Chapter 194 Murder in the Ancient City
On the bed, Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes.
He stood up, carried Severing Dust Blade to the window, opened it a crack, and looked out.
This gong sound was no stranger to him.
Great Xuan Dynasty All prefectures and counties have watchmen walking at night, not only to tell the time, but also to provide patrols and warnings.
For example, if water breaks out in the middle of the night or thieves commit theft, gongs must be sounded to warn people.
There is no fire in the city, so there must be some crime.
Sure enough, not long after, a fire lit up in the distance.
In the hazy drizzle, torches were swaying and people were noisy.
When traveling in the world, both merchants and people in the world must be vigilant, so many people in the inn were also awakened.
Soon, there was a knock on the door.
Li Yan opened the door and saw the sleepy Sha LiFei.
"Is everything okay here?"
"It's okay, what happened?"
"I heard that there was a murder in the city, and there was quite a commotion."
"Oh." Li Yan nodded after hearing this, and said calmly, "Please don't get into trouble, it has nothing to do with us."
It's not that he is indifferent, it's just that this kind of thing is too common.
This is not a remote countryside, where a murder would be a big deal.
Canal Wharf, there have been many since ancient times.
Not only are there fights in rivers and lakes, but there are also many people who kill people because of disputes over money.
This kind of matter should be handled by the government itself.
They are both people in the world and Daoist magicians. If they get involved randomly, they will inevitably arouse suspicion, so it is best to stay out of it.
Sha LiFei is an old Jianghu, so he naturally knows what to do. He explained to Lu San and Wang Dao Xuan who woke up, then went back to the room to rest and ignored them.
After traveling for days, they were a little tired, and the drizzle was making it difficult to travel, so they simply took a rest.
I slept until half the morning.
After waking up, I was naturally full of energy, but what followed was an empty stomach and a tight and uncomfortable feeling.
Sha LiFei immediately called the waiter, "Let me ask, do we have any delicious breakfast here?"
The waiter smiled with a smile on his face and said with joy, "That's natural. The specialty breakfast here is Yunyang Three Delicacies Soup."
"The so-called Yunyang Three Delicacies Soup, you will panic if you don't eat a meal. Judging from your accent, you should be from Shaanzhou. If you don't try it when you come, you will be at a loss."
"There is Old Shop of the Wu Family in the east of the city, and Three Delicacies Soup is the most famous in Shangjin. In the past, we had to queue up, but you guys got up late, so there are probably not many people there."
Sha LiFei said happily, "You are quite good at playing, you said so, we must try it."
Li Yan, who has always been greedy, naturally has no objection.
A few people left the inn and walked through the damp streets. After a while, they came to the Old Shop of the Wu Family mentioned by the waiter.
This shop faces the street. It has blue bricks and old tiles, carved wooden doors, and a thick layer of paste on the door panels. It is obviously quite old.
Before entering, the aroma hits your face.
Li Yan nodded with satisfaction after seeing it. Although it was a private restaurant, it was at least relatively clean.
There is a saying in Daoism that most Nose Mystical Power have mysophobia.
The same is true for him. There are some corners that ordinary people can't notice, but he has a keen sense of smell and can't hide them at all.
If there is something filthy, moldy and smelly, it will be simply unbearable for him. No matter how delicious the food is, he will turn away.
This store is very clean.
But Wang Dao Xuan frowned slightly and looked at a depression at the root of the wall opposite. Seeing traces of incense ash underneath, he immediately pulled Li Yan's sleeve and winked.
Li Yan When I saw it, I immediately understood.
This store mostly has supplies.
In Xuanmen, whether you offer Immortal Family, Gu Raising, or Raising Little Ghosts, you need a clean environment so that the impurities will not disturb you.
Otherwise, over time, the things being offered will also be affected.
Gu Raising Raising ghosts is not uncommon, and many Daoist schools know how to do it. However, the imperial court strictly prohibited the people Gu Raising from spreading poison, and Xuan Gate People was not allowed to teach this method to the common people.
Naturally, there are historical reasons for this.
This store is open for business, and it is located in an important water transportation town. There are many people traveling in the world, and there must be some Daoist magicians.
With such a big fanfare, it is natural that it cannot be hidden from the experts.
Then there is only one possibility: supporting Household God.
The custom of offering Household God is common in both the north and the south. It is equivalent to the guardian spirit of the home. It is not a ghost, but a small Divine Firmness Formation.
Of course, it is not easy to cultivate spirituality.
The real way to make offerings to Household God requires observing the precepts.
This method is available to Buddhism and Taoism. For example, if Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect wants to practice a special method, he must first observe the precepts, such as Cave Divinity Precept, Threefold Great Precepts, Killing Precept, Middle Pole Precept...
There are many types, the more stringent the rhythm, the more powerful the method.
The representative of Buddhism is Vinaya School, who attaches great importance to the transmission of precepts.
Supporting Household God is called family rules and family customs.
If the atmosphere in the family is not upright and the people's hearts are not good, and evil thoughts breed while observing the precepts, the gadgets produced as offerings will actually harm others.
This company has grown in size and must be very honest in its business.
