The autopsy report read:
[Deceased: Heng Hui]
[Cause of death: Heart pierced by blade (old wound)]
[Autopsy findings: Flesh and organs show purple-black discoloration. Corpse-controlling Gu worms are present within the flesh, preserving the body from decay. Walking corpse confirmed time of death exceeds one year.]
[Deceased: Unidentified remains]
[Height: 5 chi 4 cun (approximately 170cm), female, proportionate skeleton, no fractures, no signs of poisoning, fine finger bones indicating no manual labor…]
In the yamen, Xu Qi An finished reading the autopsy report and handed it back to the coroner before entering the front hall adjacent to the morgue. Ten Golden Gong officers had gathered, with Wei Yuan sitting at the head position, drinking tea with a solemn expression.
Xu Qi An silently walked behind Wei Yuan, listening to the Golden Gong officers debate about the female corpse’s identity and the connections between the Princess Pingyang case and the Sang Bo case.
The Princess Pingyang case was essentially solved for now. The follow-up investigation would likely be beyond his involvement… This involved a princess’s murder case, not something a mere Bronze Gong like him could participate in.
But the Sang Bo case remained unsolved… He wondered if his merits in the Princess Pingyang case could offset his crime punishable by waist-cutting… If not, he’d curse Emperor Yuan Jing’s ancestors.
While he was lost in these thoughts, a clerk appeared at the doorway: “Lord Wei, my lords, Prince Yu has arrived.”
Prince Yu’s arrival… The Golden Gong officers exchanged glances before collectively looking at Wei Yuan.
The gray-haired official in blue robes finished his last sip of tea and looked at the clerk, saying gently: “Please escort Prince Yu to the morgue.”
After speaking, he put down his cup, sighed, and went to the morgue first, with everyone following.
Outside the morgue, the Golden Gong officers didn’t enter but lined up on both sides of the door, with only Wei Yuan going inside.
Prince Yu arrived, this sickly man walked with an expressionless face that somehow seemed to contain all expressions at once. His steps were neither fast nor slow, yet it seemed as if ghosts were chasing him… He paused for several seconds at the morgue’s threshold before stepping in.
The morgue was well-lit, with bright sunlight streaming through the latticed windows, leaving even patterns of light on the floor. Prince Yu immediately spotted the remains on the wooden bed, and at that moment, he felt an urge to flee. But his paternal instinct made him slowly approach.
Wei Yuan was the only other person in the morgue. He took out a golden hairpin from his sleeve and said softly, “This was found on her body. She used it to end her life. Please see if you recognize it.”
Prince Yu’s gaze froze, as did his expression, like a gradually weathering statue.
“It’s hers,” Prince Yu said hoarsely.
The spacious room fell into dead silence, neither middle-aged man speaking further.
After a very long time, Prince Yu, still looking down at the hairpin, asked in a raspy voice, “Who did this?”
“We’ve only identified three people: Earl Pingyuan, Minister Zhang Feng of the Ministry of War, and the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue,” Wei Yuan stared at him, his deep eyes containing wisdom weathered by time:
“Their initial plan was likely to lure her out of the capital, but their young masters became lustful. They never intended to let a princess who had left Prince Yu’s supervision return alive.”
“Was she dishonored?” Prince Yu’s voice was terrifyingly calm.
“She took her own life with the hairpin,” Wei Yuan shook his head, then looked deeply at Prince Yu: “But we still can’t confirm she’s the Princess. A golden hairpin proves nothing.”
“I think you know what to do.”
Prince Yu left. Apart from that first glance when entering the morgue, he never looked at the remains again, not once, as if they were something horrifying.
Perhaps it wasn’t just imagination, but watching his departing figure, Xu Qi An felt Prince Yu had aged significantly at that moment, his silhouette carrying the desolation of twilight years.
That day, Prince Yu entered the palace carrying a blood letter.
…
After Prince Yu’s departure, Xu Qi An, who had been quietly waiting for the Princess Pingyang case to conclude hoping to gain important clues about the Sang Bo case, received an invitation from Princess Huai Qing.
The messenger was a handsome young eunuch.
