Pei Xiao fumbled in his robes for his official token. Just as he was about to toss it to Huang Qi, his hand drew back and he stuffed the token back in his robes.

“This official will investigate personally. Huang Qi, let’s go!”

“Wait.”

Xie Zhifei reached out to stop him: “Take Zhu Qing and Ding Yi to help. First investigate the city, investigate outside the city tomorrow. Don’t make too big a commotion.”

Young Master Pei rolled his eyes at him.

Easy for you to say—running to temples in the middle of the night, how can we not cause a commotion?

At the critical moment, Master Pei was quite composed.

“Today this official received a report from citizens that a bald man wearing monk’s robes has been swindling money and women outside. This official needs to investigate thoroughly whether this person is a real monk or a fake monk.”

“This idea is wonderful.”

Xie Zhifei also stood up. “I’ll go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard to gather information and see what the actual reason was that the bell was one toll short.”

Pei Xiao stepped out of the boat cabin: “Where do we meet when we’re done?”

Xie Zhifei responded casually: “The villa!”

“Not going!”

Pei Xiao, afraid Xie Zhifei would see through his thoughts, immediately said: “Meet at my office.”

…

Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Northern Office.

Wailing sounds echoed through the entire prison.

Cai Si used a handkerchief to cover his mouth and nose, coldly watching the hellish scene before him, sighing silently in his heart.

He didn’t know why, but recently he’d become increasingly unable to stand the smell of blood.

Back in the day, whenever there was business, he’d handle it personally—skinning and peeling without blinking an eye.

“Master.”

A confidant came up from behind: “Third Master Xie is outside, wanting to see you.”

“No time now. Tell him to go back first.”

“Third Master says it’s good news.”

Good news?

Sending silver?

Cai Si’s eyelid twitched. He stuffed the handkerchief in his robes, straightened his back and said: “You keep watch here. If they still won’t confess, use severe torture.”

“Yes!”

Cai Si walked out of the office and immediately saw Third Master Xie with his arms crossed, leaning lazily against the wall corner, not a single person accompanying him.

Don’t dare put on airs anymore.

His master had now become Crown Prince, with limitless prospects in the future. Maybe in the future it would be he who’d have to send silver to them.

Cai Si quickly walked over. “Third Master, what immortal wind has blown you here?”

What immortal wind!

Xie Zhifei pulled the man into an embrace, not wasting half a word: “What have the people from the bell and drum pavilion confessed?”

Though he didn’t dare put on airs, this kind of confidential matter Cai Si also didn’t dare casually reveal. He just shook his head:

“Their mouths are like river clams, tight as can be. Can’t get anything out of them.”

Xie Zhifei deliberately frowned: “Then what was the reason the bell was one toll short?”

“One toll short?”

Cai Si’s face went rigid, grinding his teeth: “Every single one insists the bell was tolled, just that it made no sound. Third Master, tell me—is there anything this absurd?”

It really was the bell making no sound.

Xie Zhifei’s heart pounded several times. He struggled to catch his breath. “This lie is too obviously fake.”

“So these people refuse the toast only to be forced to drink the forfeit. They deserve severe torture.”

Xie Zhifei’s heart could no longer stay calm. He immediately released his grip, took two quick steps, mounted his horse, and said: “Fourth Master, I’ll take my leave first. I’ll come find you again later.”

“Third Master… Xie Zhifei…”

Where’s the silver!

Cai Si was so angry his teeth itched.

So this little bastard came just to gather information when he had nothing better to do?

…

On the other side.

Young Master Pei looked at the monk kneeling on the ground, trembling all over, and was also so angry his teeth itched.

Damn it! If he hadn’t had Zhu Qing pull out his blade, this bald donkey was planning to keep hiding it until when?

Exactly the same as Jietai Temple.

For three days of bell tolling, the last toll each day absolutely refused to make a sound.

The monk tolling the bell was broad-minded enough to fit a boat. Even after discovering it, he just treated it as if he hadn’t discovered it, still shamelessly saying it wasn’t a big deal.

If this isn’t a big deal, what is?

Never mind whether Young Master Pei’s official hat could be preserved—just saying that this mourning bell couldn’t make a sound, if the late Emperor learned of it from the netherworld and blamed them…

Oh my!

