coughed lightly. “My lord was indeed exhausted, passing through three or four counties. He even fell mildly ill upon returning.”
Ling Buyi glanced at him and smiled faintly but said nothing.
Wan Qiqi pitied her father but couldn’t resist teasing, “Father completely ignored Grandmother’s warnings. If those shamans were truly effective, our family would have had male heirs long ago. They’re all just swindlers!”
“Listen to you, you brat! Your grandmother also told you to cultivate grace and refinement, yet look at you now—even a butcher in the marketplace has more manners! If I were Zifu, I’d rather marry a pig-slaughterer than you!”
“Father…!”
Master Lu coughed heavily, and the father-daughter pair reluctantly fell silent.
The old man continued, “That shaman was indeed a fraud. Pressured by my lord’s persistence and desperate to escape, he tricked him into heading southeast… Later, once my lord left, the shaman seized the chance to flee.” He paused and asked, “Ah Fu, did my lord visit this Water Shrine?”
Wan Fu replied, “Yes. It was the seventh day. My lord had originally planned to rest in Anguo County before returning to the administrative seat. But upon hearing of a small shrine in the countryside, he left his attendants in the county and rode there with just me, intending to make a quick trip. My lord was too exhausted to notice his surroundings, but I glimpsed the words ‘Die Shui’ written on the shrine’s entrance.”
Shao Shang quickly pressed, “What happened next?”
Wan Fu shook his head. “Nothing. Like before, we circled the shrine in prayer, left a few hundred coins, and departed.”
“Did you see anyone there?”
“The place was remote—hardly anyone on the road, and the shrine was deserted except for four shamans repairing a damaged wall… Hmm, two older and two younger, likely a family of four. But…”
“But what?” Cheng Song urged impatiently.
Wan Fu recalled the scene. “As I helped my lord step out, a young man in a riding suit happened to enter.”
“Why did you have to help Uncle?” Cheng Shao Gong interjected.
Wan Fu grimaced. “My lord had kowtowed over twenty times—so hard that he could barely stand afterward!”
“Ah Fu! Less nonsense!” Wan Songbai flushed with embarrassment.Cheng Shaogong covered his mouth and chuckled, while Wan Qiqi looked at him with exasperation. Ban Jia and Master Secretary Yin turned their heads away in embarrassment. Cheng Song quickly scolded, "Shaogong, stop interrupting! A-Fu, continue. Did you only see that one person?"
Wan Fu scratched his head and smiled, "Not just that one. As my lord and I were about to ride away, a carriage passed by us and stopped at the entrance of the small shrine. An elderly scholar in his forties or fifties stepped out. Then we left."
Shao Shang's heart raced a little faster. "So, these two people arranged to meet at that small shrine and were accidentally seen by you. Uncle, A-Fu, do you remember what those two looked like?"
Wan Songbai and Wan Fu exchanged glances, both showing expressions of difficulty—
"I can't recall the details clearly, but I vaguely feel that the elderly scholar looked familiar."
"I can't recall the details clearly either, but I feel like I've seen that young knight somewhere before."
They spoke simultaneously, and as soon as the words left their mouths, everyone, including the master and servant, was stunned.
"A-Fu, are you mistaken? If I've seen someone, you must have seen them too," Wan Songbai said.
Wan Fu was equally puzzled. "Yes, I've been by your side all these years, almost never leaving your side."
At this point, Ling Buyi, who had been sitting quietly without speaking, suddenly asked with a grave expression, "Have you truly never been apart?"
Wan Fu thought for a moment. "Only this time. My lord had to go to Xu County to take up his post and couldn't delay any longer. But after ten years of campaigning, many things in the household hadn't been sorted out, and there were still a few relatives and friends to visit with gifts. So, my lord and the female lord set off first, while I stayed behind to handle the remaining trivial matters before joining them in Xu County."
Shao Shang had a subtle feeling that this was important, but she couldn't quite grasp the key point. So she focused on the immediate issue. "Uncle, A-Fu, can you describe the appearances of those two? I'll find a painter to—"
"No need," Ling Buyi said, turning his gaze to Ban Jia in the corner. "Young Lord Ban, may I trouble you?"
Xiao Hou Ban laughed. "Lord Ling, no need to be so polite. Finally, I have a chance to be useful."
Bringing out brushes, ink, and silk, Ban Jia prepared to sketch as the master and servant from the Wan family began describing the two individuals. After some effort, the eagerly awaiting group was left disappointed.
After all, it had been four months, and it was just a passing glance they hadn't paid much attention to. Both the master and servant's memories were somewhat hazy. More importantly, the two individuals were utterly ordinary in appearance—neither handsome nor ugly, neither tall nor short, with no distinctive features in their faces or builds.
Looking at the portraits, everyone in the room fell silent—the most common oval faces, slightly squared jaws, eyes, noses, mouths, and ears all present, no birthmarks, scars, or moles on their faces, and no missing limbs or limps. The individuals were entirely unremarkable.
Xiao Hou Ban said sheepishly, "My skills are not refined enough."
Shao Shang sighed. "It's not the young lord's fault." It was the lack of three-dimensional sketching tutorials in this era.
Looking at the two flat, abstract portraits with simple lines and outlines, she whispered to Ling Buyi, "Has anyone ever been caught based on this kind of portrait?"
Ling Buyi gave her an amused glance. "Of course they have."Seeing everyone somewhat disheartened, Wan Songbai said bluntly, "Don't overthink it. I don't think it has anything to do with those two. I personally experienced the assassins from the other day—they were no ordinary bunch. Who could afford to hire them without spending a fortune? That old pauper couldn't possibly scrape together that kind of money!"
Everyone chuckled weakly, while Wan Qiqi sighed, "Father, must you always call people paupers?"
Shao Shang's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly asked, "Uncle, how do you know that old scholar is a pauper?"
"Because he was riding an ox cart," Wan Songbai said casually, his tone full of pride. "An ox cart, no less—one with a black ox and a yellow ox, not even a matching pair of old oxen. What else could he be but a pauper!"
A clatter sounded, and everyone turned to look. Master Secretary Yin's cup had fallen onto the table, his face filled with shock as if he had witnessed something utterly terrifying.
"My lord, what did you say?! An ox cart? A black ox and a yellow ox?"
Ling Buyi's voice was grave. "You know this person. Who is he?"
Master Secretary Yin trembled like a leaf, his voice fearful. "That... that might be... Magistrate Yan of Copper Bull County!"
Author's Note:
Before lunch today, I will post a schematic map of Xu County on Weibo. If the case is unclear, you can refer to the map.
Cheng Shaogong is not fragile, and Xiao Hou Ban is not female.
OpenNovel