Chapter 201 Do I Look Like Someone Who’s Easy to Please…

Chapter 201: Do I Look That Easy to Fool?

Bai Xiuming’s expression turned serious. “Normally, the Bright Mirror Bureau cannot casually take over cases from other government offices.”

A Chan pouted and immediately released his hand. When he reached out again, she slapped it away.

The crisp *smack* made the nearby yamen runners gasp. Bai Xiuming merely chuckled and walked over to Ji Zhuang’s corpse unfazed, crouching down to study his face.

“I heard bystanders say he drowned?”

He glanced up at the yamen runners from the Capital Prefecture.

The yamen runners exchanged looks and beckoned the coroner standing in the corner. The coroner shuffled forward nervously and replied, “Yes, sir.”

Bai Xiuming looked at the coroner. “How did he drown?”

“He drowned in a bowl of wine,” the coroner explained in detail, fearing he wouldn’t be believed. “After wine entered his mouth and nose, his throat was irritated, cutting off his breathing. In the end, he suffocated himself to death. I—I classify this as drowning.”

“Didn’t anyone in the tavern notice anything amiss?” Even with this manner of death, there should have been signs of struggle before suffocation.

“My lord, the tavern owner and other patrons all said they didn’t see the deceased struggle,” a runner interjected.

“A grown man dying without a struggle…”

Bai Xiuming touched a finger to Ji Zhuang’s forehead, then withdrew it after a moment. His fingertip was stained with a wisp of gray, but it dissipated almost instantly.

So fast A Chan thought she'd imagined it.

“May I ask, my lord, what was that?” While A Chan was still doubting herself, the lead runner spoke up—they had all seen the gray trace.

“Leftover demon qi.” Bai Xiuming wiped his hands with a handkerchief. “It vanished too fast, leaving only a faint trace. Likely, he was possessed.”

Hearing this, the yamen runners visibly relaxed. It seemed this case wouldn’t fall under their jurisdiction anymore, and they wouldn’t have to face their superiors’ wrath. This hot potato could now be rightfully passed along to the Bright Mirror Bureau.

“How should we proceed with this case, my lord?” the lead runner asked for Bai Xiuming’s instructions.

“Have two men sent to the Bright Mirror Bureau to inform Qianhu Feng Yang and have him bring a team to take over.”

“This official will dispatch men immediately.”

Without needing further orders, two yamen runners quickly pushed through the crowd and hurried toward the Bright Mirror Bureau.

The remaining yamen runners stayed behind to secure witnesses, while others began methodically dispersing the onlookers.

Bai Xiuming stood and walked back to A Chan, reaching for her hand again. She slapped him once more, though this time lightly, allowing him to successfully catch her soft hand in his.

“Still mad?”

A Chan shot him a glare. “But you just said the Bright Mirror Bureau can’t casually take over cases from other offices?”

“This is an exception. Naturally, we can take it over.”

“Oh? And if there hadn’t been an exception?”

Bai Xiuming leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Then we’d make one.”

A Chan finally looked at him. “Lord Bai, you really don’t seem like a good person.”

“I'm honored.”

Before long, the Bright Mirror Bureau’s team arrived.

Led by Feng Yang, a group of Bright Mirror Bureau Guards surrounded the tavern, and the lingering bystanders quickly dispersed.

After the Capital Prefecture yamen runners briefed them on the case, they promptly withdrew, leaving the scene to the Bright Mirror Bureau.

Feng Yang entered the tavern and first saluted Bai Xiuming. “My lord.”

Bai Xiuming nodded and calmly instructed, “Investigate his recent whereabouts and contacts. Since this involves the Marquis of Jinyang’s estate, proceed with caution—don’t alert the enemy.”

“Understood.” Feng Yang immediately complied.

“The excitement’s over. Are we going home now?” Bai Xiuming shifted his attention from Feng Yang back to A Chan.

“Of course. Let’s go.” A Chan perked up and quickly tugged his hand, pulling him outside before he could change his mind.

“Take care, my lord. Take care, Miss Ji.”

This time, the journey proceeded without incident, and the carriage smoothly returned A Chan to Changping Lane.

The door of the incense shop was closed—the store wasn’t open for business.

After stepping out of the carriage, A Chan ignored Bai Xiuming behind her, hiking up her skirts as she rushed inside. The moment she pushed the door open, she called out, “Hui Niang! Hui Niang, I’m back!”

In an instant, Chen Hui appeared in the shop.

She strode up to A Chan and looked her over carefully. “Were you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” A Chan turned a circle to prove she was unharmed before asking, “What about you? Were you injured that day?”

