The meeting ended on bad terms.
"Why are you here? Didn't you go to Bailing Temple with your mother?"
Xu Yingshan approached and asked Shuanglian.
Xu Lanxin was no longer as excited as before, and immediately said seriously, "Father, let's get in the car and talk about it!"
She then turned to the car and said, "Yan'an, could you get out and wait for a moment?"
As Yan'an stepped down from the carriage, he couldn't avoid the stares of the two people below! One was filled with fear, the other with a cold gaze, from Cen Yan.
Of course, the second look startled him so much that he quickly stepped forward and dragged Cen Yan along, saying, "Zijin, where is your carriage? Let's get in the carriage and talk, let's get in the carriage and explain."
After the two walked away, Xu Yingshan got into the car and saw the strange man. He was so frightened that his legs went weak and he fell down. Lan Xin helped him up from behind.
He then said angrily, "Xu Lanxin, why is there a strange man in your car? You're about to get married, don't you know how to behave? Do you know that this is an imperial decree to arrange your marriage?"
Lan Xin looked at his angry expression and felt very disdainful.
"Father also knew it was an imperial decree for the marriage? There's no way Madam wouldn't know?"
After saying that, he kicked the sleazy man.
"You explain it to my dad! Tell him everything from beginning to end!"
After the man finished speaking, Xu Yingshan looked on incredulously.
"Father, he must be referring to Cui'er, who serves my second sister! I guess my second sister is still young and can't think of any vicious methods. Father, you should keep a close eye on your wife."
She dares to defy an imperial decree for marriage? Doesn't she realize that we share both glory and ruin? If something happens to me, do you think the Xu family will be any better off?
After saying that, she didn't even look at him and got off the carriage.
As soon as I got off the bus, I met the cold, piercing eyes of the man standing next to me.
"Come on up!"
He turned his gaze toward the carriage.
"Lord Xu, if your daughter cannot be safe, I will not hesitate to take action."
Xu Yingshan wiped his forehead lightly with his sleeve and repeatedly agreed.
Tch, coward.
"Get over here now!"
That voice was directed at her, so, out of consideration for her, I'll let him have his way.
I had just climbed into the carriage and hadn't even had a chance to look around properly when someone grabbed me and put me on their lap.
This close contact made her restless. She glanced to the side and saw that Yan'an's mouth was concave to the size of an egg, his pupils were dilated, and his eyes were full of shock.
This person was someone he knew, the cold and aloof Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Cen Yan.
Upon meeting the knife-wielding man's gaze, he understood immediately and quietly slipped off the carriage, feeling his way along the door.
"Speak!"
The man wrapped his arms around her and turned her to face him.
His lingering coldness made her uneasy, her hands trembling with nervousness, unsure of where to put them.
I glanced down and saw the Chinese knot buttons on his collar, so I casually put them on and started playing with them.
"You like it?" Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, her attention was entirely on his buttons.
Startled, she pulled her hand away, but felt a tight grip on her wrist as he grabbed it and put it back on the button.
He even generously added, "Have some fun!"
This guy is totally a hopeless case of male chauvinism, isn't he? She's just nervous, nervous, you know?
A forensic pathologist who has been single since birth for 30 years and whose work is his top priority, has no experience in marriage or dating!
"I'm done playing, sir. You see, I've handled it all smoothly, haven't I? It was just some petty squabbles between women, nothing to offend your ears!"
She's stopped playing with Chinese knot buttons and started playing with the gold thread embroidery on other people's chests.
"By the way, sir, has the case of Miaoyue Nunnery been resolved?"
There was no response. Lanxin looked at him, but his expression remained cold.
"Call me Zijin."
"Zi, Zi Jin, Zi Jin"
"Whack!" That was a good flick on the forehead.
Xu Lanxin rubbed her forehead; this person was really something.
Pretending to glare fiercely at him, Cen Yan chuckled softly as if he had seen something amusing.
Lan Xin got even angrier. Her claws were faster than her brain. She grabbed his head and started biting him.
She was in an awkward position, unsure whether to let go or not, so she just kept kissing the other person's forehead.
"You've vented your anger?"
With her mouth pressed against his forehead, she could only manage a muffled "hmm."
"Give in,"
The teeth marks on her forehead made her humbly bury her head in her chest, like an ostrich.
A slight coolness touched her chin as he lifted her up, his thumb tracing the contours of her pink lips.
The slightly rough fingers sent a tingling sensation through the air.
The "gurgling" sound broke the silence.
"You haven't eaten?"
Lan Xin nodded silently, and the person then sat down on the other side.
"Qingyun, go to Yuanfu Restaurant."
He seemed tired and closed his eyes to rest for a while.
How can this person be so handsome? His eyebrows are like swords, his nose is straight like a peak, and his facial features are well-defined and smooth. Although he is a civil official, his broad shoulders and narrow waist give him a strong and powerful appearance.
She stared at him, mesmerized, until Qingyun called out, "We've arrived!"
What kind of eyes were those? They seemed to hold mountains of knives and seas of blood. Although they only flashed for a moment when they opened, they made people feel as if they were falling into an abyss.
He has a story.
The "da" sound has been replaced by a light tapping of the knuckles instead of a sharp tap.
Fine, I'll owe you this forehead.
