Pan Chi was puzzled by the sudden departure of those people. He scratched his neck and asked Zhu Yan, “Who were they? Why did they leave when they saw me? Do I look like a ghost?”
Zhu Yan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She had never met someone who compared themselves to a ghost.
“It’s nothing. Just some friends you don’t know,” Zhu Yan explained hastily, trying to ease the awkwardness.
Pan Chi nodded meaningfully. He indeed didn’t know those people, but their footsteps were incredibly light, making no sound as they left. They must be highly skilled imperial guards.
Considering Shen Du’s identity, it made sense that he would associate with such people.
“By the way, have you made any discoveries here?” Pan Chi changed the subject.
Zhu Yan seized the opportunity to say, “No major discoveries, but I feel that this Ji Dafu is very suspicious. We should keep a close eye on him.”
“Hmm…” Pan Chi stroked his chin, nodding thoughtfully. “Then we’ll have someone secretly follow him. I’ve made some discoveries on my end. Do you have any other urgent matters? If not, we should discuss this in detail.”
“Nothing is more important than this case. What have you found? Tell me quickly.”
“I examined the place where Liu Zongyuan’s body was discovered, hoping to find clues about the last person he saw. But judging from the footprints at the scene, the last person he met was very light-footed. It doesn’t seem to be Ji Dafu, but someone else.”
Zhu Yan nodded thoughtfully, “That’s strange. If the two weren’t entangled, why would he be silenced?”
Pan Chi furrowed his brow, “If you suspect Ji Dafu is problematic, why don’t we investigate him first? Do you have any leads on him?”
Zhu Yan smiled slightly, “I just received intelligence that this Ji Dafu is involved in usury. Why don’t we go check out his money-lending location first?”
Pan Chi nodded meaningfully, “Makes sense. Let’s go take a look together.”
The two quickly agreed and set off, seeming to have forgotten about Shen Du. Watching their retreating figures, Shen Du clenched his fists.
Were they ignoring his existence? Why were the two chatting so animatedly without asking for his opinion?
As Zhu Yan and Pan Chi walked and talked, they seemed to have moved on to other topics. Zhu Yan’s face even broke into a smile, which irritated Shen Du even more.
Seeing this scene, Shen Du’s heart suddenly sank. If things continued like this, he feared his wife might be stolen away before they even solved the case.
He couldn’t let this happen. The case could wait, but he couldn’t lose his wife.
His clenched fists made cracking sounds as the idea of taking Zhu Yan back to the capital sprouted in his mind.
A man can only endure so much. He couldn’t care about anything else now; he had to take her away.
Having firmed up his resolve, he was about to follow the two when he suddenly noticed subtle movements behind him.
Someone was following them!
This thought flashed through Shen Du’s mind, making his already displeased mood even heavier.
Without much thought, he turned and rushed to the alley entrance at top speed, drawing the sword from his waist and holding it to the person’s neck.
When he saw who it was, Shen Du was surprised. It was Mo Qianzhi!
“Lord Mo?” Shen Du lowered his sword, looking at Mo Qianzhi with confusion. “What are you doing here?”
Mo Qianzhi’s face was pale, obviously frightened by Shen Du’s sudden action. He quickly composed himself and said with lingering fear, “I… I just received a tip that someone was causing trouble for you, interfering with your investigation. I came specially to check on you.”
Shen Du’s eyes darkened. He couldn’t refute Mo Qianzhi’s explanation.
“Everything’s fine now,” Shen Du said coldly, unable to help but feel suspicious of Mo Qianzhi.
It had been less than an incense stick’s time since the incident, yet Mo Qianzhi had already arrived at the scene. His informant was indeed quick.
Put another way, perhaps every move he and Zhu Yan made was under Mo Qianzhi’s watch.
Being monitored while working was truly infuriating.
Seeing Shen Du’s cold expression, Mo Qianzhi steadied his breath and bowed to him, “Grand Secretary, the Half-Face Ghost case has been unsolved for years. You must be extra careful in your investigation.”
Mo Qianzhi’s words were very meaningful, but Shen Du couldn’t decipher them at the moment. However, he didn’t want to discuss the case right now.
Mo Qianzhi was also privy to the old case of the Shen family. Having finally gotten a chance to speak with him alone, Shen Du naturally wanted to ask about some useful matters.
“Lord Mo,” Shen Du looked at him coldly, his tone very firm, “The Shen family was wronged years ago, and you were aware of it. I was young then, so some details are unclear to me. Would you mind telling me more about what happened back then?”
Hearing Shen Du’s words, Mo Qianzhi understood his intention. However, instead of recounting these events to Shen Du, his face darkened, looking very troubled.
“What’s the matter? Is Lord Mo unwilling to say more?” Seeing Mo Qianzhi’s expression, Shen Du felt very displeased.
After all, Mo Qianzhi was his father’s student. Now, with no one else around, he still refused to talk about the past. Did he intend to let the old injustice sink into oblivion?
Hearing Shen Du’s repeated inquiry, Mo Qianzhi’s expression grew even heavier. After a long while, as if mustering up courage, he looked at Shen Du and said,
“Grand Secretary, many years have passed, and you’re now at the peak of your career. It’s best not to dwell on past matters.”
“What do you mean by that, Lord Mo?” Shen Du asked calmly, his tone so even that his emotions were indiscernible.
Mo Qianzhi lowered his head slightly and continued, “The suffering of entering the imperial harem is beyond what ordinary people can bear. Young Master, since you’ve made it out, you shouldn’t think about seeking revenge or uncovering the truth anymore.”
Shen Du’s eyes showed a hint of emotion. It had been a long time since anyone had called him “Young Master.”
“You still call me Young Master, and I still regard you as an old acquaintance. The Shen family has been wronged for years, and as a member of the Shen family, I have no choice but to investigate.”
“Young Master,” Mo Qianzhi closed his eyes helplessly, then, as if gathering courage again, he clasped his hands and said, “You now have the Empress’s trust. As long as you act cautiously, you have limitless prospects ahead. Why entangle yourself with past events?”
“You only need to tell me the inside story. Don’t ask about anything else,” Shen Du seemed to have lost patience, issuing a final ultimatum.