“Tap. Tap. Tap —”

Footsteps approaching from a distance. Lin Sui’an’s brow furrowed slightly and she was just about to sit up — when Hua Yitang pressed her back down. He folded his hands behind his back and stood at the cell bars, his tone hovering somewhere between mockery and pleasantry. “Adjudicator Ling. Haven’t seen you since last night — you’re looking remarkably well.”

Ling Zhiyan stood outside the bars, facing Hua Yitang. In the firelight, his features looked sharp and severe — an effect somewhat undermined by the blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his head, which made him look decidedly worse for wear. He gestured to the jailer behind him. “Open the cell. Let them out.”

“Hold it!” Hua Yitang was immediately on guard. “What are you plotting now? Another one of your old tricks?”

Ling Zhiyan: “The suspicion of murder against both of you has been dismissed.”

Lin Sui’an shot upright. “What?!”

“Hey hey hey — lie down, don’t go collapsing again.” Hua Yitang came rushing over in a panic, snatching up the blanket and moving to drape it over Lin Sui’an. Lin Sui’an threw the blanket off in one sweeping motion, stepped out to stand directly across from Ling Zhiyan, and said flatly, “Explain.”

“Last night, at the third quarter past the start of the Zi hour,” Ling Zhiyan’s voice seemed steeped in the dimness, low and rough, “a human head was discovered in the Qingge Quarter. One shichen later, the body was found in the Lingsan Quarter. The coroner’s examination places the time of death approximately during the first watch.”

The first watch, converted to a modern timeframe, fell between early evening and around nine o’clock at night. During that window, she and Hua Yitang had both been locked in the prefectural jail — and so had Mu Xia. A perfect alibi.

Hua Yitang: “The victim’s identity?”

Ling Zhiyan: “Jiang Hongwen.”

Hua Yitang drew a sharp breath.

Lin Sui’an: “Who?”

“One of Feng Yuyi’s associates.” Hua Yitang narrowed his eyes. “This is getting complicated. So the case is —”

“A serial murder case.” Ling Zhiyan said.

Lin Sui’an settled into a seat in the prefectural compound’s side hall, privately marveling at how unpredictably the world turns.

Standing at Ling Zhiyan’s side was the broad-shouldered, square-faced man with a stripe of blood across his neck — left there by Lin Sui’an’s chain — the same officer named Ming Shu. He was eyeing Lin Sui’an with naked hostility, his entire face broadcasting the sentiment: “If my superior weren’t holding me back, I would absolutely settle this with you in a real fight right now.”

Hua Yitang sat beside him, slurping his tea with exaggerated leisure, chin raised. When Ming Shu’s murderous glare landed on him, he didn’t rein it in — if anything, he became even more ostentatiously smug, occasionally making little sounds of satisfaction with his tea, expertly redirecting the bulk of the fury that had been aimed at Lin Sui’an squarely onto himself.

Ling Zhiyan slid two written statements across the table. The handwriting on the two documents was different. The first was a detailed transcript of the questioning in the parlor — every word faithfully recorded, not a syllable missing. The second was, remarkably, a confession in which Lin Sui’an admitted to the murders and concealment of the bodies. Lin Sui’an skimmed it briefly and nearly laughed out loud. The logic was riddled with holes and amounted to pure nonsense — and the handwriting looked familiar, resembling the same hand as the statement presented at the main hall earlier.

Hua Yitang said with pointed sarcasm, “Oh? Adjudicator Ling keeps this forged confession on his person at all times — could it be that you’re planning to have it framed and hung from the rafters for daily admiration?”

Ming Shu’s veins were so visibly swollen from fury they seemed about to burst. Ling Zhiyan raised one hand, and Ming Shu had no choice but to bow his head, stand straight, and hold his tongue.

Ling Zhiyan’s brow tightened further. He stood and bowed in a deep, sustained bow, his voice clear and steady: “My conduct was reckless and inexcusable. I have wronged you both greatly, and I offer my sincere apology.”

Lin Sui’an was somewhat taken aback. She wasn’t sure of the exact rank of an Adjudicator of the Court of Judicial Review, but judging by Prefect Zhou’s deference, it had to be a significant post. For a person of that standing to apologize with such apparent sincerity was somewhat more than she’d expected.

