Early the next morning, the large group of people continued their journey. Halfway through, Uncle Ban finally woke up. Actually his injuries weren’t severe—it was just that his old heart condition had flared up, and taking the medicine he carried with him had made him sleep until now. But the other Old Comrade Wan truly had serious injuries and barely woke for a moment even after reaching the post station.

After settling everyone properly, Ling Buyi immediately summoned a physician to treat Wan Songbai, only to learn that several wounds on his front and back were all serious injuries. If he immediately set out on the road again, the wounds would certainly tear open, causing secondary trauma. Thus Ling Buyi could only submit a memorial to the Emperor, explaining the suspicious circumstances within and requesting permission for Wan Songbai to recuperate for several days before departing for the capital.

At this time, the battle at Shouchen had reached its final stages. In this campaign, Ling Buyi had killed four or five of General Peng’s generals, crushed two waves of enemy forces, and captured a semi-attached county seat—the merits that should be established had been established. The remaining military honors should also be left for the other young friends, so everyone could continue sitting in a row eating fruits. Therefore, after sending someone to deliver a letter to Marquis Cui, he remained at the post station. Young Marquis Ban needed to watch over his uncle’s recovery, so naturally he stayed as well.

This huge crowd of people almost occupied the entire post station. Fortunately, with warfare ahead, officials everywhere had to remain at their posts on guard against incidents. The post station was in its off-season—apart from receiving several waves of messengers delivering military intelligence, they didn’t disturb anything else.

Wan Songbai had lost considerable blood and lay on his sickbed for two days. When occasionally awake, he was dazed and confused. Seeing her father so weak, Wan Qiqi was extremely distressed. However, she wasn’t the crying type—she just hid in places where no one could see her, gritting her teeth while sharpening her blade, secretly vowing to find the person behind this and take revenge. Just as she was about to grind her thick-backed cleaver into a fruit knife, Wan Songbai finally regained consciousness.

After drinking three large bowls of meat bone and white rice porridge plus half a stewed chicken in one go, Old Comrade Wan recovered sixty or seventy percent of his vitality. He then resolutely refused the physician’s newly offered medicinal soup, his roaring voice shaking half the post station until everyone could hear. Ling Buyi indicated that since the patient was in such good spirits, everyone might as well hurry to “visit the sick.” Shaoshang and the others all agreed. To find an “outsider” to serve as witness, Ling Buyi conveniently grabbed Young Marquis Ban and brought him along.

In the sickroom, Wan Songbai stroked his general’s belly that had deflated by half, his heart aching like twisted knots: “…Who exactly wants me dead so badly!” He had already heard Ling Buyi’s deductions from Wan Fu.

“You have to ask yourself, Father!” Wan Qiqi said with a stern face. “Father, you tell us yourself—did you make enemies with someone these past few months! Did you oppress subordinate officials and treat the local great families harshly!”

“Nonsense! Is there anyone in this world as kind, generous, and easy to talk to as me as a superior!” Wan Songbai matched his daughter’s volume. “Only my worthy brother Cheng can barely compare with me!”

Old Comrade Wan’s roar was like thunder. Ban Jia on the side shrank back from the shock. Cheng Song looked awkwardly toward Ling Buyi, hoping his future brother-in-law wouldn’t be scared away by the Cheng family’s in-laws. Cheng Shaogong dug at his ears, unperturbed. Shaoshang watched the show with great interest, wishing she could find some melon seeds and preserved plums.

Wan Qiqi exploded: “Isn’t Father embarrassed saying such things! I’ve never heard such shameless words!”

“Why should I be embarrassed? I’m speaking the truth!”

“A’Fu, you come tell us—isn’t Father violent-tempered and harsh!”

“Uh… this humble one thinks…” Wan Fu had only said five words when Wan Songbai’s glaring gaze swept over.

Wan Fu immediately displayed excellent servant qualities, speaking in a torrent: “This humble one thinks the master is right the master only looks fierce on the surface but has the kindest heart under heaven this humble one’s words are entirely true the sun and moon bear witness heaven and earth can attest!”

“A’Fu, your conscience has been eaten by dogs!” Wan Qiqi shrieked.

“If you dare threaten A’Fu again, I’ll deduct half your dowry and give it to Zifu as private funds!”

“Deduct it then!”

Seeing father and daughter about to come to blows, Ling Buyi slapped the table and said in a deep voice: “Please, Governor Wan, calm yourself!”

Both father and daughter were somewhat cowed by Ling Buyi and could only shut their mouths together.

