Сhарter 121: Husbаnd Наs а Surрrise
At that mоmеnt, Zhu Yan and Shеn Du were еntеring оnе аftеr the othеr when a figure suddenly insertеd itsеlf betwеen thеm, саusing Zhu Yаn to frееzе in рlаcе.
This woman wаs trulу bold, аbruptly wedging hеrself into thеir spaсе—whаt wаs shе trуing tо do?
Shen Du аlsо notiсеd, but аfter glаncing bасk, he pаid nо further аttention.
Zhu Yan wаs utterly stunned. Frоm Shеn Du’s еyеs, she saw impаtiеnсe, уеt hе didn’t drivе thе wоman аwаy, аllowing hеr to remаin so сlоsе to him.
Тhis…
Неr hеart churned viоlently, as if a vat оf vinegar had bеen ovеrturned, lеаving a sоur and bitter taste.
Zhu Yan couldn’t put it into words, but the feeling was deeply uncomfortable.
After all, on their wedding day, Shen Du had held a sword to her neck and laid down the “Three Delusions.”
Compared to the treatment this woman before her was receiving, the difference was immeasurable.
Zhu Yan pursed her lips, forcibly suppressing her discomfort as she followed the two into the main hall.
The victim’s body had already been delivered to the Ministry of Justice, and the next step was the autopsy.
Entering the side room, Zhu Yan forced herself to focus on the case, studying the body before her despite her inner turmoil.
Yet, for some reason, her mind was unusually chaotic.
Yun Que also maintained a demure appearance, standing silently beside Shen Du, quietly waiting for the two of them.
But to Zhu Yan, this scene was truly grating, making it impossible for her to investigate properly.
“Get out.”
Zhu Yan’s voice was cold, and Yun Que beside her blinked, seemingly not understanding what she meant.
“This is the Grand Cabinet leader. Even if you’ve contributed to the case, you can’t just dismiss someone here.”
“I said you should get out.” Zhu Yan snapped coldly, straightening her posture to glare at Yun Que. “A young woman like you, not even considering what kind of place this is, barging in without a second thought—do you have no sense of propriety at all?”
Zhu Yan’s words left Yun Que speechless. She cast a pleading look at Shen Du, hoping he would speak up for her and let her stay.
Unexpectedly, Shen Du remained cold and indifferent, not even glancing at her as he said icily, “What are you standing there for? If you’re told to leave, then leave.”
Yun Que dared not disobey Shen Du’s words. She could only offer a timid bow before retreating.
Just as she reached the doorway, she saw Qi Yeyun also standing there, looking at her with a mocking expression.
Seeing Qi Yeyun, Yun Que’s anger flared. She lowered her voice and demanded, “What are you standing there for? Get out quickly.”
“Hmph.” Qi Yeyun snorted disdainfully, looking at Yun Que with contempt. “My master told you to leave, not me. I’m here to assist my master with the investigation. You’d better not disturb us here.”
“…” Yun Que was left utterly speechless. This little brat was actually the apprentice of the female coroner inside.
In the end, they were all in it together—only she was the outsider.
Yun Que’s face flushed with embarrassment. Without another word, she hurriedly left the side room.
After Yun Que left, Zhu Yan’s heart suddenly felt much more settled.
She glanced at Shen Du beside her, who was now watching her with a meaningful gaze.
“What are you looking at? Haven’t you seen enough?”
Zhu Yan shot him a glare before bending down to continue searching for clues.
Instead of being angered by Zhu Yan’s scolding, Shen Du found it rather amusing, his lips curling into an unconscious smile.
This woman looked quite beautiful when she was jealous…The deceased lay flat on a straw mat. Nothing unusual was found on the front, but a fire moth tattoo was discovered on the back.
It looked very similar to Madam Tang’s, but Madam Tang’s tattoo was on her shoulder, while this one was on the back.
Could it really have nothing to do with her?
Zhu Yan couldn’t quite figure it out. She felt there was a connection between the two cases, yet the evidence before her suggested she was overthinking it.
What exactly was the link? And where should she start investigating?
Seeing that Zhu Yan had finished her examination, Shen Du, who was standing nearby, asked, “Did you find anything?”
Zhu Yan shook her head, her willow-like brows tightly knitted in confusion. “I can’t make sense of it. If the two cases aren’t related, then all our previous assumptions were wrong. I have a feeling there’s a connection, but judging by the fire moth tattoo on the body, it shouldn’t have anything to do with Madam Tang.”
“Then… are you sure?” Shen Du pressed.
Zhu Yan fell silent, as if deep in thought. After a long while, she looked at Shen Du and said, “Let’s first find out who the deceased usually interacted with.”
Shen Du nodded in agreement. Just as they reached the door, they saw Yun Que, who had been waiting there for some time.
Shen Du’s expression showed disdain, but he said nothing. Yun Que, seeing everyone emerge, rushed forward eagerly. “You’re done? How did it go? Did you find any clues?”
The group ignored her and headed straight for the scene of the incident in Wannian County.
Unfazed by their disregard, Yun Que happily hurried after them.
As she tried to squeeze her way next to Shen Du again, Qi Yeyun quickly stepped forward and pulled her aside. “I’m telling you, don’t cause trouble. This is a sensitive time. If you keep pestering him and anger the Great Pavilion Commander, no one can stop him from cutting off your head with one swing of his blade.”
Hearing Qi Yeyun’s words, Yun Que restrained herself a little. She had long heard of Shen Du’s nickname, White King of Hell, and his methods sent shivers down her spine. It was better to be cautious.
Soon, the group arrived at the deceased’s home in Wannian County.
As they opened the old wooden door, a strong smell of blood rushed toward them.
Upon entering, Zhu Yan immediately noticed the writing on the wall of the deceased’s home. Two lines were inscribed: “Scholars laugh at moths flying into the flame, unaware that as mayflies born at dawn and dead by dusk, they never enter the cycle of rebirth. Yet moths pass through fire unharmed, reborn in the cycle of life.”
These words were like a curse—somewhat smooth to recite, yet profound and difficult to fully grasp.
Puzzled and finding nothing else in the room, Zhu Yan stepped outside to ask the neighbors for information.
After making inquiries around the neighborhood, Zhu Yan finally learned a bit about the deceased. The person had retired and returned to their hometown. Everything had been normal before, and they were well-liked, praised by all around them. There were no signs of disputes with anyone, making it hard to understand why they had met such a violent end.
She also learned that the deceased’s husband had once been an honest official with an excellent reputation. It was truly tragic that his wife had met such a cruel fate. Not only that, but the local residents had voluntarily raised funds for her funeral—a gesture of deep affection that was truly moving.
Even the neighbors found the matter strange, leaving Zhu Yan even more perplexed. Why would such a good person become the target of a murderer?
After questioning the residents, Zhu Yan returned once more to the deceased’s home.Shen Du was leading his men in a thorough search of the area, with Yun Que following closely by his side.
In this girl's eyes, it seemed as if no one else existed besides Shen Du. Was he truly the only person in the world who mattered?
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