Hua Yitang was clearly not appeased. “Words are cheap — anyone can put on a pretty performance.”

“Once this matter has been resolved, I will come to offer proper amends in person with a substantial gift. And in particular, for you, Lin Niangzi — whatever form of compensation you require, you need only name it.”

Lin Sui’an was immediately energized. “Does that include money?”

Hua Yitang: “Hey!”

Ling Zhiyan: “It does.”

Lin Sui’an held up two fingers. “Twenty bolts of silk.”

Ming Shu exploded: “That’s extortion!”

Ling Zhiyan: “Do not be rude.”

Ming Shu bit his tongue in aggrieved silence. Ling Zhiyan nodded. “Agreed.”

Lin Sui’an was pleased. “In that case, I’ll overlook this as the magnanimous senior forgiving the reckless junior.”

Hua Yitang snorted through his nose, his expression sour.

Lin Sui’an couldn’t care less about him. The Hua Family were aristocracy and wealthy beyond measure — of course twenty bolts of silk meant nothing to them. But for her, the significance was entirely different. One bolt of silk was worth half a string of coins. Twenty bolts came to ten strings. The monthly rent on her small courtyard in Chongyan Quarter was five hundred coins — ten strings was enough for twenty months. Add in the six strings she’d brought with her from Nanpu County, and she had two full years of living expenses accounted for. Use that time to find a steady source of income, and a comfortable modest life was entirely within reach.

“Since you both are willing to let this pass,” Ling Zhiyan said, “may I continue?”

Hua Yitang was about to decline. Lin Sui’an cut in first: “Please do, Adjudicator Ling.”

“When I arrived at the Yangdu prefectural office, Prefect Zhou claimed he had already investigated the case and presented that confession to me, strongly hinting that the matter was likely entangled with the interests of one of Yangdu’s noble clans.” Ling Zhiyan’s expression as he said this was deeply pained — combined with the bandaged head, he looked quite miserable, like a young cabbage left out in the rain.

“Oh,” Hua Yitang said with cold amusement, “so he all but slapped the Hua Family’s name tag across your face?”

Ling Zhiyan: “Before coming to Yangdu, I had already heard of the Hua Family in the Eastern Capital. The common saying goes: clear jade, standing alone; ten thousand miles, birds flying free; glorious flowers, brilliant and rich; blessed waters, a single branch of spring.”

Hua Yitang: “Spare me the flattery — I’ve heard so much of it from childhood I could recite it in my sleep.”

“Has the Fourth Young Master heard the alternative version of those twenty characters?”

Hua Yitang snapped his fan open with a crack, preening without restraint: “One clan of total eccentrics, every one a show-off, reeking of money from head to toe, so rich they’ve got nothing left but coins.”

Lin Sui’an: “……”

Ling Zhiyan had clearly not anticipated that Hua Yitang would say it out loud himself, just like that. He was left speechless. Ming Shu stared at Hua Yitang, his entire face reading four clear words: The reputation is well-deserved.

“Ahem. I originally had some reservations about what Prefect Zhou told me,” Ling Zhiyan continued with difficulty, “until I saw this.” He produced another stack of papers — they turned out to be the satirical verse about the Feng Clan that Hua Yitang had circulated at Furong Tower, along with the subsequent corrections.

Hua Yitang’s face twitched.

Lin Sui’an: “……”

Hua Yitang, your own antics have come back to bite you!

“The Hua and Feng clans are at odds — and the victims all had deep ties to the Feng Clan. With you two conveniently appearing at the scene of the concealed body, the suspicion pointing to you was substantial.” Ling Zhiyan sighed. “I had come to Yangdu with urgent orders from above — speed was essential. So I employed unorthodox methods to test the Fourth Young Master, to see whether you truly matched your reputation — ahem. I simply hadn’t anticipated…”

Ling Zhiyan touched the wound on his forehead, casting a glance at Lin Sui’an that was vaguely aggrieved. Ming Shu’s expression darkened further.

Lin Sui’an: “……”

This really was not her fault. Under those circumstances, any reasonable person would have fought back.

Hua Yitang gave a cold laugh. “If my memory serves me correctly, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review is related to the Feng Clan by marriage.”

