Seeing the group of Mirror Division guards in black official robes, with swords at their waists and an imposing aura, no one dared continue their business. They couldn’t wait to close their stalls and leave.
In the time it took Achan to turn around, the man hired to carry her goods had slipped into the crowd, either to watch the commotion or to seize the chance to escape.
The West Market had grown chaotic due to the arrival of the Mirror Division guards. Achan, clutching the rope tied to her wooden stump, figured she couldn’t leave anyway, so she might as well stay and watch the excitement.
She wasn’t alone in this thought. Though everyone feared the Mirror Division, their curiosity to spectate was irrepressible.
The guards headed toward the area near the incense stall where Achan had just shopped. The vendors in that row, likely terrified, stood frozen.
The leader shouted, “Seize him!”
The Mirror Division guards surged forward, heading straight for the jade stall next to the incense vendor.
The fat jade vendor, once pinned down, twisted his head left and right before letting out a wail, crying loudly.
As he wept, he shouted, “My lord, I’m innocent!”
The vendor, hailing from who-knows-where, had a strange accent. His pleas of injustice, with their melodious ups and downs, were almost comical.
“Shut up,” the leader snapped, his tone harsh.
Achan then noticed the leader was Feng Yang.
Two men behind Feng Yang approached the stall. One picked up a jade plaque and handed it to the other, who rubbed it between his fingers, reducing it to powder.
They exchanged a glance and reached for a fist-sized, unpolished raw stone. The vendor, who had just quieted, wailed again.
“My lord, let’s talk this over. These jades are my entire livelihood! If you crush them all, I might as well die!”
The two inspecting the jade ignored the vendor’s plight and snapped the raw stone in half.
They handed the broken stone to Feng Yang, who glanced at it before tossing it to the vendor. “Take a look. This is your so-called livelihood. It’s jade on the outside, but inside, it’s no better than a rock.”
The vendor clutched his stone, examining it for a long time, then sniffed, “Impossible! All the jade on my stall has been verified. How could it turn out like this?”
“Is this stall only tended by you?”
“There’s also an assistant.”
“Name?”
“Called Jiang San. Everyone calls him that.”
“Where is he?”
The vendor looked around, puzzled. “He was just here.”
Feng Yang frowned, scanning the crowd, and unexpectedly spotted Achan watching from the sidelines. His gaze didn’t linger.
After a moment’s thought, he raised his voice, its penetrating quality reaching every ear. “Whoever helps me find Jiang San from the jade stall will be rewarded ten taels of silver.”
No sooner had he spoken than someone nearby shouted, “There! He’s trying to run!”
All eyes turned to the voice. A lanky teenager was pointing toward the West Market’s north gate.
Jiang San was fast, nearly reaching the gate in a flash.
“Seize him,” Feng Yang ordered. Half of the Mirror Division guards behind him moved like the wind, charging forward.
But before they could catch Jiang San, a group appeared at the north gate. The leader kicked Jiang San, sending him flying back.
Jiang San soared over ten meters, twitched once, then lay still.
Feng Yang strode toward him, crouched, and checked the pulse at his neck. No pulse. He was dead.
Standing, Feng Yang glared unkindly at Xue Mingtang, who approached with several Ministry of Justice clerks.
Xue Mingtang, seemingly oblivious to Feng Yang’s hostility, glanced at the badge on his waist and bowed. “I am Xue Mingtang, Junior Official of the Ministry of Justice. I acted rashly and struck too hard. Please don’t take offense, Captain.”
“What’s the Ministry of Justice doing here?” Feng Yang asked coldly.
Xue Mingtang’s expression was open. “We’re investigating a ghost murder case. A lead pointed to the West Market, so we came to check.”
Feng Yang didn’t press further. He had no evidence tying this to Xue Mingtang, but his arrival was suspiciously convenient.
“Take Jiang San’s body back,” Feng Yang ordered.
Four men stepped forward, producing two blood-soaked ropes to bind the corpse. But the corpse’s head suddenly lifted.
As the crowd screamed, a white light shot out from the body, heading toward them.
Achan, wary of being trampled, had stayed on the crowd’s edge, which made her stand out. The white light initially aimed for her but abruptly veered mid-path, as if deliberately avoiding her, and vanished through the crowd.
