Daishan Turns The Wind Chapter 22

The Perfumer Case (3)

Since they were going to share wealth and prosperity, Feng Yuluo had a little more motivation to work.

If Boss Sun could develop the ultimate fragrance while managing complex relationships, then the assistant couldn’t lag behind. He had to keep the shop spotless and ensure the home front was stable.

Wiping tables, sweeping the floor, replacing yesterday’s incense ash, and lighting rose incense—Feng Yuluo was quick and soon had the room tidy.

He even specially put a hat on the living signboard, Shan Wuzhou, and tucked a red rose behind his ear.

The handsome young master with the jade-like face and rose accessory immediately radiated a roomful of dark energy, his eyes full of menace.

Feng Yuluo examined him for a moment, then chuckled awkwardly and removed the hat and flower. As Shan Wuzhou turned away, Feng Yuluo secretly tucked the flower behind his waist again.

He then grinned mischievously and opened the door to welcome customers.

“Thud,” a small piece of wood fell, followed by a sprinkle of dirt. Then, his vision blurred.

A corpse was hanging upside down from the eaves, tongue lolling out, two large eyes staring at him with a grin.

Feng Yuluo slammed the door shut.

This was far too much hospitality for early morning!

Shan Wuzhou plucked the flower from his waist, turning around to check if there were any others. Seeing the situation, he asked irritably, “What is it?”

He started to walk over to open the door.

Feng Yuluo stopped him, his expression grave. “Step back. There’s a dead person outside.”

A dead person? Who did this?

Shan Wuzhou quickly exited through the back door, climbed onto the roof, and scanned the street.

The early morning was filled with people rushing about their livelihoods—setting up stalls, making breakfast, and others carrying things out of the city.

Their expressions and behavior seemed normal.

Sun Zhengmo rushed over in a panic, only to see chaos at the entrance: cloth barriers blocking the public, and a dozen bailiffs examining the corpse and questioning witnesses.

Even her heavy makeup couldn’t hide her pale face. She forced herself to remain calm, comforting her assistant, “Don’t panic. We didn’t do this. There’s nothing to fear.”

The assistant nodded tearfully. Sun Zhengmo relaxed slightly, but then she saw Shan Wuzhou observing the corpse, his expression a mix of confusion and seriousness.

“?” My good child, please don’t do anything that will ruin your life.

Feng Yuluo was naturally questioned as the first person to discover the body. He recounted the situation.

First, he didn’t recognize the person.

The body had been hidden under the eaves, tied with a rope and set up with an unbalanced mechanism. Once the wooden block could no longer bear the weight, it would lose balance and hang upside down.

This must have been done last night when the streets were empty.

Furthermore, he had checked the surroundings and found no suspicious people or clues.

The coroner examined the body and stated that the deceased died from a long, sharp, slender object piercing the heart and lungs. It was similar to an awl, but thinner.

The constable ordered the body to be taken away and instructed the perfumery to close for investigation.

The boss of Sui’an Perfumery protested, “We didn’t do this. Someone must have deliberately placed it at my door to cause trouble. You can’t make me close!”

The constable sneered, “How can you prove you didn’t do it? The body appeared at your shop entrance; you cannot be uninvolved. Cooperating with the investigation is your duty. Do you have an objection?”

Sun Zhengmo was speechless, feeling helpless and indignant. She quietly conceded, “Fine.”

But the matter wasn’t over. They intended to take Sun Zhengmo back for questioning because she was the owner and the prime suspect.

Feng Yuluo stepped forward to explain that Boss Sun had stayed home all day yesterday, then went out to dinner in the evening, got drunk, and returned home. A group of people could vouch for her, proving she had no time to commit the crime. “Besides, none of us know this person. Why would we kill him and hide the body at our own shop entrance? That would be insane.”

The constable’s reasoning was as follows: “Perhaps it was a deliberate misdirection. Furthermore, she doesn’t need to act personally; she could instruct you to kill and hide the body. Since you were the first to discover the corpse and knew what kind of balance mechanism was used, you are very likely the murderer.”

“…” Feng Yuluo couldn’t help but ponder the logic. Was that how it worked?

Shan Wuzhou really wanted to hit the Ancestral Master on the head with a stick.

Sun Zhengmo couldn’t bear it anymore. “If we had the ability to kill someone and hide the body, why wouldn’t we dump it farther away? Now we’re covered in scandal, frightening the public, and unable to open the shop. Why would I put myself through this?”

The constable replied, “Perhaps it’s a reverse psychology tactic. You want the perfumery to gain fame, so you took a dangerous risk.”

Feng Yuluo looked over with wide black eyes: What a genius.

Sun Zhengmo almost wanted to throw the two-ounce gold hairpin from her head. She raged, “This is clearly a frame-up!”

The coroner, who was still examining the body, came over and said, “Constable Xun, the deceased has a lightning bolt tattoo on his body. The group of bandits who attempted to assassinate General Yang yesterday had the same tattoo.”

Everyone’s expression changed.

The constables and bailiffs drew their swords. “You are the rebels who tried to assassinate General Yang! Men! Arrest them all!”

The wind picked up, and the door was shut.

Feng Yuluo shouted in confusion, “You just said we killed this person, and now this person is a rebel. Shouldn’t we be heroes for protecting the General?”

The men hammered on the door with their swords, shouting, “It’s clearly an internal conflict! Uneven distribution of profits led to the brutal murder of your accomplice!”

Sun Zhengmo leaned against the door, her makeup slightly disheveled. “What kind of mess is this? Yesterday, those rebels trying to assassinate the General cost me a day of business. Today, a dead rebel at my door will cost me several days of business. Who did I ever offend?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she turned to Feng Yuluo. “Is this how Yuanbao guarantees people’s prosperity? Is the reputation reliable?”

