The bright red blood couldn't see through the black linen clothes; it was as if it had only stained another patch of dirt.
Jiang Mingyuan lowered her head, staring blankly at the dagger stuck in her chest.
Pain surged through my heart, but it couldn't overcome the absurd emotions swirling in my mind.
Am I going to die...? What's going on?
She was not a pedantic person; she was fully capable of enduring humiliation in order to investigate the truth behind her father's death.
The reason she pressed for answers in such a direct and naive way was because she had a plan in mind; she believed that the third-rank Xuanji Guard was right beside her!
No, where are the Xuanji Guards? Where are the third-rank experts? Where are they?!
"Oh……"
Jiang Mingyuan's lips curled into a distinct smile, and then she burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't understand why she was laughing maniacally, but she just couldn't control herself.
I'm going to die... I'm going to die so inexplicably?
The laughter gradually subsided, and before he could leave any last words, his consciousness plummeted into an endless abyss.
Zhou Yanqing's face was ashen. He released the dagger and closed his eyes as if he were reminiscing about something.
If Jiang Mingyuan hadn't been sent to his residence, and if this foolish woman hadn't been so stubborn, he could have continued to play dumb and pretend he knew nothing.
Wasn't his implication obvious enough? Couldn't he have been more tactful? Did he have to risk his life for it?
"idiot!"
He clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly, and when Zhou Yanqing opened his eyes again, all that remained was calm.
As soon as the door opened, the old butler was waiting with his head bowed on the veranda just three steps away.
"It's been dealt with."
"yes."
Zhou Yanqing strode away; he didn't want to spend the night in the bedroom.
The old butler stepped inside, showing no sign of panic.
Upon reaching Jiang Mingyuan's side, he first reached out to check her pulse in her neck. After confirming that she was dead, he then lifted her up in his arms.
They kept a fist's distance between them, as if afraid of getting bloodstains on their clothes.
Half an incense stick later, a carriage left the mansion and headed straight for the mass grave in the eastern suburbs.
——————
The official's boots trod on the rain-soaked ground, yet remained completely unstained by mud.
Holding a torch, Yin Zhe darted into the mass grave.
With her delicate hands, she gently removed the freshly buried soil, revealing the "corpse" wrapped in a straw mat.
He bent down, pressed two fingers on her Ghost Palace acupoint, then pried open her chin and stuffed a pill into her mouth, swallowing it with his true qi.
A dozen or so breaths later, Jiang Mingyuan's chest heaved suddenly, and she snapped her eyes open.
The low, murky air from the mass grave, mixed with the rusty, sour smell of corpses, assaulted her nostrils, causing her to cough violently.
After finally catching her breath, she struggled to sit up, her face full of confusion.
"I...I'm not dead?"
Jiang Mingyuan reached out and touched her chest, her brows immediately furrowing.
The wound was real, but it was off-center and didn't hit any vital organs.
This was naturally the result of Hidden Invaders's covert intervention, including the fact that the old steward concealed his actions when checking the pulse.
The confirmation that Zhou Yanqing was involved was expected and not surprising.
However, a mere county magistrate would not dare to lead the illegal mining of iron ore, and it may have been going on for at least seven or eight years.
Yin Zhe, looking down from his high position, spoke coldly: "The informant you mentioned before."
Jiang Mingyuan snapped out of her daze, looked up at those seemingly emotionless eyes, and tears streamed down her face, mingling with the rain.
"Couldn't you have told me beforehand?!"
He only dared to shout these words in his heart, but when he opened his mouth, he directly said the man's name: "Zhao Hengjiang, a miner who was sent to the mine three years ago."
"Zhao Hengjiang, former deputy general of the Zhao family army's cavalry?"
"That's right, it's him."
Jiang Mingyuan found that her strength had returned, and she crawled out of the pit, clutching her chest, letting the rain wash away the mud on her body.
"Zhao Hengjiang was convicted of embezzling military funds, his home was confiscated, and he was exiled."
Although his cultivation was destroyed, his physical foundation remained, and he gained considerable fame in the mine over the past three years.
A month ago, he secretly contacted me, wanting to use evidence to get a chance to redeem himself.
However, he was very careful and didn't tell me much, only vaguely revealing one piece of information: the invisible tunnels.
Yin Zhe remained silent, knowing in his heart that he had probably chosen the wrong path.
When it comes to corruption in the iron ore industry, she thinks of problems with the accounting books and actual output, and has already sent her subordinates to investigate this lead.
But if there really are "hidden tunnels," then it's not about tampering with the books.
Where is Zhao Hengjiang?
Since he intends to use his achievements to clear his name, it means he must have already obtained sufficient evidence.
However, Jiang Mingyuan, being a lowly constable, was not trustworthy and had no other connections, which is why things dragged on for some time.
A look of regret flashed across Jiang Mingyuan's face when this was mentioned.
"He was working in the mine when the flood hit, and I searched for him for half a month but couldn't find him..."
However, he also had a son named Zhao Qingshan, who was currently among the laborers digging the canal.
Yin Zhe showed no sign of disappointment; investigating such a case was by no means easy, and she had long been mentally prepared for it.
She raised her hand to cover the traces again, "Take me to him."
——————
Near the slag heap, the pit worker, who had just finished his shift, dragged his heavy steps back to the village.
The foreman banged the gong three times at the village entrance and shouted:
"As always, no one is allowed to visit each other's homes; everyone must stay at home."
If I find anyone causing trouble, the entire household on both sides will be punished!
It was a well-worn topic, and no one had the energy to respond. They all headed home.
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