Yin Yang Soul Searcher

After a few rounds of drinks, Bai Jueming wiped his mouth and asked the question that had been on his mind the most: "Why did you join the Yin-Yang Palace?" Bai Jueming's eyes were sharp, showing no signs of drunkenness.

Jia Qingshan slowly put down his wine glass: "This is my father's decision."

"Father Bao Nan?" Bai Jueming didn't interrupt, but listened quietly to his explanation.

Jia Qingshan picked up a folding fan, stood up, and walked to the window: "Rather than letting the Imperial Advisor suspect my Jia family, it would be better for me to join the Yin-Yang Palace voluntarily, so that I can work under the Imperial Advisor's nose. This will prove the integrity of the Jia family of Shangzhou. This is also my father's way of showing loyalty to the Imperial Advisor."

"As for what kind of suspicion it is, Brother Bai should understand."

Bai Jueming nodded thoughtfully. He understood the concern: the two remaining non-royal kings of the Great Xia might harbor rebellious intentions. Although the Prince of Yu Nan had no military force, he was incredibly wealthy and traded with Western Shu for many years, so caution was necessary.

However, if your father really wants to rebel, one hostage might not be enough.

The Prince of Pingxi gave it a thumbs up.

"I can speak frankly with Brother Bai today. I swear the Jia family is absolutely loyal to His Majesty and to the Great Xia, and is upright and honorable!" Jia Qingshan walked back to his seat and picked up his wine cup.

"Brother Jia is so generous," Bai Jueming said, drinking first as a sign of respect. Just as Jia Qingshan said, the fact that he could say these words to Bai Jueming showed that he had come with sincerity.

After several rounds of drinks, Bai Jueming took his leave, but Jia Qingshan insisted that he stay. He said that the most beautiful courtesan from Qingyue Tower would be dancing on the boat later, and Bai Jueming should enjoy the performance before leaving.

Bai Jueming couldn't resist Jia Qingshan's enthusiasm, so he reluctantly agreed, saying he would only stay for a short while before leaving.

The two sat by the window, a gentle breeze carrying the moisture and freshness of the river, blowing on Bai Jueming's face and sobering him up considerably from his slight drunkenness.

The silver moon was already high in the sky, casting its cool and bright light, draping the river surface in a thin veil.

A beautifully decorated cruise ship floats quietly on the dreamlike river, like a moving water palace.

On the cruise ship, a courtesan dressed in gorgeous attire is dancing gracefully.

As the melodious sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments began, she slowly raised her arm, just like a tender willow swaying in the spring breeze, gentle and full of vitality, her fingertips bending nimbly as if playing with the breeze.

The surrounding guests were captivated by her dance, sitting quietly to the side, watching intently, afraid of missing a single wonderful moment. Occasionally, a few soft exclamations of admiration drifted in on the breeze.

Bai Jueming suddenly understood King Zhou a little. This was a scene that money could buy; those scenes that even money couldn't buy were unthinkable!

Jia Qingshan, gently waving his folding fan, explained, "The lady on the pleasure boat is Lianzhu from Qingyue Tower. She is beautiful and talented, proficient in poetry, songs, and dance, and her dancing is absolutely superb. Countless young men in the capital are infatuated with her."

"Brother Bai? Brother Bai?" Jia Qingshan called out twice, but seeing that Bai Jueming did not respond, he could only gently pat his shoulder.

"Oh, oh, sorry." Bai Jueming snapped out of his daze. It was so damn embarrassing. But to be fair, her figure, looks, and dance moves were truly top-notch. She was infinitely better than those pretentious poses in short videos.

Jia Qingshan smiled and said, "If Brother Bai likes it, I'll have the madam call in a few girls to serve you. As for the one on the boat, don't even think about it; she's not someone we can touch."

"Oh? Why is that?" Bai Jueming ignored the previous question and instead asked, "Although she is the most beautiful courtesan, she wouldn't refuse if someone paid her, would she? Besides, with Brother Jia's wealth, let alone a mere courtesan, buying the entire Qingyue Pavilion wouldn't be a problem, would it?"

"Brother Bai, you may not know this, but a courtesan is judged not only by her money, but also by her talent. Otherwise, she would feel that she has lowered her own worth." Clearly, Jia Qingshan thought that Bai Jueming had no talent.

Jia Qingshan then explained, "There are plenty of people who can afford to pay, but they lack talent. However, even if they were talented, I wouldn't seek out such a courtesan."

