Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The vengeful spirit suddenly dissipated in response to his arrival.

Xia Ximo frowned and turned her head, only to see the carriage curtain being lifted, revealing a face as handsome as polished jade.

Ren Fengjue seemed to have just returned from the Ministry of Justice. He was still dressed in his solemn official uniform. The setting sun over the bridge cast a glow upon him, its soft halo tempering his official aura and adding a touch of refined elegance to his appearance.

He asked with a smile, “Would Miss Xia like to return with me?”

Looking at the purple official robes he wore, Xia Ximo paused for a moment as if a thought had struck her. Instead of answering his invitation, she asked, “What rank is an official who wears the same color as you?”

This question caught Ren Fengjue somewhat by surprise.

Nevertheless, he replied formally, “In the Great Qi dynasty, official uniforms are blue for the ninth rank and above, green for the seventh rank and above, red for the fifth rank and above, and purple for the third rank and above.”

“Why do you ask, Miss Xia?”

Xia Ximo didn’t answer. Instead, she stepped onto the mounting block, seemingly intending to board the carriage directly.

Seeing that her pleated skirt made her movements somewhat difficult, Ren Fengjue immediately reached out to give her a hand.

The distance between them closed instantly. He could smell the faint scent of her cosmetic powder and the floral fragrance of her hair oil.

He froze slightly, finding himself looking into a pair of dark, luminous eyes.

“Where do I sit?” Xia Ximo asked.

The interior of the carriage wasn’t large. Usually, it was more than enough for Ren Fengjue alone, and occasionally squeezing Yu Lang in was manageable.

However, Xia Ximo was a woman. If the two of them sat close together, it would be somewhat improper.

Thus, Lord Ren gave up his usual seat and sat instead on the small square stool where Yu Lang often sat.

“You sit here.”

Hearing this, Xia Ximo didn’t stand on ceremony and sat down immediately.

A faint, imperceptible smile brushed across Ren Fengjue’s face before he called out to Axia to start the carriage.

The wheels rumbled as they slowly passed through the bustling crowds of the East Market.

A ray of the setting sun filtered through the curtain, illuminating Xia Ximo’s face.

She suddenly spoke up. “Has an official of the third rank or higher died in your imperial court recently?”

Ren Fengjue was inwardly shocked.

This was a secret of the court that had occurred over a month ago.

Because the circumstances were so bizarre, the Emperor had ordered Ren Fengjue to investigate it in secret.

Currently, only the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple knew the details.

How did Xia Ximo find out?

If anyone else had asked, Lord Ren might have brushed them off with official jargon, but he certainly wouldn’t have answered.

But this was Xia Ximo…

A person who had stirred up a year-old injustice as soon as she arrived in the capital.

Just what kind of abilities did she possess?

Ren Fengjue quickly weighed his options before saying, “Before I answer that, I hope Miss Xia can answer a question of mine first.”

Xia Ximo didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly, “What is it?”

“How did you find out about that old injustice at the Brocade Garment Manor?”

Their gazes met briefly, like two bright, sharp blades clashing, each revealing its own edge.

Xia Ximo was the first to look away. She replied coldly, “I can see things that you ordinary mortals cannot see with the naked eye.”

Ren Fengjue chuckled. “Are you referring to ghosts, Miss Xia?”

“Yes.”

Xia Ximo glanced at him again, her expression clearly carrying a warning. “I know you might not believe me, but you’d best stop prying into my affairs.”

“I believe you, of course.”

Ren Fengjue didn’t show the slightest bit of temper regarding her bluntness.

He even felt a bit surprised at his own patience.

He then asked, “So, you learned about the matter because you saw Zhuyan’s ghost?”

“Yes.”
Xia Ximo was a woman of few words. Clearly, she had no intention of revealing anything more.

Ren Fengjue was tactful enough to change the subject. “So, the reason Miss Xia asked that just now was because you saw a ghost?”

The Soul-Ferrying Lantern inside her pouch immediately trembled.

Though Wuyou didn’t dare manifest, its voice whispered in her ear, “It might be faster to find the answer through him.”

Xia Ximo frowned slightly.

It had been about ten days since she had borrowed a corpse to return to the world of the living, and she was slowly realizing that the mortal realm was now full of constraints.

It wasn’t like the past she remembered…

Back then, she had been powerful enough to be omnipotent.

Now, relying solely on her weak soul power and a physical body that could experience a “dissipation of soul and spirit” at any moment, the limitations were indeed too many.

“Yes, I saw his ghost,”

Xia Ximo simply admitted. “On the bridge just now. He was wearing the same official uniform as you, and he was burned alive.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Fengjue’s expression shifted.

Through these few simple descriptions, he knew she wasn’t lying.

A case he had been investigating for over a month with no progress suddenly seemed to have a new breakthrough.

“Correct.”

Ren Fengjue picked up where she left off. “The man you’re describing should be the Minister of Works, Meng Zhiyuan, who self-immolated in his study a month ago.”

“Self-immolated?”

Xia Ximo expressed her doubt. “He has grievances. It didn’t look like suicide.”

Ren Fengjue felt another jolt in his heart.

Indeed.

Meng Zhiyuan was an upright and honest official. Since taking the post of Minister of Works, he had been dedicated to serving the imperial court.

In fact, just days before his death, he had been drafting a map for the transport of grain via water routes.

However, before the task was completed, a fire broke out in his study. Disasters began to strike the Ministry of Works one after another, and all the blame was shifted onto Minister Meng Zhiyuan.

The dead cannot speak. With the cause of death unclear, it was labeled a “suicide out of fear of punishment.”

The Emperor was deeply grieved by the matter and had ordered Ren Fengjue to investigate it in secret.

Unfortunately, every lead he found had been severed. It was obvious that someone was pulling the strings from the shadows.

“I also believe he was wronged.”

Ren Fengjue’s brow furrowed slightly as he spoke with a hint of lament. “To be honest, I have been under orders to investigate this case for over a month, but I haven’t made any progress…”

Wuyou’s voice cut in, reaching Xia Ximo’s ears first.

“If you can’t get anywhere with the living, then investigate through the dead! Hurry up and have him take you to the crime scene. You’ll definitely be able to find the ghost…”

“Shut up.”

Xia Ximo was annoyed by the noise and couldn’t help but rebuke the talkative spirit of the lantern.

However, Ren Fengjue, who had been preparing to explain the suspicious points of the case, thought she was speaking to him. For a moment, he was stunned and at a loss.

Xia Ximo didn’t seem to want to know too much, nor did she explain herself. She simply asked, “Just tell me, where is the residence where that man burned himself?”

Ren Fengjue snapped back to reality. “It’s not far from here. Why don’t I go with you?”

“No need.”

Xia Ximo’s refusal was absolute. “You investigate your case, and I have my own business to attend to. We are not traveling the same path.”

Ren Fengjue smiled. “Miss Xia, isn’t that a bit like burning the bridge after you’ve crossed it?”

“Not exactly.”

Xia Ximo remained unsympathetic. “I am only responsible for investigating the affairs of the dead. I have no interest in the affairs of the living.”

“Fine.”

Ren Fengjue was also decisive. He immediately gave an order to Axia, who was driving the carriage: “Turn around. We’re going to East Fourth Street.”

He then looked at her with interest. “I’ll drop you off directly. Miss Xia won’t refuse that, will she?”