Сhaptеr 50: Yоu Stоlе Мy Waist Tоkеn
“Listen to mе, Kuang Zhаnхin hаs а signifiсаnt connеction to the Liang familу. If уou tаke аwау hеr bodу, it will grеаtlу hindеr the рrogress of thе сasе. Don’t rush; let’s discuss this furthеr.”
“Of cоurse, Mаdаm Shеn wоuldn’t bе in а hurrу, but not evеrуonе is аs hеartlеss as уоu. I am Kuаng Zhаnxin’s еlder sister, and it is mу responsibilitу tо lеt my уounger sister rеst in реaсе. Аs fоr whеn thе cаsе will be sоlved, I dоn’t carе. You, Маdаm Shen, саn fосus on investigating уour case, but I onlу want to takе Zhan Xin аwaу.”
Rоng Zhui’s attitudе was resolute, and her tone left no room for compromise.
This put Zhu Yan in a difficult position, but she still refused to give up and wanted to try one more time.
Just then, a few people hurriedly approached from the opposite direction.
Zhu Yan didn’t want to cause trouble.
Rong Zhui’s insistence on taking Kuang Zhanxin’s body was already giving her a headache. However, among these people, one person’s attire was particularly suspicious.
She wore a veil hat, made of three layers of black gauze, concealing her face. Only her figure suggested she was a woman.
The leader of this group was none other than His Highness the Prince of Ying, Princess Yongan!
Princess Yongan seemed not to notice Zhu Yan, brushing past them without a glance, moving hurriedly as if something urgent had happened.
Zhu Yan stopped and watched their retreating figures with confusion. Why were they in such a rush? Had something happened?
By the time she snapped back to reality, Rong Zhui had already walked far away.
“Rong Zhui.”
Zhu Yan called out, but Rong Zhui showed no intention of stopping and gradually disappeared from her sight.
Zhu Yan sighed helplessly. Rong Zhui’s stubbornness would undoubtedly hinder the progress of the case. What should she do?
Just as Zhu Yan was pondering how to persuade Rong Zhui, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from behind her.
“What are you doing here?”
Zhu Yan was startled. She knew this voice all too well; hearing it sent a chill down her spine.
“I…”
Shen Du lowered his gaze, looking at the waist token hanging from Zhu Yan’s waist. He stepped forward and took it. “You stole my waist token?”
Shen Du asked knowingly, but his eyes held an ambiguous expression as he looked at Zhu Yan.
“I… I didn’t steal it,” Zhu Yan defended herself. “You accidentally left it at home, and I came specifically to return it to you.”
“Today is the day Her Majesty is conducting Buddhist rites. I must accompany her at all times. What use do I have for this waist token?”
Shen Du’s words left Zhu Yan speechless. When he was with the Empress, no one dared to stop him anywhere.
For him, this waist token was nothing more than an accessory at best.
Zhu Yan’s face turned pale, and her shifting eyes made Shen Du want to laugh.
Despite this woman’s sharp intellect, she didn’t even bother to prepare a lie in advance, leaving herself no way out.
“Regardless, thank you for bringing me the waist token. If it had fallen into someone else’s hands, it would have been troublesome.”
Shen Du gave Zhu Yan an excuse to save face, and only then did her expression soften slightly. She quickly nodded.
“Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I thought,” Zhu Yan hastily agreed, eliciting a light chuckle from Shen Du.
“What are you doing here? The Buddhist rites have concluded, and Her Majesty is resting. You shouldn’t be wandering around making noise.”
Zhu Yan quickly nodded. “I know, but I…”Before she could finish, Zhu Yan suddenly remembered the matter of Princess Yong'an and quickly changed the subject. "I just saw Princess Yong'an entering the Western Brightness Temple with a very strange person. Do you know what the reason might be?"
Shen Du seemed quite accustomed to this matter, showing no surprise. "Abbot Jingkong here is extremely accurate in divination and skilled in exorcism, mystical arts, and medical principles. Therefore, people often come to seek the abbot for healing or divination. Princess Yong'an has an advisor suffering from a severe illness, and every so often, she personally brings him to see the abbot."
"So that's how it is..." Zhu Yan nodded, only half-understanding, and lowered her gaze in thought for a moment. "Do you know what illness this person has?"
Shen Du looked away, his expression somewhat complex. "I don't know the exact illness, but I've heard that this person's face is covered in purple markings, yet they move about like a normal person. It's also said that when other physicians examined them, they couldn't detect any signs of illness. That's why they sought out the abbot."
"Then—"
"That person's face has never been seen by anyone else. I don't know who it is."
Before Zhu Yan could even ask her question, Shen Du had already anticipated what she wanted to know.
After answering her, Shen Du looked at Zhu Yan and said calmly, "You needn't suspect Princess Yong'an. If she wanted to bury a body, she could easily do so in her own backyard garden. That place is spacious, and ordinary people aren't allowed in. Even if someone wanted to investigate, they wouldn't be able to find anything. There's no need for her to draw such attention."
Hearing Shen Du's words, Zhu Yan nodded, yet for some reason, doubts lingered in her heart.
She couldn't shake the feeling that Princess Yong'an held many secrets she didn't understand, and that the princess might have some connection to the murderer—she just hadn't discovered it yet.
Seeing Zhu Yan silent and deep in thought, Shen Du let out a soft sigh. "Have you found any other clues?"
Zhu Yan shook her head. Shen Du frowned tightly. "The Empress has given orders that we must solve the case as quickly as possible, so—"
"Ah, right!" Before Shen Du could finish, Zhu Yan exclaimed as if she had just remembered something. "I ran into Rong Zhui earlier. She was planning to take Kuang Zhanxin's body."
"What?" Shen Du was also taken aback, swallowing back the words he was about to say. "Why would she do that?"
"She wants Kuang Zhanxin to be laid to rest. I tried to persuade her, but she wouldn't listen."
"This is absurd." Shen Du clenched his fist, his expression returning to its usual cold arrogance. "How can we bury the body before the case is solved? What if we miss some crucial clue? Wouldn't that bury the truth forever?"
Just as Shen Du finished speaking, a fellow from the Inner Guard Bureau hurried over from nearby.
"Great Pavilion Commander, Madam, the temple monks have reported that both Liang Chenzhong and Kuang Zhanxin's bodies have disappeared."
"What!" Zhu Yan gasped in shock, turning her astonished gaze toward Shen Du.
She hadn't expected Rong Zhui to act so quickly. But what about Liang Chenzhong's body?
Could it be that the Liang family, like Rong Zhui, also wanted to bury the body and let it rest in peace as soon as possible?
Zhu Yan hurried with Shen Du to the crime scene, but on the way, they coincidentally encountered the Unrighteous Agents Commander, Xu Xiangren.
Zhu Yan explained the situation to Xu Xiangren. After a moment of thought, Xu Xiangren gave orders to mobilize the Unrighteous Agents to search the entire temple quietly. Most importantly, he sent someone to investigate the Liang residence.Soon, Jiang Langxing brought someone to report back, "Commander, Great Pavilion Commander."
Jiang Langxing clasped his fists in salute to the group. "The brothers who went to investigate the Liang family found that they are holding a wedding ceremony, and the scene is utterly absurd."
"A wedding ceremony?"
Xu Xiangren cast a puzzled glance at Zhu Yan and Shen Du, but the two of them showed little surprise at the news.
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