This time it was Bai Jueming's turn to be surprised: "This is strange? Brother Jia doesn't like it?" Bai Jueming was thinking that if Jia Qingshan liked it, he could help him borrow a couple of poems.

Jia Qingshan looked around, then lowered his voice and said, "Brother Bai, you may not know this, but Qingyue Tower has several owners who are high-ranking officials in the court. It is said that Miss Lianzhu is taken to the home of one of these officials every few days to serve him."

Oh~ This guy's a germaphobe, he's obsessed with cleanliness. No, wait, if he were a germaphobe, he wouldn't be at a place like this.

"Although the Jia family is wealthy, they have no connections in the court. While the Jia family isn't necessarily afraid of them, they will try to avoid trouble. Since this courtesan has ties to high-ranking officials, I will avoid contact with her."

Bai Jueming nodded thoughtfully. Sure enough, the higher a person's position, the more careful they had to be. Otherwise, if they accidentally offended a big shot, they wouldn't even know how they died.

...

The dance on the boat ended, but the onlookers lingered, reluctant to leave. They clamored for Lianzhu to dance one more time.

The madam who had received Bai Jueming and his companion stepped forward to smooth things over, mentioning that the courtesan was unwell. She reassured the guests, allowing the other dancers to continue their performance, and then hurriedly left.

Jia Qingshan pointed in the direction the madam had left.

Bai Jueming looked down and saw that Lianzhu, who had disembarked from the pleasure boat, went straight into a sedan chair dressed in ordinary clothes. The madam put her hands on her hips and said a few words, and the sedan chair bearers carried the sedan chair away without stopping.

"Miss Lianzhu must have been sent to the residence of some high-ranking official," Jia Qingshan said, stroking his chin.

"Tsk tsk, it's good to be rich." Bai Jueming stretched and said, "Brother Jia, it's getting late. I won't disturb your enjoyment any longer. I'll head home now."

"It's still early, Brother Bai, are you leaving already?"

Bai Jueming nodded: "I have to work 8 a.m. tomorrow. Unlike you rich people who have nothing to do."

Jia Qingshan wanted to send Bai Jueming back, but Bai Jueming refused.

What a joke! We're not that close yet, and I don't want him to know where I live.

Before leaving, Bai Jueming had someone pack up the whole roast chicken on the table. He hadn't eaten a single bite; he couldn't let it go to waste. As for whether doing so would be a loss of face? Not at all. Only by being shameless could one live comfortably.

Back home, he was met with a scolding from his older sister. Bai Jueming took out the packaged roast chicken and said some kind words. Only then did his sister let him off the hook.

Bai Jueming went back to his room and fell asleep immediately.

At Qingyue Tower, Jia Qingshan, his face etched with sorrow, sat alone, quietly enjoying the evening breeze and gazing at the bustling scene on the river.

I don't know if my father's decision is right or wrong. Will doing this dispel the Imperial Advisor's suspicions about the Jia family? It should, since I'm the only male heir in the family...

But why didn't Father personally contact the Imperial Advisor to have him join the Yin-Yang Palace, leaving his precious son there as a hostage to prove the Jia family's innocence? Why did he hint at this in the letter...?

As dawn broke, Bai Jueming, who had already eaten breakfast at home, arrived late.

Below the platform, Zhou Dahai, who had come to check in, looked much better, while Wang Pang and Wu Yuan, having patrolled the streets for two consecutive days, appeared somewhat tired. It wasn't the patrolling that was exhausting, but rather the playfulness...

"Every time something happens, I'm the one who has to run errands, while you two get to eat, drink, and have fun," Zhou Dahai complained to himself.

Bai Jueming comforted him, "Brother Zhou, with great power comes great responsibility. It shows that Brother Shan is willing to mentor you, right?"

"Look, Mo Yu is absolutely right," Wang Pang praised. Wu Yuan nodded in agreement.

......

The eighth floor of the Yin-Yang Hall.

The deputy hall master, wearing a demon mask, sat in the main seat. Before him, sixteen Yin-Yang hall masters, all dressed in Yin-Yang hall uniforms, stood respectfully.

The deputy hall master stroked the demon beast skull on the table and asked in a calm tone, "Which branch of the sect is responsible for guarding Chaoyangmen Street?"

The Yin-Yang Palace divided the capital city into sixteen districts, with each hall master responsible for the security of their respective area. When the hall masters were not handling any cases, they would send their subordinates to patrol the streets and take a stroll.

