Vоlumе Threе - Наlf-Fасed Ghost
Chарter 186: Hаlf-Facеd Ghоst
Rесеntlу, rumors of thе "Half-Faced Ghost" dеvоuring pеoрlе in Gаnnаn Cirсuit hаd sрrеаd, shroudеd in mystery аnd еerinеss.
The Emрress was dеeplу trоublеd bу this. То еnsure the sаfеty оf thе рeоplе, shе dispatсhеd Zhu Yan аnd Shen Du to investigаte.
On the surfасе, it aрpearеd tо bе a missiоn tо sоlvе а сasе, but in rеalitу, the twо were аssigned diffеrеnt tаsks.
Zhu Yan wаs tаskеd with рrobing whether Мo Qianzhi, the Prefеct of Yingzhou, hаrbored dislоyаl intеntions, whilе Shen Du was to thoroughly investigate the activities of the Fire Moth Party in Gannan Circuit.
Coincidentally, while gathering information, the two unexpectedly crossed paths. Upon hearing Shen Du's words, Zhu Yan realized that the Empress not only suspected Lai Luozhi but also harbored doubts about her and Shen Du.
It was worth noting that Mo Qianzhi, the Prefect of Yingzhou, had once been the youngest student of Shen Du's father. He was also the one who, even at the cost of his own life, fought to overturn the unjust case against the Shen family and ensured Shen Du's survival by having him sent to the palace as a servant.
For this, he earned the Empress's appreciation. Not only was he not punished, but he was also appointed as the Sima of Yingzhou and eventually rose to become its Prefect. It could be said that his ties with Shen Du ran deep.
Thus, this journey to Gannan Circuit was also a test for Shen Du.
Zhu Yan found this both amusing and exasperating. Despite all the twists and turns, the two were still destined to work together on this case, and this time, they would be traveling to Gannan Circuit side by side.
Imperial orders could not be defied. After packing their belongings, the two prepared to set off.
Lu Chuichui came to bid Zhu Yan farewell, her face filled with reluctance. She clung tightly to Zhu Yan's sleeve, unwilling to let go.
"Once you leave, who knows when you'll return? You must take good care of yourself, understand? When I have the chance, I'll come visit you."
"Miss, are you joking?" Zhu Yan looked at Lu Chuichui with a hint of disdain. "This isn't just a trip from the Zhu residence to the Lu residence. The dangers along the way are still unknown. Would you really dare to come see me?"
Hearing Zhu Yan's retort, Lu Chuichui's lips twitched. "I was just saying it. Who told you to take it seriously? Besides, you never keep your promises anyway. This time, don't bother making any guarantees about treating me to a meal. If you come back, bringing some local specialties would be more practical than a meal."
Zhu Yan chuckled, her expression full of helplessness. "Alright, alright, I'll definitely bring you specialties. You must take care of yourself too, and also... pay more attention to those around you."
Zhu Yan's words carried a hidden meaning, but Lu Chuichui was completely baffled.
Zhu Yan shot a meaningful glance at Jiang Langxing, who quickly chimed in, "Rest assured, Madam Shen. I will take good care of Lady Lu. If Lady Lu truly misses you, I will certainly bring her to visit you."
"That's excellent. With you protecting her along the way, I won't have to worry." Zhu Yan replied, then turned her gaze to her family, who had also come to see her off.
The Zhu household had been filled with joy due to Zhu Caiwei's recent wedding, but upon hearing that Zhu Yan was to travel to Gannan Circuit with the White King of Hell to investigate the case, they couldn't help but feel concerned for her.
Zhu Yan had grown up sheltered, and this was her first time traveling far from home. On one hand, they worried about her safety; on the other, they feared she wouldn't be able to endure the hardships.
Her birth mother, Jin Shi, prepared a great deal of luggage for her, including ample food and medicine for injuries and bruises.
Zhu Mojie even wrote a "survival guide" for her and solemnly advised, "You must be extra careful on this journey. If anything seems amiss, prioritize saving your own life, understand?"
Zhu Yan was both amused and exasperated. She was going to investigate a case, not to wage war. Why were they making it seem like a life-or-death farewell?Yet the concern from her family still warmed Zhu Yan's heart. She reluctantly nodded, then looked earnestly at her father, Zhu Kuo, and said, "During my absence, you must take good care of your health. Also, it's best for us not to get involved in the court's disputes. If we can avoid them, we should."
Zhu Kuo also nodded with deep worry. "I understand, Father. Don't worry about matters at home. It's just that when you're away, if anything happens, we won't be able to help. You must take good care of yourselves."
These words seemed to be directed both at Zhu Yan and Shen Du.
Zhu Yan nodded repeatedly. At that moment, the Unrighteous Commander Xu Xiangren hurried over. After some instructions, he steered the conversation to the main topic. "Those hearts still haven't been found. It's very likely they've already been taken out of the province. During your journey, you must remain vigilant."
Hearing Xu Xiangren's words, Zhu Yan's heart sank, and she nodded repeatedly. Even the Unrighteous Agents couldn't find the whereabouts of the hearts—where could they have gone?
Finally, all instructions were given, and it was already getting late. If they didn't set off soon, they might not reach the next station before dark.
Reluctantly bidding farewell to everyone, Zhu Yan and Shen Du embarked on their journey to Gannan Circuit.
Although Zhu Yan was traveling alone, fortunately, Shen Du had brought Jing Lin along. If Jing Lin weren't there, given Shen Du's icy and taciturn personality, Zhu Yan would surely have been bored to death along the way.
Gannan Circuit was the only route to the Western Regions. Along the way, they encountered many exotic sights. The three of them endured hardships, braving the elements and the dust of the road, and sometimes even encountered bandits blocking their path.
It was then that Zhu Yan realized the benefits of traveling with Shen Du. As for the two men, they left the task of procuring food entirely to Zhu Yan, while they merely provided protection. This allowed them to remain leisurely and carefree, not feeling the slightest bit of hardship.
After a long and arduous journey, they had just entered Yingzhou when the Prefect of Yingzhou, Mo Qianzhi, hurried to the city gate to greet them. His official robe was tied at the waist, his sleeves rolled up.
Upon their first meeting, Zhu Yan sensed an aura of death around Mo Qianzhi, indicating he had recently been in contact with corpses. "Lord Mo, have you just been in contact with those bodies?"
Hearing Zhu Yan's question, Mo Qianzhi was astonished. "How did Lord Zhu know?"
"Heh..." Zhu Yan chuckled lightly. "Those who frequently deal with corpses can naturally sense the aura of death around them. Since we've just met and you carry this aura, I naturally noticed."
"Lord Zhu is truly remarkable. This humble official admires you. This place is far from Chang'an, and as a woman, your journey must have been arduous."
"Not too bad, not too bad."
Mo Qianzhi's flattery made Zhu Yan feel somewhat embarrassed.
However, Mo Qianzhi's subsequent attitude puzzled Zhu Yan. He turned to Shen Du, no longer as enthusiastic as he had been toward her, and merely bowed respectfully.
Shen Du paid no mind, only casting a cold glance. Jing Lin, standing nearby, spoke up, "Alright, alright. Both of you have had a long journey and must be tired. Let's settle in first and have some tea before discussing further."Hearing Jing Lin say this, Mo Qianzhi's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. "It is my dereliction of duty. There have been far too many cases recently—my prefectural office is piled up like a mountain. I haven’t even had time to arrange a welcoming banquet. For the sake of the people, why don’t we start directly with the cases? The sooner we solve them, the sooner the people can rest assured. What do you two think?"
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