Chapter 78 Chapter 78 The Trouble (Two in One)...
At the Duhua Bridge Ferry on the Wei River, it had just rained and there was a lot of water on the ground. The pier was crowded with people, who were staring at the dozen or so corpses floating on the water. Some had terrified expressions on their faces, while others looked indifferent, shaking their heads and watching the show.
The chaotic hooves of the horses stepped down, splashing water.
Everyone heard the neighing of horses and looked back. Zhou Zhishan, with a serious expression, was leading his men on horseback.
"The county magistrate is here!" someone shouted.
The crowd evacuated to both sides.
Zhou Zhishan and his men reined in their horses. Yamen runners were responsible for evacuating the crowd. A middle-aged man with pointed cheeks and a monkey-like head stumbled over and said, "Sir, we've fished everyone out. Twenty-one dead, one still alive, and they've been taken to the infirmary."
He looked as if he was facing a formidable enemy, his limbs limp. It was for no other reason than that the dead were subordinates of Yangzhou's Chief Clerk, Gao Haizhou, who had mysteriously disappeared the previous night.
Only one person was left alive among the group, and this person was Gao Haizhou's close confidant, named Gao Congli.
When they found him, he was covered in blood and dying. He stuffed his identity card into the hands of the yamen runner and said with a gasp, "I am the confidant of the Chief Secretary of Yangzhou. I have specially escorted the Chief Secretary to Chang'an to meet the emperor. I want to present treasures. The Chief Secretary is missing..." Before he could finish his words, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
The case involved the disappearance of a minister, which instantly escalated to a higher level.
Zhou Zhishan looked solemn. He said, "Take the body back to the county government office and have the coroner perform an autopsy."
"yes!"
The unconscious confidant was sent to the clinic for treatment. On that day, the gates of Weinan County were closed and heavily guarded. No one was allowed to enter or leave the city until the murderer was found.
After the group left, people at the pier were still discussing the matter. The shadow brought by the dozen or so floating corpses instantly enveloped the entire Weinan County.
.
The people who died at the Wei River ferry were of great importance. However, except for the county magistrate and his close associates, the rest of the people did not know their specific identities.
After the coroner's examination, it was found that all the deceased died from being pierced through the heart by a sword.
First, excluding the people in the yamen, the weapons used by the yamen runners and the soldiers under the county lieutenant were all waist knives and broadswords, and there were no swords.
To catch the murderer, County Magistrate Zhou Zhishan ordered the entire county sealed off and began a house-to-house search. Anyone who found the sword would be brought back to the county office for questioning. Zhou Zhishan was so busy with this case that he stayed at the county office for two days.
However, the entire Weinan County was searched by yamen runners, and only three people carrying swords were found. All three had alibis. After torturing them and unable to get anything out of them, Zhou Zhishan confiscated the swords and let them go home.
Later, a servant in the mansion heard about the murder and secretly reported that one of the two men brought back by the lady was wearing a sword.
When Zhou Zhishan learned that there was such a dangerous person around his wife, he became furious and immediately brought people to surround the attic where the two lived.
At night, the Zhou Mansion was brightly lit. The lights from the corner lamps gathered together like a long fire dragon, enveloping the attic in the back garden, shrinking smaller and smaller, as if to devour it completely.
Zhou Zhishan's face was reflected in the dim light of the fire, and he looked at the two people on the wooden ladder with a half-gloomy expression.
The woman was wearing a delicate goose yellow skirt and a veil on her head, so her face could not be seen. The man next to her was a teenager of seventeen or eighteen years old, with a superior stature and extremely handsome appearance, but his eyebrows and eyes were full of rebelliousness.
Even wearing a white shirt, it couldn't hide the noble temperament that came from years of luxury.
Zhou Zhishan said, "I heard that Madam has brought two more guests home. Due to my busy work schedule, I haven't been able to visit you. I really don't know how to treat guests well."
Li Daoxuan didn't say anything, but the girl beside him spoke up, "So, Mr. Zhou Ming is here tonight to 'visit' my brother and me? My brother and I are truly flattered."
Zhou Zhishan smiled faintly and said, "That's my reason, but I also came here for an important matter. I heard that when the two distinguished guests came to my house, the young man next to the young lady was carrying a sword?"
