Chapter 57

Chapter 57

“Who exactly are you?”

Toward this mysterious woman, Zhao Xing felt not only fear, but also a growing curiosity.

Xia Ximo put away the lamp and glanced at him. Coldly, she said, “From now on, every year on this day, remember to pay your respects to the departed.”

Zhao Xing could only watch helplessly as she turned and walked out, silent as a shadow, just as she had been when she arrived.

The night was cool and fluid as water. As that slender figure passed through the courtyards of the mansion, the people whose souls Wuyou had invited into the lamp gradually woke one after another.

When Xia Ximo reached the main gate, she found a figure standing there. The two Golden Feather Guards who had originally been stationed at the entrance were nowhere to be seen.

Ren Fengjue leaned against the gate, head lowered, as though he had been waiting for a long time.

Though dressed in dark clothes, his tall, elegant figure and distinguished bearing still stood out in the night.

Only on closer look could one see the weariness between his brows.

Xia Ximo stopped. “Why are you here?”

Seeing her, Ren Fengjue’s eyes flickered slightly, but he asked in return, “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that, Miss Xia?”

To dare break into a prince’s mansion alone at night was no longer merely a matter of extraordinary courage.

It was sheer audacity.

Yet Xia Ximo answered with perfect calm. “I had business to attend to.”

Ren Fengjue gave a small nod and did not press her. Instead, he turned and pointed at the carriage nearby, deliberately saying, “That carriage parked at the gate is yours, Miss Xia. You would not mind if I rode along, would you?”

“We are not going the same way.”

As she spoke, she went straight to sit at the front of the carriage.

Ren Fengjue, however, thought to himself that midnight had already passed, and yet she still did not intend to go back?

“You still have something to do this late?”

“Mm.”

She gave a brief response, then suddenly seemed to think of something. Lifting her eyes, she asked him, “What will you do with Ruyan’s body?”

Ren Fengjue had not expected her to ask such a question. After thinking for a moment, he replied, “The case falls under the Ministry of Justice. After the coroner examined the body, it was left at the Ministry of Justice Office.”

“Ordinarily, once a case is closed, the family is notified to come claim the body for burial.”

“If no one claims it, the authorities will dispose of it after the case is concluded.”

Xia Ximo said in all seriousness, “In that case, could Ruyan’s body be handed over to me?”

Her words left Ren Fengjue stunned again.

Then he suddenly thought of the relationship between Ruyan and Prince Yu…

It was not hard to guess that her night intrusion into Prince Yu’s Mansion had likely been to fulfill Ruyan’s final wish.

Just as she had done that day in the imperial palace for Meng Zhiyuan.

Ren Fengjue could not help asking, “You want to bury her yourself?”

Xia Ximo paused before saying, “More or less.”

For Ren Fengjue, this was not exactly a difficult matter.

It was just that Ruyan’s body was already half decomposed. Even the coroner had forced down his fear while examining it.

For her to make such a request-was she truly not afraid?

Seeing that he did not answer, Xia Ximo said, “If it puts you in a difficult position, I can go myself.”

“…”

Her meaning was very clear. If he did not agree, she would simply break into the Ministry of Justice Office.

Ren Fengjue could not help laughing. “It is not difficult. The case is already closed, and of course it is better for the deceased to be laid to rest as soon as possible.”

“It is only that the body is already half decomposed. I fear you may find it hard to bear.”

Xia Ximo said, “It is only a corpse.”

She was not even afraid of ghosts. Would she be afraid of a corpse?

Ren Fengjue suddenly felt his concern had been unnecessary. He asked her, “Must this matter… be handled tonight?”

Xia Ximo was just about to answer when, beneath the moonlight, she noticed the faint fatigue between his brows.

Thinking of how long and heavy this day must have been for a mortal body, her heart stirred slightly, and she changed her words. “Tomorrow will do.”

