The dusty old case files of the Ceremonial Bureau, the ruthless assassin, and the heir of the Jing Prince's mansion.
Each clue intertwined, yet instead of making the puzzle clearer, it only added to the confusion.
Was there something wrong with the heir? Why did the Wu family massacre happen, and why was the mistress of the Wu family treated so cruelly? Who was the assassin? After a night of investigation, instead of finding answers, more questions arose.
The archives of the inner prison were silent, the flame of the oil lamp stood straight, as if the air itself had stopped flowing.
Only when the wick crackled and sparked did Xifeng whisper, "Sir, perhaps we should leave this case alone for now and wait for Lord Jinzhu to return."
Chen Ji, sitting across the table, nodded with a smile.
"Indeed, this is not a case we should meddle with. Let's just assume it was the work of ghosts and leave it at that."
As soon as he finished speaking, the flame of the oil lamp flickered, and a cold wind surged from the depths of the inner prison.
Chen Ji felt the icy current rise from the depths, just like last time.
As long as he stayed in the inner prison long enough, the cold would find him.
Xifeng, sensing the chill, immediately stood up and drew his sword, his gaze cold as he looked towards the source of the wind.
"Sir, did you feel that eerie breeze just now?"
Chen Ji chuckled.
"I thought you didn't believe in ghosts."
Xifeng hesitated for a moment.
"Everyone says they exist, though I've never seen one. But with gods existing in this world, who's to say there aren't ghosts?"
This time, it was Chen Ji's turn to be surprised.
"There are really gods? Have you seen one?"
Xifeng lowered his voice.
"The deputy director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, Xu Shu, is said to be a reincarnated god."
"Ah," Chen Ji exclaimed, recalling the name.
During the Double Ninth Festival, when the Buddha passed by the Taiping Medical Hall, his master had mentioned Xu Shu.
He was the only son of the late Grand Secretary Xu Gong, who had died unexpectedly.
Xu Gong had spent a fortune to have the abbot of Yuanjue Temple use a seven-treasure lotus lamp to reconstruct his body, allowing him to live again.
How did he become a reincarnated god in Xifeng's words?
Chen Ji asked, puzzled, "I remember he was Xu Gong's son. How did he become a god?"
Xifeng thought for a moment.
"I don't know how he became a god, but this is what Lord Wu Xiu personally told Lord Jinzhu. Many in the Ceremonial Bureau heard it, and Lord Wu Xiu wouldn't lie."
"Wu Xiu?"
"The chief eunuch of the Ceremonial Bureau, now serving by the emperor's side, a powerful figure in the inner court. Come on, sir, it's getting late. Let me escort you back."
Chen Ji thought for a moment.
"Xifeng, could you give me a moment? I'd like to use the writing materials here to write a letter to a friend."
Xifeng nodded.
"Of course, sir. I'll wait outside."
Chen Ji picked up a brush, carefully choosing his words as he wrote a letter on a piece of paper.
Once the ink dried, he folded the letter and tucked it into his sleeve.
After leaving the inner prison, Xifeng helped Chen Ji into a carriage.
The carriage rattled for what felt like an eternity before dropping him off by the roadside in the eastern market.
As the carriage slowly departed, Chen Ji removed the black cloth from his eyes and watched the carriage disappear into the distance.
Chen Ji walked back for a while, making sure no one was following him, before approaching a small beggar lying by the roadside.
He crouched beside the beggar and softly called out.
The beggar opened his eyes, startled by the masked figure.
"Don't take me..."
Chen Ji extended his hand, revealing twenty copper coins in his palm.
The beggar immediately reached for them, but Chen Ji closed his hand and withdrew it.
He pulled out the letter from his sleeve and handed it to the beggar.
"Take this letter to the Taiping Medical Hall tomorrow. If you deliver it by tomorrow night, I'll give you twenty copper coins. Remember, Taiping Medical Hall."
The beggar nodded eagerly.
"Yes, sir! I'll deliver it first thing in the morning!"
Light snow began to fall, dusting Chen Ji's hair.
The beggar suddenly spoke up.
"Sir, could you spare one coin for a bun? I'm starving."
In the dim light of the night, Chen Ji tossed two coins to the beggar, then turned and walked westward, his hands tucked into his sleeves.
...
Early in the morning, Anxi Street was already bustling with activity.
Liang Mao'er, wrapped in a cotton coat, sleepily walked to the entrance of the medical hall and saw the prince's servants carrying buckets of salt, scattering it on the snow-covered stone road.
He was puzzled.
Yesterday, the prince's mansion had only cleared the snow in front of their own gate.
Why were they now generously spreading salt, which cost thirty coins per pound, all over the street?
Not only that, the servants were also handing out baskets of bright red Yanmen dates to the neighbors, adding a festive atmosphere.
Someone inside the medical hall asked curiously, "What's going on?"
Liang Mao'er turned to see Chen Ji and Liu Quxing, both dressed and standing at the entrance.
At that moment, Xibing, carrying a basket, passed by the Taiping Medical Hall.
She smiled and approached Chen Ji.