Tonight's incident happened suddenly, and she was suddenly surrounded by a group of people. Shen Qing was still confused, but seeing the situation in the courtyard, she knew that the people who came tonight had bad intentions. She didn't know how to respond, so she remained silent for a moment.
Instead, Li Daoxuan took a lazy step forward, glanced at the crowd below the wooden stairs, and said with great momentum: "So what?"
Seeing him so arrogant, Zhou Zhishan said with a stern look, "Unfortunately, a murder occurred recently at the Wei River ferry. Over twenty people were killed by swords piercing their hearts. I searched the entire county but couldn't find the real culprit. Now I heard that there's a man with a sword hiding in my house, so I came to take a look."
After saying that, Zhou Zhishan ordered his men to come forward.
Unexpectedly, Li Daoxuan's eyes turned cold, and with a turn of his wrist, a "black sword" suddenly appeared in front of the yamen runner who was about to arrive.
With every gesture, a faint murderous aura swept across the faces of the leaders with a strong wind, as if it had substance, causing them to stop in their tracks.
In an instant, a chill ran down the backs of several people, as if they were stared at by some cold-blooded animal.
Li Daoxuan said coldly: "Is the sword you mentioned this?"
Zhou Zhishan hadn't expected Li Daoxuan to be so frank and take out the "murder weapon." Suspicion lingered in his heart. He squinted at the person beside him. The maid, noticing his gaze, immediately knelt down and said in a loud voice, "Master, when the mistress brought the two distinguished guests back to the mansion that day, the sword wrapped in the young man's room was exactly this."
"Although this young lady intentionally covered the sword with cloth, the hilt was accidentally exposed. From what I can see, it's clearly a black sword, with a red stone embedded in the hilt."
"I heard that there was a murder in the county, and it was related to the sword. I dared not conceal it, and immediately reported it."
The person who spoke was the maid who helped Shen Qing to wash and dress every day. It seemed that this person was also the spy planted by Zhou Zhishan next to Shen Qing.
Chen Qing narrowed her eyes hidden under the veil.
Zhou Zhishan, upon hearing this, said with embarrassment, "Although you two are my wife's distinguished guests, this involves human life, and I must be strict. Since Master Li has volunteered to hand over the 'murder weapon,' I must act impartially." His eyes relaxed, "Take them away."
Several yamen runners on the wooden ladder swallowed their saliva, forced themselves to suppress the fear and pressure brought by the person in front of them, and were about to step forward with knives to escort the person.
Chen Qing lost her composure. In a hurry, she grabbed Li Daoxuan's arm, lifted a corner of the veil, and said anxiously, "Why did you show your sword so directly when you knew they were coming for you?" Wouldn't the wise thing to do now be to try to buy time and find a solution?
Li Daoxuan half lowered his eyes and glanced at the hands that were clutching the corners of his sleeves.
Because she was too anxious, she used a lot of strength in her hands, and her white fingertips sank into the white cloth, and her finger bones turned pink from the excessive force.
He calmly brushed her hand away, then drew his sword and chopped it down at his feet. The blade penetrated deep into the wood, and the hilt vibrated with the remaining force. His eyes moved forward, and one foot hung in the air, refusing to touch the ground, and also trembled with the sword.
The tip of the shoe was only a fraction of the distance away from the sword blade. If Li Daoxuan's sword had deviated a little more, it would not have been the wooden board that was cut, but his foot.
The yamen runner who was rushing in the front had a pale face and sweat broke out on the tip of his nose. After a moment, he finally couldn't control his strength anymore and fell headfirst down the wooden ladder due to inertia. Several of his companions were also dragged down with him. They mixed together and rolled like a snowball and stopped at Zhou Zhishan's feet.
Zhou Zhishan looked at his frightened subordinates at his feet, and his originally gentle face darkened. He said, "You lazy bastard, why don't you get up?"
Several people pulled each other and hurriedly climbed up and hid behind him.
Zhou Zhishan questioned in a deep voice, "What do you mean, Master Li? You're openly challenging me tonight, but are you feeling dissatisfied? Or are you..." He prolonged his voice, "doing something wrong, so you feel guilty?"
Li Daoxuan glared at him, "You wanted to see the sword in my hand, didn't you? I just handed over something, how could I have known that these good-for-nothings would be frightened into such a cowardice?"
The yamen runner he had just threatened huddled in the crowd, shouting, "How dare you! Not only did you threaten government officials in public, you even dared to speak so rudely!"