Young Master Pei didn’t dare think further. He tossed his official token into Huang Qi’s hands.

“You three continue investigating. I’m returning to the office to drink some hot tea and calm down.”

Calming down was fake; waiting for Xie Fifty’s news was real.

Jietai Temple was like this, this temple was like this—using your toes to think about the remaining temples, they were probably about the same, eight or nine out of ten.

Next would depend on the results of the interrogation from the bell pavilion.

If the bell pavilion side also…

Oh my goodness!

The hair on Pei Xiao’s back stood on end in fright. He fiercely cracked his horse whip, and the horse galloped away cheerfully.

Before even reaching the Bureau of Monks’ gate, from afar he could see Xie Fifty supporting himself with his two long legs, sitting on the steps.

For some reason, just looking at that sitting posture, Pei Xiao felt in his heart that something was wrong.

Dismounting, tossing away the reins, he plopped down beside him.

“How’d it go?”

“You tell me your side first.”

What to say?

He didn’t even have the courage to speak it aloud.

Pei Xiao nodded heavily, and at the end, added another sentence: “I first ran to one place. The others are still investigating.”

Xie Zhifei’s pupils contracted slightly. Under Pei Xiao’s tense gaze, he also nodded heavily.

“It’s over, it’s over, it’s over!”

Pei Xiao’s mind went “buzz,” and his whole person fell backward, lying down without any regard for his image.

After the late Emperor passed away, they tolled mourning bells;

For the new Emperor’s enthronement ceremony, they tolled celebration bells;

The last toll of the mourning bells went mute;

The last toll of the celebration bells each day also went mute;

What did this signify?

On the small side, it was inauspicious, unlucky, ill-omened;

On the large side…

Pei Xiao sat up rigidly. He stared directly at Xie Zhifei: “Do you think it could be Heaven giving a warning?”

Xie Zhifei couldn’t say.

Ever since dissolving obsessions and resolving demons with Yan Sanhe, he’d understood one principle: all things in the world have spirits; all phenomena in the world have causes.

A perfectly good great bell not making a sound, especially during these two such important events, was definitely Heaven giving a warning.

This was even more terrifying than Zhu Xuanjiu’s exploding coffin.

An exploding coffin at least had a direction, a target;

This bell not making a sound—what was the direction? What was the target? Warning whom?

Headless flies!

“How about we go ask Old Zhu about the fortune or misfortune?” Pei Xiao suggested in a small voice.

Xie Zhifei looked into his eyes and gritted his teeth: “Ask!”

…

The Zhu Residence.

Secret chamber.

Brightly lit.

The Emperor had approved Zhu Yuanmo’s resignation. The three Zhu brothers were gathered together carefully discussing the Zhu family’s future path.

“Master, Third Master and Young Master Pei have arrived.”

“Quickly invite them in.”

Having already experienced life and death together as brothers, Zhu Yuanmo didn’t treat them as outsiders and invited them directly to the secret chamber;

Xie Zhifei also didn’t treat the three Zhu brothers as outsiders. He opened the door and got straight to the point, relating the matter from beginning to end.

When he finished speaking, Second Master Zhu and Third Master Zhu both showed expressions of shock. Only Zhu Yuanmo seemed to have anticipated this.

Young Master Pei had sharp eyes. “Big Brother Zhu, why aren’t you surprised at all?”

Zhu Yuanmo stood up, walked to the window, and looked toward the distant horizon, sighing.

“Today when the drums and bells were sounded, at first I found it quite pleasant. But the further it went, the heavier my heart beat, though I didn’t know the reason.

When the last toll made no sound, my entire body plunged sharply downward, like stepping into empty air.”

He turned around, his gaze falling on Xie Zhifei.

“That day when Third Brother had me descend into the ice cellar and I saw a set of white bones, Ding Yi was so frightened he dropped his lantern, yet I felt my entire body suddenly become refreshed and clear, all seven apertures opening.”

Xie Zhifei was somewhat dazed: “What does the opening of the seven apertures signify?”

“It signifies my perceptive abilities have returned to what they were before.”

Zhu Yuanmo: “The mourning bell not sounding, the celebration bell not ringing—I don’t even need to cast divination. Just that feeling of stepping into empty air tells me this is an omen of great evil and wickedness.”