"Chen Ji, hold out your clothes. I'll give you some dates."
Chen Ji laughed and lifted the hem of his robe.
Xibing poured half a basket of dates into it.
Liu Quxing, feeling left out, complained, "Xibing, why are you so nice to Chen Ji? Give me some too!" Xibing rolled her eyes.
"This is for all of you. If you want some, take it from Chen Ji. I have more houses to visit."
Chen Ji watched Xibing's retreating figure and asked, "Is there a big celebration at the prince's mansion?"
Liu Quxing thought for a moment.
"Perhaps the prince is returning? The neighbors on Anxi Street say that when the prince is around, the mansion is very generous. When he's away, they become stingy..."
As they spoke, the servants brought out bamboo brooms and swept the street clean, as if the snow had never fallen.
From the backyard came the sound of someone climbing over the wall.
The princess called out, "Who took the ladder? Help me, bring it over!"
Liu Quxing hurried to the back.
"I'll get it!"
Chen Ji turned to see the princess climbing down the ladder.
She stood by the wall, untied a small pouch from her waist, and handed a piece of silver to Liu Quxing.
"Buy six baskets of meat buns and four baskets of vegetarian buns. Yesterday, I saw Brother Mao'er eat four baskets and still wasn't full. Let's get more today."
Liang Mao'er chuckled.
"The princess is truly kind-hearted."
Just then, a dirty, ragged beggar rushed towards the medical hall, holding a letter.
Liang Mao'er quickly grabbed him by the collar.
"What are you doing?"
The beggar stammered, "Someone told me to deliver this letter here. There's a reward!"
Chen Ji took the letter and opened it.
"To my dear brother, the heir... A letter for the heir?"
He calmly walked to the backyard and handed the letter to the heir.
"Heir, this is for you."
"For me?" The heir took the letter, his expression darkening after reading just a few lines.
Chen Ji observed the heir's reaction and asked curiously, "Heir, who wrote the letter? You seem upset."
The heir sighed.
"It's from Zhang Ping, Wang Quan, Wang Wu, and Li Bo, the ones we drank with before. They... they have to leave Luocheng and can't drink with us anymore."
Chen Ji suddenly realized that the heir might not know that these four were already dead.
The letter was written by Chen Ji himself, to see how the heir would react to receiving a letter from the dead.
If the heir knew they were dead, no matter how well he acted, there would be some doubt in his eyes.
But the heir's first reaction was sadness, not confusion.
As they spoke, even Bai Li came over.
Seeing the letter, she sneered.
"These people left because they were ashamed to face us. Brother, why are you sad?"
The heir said softly, "We were friends for a while."
Chen Ji suddenly felt that the heir might not be the problem.
First, the night before last, when Jinzhu surrounded Red Clothes Alley with the Imperial Guards, the Jing Dynasty's military intelligence had already received the news.
Even the madam and Yan'er from the Golden House had fled, yet the heir had foolishly walked into the trap.
That didn't make sense.
Second, the heir had spent three years at Donglin Academy.
If he truly had ambition and courage, he would have patiently befriended scholars instead of spending his days drinking with vagabonds at the taverns.
Wait.
Chen Ji suddenly realized he might have been looking in the wrong direction.
Perhaps the heir hadn't gone to the Golden House in Red Clothes Alley of his own accord, but was lured there by those four vagabonds, who knew Jinzhu was about to surround the place.
If the heir was taken to the inner prison, who in the prince's mansion would benefit? Naturally, it would be Consort Jing and Consort Yun.
The Jing Prince clearly still had the ability to father children.
If his only son were gone, he would naturally seek to have another child to continue the family line.
In that case, the heir to the Jing Prince's title would be the child of Consort Jing or Consort Yun.
And who in the Jing Prince's mansion would have advance knowledge of the Golden House being surrounded? Consort Yun!
A chill ran down Chen Ji's spine.
Consort Yun!
If this entire affair was orchestrated by Consort Yun to eliminate the heir and send him to the inner prison, then have the four vagabonds killed to cover her tracks, many things would make sense.
He had heard of the ruthless struggles for succession in ancient times, but had always dismissed them as exaggerated tales.
Now, he was experiencing the brutal reality firsthand.
Wait, no.
Chen Ji shook his head, laughing at his own wild speculation.
After all, Bai Li had also been at the Golden House that night, and she was Consort Yun's own daughter.
Even if Consort Yun wanted to eliminate the heir, she wouldn't sacrifice her own daughter, would she?
Moreover, if the heir was taken to the inner prison, what if the entire prince's mansion was implicated?
Chen Ji dismissed the thought.
Bai Li came over, seeing him deep in thought, and asked, "What are you thinking about? You seem troubled."
Chen Ji smiled.
"Nothing, I'm fine. Really."
Just then, Liang Mao'er came running back with a stack of steaming baskets.
"Chen Ji, princess, come and eat some buns."
Chen Ji smiled and replied, "Coming."
He glanced at the heir and then at Bai Li.
As long as the heir wasn't a scheming, malicious person, everything would be fine.
(End of Chapter)