Une aura glaçante

Chapitre 5

Xiaoyue looked at Xue Beifan in surprise; with that look in her eyes, she believed everything Xiaodao had said!

"I didn't..." Before Xue Beifan could explain, Xiao Dao had already pulled Xiao Yue away.

Xue Beifan sighed, followed, and prepared to pay the bill for the two.

They hadn't walked far when Xue Beifan moved closer to the two of them, "Little Knife..."

"Don't call me that so affectionately, we're not that close."

"Little Knife, when do we set off?"

Xiao Dao acted impulsively just now, wanting to avenge Xiao Yue, but now he's remembered something important. Oh no!

"Nine Pearl Dragon Pool is the closest to here. How about we set off tomorrow?"

"No!" Xiao Dao hid behind Xiao Yue. "I won't go out with a lecherous thief, it's dangerous!"

"Hey!" Xue Beifan was furious. "Which eye of yours saw me flirting with a married woman? Don't wrong me."

"Hao Jinfeng's words are well-reasoned and logical."

"Could it be a misunderstanding?"

Lou Xiaoyue, who had been silent all along, suddenly interjected, "Young Master Xue doesn't seem like a lecherous person."

"Yes!" Xue Beifan nodded repeatedly, "Miss Xiaoyue is the most reasonable."

“Feng Wuyou, the owner of Fengyue Tower, visited Xinghai Garden before. She invited Young Master Xue to her residence to listen to her play the zither, but Young Master Xue did not go.”

Xiao Dao was astonished when he heard what Xiao Yue said—the last of the Four Treasures of the Martial World, Feng Yue Wu You, refers to the most beautiful woman in the world, Feng Yue Lou's master. There's no reason for a lecherous thief to voluntarily give up the opportunity to share a room with the most beautiful woman in the world.

Xue Beifan crossed his arms. "I just found out that the one who died was Wang Rui, the wife of Prince Chai Ziyao."

"You're dead!" Xiao Dao's eyes widened. "The Prince and Madam Wang are a famously loving couple."

"Heh." Xue Beifan chuckled, the meaning of which was ambiguous.

"why are you laughing?"

"Let's eat here." Xue Beifan didn't answer, but pointed to a small building next to him.

"Fengyue Tower?" Xiao Dao and Lou Xiaoyue exchanged a glance. They came here to eat, wasn't this a place to listen to music and watch beautiful women?

As soon as the three entered, Xue Beifan pointed to the private room upstairs and whispered to Xiao Dao, "Have you seen that man?"

Xiao Dao looked up suspiciously and saw Xue Beifan pointing at a wealthy man in his thirties who was listening to music with great enjoyment, looking completely absorbed.

“He is Prince Chai Ziyao.” Xue Beifan blinked at the dumbfounded Xiao Dao. “He has been coming every day for the past two weeks, spending a lot of money, just to catch a glimpse of Feng Wuyou.”

Xiao Dao frowned—this didn't seem like something someone who had just lost their spouse and was in unbearable grief would do!

"Only that stupid constable would believe him. Everyone knows he married Wang Rui because she has a rich father." Xue Beifan smiled and added, "Look closely, that's what you call a lecher!"

After saying that, he found a seat, pulled out a chair for Lou Xiaoyue to sit down, and asked the waiter to order.

Punish the unfaithful man

Yan Xiaodao stood downstairs in the private room, looking up at Chai Ziyao, who was completely lost in his own world, and frowned. She hated unfaithful men the most!

"Hello."

Xue Beifan beckoned to Xiaodao, "Come and sit down."

After Xiao Dao sat down, he asked him, "Why didn't you explain things clearly to Hao Jinfeng?"

“That Hao Jinfeng really does resemble you.” Xue Beifan’s casual remark startled Xiao Dao, who widened his eyes in surprise. He continued, “Before I could even open my mouth, he pounced on me like a wolf.”

"You're the wolf, you big pervert." Xiao Dao said to Xiao Yue while holding his chopsticks and waiting for the food, "Xiao Yue, Shen Xinghai isn't here, can you take off your mask?"

Xiaoyue shook her head. "The young master instructed that we should wear masks in crowded places."

