Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 240 He Takes Advantage of You

"I got some soup noodles from the mutton soup shop across the street. I guessed you'd want to eat these when you woke up. Have breakfast first, then take your medicine. Ah Huang made them for you before dawn."

Seeing that Zhou Zhao looked much better, Su Changying felt relieved and became much more cheerful.

As he spoke, he took out a bag of candied fruit from his pocket and placed it on the table. "The candied dates from Micheng are quite famous for their blood-nourishing properties, so I bought some on the spur of the moment."

“Brother Changying, the Northern Army is preparing to set off outside the city. Han Ze has come to urge us several times. You should go quickly. I, as your elder brother, will take care of A Zhao.”

Ah Huang's cold voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Su Changying's words. He walked to Zhou Zhao's side, reached out and felt her pulse. He frowned slightly, but suppressed the questions in his heart and said nothing.

Zhou Zhao glanced suspiciously between the two, then looked at Su Changying with a puzzled expression.

She sensed that Ah Huang harbored some hostility towards Su Changying.

Su Changying's ears turned slightly red. He cleared his throat and looked at Zhou Zhao. "I will escort those people back to Chang'an first, and have Gongsun Yi take the Mother Insect to the capital to search for people, in case anything goes wrong. Ah Huang, I'm entrusting Zhao Zhao to you."

Liu Huang did not respond.

Su Changying looked at Zhou Zhao with gentle eyes. He flashed to Zhou Zhao and gently hugged her. Before Liu Huang could reach out, he stepped back to the door. "Then I'll go first. Zhao Zhao is injured, so please walk slowly."

Zhou Zhao waved his hand, puzzled, "Go on, go on."

Su Changying nodded and hurriedly left with Han Ze, who was peeking out from the doorway.

The Court of Justice is only responsible for investigating the case; the aftermath must be handled by the Northern Army. The officials of the Lost City have rebelled and used Gu worms to control many nobles in the court; either way, it's something that needs to be reported to Chang'an immediately.

Zhou Zhao sometimes wondered if she, Su Changying, and Ahuang were all earth dragons who had cultivated into spirits.

Otherwise, why would the imperial court be shaken so violently every time he returned to Chang'an, causing a bloodbath?

After Su Changying left, Zhou Zhao went to the side to wash up. The water in the copper basin was at the perfect temperature, neither too hot nor too cold.

Her clothes were torn yesterday, and Su Changying somehow got a brand new set, which she placed by the bedside. It was almost identical to what she usually wore. She didn't take the cloak she wore yesterday; it was still draped over the bedside.

"Ah Huang, what happened?"

Liu Huang's muffled voice came from behind, "Brother Changying is taking advantage of you, and you two aren't even married yet. I'll keep an eye on you for Brother Yan's sake."

Zhou Zhao's face flushed red.

Liu Huang must have come to see her last night, and probably got angry when he found Su Changying lying on her bed.

She originally wanted to say that she didn't care about these so-called reputations, but when she thought about what would happen if that male vixen got into Zhou Xuan's bed, let alone get into bed, even just touching the edge, she instantly felt the same way as Liu Huang.

She was about to explode just thinking about it.

"It was my fault."

Liu Huang shook his head. "How could you be wrong? It's all Changying's fault."

Zhou Zhao felt a warmth fill his heart as he listened.

Ah Huang truly protected her younger sister, Zhou Yan, with utmost care and meticulousness.

"When I took your pulse earlier, it was strong. Not only has all the remaining toxins in your body been cleared, but your old injuries have also almost completely healed. Have you had some extraordinary encounter, or taken some powerful medicine?"

Zhou Zhao immediately remembered the extraordinary-looking pill that Su Changying had given her on the island.

"I don't know what kind of medicine it is, Changying gave it to me."

Upon hearing this, Ah Huang's voice suddenly became clearer, "This medicine is rare; it's a rare life-saving medicine. There's a high chance that Brother Changying doesn't have a second one."

Zhou Zhao found his expression as unpredictable as a child's in June, changing in an instant, and suddenly found it amusing. It was a pity that she had previously thought Ah Huang's earnest protectiveness of her from Su Changying was like that of an older brother.

Looking at it now, he is clearly still the same younger brother.

……

When Zhou Zhao led Liu Huang downstairs, He Tingshi and his group were already waiting near the door.

"Zhou Zhao! Thank goodness everyone is still alive!"

Hearing He Tingshi's familiar words, Zhou Zhao looked up and was immediately dumbfounded.

"It seems we're not so lucky after all. The Court of Justice is about to lose all face because of us old, weak, sick and disabled people."

The people sitting in front of the door were using fans to shield their faces in the cold autumn wind. The fans were decorated with colorful patterns, but they could not hide their disheveled appearance with bruised and swollen faces.

Among them, the nameless young man from the Court of Judicial Review who had followed along sat pitifully by the door, holding a cane and idly poking at his leg, which was wrapped up like a rice dumpling.

Then look at He Tingshi's beautiful beard, which he had grown for who knows how many years, now it looks like it has been chewed by a dog and is all messed up.

His lip was cut open, and his right cheek was swollen. Because of the scab on his lip, it hurt when he pulled it while speaking, and his voice was accompanied by his characteristic hissing and gasping sounds.

Tao Shangshan, who was originally alive but barely alive, now looks like a dead man but barely alive.

Even on Jingyi's fair neck, there was a bloodstain, which looked rather shocking.

Clearly, this group of people suffered greatly after being kidnapped by Fang Qi.

Add to that her near-death experience, and the Court of Justice truly deserves the title of "old, weak, sick, and disabled"!

He Tingshi rolled his eyes at Zhou Zhao as he listened, “Looks like you’re not going to die. You still have the nerve to mimic Chang Zuoping’s way of speaking. Li Youdao left yesterday, so let’s hurry back to Chang’an.”

As He Tingshi spoke, he walked towards the large banyan tree outside the inn.

The competition was originally scheduled to last three days, but who could have predicted that the case would be resolved so dramatically on the very first day in the Lost City?

He had the feeling that he had come to buy dates, but instead someone had forced a winter melon on him.

They were just here to investigate a minor old case...

Zhou Zhao stopped teasing He Tingshi and watched as the others boarded the carriage before walking towards his own horse.

Before she could even mount her horse, she heard a voice behind her, "Congratulations, Zhou Zhao, you won. You're very capable. You should be the court historian."

Zhou Zhao turned around and met Jing Yi's face.

Zhou Zhao smiled, her eyes crinkling, "Yes, I also think I'm very capable. Thank you for your congratulations."

Jingyi was clearly surprised by Zhou Zhao's answer; a look of astonishment flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

He had clearly never met anyone so utterly shameless.

Jing Yi snapped out of his daze and gave Zhou Zhao a polite smile. "We've become acquainted through a fight. If there's anything I can do to help you in the future, don't hesitate to ask."

Zhou Zhao nodded seriously, "Don't worry, I'm never one to stand on ceremony."

Jingyi is one of her suspects, and she will have to be ruthless towards him in the future.

(End of this chapter)