Daishan Turns The Wind Chapter 23

The Case of the Perfumer (Part 4)

Among the possibilities, Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou, who had few clues, decided that the corpse at the entrance was unrelated to Eunuch Xu, and also had nothing to do with General Yang Yi.

They had previously examined that body. It was a highly skilled assassin, killed instantly by a sharp weapon, meaning the killer was definitely not an ordinary person.

Furthermore, they found the corpse had begun to slightly decompose, and its clothing contained semi-damp dirt mixed with small pieces of grass and wood shavings—not typical of the street.

Following the trail of dirt, they searched for its origin on the street. The street was already crowded with people, and after much trampling, little remained.

The two of them exercised extra patience.

They kept their heads down, occasionally bending over to confirm, and walked toward the mountain forest outside the city, enduring the strange looks of the crowd. The method was simple but painstaking, yet the result was positive.

They found the source of the body.

A pit.

At the edge of the pit, there was a barrel-sized hole. Inside and outside the hole were crawling marks, and nearby were several deep footprints leading away.

Based on the situation, they deduced that someone hadn’t died completely, crawled halfway out before expiring, and was then carried away.

Judging by the size of the footprints, it was a sturdy man about six feet tall.

Shan Wuzhou used a spell to lift the surface soil of the pit. The stench of decay rushed out, causing nausea and suffocation.

Even though they were prepared, they were still shocked by the sight before them.

Dozens of figures were layered on top of each other, their faces ashen, eyes wide open, their wounds messy and foul-smelling, blood mixed into the mud.

This was a massive pit where dozens of people had been buried!

Feng Yuluo immediately turned Shan Wuzhou around and pushed him away: “Alright, don’t look.”

Shan Wuzhou suppressed his disgust, his face pale.

Feng Yuluo stepped forward to examine the bodies. Judging by their clothing, these were all the assassins from yesterday, though their wounds differed.

There were knife wounds and sword wounds on their necks, some were poisoned, and others were pierced from the back. Almost all were killed instantly.

These people hadn’t managed to escape.

Perhaps they were pursued and killed by General Yang Yi as revenge. But as Feng Yuluo looked at them, he noticed very few signs of struggle; it looked more like they were suddenly silenced.

A heavy stone pressed painfully on his heart. They were all only in their twenties or thirties. They had escaped from hundreds of elite soldiers, yet they died at the hands of their own people?

But based on their methods, these people should have belonged to different factions. How did they all die at once?

He counted them. There were twenty-seven bodies.

There were about thirty-four assassins yesterday. One was taken to the yamen, which meant six people had escaped.

Feng Yuluo quickly searched, but didn’t find the familiar pair of eyes. He hadn’t expected that she, even injured, could still manage to lead her subordinates away. He wondered how long they could run.

He covered the pit with soil, trying to make it look as it had before.

He then went to investigate the two rival perfumeries. There were several six-foot-tall shop assistants, but only one owner who looked strong and whose eyes seemed slightly unnatural.

Feng Yuluo was eager to close the case, so he grabbed the owner directly and quickly interrogated him. The owner admitted he resented Sui’an Perfumery. Yesterday, he went drinking with friends, and on his way back, he tripped, discovered the body, and was startled. He then conceived a malicious idea, carried the body, and placed it outside Sui’an Perfumery’s entrance.

But he insisted he only placed it on the ground. He had deliberately come early today, wanting to see how Sui’an would handle the situation. He was shocked when the body was gone.

On the way to the yamen, Feng Yuluo unexpectedly kicked him, startling him again, making him think he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

He cried and swore he would never dare to do it again.

At the yamen, Feng Yuluo vaguely stated that the rebels had already been killed and buried in a pit, and that the owner hadn’t killed anyone, only stolen the body to frame Sui’an.

The officials inside were too shrewd not to realize the waters were too deep. They didn’t dare to investigate further, merely beating the owner and locking him up.

Sui’an Perfumery was cleared, but it would take another day before they could reopen.

Sun Zhengmo was still shaken: “There are really people this stupid, moving a corpse to frame me! If this is what you call a rival, I’m embarrassed for them!”

