Liu Zan picked up the list of key individuals in the case that Feng Boyu had compiled earlier, glanced it over, and said, “His name is Tang Qingnian. He passed the imperial examinations a couple of years ago and entered the civil service. He’s currently working his way up through the Ministry of Personnel.”

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Tang Yijun himself is a rough military man who can barely read a few characters. I wouldn’t have expected him to raise a son who takes to studying. You mentioned earlier, My Lord, that the family of Tang Yijun’s second wife has grown considerably in power and influence these past years. Might I ask which household she comes from?”

“The eldest brother of the young Madam Tang is someone the Young Lord has likely encountered at court. He is Wen Chang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel — he was promoted up from Luoyang just a few years ago,” Liu Zan replied.

Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel? Wasn’t that Tang Qingnian’s direct superior? The tangled threads in Qin Yao’s mind seemed to be suddenly threaded together, becoming instantly clear.

Lin Xiao also seemed to grasp the same realization. He exchanged a knowing glance with Qin Yao and asked Liu Zan, “Where does Tang Yijun currently reside? He only moved from Luoyang to Chang’an last year, so I assume it must be a newly acquired residence?”

Liu Zan glanced at the case file in his hand and nodded. “It’s on Baoning Lane.”

Qin Yao was startled. She hadn’t expected the Tang household to be on the same lane as Pei Min’s family! She grew even more restless, eager to rush to Baoning Lane at once to investigate.

Lin Xiao sought Qin Yao’s opinion. “Daoist Yuanzhen, do we still need to examine the body?”

Qin Yao thought for a moment, then shook her head. Whether or not they examined the body was no longer the central issue — the most critical thing now was how to prevent the next victim from appearing.

Lin Xiao had reached the same conclusion. He rose and took his leave of Liu Zan, saying, “To be frank with you, when the body of Tang Qingsheng was discovered in the South Garden Marsh that day, these two fellow Daoists of mine happened to be nearby. Upon seeing the condition of the corpse, they suspected that some malevolent spirit was likely involved. Fearing that more victims would appear one after another as they did last time, we came to make some inquiries. Truth be told, we have troubled you on numerous occasions, and I hope you will not hold it against us, Lord Liu.”

Liu Zan smiled. “Weijin, there’s no need to stand on ceremony with me. First of all, the year before last, when I was dispatched to Youzhou to investigate a case and had barely left the gates of Chang’an before I was set upon by bandits — if not for you, Weijin, happening to be returning from a hunt just then and pulling me from beneath the blade, would Liu here even be alive today?

“Second, although I always prided myself on having studied the sages’ teachings thoroughly and never believed in strange or supernatural things, the major cases I’ve handled this past year have had more than a few connected to demonic and evil forces. Those of us with mortal eyes, relying on our own abilities alone, would find it difficult to bring justice to those who died wrongfully. If someone with deep mastery of Daoist arts could help solve such cases, it would be like clouds parting to reveal the sun — an immense benefit. I am not so rigid and self-righteous that I cannot tell good from bad.”

Lin Xiao smiled slightly. “Lord Liu is truly an open-minded and straightforward man. In that case, we shall take our leave for now. If we discover anything, we will come back and discuss it with you.”

The three of them emerged, and Qin Yao changed back into women’s clothing inside the carriage. Wasting no time, they headed straight for Baoning Lane.

Qin Yao recalled what Liu Zan had just said and looked up at Lin Xiao. “This Tang Yijun’s heart has utterly strayed. His two sons differ so greatly in age, and one was born of his first wife while the other of his second — by any reasonable measure, he ought to have petitioned to have the eldest son designated as the heir. Yet he gave the title to the second son instead.”

Lin Xiao nodded. “Based on what we witnessed that day by the lake, that young Madam Tang openly scolded and struck Tang Qingnian in public without the slightest restraint. He’s nearly of age now, and still she is so brazen. One can only imagine what she must have put him through when he was a child.”

Qin Yao agreed deeply and continued his thought. “What makes it most devastating is that this young Madam Tang’s eldest brother is also Tang Qingnian’s direct superior. His birth mother died under murky circumstances. All these years, his father has been partial, devoting all his attention to his stepmother and half-brother. He finally entered the civil service — thinking he had at last made something of himself — only to be completely suppressed by his stepmother’s elder brother. When you think it through fully, there is truly no hope of ever getting ahead.”

Because there was no hope of getting ahead — had he therefore simply summoned the Jade Corpse, using its hands to kill to his heart’s content?

Qin Yao looked at Lin Xiao. Both of them were struck by the same doubt at the same moment: could it really be him?

“No matter,” Qin Yao said decisively. “The most urgent matter right now is to protect that classmate of mine at all costs — not a single thing can go wrong. Since the Tang household and the Pei family are right next to each other, that’s actually convenient. We won’t need to make two trips — we can keep watch over both households at once.”

“Shall I call in people to help?” Lin Xiao, seeing her expression grow grave, asked for her opinion.

“No need.” Qin Yao shook her head. “The Jade Corpse’s destructive power is immense. Ordinary people, if they came, would have no idea how to deal with it — they’d only add to the casualties for nothing. Better to send someone to the Dayin Temple to find disciples under Abbot Yuan Jue and have them come quickly to the vicinity of Baoning Lane to assist.”

Lin Xiao listened, and without the slightest hesitation, ordered someone to deliver a message to Dayin Temple at once.

Watching him think quickly and act decisively, every thought and action perfectly in step with her own, Qin Yao suddenly felt that Lin Xiao seemed even better than she had imagined — or rather, that she liked him a little more than she had imagined.

