Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 218 A Strategic Retreat Leads to a Mysterious Death

Half an hour later, at the South City Market.

Although it was still early, the market was already bustling with activity and people.

The cries of vendors, the haggling of buyers, and the laughter of children mingled together, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.

Chen Ye did not wear the conspicuous Xuanjing Division official uniform, but changed into an ordinary blue casual outfit, looking like a rich young master who was out for a stroll.

But his face was so striking, his figure so tall and straight, and the horse he rode was so magnificent that he attracted the furtive glances of many young women and wives along the way.

Chen Ye ignored the stares of those around him and slowed his horse as he slowly made his way through the market, scanning the stalls on both sides with his eyes.

He soon spotted that familiar figure in a corner.

Yuan Xiao'e's tofu stall was surrounded by a large crowd, just like yesterday, and the majority of them were men.

They all craned their necks, saying they were buying tofu, but their eyes kept glancing at Yuan Xiao'e.

At this moment, Yuan Xiao'e was still wearing that simple coarse cloth dress, but her face had a sickly paleness, making her look pitiful, like a little white flower swaying in the wind, which aroused men's protective instincts even more.

As she deftly cut tofu for the customers, she would occasionally cover her mouth with a handkerchief and cough lightly.

Her frail and helpless appearance almost melted the hearts of the men around her.

"Little Miss Xiao'e, what's wrong? Are you sick?" a burly man selling tofu asked with concern.

"Cough cough... It's nothing, I probably just caught a bit of a chill," Bai Yingluo replied softly, her voice tinged with weakness.

At the same time, Chen Ye dismounted, casually tied the reins to a tree nearby, and then walked towards the tofu stall.

"Excuse me, could you please move aside?"

The men blocking the way turned around and saw that although the newcomer was dressed plainly, he had an extraordinary air about him and was clearly not an ordinary person. So they subconsciously made way for him.

Chen Ye walked through the crowd and arrived at the tofu stall.

Bai Yingluo, who was busy with her work, sensed someone approaching and subconsciously looked up.

When she saw that the person who came was Chen Ye, her clear eyes instantly lit up with surprise. She then quickly lowered her head, two blushes creeping up her cheeks, looking surprised, delighted, and shy all at the same time.

"Sir...sir..."

Her voice was barely audible, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

[He's here! He's finally here! You've got some guts, at least you didn't keep me waiting too long.]

[This time he's dressed quite well, much better than that black leather official uniform.]

Watch how I crack this tough nut to crack!

Chen Ye heard her inner scheme perfectly. He sneered inwardly, but his face showed just the right amount of surprise and a hint of gentleness.

"I had nothing to do, so I came to see you. Miss Yuan, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale all of a sudden?" Chen Ye asked.

"Cough cough... Thank you for your concern, sir." Bai Yingluo covered her mouth with her handkerchief and coughed weakly twice.

"It must have been caught in the cool breeze on the way back, it's nothing serious."

It seems my sickly beauty act was quite effective; men really do prefer delicate women.

Hearing Bai Yingluo's narcissistic thoughts, Chen Ye chuckled inwardly, then said softly, "Earlier in front of my house, my wife..."

“My lord, there’s no need to say anything more.” Bai Yingluo interrupted Chen Ye directly, then blinked her innocent big eyes and said gently.

“I understand your predicament, so you don’t need to explain.”

Such understanding and considerate words, coupled with Bai Yingluo's charming appearance, are truly devastating.

Even Chen Ye was amazed by the enchantress's acting skills. If he hadn't been able to hear her thoughts, he probably would have thought she was a gentle and considerate girl.

Chen Ye pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm relieved that you think that way, Miss Yuan. I've been regretting not having your tofu pudding yesterday. Now that we've met, would you do me the honor of having a bowl?"

"Of course!"

Bai Yingluo was secretly delighted. She quickly picked up a clean porcelain bowl, and with a flick of her wrist, filled it with a bowl full of snow-white tofu pudding.

Just as she was about to add sugar, Chen Ye spoke up.

"I don't want any sugar added, I just want to try the original flavor."

