Bai Lixin had just arrived at the yamen’s entrance when he heard a furious roar from inside, “What are you useless constables doing? Can’t you find the murderer for me?!”
The voice was loud, unmistakably their County Magistrate Lin.
Bai Lixin exchanged a glance with the thin maid, and gently tapped on the tightly closed black door.
A voice quickly came from inside, “Who’s knocking? Don’t you know you need to strike the drum to report a case? Get out and tell the people outside to scram.”
The heavy black door was soon opened, revealing the County Magistrate’s personal servant. The man clearly hadn’t expected their visitor to be the Madam. His originally arrogant expression froze, and he stared blankly at the person in front of him.
It took him two seconds to react, “Ma-Madam, why are you here?”
His voice was low, and the County Magistrate in the main hall didn’t hear a thing.
Seeing the servant not chasing them away, the irritated County Magistrate yelled, “Who’s out there? Make them leave immediately, or severe punishment awaits!”
The servant’s expression stiffened further. He stood awkwardly at the door, then turned back towards the County Magistrate, blinking, “Master, it’s, it’s the Madam who’s here.”
The County Magistrate was still fuming and didn’t react, “Madam? Which Madam?”
“Oh, so Master has several Madams?” Bai Lixin pushed the servant aside and walked in.
The servant was dumbfounded.
The constables in the yamen were dumbfounded.
Even County Magistrate Lin was dumbfounded.
There was a corpse laying in the yamen, it was covered with a white cloth but the head and limbs were exposed.
Bai Lixin glanced at the body briefly and continued walking.
County Magistrate Lin had already stood up from his seat. He hurried a couple of steps to reach Bai Lixin, looking surprised. “Madam, why have you come?”
Bai Lixin pointed at the basket of food on the thin maid’s wrist. “I saw your servant going home to fetch something earlier, so I asked if you had eaten. He said you hadn’t. Master, a person might be made of iron, but food is essential. Even if something major happens, you can’t starve. So, I had the kitchen prepare some dishes and brought them to you.”
County Magistrate Lin quickly put away his anger and clasped Bai Lixin’s hands, deeply moved. “Madam, you’ve gone through so much trouble. You have just arrived so you probably don’t know there’s a back entrance to the yamen. You could have come in through there.”
Bai Lixin lowered his head guiltily. “Master, I didn’t know about it. Should I not have come? Perhaps it’s not the right time, and I’m causing you trouble?”
‘How could I not know? If I had entered through the back door, how could I have seen the body?’
The constables: “…”
‘Madam arrived at just the right moment! Otherwise, we would have been scolded again.
Madam, you’re like a living Bodhisattva saving those in distress!’
“No, no, Madam, you can come in from any entrance,” County Magistrate Lin hastily said. “Madam, why don’t you wait in the backyard? I’ll join you shortly.”
Bai Lixin kept his head down, his gaze fixed on the corpse on the ground.
The corpse was that of a young man, seemingly around twenty-nine years old. He was soaking wet and covered in water plants.
His face was swollen, with dark bruises under his eyes. His mouth was also black, and a dark, sticky substance seemed to be oozing from the corners of his mouth.
His fingers protruding from the white cloth were claw-like, the tips black.
It was eerily similar to Miss Song’s.
“Madam?” County Magistrate Lin called again, bringing Bai Lixin back to reality. He looked around the room and saw over a dozen men wearing clothes with the character “捕” (arresting) standing there, all curiously eyeing him.
Madam’s face reddened abruptly and she lowered her head in embarrassment once again. “Master, then I’ll wait for you in the back. Please finish your work quickly and come have your meal. Find someone to guide me there, I’m not familiar with the way.”
Seeing Madam’s shy demeanor, County Magistrate Lin blushed too. He hastily called a servant over with a smile, “Quickly, take Madam to the backyard and settle her down properly. We mustn’t neglect Madam.”
The servant received the order and respectfully led Madam away.
Once the Madam left, everyone immediately chimed in unison, “Congratulations, County Magistrate!”