“Governor Wan, please think carefully—have you truly not offended anyone these past months?” Ling Buyi said.

Wan Songbai lowered his flags and stopped his drums, thinking hard before saying: “I truly haven’t offended anyone. When taking up the post of Xu prefecture governor this time, my mother specifically found an elder to serve as my advisor. That old fellow daily reminds me morning and night that these are peaceful times, not chaotic warfare—I must be humble and magnanimous, governing the prefecture with benevolence. To speak honestly, in all these decades, these past few months have been the most calm and peaceful I’ve lived. I haven’t even quarreled with anyone! If you don’t believe me, I’ll have someone fetch Tutor Lu… Alas, he’s advanced in years, his legs aren’t convenient, and his body is weak, so when I came to the capital to see the Emperor this time, I didn’t bring him along.”

“No rush. Three days ago I already sent someone back to Governor Wan’s administration at Xu prefecture to report this. Since the deputy administrator must remain on duty, this time I only requested the registrar and your advisor, Tutor Lu. They should arrive today.” Ling Buyi said.

Wan Songbai sat back down on the bed sheepishly, thinking to himself that you’re truly not polite—my subordinates, my advisor, you summon them as you please. No wonder whenever my worthy brother Cheng mentions his only daughter’s husband, he looks like red rain is falling from heaven.

Ling Buyi placed one hand on the table, his slender fingers lightly tapping: “In that case, Governor Wan truly hasn’t offended anyone, so then…”

“Then Uncle is blocking someone’s path!” Shaoshang followed smoothly. “Uncle, in Xu prefecture, were you planning to promote benefits and eliminate abuses, displaying great ambitions, thus touching upon the interests of local powerful families, becoming a thorn in someone’s eye and flesh they must remove?”

“What benefits to promote, what abuses to eliminate?” Wan Qiqi muttered. “Shaoshang, you’re putting too much gold on Father’s face. He’s not such an ambitious person.”

“Shut up! You’re getting more and more unruly!” Wan Songbai glared at his daughter, then said to Ling Buyi: “Lord Ling sees clearly—it’s not that I occupy my position doing nothing, but rather… does my lord know who the previous Xu prefecture governor was? It was the renowned scholar Gongsun Bo. I rarely admire people in my life, but this Gongsun Bo is truly capable and efficient. In just a few years, he managed that impoverished place of Xu prefecture in perfect order.”

Ling Buyi nodded: “Correct. Gongsun Bo is indeed a talented administrator for peaceful times. His Majesty had long heard of him and has now promoted him to guard Liaodong.”

Cheng Shaogong said quietly: “Such a remote place with so many people outside civilization—I heard they even have customs of eating raw meat and drinking blood. It seems being valued by the Emperor isn’t necessarily all good.”

Cheng Song quickly pinched his brother hard under his sleeve. Fortunately few people heard these words, except for Ban Jia who had just shrunk over.

Young Marquis Ban smiled kindly and said softly: “I’d like to travel everywhere and see things—distant sunsets over desolate lands, vast seas and celestial towers just thinking of them fills one with longing.”

Cheng Shaogong covered his arm and laughed despite himself: “You get lost even in the capital, yet you want to go see desolate lands and vast seas?!”

Ban Jia’s face reddened and he lowered his head, saying nothing more.

Wan Songbai continued: “…Lord Ling speaks truly. The previous administrator’s policies benefited the locality. I’m not someone who arrogantly overestimates myself. Since going to Xu prefecture, I’ve consistently followed established practices, never stirred up any newfangled policies. How then could I have touched upon local interests?”

Neither this nor that—everyone fell into silence, truly unable to think of who would want to kill Wan Songbai.

At this moment, a guard reported that people from Xu prefecture had arrived. Ling Buyi immediately had them enter. Two people came—an old man and a middle-aged man.

The thin, white-haired and bearded old man that Wan Songbai first went to support was Tutor Lu. When everyone saw him, they realized Wan Songbai’s earlier statement about “inconvenient legs” was obviously far too polite. The old man’s left leg had been amputated below the knee, and he periodically made hoarse coughing sounds. He had clearly suffered terrible things during wartime and was brought here this time carried on a sedan chair by strong servants.

The other plump, round-faced man was Registrar Yin. He was a local who had just been promoted by Wan Songbai, so he threw himself directly beside Wan Songbai, alternately grieving over his patron’s suffering and cursing the bandits’ shamelessness.