As he spoke, Chen Ye stepped forward and reached out to take the bowl of tofu pudding.

At this moment, the distance between the two became very close, and Chen Ye could even see the soft, peach-like downy hair on Bai Yingluo's face.

Therefore, the rubbing of the Song of Righteousness in her arms was also very close to Bai Yingluo.

The opportunity is coming!

Chen Ye's heart was in his throat. He stared intently into Bai Yingluo's eyes, activating his "Heart-to-Heart" talent to capture every subtle reaction she made.

According to his plan, the Righteous Qi is the nemesis of evil spirits, and Bai Yingluo is a demoness from the Nine Nether Sect. Being in such close contact with a treasure like the Song of Righteousness, which contains the imprint of the spirit of a great Confucian scholar, would at least cause a strong impact and expose her flaws, even if she did not die on the spot.

However, after more than ten seconds, nothing happened.

Bai Yingluo's smile remained sweet, her eyes clear, and her hand that handed over the bowl was steady without trembling.

In Chen Ye's mind, her thoughts were as playful and provocative as ever.

Why aren't you answering? Little one.

Are you captivated by my beauty? Hehehe...

Chen Ye's eyelids twitched as he listened.

This crazy bitch!
He forcibly suppressed his surprise and the urge to complain, his gaze falling on Bai Yingluo's pure and innocent face, and then a thought suddenly rushed into his mind.

Body!

The Bai Yingluo in front of him is now using Yuan Xiao'e's body!
You should know that righteous energy can suppress evil spirits, demonic energy, and other sinister things.

However, Bai Yingluo is not in her demonic form now, but is hiding in the body of a young girl whose primordial yin has not been depleted and whose blood and energy are vigorous!

The body itself is innocent and clean.

Righteous energy may be able to detect demonic energy, but it lacks intelligence and will not actively attack a soul hidden beneath human skin!

Unless Bai Yingluo actively releases her demonic energy or reveals her true form, this copy of the Song of Righteousness will have no effect on her at all.

Once he understood this, Chen Ye's heart sank instantly.

Damn it, I miscalculated!

He thought he had found the trump card to subdue this witch, but he didn't expect that this thing would have limitations in its use.

This is trouble.

He made a special trip today, but it was all for nothing, and he almost embarrassed himself in front of the other party.

"My lord? My lord?"

Bai Yingluo's voice pulled Chen Ye back from her thoughts. She held up the bowl, blinked her big, watery eyes, and looked at him with concern and confusion.

"What's wrong? Is...is there something wrong with this tofu pudding?"

Chen Ye felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that his prolonged distraction had aroused the other party's suspicion.

Therefore, he must smooth things over as soon as possible!

So Chen Ye instantly activated his LV3 Eloquent Tongue skill, squeezed out a complicated, apologetic smile, and reached out to take the bowl of tofu pudding.

"It's nothing." Chen Ye's voice became low and gentle, his gaze fixed intently on Bai Yingluo.

"I just suddenly feel that you look even more beautiful than yesterday, Miss Yuan."

This straight shot was fast and powerful, completely unreasonable.

Bai Yingluo's expression visibly stiffened for a moment.

She clearly hadn't expected Chen Ye to suddenly say something like that.

【……ha?】

Is this little guy flirting with me?

[Hehe, you've improved! I thought you were a blockhead, but I didn't expect you to have such a sweet tongue.]

However, I like it!

Hearing these thoughts, Chen Ye cursed inwardly, but his smile became even more sincere. He then gently scooped up a spoonful of tofu pudding.

The snow-white tofu pudding trembled slightly, exuding a pure bean fragrance.

He knew perfectly well that this thing was definitely not poisonous.

Because Bai Yingluo clearly wouldn't use such a low-level method as poison; what she wanted to play was an emotional hunting game, enjoying the thrill of conquering herself step by step.

So this tofu pudding is edible.

Chen Ye put the tofu pudding into his mouth and found it to be smooth and creamy with a rich bean flavor, truly a testament to his skill.

"good to eat!"