Lan Xin followed his hand and got off the carriage, only to see Qing Yun staring wide-eyed at her, following his gaze.
Okay, let's stay on that conspicuous tooth mark.
Lanxin awkwardly turned to look to the side, but the person didn't seem to care and kept walking forward.
The restaurant is a traditional-style building with a large, open hall downstairs that is packed with seats, and waiters are constantly moving around serving dishes.
The second and third floors were private rooms. Lanxin followed them upstairs. The stairs were in the dark, and she couldn't see below. She went straight up to the corridor.
In the hall, there was a high platform where a woman with her face veiled by a thin veil was playing a pipa.
Xu Lanxin ordered several of their signature dishes; it was a rare treat to eat out, so she wanted to have something nice.
"My lord, what's the progress of the case at Miaoyue Nunnery? Has the main culprit confessed?"
Xu Lanxin took a sip of tea and felt a bit craving an iced Americano.
Perhaps noticing her slight disappointment, he put down his teacup.
"It doesn't taste good?"
Lan Xin gave a perfunctory smile: "No!"
"The interrogation was conducted, and the testimonies were consistent. The old nun and the kidnapper Li Si were the main culprits. They trafficked people, provided entertainment for those wealthy people, and then disposed of the bodies."
"Wow, what a one-stop service!"
"Was torture used? If there are no new testimonies, how long will it take to close the case?"
“We’ve used it all, and they’ve given the same story three times. We can no longer use torture to extract a confession. If there’s no progress, the case will be closed in three months!”
"Knock knock," the food delivery person knocked on the door.
The dishes we ordered were served one after another, including Dongpo pork, golden jade soup, plum blossom soup dumplings, and so on, all with a wonderful aroma.
Lan Xin's mind was completely focused on the food. Seeing her happiness, the man handed her chopsticks.
"Eat."
"Then I won't be polite!"
I picked up a piece of bright red Dongpo pork, then thought better of it and put it directly into his bowl.
"Zijin, you eat first! I'll start eating now."
Su Lanxin's eating manners are neither ladylike nor barbaric, but they are quite different from those of women in ancient times.
She doesn't have the air of a noble lady; she's more like a free-spirited woman from the martial arts world.
Seeing that she had a good appetite and was eating with relish, he also started to have a good appetite and ate a few more bites.
"Sir, I once read about a method in a book called sleep deprivation. It involves not letting the prisoner sleep, and then waking him up just as he falls asleep because he can't hold on any longer. If this is repeated for several days, he will become confused and his will will waver, making interrogation much easier."
The man stared at her intently, his gaze filled with doubt and inquiry, making her grip her bamboo chopsticks more tightly, feeling somewhat uneasy.
"What's wrong?"
"Are you really Xu Lanxin?"
A sudden jolt went through her, and Lanxin was momentarily speechless. She secretly loosened her grip on the bamboo chopsticks, trying to relax and force a smile onto her face.
"You jest, sir. If I am not Xu Lanxin, then who is?"
She glanced at the dishes on the table, trying to pick up some food to cover her tracks.
The man put down his bowl and chopsticks, arranged them neatly, the bowl was clean, and placed two bamboo chopsticks aligned on the chopstick rest. He then took a sip of tea.
"I will recommend your method to the Ministry of Justice."
"Um"
Xu Lan didn't even look up, seemingly focused solely on eating.
Only bamboo chopsticks remained on the table, occasionally making the sound of them hitting the bowls and plates.
She seemed a little distracted while eating, whereas at home she could still ramble on and on.
If she comes into contact with him, she will be exposed to him. The daily life of this young lady is simple and can be easily investigated.
If she were told the truth, it would be such an unbelievable and fantastical event that she wouldn't believe it unless she had experienced it herself.
After all, she had been a forensic doctor for many years and no paranormal events had occurred.
The two had gotten along well before, but his probing led to an unpleasant parting. After the meal, he escorted her home and then left in a hurry.
Not a single word was left behind.
The sun slowly sank to the mountainside, the red sunset dyed the entire sky crimson, and the fiery clouds were divided into fish-scale patterns. The most beautiful picture in the world could not be more beautiful than this.
As the highest institution of learning in the capital of the Great Zhou Kingdom, the Imperial Academy has cultivated countless outstanding scholars, including both commoners and sons of officials.
On the ground in a grove, a student dressed in the robes of the Imperial Academy huddled on the ground, covering his head and enduring the punches and kicks from his fellow students.
Perhaps not wanting other passing students to see his disheveled appearance, he remained silent, but his silence only emboldened the students to beat him even more fiercely.
The leader, perhaps tired of beating him, picked up a wooden stick and smashed it against him, blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth.
An accomplice quickly pulled the perpetrator away, saying, "One punishment is enough. If you keep hitting him, he'll die."
The man spat and threw down the wooden stick: "Li Sheng, you're lucky today. I'm quite pleased. I'll come back to you next time."
The three perpetrators walked away, leaving him alone, struggling even to lift a finger.
Footsteps approached, and the person was also dressed in a student uniform. He looked up at the person.
"You've arrived."
The three of them lived in an ordinary dormitory at the Imperial Academy. They were awakened by a series of urgent knocks on the door.
"Quick, get up! Li Sheng is dead!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com