She then wept tearfully for a while, feeling wronged: “I almost thought it was Eunuch Xu. I was terrified. Thankfully, the money wasn’t wasted. No, I must quickly find him and arrange a meeting with Eunuch Liu, lest delays cause trouble and hinder my fortune.”

Feng Yuluo said helplessly: “Big Sister, can you focus on the main point?”

The body dumping case wasn’t difficult, but there were challenging aspects within it.

Sun Zhengmo wiped her tears with a handkerchief in time to avoid ruining her makeup. She widened her eyes and looked up at the sky, asking, “What?”

“The body wasn’t placed on the eaves by that owner, which means there is still another person involved. Who is this person? Why did they do this? When did they do it? All of this indicates that someone is watching our Sui’an Perfumery, and this person harbors ill intentions!”

“Ah?” Sun Zhengmo looked down distractedly, a tear rolled down, leaving a faint streak. She quickly covered it with her handkerchief.

Shan Wuzhou said coldly: “Our situation is very dangerous. We might be suspected.”

Sun Zhengmo didn’t understand: “But didn’t you say my employees don’t know martial arts?”

Shan Wuzhou coughed, looking awkward: “I forgot, I count as an employee, and I know martial arts.”

And he was very strong.

If you want no one to know, you shouldn’t do it in the first place. Feng Yuluo felt a bit apologetic. Yesterday, when he ran up the city wall and shouted for everyone to flee, perhaps someone recognized him.

Moreover, so many masters were captured and killed; the person behind this must be terrifying.

Hearing that dozens of people were silenced, Sun Zhengmo’s eyes rolled back, and she slumped onto the table, her hand barely supporting her head: “Oh, my heavens! I just want to make money. Why is there so much trouble? What should I do now!”

Shan Wuzhou said: “We are the ones being suspected. We just need to leave.”

Feng Yuluo also said: “Right, don’t worry, we won’t implicate you. You hand Yuanbao over to us, and we’ll leave immediately to draw the enemy away. We can even fabricate a story, saying…”

“Absolutely not!” Sun Zhengmo stood up, her demeanor completely changed. She pulled out a fan from somewhere and fanned herself vigorously, once again becoming the big boss who made five hundred taels look like five million.

She said sternly: “They are only suspicious; no action means no evidence. A straight shadow fears no slant. We don’t need to be afraid!

“You are my employees. It is my duty to protect you.”

“I will contact Eunuch Xu right away and arrange dinner with the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Palace. If I throw down fifty thousand taels, I can definitely secure the incense supply business.”

“With the Imperial Palace connection, who would dare… At least we’ll have a voice. We can simply deny everything when the time comes.”

Sun Zhengmo started her spiel again, perhaps this was the professionalism of a boss.

She turned to leave, then paused at the corner and looked back, asking: “You two definitely weren’t involved in the assassination, right?”

After they nodded, she walked out with a powerful aura.

Feng Yuluo muttered: “Tricking Yuanbao away won’t work.”

Shan Wuzhou lit a jasmine-scented incense stick, feeling slightly better: “Grandmaster, when you used to hunt demons, was it this troublesome?”

Feng Yuluo didn’t speak. They both looked at the ground and sighed deeply.

For the banquet with Eunuch Liu, Sun Zhengmo spared no expense. She booked a private room in the capital’s most luxurious establishment, the Ten Thousand Gold Pavilion—a room that was three levels higher than the one used for Eunuch Xu.

Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou stayed on the rooftop outside as usual.

Selling incense during the day, acting as bodyguards at night, and occasionally investigating a case. Feng Yuluo touched his pocket but said nothing.

Sun Zhengmo waited early by the door. Eunuch Xu respectfully ushered Eunuch Liu in. Sun Zhengmo followed suit with respect and flattery. After the three exchanged pleasantries, they sat down and began the routine from yesterday. However, Chief Eunuch Liu was more reserved and didn’t request any entertainment.

Shan Wuzhou frowned, thinking about the case. Feng Yuluo didn’t disturb him.

He felt like it was going to rain soon. It was hot during the day and muggy at night. It wasn’t even July yet, and it was already somewhat unbearable.

Feng Yuluo wiped sweat from his face. A strand of hair stuck to his cheek. He smoothed it back and noticed a white root, so he plucked it out and threw it away.

He muttered a chant: “Throw away bad luck, welcome sudden wealth, solve the case quickly, and ascend to immortality.”