"Why?"

"It's the rule."

Xiao Dao and Xue Beifan exchanged a glance—Shen Xinghai didn't seem like the type to torment his subordinates, could it be that they had a grudge?

"Then what will you do for food?" Xiao Dao scrutinized her mask. "Why don't you talk to Shen Xinghai about it? That would be more convenient."

"It's not inconvenient at all, I'm used to it." Xiaoyue seemed unconcerned. "I've been wearing it since I was little."

"From childhood?!" Xiao Dao's anger surged. "Why did he treat you like this?!"

“I’ve been serving the young master since I was a child. The old lady is very strict. She said that having a female servant by the young master’s side would cause gossip, so I had to wear a mask and dress as a man. I got used to it over time.” After Xiaoyue finished speaking, she added, “The young master is very good to me.”

Xiao Dao was completely speechless. If this is considered good, then what is considered bad?

The waiter brought the food, and Xiao Dao noticed that it wasn't what he had ordered. He was puzzled and said, "We didn't order these."

"The owner instructed that Young Master Xue is a distinguished guest and should be treated with special care," the waiter said respectfully.

Xiao Dao sized up Xue Beifan. This lecherous thief has quite a close relationship with Feng Wuyou, doesn't he?

Xue Beifan, however, showed little interest in the food. Holding a wine cup in one hand, he used the other to serve food to Xiaodao and Xiaoyue. Noticing Xiaodao's bulging pouch, which seemed to be filled with many things, Xue Beifan asked, "Yan Ruyu stole treasures from all over the world back then. You must have carried quite a few with you, right? Want to show them off?"

Xiao Dao rolled his eyes at him. "Yeah, there's a lot of poisonous smoke, poisonous fog, poisonous snakes, and poisonous scorpions. Do you want to take a look?"

Xue Beifan moved aside and raised his chopsticks to block the view.

Lou Xiaoyue asked curiously, "Where do you hide all those poisonous things?"

Xiao Dao and Xue Beifan looked at her at the same time. Xiao Yue asked seriously, "Inside the jar? Won't it escape?"

"Pfft." Xue Beifan held up his chopsticks and laughed at Xiaoyue's honesty.

Xiaoyue was puzzled.

Yan Xiaodao actually took out a small white jade jar from his waist pouch, opened the lid, and showed it to Xiaoyue.

Although Xiaoyue was wearing a mask and her expression was not visible, she was clearly taken aback.

Xiao Dao closed the jar, then shook it at Xue Beifan with a hint of smugness. Xue Beifan was surprised, "It really is there?"

"Yeah, you're really something!"

Someone chimed in, and Chonghua walked in, sat down at the table, picked up the teapot to pour himself some tea, and started scolding Xue Beifan, "You're out here indulging in pleasure, while I'm running errands for you despite my illness."

"Have you found anything?" Xue Beifan asked, glancing upstairs at Chai Ziyao, who was clearly a little tipsy from drinking too much.

"This." Chonghua held a piece of paper between two fingers and handed it to Xue Beifan.

Xue Beifan took it and saw several gold ornaments drawn on the paper: two bracelets, a chain, a hairpin, and a pair of earrings.

Judging from the style, it seemed to be a set, but Xue Beifan couldn't figure it out.

Xiao Dao quietly lifted Xiao Yue's mask, stuffed a piece of pastry into her mouth, patted the sugar powder off her hands, and went to get the picture to look at.

"Jieqi Linxian Ornament!"

Xue Beifan was completely confused. "What 'passed away'?"

"Do you know Chen Shubao?" Xiao Dao thought the corn crisps were delicious, so he put more on Xiao Yue's plate while asking the question.

"That Emperor Chen Houzhu of the Southern Dynasties who wrote 'Jade Tree and □ Flower'?" Xue Beifan fiddled with his wine cup. "What does this have to do with him?"

"Back then, Emperor Chen Shubao had three beauties by his side. To house them in luxury, he built three pavilions: Jieqi, Linchun, and Wangxian, which were decorated with gold ornaments. His most favored concubine, Zhang Lihua, lived in the Jieqi Pavilion, while the other two beauties lived in the Linchun and Wangxian Pavilions. To show his special affection for Consort Zhang, he specially gave her this set of priceless gold ornaments."