Feng Yuluo, sweating profusely, was trying to think of a solution. He casually replied, “This is Yuanbao’s first time doing this kind of thing. We’re not experienced. Please forgive us.”

Sun Zhengmo said despairingly, “I’ve been tricked! Tell me what to do quickly! We’re about to be branded as rebels!”

The assistants were teary-eyed.

Shan Wuzhou was about to use his cultivation to block the door, but Feng Yuluo stopped him. “Don’t move.”

Feng Yuluo suddenly stepped away. The door panel loosened, and the people outside nearly burst through.

Sun Zhengmo bit her lip in pain. “If you don’t find a solution, I’m docking your pay!”

Perhaps those words motivated Feng Yuluo. He picked up a piece of wood and quickly carved something.

The door was smashed open.

Feng Yuluo turned dramatically, waved his hand, and announced loudly, “The token is here!”

The crowding bailiffs froze, quickly sheathing their swords. “What token?”

The words “Imperial Palace” were clearly written on the plaque.

The scene fell silent.

The few people standing at the front swallowed hard, looking somewhat panicked.

Feng Yuluo was the best at feigning authority. He clasped his hands behind his back and said, “Since things have come to this, I will no longer conceal my identity. I am acting under orders, lurking here to secretly investigate the attempted assassination of the General. Since the rebel’s corpse is here, we are taking over this case.”

Everyone exchanged glances. The people inside the shop were quick-witted and didn’t give anything away.

Constable Xun tentatively asked, “Whose orders are you following?”

“Naturally, the Imperial Palace…”

Shan Wuzhou interrupted coldly, “Impudence! Is that something you are permitted to ask?”

His voice boomed like a great bell, an invisible pressure washing over them. The constable immediately fell silent.

Feng Yuluo broke out in a cold sweat and blustered, “This is the highest secret order. You must maintain confidentiality. Leak a single word, and you will be held accountable.”

.

By the time the constables had transported the body away and the assistant had cleaned the entrance, it was nearly noon. Inside Sui’an Perfumery, a few people sat exhausted.

The shop couldn’t open; they had to cooperate with the investigation.

Sun Zhengmo gave a few instructions, sending the other assistants home to rest. She looked haggard. “Do you two have other identities?”

Of course not.

That was just Feng Yuluo recalling the token Eunuch Xu carried yesterday and making a fake replica.

They had bluffed their way through, but how to investigate the case was a major problem.

Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou sighed simultaneously.

The unavoidable investigation phase had arrived.

Since they weren’t close, Feng Yuluo didn’t mince words. “Does the attempted assassination of the General have anything to do with you?”

Sun Zhengmo replied wearily, “I don’t do things that don’t make money.”

“Do you have a sister? Yesterday, I saw a pair of eyes that looked exactly like yours. I even thought it was you at the time.”

“Oh, no wonder you came to my house. So it was for that.” Boss Sun suddenly understood, then shook her head. “No, I am the only daughter in my family.”

Then why would someone hide the corpse of yesterday’s assassin at the entrance of Sui’an Perfumery?

They were a gang. If one died, where were the others?

Feng Yuluo stroked his chin and paced, deep in thought. Shan Wuzhou stood with his arms crossed, silent, his gaze profound.

He looked very serious.

Sun Zhengmo grew anxious. She could already tell their investigative skills were unreliable before they even demonstrated them! She reminded them weakly, “Three possibilities.”

Feng Yuluo darted over. “What?”

Sun Zhengmo rolled her eyes, seemingly regretting this unreliable transaction.

The first possibility: It involves Eunuch Xu. He took the money, ate the meal, and designated the person, but the fragrance supply still needed Eunuch Liu’s approval. He might not have secured the deal and, not wanting to return the money, found a corpse to cause trouble for Sun Zhengmo. If she lost her qualification this way, he wouldn’t have to deal with it.

The second possibility: There is indeed an accomplice of the assassin in the shop. General Yang suspected this, so he sent someone to hide the body to observe Sui’an Perfumery’s reaction. Perhaps a net had been cast outside, waiting to catch the hidden accomplice when they felt things were wrong and tried to flee.

The third possibility…

Sun Zhengmo hesitated, then waved her hand. “The third possibility is too remote. You should investigate the first two.”

Shan Wuzhou said seriously, “No, the first two are impossible. Tell us the third.”

Sun Zhengmo gasped in surprise. Though strange, she proceeded.

The third possibility: Someone holds a grudge against Boss Sun of Sui’an Perfumery. She confirmed that she had no ordinary grudges, as she was highly sociable. Therefore, it could only be a competitor. They might want to ruin her business.

Ignoring distant rivals, there were two perfumeries on this street.

Sun Zhengmo herself didn’t believe it. “That possibility is too low. Trying to suppress me wouldn’t require this method. They could lose their head; it’s not worth the risk.”

Shan Wuzhou rose to leave. “We’ll know once we investigate.”

“Ah, why?” they asked in unison.

Shan Wuzhou grabbed the door, closed his eyes, and opened them again. “Eunuch Xu was in such a state yesterday that he might not even be awake yet. How could he know he couldn’t secure the deal and arrange a corpse in advance? Furthermore, this is a rebel’s corpse. If he’s not careful, he’ll become the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on General Yang. Does he want to die?”

“As for the shop, if General Yang suspected Sui’an Perfumery, he could simply dispatch three hundred men to flatten this place. Even with your royal connections, he wouldn’t be afraid. Also, I’ve observed everyone else in the shop; none of them know martial arts.”

The two were enlightened, finding his reasoning sound.

Feng Yuluo looked delighted and quietly boasted to Sun Zhengmo, “This is my disciple from Feng Mountain.”

She responded with a second eye roll.