“Yes.”
After the maid left, Cui Wangshu paused as she reached for a garment, then changed direction and picked up another one.
The Ancha Shi sat in the main hall, his expression filled with worry. Cui Wangshu had come to Tongzhou on official business, only to faint—what if word of this reached the capital? His career would end right there.
As he brooded, a flash of white caught the corner of his eye, and a spark of admiration flickered involuntarily in his gaze.
Cui Wangshu usually favored pale blue and black attire. Though her demeanor was gentle, it always created a sense of distance.
Today, she had suddenly donned white. Gold threads traced the collar and sash, the stitching exquisite and fluid. Under the light, it shimmered like flowing radiance—a robe fit for an exiled immortal descended to earth.
Broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, steadfast as a pine tree.
Her hair was pinned up with a white jade coronet, fully revealing her cool, noble features. Cui Wangshu curved her lips. “The Ancha Shi has been waiting a long time.”
The Ancha Shi snapped back to attention. “Is Minister Cui feeling better?”
Cui Wangshu sat down. “No harm done. The Ancha Shi needn’t worry—it’s just my old ailment. It has nothing to do with official duties.”
From her words, it seemed this incident wouldn’t reach the capital. The Ancha Shi finally relaxed. “Minister Cui should still take care of her health and avoid overworking herself.”
Cui Wangshu nodded. “There’s one matter that will require the Ancha Shi’s assistance.”
“Please speak.”
“Could you order the city sealed now? Strictly inspect everyone leaving.”
The Ancha Shi was puzzled. “Why is that?”
Cui Wangshu curved her lips and took a sip of tea. “The Ancha Shi will know soon enough.”
The Ancha Shi nodded and passed down the order to seal Tongzhou City.
Not long after the command went out, a bailiff rushed in, panting. “My lord, Court Secretary Ji says the Kang Kingdom woman has fled. She wants us to seal the gates immediately!”
The Ancha Shi’s face filled with shock as he turned to Cui Wangshu. “Minister Cui, this!”
Cui Wangshu rose, her expression calm. “The Ancha Shi foresaw this and trapped the suspect in the city. Wangshu is impressed.”
Suddenly, the Ancha Shi felt political achievement beckoning. He glanced at Cui Wangshu’s faint smile, cleared his throat, and said gravely, “This official has already ordered the gates sealed ahead of time. Go tell Court Secretary Ji not to worry.”
“Yes.”
Cui Wangshu’s lips curved up. “Wangshu plans to check the gates. Will the Ancha Shi come along?”
With the credit handed to him on a platter, the Ancha Shi was overjoyed. “After you, Minister Cui.”
At the city gate.
Ji Yunwei stood there sternly, personally checking each person.
In the distance, she spotted a luxurious curtained carriage. Ji Yunwei frowned. “Whose carriage is that?”
An officer glanced over and explained, “It should be from Yellow Path Palace.”
Ji Yunwei furrowed her brow. “Yellow Path Palace?”
The officer explained further, “Yellow Path Palace is Tongzhou’s largest merchant guild, dominating the clay figurine trade. They’ve aided disaster victims these years and paid ample taxes—even the Ancha Shi holds them in high regard.”
“See, the gold bamboo joints on the canopy are Yellow Path Palace’s signature. And with nine joints, it might be Miss Qian’s carriage.”
The largest clay figurine merchant? Miss Qian?
Ji Yunwei narrowed her eyes and stepped forward. The officer hurriedly blocked her. “My lord, Yellow Path Palace is the Ancha Shi’s ladder to promotion. It might not be wise to proceed.”
Ji Yunwei sneered. “Not wise? Everyone else is being inspected—should Yellow Path Palace be exempt?”
The officer looked troubled but said no more.
“Official business. Please step down for inspection,” Ji Yunwei declared sternly outside the carriage.
There was no movement from within for a long time. Just as Ji Yunwei’s patience wore thin, the curtain lifted, revealing a face that made her grit her teeth.
