After dinner, Shen Du suddenly handed Zhu Yan a jewelry box.
Surprised and somewhat taken aback, Zhu Yan opened it and was stunned. It was the red plum blossom hairpin she had admired in the market. How did he…?
Shen Du’s face remained expressionless as if casually rewarding a servant. “This is your payment for assisting me with the case these past days.”
The ripple of emotion that had risen in her heart instantly calmed. Zhu Yan pursed her lips but still kept the jewelry.
She couldn’t afford to refuse money, especially when it was something she liked.
The next day, Zhu Yan followed Shen Du back to Ximing Temple to investigate.
The corpse was still a corpse, the bones still bones. No matter how carefully Zhu Yan examined them, she found nothing new.
After a thorough search, she shook her head at Shen Du, feeling discouraged. “We’ve already uncovered all the clues here. There doesn’t seem to be anything new.”
Hearing this, Shen Du furrowed his brow, his deep eyes complex. “Perhaps we’re being too cautious. Let’s head back.”
With that, Shen Du turned to leave.
Zhu Yan hurried to follow, but before they could exit Ximing Temple, they noticed a group of young novice monks huddled together, discussing something.
The two exchanged a puzzled glance.
“You go ahead. I’ll ask them what’s going on,” Zhu Yan whispered to Shen Du.
“Why?” Shen Du asked, confused.
“You’re the Grand Secretary known as the White King of Hell. If you were a commoner and such a high-ranking official approached you for questioning, wouldn’t you be on guard?”
Though Zhu Yan’s logic seemed flawed, there was truth in her words.
Shen Du said nothing more and was left alone.
Soon, Zhu Yan was chatting amicably with the young novices. At first, they were guarded, but after a few exchanges, they opened up.
“You’re Lady Shen. What we’re discussing is just hearsay, not worth believing,” one young novice said.
“I’m just listening to it as a story,” Zhu Yan replied. “The case has been unsolved for so long, it’s probably become a cold case. I don’t have much hope. Surely you’re not going to be wary of me for listening to a story?”
Zhu Yan began to play the victim. “You know I’m now the wife of the Grand Secretary. If this case isn’t solved, who knows how the Empress will punish him? Tell me, as a frail woman who just married him, what kind of fate have I stumbled into? And now, even you are rejecting me. How am I supposed to go on living…”
Zhu Yan’s tale was heart-wrenching.
As she spoke, a few crystalline tears seeped from her eyes.
“Alright, alright,” another young novice couldn’t bear it anymore. “Lady Shen is indeed pitiful, but we can’t help much with the case. It’s just that recently, a legend has been circulating in the temple.”
“What legend?” Zhu Yan quickly inquired.
The young novices looked around, and after ensuring no one else was nearby, they began to speak, each adding to the story.
After everyone had spoken, it amounted to this: The case remained unsolved, the victims’ hearts were removed, and the incidents occurred in a Buddhist holy place.
This was a murder case protected by gods and Buddhas, given the elegant alias: “Buddha Swallowing Sin.”
As for why this was happening, it was because the current Empress had disrupted the court order, upsetting the male-dominated hierarchy, and angering the gods and Buddhas. Thus, hearts were being devoured as a warning.
Hearing this legend, Zhu Yan’s heart sank. How could anyone believe such an exaggerated tale?
Before leaving, the young novices repeatedly reminded Zhu Yan that this legend was only circulating secretly within their temple and should not be shared with outsiders.
Zhu Yan nodded repeatedly.
But as soon as she turned away, she reported everything to Shen Du.
Shen Du shared Zhu Yan’s view that someone must be deliberately spreading this frightening story to cause unrest among the people.
What was the killer’s intention in doing this?
After killing so many people, was it just dissatisfaction with the Empress?
Just as they returned to Shen Manor, Jing Lin arrived with Xu Xiangren, the Local Constable Commander.
“Brother Xu,” Zhu Yan greeted.
Seeing Xu Xiangren there, Zhu Yan’s mood, which had been low all day, brightened.
“Why are you here? Do you have news about what we asked you to investigate?”
Zhu Yan’s enthusiasm visibly displeased Shen Du, who merely gave Xu Xiangren a cold glance before taking a seat.
“I certainly wouldn’t disappoint Sixth Miss. We’ve made some progress,” Xu Xiangren replied.
“Ahem…” Jing Lin suddenly coughed lightly, his intentions unclear.
“What’s wrong with you?” Zhu Yan looked at Jing Lin. “If your throat is uncomfortable, see a doctor. Don’t wait until it becomes serious and regret it later.”
Hearing this, Jing Lin was filled with helplessness.
Ignoring Zhu Yan, he looked directly at Xu Xiangren.
“Commander Xu, although you and the lady are old acquaintances, she is now the Grand Secretary’s wife. Please mind your form of address.”
Jing Lin’s reminder startled Xu Xiangren momentarily, then he smiled lightly. “I was careless. My apologies.”
Zhu Yan glared fiercely at Jing Lin, who pretended not to notice.
“Brother Xu, don’t mind him. Let’s focus on the important matters,” Zhu Yan smoothed things over.
Xu Xiangren nodded, “I’ve had my subordinate Jiang Lang investigate the cause of death of the Liang family’s second son. The second son of the second branch still needs investigation, but the death of Liang Chenzhong, the eldest son of the main branch, is indeed suspicious. He was poisoned with Water Goddess toxin, but the poisoner wasn’t Wei from the second branch. It was…”
Before he could finish, Xu Xiangren’s eyebrows furrowed, as if he couldn’t comprehend the situation.
“It was what?” Zhu Yan quickly asked. She already had an answer in her heart but needed confirmation.
“It was his birth father, Liang Jiren, and birth mother, Lady Liu.”
…
The hall fell into dead silence, everyone taken aback by this revelation.
Although Zhu Yan had anticipated this result, hearing it confirmed was still hard to believe.
Shen Du frowned, saying nothing.
Jing Lin found it even harder to accept, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
“This… how is this possible? Even tigers don’t eat their cubs. How could they harm their son?”
No one could answer Jing Lin’s question.
The Liang family’s affairs were already complex; without being directly involved, it was impossible to understand why they would do such a thing.
Zhu Yan remained silent, her eyebrows knitted together. Although the case seemed to have progressed, it had become more complicated.
After a long while, Shen Du looked at Zhu Yan. “What are you thinking?”
Zhu Yan shook her head slightly, her face showing even more confusion. “I just can’t understand. If the main branch of the Liang family killed their son, why wasn’t Liang Chenzhong killed by the Water Goddess poison? Why was his heart removed instead?”
Zhu Yan’s question challenged everyone, and no one could answer.
“The killer might be someone else,” Shen Du calmly interjected. “If the killer was from the main branch, using the Water Goddess poison would have been completely unnecessary.”
The atmosphere grew heavy once again.
The case was becoming increasingly perplexing. Every time there seemed to be progress, it only became more complex.
Although Zhu Yan’s suspicions had been confirmed, they had no concrete evidence. Going directly to the Liang family to gather evidence wouldn’t be appropriate.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave,” Xu Xiangren said.
No one responded to him.
After another long silence, Xu Xiangren stepped forward and suddenly said, “There’s still much to do at the Local Constable Agency. I bid you farewell.”
Before anyone could respond, Xu Xiangren turned and left.