And there must be some guidance from Xuan Gate People.
Sure enough, there was a small shrine in the back house, with dim candlelight and fragrance, and the words "Heaven, Earth, Monarch, Parent, Teacher Tablet" were clearly written on the tablet.
This sacred tablet has been a little darkened by the incense, obviously it is old, but it is very clean, indicating that it is wiped frequently.
In front of the altar table, an old woman is praying with her hands clasped together.
Just when Li Yan and others stepped into the threshold, the incense head suddenly flickered, burned violently, and fell three inches shorter in the blink of an eye.
The face of the old woman who was praying changed, she got up and hurried to the front hall. When she saw Li Yan and others, her eyes were full of vigilance, and she carefully raised her hands and said, "What are you doing here?"
After Li Yan's Daoism improved, Divine Ability also strengthened accordingly. According to the change of smell, the situation in the store could not be hidden from him at all.
He knew it was Household God warning, smiled and shook his head and said, "Don't be afraid of the store, we are just passing through here. I heard that Old Shop of the Wu Family is very good, let's try Three Delicacies Soup."
"It's all the neighbors who help me..."
The old woman said something polite, but the vigilance in her eyes did not dissipate. She quickly ran to the kitchen and started working with the two waiters.
Soon, the hot Three Delicacies Soup was served.
Li Yan At first glance, I saw that Three Delicacies Soup contained vermicelli, beef dumplings, and braised beef slices, sprinkled with chopped green onions and dried chili peppers. It looked appetizing.
"It's really good!"
He drank a few sips and found that the soup was delicious and contained herbs to dispel cold and refresh himself. He was full of praise for it.
The dishes from the north and south are certainly exquisite, but the local snacks have a more earthly flavor.
Seeing that the old woman was still a little scared, Li Yan had no choice but to make it clear. "Don't worry, we are all righteous people and have no malicious intentions. Someone must have given you advice on this method, right?"
He had already seen that the old woman was just an ordinary person.
Offering Household God depends on strictly following the taboos.
Perhaps because she saw that he had a kind attitude and that Wang Dao Xuan next to her was so virtuous, the old woman felt a little relieved and nodded. "Yunyang Prefecture was taught by a passing Immortal Elder."
"At that time, the shop was still run by my father. Because of his business duties, he had some reputation. Some people were greedy and tried to take over my shop. Fortunately, he was discovered and rescued by Immortal Elder."
"Pass this method down so that old people, orphans, and widowed mothers can take precautions."
Li Yan smiled slightly and said no more.
To be honest, this kind of behavior is not easy to evaluate.
If you pass on the real Dharma to ordinary people, once they break the taboo, for example, if your offspring commits adultery or has a wrong mind, something will probably happen.
The feng shui of the Yangzhai at home is not bad, but it can lead to death. Wang Dao Xuan has dealt with this kind of thing.
However, it is rare that this old woman can support Household God so effectively. After all, the human heart is too fickle.
At this moment, footsteps sounded outside.
I saw a group of soldiers running through the rain carrying long guns, and they went from house to house in twos and threes to investigate.
"Have you seen any strangers lately?"
"Where were the people last night!"
There were scoldings, accompanied by the sound of broken clay pots and sounds of begging for mercy.
Seeing this, the old woman next to him hesitated for a moment, and quickly reminded in a low voice, "Last night, the Hu YuanWai family of the biggest rich man Shangjin City was brutally wiped out, and all the family's belongings were also lost. I'm afraid things are going to be bad."
Before he finished speaking, three soldiers walked into the store.
Shangjin Town is an important water transportation town and is also set at the county level.
Not only is there a county government office here, there is also a small guard station with about three hundred soldiers.
The leader, Xiao Qi, knew the store owner, nodded slightly and said hello, "Don't be afraid, Mrs. Wu."
Then, he looked at Li Yan and the others, his eyes full of vigilance, "Who are you?"
Before he finished speaking, a small soldier hurriedly stepped forward and pulled him to whisper. It was the soldier who met Li Yan when he was guarding the door yesterday.
When he heard that several of them were warlocks, the leader Xiaoqi's pupils shrank immediately, but he still gritted his teeth and asked, "Guys, where were you last night?"
Li Yan replied directly, "I rested in the inn last night. Boss Auspicious Fortune Inn can prove it."
The leader, Xiaoqi, was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Something happened in the city. It's best for you guys not to leave casually these two days."
After saying that, he turned around and left.
Looking at the other party's back, Sha LiFei was speechless. "It's just a murder. What does it have to do with us!"
"Don't be surprised by the guests." Aunt Wu, the owner of the shop, suddenly said, "That Hu YuanWai is not a simple person. He is not only the richest man in Shangjin, but he is also related to Mr. Yunyang Prefecture."
"For such a big case, everyone from the county government to the health center will probably be in trouble. It's best not to provoke them."
"Thank you."
Li Yan and Sha LiFei looked at each other and both understood what the boss lady meant.
After returning to the inn, Sha LiFei immediately cursed, "Listen to what the landlady said, the county captains and guards here are not honest. Maybe they will be eager to do business and blame others. What will happen if they find us?"