Chen Ye's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed sincerely, "This tofu pudding is refreshing and pure, just like you, Miss Yuan." These words, combined with LV3's silver tongue, were incredibly persuasive.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Bai Yingluo's usually calm and composed face revealed a hint of shyness. She lowered her head and nervously twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers.

"You flatter me, sir. It's just some cheap food..."

That being said, her true feelings had already betrayed her.

[This guy's mouth is so sweet, it's like it's been coated with honey!]

[But it sounds quite pleasant.]

[Refreshing, pure, like me? Hehehe, if he knew what lay beneath that facade, I wonder what kind of expression he'd have. This is getting more and more interesting.]

Chen Ye sneered inwardly, but his face showed that he was still not satisfied. He quickly finished the bowl of tofu pudding.

"Another bowl, please!" Chen Ye handed over the bowl.

"Huh? Oh... okay."

Bai Yingluo was taken aback, clearly not expecting Chen Ye to want more food, but she was secretly delighted and quickly served him another bowl.

Chen Ye took the second bowl and started chatting with her casually while eating.

"Miss Yuan, you look so pale. Besides, you're a young woman, and you work so hard every day from dawn till dusk. What if you ruin your health?"

Bai Yingluo was taken aback by his words.

Most of the men she met were lustful and only coveted her body; she had never met anyone who cared for her like Chen Ye.

For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. After a long while, she softly said, "I understand. Thank you for your concern, sir."

Seeing that the tofu was almost cooked, Chen Ye finished his second bowl of tofu pudding, then stood up, took out a silver ingot from his pocket, and placed it directly on the tofu stall's cutting board.

"Miss Yuan, these two bowls of tofu pudding are on me. Use the rest of the money to buy something good to nourish yourself. You can't refuse, this is an order!"

Chen Ye's tone left no room for doubt. After speaking, he turned and left without any hesitation.

He knew that simply giving in to a vixen like Bai Yingluo wouldn't work; she reveled in the thrill of conquest, so the more you went along with her, the more smug she became.

You have to be assertive occasionally to disrupt her rhythm and keep her guessing.

Sure enough, Bai Yingluo stared blankly at the silver on the chopping board, then looked up at Chen Ye's departing figure.

He... he just left like that?

"Give me back my money? What does this mean? Are you trying to get rid of me?"

[Wait, his tone and gaze just now didn't seem like he was trying to brush me off, it was more like... he was concerned about me?]

This man is becoming increasingly incomprehensible.

Hearing the enchantress's chaotic yet excited thoughts behind him, Chen Ye's lips twitched slightly.

Although today's attempt failed, it was not without its gains.

At least he figured out the limitations of using the rubbing of the Song of Righteousness and found a new way to deal with this witch.

If a direct confrontation doesn't work, then we have to outsmart them.

Chen Ye began to plan how to deal with Bai Yingluo.

After much thought, Chen Ye decided that this matter couldn't be rushed, because Bai Yingluo's target was him, so as long as he kept things stable, she would make her move sooner or later.

We'll deal with her moves as they come, and we'll eventually find her weakness.

Thinking of this, Chen Ye didn't even go home, and immediately turned his horse around and headed towards the Xuanjing Division's office.

As soon as Chen Ye arrived at the entrance of the Xuanjing Division, he keenly sensed that something was amiss.

The soldiers guarding the gate stood ramrod straight, their expressions solemn, their eyes revealing a sense of tension. Even the soldiers who usually came forward to lead his horse when they saw him only bowed respectfully from a distance, not daring to approach.

The entire government compound was eerily quiet.

The officers and soldiers coming and going all had their heads down, their steps hurried, and not a single person spoke; a sense of oppression permeated the air.

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat. He dismounted and strode towards his No. 3 courtyard.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Zhao Qi rushed out of the house as if he had been waiting for a long time.

"My lord! You're finally back!" Zhao Qi's face was full of anxiety, and his voice was kept very low, as if he was afraid of being overheard.

"What's wrong?" Chen Ye frowned, his bad premonition growing stronger.

Zhao Qi glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before leaning close to Chen Ye and whispering, "Sir, something terrible has happened!"

"Minister Li, who was in prison, is dead!"