County Magistrate Lin felt somewhat embarrassed. “Congratulations for what?”
The chief constable quickly flattered, “Congratulations to you for marrying such a devoted and beautiful lady. Madam is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, almost otherworldly, like an immortal from the heavens.”
The flattery hit the mark, and the County Magistrate, who had intended to scold them, found himself unable to speak. “Alright, alright, stop with the flattery. Get on with the main business!”
—————————-
In the backyard, Bai Lixin followed the servant.
When they had moved far away from the yamen’s main hall, Bai Lixin spoke slowly, “Brother, what’s your name?”
The servant quickly replied, “In response to Madam, I’m called Xiao Douzi.”
Bai Lixin: “Xiao Douzi, please take me to Master’s study. Master will undoubtedly go to his study first after leaving the hall. I want to meet him as soon as possible.”
Xiao Douzi didn’t doubt him and nodded earnestly. “Certainly, Madam. This way, please.”
The yamen wasn’t large, and under Xiao Douzi’s guidance, Bai Lixin quickly arrived at the study.
This was not only the Country Magistrate’s study but also the yamen’s study.
After sitting down, Bai Lixin began contemplating how to get Xiao Douzi to leave. Unexpectedly, Xiao Douzi took the initiative, “Madam, I need to attend to the main hall. There’s tea on the table and a kettle to boil water. If you need anything, just send your attendant to find me, and I’ll handle it immediately.”
Bai Lixin hurriedly waved his hand. “Go quickly. Don’t let Master handle things on his own in the main hall. I feel sorry for him.”
Xiao Douzi hesitated for a moment before briskly walking away.
Once Xiao Douzi was gone, only Bai Lixin and the thin maid were left in the study.
Bai Lixin waited for a moment, ensuring Xiao Douzi had moved away before standing up and walking to the bookshelf, browsing aimlessly.
The shelf held books about governing the country and maintaining peace, but there were no case files there.
It seemed the case files were kept elsewhere.
Bai Lixin approached the desk. On it lay a spread-out document. He opened it and to his surprise, it was the case files for these incidents.
The first corpse was a male body found in front of a wonton shop.
The account stated that the wonton shop stayed open very late. Deep into the night, as the owner was preparing to close, he saw a figure approaching him from afar, carrying the moonlight on his back.
The way the person walked was very strange, as if someone was holding up their limbs, stiff like a shadow puppet glued to a piece of cloth.
Initially, the wonton shop owner didn’t pay much attention, thinking the person was a drunken vagabond. He continued cleaning up.
It wasn’t until the shadow drew nearer that the owner saw it was a pale-faced scholar with a terrifying expression. He was so frightened that he screamed and fled.
The next morning, the corpse was lying in front of the wonton shop.
The discovery was made five days ago.
Bai Li Xin flipped through the case files, the next body was that of a woman.
She was Miss Li from the Li family in the western part of the town. It was said that she excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. However, she had a weak constitution and frequently coughed up blood.
Bai Lixin’s eyes focused on the words “coughing up blood.”
In ancient times, coughing up blood mostly indicated tuberculosis, a disease difficult for them to cure. If contracted early, it usually led to an early death, as one would waste away in the prime of their youth.
Bai Lixin looked back again, and sure enough, it was written on the back that this young lady fell ill for a long time and passed away.
On the second day of her passing, her body disappeared. Later, it was found beneath a peach tree at the village’s entrance.
When discovered, her body was motionless, gripping the tree trunk tightly. Her fingers were worn down, and the tree trunk was covered in scratches, as if she had spent the entire night scratching it.
Bai Lixin turned the pages once more. This time, the deceased was an accountant from a tavern, and his body was found in the wine cellar.
In total, there were eight bodies.
S419m: [Lord Host, the locations where these bodies were found are all chaotic, it seems like there’s no pattern. The only discernible pattern appears to be one male and one female victim each time.]
Escape System: [How could it be one man and one woman? The previous body was a man, and now there’s a male body lying in the hall.]