“What does the Princess want with me?” Xu Qi An asked.
“Unknown,” the young eunuch remained silent, well-versed in palace survival skills, his lips sealed tighter than a chrysanthemum.
…It must be about Princess Pingyang, Xu Qi An guessed.
Riding quickly to the Imperial City and entering the palace, he was led directly to Princess Huai Qing’s elegant garden by the young eunuch.
In the garden pavilion, Xu Qi An met Princess Huai Qing, Second Princess Biao Biao, the Crown Prince, and Princess Huai Qing’s brother, the Fourth Prince.
“This humble official greets Your Highnesses,” Xu Qi An bowed from outside the pavilion.
Princess Lin’an beckoned, cheerfully calling out: “You dog servant, come sit.”
Since when did “dog servant” become my nickname? Xu Qi An felt bewildered, glancing at the Crown Prince and Princess Huai Qing. The latter spoke coolly: “Don’t stand on ceremony, bring Master Xu a seat.”
A palace maid brought a chair, placing it opposite the royal siblings.
Princess Huai Qing looked at him and said, “Today Prince Yu entered the palace with a blood letter. After the Father Emperor received him, he didn’t emerge. I remember you were investigating Princess Pingyang’s case. Has there been progress?”
The Crown Prince, Fourth Prince, and Princess Lin’an all stared at him, awaiting his answer.
Princess Pingyang was their cousin, they had grown up together and were close.
“Princess Pingyang…” Xu Qi An took a deep breath and began to narrate.
It was a simple and pure love story, but it could never be ordinary because the female lead was a noble princess. Of all things, she shouldn’t have fallen in love with a monk.
But love’s flavor was so wonderful that she was willing to abandon everything – glory, wealth, her royal status – to leave the capital with him and spend their lives together.
However, not all love stories have endings. In novels, talented scholars and beautiful ladies always end up together, but that’s fiction. Reality has too many unpredictable changes.
They ultimately became sacrifices in a political struggle. Perhaps before misfortune struck, the young lovers were still dreaming of their future together.
Xu Qi An calmly told the story, remembering a song he’d heard many years ago:
“Mandarin ducks nest together and butterflies fly in pairs,
The garden’s spring beauty intoxicates all.
Quietly asking the holy monk,
Is the maiden beautiful, is the maiden beautiful?
What of royal power and wealth,
What of disciplinary rules and regulations?
I only wish for eternal time,
To stay close to my beloved.”
Though he’d never met Princess Pingyang, he could almost see a bright young woman with laughing eyes, standing prettily beside a handsome monk.
Placing a wildflower in her hair, asking him whether the flower or she was more beautiful.
“What, what did you just sing?” Princess Lin’an asked with reddened eyes and trembling lips, her voice choked with tears.
Xu Qi An suddenly realized he had been singing without noticing.
He quickly stood and bowed: “Forgive this official, Your Highness. I was overcome with emotion and offended Princess Pingyang’s memory.”
Princess Huai Qing gazed at him deeply, taking several seconds to keep her voice steady before saying, “I understand now. You may withdraw.”
Xu Qi An quickly left, faintly hearing Princess Lin’an’s sobs behind him.
Only after leaving the Imperial City did he break free from that melancholic mood.
…
A carriage rushed up and stopped at the base of the Star-Observing Tower. Imperial Eunuch Liu, pale-faced and beardless but showing some crow’s feet, jumped down without waiting for the attendant’s steps.
Eunuch Liu rushed into the Star-Observing Tower, raising an imperial edict: “His Majesty commands the Observatory Chief to enter the palace immediately!”
He called out three times.
To prevent collusion between the Observatory’s diviners and officials, the dynasty had decreed that their divination arts would not work on officials of the fourth rank and above.
But there was one exception – the Observatory Chief!
“Stop shouting, Master has already gone to the palace.”
A voice suddenly came from beside him. Eunuch Liu turned sharply to see Yang Qian Huan in white robes standing with his back turned.
“Yang Qian Huan, when did you return to the capital?” Eunuch Liu was startled.