Ling Zhiyan: “I came to Yangdu under the orders of the Chief Justice, Honorable Chen.”

Hua Yitang: “You’re surprisingly candid.”

Only now did Lin Sui’an grasp the full picture. So Ling Zhiyan had originally come to Yangdu to help the Feng Clan — yet now he was laying everything bare. The implication seemed to be that he intended to distance himself from the Feng Clan and cooperate with the Hua Family instead.

“You want to cooperate with the Hua Family?” Hua Yitang asked.

Lin Sui’an’s temple throbbed — it was uncanny. She was starting to suspect Hua Yitang had somehow bribed the worms in her stomach.

“I want to cooperate with Hua Yitang.” Ling Zhiyan clarified. “The Fourth Young Master is exceptionally perceptive. In your youth, you helped the constable chief of Xintong County, Mu Zhong, break several difficult cases — you are a truly rare investigative talent. The victims in this case died under strange circumstances, their identities are unusual, their connections are complicated, and the case is deeply obscure. I’ve only just arrived and genuinely need someone’s assistance.”

Hua Yitang: “Ling Zhiyan, Sixth Son of the Ling Family — passed the Imperial Examination at seventeen and served as a Collator of Texts. Entered the Court of Judicial Review at twenty. Within two years, rose to the rank of Adjudicator, specializing in complex cases across the provinces. The most promising individual of the Ling clan’s current generation — a dragon among men. I’m just a wastrel reeking of money. I’m afraid I’d be of little use to you.”

Ling Zhiyan sighed. “If that is your answer, then I won’t press further.” He turned to Lin Sui’an. “Would Lin Niangzi be willing to assist me?”

Hua Yitang sat bolt upright. Lin Sui’an pointed at herself. “Me?”

Ling Zhiyan nodded with full gravity. “I read the case files from Nanpu County. The approach you took to solving that case was genuinely admirable. And your swordsmanship is formidable — I believe your involvement would greatly benefit this investigation.”

Lin Sui’an scratched her head and sank into thought.

She had come into this world with two gifts: the strange swordsmanship that came with this body, and the ability to see the final memories of the dead. And she kept stumbling into violent cases one after another — as if something unseen was guiding her, as if solving cases was the purpose she had been given in this world…

This feels rather unwelcome, if she was being honest.

What a thoroughly inauspicious destiny.

“You’re not actually going to trust him, are you?” Hua Yitang leaned in and lowered his voice. “None of the Ling clan are easy people — otherwise how would they have held their place among the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Houses for centuries? Don’t let the handsome face and the upright look fool you. I’ll tell you something: the better-looking a person is on the outside, the more schemes they’re hiding inside.”

Lin Sui’an silently regarded Hua Yitang’s own remarkably handsome features and felt thoroughly unable to respond.

And who exactly are you to be saying that?

“I’m willing to offer twenty additional bolts of silk as a deposit,” Ling Zhiyan raised his bid. “Whether or not the case is solved, Lin Niangzi keeps it regardless. Upon resolution, there will be further reward.”

Lin Sui’an: “Deal!”

Things had come to this point — there was nowhere to run. Might as well go with the current.

Ling Zhiyan let out a breath of relief. “Please follow me to the mortuary, Lin Niangzi —”

Before he’d even finished the sentence, the sound of commotion erupted outside. A black-uniformed officer burst in gasping for breath. He hadn’t even steadied himself before shouting: “Adjudicator, this is absolutely outrageous!”

Lin Sui’an got a good look at him — ah, another familiar face. One of Ling Zhiyan’s subordinates — the one with a two-finger-wide gash across the left half of his face. She had put that there too.

“Ming Feng,” Ling Zhiyan said with mild exasperation, “how many times have I told you — control your urgency. Breathe. Tell me slowly. What happened?”

“The Hua Family’s Mu Xia, the one Prefect Zhou had arrested — I released him this morning as you instructed. And now, less than half a shichen later, he — he — he —” Ming Feng caught his breath. “He’s brought back two teams of people! One team has surrounded the prefectural compound. The other has pushed straight inside. And the entire compound, all these people, and not one soul dared to stop them!”

Lin Sui’an, delighted by the spectacle, couldn’t help but contribute: “Such a grave development must be reported to Prefect Zhou immediately!”

