Chapter 153: Chapter 80 A Skull_2
Pei Yunmeng glanced at her thin clothing, a slight smile on his lips.
"It is very cold, let’s go inside."
Lu Tong stood up and walked toward the courtyard, as Pei Yunmeng sheathed his sword and followed her in.
The pawn shop soldiers surrounding them exchanged puzzled glances, giving each other weird looks. The way Lord Zhao Ning’s Princely Heir treated this female physician was indeed strange, excessively indulgent. There has never been an investigator who treated the investigated with such courtesy and politeness. Even though the Marshal always had a way with ladies, he was never this patient with other women.
Only Lu Tong knew how fake the kindness of the person beside her was.
The security of the street shops was not under the control of the Palace Front Office, and his visit late at night was definitely not on a whim. It was simply because he had long suspected her and just took the opportunity to act.
Indeed, Pei Yunmeng had long harbored suspicions about her.
From the moment she visited Fan Mansion, from her chance encounter in the Wuhuai Garden at Wan’en Temple, or perhaps even earlier, at the rouge shop in Baoxiang Tower, the three sharp needles of the kingfisher velvet flower had already made him suspicious of her.
He refrained from taking action not because he disliked meddling in others’ affairs, but perhaps only because there was no evidence.
Once he had evidence, he would show no mercy and throw her into the dungeon, condemning her to death.
Thinking so, she heard the person beside her speak, "Speaking of which, it’s quite a coincidence."
"What?"
"The first time I saw you at Baoxiang Tower, Doctor Lu was taken hostage by Lu Dashan. The next time I saw you was in Wuhuai Garden, where Elder Master Ke drowned in Fangsheng Hall. Later, you went to Fan Mansion to treat Lady Fan, and as a result, Lord Fan was imprisoned for his crimes. And now today, the Military Inspection House receives a report alleging that you have committed murder and hidden the body."
He laughed, his voice as mellow as fine wine and his tone carrying a light jest, "It always seems like whenever I encounter Doctor Lu, there’s a calamity of bloodshed around, doesn’t it?"
A gust of autumn wind passed, making the plum branches in the courtyard rustle.
Lu Tong looked down, hearing her own calm voice.
"I am a healer, and healers dealing with blood is a common occurrence, isn’t it? Is Lord Pei implying that I have an inauspicious fate?"
Without waiting for Pei Yunmeng to respond, she lifted her head and looked into his eyes, "Moreover, Lord Fan’s downfall was due to his collusion with officials to rig the imperial examinations. He who holds power must not bear it too long, for high positions are often at the brink of downfall. He brought it upon himself. What does it have to do with me?"
Not expecting her to retort, Pei Yunmeng raised an eyebrow.
After a moment, he sighed, "That’s reasonable."
By this point, the two of them had reached the middle of the courtyard. Under the plum trees, the pawn shop soldiers were digging with all their might, and the various chambers were a total mess. Shen Fengying was ordering his men to ransack the place, creating utter chaos.
"Doctor Lu is well-versed in the laws of the Liang Dynasty. Have you come across this one?"
He looked at the digging pawn shop soldiers beneath the tree and said casually, "If there is a homicide in the city and the evidence is conclusive, the soldiers, with a warrant, may execute the murderer on the spot."
"Is that so?"
Lu Tong turned around to face him, "Then Lord Pei, go ahead."
The woman’s tone was calm, her demeanour unchanged. The faint moonlight fell on her face like a delicate willow or a graceful flower, serene and devoid of any trace of fear.
She was not afraid at all.
Pei Yunmeng paused for a moment, reaching up to rub his brow, seemingly quite troubled, "But we haven’t found evidence yet, have we?"
He smiled as he glanced at Lu Tong and spoke leisurely, "We are not the Department of Imperial City, without evidence, we can’t just arrest people openly."
Lu Tong nodded, her tone somewhat mocking, "Then Lord Pei had better hurry up, otherwise it’ll be too late, and all the evidence will be gone."
At her words, his eyes shifted slightly, gazing fixedly at Lu Tong, his deep black pupils inscrutable.
Lu Tong coldly met his gaze.
This man... born into prominence, enjoying titles and emoluments, also blessed with handsome features and a captivating charm, seemed to easily win the favor of others.
Furthermore, he was still so young.
Yet, from their first encounter, Lu Tong felt as if she could see through the dark, sparkling eyes of his, noticing the hidden coldness and mockery within.
He was suspicious of her and yet did not act. Like an unshakeable shadow, he followed unhurriedly, waiting for her to slip up unawares.
Annoying indeed.
The night was clear, the breeze gentle; the courtyard’s curtains were half-lit with dimmed lanterns, the mist parting the moonlight, its chill dampening the sleeves. Inside the courtyard, one lowered her gaze, the other lifted his, their shadows intertwined on the ground, where their gazes met, there was no hint of romance.
It was as if the sound of metallic clashes could be heard.
Just then, a soldier from the patrol house searching inside suddenly shouted, "My Lord!"
Pei Yunmeng: "What’s the matter?"
Shen Fengying’s head peeked out from the doorway, hesitating for a moment, "We might have found something."