Chen Ye's pupils suddenly contracted.

Is Li Chengfeng dead?
How can it be!

When I left this morning, he was in good health, even though he was having a mental breakdown. He had eaten two big bowls of rice. How could he just die like that?
"When did this happen? How did you die?" Chen Ye pressed.

“Just… just an hour ago.” Zhao Qi’s face was pale. “I heard he died suddenly! Didn’t Chen Sheren go to interrogate him this morning? Chen Sheren had just left when the jailer who brought lunch found him… he was already dead!”

Chen Ye's heart sank.

He left the prison in the morning and handed Li Chengfeng over to his sister Chen Wan'er. However, his sister died right after interrogating the man. The timing was too coincidental.

It was such a coincidence, it was as if someone had meticulously planned it.

"What did the Commander say?" Chen Ye forced himself to calm down.

"The commander is furious!" Zhao Qi said with a bitter face. "I heard that he dismissed the prison warden on the spot and issued a gag order. Anyone who dares to spread a word will be killed! Now no one in the entire government office dares to speak loudly."

now it's right.

If word got out that someone had died in the Xuanjing Division's prison, especially a high-ranking official like the Minister of Rites, the Xuanjing Division would lose all face, and Shen Lian, the commander, would also be held responsible.

Most importantly, Li Chengfeng is a serious criminal who colluded with evil people, and he must be hiding a huge secret.

But now that he's dead, many leads have been lost.

So there's definitely more to it than meets the eye.

Suicide? Impossible. How could someone as cowardly as Li Chengfeng, who was so afraid of death, possibly commit suicide?

Was he silenced?
The thought flashed through Chen Ye's mind in an instant.

Li Chengfeng revealed so much about the demonic sect and its demons while in prison, so those powerful figures definitely didn't want him to live.

But this is the Xuanjing Division's prison, heavily guarded, and it would be extremely difficult for outsiders to enter and kill witnesses.

Could there be a mole within the Xuanjing Division?
The more Chen Ye thought about it, the colder he felt.

If that's the case, then this pool of water is far too deep.

"My lord, do you think this matter might implicate Minister Chen?" Zhao Qi asked cautiously.

Having followed Chen Ye for so long, he naturally knew that Chen Wan'er was Chen Ye's older sister.

Now that Li Chengfeng's death is so suspicious, and the last person to see him was Chen Wan'er, if those censors and officials outside find out, they will definitely make a big fuss about it.

"Shut up!" Chen Ye shouted coldly.

Zhao Qi shuddered in fright and quickly lowered his head, "This subordinate has spoken out of turn!"

Chen Ye realized he had overreacted. He rubbed his temples and softened his tone, saying, "This is not something we should discuss. Keep your mouths shut and make sure everyone in the courtyard keeps their mouths shut too. If anyone dares to spread rumors outside, don't blame me for court-martialing them."

"Yes, sir! I'll take care of it right away!" Zhao Qi felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly ran off to deliver the message.

Chen Ye stood alone in the courtyard, looked up at the sky, which was gloomy, just like his mood.

Li Chengfeng's death was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up towering waves.

And this wave seemed to be crashing down on him and his family.

His biggest worry right now is his sister, Chen Wan'er.

Although he believed that his sister could not be involved in Li Chengfeng's death, she was, after all, the last person to come into contact with Li Chengfeng, so the suspicion could not be cleared.

In officialdom, the truth is often not important; what matters is what others are willing to believe.

No, I have to go see Shen Lian.

Chen Ye made up his mind.

He needed to get firsthand information from Shen Lian to assess the situation.

With that thought in mind, he no longer hesitated and turned to walk toward the office of Commander Shen Lian.

The officers from the Xuanjing Division he encountered along the way all kept their distance from him, their eyes filled with complex emotions, including sympathy, schadenfreude, and fear.

Chen Ye could guess what they were thinking.

It seems the entire Xuanjing Division is now waiting to see how this newly promoted Zhaowu Captain will handle this huge, unexpected burden.

Chen Ye remained expressionless and went directly to the entrance of Shen Lian's official residence, only to be blocked.

(End of this chapter)