Childish ghost
Zhu Qinghe put on a cloak and sat by the window talking to Shen Wumei outside.
Because Ruyi was still asleep, the two of them lowered their voices at the same time.
In this quiet, long night, there was a secretive and ambiguous feeling, like the tender shoots of grass and trees quietly blooming in the darkness.
"Lord Shen, why do you think Xu Yishu did that?"
She couldn't understand why Xu Yishu would be so heartless as to beat someone to death just because that person glanced at her. Did she really think human life was as worthless as grass?
Shen Wumei leaned against the window frame and said calmly, "I don't know either."
There are so many people in the world, and everyone has different ideas. Over the years of investigating cases, he has seen a lot. Although his tolerance has increased, there are still many things he doesn't understand.
And those accumulated negative emotions always need to be released.
Zhu Qinghe was clearly caught in a dead end of confusion and confusion: "Xu Yishu was originally the victim, and I thought that man was really perverted. But when he explained the reasons, I suddenly understood a little. But this is not right. He is a murderer. Even if he is wronged, he should not be treated in that way."
"But if a family member of mine were murdered, I would probably only want to kill the murderer to avenge him."
"What is right and what is wrong?" she murmured. Shen Wumei remained silent for a long time before grabbing her wrist. "Come with me somewhere."
Shen Wumei led her to the top of the tallest tower in the center of the capital. Holding onto the railing, they looked down and saw the lights of countless homes spread out before them. Zhu Qinghe had never been here before; she had always thought the tower was just for show. She never expected to see such a beautiful view from the top.
"Is this the highest point in the capital?" Zhu Qinghe asked excitedly. The higher one climbs, the colder it gets; her cloak billowed in the night wind, and it seemed as if the pent-up emotions in her heart were being blown away by the wind.
"The second highest, I suppose. The highest is in the palace," Shen Wumei replied.
"That's great too. I've never stood this high before," Zhu Qinghe said with some emotion.
Shen Wumei stood beside her, her eyelashes lowered, and looked down with her: "When you're down there, everyone who passes by you feels that you are the same as them, that they are you and you are them."
"That's why you don't understand every case and feel sorry for them." Shen Wumei's tone was unusually calm, and her deep, magnetic voice was incredibly moving.
"But that won't change anything. Instead of immersing yourself completely in the situation, try standing at the highest point and looking down. You'll see something different then."
Zhu Qinghe blinked blankly: "What would you see if you stood on a high place?"
“We will see even more people,” Shen Wumei said. “Look at all these lights in the homes. Without a complete legal system, how can we guarantee their peaceful lives?”
"Often, we need to consider the majority of people, and that's why we oppose violence in response to violence. While cause and effect and retribution are reasonable, if everyone acted this way, what would be the point of the law?"
"We must always have something in awe in order to better suppress the evil thoughts in our hearts."
Zhu Qinghe silently processed her thoughts for a while, then turned to look at him. Below the tower, thousands of lights shone brightly, while he stood alone beside her. There was no light, only darkness, so his face was also immersed in the boundless darkness, and only a faint outline could be seen.
"So, Lord Shen, all these years, have you been the one silently protecting everyone from the shadows?" Zhu Qinghe asked softly.
So this is why you're so serious and unsmiling? Cold and ruthless like a god in heaven—only in this way can you better uphold the system and protect the majority of people.
"It's my duty, and this is what I should do." Shen Wumei's tone was calm, but for some reason, Zhu Qinghe felt that there was something hidden beneath his calm expression.
He is like an iceberg floating on a vast sea; from a distance, you can only see a cold, indifferent corner, but the closer you get, the more you discover its differences.
"Are you feeling better?" Shen Wumei helped her put on the hood of her cloak to block out the strong night wind.
"Mmm." Zhu Qinghe nodded, huddled in her hat. After his words of comfort, she did feel much better. Stepping out of pity and empathy for individual fates and strengthening her own resolve, perhaps many things would become much simpler.
Sometimes, being hard-hearted isn't necessarily a bad thing.
"Then can we talk about that mysterious masked man now?" Shen Wumei asked.
Zhu Qinghe sighed helplessly, "Lord Shen, aren't you going a bit too far? I just escaped death."
Shen Wumei glanced at her: "I'm helping you resolve your inner conflict. Once you've talked it out, you won't be afraid anymore. After all, he's just an ordinary person. Once we catch him and make him realize his mistakes, you'll completely forget this experience."
"This is called fighting poison with poison," Shen Wumei simply summarized.
Zhu Qinghe was completely speechless. She was usually the one who left others speechless, but this was the first time she was unable to utter a word. She stared at Shen Wumei in astonishment.
"Lord Shen, tell me the truth, do you often deceive prisoners like this?"
Shen Wumei sneered, meeting the curious eyes that were looking at him, and reached out to pinch her cheek, threateningly saying, "Do you want to try?"