If an unusual case occurs within a designated area, the head of the sect responsible for that area will be in charge of investigating it. Unusual cases refer to those involving practitioners and those concerning high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

The deputy hall master gathered the many hall masters here and mentioned Chaoyangmen Street, clearly indicating that something serious had happened. The hall masters felt a chill run down their spines, all wondering who was in charge of this area.

Chaoyangmen Street? Isn't that my area of ​​responsibility? Thinking of this, Li Zhengshan quickly stepped forward: "Replying to the Deputy Hall Master, it is the area under the responsibility of Zhengshan Hall."

Upon hearing this, all the hall masters breathed a sigh of relief.

"It seems this matter will fall to you." The deputy temple master shook his head. The reason the capital region was divided up was to prevent Onmyoji from shirking responsibility and avoiding difficult cases. After all, there are punishments for failing to solve cases properly.

Li Zhengshan stepped forward and, forcing a smile, asked, "May I ask, Vice Hall Master, what is the matter?"

"Yang Yongyuan, a second-rank official and Minister of Works, was murdered at home." The deputy hall master looked up at Li Zhengshan, then spoke the most shocking words in the most calm tone.

"What?!" Li Zhengshan blurted out, feeling a wave of dizziness and the world spinning around him. Why was his life so miserable? He had only been a hall master for a short time, and first there was Cheng Yanbing's pill case, then an official appointed by the imperial court. Why did all of this happen within the jurisdiction of Zhengshan Hall?

The hall masters all breathed a sigh of relief, their gazes towards Li Zhengshan filled with pity. The Minister of Works—this was a high-ranking official of the imperial court, someone who could face the emperor directly in the Golden Palace, yet he had been murdered in his own home.

This is unlike any ordinary case involving cultivators; this matter concerns the Emperor's authority and must be thoroughly investigated! The Yin-Yang Palace is responsible for these types of cases, and someone must be held accountable for this!

The deputy hall master remained unmoved by Li Zhengshan's surprise, simply saying, "Find the culprit within three days. Otherwise, the entire Zhengshan Hall will proceed to Liangzhou."

It's Liangzhou again! Li Zhengshan felt a sudden difficulty breathing, and his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died...

Then the deputy hall master added, "If you can solve this case, I will decide to reward Zhengshan Hall with two Breakthrough Pills."

"Breakthrough Pill!" As soon as the deputy hall master finished speaking, all the hall masters in the hall looked up, their breathing quickened, and their eyes burned with undisguised fervor.

Li Zhengshan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense since his death, was now hanging in suspense again.

Qiao Shou, the master craftsman of the Imperial Craftsmen Hall, spent decades crafting an exclusive elixir for cultivators below the third rank, using the remains of auspicious beasts combined with rare and precious materials. Cultivators below the third rank can break through their cultivation level without any bottlenecks after consuming it. Each cultivator can only consume one elixir in their lifetime! Onmyoji, however, can consume two!

Most of the hall masters in the room were at the fifth or fourth rank. If they could obtain a Breakthrough Pill, given enough time, advancing to the third rank would be a piece of cake! And the deputy hall master in front of them was only at the third rank!

Unfortunately, this elixir is extremely rare, with fewer than a hundred available. After Qiao Shou refined the elixirs, he handed them all over to the Imperial Preceptor, declaring that only those who had rendered great service could obtain them. The death of a second-rank official had actually prompted the Deputy Hall Master to produce such an important item, and two of them at that!

The fact that such an important elixir was brought out inevitably makes one think about the difficulty of investigating this case. This matter not only concerns His Majesty's face, but also challenges the prestige of the Yin-Yang Palace of Great Xia, treating the Yin-Yang Palace under the Grand Preceptor as nothing! Some hall masters couldn't help but think that the fact that the Deputy Hall Master was able to make decisions for the Grand Preceptor shows the Grand Preceptor's trust and high regard for the Deputy Hall Master!

The reason the Deputy Hall Master was willing to offer such important pills, and two of them at that, was twofold. Firstly, it was to protect the face of His Majesty and the Imperial Preceptor. Secondly, Li Zhengshan had only recently established the Zhengshan Hall, and the Yin-Yang Masters under his command were generally of low skill levels. He needed to quickly improve the strength of the Zhengshan Hall and achieve a balance with the other hall masters.

Furthermore, although the culprit wasn't caught in the pill case, the Imperial Preceptor clearly already knew something. The Zhengshan Hall's contributions cannot be overlooked; as for doubling their monthly salaries, that's just the bare minimum...

