Chapter 42: When Ji Chan was mixing the incense, the dragon bone powder...

Once Bai Xiuming finished speaking, A Chan asked expectantly, "The contract's signed. Can we leave now?"

"No." He glanced at the waiting Qianhu and instructed, "Take them to Mr. Tu. They can leave only after learning the regulations."

"Yes, my lord."

A sudden premonition of ill omen arose in A Chan, and it quickly came true.

According to the Qianhu who escorted them, this so-called Mr. Tu was responsible for setting rules for non-human entities permitted to reside in the capital.

He didn't appear strict at first glance, but he immediately handed A Chan and Chen Hui each a booklet.

He said with a smile, "Please memorize the contents of this booklet as soon as possible. Before you leave, I will test you."

A Chan was dumbfounded—no one had told her that keeping Hui Niang required passing an exam!

"What if we fail?" Though literate, A Chan, who had never attended school, felt a pang of nervousness.

"Don't worry, Miss," Mr. Tu said kindly. "The Bright Mirror Bureau will provide room and board until you successfully pass."

A Chan glanced at Mr. Tu, realized there was no room for negotiation, and pouted before flipping through the booklet.

Fortunately, though the rules were numerous, their content was easy to remember. The first twenty rules were the most crucial; violating any one would result in execution by the Bright Mirror Bureau.

A Chan skimmed carefully. Most rules were about non-humans not being allowed near the imperial palace or military strongholds, and not being allowed to spy on or interfere in court affairs. These involved matters of life and death, mostly related to military and state affairs, which they were unlikely to violate.

There were other rules, such as not being allowed to privately interact with other non-humans, and not being allowed to use abilities to mislead or harm ordinary people—these were what they needed to pay attention to.

Mr. Tu left them in the room and returned about an hour later, first testing Chen Hui.

Their question-and-answer session covered half the booklet quickly, and Chen Hui answered every question correctly.

Mr. Tu nodded approvingly and even made small talk with Chen Hui: "Your memory is impressive. I heard you're... a living corpse?"

"Yes."

"Oh, you look just like a normal person. It seems you've had some extraordinary encounters."

Chen Hui smiled without replying, and Mr. Tu seemed to have merely spoken casually, without pressing further.

When it was A Chan's turn, she had already prepared herself to stay for dinner at the Bright Mirror Bureau, but Mr. Tu only asked her two questions.

This wasn't just going easy; it was practically giving her a free pass.

After answering, the two were invited to leave by Mr. Tu, who also handed them the booklets they had been reading, advising them to read more at home.

As the two were about to leave, each holding a booklet, they saw Feng Yang striding over. Upon seeing A Chan, he slowed his pace: "Miss Ji, are you leaving already?"

"Yes. Lord Feng, do you know which gate leads out?" They were deep within the Bright Mirror Bureau, and after several turns, A Chan couldn't quite remember the way out and feared taking the wrong direction.

"If you're not in a hurry, I'll escort you out later. I need to see Mr. Tu first; the lord is looking for him."

"Alright, then I'll trouble Lord Feng."

Feng Yang nodded and entered the room, where Mr. Tu was arranging a box of exceptionally sharp blades.

"Mr. Tu, have you finished the autopsy?"

"Long done. I even dissected the human corpse you brought back from the Ministry of Justice while I was at it."

Mr. Tu's primary role was as a coroner for the Bright Mirror Bureau; setting rules for non-humans was a side duty, one that only began after Lord Bai returned to the capital.

"The lord wants to see you."

"Understood, I'll go now." After saying that, he tentatively asked Feng Yang, "That young lady earlier—she's nothing like the others who've come through here. Whose connections did she use?"

In the capital, without extraordinary influence, one couldn't sway the Bright Mirror Bureau. Otherwise, if anyone could raise non-humans, the capital would be swarming with demons and monsters.

Those sent here to learn the rules were usually unruly, arrogant nobles or the offspring of high-ranking officials, raising all sorts of strange creatures. He had never seen such a delicate-looking woman, and she was raising a living corpse.

No matter how human-like, it was still a corpse. Even as a coroner, he wouldn't want to be constantly in the company of a corpse. That young lady truly had guts.

Feng Yang vaguely gestured behind him: "She's connected to our lord."

"Eh?" Mr. Tu froze.

"Don't ask. I'll escort that young lady out first. You go see the lord."

Feng Yang turned and left. A Chan and Chen Hui were still waiting outside.

"Miss Ji, this way." Feng Yang led A Chan towards the exit.

Ji Chan and Chen Hui followed Feng Yang, not daring to fall even half a step behind. The Bright Mirror Bureau was filled with sentries everywhere, making it seem very dangerous.

Noticing A Chan's cautious demeanor, Feng Yang couldn't help but say, "Don't worry, Miss. They won't act rashly. Our lord is far scarier, yet I didn't see you afraid of him."