S419m: [Did you forget Miss Song? When Miss Song’s body underwent transformation, the monk intervened, so nobody knew Miss Song’s body had transformed. If we include Miss Song in the count, isn’t it still one man and one woman?]
The Escape System suddenly realized: [Oh, you’re right, Brother M, you’re amazing! You’re the detective of the dimensional realm!]
S419m: [Hmph, your Brother M is indeed clever.]
Outside, hurried footsteps approached. Bai Lixin quickly restored the case files to their original state. When he returned to the hall, someone had just entered.
It wasn’t just one person; behind County Magistrate Lin was a constable.
Bai Lixin recognized this constable; his attire was different from the others, likely indicating he was the chief constable.
As County Magistrate Lin pushed the door open, he saw the “Madam” pacing in the hall and immediately spoke gently, “Madam, have you been waiting anxiously? Please have a seat and wait a little longer. I’ll be done soon.”
He sat behind the desk and looked at the chief constable across from him. “Zhang Biao, can you catch the murderer? This is the ninth death! Do you want my official hat to be on the line? What were you trying to say in the main hall just now?”
The constable named Zhang Biao frowned. “Master, something seems off about the body.”
County Magistrate Lin retorted, “Do you think I can’t tell something’s wrong with the body? If I could tell, why would I need you to investigate?”
“I didn’t mean that,” Zhang Biao quickly explained. “Based on the pattern of the bodies appearing, there should have been a female body this time. There might be another body we haven’t discovered yet.”
County Magistrate Lin immediately grew furious. “One body isn’t enough for you, you want another one? Spare me. If there’s no female body and instead a male body appears, it might mean your earlier deduction wasn’t necessarily correct. The initiative is in the hands of the killer. Maybe he’s deliberately toying with our yamen? Your guess might be something the other side deliberately showed you. Don’t be too confident.”
“Previously, only town folks died. Now even our yamen’s people are being targeted. Are you waiting for the day when the killer targets me? Are you happy with that? Isn’t this making the whole town laugh at our yamen? Hurry up and solve the case, understand?”
Zhang Biao clasped his hands. “Yes, Master, your words are very true.”
“Alright, leave if you have nothing else.” County Magistrate Lin impatiently waved his hand.
Zhang Biao looked at County Magistrate Lin hesitatingly. After biting his lip, he spoke seriously, “Master, the scribe was responsible for all the official documents and cases in the yamen. Now that he has suddenly passed away, this position can’t remain vacant.”
“Of course I know we need a scribe, but where do I find one now?” County Magistrate Lin glared at Zhang Biao. “Do you have a candidate in mind?”
“In response, Master,” Zhang Biao quickly said respectfully, “My younger brother just passed the imperial examination last year and is currently working as a private tutor. He’s intelligent, capable, and hardworking, and he writes beautifully. I dare to suggest him to you, Master. Please think it over.”
County Magistrate Lin stroked his goatee. “Fine, I understand. I will consider it. You may leave now.”
“Thank you, Master, I’ll take my leave!” After Zhang Biao left, County Magistrate Lin immediately put away his stern expression, approaching Bai Lixin with a smile, “Madam, you must have been anxious waiting. I saw you pacing back and forth. Please, sit down and wait a bit longer. I’ll be done soon.”
Bai Lixin pretended and said, “I’m not in a hurry, I just worry that the food might get cold and harm your stomach, Master.”
“The food is still hot now,” Bai Lixin said, opening the basket and taking out the dishes one by one. “Master, please eat while it’s hot. If you have any business, deal with it after eating.”
County Magistrate Lin looked at the steaming food on the table and was on the verge of tears.
“No wonder Mother liked you so much, Madam, you’re truly wonderful.” He spoke while picking up a steamed bun and started eating it with the vegetables, “Madam, let me tell you, in all my years, this is the first time a woman has been so kind to me.”
Bai Lixin laughed, “Nonsense, there must be someone who loves you more than I do.”
“Are you talking about Yi Niang?” County Magistrate Lin gulped down a mouthful of food, “She’s not sincere. She’s following me now just because there’s profit in staying by my side.”
