Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Zuihua Restaurant in the East Market had always been packed with guests.

As the finest restaurant in Shangjing, it had long been favored by high officials and noble families.

Ren Fengjue did not enjoy bustling crowds, but this was, after all, his first time treating someone to a meal. He had to show at least some sincerity.

The moment they entered, the shopkeeper recognized him at a glance and hurriedly ushered them up to an elegant private room on the second floor. He even chose Furong Pavilion, the one with the best view.

After they finished ordering, Xia Ximo stood by the window and looked outside. With one glance, she spotted the bridge connecting the East Market and West Market.

Because the restaurant stood on higher ground, when she looked down from above, she realized that the river beneath the bridge was also connected to the moat around the imperial city.

And the direction Meng Zhiyuan’s soul had faced was precisely the direction of the palace.

“Well? Did Miss Xia gain anything from entering the Meng Residence just now?”

Ren Fengjue was savoring Zuihua Restaurant’s unique Songjian Brew. The wine was not strong; it was sweet and refreshing on the tongue, generally served as an aperitif.

Xia Ximo turned back to glance at him. In truth, she did not want to answer.

But there was one place she had to rely on him to get into.

After all, she needed a favor.

“There was only a wisp of scattered soul inside the Meng Residence.”

She answered as such, then, afraid he would not understand, made a rare exception and added, “Ghosts also have three souls and seven spirits. Of the three souls, two are scattered souls, and one is the Primary Soul.”

“A scattered soul has no master. It can be seen, but it cannot speak. Only by finding the Primary Soul can we learn the truth.”

After hearing this, Ren Fengjue did not seem particularly surprised.

He even nodded, took another sip of wine, and only then asked, “Then does Miss Xia have a way to find his Primary Soul?”

Xia Ximo did not beat around the bush. She said directly, “My guess is that the place his Primary Soul is most likely to have gone is the palace.”

Ren Fengjue was just about to speak when a faint murmur of conversation suddenly came from the corridor outside the room.

It was two women.

One said, “Huijun, have you heard? The young lady of Censor Zhuang’s family suddenly became possessed.”

The woman called Huijun said in surprise, “So suddenly? Didn’t I hear she made a spectacle of herself at Tianxiang Pavilion in broad daylight?”

“It was at Tianxiang Pavilion that she fainted. After she returned home, she became even more abnormal. I heard from her wet nurse that she was vomiting and having diarrhea, and spouting nonsense nonstop.”

“Tsk, tsk.”

“After Prince Yu learned of it, he even specially invited an Imperial Physician from the Imperial Medical Office to examine her. Unfortunately, even the Imperial Physician was at his wits’ end. Only then did they discover she had been possessed.”

Huijun gave a cold laugh. “Serves her right. This is clearly retribution. Though I am rather curious-just which family’s young lady was bold enough to fight her over Luozidai at Tianxiang Pavilion today?”

“That, I don’t really know. I heard she didn’t seem to be from the capital. Probably someone from out of town…”

With a soft cough, the conversation stopped, and the footsteps soon faded away as well.

Although Xia Ximo heard it all, her expression did not change.

It was as if none of it had anything to do with her.

Ren Fengjue, however, sipped his wine while quietly observing her expression.

Adong had already reported everything that happened at Tianxiang Pavilion during the day to him in full detail.

When he heard it, he had not actually been surprised.

Xia Ximo did not even take him seriously. With her courage, forget some Miss Zhuang-she might not even fear the emperor.

Ren Fengjue withdrew his thoughts and took another sip of wine before asking, “Miss Xia means to search the palace?”

“Correct.”

Sure enough, he had guessed right.

Ren Fengjue could not help laughing. After setting down his wine cup, however, he said, “The palace is not a place just anyone can enter.”

Xia Ximo asked in return, “Even you have no way?”

There was doubt in her tone.

Ren Fengjue choked for some reason and had yet to answer.

Xia Ximo did not even give him the chance to explain. “In that case, I will just find someone else.”