The implication was that she should become a prisoner, which she refused to do. Zhu Qinghe quickly shook her head and struggled to break free from his grasp. "Alright, alright, let's get down to business."
Mentioning the murderer, Zhu Qinghe's expression turned serious, and her brows furrowed: "That person wore a Nuo opera mask commonly seen in markets, resembling a stone lion."
“I suspect he might have injuries on his face.” Zhu Qinghe had originally intended to extract more information from the murderer, but before she could get a reply, Shen Wumei arrived.
Shen Wumei also recalled the scene at that time, "It was a burn."
His longsword sliced off half of his mask, revealing the uneven scars on his face—burns.
“Also,” Zhu Qinghe suddenly thought of a very important clue, “that person once mentioned the tenth day of the seventh month, Zhushi Academy.”
“Bamboo and Stone Academy?” Shen Wumei narrowed her eyes. “If I remember correctly, Xu Yishu was also a student at Bamboo and Stone Academy.”
"That's amazing!" Zhu Qinghe exclaimed sincerely. She wasn't good at studying, and Aunt Song didn't mentor her at all, but she did know something about Zhushi Academy.
Zhushi Academy was the most famous academy in Kyoto, second only to the Imperial Academy. The Imperial Academy was exclusively for princes and nobles, but Zhushi Academy was different; everything depended on academic performance, and students from humble backgrounds could also enroll as long as they were academically gifted.
Shen Wumei revealed a contemptuous smile: "That's because she has a rich father. It is said that Master Xu donated a library to Zhushi Academy."
"Wow." Zhu Qinghe raised her eyebrows in surprise. This was truly a grand gesture. The Xu family was indeed wealthy; they lived up to their reputation as the richest family in the capital.
"So, the young scholar who was beaten to death by Xu Yishu was also a student of Zhushi Academy," Zhu Qinghe pondered. "If that's the case, wouldn't Zhushi Academy have done nothing after such a heinous murder?"
As the night deepened, the two descended the tower and walked back along the wide, deserted Dongding Street.
“The Xu family is rich and powerful, and the headmaster of Zhushi Academy is a cowardly and greedy person, so naturally they would try every means to cover it up.”
"Does that mean that as long as we find out the identity of the young scholar who was beaten to death by Xu Yishu, and then investigate the people around him, we might be able to identify the murderer?"
Shen Wumei shook her head: "There is still one problem that has not been solved."
"What?" Zhu Qinghe looked at him, wondering if there was any problem she hadn't considered.
"Xu Yishu disappeared at the Yunhe Poetry Society. He was captured through a secret passage and taken to that abandoned temple. Then that person kidnapped you. What was his purpose in going to such lengths?"
“Yunhe Poetry Society, abandoned temple,” Zhu Qinghe felt her brain was a bit overwhelmed. Right, if that person was only seeking revenge for that young scholar, they could have simply killed her at the Yunhe Poetry Society. Why bring her to the temple and even make her watch?
If he wasn't excessively perverted, then there must be some hidden story behind this.
“In any case,” Shen Wumei said, “we should go to Zhushi Academy tomorrow first.”
Zhu Qinghe nodded subconsciously, then suddenly realized, "Oh right, Lord Shen, are you asking me for help again this time? Then you'll have to pay more."
“I witnessed the crime scene and it left me with deep psychological trauma. I should be compensated for this emotional distress.”
Shen Wumei thought to herself, "She's really recovered. She even knows to ask him for benefits now."
He said, "That depends on your subsequent performance."
Zhu Qinghe wailed, "Lord Shen, you can't be like those landlords who make empty promises to people! The most important thing in being a person is to have a conscience!"
"Keep your voice down, are you trying to wake everyone up?"
"snort--"
Sure enough, the gentleness just now was an illusion. Zhu Qinghe followed behind him angrily. The moonlight was like a ribbon, making his tall figure trail long on the ground.
Zhu Qinghe stared at the back of his head for a while, then mischievously jumped to the side and landed steadily on 'his' head.
Hehehe, let you be arrogant, let you anger me, now you're obediently trampled under my feet.
She was secretly gloating as she stepped on her shadow, unaware that the person in front of her had already turned around with a sinister look on their face.
"Ouch—" She clutched her throbbing forehead and took a few steps back. "Lord Shen, could you please not stop suddenly like a ghost?"
"I wonder which brat stepped on my shadow. How old are you? How childish!" Shen Wumei scoffed.
Seeing that she had been exposed, Zhu Qinghe cautiously took a few steps back, while Shen Wumei leisurely followed with her long legs, saying, "Is it fun? Let's continue."
Zhu Qinghe took off running, with Shen Wumei chasing closely behind her.
The two ran back and forth on the quiet, deserted street, their footsteps shattering the gentle moonlight on the ground.
"Shen Wumei, don't step on my shadow!"
"You stepped on mine first."
"How old are you? How childish are you!"
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