The tender leaves in the woods rustled.
With a gust of strong wind, Zhong Li’s dissecting knife slipped from her palm. She rolled to the side as another dog and one of its handlers were decapitated.
"Mo Cang!" Zhong Li looked up at Lu Wuxie, who was rushing over. The fruits in his waistband pocket scattered across the ground, some splattered with blood.
The two surviving men exchanged glances. The bolder one tightened his grip on his weapon, intending to charge again.
Lu Wuxie drew his sword and slashed, severing the man's arm. He writhed on the ground in pain.
The last man, shocked by the sight, widened his eyes and, abandoning his companion, turned to flee.
As if he had anticipated this, Lu Wuxie swung his sword again, and the man's head was instantly separated from his body.
The man clutching his arm fainted, his eyes rolling back in terror.
Zhong Li quickly got up from the ground and darted to Zuo Teng's side.
Zuo Teng was clutching his injured neck, his body twitching, his eyes rolling back.
"Hold on, I'll bandage it for you." Zhong Li tore off half a sleeve and pressed it to Zuo Teng's neck.
Zuo Teng shook his head, his face terrifyingly pale. "I... won't... live!"
"Scoundrel!" Lu Wuxie punched a tree in frustration. The person they had risked their lives to protect was still found and killed!
"No, don't say that. You can, you can live!" Zhong Li bit her lip instinctively, trying to calm herself. She quickly took out golden wound powder from her怀 and applied it to Zuo Teng's neck.
"Don't... don't... waste it!" Zuo Teng pressed her hand and said, "Actually... I... I knew... I wouldn't live to reach Jincheng."
Zhong Li frowned, not knowing what to do.
"Don't you want to know... know... who else the Beichuan Gang... is involved with? How did that... boatload of weapons get acquired?" Zuo Teng's face grew more ferocious, as if he had reached his limit. "Anping... Marquis Anping..."
With that, Zuo Teng's eyes rolled back, and he breathed his last.
Zhong Li looked at her blood-stained hands, her breathing trembling, and then at Lu Wuxie.
Lu Wuxie’s expression was grave. "Marquis Anping... Chang Ji!"
-------------------------------------
At this moment, in the Marquis Anping's residence.
The house was draped in white silk and paper lanterns. In front of the mourning hall stood a large coffin, but it was empty.
"Wuwu... Lord, we don't know when the Dali Temple officials will return. We can't have Madam's body staying in the autopsy room like this?" a woman in a pink ruqun sobbed as she knelt on the ground, secretly glancing at the man beside her, who was dressed in white and wore a stern expression.
Chang Ji glanced at the woman, his brow furrowed. "What are you crying about? It's already irritating enough. Lord Lan, the Minister of Dali Temple, is handling affairs in Jinzhou. His Majesty has already issued an imperial decree for him to hurry back. What is a woman like you doing saying so much?"
The woman trembled under his scolding, not daring to look at Chang Ji.
Chang Ji let out a cold snort, flicked his hand, and walked out of the mourning hall. He left behind a parting remark: "A few days ago, when Madam was alive, you knew how to complain to me. Now you're pretending to be innocent and kind? When the Minister of Dali Temple arrives, you'll be the first one suspected. Then you'll be thrown into prison and thoroughly interrogated."
The woman bit her lip, secretly glancing at Chang Ji's retreating figure, letting her tears fall.
"Second Madam." A handkerchief was offered to the woman.
The woman looked up and met the eyes of the man handing her the handkerchief.
"Thank you, Steward Xu." The woman took it, wiping away the tears from the corner of her eyes. She couldn't help but steal glances at the man opposite her. Xu Qiu was well-built, with smooth lines, and his voice was as gentle as spring water. The only mystery was the face hidden behind the silver mask covering half of his face.
Xu Qiu nodded, a polite smile on his lips. He walked to the front of the mourning hall and threw some paper money into the brazier. "Second Madam, haven't you had lunch yet? I've already ordered it prepared. Madam can go to the inner hall to eat. It's all Madam's favorite food. Eat more, and you'll feel better."
"Thank..." The woman smiled shyly at the concern, but before she could finish her thanks, Xu Qiu had already left the mourning hall.
Chang Ji walked to a quiet spot in the back courtyard. He glanced around to ensure no one was watching, whistled at the elm tree in front of him, and a man in black appeared before him.
"Master!" the man in black knelt.
"How is it?" Chang Ji asked.
"Almost all the people we sent out have been annihilated," the man in black replied.
Chang Ji pursed his lips, his expression turning ashen.
"However, according to the scouts who came back, they found the bodies of several of our subordinates and two hunting dogs outside the city. Lying around the bodies was Zuo Teng!"
"Good!" Chang Ji roared with laughter upon hearing this.
The man in black lowered his eyes, waiting for him to regain his composure.
"Quick, notify that person that our mission is accomplished," Chang Ji said, his emotions in check.
The man in black heard this and quickly flashed out of the residence.
Two days later.
Zhong Li and the others returned to Jincheng.
Because Zuo Teng was killed en route, Lu Wuxie and Lan Heng went to see the Emperor without even resting or tidying up.
Zhong Li was sent back to Dali Temple by Lin Jin. After handing Zhong Wuyou over to the wet nurse, she was utterly exhausted from the recent journey. As soon as she entered her room, she quickly washed up and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep.
'Dong dong dong'
Zhong Li felt as though she had only just turned over and fallen into a deep sleep when she was awakened by a fierce pounding on the door.
"Who is it?" she asked groggily, sitting up and pulling on a thin shirt, addressing the person outside.
"Temple Master Zhong, it's me."
Zhong Li frowned. She recognized the voice as that of Fan Ren, a lackey of Xu Qing. But at this hour, most people in Dali Temple were out on duty. Why would he be knocking on her door?
"Just a moment!" She put on her clothes and embroidered shoes and opened the door.
Indeed, Fan Ren was standing at the door, peering into Zhong Li's room.
"What is it?" Zhong Li's tone turned cold.
Fan Ren seemed to snap back to reality and said, "It's like this, sir. I know Temple Master has just returned and needs rest. However, Dali Temple has received a new case, and the autopsy part is not as professional as yours, so the results are not very convincing. Master Xu has instructed me to ask if Temple Master Zhong could assist."
"New case?" Zhong Li was confused. She had just bid farewell to Lan Heng; why hadn't she heard about it?
"Yes, Lord Lan might have been too busy to remember," Fan Ren, having spent a long time in Dali Temple, knew how to read people's expressions and quickly explained.
"Alright, then wait for me for a moment." Zhong Li said, walking back into her room. A moment later, she reappeared, holding a medicine chest.
Fan Ren led Zhong Li to the autopsy room and closed the door behind her. As he did, he observed his surroundings and put his hand to his mouth, whistling twice.
At the same time, Xu Qing emerged from around the corner outside the autopsy room.
"What? Didn't you ask who was inside before she went in?" Xu Qing walked up to Fan Ren, seeing his obsequious smile. He cast a cold glance at the autopsy room and inquired.
Fan Ren smiled and nodded. "Temple Master Zhong was escorting prisoners and was attacked along the way. She finally got some rest, and we disturbed her. Even if she's intelligent, her mind won't be working that quickly. Besides, this is Dali Temple. She definitely wouldn't have inquired about the condition of the bodies inside."
"Good! I'd like to see how she explains herself to Marquis Anping after she starts dissecting the person inside!" Xu Qing sneered, turning to sit in a nearby pavilion to watch the show.