Chen Hui shook her head. “I’m fine too. My body was forced into stasis—I was conscious but couldn’t wake up. It was the Bright Mirror Bureau’s people who roused me.”

They had also informed her that A Chan had been safely retrieved, so she hadn’t rushed to find her.

As they spoke, Bai Xiuming entered as well. Chen Hui glanced at the man, noting how his gaze remained fixed on A Chan. She understood—it seemed the two must have made up.

Though she didn’t know what they had experienced these past few days, seeing A Chan lively again was a good thing.

“It’s past noon. Would Lord Bai care to stay for some tea and snacks?” Chen Hui asked politely.

“He’s fine.” Before Bai Xiuming could respond, A Chan answered for him.

Bai Xiuming arched an eyebrow at her, and A Chan turned to push him out. “Lord Bai, the capital’s safety is in your hands. Hurry and go investigate the case.”

Bai Xiuming had no choice but to let her shove him out, though he grumbled as she pushed, “I brought you home, and you won’t even give me a sip of water?”

“You’re not thirsty!”

“Actually, I—”

A Chan gave him no chance to speak, pushing him out the door and saying briskly, “Go on duty, Lord Bai. Goodbye.”

Seeing how eager she was to get rid of him, Bai Xiuming snorted. Before, she would at least try to placate him—now, she wouldn’t even pretend, skipping the step entirely.

Did she really think she could get away with that?

Finally seeing him off, A Chan bounced back into the shop, hovering around Chen Hui while complaining, “I nearly didn’t come back this time.”

Hearing this from A Chan, something extremely dangerous must have happened. Chen Hui frowned. “That King of Northern Wilderness is completely lawless. What’s become of him? Can he be dealt with?”

When Bai Zhanhuang was mentioned, A Chan didn’t react strongly. After thinking for a moment, she said, “Probably no need to scheme against him anymore.”

“Did the imperial court step in?” Chen Hui shook her head, dismissing the idea. After all, he was a prince—the court wouldn't move against him lightly. That left only one possibility. “Did Lord Bai do something?”

“Mhm.” A Chan nodded. “Bai Zhanhuang is probably queuing up for rebirth now.”

Chen Hui was startled. “He… is dead?”

“Barring any surprises, yes.”

Though Bai Xiuming hadn’t said anything, A Chan felt that, given his temperament, he wouldn’t allow any accidents.

As for Bai Zhanhuang’s death, she felt nothing about it. They had long been on opposing sides—Bai Zhanhuang didn’t mind her killing the dowager consort, but she damn well minded being hunted.

Even if the curse meant this was coming for her eventually, those who had harmed her—she remembered them all clearly and had never intended to let them go.

A Chan's thoughts wandered when she suddenly heard a bird’s chirping nearby.

Seeing her look around, Chen Hui chuckled. “You forgot? The Qinggeng bird you bought was just delivered by the Hunting Shop yesterday.”

It should have arrived much earlier, but due to the recent incidents, the Hunting Shop guys had to come by daily until finally delivering the bird to Chen Hui yesterday.

With everything that had happened, A Chan had totally blanked on the Qinggeng bird. Hearing Chen Hui’s words, she hurried to the backyard to see her new pet.

The Qinggeng bird was only the size of a magpie, with green feathers, going nonstop with its chirping inside a purple bamboo cage. If this bird were human, it would undoubtedly be a chatterbox.

A Chan got bored after a quick glance. When she had bought the Qinggeng bird, she'd wanted to track that hidden demon in the Lin family. After all these days, she wondered if that demon was still in the capital.

That thought gave her a jolt. Demons whose demon qi was this faint that could possess humans were rare. Ji Zhuang’s death was related to this, and hadn't the Lin family members also been possessed before? Though no one died those times.

Perhaps there was a connection between the two?

A Chan picked up a bamboo skewer and poked at the Qinggeng bird in the cage. She'd already shelled out the silver—she couldn’t let the bird go to waste.

Once she had rested, she'd need to hunt that demon down.

Having planned her next steps, the buzz wore off. A Chan yawned, eyes watering at the corners.

Bai Xiuming hadn't let up last night—she was completely wiped out and needed more sleep.

With a quick word to Chen Hui, A Chan returned to her room. Perhaps because she felt more at ease at home, she slept straight until dusk.

When she woke, food smells drifted through the window.

A Chan took a whiff—tonight’s meal included roast chicken.

She quickly got up, threw her hair up haphazardly, shoved her feet into shoes, and bolted out—only to see Bai Xiuming emerging from the kitchen.

"Why are you here again?" She couldn't have sounded more unimpressed.

"Passing by. Came to ask for a drink of water."

It was clear—he was clearly still salty over not getting that cup of water earlier.