Li Daoxuan glanced at the crowd indifferently. He was just standing there, doing nothing, but he made the man speechless, like a chicken with its neck pinched.
The corners of his lips curled up, "Since County Magistrate Zhou said the murderer was 'the man with the sword', then it naturally has nothing to do with me."
Zhou Zhishan's eyes flashed with surprise. He understood the hidden meaning in Li Daoxuan's words, frowned, and walked forward himself.
As I approached, I realized the person in front of me truly had an extraordinary aura. His figure was as straight as a pine tree, his black hair was tied up high, and his simple white shirt couldn't hide the dignity that emanated from him.
Li Daoxuan's eyes were deep and intense, and even a glance from him seemed to carry a tremendous force, making people afraid to look directly at him. His every move and gesture was so noble that Zhou Zhishan felt that he was a little shorter than he actually was.
He suppressed his surprise, slowly leaned over, pulled out the sword with force, and held it in his hand to observe it.
Chen Qing's eyelids jumped when he saw this, but when he turned around and saw Li Daoxuan's fearless face, he calmed down again.
Since he doesn't care, why should I be nervous?
Zhou Zhishan's eyes darkened after he finished observing. He raised his eyes, put on his usual gentle smile, and said, "It seems it was a misunderstanding. I am the servant of this family and my eyes are blurry. But the knife in Master Li's hand really looks like a sword."
The knife in Zhou Zhishan's hand looks very similar to Qiu Ren's sword. It is completely black and the hilt is equipped with red stone. However, a closer look reveals the difference. This is a single-edged knife.
Knives are typically single-edged with a thick, broad blade. This knife, for example, has a straight blade of moderate length, suitable for single-handed use. The clean, flowing lines along one side of the blade accentuate its sharpness in the orange flames, creating a gleaming, cold glow.
Qiu Ren's sword was different. Compared to the knife in Zhou Zhishan's hand, it was narrower. Its blade was longer and more slender, with beautiful lines and symmetrical double blades. The spine of the sword divided the blade into two halves, making it more delicate, light, and agile.
Chen Qing was secretly amazed, wondering when this guy found this knife and almost tricked her into taking it away. No wonder the maid didn't notice after monitoring the two of them for a long time.
Zhou Zhishan obviously didn't want to give up. He said, "However, without the approval of the government, ordinary people cannot carry knives—"
"What are you doing here?" a clear voice came.
Song Yuxi came over with a lantern. Seeing so many yamen runners surrounding the attic where Chen Qing was, she couldn't help but quicken her pace. From a distance, she saw her husband holding a sword and confronting two people. She couldn't help but feel panicked and asked again: "Alang, what are you doing?"
Everyone knew that Zhou Zhishan and his wife were deeply in love. They also knew that his wife was frail and easily frightened. So when Song Yuxi appeared with her maid, the servants panicked, fearing that they would bump into Song Yuxi. Every grown man immediately turned their backs and retreated to various corners with all their might, saying, "Greetings, Madam!"
Zhou Zhishan could no longer hold back. He casually threw away Li Daoxuan's knife, rubbed his cold hands, stepped down the wooden ladder, took Song Yuxi in his arms, and was about to take her out of the courtyard. "There was a sword murder case recently, and we are looking for the suspect. I heard from the maid that one of the two guests was carrying a sword, so I came here to follow the formalities. There are many people here, please don't offend Wu Niang."
Song Yuxi stood still. Zhou Zhishan's strength was hindered. He looked up and saw tears welling up in Song Yuxi's eyes. He was completely panicked. "Wu Niang, don't cry. Did they scare you? I'll let them go right away!"
Zhou Zhishan yelled, "Why don't you go out and wait for me!"
"yes!"
The yamen runners all ran out in fear, holding their heads, almost rolling out like a hedgehog.
Song Yuxi said softly, "Alang, don't you believe me?" Two tears rolled down her eyes.
"No, how could that be?" Zhou Zhishan wiped away her tears in panic.
"Then why did you bring people to surround this place?" The corners of Song Yuxi's eyes turned red, making her lips look even paler.
Zhou Zhishan's heart ached. He said, "Wu Niang, I was wrong! It was all a misunderstanding. The two distinguished guests only had a knife, not a sword. It's all my fault for believing the nonsense of the servant!"
