Holding a lantern, guiding souls across, Lady Hou comes from the underworld.

The Secretariat-Chancellery, located on the two outer wings of the Imperial City, was closest to the Emperor and was in charge of government documents. It had almost no connection with the Ministry of Justice on a daily basis.

Ren Fengjue's arrival was somewhat unexpected for the minor official.

When asked why he had come, he said he was looking for the Vice Minister of the Chancellery.

"Lord Ren, the Vice Minister is on sick leave today and has not come to your door."

Ren Fengjue couldn't help but become suspicious. "What a coincidence?"

As he spoke, he asked the clerk about Mu Zheng's residence.

Following the directions given by the clerk, A-Xia drove the carriage west of the city and arrived at a rather secluded house.

There is a plaque at the entrance with the two characters "Wenlu" in cursive script, which is quite elegant and scholarly.

A servant was watering the flowers in front of the door. When he saw the carriage arrive, he quickly put down the watering can and stepped forward to say, "Greetings, esteemed guest. My master has gone out to see a doctor and is not at home."

Ren Fengjue lifted the carriage curtain and glanced into the house.

This "Wenlu" was even more simple than his own Ren residence. Looking around, there was only a clump of sparse bamboo and three rooms, which could be seen at a glance.

He asked, "Since you're sick, why didn't you call a doctor back instead of making the trip yourself?"

The servant replied, "My master has a chronic illness and is seeking treatment from an old, reclusive physician in the mountains. Such physicians are rare, so my master has to go there every month."

"Is that so?" Ren Fengjue's face showed a cold smile, and he asked again, "Then when will you be back?"

"It will take at least until dark, or perhaps until dawn."

This means that we most likely won't see them today.

It seems he already knew he was about to come knocking.

Ren Fengjue said directly, "When your master returns, please inform him that someone from the Marquis of Renxuan's residence has come and wishes to see Minister Mu."

The servant immediately agreed.

Ah Xia asked in a low voice, "Young Master, Mu Zheng never goes out earlier or later, but just happened to go out at this time. Did he already expect this...?"

Ren Fengjue glanced at the house again: "It's alright, news of Yu Lang's trip south must have already reached his ears."

"Whether they're feeling guilty or not, we'll find out tomorrow."

Giving him another day wouldn't hurt.

Ah Xia asked, "So, young master, are you going directly to the yamen now?"

Ren Fengjue thought for a moment, but didn't know why he thought of Xia Ximo.

His intuition told him that the questions she asked Yan Zhengchu yesterday were no accident.

Something must have happened.

"Go to the East Market."

-

Back alley of Dongshi, in front of the Zhou residence.

Four constables were blocking the entrance, while crowds of onlookers stood on both sides.

"Is Zhou the Madman really dead?"

"Yes, it was the little beggar Liu'er who found it. He said it was bleeding from all seven orifices and died a very gruesome death..."

"Huh? How could this happen?"

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Xia Ximo, standing outside the crowd, frowned slightly.

Bleeding from all seven orifices.

It matches last night's dream.

It seems something really did happen?

By this time, the officials had already carried the body out.

Then came out a constable and a beggar.

"Sixth son..."

"exist!"

"Come with me to the yamen and explain what happened."

As the head constable spoke, he winked at the constable beside him.

Liu'er was terrified that she would be arrested as a suspect if she went to the yamen, and she trembled with fear.

"Officer Chen, I've already told you what I needed to say. I did see the body, but it has absolutely nothing to do with me!"

The constable Chen raised an eyebrow. "It's just routine business. Besides, you're the only one who's been inside this house so far. You really should come with me to the yamen."

"This isn't right! I didn't kill him. I just wanted to go in and see if there really were ten ingots of gold..."

"As it turns out, how can you trust the words of a madman?"

Liu'er looked terrified. "I can't go!"

In the struggle, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure behind the crowd, and his eyes suddenly lit up: "Officer! I know who the murderer is!"

He pointed at Xia Ximo and said decisively, "Yesterday, I saw her follow Zhou Zigui into this house with my own eyes. I even advised her not to go in."

"But not only did she not listen, she even threatened me with ghosts!"

"I think she killed Zhou the Madman in a fit of rage over those ten ingots of gold!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze turned to the woman behind them.

Officer Chen also turned around, but from a distance, he could only see that the woman was thin and frail, as fragile as a piece of paper, and had no ability to commit murder.

He was about to rebuke the beggar for talking nonsense when the woman silently walked towards him.

Only when you get close can you see a woman's face clearly.

She was a rather pretty girl, but her face was as cold as ice, making people feel intimidated.

Before Constable Chen could speak, Xia Ximo spoke first.

"Let me see the body."

These audacious words left even Constable Chen, who had served in the yamen for over a decade, speechless.

To see the corpse?

Who would dare to say such a thing?

"Public affairs are not to be interfered with by unauthorized individuals."

Head Constable Chen, tall and imposing, stood before her like a mountain. He then shouted sternly, "If what this little beggar says is true, and you did indeed come here yesterday, then let's go to the yamen together and explain everything!"

Xia Ximo gave him a cold look, showing no fear of official authority, and said something with a hidden meaning.

"If you could really find out anything, he wouldn't have died."

"How dare you!"

Enraged by this act of defiance towards the government, Chief Constable Chen immediately ordered his two other constables, "Arrest this woman and bring her back to the yamen!"

The constables received their orders and were about to step forward.

Xia Ximo subtly moved his hand at his side, and the two constables immediately became paralyzed as if their pressure points had been struck, unable to move an inch.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind rose from the ground and lifted the shroud covering the body on the stretcher.

A gruesome corpse was exposed to everyone's view.

The spirit of the lamp, Wuyou, drifted to Zhou Zigui's corpse and sniffed around.

"Strange, the person died here, but how come their soul has disappeared?"

Xia Ximo also glanced at the corpse.

It matched the situation in her dream.

Could it be that his spirit briefly entered his dream before he died?

Seeing his two subordinates standing there motionless, Constable Chen stepped forward and kicked one of them.

"What are you standing there for? Arrest them!"

The constables looked terrified: "Captain, we can't move our hands and feet! This woman... she probably knows sorcery!"

Officer Chen was horrified and was about to draw his long sword when he was startled by a cold gaze.

Xia Ximo glanced at the constable, then turned and walked into the house. For a moment, no one dared to step forward to stop him.

As she entered the courtyard, the two constables who had been frozen in place slowly regained feeling in their hands and feet.

Everyone looked at each other.

Knowing the woman was strange, Chief Constable Chen dared not act rashly. He ordered his subordinates, "Return to the yamen and call everyone else over. I think this woman is most likely the murderer!"

"yes!"

At the constable's command, the crowd scattered.

Before long, a group of constables arrived at the gate of the Zhou residence, making a great show of force and completely surrounding the area.

With renewed confidence, Constable Chen was ready to capture the murderer alive when a clear voice came from behind him: "Wait!"

He turned around unhappily, a surge of anger about to burst forth, but his legs went weak and he swallowed it all.

"Lord Ren... Lord Ren! What brings you here?"