The three men Wan, Lu, and Yin chattered for a long time, ultimately all saying the same thing: these past months, Old Comrade Wan had indeed cultivated his character, been amiable and approachable, lived simply—apart from researching how to beget sons, he could even be said to have done nothing. All three couldn’t understand who would want to kill him.

Shaoshang felt irritated. There was a saying about “a thousand years of being a thief but not a thousand years of guarding against thieves.” If they couldn’t ferret out that leader lurking in the shadows, heaven knows when the Wan family might be targeted again. This case was different from the previous Qu Lingjun case—that affair was ultimately in a fixed environment, somewhat similar to the werewolf game at the Liang manor, where killing back and forth would eventually reach the true culprit. But this current assassination case belonged to the vast sea of humanity, without a trace, not knowing where to begin.

Ling Buyi saw she was heavy with worry and went to hold her small hand, comforting: “Don’t worry. We can still interrogate Huang Wen, still trace the origins of that group of assassins. Nothing in this world is impossible—I also don’t believe anyone in this world can cover the sky with one hand.”

Shaoshang laughed inwardly. These ancient people not only lacked investigative spirit but couldn’t produce much rule of law spirit either—at the slightest provocation they wanted to extract confessions through torture. And covering the sky with one hand? She thought her dear fiancé’s ideas were all about not breaking hands… eh, hands?

She stared fixedly at Ling Buyi’s hand—fair and clean, warm and slender, the fingertips even showing a faint watery red color.

“What is it?” Ling Buyi saw her expression was off.

Shaoshang gently stroked his left arm, saying quietly: “Do you remember that time… when you broke your own arm—what was it for?”

Ling Buyi’s eyes deepened.

Shaoshang said: “Because I stumbled upon something I shouldn’t have seen.”

“Why bring this up suddenly?”

“Could Uncle Wan have also inadvertently witnessed something?”

Ling Buyi froze, as if he hadn’t anticipated this.

Shaoshang turned her head: “Uncle, in these past months after taking up your post at Xu prefecture, where have you been?”

Wan Songbai was stunned, hesitating: “What do you mean by this? I’ve been in Xu prefecture the whole time, never left… A’Fu, isn’t that right?”

Wan Fu thought carefully and said: “The master speaks truly. Apart from taking a detour on your way to the post to visit neighboring Chen prefecture to the south to celebrate the Chen prefecture governor’s birthday, for the following months you remained in Xu prefecture… Tutor Lu wouldn’t let you go elsewhere. Oh right, last month when Marquis Cui’s army passed through our prefecture, you once greeted the army by the roadside. Nothing else.”

Tutor Lu stroked his beard and smiled lightly. Wan Songbai turned his head: “Niaoniao heard it—this is the honest truth!”

Shaoshang continued asking: “Tutor Lu, Registrar Yin, please both of you think carefully—these past months, has there been any unexplained deaths within Xu prefecture?”

Wan Songbai said: “Old Yin, your memory is good. Have there been such incidents?”

Registrar Yin gazed at the ceiling for a while, counting on his fingers: “Now in this age of peace and prosperity, our prefecture has no bandits. Unexplained deaths… Hmm, five months ago a woodcutter silently died in his home. His clansmen accused his wife of murdering her husband.”

Tutor Lu shook his head: “Not that. Later someone else at the same mountain base died the same way. The county coroner discovered it was a peculiar mountain snake—being bitten would only kill a person after several hours.”

Registrar Yin continued: “Four months ago two villages brawled. Six or seven village braves returned home and died with blood flowing from their nostrils.”

Shaoshang thought it should be intracranial hemorrhaging and said: “Since it was a brawl between villages, that’s also not it.”

Registrar Yin’s memory was indeed very good. Next he recounted several more deaths reported by various counties.

There were children who died playing and fell into rivers and drowned; idlers who died drunk, knocking their heads fatally on bluestone; old people who greedily ate rice cakes at home contaminated with rat poison; even mountain rocks that slid down and killed several farming households… All told, about ten or so cases.

Some among them like Ling Buyi and Tutor Lu already somewhat understood Shaoshang’s intent, but there were also those like Wan Qiqi who were completely confused. The remaining several were half-comprehending.

“…A fire?” Wan Fu suddenly said. “This humble one dares ask the registrar—what was that shrine that caught fire called?”

Registrar Yin was just mentioning a certain remote small shrine catching fire, with four shamans inside unable to escape and all burning to death.

“Uh…” He thought hard. “It seemed to be called something Water Shrine?”

“Was it called Cascading Water Shrine?” Wan Fu pressed.