Song Yuxi said, "I found that knife for Master Li. I felt so sorry for the brother and sister being hunted down, so I secretly asked someone to find a knife for them when I returned home. I wanted Master Li to use it to protect his sister in the future. If there's anything wrong, Alang can blame me."
Zhou Zhishan wanted to kneel down on the spot. He said, "I understand. It was all a misunderstanding. I was wrong. I will apologize to you right away." He turned and bowed to Chen Qing and the other two. "I was extremely foolish and frightened you two tonight. I hope you will forgive me!"
Li Daoxuan moved his eyes and glanced at Song Yuxi. He said, "It's okay. Wipe your eyes clean next time." Then he turned around and went back to the house.
Shen Qing glanced at him and stood still.
Song Yuxi finally stopped crying. She said aggrievedly, "I brought some midnight snacks to share with Madam Li."
Zhou Zhishan immediately said, "I'm leaving now. Wu Niang, remember to eat less and be careful of indigestion."
Song Yuxi nodded slightly, Zhou Zhishan looked back every few steps, and finally left the yard.
Tonight's disaster was easily resolved by a few tears from Song Yuxi.
Song Yuxi wiped away her tears. A closer look revealed that there were no tears in her eyes. She walked towards Chen Qing with her maid. Chen Qing was surprised at Zhou Zhishan's attention to Song Yuxi. It could even be said that Zhou Zhishan's attitude towards Song Yuxi was completely obedient.
Seeing that Chen Qing was still in a daze, she sighed, bent over to pick up the knife on the ground, and said, "I'm sorry that You'an was frightened tonight. I apologize to you on behalf of Alang."
Shen Qing was still in a confused state, so he nodded.
Seeing this, Song Yuxi smiled softly, "You caught a cold a few days ago, so I personally made some soup to dispel the cold and brought it to you. You must drink it while it's hot."
She handed the knife in her hand to Shen Qing, and asked the maid to bring the soup into Shen Qing's room.
Song Yuxi saw the confusion in Shen Qing's heart, so he said, "If you want to know what happened, you can ask Master Li."
There was a movement in Shen Qing's eyes.
Song Yuxi said, "I won't bother You'an tonight." She handed the lotus lantern in her hand to Chen Qing, "Today is Mid-Autumn Festival. There was originally a lantern festival and night market on the street, but unfortunately, the county has been in turmoil recently, so the lantern festival has been cancelled, and the lantern I made can't be paraded through the streets."
She smiled gently, with a little starlight in her eyes, "Youan, Zhongqiu, stay healthy."
Shen Qing moved his lips and replied, "Mid-Autumn, be well."
Looking at Song Yuxi's departing back, Shen Qing felt melancholy.
This was the first Mid-Autumn Festival since her rebirth, but due to various reasons, she missed the day of reuniting with her mother and her family.
The day will soon come for Aye to lead his troops back to the battlefield. A'niang will definitely go with Aye. Once this time comes, I don't know when we will be reunited.
Tears flashed in Chen Qing's eyes. She looked at the full moon in the sky for a long time, then returned to the house with a lantern.
But the house he returned to was not his own.
She knocked on Li Daoxuan's door, but there was no response, so she pushed it open without hesitation. The door was not latched, so it opened easily.
There was no light in Li Daoxuan's house, and it was dim, with only a frosty moonlight shining through the wide-open windows.
At this moment, he was sitting quietly at the desk, the moonlight shining all over his face, outlining his outline more and more clearly, as if he was covered with a layer of fuzzy silver gauze.
He just stared at the night sky motionlessly, not knowing whether he was admiring the moon or planning something unfinished. His whole body was quiet, and the sharp edges and spikes of the past were completely erased by the moonlight.
It was eerily quiet.
Chen Qing walked up to him, put down the lantern, pulled a wooden chair and sat next to him. She held her chin with her hand and said with bright almond eyes, "Tonight is Mid-Autumn Festival. Are you regretting not being able to celebrate with your family?"
The warnings and threats of the previous two days seemed to her like a light drizzle. It fell all night, and the next day, it was gently exposed to the bright sun and turned into mist and dissipated.
She came closer again, unconvinced, like a newborn kitten, stretching out her claws to scratch his palm, while carefully observing his reaction, always ready to retract her claws and stride back to her nest if he made any dangerous move.
Li Daoxuan turned his eyes and looked at her.
