Chapter 29: Opening the Coffin

Did the venerable Elder Liu truly perish? None could say for certain.

These days, apart from the Liu clan themselves, verily no soul had laid eyes upon the Elder's remains.

The inner prison descended into an oppressive silence. Yun Yang waved a hand, and the hidden agents within the chamber retreated without a sound.

He rose abruptly, pacing the room. "Elder Liu is not dead! This must be a ploy, used because we have reached a crucial point in our investigation. The Liu clan, in their panic, could only resort to this method to force us to cease."

Chen Ji feigned surprise. "Elder Liu not dead? Impossible. Would the Liu clan feign death in such a grave matter? I saw Liu Mingxian's expression; it was filled with sorrow."

Yun Yang scoffed. "Officials throughout the court, in their pursuit of power and profit, have committed deeds far more outrageous. What is so unusual about a nonagenarian elder faking his demise to preserve his descendants? And as for Liu Mingxian, those civil officials are accustomed to feigned stances."

Turning his head, he looked towards Chen Ji. "What do you suggest we do?"

Chen Ji lowered his gaze, and after a moment, replied, "Open the coffin, examine the corpse."

Yun Yang was startled. "Elder Liu is the current Empress's biological father! While investigating the Liu clan is acceptable, opening his coffin is courting death! I now realize, young man, your courage surpasses mine. What if he truly is dead?"

Chen Ji held the lamp of the Eight Trigrams in both hands, raising his head to meet Yun Yang's gaze. "Lord Yun Yang, even if Elder Liu has truly passed on, how can you be at ease without opening the coffin to see for yourself?"

Yun Yang paced rapidly within the room, quickly considering all possibilities should they open the coffin and examine the corpse. Finally, he halted, and with unwavering conviction, declared, "Open the coffin, examine the corpse!"

At this very moment, a gust of yin wind swept through the depths of the inner prison, causing the lamp of the Eight Trigrams in Chen Ji's hand to sway precariously.

Up until now, Chen Ji had only gathered the ice flows from the "A" and "B" character numbered prison cells, not daring to venture into the other numbered chambers.

However, this sweeping yin wind actually stirred the ice flows from the "C," "D," "E," "Ji," and other deeper prison rooms, causing them to surge forth actively!

The ice flow within Chen Ji's body actually showed a faint tendency towards being uncontrollable!

This place was not suitable for prolonged stay.

Chen Ji stood up and walked out. "Lord Yun Yang, I have been out for a considerable time. My master is likely worried. Would you trouble yourself to escort me back first?"

Yun Yang smiled chillingly. "The idea was yours, and now you wish to depart? We shall go together. This matter is not suited to bringing other coroners. Only you possess some talent in the examination of corpses. If Elder Liu is within the coffin, you can also ascertain the cause of his death. Should any misfortune arise, no one shall escape."

Chen Ji hesitated. "Lord Yun Yang, the credit belongs to you and Lord Jiao Tu. I merely offered a suggestion."

"If we do not bring you, what if your plan leads us to our doom?" Yun Yang scoffed coldly. "Make haste! We must gather Jiao Tu and reach the vicinity of the Liu clan's ancestral grave before nightfall."

Yun Yang and Jiao Tu were not adept at apprehending spies, yet they were skilled in self-preservation, shifting blame, and seizing credit.

He covered Chen Ji's eyes once more, and then, with feigned surprise, said, "Why do you keep holding this lamp of the Eight Trigrams?"

Saying thus, he snatched it away with a chop of his hand and returned it to its original place.

Chen Ji allowed Yun Yang to pull and tug at his clothes, stumbling out of the inner prison.

In the shaking carriage, he sat upright, clenching his teeth tightly. Without the lamp of the Eight Trigrams, the ice flow was truly running rampant.

The gray cloth curtain on the carriage window occasionally lifted in the wind, revealing the setting sun outside, casting its rays on his face. Yet, he felt not a single trace of warmth.

He knew not how long passed before someone lifted the carriage curtain. A wave of cold, majestic fragrance assailed him, and Jiao Tu squeezed into the carriage. "Eh, Yun Yang, why have you brought this young fellow?"