Registrar Yin thought for another long while, painfully saying: “Alas, I truly can’t remember. These several prefectures of ours are rife with beliefs in spirits and gods. Such rural shrines are everywhere. By mountains there are mountain god shrines, by water there are water god shrines. Even where a particularly thick old tree grows, there might be a sacred tree shrine beside it.”

But Wan Fu questioned more urgently: “So was this shrine in the southeast direction of Xu prefecture? Hmm, almost reaching Chen prefecture?”

Registrar Yin slapped his thigh: “Exactly! In the southern part of Anguo County—pass through a stretch of forest and you’re in Chen prefecture.”

“What’s this about? What’s this about?” Wan Songbai didn’t understand. “What does this have to do with anything? What Cascading Water Shrine? I’ve never heard of it.”

Tutor Lu sighed: “Master has forgotten. Four months ago, a slovenly shaman claiming to travel the world came to Xu prefecture. Master even had him divine a fortune regarding your offspring.”

Wan Songbai’s old face reddened: “Oh, so it was that matter.”

“Father, you went asking charlatans for help again. I’m going to tell Grandmother when I return.” Wan Qiqi said with displeasure.

Wan Songbai laughed dryly and scolded: “Your grandmother’s health isn’t good. Don’t you dare talk too much!”

“Oh my, Qiqi, don’t interrupt. Uncle, you continue—what did that shaman say? What relation does it have to that shrine that caught fire?” Cheng Song pulled back his fiancée from behind, urgently pressing.

“What else could it be! That damned scoundrel gave me a rotten idea, saying something about how the southeast belongs to metal and fire, with vigorous yang energy, favorable for male offspring. He told me to walk southeast for seven days and seven nights, and along the way, no matter what large shrine or small altar I saw, bow my head in worship, and my sincerity would move the spirits!” Wan Songbai said irritably.

“Uncle, was this method efficacious?” Cheng Shaogong’s eyes brightened.

“Efficacious my foot! Nine out of ten shamans are frauds. Exhausted me half to death. Got no sons, nearly stopped breathing, none of my concubines showed any signs!” Wan Songbai felt his old waist aching faintly again. Truly bedroom affairs were fiercer than tigers.

Tutor Lu, seeing unmarried young ladies like Wan Qiqi and Shaoshang in the room, coughed lightly: “Master was indeed quite exhausted, traveling through three or four county seats. After returning, he even fell ill for a time.”

Ling Buyi glanced at him and smiled faintly without speaking.

Wan Qiqi’s heart ached for her father, but she said: “Father treats Grandmother’s instructions like wind past his ears. If those shamans were truly useful, our family would have had male offspring long ago. They’re all money swindlers!”

“Dead girl speaks nicely! Your grandmother also told you to learn to be virtuous and refined. Look at your manner—even butchers in the marketplace are more cultured than you! If I were Zifu, I’d rather marry a pig butcher than you!”

“Father…!”

Tutor Lu coughed heavily. Father and daughter reluctantly shut their mouths.

The old man continued: “That shaman was indeed there to swindle. Being pestered severely by the master and urgently needing him to perform magic and display divine powers, in order to escape he deceived the master into going southeast… Later after the master left, he indeed took the opportunity to flee.” Pausing, he asked: “A’Fu, did the master go to this sacred water shrine?”

Wan Fu said: “Precisely. That day was the seventh day. Master originally rested his feet in Anguo County, then planned to return to the administrative seat. Who knew someone mentioned there was still a small shrine in the countryside? Master left his attendants in the county and only rode with this humble one, planning to go quickly and return quickly. Master was exhausted from consecutive days and didn’t notice the surroundings, but this humble one glimpsed that small shrine’s entrance had the two characters ‘Cascading Water’ written on it.”

Shaoshang quickly pressed: “What happened afterward?”

Wan Fu shook his head: “Nothing happened. Same as before—we prayed in a circle, left several hundred coins, then left.”

“Then did you see anyone?”

“That place was very remote. Even on the road there were few people. The shrine was even more desolate—only four shamans repairing damaged walls… Hmm, those four were two old and two young, looking like a family of four. However…”

“However what?” Cheng Song anxiously pressed.

Wan Fu recalled the scene then: “As I was supporting the master stepping out the entrance, a young man in riding attire just happened to enter.”

“Why did you need to support Uncle?” Cheng Shaogong interjected.

Wan Fu grimaced: “Master had kowtowed over twenty times in one breath, kowtowing fiercely. When standing up, he couldn’t even stand steady!”

“A’Fu! Less nonsense!” Wan Songbai said in embarrassment and anger.

