Shangguan Yunfei's mouth twitched. "Lord Chen, isn't this a little inappropriate?"
Chen Mo shrugged. "Heaven Capital City is so vast, and we have no clues. Finding anything would be like fishing for a needle in the ocean. Rather than running around like headless flies, we might as well have a little drink, listen to some music, and feel up some thighs..."
"..."
That sounded oddly familiar...
Just then, Lin Jingzhu said sternly, "Lord Chen, isn't that going too far?"
Shangguan Yunfei's eyes lit up. Could Chief Lin have been provoked into getting serious about the case?
With Lin Jingzhu's abilities, if she could focus and devote herself to investigating, and work with the Demon Suppression Bureau to track the demonic aura, there was a chance she could finish the task before the deadline!
"I'm a woman. How am I supposed to go to the Music Bureau?" Lin Jingzhu said, looking displeased.
Chen Mo stroked his chin. "You're right. That was an oversight on my part. Then we'll just drink here... With the rain misting outside and a little wine to warm us, it's quite a pleasant atmosphere."
"Then you should start by punishing yourself with three cups," Lin Jingzhu said.
"Fair enough." Chen Mo readily complied.
?
Shangguan Yunfei's forehead was covered in question marks.
How could these two be more unreliable than each other?
They only had half a month. They should be racing against the clock, yet they still had the mood to leisurely drink?
Especially Chen Mo. He was in charge of the case, and now even the Imperial Empress was keeping an eye on it. If he messed things up, he would bear the brunt of the responsibility!
"Wait, could Lord Chen already have a lead?"
"He probably does. Otherwise, how could he be so calm unless he had everything under control?"
"He's not telling us because this is our first time working together, and we haven't built up any trust yet..."
Shangguan Yunfei looked at Chen Mo. He was sipping his wine at leisure, seemingly unconcerned about anything, but the sharp glint that occasionally flashed in his eyes showed that he had a plan of his own!
With thunder in his heart and a placid face, Lord Chen was indeed unfathomable!
Shangguan Yunfei's imagination was running wild, unaware that Chen Mo was simply giving up.
Solve the case?
They had neither witnesses nor a clear motive. Even if they brought Di Renjie here, it wouldn't help.
Rather than waste time for nothing, he might as well take care of the matter the Imperial Empress had entrusted to him... Though in the end, he would surely still be punished by her...
"Life is like a thong: take one step forward, and you'll get yourself into a filthy mess; take one step back, and shit will land on your head... How hard it is to survive in the cracks!"
Lord Chen sighed inwardly and drowned his sorrows in wine.
The rain grew heavier. Raindrops the size of soybeans pelted the window lattice with sharp pattering sounds.
Lin Jingzhu sat by the window, her back to the curtain of rain. The alcohol rose to her cheeks, painting them a rosy red, like the finest rouge.
She glanced at Chen Mo, raised her cup, and drained it in one go.
She had drunk a little too much today.
But that was mostly Chen Mo's fault. His face was so pleasing to the eye that merely looking at him made the wine go down smoothly...
Suddenly, a rapid clatter of hooves came from outside.
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
She turned to look. Four riders burst through the curtain of rain and came galloping toward them. One of them was the brawny man who had just been beaten.
Of the other three, two wore purple brocade robes and were powerfully built. The last was an old man with completely white hair and beard. The rain evaporated before it could touch him, and even the air around him seemed to ripple slightly.
A black carriage drawn by a pair of horses followed at a distance. It bore no insignia, and its curtains were tightly shut, concealing what was inside.
"First the young one gets beaten, then the old one shows up. Looks like we've got more trouble."
Lin Jingzhu looked calm. She was already used to this.
The four men reached the tavern and reined in their horses. The white-haired old man asked, "Is this where you got beaten?"
The brawny man nodded. "That's right. They might've already run off, but I remember her face..."
His gaze swept around. Suddenly, he spotted a woman at a second-floor window of the Drunken Moon Pavilion, smiling as she raised her cup to him.
"It's her!"
The brawny man gritted his teeth, hatred filling his bloodshot eyes.
"Let's go."
