Chapter 15 I had no intention of dealing with him.
“Miss Shen,” his voice was even colder, carrying a businesslike indifference and a hint of barely perceptible mockery, “where did you hear such nonsense? The ‘Shadowless One’ is a wanted criminal who has been on the run for many years, his whereabouts are elusive, and the details of his case files are even classified by the Ministry of Justice. How could you possibly know such things, and how could you possibly make such a claim here?”
"There's a broken blade hidden in the secret compartment of your study, a souvenir from your first case handled independently; you have an old wound on your right shoulder, from six years ago when you were chasing a flower thief and were injured by a hidden weapon while saving someone, which you never reported!"
Fangru interrupted him, quickly revealing two extremely private matters.
These two secrets, one concerning his hidden pride and the other concerning his deep-seated frustration and kindness, are both private matters that could never be known to outsiders! Especially the injury to his right shoulder and the matter of saving lives, which even his closest confidants may not know!
These details were all learned by her in her previous life when Zheng Yu was seriously injured, unconscious, and delirious, from his intermittent babbling at his bedside. Now, they became her most powerful weapon to gain his trust.
Zheng Yu's indifference and mockery froze instantly, shattering like a mask, replaced by disbelief, shock, and a sense of horror at having his privacy completely exposed!
He suddenly took a half step back, his dark eyes, which were always sharp and scrutinizing criminals, suddenly narrowed and stared intently at Fangru, as if he were seeing the woman in front of him for the first time, or as if he were looking at a demon who could see into people's hearts!
"Who...who are you?! How do you know all this?!"
His voice rose unconsciously, then fell sharply, filled with surprise and wariness. His right hand even instinctively reached for a sword that wasn't actually at his waist.
If they weren't at a banquet, he would have taken her down and interrogated her immediately!
Fangru met his almost murderous gaze, but instead of backing down, she took a step closer.
The bright flame in her eyes flickered, seemingly capable of burning away all pretense and hesitation, and her tone carried an undeniable, seductive power:
"Why does Lord Zheng need to ask who I am? You only need to know that the Baiyang Society has been lying low for many years, and their schemes are far from ordinary acts of rebellion! The fact that they sent the 'Shadowless Ones' to infiltrate the Xuanji Banquet this time is definitely not as simple as spying!"
Her voice was even lower, yet every word was like a knife, piercing Zheng Yu's most sensitive nerves: "His Majesty, important ministers, imperial relatives... are all present at this banquet! If Bai Yang seizes this opportunity to cause trouble, create chaos, or even attempt an assassination, then rivers of blood will flow, shocking the court and the public. Can you, Zheng Yu, bear this responsibility?! Can your Ministry of Justice bear this responsibility?!"
These words were extremely strong, portraying the unknown risks as an imminent, earth-shattering conspiracy.
Fangru knew perfectly well that although the Baiyang Society had not made a move at this moment in previous lives, they did have the intention and would cause great trouble in the future.
She merely brought forward and magnified the future crisis to this moment, forcing Zheng Yu to take precautions!
"Capturing the 'Shadowless One' is to cut off their most crucial link! Not only will it expose the White Sun Society's conspiracy, but it will also prevent a catastrophic disaster! This is an immense achievement delivered to you, and it is a duty you, as a detective, cannot afford to miss!"
Her gaze was fixed on Zheng Yu's shifting expression, her tone carrying an almost frantic certainty, "Trust me! Investigate secretly immediately! Otherwise, it will be too late to regret it!"
She positioned herself as the sole messenger aware of the danger, pushing Zheng Yu to the brink of imminent action. As for how much of this was a carefully crafted, exaggerated warning to achieve her goals… those who aspire to greatness do not concern themselves with trifles.
In this life, she is willing to be a black lotus flower that will stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
A tremendous storm raged within Zheng Yu's heart.
Reason told him that this woman's words and actions were strange and should not be trusted; but those two top-secret matters shattered his preconceived notions like a hammer blow.
Her eyes were too sharp and bright, carrying an undeniable madness and... a kind of precognitive power that he couldn't understand.
Is it a trap? Or... a truly divine opportunity?
The pros and cons were rapidly weighed in my mind.
Ultimately, his desire to capture the wanted criminal and his wariness of the unknown risks led him to make a compromise.
He stared intently at Fangru, finally squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth: "...Fine! You wait here, absolutely do not move, and do not mention it to anyone! I'll go find someone to verify the situation immediately!"
Fangru's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and she immediately nodded: "Go and come back quickly! Time is running out!"
She watched Zheng Yu's hurried departure, trying to calm her wildly beating heart, hoping that he could bring elite personnel to secretly set up surveillance.
However, the waiting time became extremely agonizing.
Fangru's gaze followed Zheng Yu's back closely. She saw that he walked very fast, but he did not go to any area where plainclothes colleagues might be hiding. Instead, he went straight towards the head of the guards who were responsible for guarding the perimeter of the banquet!
What chilled her to the bone even more was that when Zheng Yu was whispering quickly with the head guard, he glanced very subtly in her direction. His eyes were no longer filled with surprise and doubt, but with a cold determination and a hint of... ruthlessness in the face of prey!
Oh no! He's not going to verify anything! He's going to call in troops to arrest her!
Fangru felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and at the same time, she cursed herself for being stupid!
She had completely forgotten that Zheng Yu in this life did not know her, and was a "ruthless Yama" who believed only in evidence and logic!
Her seemingly prophetic accusations were probably not a lifeline for him, but rather the greatest suspicion and threat! He must think she was having an affair with a scoundrel, or that she was mentally unstable. Either way, controlling her was the most "reasonable" choice!
We absolutely cannot let it fall into their hands! Otherwise, all our plans will be ruined!
