Chapter 140
Chapter 140
After Ren Fengjue handed the matter of Qiongying Inn over to Magistrate Huo, Yu Lang added a few more “details” about the case.
After all, these were orders from a high-ranking official from the capital. No one dared treat them lightly.
Magistrate Huo listened with utmost care. The county commandant and county assistant below him pricked up their ears and pulled out their record books to jot down every important detail, terrified they might make a mistake.
Even after seeing that particular “great Buddha” out of Ge Town, Magistrate Huo was still shaken.
He understood perfectly well that if he handled this matter properly, he could retire to his hometown with his reputation intact.
But if he failed, then retirement would be nothing but a dream, and returning home an impossibility.
And so, once Young Marquis Ren’s carriage had disappeared into the distance, he withdrew his gaze and looked up at the large characters spelling out “Qiongying Inn.” With his hands clasped behind his back and his expression stern, he instructed his subordinates, “Did you all understand? Start investigating from the very first case half a year ago. The truth of this matter must be reported in full, from beginning to end, down to the smallest detail!”
Though the people beneath him were confused, not one of them dared ask too many questions.
Who told them those orders had come from the mouth of the “Living Yama” himself?
If he wanted a case investigated, then never mind half a year ago-even if it had happened ten or twenty years ago, they would still have to investigate it!
The rain had stopped completely. Clear sunlight shone over the distant mountains, and a fresh wind swept beneath the vast sky.
Since Axia was still injured, Yu Lang volunteered to take on the task of driving the carriage.
Sitting at the front, he held the reins at an easy pace, yet asked Ren Fengjue inside the carriage, “My lord, since we already know the whole story behind the case, why didn’t we simply step in and take it over directly?”
Ren Fengjue smiled faintly. “That Magistrate Huo has served as the magistrate of Yan County for more than twenty years. He can hardly be called an upright official who loves the people, but he has at least gone all this time without any great merit or fault.”
“If, half a year ago, he had fulfilled his duties and thoroughly investigated this matter, then reported it truthfully, none of what followed would have happened.”
“Since this mess was created by his own hand, let him clean it up himself until the very end.”
“That way, it will also serve as a warning to the other prefectures and counties.”
After hearing Ren Fengjue’s words, Yu Lang instantly understood his intention.
This case had been buried for half a year. Reopening it for investigation was not something that could be finished in just a few days.
Not only would it take a long time, the difficulty would also increase.
That alone was enough to give Magistrate Huo a splitting headache.
It was the same as putting him over a fire and roasting him there, leaving him to suffer until the case was completely concluded.
Inside the carriage, Yan Zhengchu was still fiddling with his compass.
The ghostly aura that had belonged to Bai Qingshuang had already dissipated completely from the compass.
However, on that shattered Soul-Nurturing Pearl, there happened to be a trace of Yin-Sha Qi left behind after she had turned into smoke, and now it could be put to use.
Daoist Yan studied it for a long while and finally gained some clue.
“The direction is still north…”
“However, this Vengeful Ghost is skilled in the Soul-Bewildering Art. For the time being, I don’t have any ritual artifact capable of restraining her.”
“If we keep pursuing her like this, she may still escape just as she did at Qiongying Inn.”
Ren Fengjue nodded, understanding the situation. Then he suddenly asked, “Mount Yunhe is also to the north, isn’t it?”
Hearing this, Yan Zhengchu froze for a moment. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
By his calculations, his master should be coming out of seclusion soon as well.
If he returned to his sect, he could take the opportunity to ask about the Mount Yan Evil Ghosts.
Ren Fengjue said, “In any case, I had planned to make a trip to Mount Yunhe. We might as well continue in that direction.”
Then he suddenly paused and looked toward Xia Ximo, who was resting with her eyes closed beside them. He asked, “I wonder if Miss Xia would be willing to travel with us?”
At the side, Yan Zhengchu and Axia both looked toward Xia Ximo at the same time.
She sat upright in the seat of honor without even lifting her eyes, merely giving a faint response through her nose. “Mm.”
At that single reply from her, Ren Fengjue’s features naturally relaxed.
He himself did not notice it, but Yan Zhengchu and Axia saw it perfectly clearly.
“Ahem.”
The two of them covered their mouths and coughed lightly at the same time, exchanging a look. Some things needed no saying.
The carriage continued north, traveling for most of the day.
At dusk, they arrived at a county town called Kaiming.
Compared with Yan County, this county town was far larger. Once they passed through the city gates, a bustling, prosperous scene unfolded before them.
If not for the city towers around them being less imposing than those of Shangjing, one might have mistaken it, in that brief daze, for a return to the foot of the Son of Heaven.
A wealthy place like this naturally had no shortage of decent inns.
Yu Lang casually stopped a passerby and asked, “Sorry to trouble you, but what’s the best inn around here called? And how do we get there?”
After the incident at Qiongying Inn and another sleepless night of work, all of them wanted nothing more than to find somewhere comfortable to rest and recover.
The passerby said, “The best in this county is Yuelai Inn, but it’s often full. You usually have to book in advance.”
Then he suddenly added, “But you’ve come at just the right time. Old Master Shen of that inn is marrying off his most beloved only daughter in a few days.”
“A few days ago, the Old Master announced to the whole county that he would be holding a ten-day banquet at Yuelai Villa. Anyone who offers Miss Shen a word of congratulations may attend the feast. If you’re visitors from out of town, they won’t charge you a single coin and will let you stay at Yuelai Villa directly.”
Yu Lang’s interest was instantly piqued. He quickly asked, “Is Yuelai Villa grand? Is it comfortable to stay there?”
The passerby laughed. “Young Master, Yuelai Villa is the largest villa in our county. If you’re talking about grandeur, you won’t find a second place like it anywhere in the county.”
With that, he pointed to the broad road beside them. “Just follow this road straight ahead. It’s no more than three to five li. When you see two large stone lions in front of the gate and the double happiness characters hanging up, that’ll be Yuelai Villa.”
“And at this hour, the banquet is about to begin. If you walk a little faster, you’ll still make it.”
Yu Lang loved joining in on lively occasions, so he immediately turned the carriage around. “Many thanks, many thanks. We’ll go take a look right now.”
Inside the carriage, Ren Fengjue had naturally heard everything as well. He glanced at Xia Ximo and, seeing no change in her expression, let Yu Lang have his way.
Just as the passerby had said, when they arrived at Yuelai Villa, night had only just begun to fall.
At a glance, the entrance was extraordinarily lively.
Aside from the guests who had come to attend the banquet, servants had also been arranged inside the villa, standing in two rows. Each held a large round lacquered tray containing paper and brushes.
The old steward stood before the gate, asking every arriving guest to leave a congratulatory message on the paper before entering the banquet.
From a distance that was neither too near nor too far, Yu Lang watched carefully for a while, then said to the people inside the carriage, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen a wedding banquet like this. It actually looks rather novel.”
Before Ren Fengjue and the others could get off the carriage, the old steward spotted them from afar and hurried over to welcome them.
He bowed respectfully to Yu Lang, then said, “Honored guests from afar, have you come to attend the banquet?”
Yu Lang was clearly in high spirits. “We just arrived in Kaiming County and heard about the happy occasion at your villa, so we’ve come specially to offer our congratulations.”
The steward smiled warmly. “Please, honored guests, come with me at once. The banquet is about to begin.”
Yu Lang parked the carriage, and the remaining four also got down, walking together to the entrance of Yuelai Villa.
At the old steward’s signal, each of them picked up a brush from the servants and wrote a message on the paper.
Only Xia Ximo had yet to put brush to paper.