It was rare for Ren Fengjue to hear her relent. For some reason, he felt a wave of ease in his chest. He climbed straight into the carriage and said, “Then I will have to trouble Miss Xia to take me back to the residence as well.”
Xia Ximo, seated at the front of the carriage, did not start driving right away. Turning half her face toward him, she said, “There is one more thing I would like your help with.”

Ren Fengjue was taken aback. “What is it?”

“Lend me one ingot of gold.”

–

Ren Fengjue jolted upright from his sleep. Seeing the faint morning light beyond the window, he was dazed for a moment.

He had dreamed again of the year he was seven, when South River Courtyard caught fire and Little Uncle disappeared.

His mother had held him and wept, and his father’s eyes had been filled with grief as well.

A cold sweat broke out across his back.

Hearing the movement, A’qiu came to ask, “Young Master, are you awake?”

“Mm. Come in.”

A’qiu brought in the things for him to wash up, then said, “The Daoist Master who stayed at the manor last night is awake. He’s having breakfast in the hall right now.”

Ren Fengjue rubbed his slightly heavy forehead. Only then did he remember there was one more person in the residence. “Then set my breakfast in the hall as well.”

By the time he finished washing up and headed to the front hall, he could hear Yan Zhengchu’s voice from afar.

When he drew closer, he discovered the man had somehow already become fast friends with Ren Cong and A’chun.

Ren Cong asked, “So what happened in the end between Gentleman Wang’s son and Madam Cui?”

Yan Zhengchu took a sip of tea and said with great seriousness, “Before I left, I heard Madam Cui was making a fuss about getting a divorce. Wang Rui was guilty of attempted murder to begin with. If that old gentleman hadn’t knelt on the ground and begged so bitterly, the Young Marquis probably wouldn’t have let him off…”

“Ahem.”

Ren Fengjue deliberately gave a low cough as he approached.

At the sound, Ren Cong and A’chun were so startled they immediately scattered to either side, not daring to ask any more questions.

“Did the Daoist Master sleep well last night?”

As Ren Fengjue asked, he sat down beside him.

Daoist Yan had changed into a brand-new set of clothes. Not only was his hair neatly combed, but the beard on his face had also been shaved off. Only now did he look somewhat closer to his actual age.

Hearing the Young Marquis speak to him, he hurriedly rose and put on a polite front.

“I really must apologize for last night. I only meant to take a short nap, but I ended up falling asleep.”

“I truly imposed on you!”

That was what he said, but from his expression, he was clearly extremely satisfied with the arrangement.

Ren Fengjue accepted the plain congee and side dishes A’qiu handed over. As he ate, he said unhurriedly, “The Daoist Master said it yourself-I have quite a deep connection with Mount Yunhe. Since that is the case, it is only proper that I host you.”

Yan Zhengchu thought he was trying to coax information out of him, so he quickly lowered his head to drink his tea and agreed, “One thing is one thing, after all. In a while, I’ll give the Young Marquis a few spirit talismans to thank you for taking me in.”

As they were speaking, footsteps came from outside the door.

The maid Tianqing walked in. Smiling, she said to Ren Fengjue, “Young Master, Miss Xia sent this servant to ask whether you are ready to set out.”

At these words, the expressions of everyone in the room turned a little strange.

Of course Ren Fengjue had not forgotten his “agreement” with Xia Ximo. He simply had not expected her to take the initiative to urge him along.

The feeling was subtle.

As if, without either of them noticing, the distance between them had quietly narrowed by one step.

He immediately set down his chopsticks. “I’m coming…”

A’qiu could not help muttering softly, “Young Master, you barely ate two bites.”

Ren Fengjue rinsed his mouth with tea and lightly wiped the corner of his lips. Then he said to Yan Zhengchu, “Daoist Master, if you do not find my humble home too crude, please stay here for a few days. I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first.”

He reached the doorway, but suddenly turned back and said to Ren Cong, “Uncle Cong, go to the storeroom later and fetch one ingot of gold for this Daoist Master.”

Ren Cong and Yan Zhengchu were both stunned.

Ren Fengjue continued, “As for the ingot of gold Miss Xia promised you, I will pay it on her behalf.”