Shan Wuzhou looked over, thinking that people should practice diligently and accumulate virtue, yet his Grandmaster only dreamed of windfalls. A generation gap of several hundred years. He couldn’t help but make a mental note.

Very well, he would see through this eventually.

After a while, Feng Yuluo finished his three repetitions of the chant and asked Shan Wuzhou if he had figured anything out.

Shan Wuzhou countered: “Do you have any ideas?”

Feng Yuluo replied frankly: “I do not.”

So, was the Grandmaster keeping him from returning to Feng Mountain just to have a smart, capable, and free laborer for investigations?

He felt a bit sulky: “Then I don’t know either.”

“Fine, the matter is a bit difficult. By the way, how is your cultivation progressing? Don’t fall behind.”

Bringing up the one thing he shouldn’t, Shan Wuzhou’s Dao heart was in turmoil, and his cultivation was stalled. The culprit had the nerve to ask.

He turned away and noticed the atmosphere in the Ten Thousand Gold Pavilion was tense. Many more guards had appeared, and inside the room where Sun Zhengmo was, all three people suddenly stood up, trembling.

The door was pushed open, and a burly man with sinister eyes walked in.

Wherever his gaze swept, the air seemed to freeze.

General Yang Yi.

Feng Yuluo was so startled he stood up, then flashed to the right. An arrow narrowly grazed his ear and was cleaved in half by Shan Wuzhou’s bare hand.

Over a dozen men in blue robes and black boots, wearing official uniforms, lightly stepped on the roof tiles and rushed over. Shan Wuzhou drew his sword to meet them, relying purely on technique, finding it somewhat strenuous.

Were these Imperial Palace experts?

Shan Wuzhou, who had spent twenty years on the mountain, was beginning to realize there were always greater masters out there.

Feng Yuluo picked up roof tiles and threw them as hidden weapons: “Who are you people? I haven’t offended you!” Then he shouted: “Wuzhou, be careful!”

He winked at Shan Wuzhou.

After more than ten exchanges, the two were subdued.

Inside the room, Sun Zhengmo said with extreme caution: “Th-th-these are my shop assistants.”

Feng Yuluo, being held captive, looked up, displaying appropriate panic: “May I ask where we have offended the General?”

The flesh on General Yang Yi’s cheek twitched: “You recognize me?”

Feng Yuluo said: “The Great General’s triumphant return is known to all.”

General Yang Yi waved his hand, dismissing the guards. He sat down in the seat of honor, his hawk-like eyes looking down at everyone.

The others only dared to stand, breathing carefully.

Sun Zhengmo felt despair. After this incident, Eunuch Liu likely wouldn’t do business with her, and might even cause trouble.

Who could tolerate being suppressed by someone more powerful, unable even to sit, in front of outsiders?

Moreover, her two shop assistants seemed to have offended General Yang.

The entire room glittered with gold, yet it couldn’t illuminate her dark path ahead. Feng Yuluo noticed Boss Sun swaying, leaning against the wall, as if about to faint.

General Yang Yi suddenly smiled. He had a square face, large eyes, and a thick nose. When he smiled, he looked benevolent, but the murderous aura honed on the battlefield surrounding him made him even more terrifying.

He tapped the table rhythmically: “I have a question I need to ask. Yesterday, someone attempted to assassinate this Marquis, and they also killed my son.”

The others listened with trepidation as he spoke of his son’s death, though his tone lacked any trace of grief.

General Yang Yi tossed a golden wine cup into the turtle soup. A little oil splattered out. He said: “At that time, one person appeared and used a stone to deflect my spear, and another person climbed the city wall and beat a gong, telling the assassins to flee quickly.”

Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou remained expressionless. Feng Yuluo even showed a hint of curiosity.

“I sent people to track down the assassins. They are dead. You already know and have seen their burial place. One of the assassin’s bodies even appeared outside Sui’an Perfumery’s entrance.”

Sun Zhengmo’s heart was pounding: “General, please be clear! That matter has already been investigated and has nothing to do with us.”

General Yang Yi looked at her, speaking casually: “Naturally.”

Sun Zhengmo felt her soul thinning under his gaze.

“But the people I sent to track those two individuals did manage to find something.”