Ling Zhiyan’s expression was not particularly pleasant. “Prefect Zhou was so severely frightened yesterday that he has taken to his bed.”

Lin Sui’an: “……”

Surely it wasn’t her who had frightened him?

Hua Yitang laughed lightly, pushed the door open, and walked out into a wash of golden morning light that lifted his robes like sheets of gold leaf floating on the air, saturated with an air of wealth.

Several dozen people came flooding through the gates of the compound. The outer perimeter was manned by sturdy, uniformed workers bearing the Mu Family merchant company’s insignia. In the center were attendants and maids dressed in fine, bright clothing. To the right, a line of them carried wash basins, cloth towels, clean water, rinsing cups, tooth tools, polished bronze mirrors, soap pods, combs, and pomelo leaves and other toiletries. In the center, another line carried various pastries in a rainbow of colors, with a small tea brazier for warming the pot. To the left, a line carried more than ten sets of garments, more than ten pairs of boots, more than ten sashes, and an uncountable number of hairpins — a dozen varieties of incense pouches in different shapes and sizes, silver ones, gold ones, jade-studded ones, embroidered with pearls, hung with carved ivory.

The most extravagant detail: several attendants had swiftly erected a simple tent in the courtyard and laid down a Persian carpet inside — evidently a temporary dressing room prepared specifically for Hua Yitang.

Though she had witnessed this caliber of display before, Lin Sui’an was still stunned by this ostentatious show of wealth. Ling Zhiyan was even less equipped to handle it — his eyelid twitched repeatedly, like a grasshopper had gotten in.

Mu Xia’s expression carried deep apology. “Time was short — the preparations are modest, and I hope the Fourth Young Master will forgive the simplicity. Please allow the Fourth Young Master to wash and change first. The carriage is waiting outside — once we return to the residence, we will attend to the Fourth Young Master properly.”

Hua Yitang strode into the assembled crowd with large, confident steps. Just before he ducked into the tent, he cast a sideways glance at Ling Zhiyan and gave a dismissive snort through his nose.

That Hua Yitang wouldn’t want to help didn’t surprise Lin Sui’an at all. From listening to the exchange between him and Ling Zhiyan, it was clear the Hua and Ling families had a strained relationship — there might well be some old grudge between them. Without the label of “suspect” pressing down on him, a wealthy nobleman of his standing had absolutely no reason to wade into this murky water.

But when Hua Yitang actually, truly did not follow her in — for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, she felt a small, inexplicable twinge of disappointment.

They had only known each other for a few days. Why was she having such a strange reaction?

Could it be, as Hua Yitang had suggested — that because they had been questioned together, investigated a case together, sat in jail together, and fought together, some sort of bond resembling camaraderie had formed between them?

Lin Sui’an couldn’t think her way to an answer, so she stopped trying. The most pressing matter right now was earning money.

The mortuary was in a courtyard to the northwest of the compound — an enclosed space unto itself, surrounded by dense, towering vegetation that blocked most of the sunlight. The room where the bodies were kept was even darker, lit only by a row of narrow ventilation windows on the eastern and northern walls. Five examination tables occupied the room, three of them packed with ice blocks beneath them, cold air radiating outward. The tables were draped in white cloth. The air was thick with the wet, decaying stench of rot. Lin Sui’an pressed her sleeve over her mouth and nose, pressing down hard on the churning in her stomach.

Ling Zhiyan walked forward without a change in expression, going directly to the innermost table. He lifted the white cloth.

The table held only a single head.

Despite all her mental preparation on the way there, the sudden sight still made Lin Sui’an flinch violently, every hair on her body standing on end.

It was a head that had been severed with clean precision. It sat upright on the table. The hair was slightly disheveled but overall still relatively neat. The eyes and mouth were closed. The expression was peaceful — and, Lin Sui’an noticed with a small jolt of unease, the corners of the lips carried the faintest trace of a smile.

Though she had only seen him once before, the head was well-preserved and Lin Sui’an recognized him at a glance. It was indeed Yan He.

Ling Zhiyan handed Lin Sui’an the death examination form. “Please look this over, Lin Niangzi.”