The person in front of me was still wearing a veil, but because we were so close, even through the thin veil, I could still see her bright and lively eyes in the moonlight.
"Just say whatever you want to say."
Chen Qing said, "I want to return to Chang'an to see my mother as soon as possible. Now that your injuries have healed, when are we leaving?" She curled her lips and said, "Something's not right with the Zhou Mansion. Zhou Zhishan and his wife are also not right. Zhou Zhishan came tonight with ill intentions. It's obvious that he came prepared. There's no telling when he'll cause trouble next time. It's better to get out now. I don't want to be forced into a strange case."
Li Daoxuan said, "Someone died at the Weihe River ferry two days ago. The city gates have been sealed. I'll be resting in Zhou Mansion for the next few days."
It means there's no rush to return home. Chen Qing turned back in surprise after hearing this, and for a moment, even his anger was forgotten. "What does the death of someone in the Wei River have to do with us? Aren't you the Cang King? Do you really need to listen to the orders of a mere county magistrate just to leave the city?"
Li Daoxuan: "Of course it is related."
Chen Qing was confused, but after saying this, Li Daoxuan said, "From today on, you will stay indoors. No matter who tells you to, don't go out."
However, she didn't know what words ignited Shen Qing. She sneered and said, "Li Daoxuan, don't learn from my senior brother! He wants me to cooperate obediently, but he doesn't say anything."
"Don't forget, it was you who asked me to be your partner. Now we're on the same page. I have the right to know and understand what you want to do and what you know."
"If you want me to be a puppet at your mercy," Chen Qing raised his eyes, his eyes full of mockery, "then I'm sorry, I have to go back to Chang'an."
Li Daoxuan paused, turned around, and asked with an unclear expression, "Do you really want to know?"
"certainly!"
"You and I have been targeted by Zhou Zhishan for a long time."
Therefore, today's drama is just Zhou Zhishan taking advantage of the situation.
Chen Qing raised her head slightly, as if thinking about something. She said, "When Song Yuxi brought you and me back to the mansion that day, although I wrapped up your sword, many servants still saw your sword when the doctors were treating your injuries. With Zhou Zhishan's vigilant nature, how could he not know about it?" The person who was eavesdropping at the door that day was probably Zhou Zhishan's man.
In the past few days, someone had often been secretly monitoring the two of them, but Li Daoxuan had never pointed it out. Even the maid who combed and tied Shen Qing's hair every day often made indirect inquiries, trying to pry some information out of her.
Although they had never met before, all signs showed that Zhou Zhishan was extremely vigilant, to the point of being extremely nervous and seeing enemies everywhere.
How could such a vigilant person overlook two unusual people in his own house?
Hearing this, Li Daoxuan's hand, which had been tapping the tabletop, paused for some reason. He lowered his eyes to gaze at his slender, graceful fingertips, which resembled porcelain. He listened to Chen Qing's words again, "You could have searched your own residence beforehand, but you chose to do so only when everyone was in a state of panic. Could it be that Zhou Zhishan was planning to use us as sitting ducks?"
Li Daoxuan remained noncommittal. He said, "Maybe."
She asked curiously, "Who was the dead person? Why did he mobilize such a large force and even seal off the county?" He might even be looking for a ready-made "murderer" to close the case as quickly as possible.
Li Daoxuan said: "Why don't you go and investigate in person to find out why the person died?" Today he came with nothing in his hands and only wore a white shirt, looking like a leisurely young man.
"You want to see the body? Don't forget that there are people outside watching us. How are you going to get out?"
A hint of viciousness flashed in Li Daoxuan's eyes, and he curled his lips slightly and said, "Just wait and see.
Chen Qing held him down, "There's one thing I don't understand. When did you know in advance that Zhou Zhishan would use this as an excuse to cause trouble tonight? When did you prepare the knife? And how did you know Song Yuxi? Why did she cover up for you?
"When you're out and about, you still have to be vigilant. With such a major case happening outside, I naturally need to observe a few things."
"So after you discovered Zhou Zhishan was looking for the person who carried the sword, you found a way to make this knife?" She raised the knife Song Yuxi had stuffed into her mouth. "Then how did you know her? Why did she make excuses for us? You haven't told me yet."
Unexpectedly, Li Daoxuan said, "I don't know her, and I have never spoken to her."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