Xue Beifan raised an eyebrow and asked Chonghua, "What's wrong with this thing?"

The question was asked, but Chonghua did not answer.

Xiaoyue and Xue Beifan looked up and saw Chonghua holding a cup, intently watching Xiaoyue across from them. When they turned back, they saw Xiaoyue half-lifting her mask, revealing her beautiful chin, and earnestly eating pastries.

"Hey." Xue Beifan snapped his fingers in front of Chonghua.

"Huh?" Chonghua finally snapped out of her daze and looked at him. "What?"

Xiao Dao pointed with his chopsticks at the empty bowl in front of him, "Your eyeball fell into the bowl, pick it up quickly."

Chonghua subconsciously lowered his head, and Xue Beifan and Yan Xiaodao both grinned mischievously. Xiaoyue, holding pastries, looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression.

“This set of gold jewelry was part of Wang Rui’s dowry. Before she died, Chai Ziyao gave the gold jewelry to Feng Wuyou, and the two of them had a big fight over it.” Chonghua composed himself and told Xue Beifan, “Wang Rui even threatened to go back home to live.”

“Chai Ziyao is just a member of a fallen royal family from the previous dynasty. He has limited money and no real power. If Madam Wang abandons him, he will be very sad.” Xue Beifan dragged out his words.

"Damn heartless man!" Yan Xiaodao cursed as he looked towards the front door.

Xue Beifan turned around... and saw Hao Jinfeng walking in with a dark expression.

"Master Shen has already told me." Seeing that Xue Beifan seemed to want to slip away again, Hao Jinfeng spoke first, "It's about Chai Ziyao and Feng Wuyou. Chai Ziyao may be intentionally framing you to get rid of me, hoping that I can fight you to the death."

"That's great, I've finally been exonerated." Xue Beifan breathed a sigh of relief, then asked Hao Jinfeng with great interest, "So, what are your next steps?"

"Shen Xinghai said he has a way to catch Chai Ziyao in the act, but he needs Feng Wuyou's help. He's hosting a banquet at Xinghai Garden tonight, so the timing is perfect."

"That's a good idea." Xiao Dao nodded. "Chai Ziyao is so infatuated with Feng Wuyou that he's lost his mind. If we get the beauty to talk, he'll definitely confess everything."

"Yes, that makes a lot of sense." Xue Beifan nodded repeatedly.

Seeing the calculating glint in his smile, Xiao Dao immediately tensed up. What was this man up to?!

Xue Beifan calmly asked Hao Jinfeng, "Detective Hao, if someone takes ten million taels of silver to do something, but tries to run away before finishing, should the silver be returned?"

"Of course," Hao Jinfeng nodded.

What if she denies it?

"Three options," Hao Jinfeng said, holding up three fingers. "First, finish the job honestly. Second, pay ten million taels of silver in compensation."

"Is there a third one?" Xiao Dao wondered.

"The third one is the simplest," Hao Jinfeng patted his chest. "I'll arrest him and put him in jail."

Xiao Dao's face instantly scrunched up like a bun, while Xue Beifan across from her smugly held up three fingers, as if to say—think twice! The first option is still the most worthwhile!

"Brother Xue, are you going back to the Beihai Sect?" Hao Jinfeng suddenly asked. "I'll go back with you."

"ha?"

This time, Xue Beifan, Chonghua, and even Yan Xiaodao were all astonished. "Why?"

"Xue Beihai's death is suspicious. I've been ordered to investigate his cause of death." Hao Jinfeng said, holding a cup of tea. "Your sister-in-law reported the case, saying that on the day of the incident, a maidservant infiltrated the Beihai Sect. She was brought in by Xue Beihai's close follower, Xue Fu. Xue Fu disappeared after Xue Beihai's death, and the Beihai Sect's most precious treasures, the Dragon Bone Five Diagrams and the Red Paper Umbrella, all vanished without a trace."

Xiao Dao's mouth dropped open. Wasn't Xue Beifan's sister-in-law the one who had cheated on him that day? To frame someone like that, how ruthless!