Сhарtеr 163: Disаррearаnсе
Тhе next daу.
Тrue to hеr word, Jin Shi arrivеd еаrlу аt thе Shen residеnce to invite the Yun familу еlders fоr a strоll thrоugh thе strеets.
In hореs оf unсovеring any cluеs, Zhu Yаn follоwed along. Нowevеr, to her surрrisе, whilе thе grоuр wаs walking, the Yun еldеrs suddenlу vаnishеd.
It had оnly bееn a momеnt. Zhu Yаn had mеrely glanсed back аt sоmе trinkets аt a street stаll, аnd whеn she turnеd аrоund, thеу wеre gоnе without а traсe.
What wаs going оn?
Ноw cоuld thеу just disаppeаr like that?
A sense оf foreboding griрped Zhu Yаn. She quiсklу sent а servant back to the Shen residence to report, while she and the others continued searching.
Half a cup of tea’s time passed, and not only had the group failed to find the Yun elders, but Shen Du also arrived in haste.
“What happened?” Shen Du stepped forward, his eyes scanning Zhu Yan from head to toe. Seeing her unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief.
Zhu Yan wore an expression of guilt and unease.
“I’m not sure either. We were walking together just fine, and then I turned around and they were gone.”
As Zhu Yan anxiously explained, a passerby hurried over. “Great Pavilion Commander, please come quickly! Someone has been hung up and set on fire at the corner ahead!”
Hearing this, their hearts sank. Yun Que was on the verge of tears and immediately rushed toward the scene.
Shen Du and Zhu Yan followed closely behind. When they arrived, they saw the Yun elders suspended from a tree, with flames burning beneath them. The two were in agony, crying out for help.
The fire was neither too large nor too small, but the onlookers stood by, too afraid to step forward and rescue them.
“What are you waiting for? Save them!”
At Zhu Yan’s command, Jing Lin hurried forward to rescue the two. Just then, Shen Du noticed a shadowy figure moving stealthily among the branches.
“Who’s there?”
Shen Du’s cold shout sent the figure darting away like a nimble wildcat.
Despite the suddenness and urgency of the situation, Zhu Yan caught a glimpse of the person’s face—it was Chen Huo’e!
Seeing her again, Zhu Yan had to admit that resurrection from death had indeed occurred in Chen Huo’e’s case.
Shen Du moved swiftly, leaping into pursuit. After a brief exchange of blows, Chen Huo’e, unable to match Shen Du, was injured and fled in panic.
At that moment, Zhu Yan suddenly thought of something. Chen Huo’e had appeared repeatedly, drawing everyone’s attention, yet they had all forgotten about another person.
With this in mind, Zhu Yan turned and left.
Yun Que had just intended to help Shen Du but found the culprit had already escaped. When she turned back to speak with Zhu Yan, she too was gone, leaving Yun Que at a loss.
Zhu Yan hurried to the prison, only to find Madam Tang still sitting quietly inside, with no signs of having left.
This puzzled Zhu Yan. Had she been mistaken again?
Madam Tang sat with her back to Zhu Yan, unusually still. Zhu Yan felt something was off and was about to leave when she sensed something amiss.
Madam Tang was far too quiet today.
Unable to shake the feeling, Zhu Yan approached the cell door and looked at Madam Tang’s back. “Are you all right?”
Madam Tang did not respond. Zhu Yan’s gaze swept over her, noticing something unusual. After not seeing her for some time, the woman seemed to have grown much thinner.The figure appeared rather slender and petite, but overall, it gave Zhu Yan an extremely strange feeling, as if something was amiss.
Once again, asking questions yielded no response. Zhu Yan turned and asked the jailer for the cell key, then opened the door and entered.
"How could it be you?"
Zhu Yan's heart raced, her temples throbbing. The person before her was not Madam Tang at all but the dazed and confused Qi Yeyun!