"Oh? How’s the case going?" A Chan asked casually, not holding her breath for much progress in just half a day.

"Only found out that Ji Zhuang visited the Marquis of Jinyang’s residence before his death, likely after some dispute with the marquis. His son died the exact same way."

"His son’s body wasn’t buried?" Now that was unexpected.

"He stored his son’s coffin in an ice cellar. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have discovered this."

A Chan considered, "With just this, it’s hard to implicate the Marquis of Jinyang."

She made no effort to hide her intentions, itching to see the marquis get his.

Bai Xiuming chuckled, pacifying her, "Don’t worry. If he’s truly involved, he won’t escape."

A Chan wasn’t in a hurry—she had plenty of time now. Still, she asked, "What if he isn’t involved?"

"Then we'll just have to arrange another opportunity for him to have an ‘accident’."

A Chan liked that answer.

While they spoke, the bird kept right on chirping. Bai Xiuming turned his attention to the cage hanging in the courtyard and asked, puzzled, "Why suddenly raise a Qinggeng bird? They never shut up."

"Of course, it’s useful."

She eyed Bai Xiuming. Originally, she had planned to rest and then go with Hui Niang, but now she had a better candidate.

A Chan edged closer to Bai Xiuming, eyes crinkling with mischief. "Lord Bai, after dinner, want me to show you a good time?"

Bai Xiuming glanced at her, tweaking her sharp chin. "That’s exactly how you tricked me last night. Do I look that easy to play?"

A Chan gave him a look, letting him figure that out himself. What kind of person was he, if not easily coaxed?

But at the mention of last night, she immediately shot back, "You didn’t suffer any losses last night. Don't play innocent after taking advantage. Just agree already."

"Fine. So where are you taking me tonight? Can we finish it all in one go?"

A Chan’s face flushed, flushing at the teasing. Putting on a show of annoyance, she said, "Why so many questions? You’ll find out when the time comes."

Chen Hui’s dinner was light, but Bai Xiuming had brought roast chicken, which smoothed over A Chan's irritation at his excuse about wanting water.

After the meal, the sun had set, and darkness had fallen. A Chan checked the sky—there wasn’t much time before curfew.

Once Bai Xiuming set down his chopsticks, she bid Chen Hui a quick farewell and dragged him into the courtyard, handing him the birdcage.

"What’s this for?"

Bai Xiuming lifted the cage, meeting the Qinggeng bird’s gaze. The previously chatty bird immediately clammed up, utterly silent—a clever little survivor.

"You know about the Lin family, right?"

"Mhm."

A Chan abruptly got in his face. "There are many families with the surname Lin in the capital. How do you know which one I mean?"

Bai Xiuming didn’t hide it. "Someone from your maternal family once came to the Bright Mirror Bureau to report that you had changed drastically—as if possessed."

A Chan understood. "So that’s when you guessed my identity?"

"Not just that." Bai Xiuming smirked coldly. "Bai Zhanhuang went to great lengths to make sure I knew who you were. The Lin family was just one part of it."

"Too bad he was disappointed." A Chan laughed. Her quarrel with Bai Xiuming had nothing to do with her identity.

Not that Bai Zhanhuang could have guessed—anyone who investigated Bai Xiuming would know of his hostility toward demons. Who would have thought his own taboos could vary depending on the person?

"So, this bird is related to the Lin family?" Bai Xiuming reeled the talk back in.

"Right." A Chan nodded. "When I was at the Lin family, I sensed that Taoist Priest Lu there had ill intentions. He lured demons to possess the Lin family members, just to make them suspect my identity."

"Demons, you say? I sent people to the Lin family but found no traces of demons. That Taoist priest also fled."

"It was just a hunch of mine, so I made some scented powder. If there really is a demon, this Qinggeng bird will track it down for us."

"Oh?" Bai Xiuming’s interest was piqued. "Then let me see for myself."

He opened the cage door, and the Qinggeng bird shot Bai Xiuming a wary look. Seeing him unmoving, it tentatively stretched out one claw, then another.

Confident it was free, the Qinggeng bird spread its wings, flapped them, and soared into the sky.

Bai Xiuming set down the cage and chased after it with A Chan in tow.

The Qinggeng bird didn’t fly too high or too fast, and its curiosity was strong—it flew in starts and stops, occasionally stopping to snoop on the commotion in nearby homes.

Though easily distracted, the bird’s destination remained clear. It guided them through a few neighborhoods before finally flying into a grand residence.

Standing outside the estate, A Chan looked up at the plaque bearing the words "Marquis of Jinyang’s Residence" and chuckled. "Lord Bai, looks like you’re about to score another win."

Truly, talk about a lucky break.