The death examination form used in Yangdu matched the format she’d seen in Nanpu County — standardized across the kingdom, it appeared. The form identified the deceased as Yan He, male, twenty-four years of age. The examining coroner was one Wang Zhou. The report was concise, which made sense given that there was only a head to examine. Lin Sui’an noticed one particular note: “Skin and flesh not torn or displaced; the head was severed post-mortem.”

“The victim, Yan He, was beheaded after death. The body was found under Kaiming Bridge in Yangdu. By the time of discovery, the head had been submerged in water for an extended period, making it difficult for the coroner to determine an exact time of death,” Ling Zhiyan said. “Based on Lin Niangzi’s account, he was seen at Liuyue Restaurant at the start of the You hour. His death therefore occurred between the start of the You hour and the start of the Hai hour.”

“He was beheaded after death — meaning we still don’t know what actually killed him?” Lin Sui’an asked.

Ling Zhiyan nodded.

Lin Sui’an walked a full circle around the examination table. To the coroner, she said, “May I have a look at his eyes?”

The coroner: “The examination is complete. Why would you need to look at the eyes?”

Lin Sui’an: “……”

How was she supposed to explain this? She could hardly tell him she had a special ability.

Ling Zhiyan: “Let her.”

The coroner was visibly displeased but complied, prying open Yan He’s eyelids. Lin Sui’an took a slow, deep breath and looked directly into the dead man’s eyes.

A flash of white light — as if someone had split the world apart with a blade. Dense white mist rolled in, saturated with piercing screams and laughter, crashing against her eyes with a violent collision of colors.

Lin Sui’an gasped and stumbled — her back struck someone, and a hand caught her lightly at the waist. Just as quickly, it released her.

Though the contact lasted only an instant, Lin Sui’an caught the scent.

Sweet and warm, like sun-warmed fruit preserved in syrup.

“Who told you to come to the mortuary without a face covering? — See, now you’ve been overcome by the smell.” Hua Yitang tossed a face cloth to Lin Sui’an. He had his own wrapped securely around his face, with only a pair of disgruntled eyes visible above. He had changed into a new robe — snow-white and flowing — and his face, treated with whatever miraculous product it was, glowed with a radiance that was almost irritating.

Lin Sui’an took the face cloth in a daze, her mind still overloaded, struggling to catch up.

Ling Zhiyan stared at him, flabbergasted: “You…why are you…”

“If you want my help,” Hua Yitang said, unhurriedly smoothing out his sleeve cuffs, “that will also cost twenty bolts of silk.”

Ming Shu: “What?!”

Lin Sui’an: “……”

Ling Zhiyan touched his nose. “Just…twenty bolts?”

Hua Yitang raised an eyebrow: “With your Ling Family’s modest family wealth, could you even afford two hundred bolts if I asked?!”

Ling Zhiyan rubbed his nose again: “Done.”

Mini Skit:

Outside the prefectural compound, at this very moment.

Mu Zhong: “You’re saying the Fourth Young Master wants to stay at the compound and help investigate the case?”

Mu Xia: “Yes.”

“Ha — I knew it. The moment the Fourth Young Master gets wind of a case, he can’t sit still.”

“The case is secondary. Mainly it’s for Lin Niangzi.”

“Ha ha, Mu Xia — you’re young but you understand plenty! True enough — the Fourth Young Master is already sixteen. It’s time to start planning for his lifelong happiness.”

“The family’s head, second mistress, and third mistress have all heard the news from Yangdu and are already on their way back. The Fourth Young Master naturally needs to plan ahead.”

“How do you mean?”

“What he’s gotten himself into this time is unlike anything before — this could be a real storm of trouble.”

“Well…even if the head of the family gets angry, surely he wouldn’t actually do anything to his own younger brother…right?”

“Lin Niangzi has an easy manner, good martial ability, and a sense of loyalty and honor. With the Fourth Young Master alongside her, he shouldn’t suffer.”

“That sentence sounds decidedly strange, the more I think about it.”

“It’s best to make preparations early.”

“Preparations for…what?”

“What do you think — is it a good idea to have Lin Niangzi take the Fourth Young Master and elope?”

Mu Zhong, leader of the first unit of the Mu Family merchant company, at that moment, came to a deep and heartfelt understanding of what it meant to have a generational gap with the young.

Rest day tomorrow!