Chapter 59 Don’t You Want to Give Me a Reward?…

Chapter 59: Aren't You Going to Reward Me?

A Chan swore that next time she saw something exciting, she would never get too close—she was just an innocent bystander!

Two Bright Mirror Bureau Guards stepped forward. Unlike how they had handled the Lin family, they didn’t drag her away. Instead, they stood on either side of her and motioned politely, saying, "Please, Lady Ji."

A Chan was taken aback. They even knew her surname was Ji? Had she already become a familiar face at the Bright Mirror Bureau?

She felt uneasy, sensing that this wasn’t a good sign.

Chen Hui, who had been separated from the group, saw them taking A Chan away and tried to follow, only to be stopped by the guards. She turned to Lord Bai. "Lord Bai, I—"

Before he could respond, A Chan turned her head and called out, "Hui Niang, don’t worry! I’ll be back soon. Wait for me at home."

Chen Hui glanced at Lord Bai again. Seeing no objection, she relaxed slightly. "Alright, come back early."

A Chan walked with the Bright Mirror Bureau’s procession toward their headquarters. The captured members of the Yao and Lin families either hung their heads in defeat or looked dazed. Only A Chan kept talking nonstop the entire way.

She was already out of breath from walking but still doggedly tried to keep up with Lord Bai.

"Lord Bai, I just thought the Lin family’s treatment of Lin Sui and Lin Ting was too strange, so I pointed it out to Lin Sui. That’s all! I didn’t do anything else—well, except secretly making an antidote for Zhan Grass and charging Lin Sui two hundred taels of silver for it. But the incense powder really was that expensive! Why are bones from female corpses so costly? Shouldn’t you regulate *The Hunting Shop’s* outrageous prices?" By the end, she was railing against *The Hunting Shop*.

The corner of Lord Bai’s lips quirked slightly.

"Lord Bai, shouldn’t this count as a good deed? Since you’re so fair and reasonable, why not just let me go?"

The man on horseback gave her a sidelong glance but remained silent.

Not discouraged, A Chan continued, "Look, it’s already dark. If you take me to the Bright Mirror Bureau just to ask a few questions, you’ll have to send me home afterward. What a bother! Why not ask me now? I promise I’ll cooperate."

"Who said I’d send you home?" Lord Bai finally spoke.

Huh?

A Chan instantly became suspicious. Not even letting her go home? What was he planning?

"Lord Bai, you can’t bend the rules. I’ve always lived honestly—I’ve never done anything bad!"

Her words finally earned her a direct look from Lord Bai. He deliberately looked her up and down. "Really? Doesn’t seem like it."

A Chan was indignant. She felt her integrity had been insulted.

"Of course it’s true!" she said loudly.

"Your voice startled my horse," Lord Bai said calmly. "So now I have the right to detain you for intensive questioning… all night."

A Chan’s eyes widened. The words "corrupt official" sat on the tip of her tongue but were bitten back.

When they finally arrived at the Bright Mirror Bureau, the captured individuals were sent to the prison, while Lin Sui and Lin Yi were taken separately for questioning.

A Chan figured she’d be questioned too and waited for someone to summon her. Instead, a young scholar hurried over.

"Lord Bai," the man said out of breath, "I still haven’t found a way to counter Zhan Grass in the texts. I may need more time."

"No need. She’ll teach you."

A Chan blinked, then turned to Lord Bai. "You brought me here… to make the antidote?"

"Isn't that clear?" he countered. "You said you’ve lived honestly. If you’ve done nothing wrong, why be afraid?"

A Chan was speechless. Had all her explanations on the way been a waste of breath?

"If you wanted to know how to counteract Zhan Grass, you could’ve just asked! Why frighten me? It’s not like I’d charge you for it."

Lord Bai nodded. "Then I won’t pay."

A Chan: "…"

She'd be fuming all night!

Perhaps sensing he’d gone too far, Lord Bai added, "You were explaining so earnestly on the way. I didn’t have the heart to interrupt."

A Chan gritted her teeth, tempted to fight this "corrupt official."

But then she remembered something. "You said all records of Zhan Grass were erased. Why does he still have texts about it?"

The young official laughed sheepishly. "The order to erase Zhan Grass came from our Bright Mirror Bureau. Of course we kept the records."

"Have you handled many cases involving Zhan Grass?" A Chan asked curiously.

The official glanced at Lord Bai. Seeing no objection, he replied, "Not many. The drawbacks outweigh the benefits—who would trade their lifespan for momentary fame?"

"Then why was it banned? There must be a reason."

"Ah…" The official smiled awkwardly. "You’d better ask Lord Bai."

"Lord Bai?"

"Make the antidote first. After that, I’ll tell you the story." For once, Lord Bai was being agreeable.

"Fine." A Chan gave a reluctant wave. "Don’t forget to come find me when you’re done!"