“You?” Ji Yunwei frowned.
Ying Lan’s face was cold as she descended from the carriage. She extended a hand to assist, and Jiang Chenbi—her face veiled with a mask embroidered with golden bamboo leaves—slowly stepped down the mounting ladder.
Ji Yunwei asked, “Are you from Yellow Path Palace?”
Jiang Chenbi curved her lips. “What about Yellow Path Palace?”
Recalling the unclear relationship between this woman and Cui Wangshu, Ji Yunwei hesitated.
Just as she was at a loss, a man’s voice rang out from behind, tinged with delight. “Miss Qian?”
The Ancha Shi’s gaze had fallen on the unique golden bamboo leaf on Jiang Chenbi’s veil—that was Miss Qian’s mark of identity.
Miss Qian was second only to the enigmatic Palace Lord of Yellow Path Palace, managing all its merchant affairs in their stead.
Ji Yunwei turned. It was the Ancha Shi and Cui Wangshu, the latter watching Jiang Chenbi with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.
Ji Yunwei turned back, and Jiang Chenbi was also looking at Cui Wangshu, her eyes holding amusement. She spared not a glance for the Ancha Shi.
Ji Yunwei: “…”
Fine.
Jiang Chenbi withdrew her gaze and addressed the Ancha Shi. “Ancha Shi, long time no see. I hope you’re well.”
The Ancha Shi beamed. “I’ve been in Tongzhou all along. You’re the one who’s elusive as a dragon in hiding.”
Ji Yunwei couldn’t stand his fawning look and frowned in reminder. “Ancha Shi, we’re inspecting everyone leaving the city right now.”
The Ancha Shi paused, as if just remembering, his expression turning awkward.
Jiang Chenbi remained good-tempered, smiling sweetly. “Oh, an inspection? Our guild has always contributed transparently to Tongzhou’s development. We naturally cooperate fully.”
The Ancha Shi hesitated. “This, well…”
At that moment.
“I’ll inspect… Miss Qian.”
Cui Wangshu, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. She stepped closer, pausing meaningfully on “Miss Qian.”
With someone taking the hot potato off his hands, the Ancha Shi was delighted and cluelessly obliged. “Then I’ll trouble Minister Cui.”
Ji Yunwei and Ying Lan: “…”
Jiang Chenbi raised a brow and chuckled lightly. “It’s Minister Cui, then. Please proceed.”
Cui Wangshu said nothing, a faint amusement in her eyes. Her hands slid onto Jiang Chenbi’s slender waist, carefully checking the sash, then lower to the hip bones, pressing gently.
The Ancha Shi stroked his beard thoughtfully.
Why did this inspection from Minister Cui feel like flirting?
Ji Yunwei and Ying Lan couldn’t watch and averted their gazes.
Jiang Chenbi lifted her arms, her tone ambiguous. “Won’t Minister Cui check my back?”
Cui Wangshu leaned in, gently drawing Jiang Chenbi into her embrace. One hand gripped Jiang Chenbi’s left arm to keep it raised, the other slid around her waist, tracing up to the nape of her neck along the spine.
There was a red mole there, hidden beneath her clothes—Cui Wangshu had once pinned her down and nibbled the skin around it.
Cui Wangshu’s chin brushed lightly against Jiang Chenbi’s left shoulder. A breeze stirred, lifting Jiang Chenbi’s hair to tickle Cui Wangshu’s nose tip.
Her embrace filled with fragrance.
The veil lifted at the corner, flashing the woman’s exquisite lower face.
Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened. She stepped back, curving her lips. “No issues.”
“But autumn is dry. I noticed a cut at the corner of Miss Qian’s lips earlier. Drink more chrysanthemum tea daily… to clear the heat.”
She lingered meaningfully on the last words.
The Ancha Shi frowned. Was it his imagination, or had Minister Cui just been teasing Miss Qian?
Minister Cui enforced the law impartially—it must be his own dirty mind. After all, she was concerned about whether Miss Qian was overheated. So he thought.