Her heart warmed with a soft, gentle feeling. She watched Lin Xiao quietly, resolving in her heart: he treated her so well — from now on, she would do her best, at every moment and in every way, to make sure he felt how much she valued him.

The carriage of Prince Lan’s household was always swift, and in no time they had arrived at Baoning Lane. True enough, the lane was full of life and bustle. Two residences stood side by side — the Pei Estate and the Tang Estate.

Qin Yao jumped down from the carriage, took out a calling card she had prepared at Qingyun Temple earlier, and handed it to a servant at the gate of the Pei Estate, asking them to go inside and announce her to Pei Min.

After waiting a moment, a person who appeared to be a steward came out and replied that the young lady had gone out visiting relatives early that morning, was not currently in the residence, and it was unknown when she would return.

Qin Yao had no choice but to give up and returned to the carriage. She said to Lin Xiao, “She’s not in.”

Lin Xiao had just finished instructing Wei Bo and the others to keep a close watch on the Tang Estate. The moment Tang Qingnian returned, they were to report immediately.

Seeing Qin Yao come back up under the blazing sun, her fair forehead dotted with bright beads of sweat, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of concern. He gently urged her, “We’ve been busy all morning. Rest a while now. In broad daylight, I doubt the Jade Corpse would dare come out to cause harm.”

Qin Yao noticed that his temples were also damp with sweat — clearly he was suffering from the heat as well. Thinking about how he had a rare day off and could have been resting comfortably at Prince Lan’s manor, yet had been running around with her all day instead, she felt genuinely guilty. After a moment’s hesitation, she drew out a silk handkerchief made of ice-silk from her sleeve, raised her arm, and gently dabbed at the sweat on his temples. With a reddened face she said, “Never mind me first — your own forehead is covered in sweat too. Let me wipe it for you.”

On the small table inside the carriage, Lin Xiao had prepared a selection of ice-chilled lychees for Qin Yao. A’Han had been happily eating away — but upon seeing this scene, his mouth fell wide open and he forgot to even chew the lychee in his mouth.

Lin Xiao was also briefly stunned. Watching her softly dab at his temples with the handkerchief, her clear and luminous face so close, her skin like snow and cream, her breath as delicate as orchid — his throat moved several times, and at last he could restrain himself no longer. He suddenly reached out and clasped Qin Yao’s wrist, his gaze burning as he looked at her, his hand exerting a gentle but unmistakable pressure — there was a clear intention to draw her toward him.

Qin Yao saw the same dangerous look on Lin Xiao’s face that had appeared that time at the Liuli Pavilion. Her heart gave a jolt of panic. She hurriedly struggled to pull her hand back. Fortunately, this time Lin Xiao finally became aware that A’Han was right there beside them. His grip loosened, and Qin Yao managed to pull free with ease.

Qin Yao quickly sat herself upright and proper.

A’Han, looking entirely baffled, asked, “Young Lord, A’Yao — what are you two doing?”

Both of them cleared their throats at exactly the same moment with awkward coughs. Qin Yao felt the air inside the carriage grow even more stifling. She quickly turned and lifted the curtain to look outside. After a good while, she said, “There’s no movement from the Tang Estate. Pei Min probably won’t be back for a while. It’s nearly noon. Shixiong, are you hungry?”

A’Han, resuming the peeling of lychees, gave an emphatic nod. “How could I not be? I’ve been starving for ages.”

Qin Yao leaned her head slightly outside to look around, and her eyes lit up. “Oh! There’s actually a Fuchun Pavilion here as well!”

She turned to Lin Xiao and said, “This restaurant’s food is wonderful, and the wine is exceptionally fragrant — it’s just that the prices are steep, and ordinary people can’t afford it. Master used to take Shixiong and me here only once, and then thought it cost too much and refused to bring us back again.”

Lin Xiao was briefly taken aback, a look of slight awkwardness crossing his face. He said, “Since you enjoy eating here, let’s go in. Order whatever you like — don’t hold back.”

Qin Yao saw that Lin Xiao was clearly intending to treat them. She gave a cheer and climbed down from the carriage.

The three of them were just heading inside when Chang Rong hurried up from behind, wearing an odd expression. “Young Lord, are you going to eat here?”

Lin Xiao was just about to speak when a plump manager came rushing out from inside. He bowed to Lin Xiao with a smile, saying, “Young Master, I had no idea you’d be coming today — we couldn’t receive you from afar. Please do not hold it against us.” This man was tall and stout, his round face covered in wrinkles — he was clearly well along in years, but the manner in which he addressed Lin Xiao was remarkably warm and familiar, and his expression was visibly delighted.

“Young Master?” Qin Yao halted in her steps, looking at Lin Xiao in astonishment.

Chang Rong, seeing that Lin Xiao clearly had no intention of concealing this any further, said quietly, “That’s right. All the Fuchun Pavilion branches in Chang’an were part of the Wang Fei’s dowry. After she passed away, they were all left to the Young Lord.”

A’Han, with his sharp ears, caught this and said happily, “A’Yao, since all these establishments belong to the Young Lord, we won’t have to worry about being unable to pay the bill whenever we come to eat. Master won’t keep scolding us for being greedy anymore.”

Qin Yao let out a small, slightly awkward cough and said quietly with a slight reproach, “Shixiong.”

Lin Xiao, however, took no offense. He told the plump manager, “Quickly arrange a fine spread of good wine and food.”

The plump manager agreed at once and went off cheerfully with a whole retinue of servants to make the arrangements.