At this moment, a hall master with a scar on his face stepped forward, clasped his hands, and requested, "Vice Hall Master, I believe this matter is of utmost importance. Zhengshan Hall has only recently been established, and its manpower and experience are insufficient to handle such a heavy responsibility. Why not entrust this matter to our Scarface Hall? Our men are experienced and have rich experience in handling cases. We are certain we will live up to His Majesty and the Grand Preceptor's trust and thoroughly investigate this case!"

A generous reward will surely attract brave men, and the first person to compete with Li Zhengshan for the opportunity has already emerged!

"Vice Hall Master, I think Scarface Hall Master is right." Another hall master stepped forward: "When it comes to case-handling experience, who can match the richness of our Clear Water Hall's experience? We at Clear Water Hall have handled over thirty cases, big and small, in the capital, with a clearance rate as high as 90%. Both morally and logically, these kinds of cases should be handled by our Clear Water Hall." The Clear Water Hall Master had flowing long hair and a slender figure.

"A 90% case-solving rate? You dare to boast about that?" Another burly, muscular hall master stepped forward, somewhat unconvinced. "Vice Hall Master, our Bone and Muscle Hall not only boasts a 95% case-solving rate, but I can guarantee that we can solve this kind of case in two and a half days. If we can't solve it, the entire Bone and Muscle Hall will voluntarily be exiled to Liangzhou without complaint!"

After careful consideration, the other hall masters also joined the robbery. They couldn't resist; the reward was too tempting! Once they got their hands on the pill, advancing to the third rank was practically guaranteed! And they might even have a chance to become candidates for vice hall master in the future!

"Look at your ugly faces, all for a Breakthrough Pill!" Li Zhengshan thought disdainfully.

However, this was for the best. With other hall masters vying for these cases, he could simply stay out of it. After all, as a newly appointed hall master, his experience in handling cases and the number of Onmyoji under his command were indeed slightly inferior to those veteran hall masters. As for the two Breakthrough Pills? There would be other opportunities next time, Li Zhengshan could only console himself with this thought.

Just as Li Zhengshan was about to remain inconspicuous, the deputy hall master spoke up: "Have you all finished arguing?"

All the hall masters quieted down and returned to their original positions.

"You've handled all the cases quite well," the deputy hall master praised, then ignored the competition among the many hall masters and said, "But shouldn't we give the newly promoted hall masters a chance?" He then looked at Li Zhengshan with a slightly cold gaze beneath his mask. "I think Hall Master Li will cherish this opportunity."

Seeing the Vice Hall Master's cold gaze, Li Zhengshan's breath hitched; his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died again. The words were blatantly clear: this case was yours; you had to handle it whether you wanted to or not! Li Zhengshan felt a pang of sorrow. Why did it have to be me?! Weren't there any simpler cases with fewer complications for me...?

The hall masters were puzzled, not understanding why Li Zhengshan had been specifically chosen to investigate this matter. Some thought it was the deputy hall master showing favoritism, while others believed he was targeting them...

Only a few veteran hall masters could see through this; the deputy hall master was trying to improve the strength of Zhengshan Hall as quickly as possible...

Li Zhengshan was a sensible man, and respectfully accepted the order, saying, "Thank you, Vice Hall Master, for giving Zhengshan Hall this opportunity. All the Yin-Yang Masters of Zhengshan Hall will do their utmost to investigate the case and uncover the truth within three days!"

"Very good." The deputy hall master nodded in satisfaction. "If Zhengshan Hall cannot solve this case within three days, you may try to investigate. Whoever finds two Breakthrough Pills will have them as their hall master. You may all leave."

Li Zhengshan walked downstairs with a heavy heart. At this moment, a veteran hall master walked up to Li Zhengshan and comforted him, "Zhengshan, if there is anything you can't figure out, you can come and find me. The deputy hall master still has high hopes for you."

Li Zhengshan smiled bitterly: "Thank you, elder brother."

The speaker was named Shen Fangzheng. He had a square face, exuding righteousness, and was of medium build. Li Zhengshan had served under this man before he was promoted to the fifth rank, and the man had taken good care of Li Zhengshan.

After Shen Fangzheng left, the leader of the Bone and Tendon Hall approached and said, "Li Zhengshan, aren't you short-handed? If you need any, you can come to me, but you have to give me one Breakthrough Pill after solving the case. How about it?"