The young official led A Chan to the medicine preparation room. "I’m Liu Zhong, a physician at the Bright Mirror Bureau. I’d appreciate your guidance."

"I’m Ji Chan. Just call me by my name." After exchanging introductions, A Chan cut to the chase, explaining what she called an antidote.

"Just powdered bones from a female corpse?" Liu Zhong repeated in disbelief. "That’s it?"

"The active ingredient is Jade Bone Powder. But it doesn’t burn easily and has a pungent odor, so I mixed it with fragrant, flammable incense powder to make incense."

"That's brilliant insight. Please teach me." He bowed deeply.

"No need for formalities." A Chan stepped aside from his bow but thought, *Now this is how you ask for help!*

She shared her formula, then added, "It’s not a true antidote. The incense must be used twice to suppress Zhan Grass’s effects, but it can’t fully neutralize them. Continuous suppression requires repeated use of Jade Bone Powder."

"That’s fine. Once a Zhan Grass user dies, its effects vanish completely. We’re making the antidote so victims can provide clear accounts during investigations."

Liu Zhong explained, though there were other reasons he couldn’t go into. If Lady Ji could get Lord Bai to talk, she might learn the truth.

"How long will the investigation take?"

"Difficult to predict. At least ten days to two weeks, since it involves a second-tier general. We also need to trace Zhan Grass’s origins and whether someone was behind this." After a few more words, Liu Zhong skillfully changed the topic.

A Chan, however, was hung up on something else entirely: "Doesn't that mean we'll need a lot of bone jade powder?"

A single bone is only enough for one person for a day, and each one goes for ninety taels of silver. With so many people in the Lin family, how much silver would be needed for half a month?

"Miss Ji, there's no need to worry. The Bright Mirror Bureau's main storeroom should have plenty of female corpse bones—plenty to go around."

A Chan immediately had her eyes lit up with envy.

Liu Zhong called for an attendant, handed them his badge, and sent them to the Bright Mirror Bureau's main storeroom to fetch the female corpse bones and other necessary materials. Meanwhile, he stayed behind in the apothecary to chat with A Chan.

Soon enough, two Bright Mirror Bureau Guards hauled in a crate. When opened, it revealed a neatly arranged collection of jade bones.

These jade bones were of the highest quality, each one gleaming and polished, looking as though they were priceless.

A Chan suddenly felt the urge to abandon her scruples and steal a few bones to take home.

Once the jade bones were obtained, Liu Zhong, with A Chan looking on, began processing them—grinding the bones into powder and mixing them with other aromatic ingredients.

After the incense powder was prepared, Liu Zhong took a small amount and lit it. A Chan took a whiff and nodded. "It smells just like the one I made."

At that moment, a knock came from outside the apothecary. A Chan, who'd just been supervising so far, went to open the door. Jiang Kai, who had been waiting somewhat impatiently outside, immediately beamed upon seeing her. "Miss Ji, you're here too."

"Lord Jiang." A Chan's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Are you here for Lord Liu?"

"Yes."

Jiang Kai stepped into the apothecary. Liu Zhong was in the midst of dividing the powder into ten portions. He looked up at Jiang Kai and asked, "Has Lord Bai given any orders?"

Jiang Kai replied, "General Lin has lost control in the Suppression Prison. Lord Bai wants you to administer the prepared antidote to him first."

"So serious?" Liu Zhong was surprised but then said, "I'll go to the Suppression Prison myself and take notes on his state while I'm at it."

Jiang Kai nodded—that had been his intention as well.

Since Liu Zhong was leaving with Jiang Kai, A Chan couldn't stay behind. She dutifully tagged along.

Perhaps because she was the one who had came up with the incense formula, Liu Zhong actually brought her along into the Suppression Prison.

The Lin family, being victims, were held on the first floor of the Suppression Prison. A Chan had also been held here for a time and was quite used to the environment.

Soon, Jiang Kai led them to the cell where Lin Cheng was being held.

Before they even got close, A Chan heard the sound of banging—as if someone was ramming into the cell bars.

Upon approaching, she realized it was Lin Cheng making the noise. This was the first time she had seen him in such a state. Logically, even if he was being controlled by a Zhan Grass user, his reaction shouldn’t have been this extreme.

She glanced at Liu Zhong, who seemed to not bat an eye, as if he had expected this.

"Do you know what's happening to General Lin?" A Chan whispered to Liu Zhong as Jiang Kai unlocked the cell and stepped inside to subdue the shackled Lin Cheng.

Liu Zhong nodded. "When a Zhan Grass user realizes they are nearing death, those under deeper influence react more violently. It might be a kind of defense reflex."

"Have you encountered this before?"

"No, but the bureau records have records of similar situations. However, the affected individuals in those cases had shorter duration of exposure, and their conditions were far less severe than General Lin's."

After pinning Lin Cheng face-down and sitting on his back, Jiang Kai called out to the two whispering figures, "Stop chatting and hurry up with the antidote!"