“When the capital needed me, I returned,” Yang Qian Huan replied steadily.
“Always speaking in riddles, can’t you talk normally?” Eunuch Liu snapped irritably before turning to leave.
“…” Yang Qian Huan.
…
At the Night Watchers’ Office.
In the meditation room, Xu Qi An suddenly felt his heart flutter, much like hearing a QQ message ping after pulling an all-nighter.
This was the Earth Book fragment’s unique “message notification.” He interrupted his meditation and took out the jade mirror.
[Number Nine: Number Six has been found, currently at the Night Watchers’ Office. Everyone can rest easy.]
Reading this, Xu Qi An frowned. Thinking, Daoist, aren’t you blatantly saying there’s a Heaven and Earth Society spy in the Night Watchers’ Office?
[Number Five: Found Number Six? But isn’t the Night Watchers’ Office more dangerous? I heard the Night Watchers of Great Zhou are all villains, cold and heartless.]
[Number One: Don’t believe all rumors. Daoist, did you find Number Six?]
[Number Nine: As expected, Number Six was indeed sealed. The one who sealed him was a powerful figure in black robes, emanating such dangerous energy that this poor Daoist dared not act rashly, so I reported it to the Night Watchers’ Office.]
The Daoist’s explanation works well, this explains my source of information. If Number One holds a high position in court, he must already know about Princess Pingyang’s case.
Working backward, my discovery of Heng Hui’s whereabouts as a Bronze Gong would become very suspicious… but the Daoist’s words essentially patched this hole.
If anyone asks, I can say it was reported by enthusiastic citizens.
Thus clearing my connection to Number Three.
[Number One: I received news that the Sang Bo case has unveiled the year-old disappearance of Princess Pingyang. Soon, the capital will face a great storm.]
[Number Four: What’s the situation?]
Number Four jumped in to gossip.
Number One briefly explained the Princess Pingyang case to the Heaven and Earth Society members. In a few sentences, he sketched out a bloodless political struggle in everyone’s minds.
Giving them plenty of room for imagination.
[Number Five: This… this… are all Great Zhou people’s hearts so black? Such scheming and treachery.]
[Number Four: Who investigated this case?]
Seeing this question, Xu Qi An raised an eyebrow and typed: [I heard it was a Bronze Gong from the Night Watchers’ Office, called Xu Qi An.]
[Number Four: Xu Qi An? Why does that sound familiar?]
[Number Three: Number One mentioned him when investigating Cloud Deer Academy’s pure qi phenomenon. I’ve also been observing him and reached a frightening conclusion.]
[Frightening conclusion?] Several members asked similar questions.
[Number Three: This youth is incredibly intelligent, uniquely talented, and not an ordinary person.]
To receive such praise from Number Three, this Bronze Gong called Xu Qi An must be quite formidable… everyone silently noted this name.
Golden Lotus Daoist felt somewhat awkward and remained silent.
At this point, Number Two appeared: [Number Three, I’ve found Zhou Chi Xiong’s trail.]
Number One, who hadn’t responded to Xu Qi An’s self-promotion, immediately jumped in: [Where is he?]
[Number Two: One of my subordinates saw him in a mountain stronghold, coincidentally one I’m planning to raid soon. Just wait, after I take down the stronghold, I’ll send him back to the capital.]
Number Two found Zhou Chi Xiong. Cloud Province is so vast, plagued with bandits. Even with her influence there, finding Zhou Chi Xiong so quickly seems unlikely… Either it’s a coincidence, or I underestimated Number Two’s capabilities… Xu Qi An clapped excitedly.
Catching Zhou Chi Xiong would reveal who was secretly collaborating with the demon race.
[Number Three: Thank you.]
[Number Two: It’s nothing, friends from all over are willing to do me favors. Finding someone is no big deal for me.]
These aren’t ordinary favors… everyone thought.
Ending the Heaven and Earth Society’s internal communication, Xu Qi An felt much more at ease. Zhou Chi Xiong was his other insurance. Capturing him meant even if the Princess Pingyang case couldn’t exempt him from punishment, he still wouldn’t worry.
Now, he just had to wait for the case results.