Don't blame them for being vigilant, this kind of thing happens often.
People in the rivers and lakes wander between black and white. Although there are people who are chivalrous and righteous and see injustice on the road, there are also those who cheat, kidnap, kill and swindle.
In the drama, I heard about those green forest heroes, and the common people praised them, but in reality, they always avoided people in the world.
The same is true for the government. When encountering major and important cases, sometimes they are unable to solve them, and in desperation, they will arrest people in the Jianghu to make up for the crime.
Before he finished speaking, Li Yan waved his hand, indicating that someone was coming and not to say more.
Boom, boom, boom!
Sure enough, there was a knock on the door.
Sha LiFei stepped forward and opened the door, only to see an official standing outside the door, in green clothes and black hat, followed by two police officers.
Sha LiFei looked a little confused at first sight, and said with a gloomy face, "What happened last night has nothing to do with us, you guys have found the wrong person!"
"Don't get me wrong."
The green-clothed official was thin and had a goatee. He clasped his fists slightly and said, "I am the local county captain Guo LuQing. I heard that several orthodox magicians from Shaanxi Province came here to pay me a visit."
"You must have heard about last night's case. There is something fishy about it. I would like to ask a few of you to help me find out if someone is using magic to harm anyone."
Li Yan frowned, "Isn't there a local temple?"
Shangjin City is not big. Although there is no City God Temple, there is a Land God Temple and a temple, which can be seen through the window.
Then County Magistrate Guo was a little helpless, "Several warlocks in the city have seen it, but they are not good enough and didn't see anything."
"Everyone, please do me a favor. If there is any discovery, the imperial court will definitely reward you greatly!"
If it's just to help, that's fine.
The local county captain personally came to ask for help. Li Yan and others could not refuse, so they followed them to the outside of a large house in the east of the city.
The entire alley here has been blocked, and the people who are doing good things are blocked from outside, sticking their heads out and whispering.
"Get out of the way, get out of the way, everyone!"
The soldiers scolded several times, and the people dispersed one after another.
"Guys, please come in."
County Magistrate Guo raised his hand and invited Li Yan and others in.
The people behind were whispering.
"Look, here comes another one."
"Looks a bit unfamiliar, is he an outsider?"
"Even Master Ku Xin can't help it, what can they see!"
Li Yan and others didn't care. Under the leadership of County Magistrate Guo, they entered the mansion.
As soon as they entered the door, several people looked solemn.
There were bloodstains everywhere in the yard, washed away by the drizzle and flowing everywhere.
In the main hall of the front yard of the mansion, there were more than 20 corpses neatly arranged, all covered with white cloth, some were large and some were small.
Looking at the outline of the smallest one, he is still just a swaddled baby.
"Damn, you're so cruel!"
Sha LiFei cursed and said, "In the world of martial arts, there are rules even when seeking money. Those who kill people at every turn will be guarded against wherever they go."
"If you don't even spare a baby, you must be a passing thief!"
"No one else did this."
County Magistrate Guo shook his head slightly, looked at the crowd and said solemnly, "Hu YuanWai killed all of them himself. The one who called the police noticed something was wrong, so he gave the warning."
"We have checked and found out that Hu YuanWai killed the whole family and wiped his own neck in the yard. Later, someone sneaked into the house and looted all the gold and silver treasures, so we suspected that someone had used magic to harm others."
Li Yan Several people looked at each other.
Listening to this, there is indeed a lot of strangeness.
Li Yan sniffed and carefully identified the smell of the house.
Apart from the smell of blood, the smell here is extremely mixed, and since it rained yesterday, even if there was any smell left by thieves in the air, it has dissipated.
More importantly, I didn't smell anything unusual.
He turned around and looked at Wang Dao Xuan, shaking his head slightly.
Wang Dao Xuan suddenly understood. He opened up several corpses, took out the talismans from his arms, pinched them one by one to collect his energy, and then took out a separate one and placed it on Hu YuanWai's forehead.
Then, he lit them all, mixed the talisman ashes into the water, stirred, dipped his fingers lightly, put it in his mouth, tasted it, shook his head and said:
"There are indeed no traces of the operation."
"That's it."
That County Magistrate Guo frowned, a trace of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
Li Yan and others knew what his intentions were as soon as they saw it.
If this matter is caused by someone using magic to harm others, then their responsibility can be cleared a lot.
After all, it is related to Xuanmen, Shangjin City Yamen did not notice it, it is just a matter of ability, but if Jianghu thieves sneak in to commit the crime...
Then there is no way to hide from this scapegoat.
Sha LiFei chuckled, shook his head and said, "Lord Guo, I'm sorry, I'm just a traveling warlock, and I'm really not good at investigating cases."
When I say this, I am preparing to leave.
Li Yan certainly doesn't know how to investigate crimes. Although he doesn't think the murderer is cruel, the rain washes away the smell and it really doesn't help much. He said goodbye and turned around.
But at this moment, the book in his arms suddenly became hot.
Then, thick fog rose around him, and Li Yan was stunned for a moment.
Is this... coming to life?