Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 248 Corpse and Python
Seeing the various expressions on everyone's faces, Zhou Zhao's expression softened a bit. "Of course, I'm not stingy with my fists, and I'm just as generous with my recommendations."

As Zhou Zhao spoke, without waiting for anyone's reaction, he left the room and returned to his desk.

The people in the room looked at each other, but no one moved.

"This young Master Zhou is intolerant of even the slightest imperfection; he's probably not as easy to get along with as Master Tao. Gentlemen, be prepared to grind grain day and night from now on! I'm not afraid of hardship, but I'll miss my Seven Fairies."

As Wang Yuan spoke, his greasy belly jiggled.

The boy named Shi Le twirled his fingers around the hilt of his short sword, then looked at Wang Yuan with disdain. "Since you like Tao Tingshi so much, why don't you go after him to the right courtyard? It's full of true gentlemen there. You can tell them about your Seven Fairies."

"I'm not trying to be mean, but you should go home and raise your daughter, and let your wife go out and earn money to support you."

Wang Yuan often took advantage of his position as a senior official in the Court of Justice, claiming he had business to attend to and would go home to take care of his children. Tao Shangshan had always turned a blind eye to this.

Wang Yuan wasn't angry at all, but his face was full of worry. "I just wanted to live a life of leisure in the Court of Justice. What's wrong with that?"

Shi Le raised an eyebrow, his youthful spirit shining through, his chin held high as if he looked down on everyone in the world. "Why are you all wearing such long faces? Learn from me, grin! When Lord Zhou arrives, even if it's just a lazy donkey's poop, it'll jump into the field to fertilize it!"
Are you still just waiting to die? When you die and go to the underworld, you'll have to start all over again.

He studied diligently and passed the exams to become a messenger in the underworld, and then, looking up, hey, Judge Zhou was standing there with his whip. "Come on, get to the millstone!"

Wang Yuan's face instantly turned ashen, and the oily sheen on his face lost its shine.

Seeing this, Cui Li frowned. "Alright, let's go back quickly. Lord Zhou should start reviewing the case files. It wouldn't be appropriate for us not to be there if there are any objections."

Everyone agreed that this made sense, and they gradually left the side rooms and returned to the main room in the left courtyard where they conducted their business.

Cui Li walked at the front, and when she saw Zhou Zhao in the corner, her eyes widened suddenly.

Before Tao went up the mountain, he went to the Lost City to supervise the examinations. In the past few days, all the papers they had reviewed had been piled up on the side of the desk, and they had unknowingly built up a very high pile.

Now all the files were neatly placed on Zhou Zhao's desk. She picked up a pen and wrote furiously on the last file. After finishing the last word, she closed the file and then skillfully piled it on top.

There was also a separate volume among them, which was placed aside.

Cui Li opened his mouth as if he had an egg stuck in it, and after a long while, he finally spoke, "Lord Zhou, have all these judgments been made?"

Zhou Zhao grunted in agreement and stood up. "Apart from this single volume, send the rest to the right courtyard."

Because of the previous case of Shao Qingqing, the Court of Justice introduced a new rule to avoid wrongful convictions, which stipulates that cases will be reviewed by both the left and right courts.

Before Cui Li could react, Zhou Zhao brushed past his stunned subordinates and walked straight toward the door.

After she opened her umbrella and stepped into the rain, everyone came to their senses. Wang Yuan, who was standing behind Cui Li, couldn't help but say, "Shi Le, pinch me and see! Did I not get any sleep last night while trying to get my seventh daughter to sleep, and now she's sleeping in broad daylight?"

Shi Le stared in disbelief at the neatly arranged desk on Zhou Zhao's table, and then pinched Wang Yuan without hesitation.

Wang Yuan felt a sharp pain and covered his mouth, muttering, "This isn't grinding grain, this is..."

Before he could finish speaking, a soldier dressed in Northern Army armor strode over. "Young Master Zhou, there's a case. Please come and take a look. The scene is rather frightening... The embroiderer Cao Qin went to Baixiang Tower to take measurements for Bai Shisan Niang, the top courtesan there..."

As she entered, she saw that the courtyard gate was open. She went in and saw that all the people from Baixianglou were neatly hanged in front of the corridor... The soldier said, his eyes filled with a hint of fear.

"My subordinates were patrolling nearby when they heard Cao Qin's scream and rushed over. Then they saw... they saw a huge snake fall from the eaves and coil up on the corpses. The snake was eighteen feet long, with its blood-red mouth wide open, and it was extremely terrifying!"

Zhou Zhao's spirits lifted, her eyes flickered, and she turned around and called out, "Ou Jianlu, Ou Jianshen, go and invite Min Zangzhi and Ahuang."

Zhou Zhao gave instructions, then, holding an umbrella, followed the Northern Army soldier directly towards Baixiang Tower.

As soon as Zhou Zhao approached the door, he smelled a faint fragrance.

Although it was still pouring rain and the smell of mud almost masked all other scents, this special fragrance still lingered faintly in the air, like an invisible thread.

The gate to Baixianglou was tightly closed, and a twig that someone had picked up was haphazardly stuck into the door knocker.

To the left of the courtyard gate stood two Northern Army soldiers in armor, while to the right crouched two trembling women. One was older, dressed in a cloth robe with her hair in a bun, and looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six. The other was a little girl, only thirteen or fourteen years old.

The little girl was holding a wooden box in her arms and looked quite frightened.

Seeing Zhou Zhao looking at the two people, the Northern Army officer who had led him there said, "That woman is the embroiderer Cao Qin, and the other one is her apprentice named Mei Niang."

Just as the two were talking, two other Northern Army soldiers pulled out tree branches and carefully pushed open the door.

"Be careful, Lord Zhou, the snake is inside, and the corpse is still hanging there."

The moment the door opened, Zhou Zhao felt a gust of foul wind rush in, and saw a python about as thick as Mei Niang's waist with its blood-red mouth wide open, lunging to bite her head!

Upon seeing this, the three Northern Army soldiers' expressions changed drastically, and they immediately drew their swords and slashed at the giant python.

However, it seemed too late at this moment, as the giant python had already reached Zhou Zhao.

Zhou Zhao remained calm. She reached out to the giant snake, grabbed it, and flipped it onto its back. Without hesitation, she plunged the blue dagger into the snake's vital spot.

The giant snake, writhing in agony, lashed out with its tail, smashing the courtyard gate of Bai Xiang Lou to pieces.

Thick wood chips flew everywhere, one of which hit Cao Qin, the embroiderer who was squatting to the side and was already terrified, on the head, causing her forehead to bleed.

Zhou Zhao's expression remained unchanged. She swiftly drew her dagger, and the snake's blood spurted out, the scalding crimson splashing onto her face, making her look like a demon. Zhou Zhao thrust her dagger a second time, and amidst the snake's violent struggle, it struck its vital spot once more.

She moved her wrist, and the giant python suddenly stiffened, its raised body falling straight down.

Just as Zhou Zhao landed and was about to leave, the giant python suddenly lunged forward again to bite at him. However, when the snake was still an arm's length away from Zhou Zhao, it froze again, and the cyan dagger easily pierced its vital spot for the third time.

Zhou Zhao drew his dagger, and the giant snake collapsed heavily to the ground, motionless.

"Ah Zhao!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Zhou Zhao looked up and saw that Liu Huang, Min Zangzhi, and the Ou brothers had all arrived.