Liu Zhong entered the cell, took out the incense powder, and pulled out an incense burner and other tools from his robes, along with a pouch of incense ash. He then proceeded to shape an incense trail on the spot.

Jiang Kai looked ready to roll his eyes. "Liu Zhong, next time, can you prepare a proper antidote?"

Liu Zhong immediately got defensive. "This antidote was developed by Miss Ji. What's improper about it?"

Upon hearing it was A Chan's work, Jiang Kai promptly clammed up immediately.

A thick, fragrant aroma spread through the cell, and Lin Cheng, who had been struggling wildly, gradually stilled.

Once the incense had burned out completely, Lin Cheng finally spoke. "What... happened to me?"

Jiang Kai looked down at him and, seeing that his eyes seemed clearer, stood up. He pulled Lin Cheng to his feet with an easy smile, even dusting off his clothes for him. "General Lin, you were under control and lost consciousness earlier. It took all my strength just to restrain you and keep you from harming yourself."

A Chan, standing outside, curled her lip. *Typical of Lord Bai's subordinates—full of it.*

*You were about to crush General Lin earlier. That wasn’t your attitude just now.*

"My thanks," Lin Cheng said sincerely.

He then took in his surroundings and asked, "Is this the Bright Mirror Bureau's Suppression Prison?"

"Yes. Please forgive us, General Lin. Until the investigation is concluded, you must remain here to prevent another episode," Jiang Kai replied.

"Understood. When might I be able to speak with Lord Bai?"

"General Lin." Bai Xiuming's voice cut in—no one had noticed his arrival. His unexpected appearance startled A Chan so much that she jumped back a step.

Bai Xiuming caught her by the shoulder, letting go when she was steady before stepping forward.

"I must thank you, Lord Bai," Lin Cheng said once his mind had cleared. He hadn’t expected to be controlled without his awareness, let alone to completely lost it.

"No need for thanks, General Lin. It was Miss Lin who tipped me off."

At the mention of Lin Sui, Lin Cheng's face relaxed. If not for her vigilance, his entire family might have been compromised.

After exchanging a few more words with Lin Cheng, Bai Xiuming led the group out. Lin Cheng wasn’t yet fully recovered—he would need another incense treatment the next day before questioning could proceed.

Once outside the Suppression Prison, Jiang Kai unceremoniously hauled Liu Zhong off, cutting short any further discussion with A Chan.

A Chan, meanwhile, cornered Bai Xiuming. "Lord Bai, I’ve already helped you prepare the antidote. What about your story?"

"A prince of the previous dynasty once used Zhan Grass to vie for favor, but he was quickly discovered."

A Chan was dissatisfied with the glossed-over details. "Could you give me the details?"

Bai Xiuming glanced at her. "That’s a royal secret."

*Whatever, be mysterious.*

"Then continue."

"Later, the emperor ordered the prince executed. But on the eve of the execution, the emperor suddenly lost control and repeatedly tried to call it off."

Now A Chan understood where Liu Zhong’s case records had come from—it was a court matter.

"What happened next? Did the emperor spare him?" she pressed.

"The King Ming of that generation had the prince executed ahead of schedule. When the emperor awoke, he was furious and ordered the execution of the prince’s entire household, along with his officials. All those involved had their nine generations executed."

That former emperor was renowned for his good temper, and this incident was the biggest scandal of his reign.

A Chan pouted. Human emperors might be cowards, but damn did they have tempers.

Though it seemed quite normal. The way this thing controlled people was slow and sneaky, but the final backlash was truly terrifying. However, this nasty backlash only seemed to hit humans.

She knew about Zhan Grass because some demons also consumed it. Some demons were born ugly, and even their human forms were unattractive, so they ate Zhan Grass to trick women into marrying them.

But Zhan Grass had minimal effects on demons and was very easy to shake off, leading to bloody husband-wife showdowns.

A Chan once saw this square-jawed demon buddy on Qingyu Mountain who loved eating this stuff. Sadly, even by the time she left the mountain, he still hadn’t tricked a single tribeswoman into marriage—just pathetic.

Presumably, the emperor initially didn’t realize the severity of the situation, which was why he only severely punished the prince. Later, when he lost control of the situation—and himself—he went absolutely ballistic.

After listening to this totally lame royal gossip, A Chan felt kinda ripped off. She glanced at Bai Xiuming twice and tested the waters with, "Lord Bai, I’ve helped you so much. Don’t you want to reward me?"

"Do you think this official wants to?"

"I think you do!"

"Then what should this official reward you with?" Bai Xiuming played along.

"Lord Liu said the Bright Mirror Bureau has many forbidden books not available in the market. Can I read them?" A Chan batted her eyelashes.

"No."

"I want the black tiger demon’s pelt," A Chan quickly stated her real goal.

"Fine, go read your damn books then."