Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 221 First Arrival in the Lost City
"Ah Huang, that scoundrel Min Zangzhi is going to marry Sister Chu You."

Zhou Zhao changed into a comfortable blue casual outfit, with a piece of dried meat he had taken from his eldest sister still dangling from his mouth, and looked at the bamboo hat next to him with a hint of sourness.

Liu Huang gave a soft "Mmm." "Mmm. When we get back, shall we put a sack over his head and beat him up?"

Zhou Zhao was taken aback, then burst out laughing.

"If he treats Sister Chuyou badly, we'll teach him a lesson."

Liu Huang shook his head unhappily, "She's engaged to Brother Yan, how can she marry someone else? No matter how good that person is, he's not as good as Brother Yan. Brother Yan is the best."

Zhou Zhao reached out and tapped Liu Huang's straw hat. "Who made me marry someone else when Su Changying was nowhere to be found? How could my good brother bear to let Sister Chu You grow old alone? He will be very happy that Sister Chu You has finally come out of this."

Liu Huang was speechless for a long while, then muttered, "You're different. I'll never forget Brother Yan, and I don't have any other brothers."

As he spoke, he added, "That Zhou Chengan isn't your brother either."

Hearing Liu Huang's words, Zhou Zhao felt both touched and amused. "Hmm, if the Crown Prince and the Prince of Dai heard this, they'd be ready to beat you up."

Liu Huang dismissed it, saying, "They won't beat me up."

Not only would they not beat him, but because of his eccentric personality, his older brothers were not close to him. Now that he has become a coroner, they are even less likely to be close to him.

But he didn't care at all.

As they spoke, the two reached the flat official road. Zhou Zhao glanced at Liu Huang, and the two simultaneously cracked their whips, riding their horses directly towards Nanyang.

……

Lost City is a small city. Its city gate is not as imposing as Tianying City's. It is almost surrounded by mountains on three sides, and almost a third of the city is lake.

As soon as he entered the city gate, Zhou Zhao couldn't help but touch his hair, which was covered with a layer of water droplets. Even though it wasn't raining, he felt completely soaked.

“My lord, would you like someone to guide you? My name is Monkey, and I am from the Lost City. This Lost City is not only shrouded in fog, but its paths are also winding and meandering, making it easy to get lost. I only need three coins, and I can show you around for a day. I also know where the Cloud Mist Brocade is.”

Zhou Zhao looked over in the direction of the sound and saw a boy who looked about twelve or thirteen years old. He was very thin, but his eyes were bright and clever.

"Where is the Big Banyan Tree Inn? Lead us there. Tell us about any interesting things happening in the city."

As Zhou Zhao spoke, he took out five coins from his sleeve pocket and handed them to the boy named Monkey.

The monkey's eyes lit up, and it bowed to Zhou Zhao, saying, "Thank you, sir."

"The Banyan Tree Inn is also called the Peace Inn. There's a banyan tree growing in front of it. It's not far from here and is considered one of the better places to stay in the city. Recently, a major incident has occurred in the city. A shipment of goods was robbed, and many soldiers have arrived in the city in the past two days."

The leading soldier looked like a celestial being. It was said that he was a general from Chang'an. It was said that the county magistrate's daughter wanted to marry him and was so frightened by his appearance that she fainted. That night, she developed a high fever and was even dressed in her burial clothes. Fortunately, she came back to life.

The county magistrate, no longer daring to cause trouble, wanted to marry off his daughter as soon as possible—it was practically a game of throwing a bridal bouquet in the city to find a husband!

Zhou Zhao listened, somewhat speechless.

The celestial-like military officer the monkey was talking about—pfft! Doesn't this kid realize that a celestial-like officer and a military officer are not the same person?
Could the one he's talking about be Su Changying? She's only been here a short time and she's already caused trouble.

Zhou Zhao thought to herself and snorted inwardly. Seeing her displeasure, the monkey assumed she didn't like what he was saying. He rolled his eyes and tentatively added, "The fog season has arrived in the Lost City again. There might be fog ghosts hiding there, trying to drag people back to their lair. You should be careful, Your Excellency. It would be best to buy an amulet. Wearing it will make the fog ghosts more wary."

Zhou Zhao immediately became interested. "Amulet-repelling bead? Where can I buy one?"

The monkey's eyes lit up. "It's in Duobao Pavilion, right across from the Big Banyan Tree Inn, not far ahead."

A curio cabinet!

Zhou Zhao followed the monkey through a maze of twists and turns until they finally reached a wider road. Shops lined both sides of the road, and wine flags could be seen everywhere, along with a huge banyan tree that anyone who wasn't blind could spot.

Zhou Zhao glanced at the banyan tree, then led his horse into the multi-treasure pavilion.

"Shopkeeper, our esteemed guest wishes to obtain an amulet."

The monkey rushed into the shop first and, as if familiar with the place, addressed the shopkeeper. Clearly, the shopkeeper of Duobaoge would give him a reward for bringing customers to buy the talisman beads.

The shopkeeper was a plump, middle-aged man in his thirties. He was holding a small abacus and typing away. When he saw that Zhou Zhao and Liu Huang were dressed in fine clothes, he smiled and took out a tray from under the counter. On the tray was brocade with three different kinds of beads on it.

The first type is just an ordinary stone, which looks like a smooth, round, bluish-green stone.

The second type is a green jade bead, woven with a cord and tassels, which can be hung at the waist.

The third type is also a jade bead, but the surface of the bead is carved, making it look like a mirage in the clouds, like the legendary Penglai Island.

"Sir, there are three types of amulet beads. Which one would you like?"

Zhou Zhao threw the money bag on the counter. "I want one of each of the three types. What are these warding-off-evil beads made of? Are there really fog ghosts in the fog?"

Zhou Zhao's eyes were clear yet foolish, clearly showing she was a young woman from Chang'an.

There are many such people in the city, all drawn by the brocade of clouds and mist.

The shopkeeper smiled, opened his money bag, took out some silver, and patiently explained, "That's what the locals say; every year people disappear in the fog. As for what the warding-off-evil bead is made of, that's a secret recipe, and I apologize for not being able to say for sure."

Zhou Zhao took the three warding-off-evil beads and handed them to Liu Huang. He then put the money bag in his pocket and didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he went to the inn across the street and asked for two adjacent superior rooms for himself and Liu Huang.

Then I found a corner in the lobby and sat down, ordering a few dishes at random.

"Have any fog ghosts been causing trouble these past two days? Has anyone gone missing in the city?"

Zhou Zhao handed the monkey a large meat pie. The monkey swallowed hard, reluctantly stuffing the pie into his pocket. He scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "I want to take it back for my mother and sister. There's another one coming out in the next couple of days, but I only heard about it from someone else, I don't know if it's true."

The story goes that a passing scholar was arrested after a cloud of blood mist rose up from his body. Someone even picked up his book basket, and the contents were divided up. It's a pity he didn't buy an amulet to ward off evil spirits; that's why he suffered this fate.

Zhou Zhao was curious and was about to ask more questions when she heard a familiar voice from the doorway: "Sister Zhao!"
Zhou Zhao looked closely and saw that the entrance to the inn was blocked by six people.

Tao Shangshan, who seemed both alive and dead, Chen Jiyuan, a servant carrying a large bundle, and four others, including Jingyi Tong He Tingshi, and a young man carrying luggage whose name I don't know, who was probably a minor official in the Court of Justice like Chen Jiyuan.

Besides, there was an old man dressed in plain clothes carrying a box, who was clearly a coroner.

All the participants for the competition have arrived.