In her new body, Achan’s eyesight wasn’t as sharp as before, and she couldn’t discern what the white light was.
However, she glanced at the willow stump by her feet and the body on the ground, a guess forming in her mind.
Suddenly, she felt an unsettling gaze. Turning, she saw Xue Mingtang staring at her.
Xue Mingtang had only learned yesterday that Ji Chan hadn’t died.
He didn’t know what had happened that night to let someone shot through the chest survive, but if he wanted someone dead, they had no right to live.
Achan sensed his malice, knowing that having failed to kill her once, Xue Mingtang wouldn’t give up easily.
Against him, she had no chance of winning, but she wasn’t ready to die.
Shifting her gaze away, it landed on Feng Yang.
“Captain Feng,” she called softly, but he caught it keenly.
Feng Yang turned, looking at her with some confusion.
Achan smiled at him. “I have something to say to you, Captain.”
Feng Yang frowned, unsure of Ji Chan’s intentions, but seeing her candid demeanor, he walked over.
Others tried to listen, but arriving Mirror Division guards dispersed them.
“Speak plainly. What is it?”
“I suppose you have no clue about that thing just now?”
“Do you?” Feng Yang nearly said, “What’s it to you?” but seeing her frail appearance, he rephrased it before speaking.
Achan nodded slightly. “I don’t know what case you’re investigating, but I do have some thoughts about that thing. Will you hear me out, Captain?”
Feng Yang’s gaze was full of scrutiny. The order to release Ji Chan came directly from the Chief Enforcer, meaning she was cleared.
But why had she changed so drastically overnight, and why hadn’t the Chief Enforcer explained?
After a brief hesitation, he said, “Go ahead.”
“It’s said that when dragons die, they attract a black snake from extremely yin places. These snakes, only an inch long, love dragon marrow. After consuming it, they shed their black skin, becoming white snakes, their nature shifting from extreme yin to pure yang. They’re a rare species, without demonic aura, and only dwell in fine jade.”
Feng Yang’s expression grew graver with each word, matching the clues he’d uncovered.
He was investigating a theft from the imperial vault months ago. Though the involved officials were either executed or exiled, like Ji Chan’s maternal grandfather’s family, the culprit or thing that infiltrated the vault was never found.
The vault had layers of defenses and traps for demons and ghosts, yet the intruder triggered none. Their final investigation found only anomalies in a few precious jades.
After nearly half a year, they’d finally traced a lead to the jade, only for the suspect to be kicked to death by Xue Mingtang before capture, and the thing attached to him escaped.
They’d investigated for so long, yet Ji Chan’s few words were more useful.
“How does Miss Ji know this?” Feng Yang couldn’t help asking.
Achan’s lips curved, her tone mysterious. “This is between me and your Chief Enforcer. If you’re truly curious, you can ask him.”
“I will,” he replied, unconvinced by her one-sided claim.
Having heard her, Feng Yang was about to leave when she called again.
“Captain Feng.”
“What else?” He turned, hiding a trace of discomfort.
For some reason, her calling him made him uneasy.
Achan lowered her eyes, as if shy. “Could you send someone to help me carry this wood home? You know I’m frail and can’t manage with all these things.”
Feng Yang was at a loss for words. Ji Chan’s expression and words were utterly mismatched.
“Well…”
Seeing his hesitation, Achan added, “Why not take this chance to note my address? If I’ve deceived you, you can bring people to arrest me anytime.”
Feng Yang was persuaded. If her information proved true, she’d helped greatly. Sending someone to carry her things was simple.
He called two subordinates to help transport her purchases home. They gave him odd looks.
He couldn’t explain, so he left with a cold expression.
As Feng Yang departed, he left two Mirror Division lieutenants with Ji Chan. Seeing this, Xue Mingtang suppressed his killing intent.
Until he knew Ji Chan’s connection to the Mirror Division, he couldn’t act rashly.
Achan no longer looked at Xue Mingtang. He wouldn’t bother her for now, and she’d deal with the future later.
With two helpers carrying her things, Achan unceremoniously shopped the West Market again.
With Mirror Division guards, she got half-price deals. In her excitement, she even bought a cotton quilt.
The two guards diligently carried everything to her home, leaving without even a sip of water.
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