A Chan huffed, "That was ignorance breeding boldness. Next time, I wouldn't dare presume familiarity with Lord Bai."

Feng Yang cleared his throat: "The lord was just speaking casually. If he truly didn't value your connection, he wouldn't have listened to a single word you said."

"Really?"

"Of course." Feng Yang nearly thumped his chest in assurance.

"Alright, I'll believe you." A Chan's eyes flickered slightly as she said to Feng Yang, "I thought your lord wouldn't agree so easily. He seems to harbor deep animosity towards non-humans?"

Feng Yang replied, "Other races are fine; our lord usually treats everyone equally. But when it comes to demonkind, that's a different matter."

"Why?" A Chan asked curiously.

"I don't know why, but just remember, you can raise anything else, but never demonkind. In Youzhou, the lord killed hundreds of demons, and not one escaped his blade. Before he returned to the capital, there were demon-raisers here, but they were all purged. The lord's bottom line is half-demons."

"I see..."

A Chan pondered. No wonder Bai Xiuming had been so ruthless when he thought she was possessing someone; this man clearly had a deep grudge against demonkind.

But it didn't matter; he'd never catch her little tail anyway.

After escorting A Chan to the gate, Feng Yang returned to the yamen.

When Feng Yang entered the inner hall of the yamen, Bai Xiuming was listening to Mr. Tu's report.

"My lord, the living corpse has been dissected. Before its death, it was not purely human but had a faint serpent-demon bloodline," Mr. Tu said.

"Has its identity been confirmed?" Bai Xiuming looked at Feng Yang, who had just entered.

Feng Yang immediately replied, "It's been confirmed. He was a guard from the Marquis of Zhenbei's estate, who went missing twenty years ago. According to Chen Hui's testimony, this living corpse had been under the control of the Marquis of Zhenbei's daughter, Fang Yu. Recently, for some unknown reason, the living corpse lost control."

"It's on the verge of advancing. If it reaches the third tier, it will definitely go berserk," Mr. Tu interjected.

The third tier is a watershed for cultivators, and the same applies to other non-human entities.

"What caused the advancement?" Bai Xiuming asked.

"Here's the interesting part," Mr. Tu said, building suspense before continuing. "The amount of flesh and blood this living corpse consumed was far from enough to trigger an advancement. Instead, the serpent-demon bloodline within it was highly active. My guess is that it must have ingested something capable of enhancing its bloodline, which triggered the sudden breakthrough."

"Something that enhances a serpent-demon's bloodline... Did it eat a dragon?" Feng Yang casually joked, but when he glanced at his superior, there wasn't a trace of amusement on Bai Xiuming's face—only a sharp look.

"My lord?" Feng Yang suddenly felt a pang of unease.

"When Ji Chan was mixing the incense, was there any dragon bone powder left?"

"...Yes."

Bai Xiuming asked no further questions and simply said to Mr. Tu, "Continue."

Mr. Tu continued, "To verify this, I also dissected the corpse of the Assistant Director of the Board of Punishments who was ultimately killed by the living corpse. In the remnants of his blood, I detected very faint traces of dragon essence. The living corpse likely attacked him and drained his blood precisely for that trace of dragon essence."

After speaking, Mr. Tu added, "This person must have recently come into contact with dragon blood, dragon's spittle, or something similar. Of course, as Lord Feng mentioned earlier, dragon bone powder is also a possibility. However, the prerequisite is that these substances must be potent enough—at least Fourth Realm. Otherwise, such a faint trace wouldn't have been enough to push the living corpse into advancement."

Feng Yang grimaced, but he couldn't manage a smile.

A Fourth Realm dragon, residual dragon bone powder, and Xue Mingtang, who coincidentally died at Ji Chan's doorstep...

Though there was no concrete evidence, all the clues pointed to Ji Chan.

It was truly hard to believe that the seemingly delicate and easily bullied Miss Ji could have personally orchestrated Xue Mingtang's death. Could she really do that?

Feng Yang thought carefully. Perhaps he had been too easily deceived by Ji Chan's delicate appearance. His lord, on the other hand, seemed to have always harbored suspicions about Miss Ji.

"My lord, should we continue investigating Xue Mingtang's death?" Feng Yang asked.

"Prepare the body and return it to the Ministry of Justice. This is their case, and it has nothing to do with us," Bai Xiuming replied.

Mr. Tu bowed to Bai Xiuming: "My lord, then I shall return to organize the remains. The Ministry of Justice will come to collect them shortly."

"Go ahead."

Only after Mr. Tu left did Feng Yang dare to ask again, "My lord, are we really just letting this go? Shouldn't we... at least question Miss Ji?"

Bai Xiuming shot him a glance: "Question her about what? Do you have evidence?"

Feng Yang was stunned. No evidence, just speculation. And in matters like this, finding evidence was extremely difficult.

He scratched his head, suddenly sharing Jiang Kai's frustration, feeling his brain was no longer sufficient.