Yun Yang, driving the carriage in front, replied, "It was his idea, naturally he must be brought along."

Jiao Tu pulled down Chen Ji's blindfold and removed the cotton from his ears, asking curiously, "Yun Yang, I heard you exiled all the jailers in Luoyang's inner prison to Lingnan? Won't the Prisoner Mouse be angry at your arbitrary decision? After all, the inner prison is her territory."

Yun Yang's tone was sarcastic. "She should be more concerned with facing the Inner Minister's wrath. The inner prison has been infiltrated like a sieve, and intelligence leaks casually. I must submit an impeachment report concerning this matter."

Jiao Tu said thoughtfully, "But exile to Lingnan is very arduous. They will have to walk a great distance. I hear malaria is rampant there. Once afflicted, they will suffer for many days before perishing."

Yun Yang was slightly startled. "Ah... then what should be done?"

"Killing them in Luoyang would suffice. Why send them so far?" Jiao Tu said earnestly.

"There is logic to that."

Saying thus, Jiao Tu looked towards Chen Ji and then said with renewed seriousness, "You haven't deceived us, have you? Deceiving us will lead to death, you know."

Chen Ji chuckled. "Lord Jiao Tu, if I deceive you and Lord Yun Yang, whose money would I be earning?"

"You understand well!" Jiao Tu laughed heartily. She raised her wrist close to Chen Ji's nose. "Smell this, I just bought incense at the Daughter's Pavilion. Is it fragrant? It was very expensive."

Yun Yang wrinkled his eyebrows. "Why are you making him smell that!?"

Jiao Tu glanced at him. "Drive your carriage well and mind your own affairs."

Yun Yang sullenly closed his mouth.

Along the way, Chen Ji saw white paper money scattered everywhere on both sides. These were the paper offerings cast to the sky by the Liu clan during their funeral procession.

Yun Yang said with disdain, "While alive, they wore brocade clothes and ate exquisite food. After death, they still wish to scatter so much paper money, hoping to continue their glory and wealth in the afterlife. Yet, they do not see the poor scholars who cannot even afford paper."

Jiao Tu laughed playfully. "Looking at your appearance, which detests evil as an enemy, you should be transferred to the Ministry of Justice. They investigate corrupt officials every day."

"I will not go. The Ministry of Justice is filled with a bunch of old pedants, utterly boring."

...

...

As night fell, Yun Yang and Jiao Tu switched drivers. He squeezed into the carriage to guard Chen Ji.

"Right," Yun Yang looked directly into Chen Ji's eyes. "A Liu clan disciple under interrogation once mentioned that Liu Shiyu had a very good relationship with a prominent figure in the Jing Wang Manor. I suspect the Jing Wang Manor is also involved, perhaps even with Jing Dynasty spies active within the Manor... Have you discovered any clues within the Manor?"

Chen Ji's heart tightened. "Lord Yun Yang is certain there are spies in the Manor?"

The air within the carriage suddenly solidified, as if an invisible hand were pulling between them.

Yun Yang asked thoughtfully, "Do you think Physician Yao could possibly be a spy for the Jing Dynasty? He holds high prestige in the capital's Imperial Hospital, with a multitude of high officials and nobles seeking his house calls. Even His Majesty wished to summon him to reside in the palace. But he perversely refused, and three years ago, actually ran to Luoyang to serve as the physician for the Jing Wang Manor... Do you not find that strange?"

"It is strange," Chen Ji asked curiously, "Has my master undergone any changes these past few years?"

"Physician Yao was known for his stinginess even in the capital, but the Inner Minister once said that he was not like this in his early years. At that time, Physician Yao was benevolent and charitable, even willing to provide free medical treatment to people."

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "I feel my master is not like a spy. Earlier, when someone from the Manor sought him out for treatment, he was unwilling to go. If he were a spy, how could he give up such an opportunity to connect with the prominent figures in the Manor?"

"That makes sense," Yun Yang stroked his chin. "Then what about your two senior brothers? I investigated them. Liu Quxing is from a branch of the Liu clan. Is it possible he is involved?"

