HomeMelody of Golden AgeChapter 186: The Half-Faced Ghost

Chapter 186: The Half-Faced Ghost

Recently, reports of a “half-faced ghost” devouring people in Gannan Prefecture have been circulating, with tales bordering on the mystical.

The Empress, deeply troubled by this, dispatched Zhu Yan and Shen Du to investigate for the sake of public peace.

While ostensibly sent to investigate the case, in reality, they were given different tasks.

Zhu Yan was to probe whether Prefect Mo Qianzhi of Yingzhou harbored any disloyalty, while Shen Du was to thoroughly investigate the Huoe Party’s activities in Gannan Prefecture.

Coincidentally, the two crossed paths while gathering information. Upon hearing Shen Du’s words, Zhu Yan realized that the Empress had begun to suspect not only Lai Luozhi but also herself and Shen Du.

It’s worth noting that Prefect Mo Qianzhi of Yingzhou was once Shen’s father’s youngest student. He was also the one who steadfastly defended Shen Du, preventing his execution and entry into the imperial harem, even at the risk of his own life, in an attempt to clear the Shen family’s name.

This earned him the Empress’s favor. Far from being punished, he was awarded the position of Yingzhou Sima and gradually rose to become the Prefect of Yingzhou. It could be said that he had deep ties with Shen Du.

Thus, this trip to Gannan Prefecture could be seen as a test for Shen Du.

Zhu Yan found this both amusing and exasperating. After all this maneuvering, the two of them still had to work together on the case, and this time, they would be traveling to Gannan Prefecture together.

Imperial orders could not be defied, so the two prepared for their journey.

Lu Chuichui came to see Zhu Yan off, his face full of reluctance, clinging tightly to Zhu Yan’s clothes, unwilling to let go.

“With you leaving like this, who knows when you’ll return. You must take good care of yourself, understand? When I have time, I’ll come to visit you.”

“Young Lady, are you joking with me?” Zhu Yan looked at Lu Chuichui with some disdain. “This isn’t like traveling from the Zhu residence to the Lu residence. The dangers of the journey are yet unknown. Do you really dare to come and see me?”

Hearing Zhu Yan’s retort, Lu Chuichui’s lips twitched. “I was just saying that. Who told you to take it seriously? Besides, you never keep your word anyway. This time, don’t bother promising to treat me to a meal when you return. If you do come back, bringing some local specialties would be more practical than a meal.”

Zhu Yan chuckled helplessly, “Alright, alright, I’ll definitely bring you some local specialties. You take care of yourself too, and pay more attention to those around you.”

Zhu Yan’s words had a hidden meaning, but Lu Chuichui was completely puzzled.

Zhu Yan gave Jiang Langxing a meaningful look. Jiang Langxing quickly said, “Madam Shen, rest assured. I will take good care of Lord Lu. If Lord Lu truly misses you, I will certainly bring him to visit you.”

“That’s excellent. With you protecting her on this journey, I won’t worry,” Zhu Yan responded, then turned her gaze to her family members who had come to see her off.

The Zhu family, still in the midst of celebrating Zhu Caiwei’s recent marriage, suddenly heard that Zhu Yan would be traveling to Gannan Prefecture with the “White King of Hell” to investigate a case. They couldn’t help but worry for her.

This was Zhu Yan’s first time traveling far from home. On one hand, they were concerned for her safety; on the other, they feared she might not be able to endure the hardships.

Her birth mother, Jin Shi, had prepared a lot of luggage for her, including food and medicine for injuries, covering all bases.

Zhu Mojie even wrote out a “survival guide” and solemnly said, “You must be extra careful on this journey. If anything seems amiss, you must prioritize saving your own life, understand?”

Zhu Yan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She was going to investigate a case, not going to war. Why were they acting as if it was a matter of life and death?

Nevertheless, her family’s concern warmed her heart. She reluctantly nodded, then looked seriously at her father, Zhu Kuo, and said, “During the days I’m away, you must take good care of your health. Also, it’s best if we don’t get involved in the conflicts at court. We should avoid as much as we can.”

Zhu Kuo nodded with concern, “Father understands. Don’t worry about things at home. It’s just that with you two away, if anything happens, we won’t be able to help. You must take good care of yourselves.”

These words seemed to be directed at both Zhu Yan and Shen Du.

Zhu Yan nodded repeatedly. At this moment, Xu Xiangren, the head of the Local Constable, hurriedly arrived. After giving some instructions, he brought up the main point, “Those hearts still haven’t been found. They may have already been taken out of the province. During your journey, you should also keep an eye out for them.”

Hearing Xu Xiangren say this, Zhu Yan’s heart sank. She nodded repeatedly. If even the Local Constable couldn’t find the whereabouts of the hearts, where could they have gone?

Finally, all instructions were given, and it was getting late. If they didn’t set off soon, they might not reach the next post station before nightfall.

After bidding a reluctant farewell to everyone, Zhu Yan and Shen Du embarked on their journey to Gannan Prefecture.

Although Zhu Yan was alone, Shen Du had brought Jing Lin with him. If Jing Lin weren’t there, given Shen Du’s taciturn, icy personality, Zhu Yan would surely have been bored to death on this journey.

Gannan Prefecture was a necessary route to the Western Regions, and along the way, they encountered many exotic sights. The three of them ate and slept rough, covered in dust from their travels, and sometimes even encountered fierce bandits blocking their path.

It was at these times that Zhu Yan realized the benefits of traveling with Shen Du. However, the two men had it easy – Zhu Yan was responsible for solving food problems throughout the journey, while the two men only provided protection, enjoying a leisurely and carefree time, not feeling any hardship at all.

After a long and arduous journey, just as they entered Yingzhou, Prefect Mo Qianzhi of Yingzhou, with his official robe tied at the waist and sleeves rolled up, hurriedly came to the city gate to welcome them.

Upon their first meeting, Zhu Yan sensed the aura of death on Mo Qianzhi, likely from recent contact with corpses. “Lord Mo, have you just been in contact with those corpses?” she asked.

Hearing Zhu Yan’s question, Mo Qianzhi was startled. “How did Madam Zhu know?”

“Heh…” Zhu Yan chuckled lightly. “Those who frequently come into contact with corpses can naturally sense the aura of death on them. We’ve just met, and you carry this aura. Of course, I can detect it.”

“Madam Zhu is truly impressive. This humble official is in awe. The journey from Chang’an is long, and Madam Zhu, being a woman, must have had a difficult time.”

“It was manageable.”

Mo Qianzhi’s flattery made Zhu Yan feel a bit embarrassed.

However, Mo Qianzhi’s subsequent attitude left Zhu Yan puzzled. When he looked at Shen Du, he was no longer as enthusiastic as he had been with her, merely bowing respectfully.

Shen Du didn’t seem to mind, only giving a cold glance. Jing Lin, standing nearby, said, “Alright, alright, the two officials have had a long journey and must be tired. Let’s get them settled and have some tea before we continue.”

Hearing Jing Lin’s words, Mo Qianzhi’s face darkened slightly. “It’s this official’s negligence. We’ve had so many cases recently that my prefectural office is piled high with work. I haven’t had time to prepare a welcoming banquet. For the sake of the people, why don’t we start with the case right away? The sooner we solve it, the sooner the people can rest easy. What do you two officials think?”

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