"Ignore him!" Scarface, the gang leader, quickly interjected. "Look at his well-developed muscles, does he look like he can solve cases?"

The scarred man and the muscular man began to clash, which annoyed Li Zhengshan.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the head of the Qingshui Hall interjected, "Li Zhengshan, I heard that when you were handling the elixir case, a newly promoted Onmyoji discovered the clue."

Li Zhengshan nodded; many people already knew about this. Why was he asking again?

"How about you transfer this person to our Qingshui Hall?" the Qingshui Hall Master said in a low voice. "I won't take your person for free. You can choose any of my men. They're all of high rank."

"Get lost, dream on!" Li Zhengshan spat in his face. He'd finally found a gem—a sharp-minded, investigative talent. And now he was giving him away?

"What are your conditions? We can discuss them," said Master Shimizu, wiping his face.

"No way!" Li Zhengshan said and left.

"We have a way to deal with you even if you don't give it to me," the Master of the Shimizu Hall shouted from behind.

On the platform, before they had even taken their turn to report for duty, a minor official hurriedly ran over to the four men and said, "The head of the hall wants the four of you to come over immediately."

"What happened?" Zhou Dahai frowned. Gathering everyone so hastily before roll call meant something serious must have occurred.

Wang Pang and Wu Yuan also looked grave. The last time the three of them had gathered like this was when they were investigating Cheng Yanbing's case.

Before Bai Jueming could grasp the gravity of the situation, the three men lifted him up and carried him to the main hall.

Inside the lobby, Li Zhengshan sat in his own chair. His face was grave, and his hands gripped the armrests tightly.

Zhou Dahai and the others sensed something was wrong and all lowered their heads. "Could it be another big case?!" Zhou Dahai thought to himself uncontrollably.

A moment later, Li Zhengshan loosened his grip on the armrest of his chair and said in a cold voice, "Who is in charge of patrolling Chaoyangmen Street?"

Boom! Zhou Dahai felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck him from behind, and the sky had collapsed! Wasn't this the area he was responsible for patrolling?!

I insisted on taking over this area in the first place so that I could patrol far away from the Yin-Yang Palace and live a carefree life. Now it seems something terrible has happened.

Zhou Dahai glanced at his two colleagues with solemn expressions and said with a forced smile, "Brother Shan, that area is my responsibility."

Li Zhengshan's eyes were like knives, and then he said, word by word, "Yang Yongyuan, the Minister of Works who lived on Chaoyangmen Street, was murdered in his own home!"

"What!" Bai Jueming exclaimed in shock. A second-rank official of the imperial court, a high-ranking official of the Great Xia Dynasty. To be murdered in his own home—this was tantamount to a provocation against the imperial central government, an act of rebellion!

Zhou Dahai and the other two all looked up at the same time, their eyes filled with disbelief! This was an enormous case!

"After the deputy hall master found out, he gave all of the dozen or so hall masters a severe dressing-down." At this point, Li Zhengshan looked at Zhou Dahai with an unfriendly expression: "They only found out later that it was an area patrolled by my men!"

"This, this, this," Zhou Dahai stammered, "Brother Shan, what kind of punishment will the Vice Hall Master give?"

"The Vice Hall Master is furious. Because this incident occurred within our jurisdiction, he has ordered all Yin-Yang Masters of Zhengshan Hall to investigate this case immediately, without fail!" Li Zhengshan slammed his hand on the table. "If we can't find the answer within three days, the entire Zhengshan Hall will be sent to Liangzhou!"

It's Liangzhou again. Bai Jueming learned what kind of place it was when he chatted with his colleagues. Fortunately, the pill case was over, otherwise the Zhengshan Hall group would have already set off on their way, and he would most likely have gone to the next universe.

Bai Jueming comforted him, "Brother Shan, calm down. Since this happened in our jurisdiction, we'll do our best to investigate."

Zhou Dahai looked at Bai Jueming gratefully; it wasn't easy for him to stand up and say something for him at this time.

Li Zhengshan looked at his four subordinates with some annoyance: "You four, go to the Minister of Works' residence immediately and find out the truth. There must be no mistakes!"

The four people lowered their heads and quickly left the room.

After the four left, Li Zhengshan let out a long sigh of relief. The pressure had been applied effectively; otherwise, they wouldn't have been so tense.

Phew, as for the reward, let's not talk about it beforehand. I'm not sure if I can find out, so I should always prepare for the worst.