Qi Yeyun seemed half-conscious, his eyes slightly narrowed as if he were neither fully asleep nor awake. Zhu Yan hurried forward, patted his face, and called out, "Qi Yeyun, are you alright?"
"I am Madam Tang, I am Madam Tang..." Qi Yeyun muttered to himself as if possessed.
Only then did Zhu Yan realize the severity of the situation. She stepped forward and pressed several acupoints on Qi Yeyun, but he showed no reaction. Taking out a copper whistle strung on a red cord, Zhu Yan dangled it before Qi Yeyun's eyes. Gradually, his gaze was drawn to the whistle, his eyes converging inward until they became cross-eyed.
"Qi Yeyun?! Wake up!"
But Qi Yeyun remained unresponsive.
Impossible. This was the mesmerism used in the Western Regions. Zhu Yan, having investigated cases for years and often accompanied Unrighteous Agents to areas where Westerners gathered, had learned a bit about it. Yet, judging by Qi Yeyun's condition, Zhu Yan's brow remained furrowed. Could it be that Qi Yeyun was not under the influence of Western mesmerism but rather the ancient Zhuyou Art of the Central Plains?!
The Zhuyou Art had long been lost to time. Zhu Yan had only read about it in ancient texts. Zhuyou involved invoking the cause of an illness to cure it, encompassing methods of prohibition, incantation, invocation, and talismans. It was a healing practice dating back to the Shang and Tang dynasties, similar to shamans and priests, used both for curing illnesses and for talismanic blessings, covering a wide range of applications.
But by now, with figures like Hua Tuo in the past and Sun Simiao later, the Zhuyou Art had diverged from healing. One branch specialized in talismanic blessings, while another used such mesmerism to deceive people. Zhu Yan found it hard to believe, unable to accept that Qi Yeyun had fallen victim to the Zhuyou Art. Yet, when it came to the monster Chen Huo'e, anything seemed possible.
Zhu Yan grew increasingly uneasy. Although she knew of this art, she had no idea how to break its effects. Watching Qi Yeyun's entranced, vacant expression, her mind churned with countless thoughts, yet she remained utterly helpless.
A yamen runner hurriedly reported, "Princess Runing has arrived."
Zhu Yan turned her head. Why would Princess Runing come to the prison? Hadn't she detached herself from worldly affairs and ceased to meddle in mortal matters? What in this prison could possibly warrant a visit from Princess Runing?
When the princess arrived and saw Qi Yeyun's condition, she wasted no time. She stepped forward and actively dispelled the illusion for him.
"I wonder, Your Highness..."
Princess Runing waved her hand, her gaze instantly silencing Zhu Yan. Looking at the princess again, she was dressed in plain clothes, her demeanor ethereal and transcendent. The fierce glare from moments ago seemed like nothing more than a dream.
The first thing Qi Yeyun did upon regaining his senses was to grab Zhu Yan's clothes in panic, exclaiming, "Master, Madam Tang has escaped. She's escaped."
Zhu Yan sighed helplessly, patting Qi Yeyun's shoulder to comfort him. Calmly, she said, "I already know. Just tell me how you fell under her Illusion Art."
Qi Yeyun looked ashamed.
"I've been visiting her frequently these days because I felt there were still unresolved doubts about her. Since you said the previous case wasn't truly closed, I wanted to find some clues from her...""I never thought I could be so foolish—not only failing to help, but even being used instead. I truly am useless."
"You only wanted to help. I don’t blame you."
Zhu Yan comforted her, then turned and bowed to Princess Runing. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your righteous intervention. If you hadn’t arrived in time..."
Zhu Yan gazed at Princess Runing.
"I am no longer a princess, merely a commoner in plain attire. This matter is not worth mentioning. Since all is well, I shall take my leave."
Zhu Yan’s hint went unacknowledged by Princess Runing. She brushed past the topic, murmuring a few words about Amitabha and saving all beings, before turning to depart.
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