“…”
Fortunately, the servers began bringing out the dishes one after another just then, sparing the silence from stretching on too long.

Plates of food, each as fragrant as it was beautifully presented, soon filled the table.

Only then did Ren Fengjue remember he had come here to eat.

But before he, the host, could say a word, Xia Ximo had already picked up her chopsticks and started helping herself.

As always, she paid no mind to etiquette and stood on no ceremony with him whatsoever.

At that, Lord Ren merely smiled, then chose his words carefully. “Actually, getting into the palace isn’t all that difficult. As it happens, the day after tomorrow is Princess Ding’an’s birthday banquet. She has already sent over an invitation…”

“The day after tomorrow works.”

Xia Ximo seemed only interested in the first half of what he had said, and did not forget to remind him, “You still have six days left until the deadline you promised me.”

Ren Fengjue was once again rendered speechless.

But on second thought, if everything truly was as she claimed, and helping her find Meng Zhiyuan’s soul could also help solve the case, then they were not far from the truth.

Absurd as it all sounded, it could prove certain things.

For instance, that she really could see ghosts.

And that some of the things he had once experienced himself were real as well.

Of course, there was one even more important point that would have to be investigated slowly.

And that was-what exactly was Xia Ximo trying to accomplish with everything she did?

–

That night, in the inner courtyard of the Zhuang Family residence.

The servants were in a frantic mess.

Zhuang Hu, the Censor-in-Chief, had just returned from outside. Upon hearing that something had happened to his daughter, he hurried straight toward the inner courtyard.

Yet before he even reached the doorway, he heard his wife, Lady Zhang, sobbing as if her heart were being torn apart.

“My poor You’er, what on earth has happened to you?”

“Who did this to you?”

Zhuang Hu’s heart sank. He quickened his steps into the room, only to be hit at once by a foul, filthy stench.

He instinctively covered his mouth and nose. Looking over, he saw two maidservants kneeling by the bed with a spittoon in hand.

And his precious daughter, whom he had always pampered beyond measure, was bent over it, vomiting black water without end.

“My lord, my lord, you have to think of something!”

At the sight of her husband, Lady Zhang cried even harder.

Zhuang Hu was anxious as well, but he could only ask with a dark expression, “Who accompanied the young miss out during the day?”

Lady Zhang choked through her sobs. “Those two wretched maids have already been dragged out. They said they went with You’er to Tianxiang Pavilion to buy rouge, got into a dispute with someone, and then You’er suddenly fainted!”

“Prince Yu already had someone from the Imperial Medical Office come examine her earlier. They used acupuncture, and she took medicine, but none of it helped at all.”

After hearing this, Zhuang Hu’s heart sank even further.

It had not been easy to settle his daughter’s marriage to Prince Yu. If something truly happened to her, the match would be ruined!

Helpless, he flicked his sleeve and ordered, “Then invite more physicians. As long as they can cure my daughter, pay them any amount they ask!”

In the courtyard, Zhuang You’s two personal maidservants had already been beaten by the guards until they were barely clinging to life.

Meanwhile, in a pavilion not far away, Prince Yu, Zhao Xing, was reprimanding his men with a stormy expression.

“Useless trash. There were more than a dozen of you, and you couldn’t even protect one person. Every last one of you is good for nothing!”

Pei Yong, commander of the Golden Feather Guards, knelt on the ground, cold sweat beading across his forehead in fear. He could only explain, “At the time, this subordinate was indeed following Miss Zhuang’s orders and arresting someone downstairs. None of us expected the incident to happen so suddenly.”

Zhao Xing gave a cold snort. “And where is that person now?”

Pei Yong could not answer and took a vicious kick from him for it.

“Worthless thing!”

Facing Prince Yu’s towering rage, Pei Yong no longer dared say anything unnecessary. He only said, “Please give this subordinate some time, Your Highness. Even if I have to turn all of Shangjing City upside down, I will find that person!”

Zhao Xing stared at him coldly. “Then I will give you two days. If you fail to find them, bring me your head instead.”