Cheng Shaogong covered his mouth laughing lightly. Wan Qiqi felt exasperated with her father’s foolishness. Ban Jia and Registrar Yin awkwardly turned their heads aside. Cheng Song quickly rebuked: “Shaogong, don’t interrupt! A’Fu, continue—was this the only person you saw?”

Wan Fu scratched his head and smiled: “Not just this one. As the master and I were about to ride away, a carriage passed us, stopping at that small shrine’s entrance. An old scholar in his forties or fifties stepped down from the carriage. Then we left.”

Shaoshang’s heart beat a bit faster: “So these two people arranged to meet at that small shrine and you inadvertently witnessed it. Uncle, A’Fu, do you still remember those two people’s appearances?”

Wan Songbai and Wan Fu looked at each other, simultaneously showing difficult expressions—

“The details I can’t remember clearly. I vaguely feel that old scholar looked somewhat familiar.”

“The details I can’t remember clearly. This humble one seems to have seen that young horseman somewhere.”

The two spoke simultaneously. As soon as the words fell, everyone and the master-servant pair were stunned.

“A’Fu, did you remember wrong? People I’ve seen, you must have seen too.” Wan Songbai said.

Wan Fu was also full of doubt: “Yes, this humble one has attended the master—all these years I’ve almost never left your side.”

At this moment, Ling Buyi, who had been sitting quietly without speaking, suddenly asked with grave expression: “Have you truly never been separated?”

Wan Fu thought: “Only this time was an exception. Master had to go take up the Xu prefecture post and couldn’t delay any longer. But previously the master had campaigned abroad for ten years—many things weren’t properly sorted. There were also several relatives and friends to give gifts and pay respects to. So the master and the lady set out first. This humble one remained at the manor to handle those trivial matters before going to Xu prefecture to find the master.”

Shaoshang subtly felt this matter was very important but couldn’t grasp the key point, so could only focus on the immediate: “Uncle, A’Fu, can you describe those two people’s appearances? I’ll find a painter…”

“No need.” Ling Buyi said. He looked toward Ban Jia in the corner. “Young Marquis, I trouble you greatly.”

Young Marquis Ban smiled: “Lord Ling, don’t be so polite. Finally there’s something I can be useful for.”

Bringing out brush, ink, and silk, Ban Jia held the brush ready. The Wan family master and servant began describing back and forth. After some effort, the hopeful crowd was disappointed.

After all, it was something from four months ago, just a passing glance without attention. The master and servant’s memories were both somewhat blurred. More importantly, those two both had ordinary appearances—neither handsome nor ugly, neither tall nor short. Whether face or build, there was nothing whatsoever distinctive about them.

Looking at the two portraits, everyone in the room had nothing to say—the most ordinary oval faces with slightly square jaws, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears all present. No birthmarks, scars, moles, or spots on the faces. No missing hands or lame legs on the bodies. The entire person had no memorable points.

Young Marquis Ban said shamefully: “My learning is insufficient.”

Shaoshang sighed: “It’s not Young Marquis’s fault.” This era lacked three-dimensional sketch tutorials.

She looked at those two portraits with simple lines and abstract outlines, quietly asking Ling Buyi: “Have people really ever caught anyone based on such portraits?”

Ling Buyi smiled and chided her with a glance: “How could they not?”

Seeing everyone was somewhat dejected, Wan Songbai said carelessly: “Don’t overthink it. I don’t think it has anything to do with those two. I personally experienced those assassins the other day—they’re no ordinary goods. Without a hundred thousand taels or so, who could afford to hire them? That old pauper could produce such money? Ridiculous!”

Everyone smiled. Wan Qiqi said weakly: “Father, stop calling people paupers at every turn.”

Shaoshang’s heart jumped, suddenly asking: “Uncle, how do you know that old scholar was a pauper?”

“Because he was riding an ox cart!” Wan Songbai said casually, his tone full of pride. “An ox cart is one thing, but it was one blue ox and one yellow ox—he couldn’t even match the color of his old oxen. If that’s not a pauper, what is!”

With a thud, everyone turned back to look. Registrar Yin’s water container had fallen onto the table. His face was full of shock, as if he’d seen something extremely terrifying.

“Master, what did you say?! An ox cart? One blue ox, one yellow ox?”

Ling Buyi said in a deep voice: “You recognize this person. Who is he?”

Registrar Yin’s body shook like a sieve, saying in terror: “That… that might be the… County Magistrate Yan of Tongniu County!”