In a flash, Fangru turned around without hesitation, lifted her elaborate skirt, and like a nimble fish, before Zheng Yu could surround her with his men, her figure quickly disappeared into the dimly lit, shadowy depths of the courtyard.
Knock knock!
My heart was pounding in my chest, not entirely from running, but more from lingering fear and regret.
She was too impatient!
With Gu Zhou just imprisoned, countless eyes are on the Shen family. If she, the daughter of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, is found guilty of "inciting court officials and spreading rumors," not only will she herself be unable to escape punishment, but it will also likely implicate her father, making Gu Zhou's already precarious situation even worse!
After running a long way, Fangru leaned against the cool artificial rock, forcing herself to calm her rapidly beating heart.
Zheng Yu's path has been cut off, and his suspicions have even made him a new threat.
Without the credit for capturing the Shadowless One as a bargaining chip, how could she get Zhou Ling to agree to let Gu Zhou go?
She closed her eyes, trying to recall all the details about the "Shadowless One" from Zheng Yu's delirious ramblings and the fragments of the dossier in her previous life: a hooked nose, a shallow scar about an inch long on his left eyebrow, and a left-handed person.
These characteristics were clearly imprinted in her mind.
She couldn't directly identify them, but perhaps she could find a way to get these characteristics into the sights of certain key figures in some "reasonable" way.
A plan quickly took shape in her mind.
First, create chaos and observe closely.
She could deliberately create a small accident at a banquet, such as "accidentally" spilling drinks or bumping into someone, targeting low-ranking officials, servants, or menial workers who fit certain characteristics, especially those with hooked noses.
In the brief moments of apologizing, helping someone up, or wiping away spilled wine, she can observe the other person's brow bone and the dominant hand they unconsciously use.
If she could identify the target, she could then anonymously leak clues to an imperial censor who was at odds with the Ministry of Justice and eager to make a name for himself, thus using him as a tool to kill.
Secondly, they use the words of others to sow seeds of doubt.
Perhaps she could find another official who may have also caught a glimpse of the Shadowless Man's portrait.
She could casually chat with him, her gaze "accidentally" sweeping over the direction of her target, and say in a slightly doubtful and uncertain tone, "Sir, you are very knowledgeable, don't you think that waiter over there... looks somewhat familiar from the side? It's as if I caught a glimpse of him on some wanted poster, especially the outline of his nose and the faint line on his brow bone..."
Just plant a seed of doubt, and someone will investigate it thoroughly.
This is far safer than her going in shirtless herself.
As her thoughts gradually became clearer, Fangru took a deep breath.
Yes, there are many other feasible methods, although they will be more complicated and more like groping in the dark, but any risk is worth trying in order to save Gu Zhou.
And now, there is a perfect opportunity for those noble ladies who are always looking for trouble with her.
Their provocations can be used as perfect cover for creating an "accident".
Thinking of this, Fangru's previously somewhat bewildered gaze regained its firmness and sharpness.
She straightened her slightly disheveled dress and hair, and once again held her head high, like an arrow that had been fully charged again, resolutely walking towards the group of noble ladies who were adorned with jewels but concealed sharp edges.
This time, she was no longer the prey, but rather the one leading the hunter into her trap.
Fangru was intently searching for a figure matching the "hooked nose" description when she nearly bumped into a solid embrace as she rounded a cluster of blooming peonies.
A clear and unique ambergris scent immediately enters the nostrils, carrying an absolute presence and an unmistakable majesty.
Fangru's heart sank suddenly. She quickly took two steps back, raised her head, and sure enough, met a pair of unfathomable dark eyes that were now scrutinizing her with great interest.
Zhou Ling appeared quietly on the flower path, his hands behind his back, his black casual clothes almost blending into the night.
He looked down at her, his gaze lingering on her slightly tense and absent-minded face, a playful smile curving his lips.
“Miss Shen, you seem to be in a hurry, your eyes darting around,” he began, his voice deep and pleasant, yet like an invisible net slowly tightening. “Just now you seemed to have parted on bad terms with Miss Lin, and then you were whispering and arguing with Miss Su… Now you seem to be searching for something. I’m curious, what person or what could possibly make Miss Shen so… unsettled?”
He leaned slightly closer, his warm breath almost brushing against her forehead, his deep eyes fixed on her, not missing a single subtle change in her expression. "Or is it that Miss Shen is avoiding me?"
Fangru was trapped between the fragrant flowers and his tall, imposing figure. She could clearly feel the strong, aggressive aura emanating from him, the kind that belonged to a superior and a strong man, which almost made her breathless.
She suppressed her anxiety about finding the Shadowless One and her annoyance at his sudden appearance, lowering her eyelashes: "Your Majesty is joking, how could I dare?"
"Oh? You dare not?" Zhou Ling chuckled softly, his fingertips seemingly casually brushing against the petals beside him, but his gaze never left her face. "I think I just saw you whispering with that Minister Zheng Yu of the Ministry of Justice for quite a while? How come, Miss Shen, when did you develop such a deep friendship with my Minister of Justice?"
His tone sounded relaxed and casual, as if it were just casual conversation, but Fangru keenly caught a subtle scrutiny and inquiry deep within his words.
Was he testing her relationship with Zheng Yu?
Fang was preoccupied with finding the Shadowless One and rescuing Gu Zhou, and had no time or interest in dealing with his seemingly ambiguous but actually controlling flirting.
The thought that no matter how much she struggled in her previous three lives, she could not escape his control and even implicate those around her made her feel a surge of anger.
She abruptly raised her head, her eyes filled with suppressed irritation and impatience, her tone sharp and barbed: "Your Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state, why are you so concerned about such trivial matters as who I talk to and argue with? Lord Zheng is an official of the court, if I have any doubts, why can't I seek his verification? Must I report to Your Majesty first?"
A note from the author:
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