Bai Lixin and the thin maid exchanged glances. Bai Lixin shook his head and said, “I wasn’t talking about big sister, but about Mother. You were the flesh she carried for nine months, something she endured labor pains for. I can never match that bond.”
County Magistrate Lin’s actions of eating momentarily paused. When he looked up, his eyes were moist. “So you were talking about Mother. You’re right, Mother did love me. That’s why I work so hard now, to show her my filial piety.”
“Master, you’re a filial son. I’m happy, I didn’t marry the wrong person.”
The thin maid’s eyes flickering as she watched the interaction between the two.
‘Help, I have an upset stomach.
Immortal Lady, were you a famous actress in your pastlife? How can you act so realistically?’
“Oh, by the way, Master,” Bai Lixin sat across from County Magistrate Lin, smiling, “The younger brother that Chief Constable Zhang recommended, do you want to consider him?”
“Of course not,” County Magistrate Lin immediately rejected without hesitation, “He’s already a chief constable. If I bring in his brother, I might as well rename our yamen to ‘Zhang.’ Ambitious, isn’t he? He’s completely unaware of his limits.”
He finished speaking and looked at Bai Lixin. “Madam, why are you asking about this?”
Bai Lixin: “Oh, I see. If you wanted to consider him, I wouldn’t have said anything more. Now that you won’t, I’ll continue with my suggestion.”
County Magistrate Lin became interested. “What’s your suggestion?”
“I have a distant cousin who I grew up playing with. So I know him well. He’s diligent, responsible, writes beautifully, and most importantly…” Bai Lixin paused, “he’s loyal to you, without any ulterior motives.”
“I thought of him because I saw you working so hard in the main hall just now. If you want to consider him, I’ll talk to him. But it depends on his willingness. He might not agree.”
“Great!” County Magistrate Lin slapped the table suddenly. “Madam, I was worried about not finding a trustworthy person. This position ha has access to most matters in the yamen. I’ve been wanting to find someone I can trust. You’re handing me a pillow while I’m falling asleep, Madam, you’re truly my lucky star. Please ask him. If he’s willing, he can come to the yamen anytime. Of course, the sooner, the better. Since he’s family, reassure your cousin that I’ll pay him the highest salary in the yamen.”
Bai Lixin: “Talking about money can harm relationships. My main intention is to have him assist you. Alright, I’ll go ask him later.”
County Magistrate Lin quickly finished the food on his plate. Bai Lixin then bid him goodbye politely, carrying the basket and leaving with the thin old maid.
Before leaving, Bai Lixin intentionally passed through the main hall and noticed that the body was no longer there.
After inquiring casually, he found out that the body had been taken to the coffin home.
The scribe had a family, but because the body was so bizarre, his family didn’t dare bring it back home. Moreover, the authorities needed to study the body, so it was sent to coffin home.
After leaving the yamen, the thin old maid frowned deeply. “Immortal Lady, our Song family doesn’t have distant relatives who are scholars.”
Bai Lixin: “He’s not your distant relative; he’s mine.”
The thin old maid, “?”
Isn’t Immortal Lady an immortal? Immortals also have relatives?
They strolled around outside, passing by Tongfu Inn again.
Coincidentally, Tongfu Inn was distributing meat porridge today again. When they arrived, it was almost over. The thin maid looked at the crowd enjoying their meal from a distance, and stomped her feet with envy.
“Someday, I’ll definitely taste this divine meat!”
Perhaps Elder Qingcheng sensed something, as soon as Bai Lixin arrived, the windows on the third floor, which were previously closed, were pushed open. Then a tall and ethereal figure appeared in front of everyone’s eyes.
When Bai Lixin looked up at Elder Qingcheng, the Elder was also looking at him. Then Bai Lixin saw the Elder turn his head as if giving an order to his disciple. Within moments, a person dressed as a cultivator appeared at the door.
In his hands was a bowl. He snatched the spoon from the attendant, scooped three large spoonfuls of meat and then returned the spoon to the attendant.