Chen Ji took a deep breath, feigning doubt. "Lord Yun Yang, you are not indirectly suspecting me, are you?"

Yun Yang laughed. "How could it be you? I have absolute trust in you. I merely caution you to be wary of those around you."

Jiao Tu suddenly spoke. "Stop the carriage beside the forest. The Liu clan's ancestral grave is nearby. We will climb over this mountain and walk there."

The three individuals disembarked and followed a mountain path beside the official road, climbing all the way to the peak of Zhuangyuan Mountain.

Yun Yang and Jiao Tu were exceptionally fast. Chen Ji initially expected to be exhausted and panting, yet to his surprise, when they reached the mountain peak, he had barely broken a sweat.

He lay on the mountain, breathing heavily, and said wearily, "Can the Liu clan's ancestral grave be seen from here?"

Yun Yang pointed forward. "There it is, the highest point of Bei Mang."

Chen Ji propped himself up and looked into the distance, seeing that the highest point of Bei Mang Mountain was covered in continuous stone tablets and stone-stacked tombs, extending for several dozen mu of land. The Liu clan's ancestral grave was truly grand.

In front of those tombs, stood stone figures, stone sheep, stone tigers, and stone watch pillars. Some tombs reached heights of over ten feet!

One must know that the Ning Dynasty had strict regulations regarding status. Commoners were not allowed to ride in sedan chairs, wear boots, or wear hats unless they held official positions. Every single law explicitly marked rites and grades.

Tombs like these several exceeding ten feet in height were not permitted for anyone below the third rank during their lifetime.

Yun Yang looked at the expanse of ancestral tombs and sighed, "The families of civil officials in our Ning Dynasty, having accumulated generations of high officials over a thousand years, ride upon the heads of the common people and suck their blood, accumulating vast family fortunes. Only thus can they possess such splendor."

Chen Ji subconsciously felt that something was amiss. Had the Ning Dynasty's destiny truly continued for over a thousand years? This was inherently unbelievable. According to the rules of history, it should be utterly impossible.

Unless there was an external force at play.

At this moment, Jiao Tu said, "There is indeed a problem with the death of the Liu clan's elder. Look within the ancestral tombs; there are actually over a hundred private soldiers stationed there, and possibly even Traveling Officials standing guard. The last time we sent secret agents to Luoyang to investigate, they probed here. At that time, only a little over ten people were stationed at the Liu clan's ancestral grave."

"Then we cannot force our way in," Yun Yang wrinkled his eyebrows and looked towards Jiao Tu. "Will you make your move? I am not suited to opening the coffin."

Jiao Tu glanced at Chen Ji. "Have him cover his eyes and turn his back to me. You guard me."

Chen Ji actively turned his back. He understood that the cultivation path of Traveling Officials was not meant to be witnessed by others.

After he covered his eyes, Jiao Tu sat cross-legged on the mountain peak, drew a short knife from her waist, and cut open her own glabella.

Yun Yang cut his own finger and dotted the eyes of over ten shadow puppet figures, guarding closely beside Jiao Tu.

The next moment, a mass of shadow suddenly drilled out from Jiao Tu's glabella, like a crab shedding its shell, separating from her body.

The shadow solidified, its appearance identical to Jiao Tu's, yet it wore black light armor and held an inverted Green Dragon Crescent Blade taller than a person!

Jiao Tu's original body remained still, while the yin spirit looked towards Yun Yang and spoke, "I shall go."

Saying thus, the yin spirit walked to the mountain cliff and leaped down, landing on the treetops below as light as nothing. With each jump, it effortlessly crossed over ten large trees, rushing straight towards the Liu clan's ancestral grave!

Gradually, the sky grew completely dark, and the yin spirit merged with the night.

When Jiao Tu's yin spirit arrived before Elder Liu's tomb, taking advantage of everyone's inattention, it crashed straight into the stone-stacked tomb!

The stone wall seemed to not exist at all!

After a long time, the yin spirit quickly withdrew, drilling back into Jiao Tu's glabella, no longer visible. She suddenly opened her eyes and said in surprise, "There truly is no one in the coffin!"