The men dismounted and entered the tavern.
The waiter hurried over to greet them. "What can I get you, gentlemen...?"
"Get lost!"
Bang!
The brawny man kicked the waiter flying. Blood spurted from the waiter's mouth as he crashed into a table and chairs, overturning them.
Seeing how violently he was throwing his weight around, the diners lowered their heads and kept quiet, afraid of bringing trouble upon themselves.
Thud, thud, thud—
The four men hurried upstairs.
The tavern keeper quietly crept out and dragged the unconscious waiter behind the counter.
Anyone who ran a tavern in Heaven Capital City had a good eye. These men were clearly important people, and he couldn't afford to get mixed up in their business. At worst, they'd break some furniture. That was better than losing his life.
When they reached the second floor, the brawny man strode ahead into the private room. But the moment he stepped inside, he was sent flying straight back out!
The white-haired old man arched his brows and reached out, catching him firmly.
A clear, lilting voice came from inside the room. "For starting trouble and injuring someone with an object, the Great Yuan Law prescribes eighty strokes of the cane... Have you already forgotten the pain now that your wounds have healed?"
The brawny man couldn't help shuddering.
Those fifty strokes just now had left a deep psychological scar.
If he hadn't taken a Foundation Solidifying Pill, he'd still be struggling to walk...
The white-haired old man sneered. "You're young, yet you don't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth!"
He strode into the private room and saw two men and a woman inside.
A man dressed in black sat with his back to him, drinking by himself. Another, middle-aged man had a hand on the bridge of his nose, apparently pondering the principles of life. Across from them, a spirited woman sat with one leg crossed over the other, resting her hand on a black staff.
"Did you injure my son?" The white-haired old man looked at the woman and asked in a low voice.
Lin Jingzhu nodded. "If the man just now was your son, then yes, I did."
The white-haired old man narrowed his eyes. "Since you know the Great Yuan Law so well, you should know that assaulting an official of the court is a serious crime, shouldn't you?"
Lin Jingzhu nodded. "I know."
"Good. Then come with me."
The white-haired old man displayed his badge and barked, "I am Centurion Chu Zhuo of the Heavenly Qilin Guard! You committed an assault in broad daylight, and the evidence is conclusive. I hereby take you into custody. You'll await judgment!"
Centurion Chu was also seething with anger.
Nothing had gone his way lately. One of his two Captains had been thrown into the Imperial Prison, while the other had been "turned." He had soldiers but no officers, leaving him dead last among the Ten Offices.
And now Chen Mo had been promoted to centurion, posing a real threat to his position!
Remembering Chen Mo's remark the other day—"A widow can't sleep on top if there's no one above her"—Chu Zhuo had found it convincing and decided to find himself someone powerful to cling to.
As luck would have it, the son of the Vice Minister of Revenue had just reached out to him.
Chu Zhuo was overjoyed!
The Ministry of Revenue controlled taxes and official salaries. It was the court's purse strings!
If he could cling to this powerful patron, he'd enjoy riches and glory without end!
Today, he had arranged to meet Young Master Zhou at a teahouse. He had even called over his son, who served in the Imperial Guard, hoping to make a good impression in front of Young Master Zhou.
After all, Chu Zhuo was already at an age where this was as far as he could rise. But if Chu Chen could get a leg up, his future would be bright!
Instead, that wretch had nearly been beaten to death on the way here!
"You've made me lose all face in front of Young Master Zhou. This isn't over!"
"There are too many people around. If I act here, I'll give them something to talk about. Once I take you back to the Magistrate Office, I'll make you wish you were dead—and beg for death!"
Chu Zhuo fixed Lin Jingzhu with a sinister stare, already thinking about how to torment her.
But when she heard his identity, Lin Jingzhu showed no fear. Instead, she turned to look at the man in black with a strange expression.
"Lord Chen, is this your colleague?"
"Hmm?"
Chu Zhuo frowned and looked more closely. That back looked somewhat familiar...
"What an imposing official you are, Lord Chu," the man in black said coolly.
"C-Chen Mo?!"
Chu Zhuo's scalp tightened!
Before you continue