Ji Yunwei cleared her throat, pulling everyone’s wandering thoughts back. “Ahem, if clear, let them pass.”
Jiang Chenbi’s lips curved. “Thank you for your concern, Minister Cui. But there’s a cut at your lip corner too. Take care of yourself.”
The Ancha Shi watched thoughtfully.
Earlier, in an unnoticed corner, Ying Lan and Ji Yunwei had “inspected” each other like they were fighting. Ying Lan glared at Ji Yunwei with gritted teeth.
This woman abused her authority! She wasn’t fooled—Ji Yunwei had secretly punched her ribs several times during the check, and they still ached faintly!
Ji Yunwei was in high spirits now and waved them through. “You two, proceed.”
After Yellow Path Palace’s people left, Ji Yunwei and the others guarded a while longer. Seeing no one else trying to leave—and assuming the Kang Kingdom woman wouldn’t appear now with the lockdown—they all returned to the yamen office.
In the carriage, Jiang Chenbi pulled a folded note from her rear sash. Bold, vigorous ink read: Wait for me in Luozhou.
Jiang Chenbi curved her lips and carefully folded the note away.
Ying Lan: “…”
Truly unwatchable—the two of them passing secret messages under everyone’s eyes?
Ying Lan glanced at the box beside her, chill emanating from it. Fine beads of water condensed on top. Ying Lan expressionlessly wiped them away.
Ying Lan asked, “Palace Lord, do we really not need to deal with that Kang Kingdom woman?”
Jiang Chenbi closed her eyes for a nap. “Consider it a political achievement gift for Minister Cui.”
Ying Lan lowered her gaze and said no more.
Falling into Cui Wangshu’s hands, that woman was fortunate indeed.
Meanwhile, the Kang Kingdom woman they spoke of hid in a commoner’s stable, venom gleaming in her eyes.
Her features bore some resemblance to Jiang Chenbi’s, but now her face was smeared with ash and mud, making her look utterly wretched.
In the yamen office.
Ji Yunwei frowned over the dossier. Minister Cui had only told her to find that Kang Kingdom woman—nothing else.
Ji Yunwei was baffled but knew this was her chance to crack the case and earn merit.
Yelu Narqi’s bizarrely missing head still hadn’t been found, nor did they know the purpose of the needle in the clay figurine’s pupil.
Even more puzzling: She’d thoroughly checked the upper-left room at Great Wind Inn that day. The view was wide open, furnishings sparse—no place to hide a person.
She’d examined the clay figurine closely too. Aside from the needle in its pupil, the interior was too narrow to conceal anyone.
So how had the killer entered the room and murdered Yelu Narqi?
Today, she’d rushed to Yunxiao Tower nonstop, only for the Kang Kingdom woman to leap from a window and flee into the crowd. Fearing harm to civilians, Ji Yunwei hadn’t pursued.
Ji Yunwei retrieved the bundle the woman had left at Yunxiao Tower and examined a wilted flower inside.
Women of Great Zhao often wore flowers in their hair. At first, Ji Yunwei thought it was for adornment. But the more she pondered, the less it fit.
Would a murderer bother with primping?
Moreover, this wasn’t the sort of flower women typically used.
Ji Yunwei didn’t recognize it. Dark purple petals framed white patterns in the core resembling a skull. A faint exotic fragrance wafted up, and she couldn’t resist sniffing it.
Nothing unusual. Ji Yunwei set the flower down, but her head began to spin.
Knock knock—
Ji Yunwei looked up. Her face drained of color, horror flashing in her pupils.
An azure-faced, fanged fierce ghost entered. In an instant, the familiar surroundings twisted into a grim, terrifying hellscape.
She tried to stand, but her legs were limp. Wide-eyed, Ji Yunwei watched the ghost thrust a sword through her heart, then raise it to sever her head.
“Ah!!!!!!”
Her scream pierced the sky.