"So... we just drop it?"

Feng Yang left the rest unsaid. If it truly was Ji Chan's doing, her enmity with the Xue family was considerable. Now that Xue Mingtang was dead, what about the rest of the Xue family?

Surely his lord understood this as well.

Bai Xiuming ignored him and changed the subject: "Have people keep an eye on the Marquis of Zhenbei's estate recently."

Feng Yang's attention immediately shifted: "Is there something wrong with the Marquis of Zhenbei?"

"His first priority upon returning to the capital will undoubtedly be to investigate the deaths of his daughter and grandson."

"Then Chen Hui is—"

Feng Yang didn't finish his sentence. Although their earlier questioning of Chen Hui hadn't been thorough, her disguise to infiltrate the Yan family could be easily uncovered.

The Marquis of Zhenbei's daughter and grandson had killed Chen Hui's family. Chen Hui entering the Yan household was clearly not to serve as Yan Liru's maid.

The deaths of Fang Yu and Yan Cheng were certainly not simple. Even if Yan Liru managed to cover it up now, the Marquis of Zhenbei would surely uncover the truth upon his return.

When the Marquis of Zhenbei acts, it's not like their Bright Mirror Bureau, which constantly needs evidence.

An idea occurred to Feng Yang: "My lord, are you planning to use Chen Hui to draw out the Marquis of Zhenbei?"

"Otherwise? If she weren't still useful, why would I spare her?"

Because Miss Ji cried, made a scene, and wheedled, of course. If they were using Chen Hui as bait, they didn't need a contract—they could just arrest her outright.

However, Feng Yang, who believed he saw through everything, dared not say a word.

He quickly flattered, "As brilliant as ever, my lord. Then... I'll arrange for spies to monitor the Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion day and night. But will the Marquis of Zhenbei really take action personally?"

"He won't delegate vengeance for his only descendant."

Feng Yang stole a glance at Bai Xiuming and hesitantly asked, "What if we find out the Marquis of Zhenbei goes to Changping Lane?"

Bai Xiuming said nothing, merely giving Feng Yang a faint glance.

Feng Yang understood immediately.

"I will report to you immediately, my lord."

This time, he didn't receive his lord's piercing glare; he truly was clever.

After returning home, A Chan drank two cups of water and slept for over half an hour before finally recovering.

Though she hadn't suffered much during her visit to the Bright Mirror Bureau, she was mentally and physically exhausted. Still, she had achieved a satisfactory outcome.

From now on, Hui Niang could openly walk in the sunlight, no longer needing to hide.

When A Chan woke up, she heard voices downstairs and assumed a guest had arrived. But upon descending, she found not a guest but people from the Marquis of Jinyang's estate.

The visitors were the estate's steward and Xue Zhao, the Marquis of Jinyang's nominal stepson.

The two had been kept waiting by Hui Niang downstairs for who knew how long, and their faces darkened upon seeing A Chan.

A Chan slowly descended the stairs, her gaze sweeping over the jade mourning plaque on Xue Zhao's left arm, and she chuckled softly: "Is there something you need from me?"

Xue Zhao clenched his fists. He knew exactly what Ji Chan was laughing at—his favorite uncle had died, and she was gloating!

But he couldn't say a word now. His mother had merely overstepped slightly, yet it had caused his father to be impeached by censors in court. Not only was his father's salary docked, but his mother's reputation was also ruined.

All of this was Ji Chan's fault!

They were all their father's children, yet he and his sister had endured years of ridicule while she lived as the privileged young mistress of the Marquis's household. How unjust.

Just when they thought she had lost everything, this woman came back like a vengeful spirit, tormenting their family!

Even without reading minds, A Chan could guess Xue Zhao's thoughts at that moment.

If possible, he might want her dead even more than his uncle did—and coincidentally, A Chan harbored the same wish.

She slowly took a seat and said to Xue Zhao, who had remained silent, "Nothing? If you have nothing to discuss, please leave."

Xue Zhao exchanged a glance with the steward beside him, who then stepped forward and produced ten banknotes, each worth a hundred taels.

"Miss, this is compensation for you."

"Compensation?" A Chan was unaware of the uproar in court that morning over the destruction of her shop.

Seeing her apparent ignorance, the steward briefly explained, "Our Lady Xue misjudged someone's character, leading to the damage of your shop yesterday. These are our apologies."

There was no way Lady Xue would suddenly offer her an apology—there had to be more to it. But A Chan didn't press further.

She made a show of counting each banknote slowly. After setting down the last one, she smiled. "Lady Xue is truly generous. I'll accept these notes. I suppose she hasn't been in the best mood lately, so I'll forgive her rudeness. I hope she finds comfort in her grief."

"Ji Chan, don't push your luck too far!" Xue Zhao finally lost his temper.

A Chan's gaze flickered: "Xue Zhao, isn't it you who's pushing your luck too far?"