No one responded, so Xiuxiu continued as if talking to herself, “Really, what’s the difference between men and women? What a man can do, a woman can also achieve. Take Madam Zhu, for instance. Despite being a woman, she can examine corpses and solve cases with courage that rivals any man. Truly, she is a heroine who does not let her gender hold her back. Yet, even with such capabilities, she is merely a minor eighth-rank official. If she does well, she might receive some praise or a bit of gold and silver; but if she makes a mistake, she could lose everything, even her life. If you ask me, it might be better to do nothing at all.”
Xiuxiu’s seemingly aimless words made Zhuyan ponder deeply, inevitably recalling Shen Du’s mention of the “Three Delusions.” Indeed, her life and safety were not guaranteed.
Putting that aside, just by doing her job, she had already harmed the interests of many people. It was only natural that they would want her life.
Lost in thought, Zhuyan noticed Xiuxiu comforting Du Xiaowan, who indeed felt much better after Xiuxiu’s consoling words.
Zhuyan furrowed her brows as she watched Xiuxiu. Xiuxiu had an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and delicate features. Having practiced music and other arts at Xiuxiang Pavilion for many years, she exuded an elegant demeanor and spoke gently. Her comforting words were like a spring breeze, calming the anxious and restless young women around her. It was as if…
Zhuyan couldn’t find the right words to describe it.
As Zhuyan was contemplating, Xiuxiu looked up and met Zhuyan’s gaze. Zhuyan was momentarily stunned by the unusual brightness in Xiuxiu’s eyes.
Xiuxiu seemed surprised that Zhuyan had been watching her. She smiled openly at Zhuyan before lowering her head to continue comforting the other women.
—
Shen Du was deeply concerned about Zhuyan’s safety, while Jinglin was worried about Shen Du. He hurried back to the county office.
Despite his haste, from the moment the Half-Face Ghosts began slaughtering the townspeople, through the ensuing battle, to following the Half-Face Ghosts to Guangchun Hall and realizing they were outnumbered, and finally returning to seek reinforcements, most of the day had passed.
As the sun set and the sky darkened, it was not yet time to light the lamps.
Jinglin strode into the county office without pause, immediately instructing the Internal Guard to prepare horses and mobilize half of the men, leaving the rest to guard important prisoners like Mo Qianzhi.
As for the garrison troops of Yingzhou, none were used, nor were they allowed near the dungeon, to prevent any collusion with Mo Qianzhi and others that might aid their escape.
Seeing that it was getting late, Jinglin was anxious about Shen Du’s safety. Although he wanted to find the Local Constables, he feared it would take too long. The Local Constables were not typically under government command and had their methods of communication, which he couldn’t decipher. It was more urgent to go and rescue them.
Just as he left the office, he encountered a group of people, the same Local Constables who had supported them at the city gate earlier.
Without exchanging pleasantries, Sun Tan directly asked, “Has Madam Zhu returned safely?”
After delivering Pan Chi to the medical hall and ensuring his recovery under the doctor’s care, Sun Tan left two subordinates to look after him and headed straight for the city gate.
The chaos from the earlier battle at the gate had mostly been cleared. After circling the area and not finding Zhuyan or even Shen Du, Sun Tan felt a growing sense of unease.
In desperation, Sun Tan revealed his identity to the Internal Guard and learned that Zhuyan had been captured by the Half-Face Ghosts.
Upon learning this, Sun Tan immediately led the Local Constables to find the lair of Guangchun Hall. He had already discovered its location and was about to inform Zhuyan when the Half-Face Ghosts acted prematurely, nearly rendering his hard-earned information useless.
At this moment, one of his men spotted Jinglin, Shen Du’s most trusted deputy, so he came directly to inquire about the situation.
With Zhuyan holding the Constable’s Seal, her life was something the Local Constables were determined to protect.
Jinglin, anxious, mounted his horse and moved forward a few steps, shaking his head as he said, “We found the Half-Face Ghosts’ lair, but their numbers are overwhelming. My master and I cannot retreat safely on our own.”
“The Chief ordered me to return for reinforcements and quickly provide support.”
In a few words, he clearly explained the situation without any delay.
The case of the Half-Face Ghosts eating people had caused panic in Gannan Dao. Sun Tan and his men had investigated thoroughly but had not found any leads.
This time, Shen Du and Zhuyan had come openly for this matter, and Sun Tan was cooperating with Zhuyan under the orders of Commander Xu. Now, with the opportunity to capture them all, Sun Tan was eager to assist.
“Please lead the way. We will certainly aid the Chief.”
Jinglin wasted no words, leading the Internal Guard brothers ahead, with Sun Tan and his men following closely behind. Together, they marched towards the secret entrance of Guangchun Hall.
Inside Guangchun Hall, Shen Du had made his way to the kitchen. Before he could gather information, the kitchen steward assigned him various tasks.
Imagine, he, a Chief of the Great Zhou, known as the White Yama, being ordered to do menial tasks. If not for Zhuyan, anyone daring to command him would have lost their head long ago.
Frowning, Shen Du stuffed a piece of wood into the stove, making the fire blaze fiercely, almost wishing to set the kitchen ablaze.
Fortunately, his mask concealed his face; otherwise, his unapproachable demeanor would have given him away.
Elsewhere, Wang Buzui, having bathed and changed clothes, returned to the dark hall.
Wang Buzui was currently located beneath Guangchun Hall. With Guangchun Hall as a cover, even if the authorities found them, they would only search Guangchun Hall and leave. The entrance was well-hidden, making it impossible for anyone to find.
Therefore, Wang Buzui paid no mind to the outside world, focusing solely on his long-planned scheme.
Hearing footsteps, Zhuyan snapped back to reality. Wang Buzui, freshly bathed, carried a hint of moisture. It was June, the height of summer, but being underground, they were unaffected by the heat. Having just bathed, Wang Buzui’s facial hair stood out starkly under the light, and even his breath was visible.
This confirmed Zhuyan’s suspicion that they were trapped underground, making it even harder for Shen Du and the others to find them.
As Wang Buzui passed by, his robe brushed against Zhuyan’s nose. The fabric was smooth, made of fine cloud brocade, embroidered with lifelike images of moths to flames and butterflies emerging from cocoons, along with unfamiliar characters. Zhuyan, under the light, tried to decipher them but, unable to recognize them, decided not to dwell on them.
Suddenly, Zhuyan’s nose twitched, and she leaned in to sniff more closely, then looked again at Wang Buzui’s face.
Wang Buzui’s face was unnaturally pale. Initially, Zhuyan thought it was due to wearing the Half-Face Ghost mask for so long and paid it no mind. But after realizing Ji Dafu was also a member of the Half-Face Ghosts, she compared them. Although Ji Dafu’s skin was pale and slightly swollen from wearing the mask, his veins were visible beneath the skin. In contrast, Wang Buzui’s veins were indistinct, and most importantly…