Chapter 22: Closing In

The gambling den was a sea of humanity, with people jostling and rubbing shoulders; finding someone in such a crush was an arduous task. Shen Hua had no choice but to venture deeper underground, finally locating Jin Zhaonan and his two attendants at a gaming table.

Suddenly, someone shoved Shen Hua from behind, and her forehead nearly struck the table. The people nearby paused to look at her. Most who frequented this place were long-time gamblers, their faces etched with greed and oiliness, barely worth a second glance. The sudden appearance of a woman like Shen Hua, however, caught the attention of the dealer at the far end of the table.

"The Ghost Doctor, Shen Hua."

Someone in the crowd called out, causing everyone to stop their business and turn their gazes toward her. Jin Zhaonan was among them.

"Shen Hua?"

Jin Zhaonan looked at the unfamiliar face before him, but the clothing was unmistakably what Shen Hua had been wearing earlier that day. Recalling what Lu Chenzhou had told him, he raised his voice: "Doctor Shen, over here."

"Doctor Shen, what brings you to the Underground City today?"

The dealer was one of Ghost Chief’s men, so he was quite courteous to Shen Hua.

"Just wandering, and seeing if there are any buyers."

Shen Hua’s expression was somber as she looked at Jin Zhaonan beside her. The "buyers" she spoke of were likely known only to those in the Underground City; those ignorant of the truth assumed she was merely there to treat patients. The dealer smiled and said nothing.

Just then, a man who had clearly drunk too much tugged at Jin Zhaonan’s sleeve. "Hey, are you playing or not? If not, move aside."

Jin Zhaonan smirked. "It’s just dice; nothing could be simpler." He took ten taels of silver from his purse and placed them on the table.

"Place your bets, no regrets once the dice fall."

As the shout went up, the dealer’s dice cup rattled and clattered before coming to rest on the table. Most people had wagered on "Small." Someone nearby muttered, "It’s been 'Big' for several rounds; I don't believe it'll be 'Big' again."

Jin Zhaonan took another twenty taels from his purse—thirty in total—and placed them all on "Big." This was significantly more than anyone else at the table had wagered. A man standing next to the dealer, seeing such extravagant, unhesitating betting, immediately suspected trouble. He exchanged a look with the dealer, who was just about to touch the cup.

"Wait!"

Jin Zhaonan called for a halt. "Trouble you to use the other hand to open it, brother."

The dealer withdrew his hand instantly and glanced at the man beside him. The others at the table urged, "Open it, open it..."

The man nodded.

"Open—three sixes, Big."

In the span of a single incense stick, Jin Zhaonan had won hundreds of taels. But the gazes of those around him had shifted; they were now looking at him as if he were prey. After a dozen rounds, winning so much money was not exactly prudent, especially since gambling dens rarely tolerated anyone walking away with a fortune. Shen Hua watched from the side, finding it hard to believe that the man before her was the young master of the Ministry of Rites.

The table erupted into a clamor of discussion.

"Brother, you’ve got quite the luck!" the man said, staring at Jin Zhaonan and the silver piled before him.

"I’m just here for a bit of fun to keep my brain from rusting," Jin Zhaonan replied.

Ruyi happily gathered the silver from the table, but when Jin Zhaonan turned back, Shen Hua had vanished. After the trio left the gambling den, they wandered the streets of the Ghost Market. Jin Zhaonan handed all the silver to a stall owner, solely to purchase a moon-shaped piece of white jade he had caught a glimpse of earlier.

"Young Master, this..." Ruyi never expected the silver they had just won to be spent in an instant. He had been hoping for some pocket money, but now they didn't have a single tael left. "Young Master, you didn't go into that den just to buy this pendant, did you?"

Jin Zhaonan nodded. "I saw it when I passed by earlier, and just as the owner set the price, I hurried to earn enough to buy it."

He tucked the white jade into his robe, beaming with joy, but as he looked around, Shen Hua was still nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, a massive figure loomed over him, their faces only two fists apart. The stranger placed a hand on his shoulder. His two attendants rushed forward: "Big fellow, what do you think you're doing?"

They tried to pry the hand off Jin Zhaonan’s shoulder, but no matter how hard they strained, it was useless. The stranger’s strength was immense, and he began to haul Jin Zhaonan away as if he were a mere sack, with the two attendants trailing behind helplessly.

In the Ghost Market, no one cared what happened, not even if it were a matter of life and death. The people of the Underground City simply tossed corpses into the mass graves, which was why many called this place the "City of Fengdu on Earth."

Before long, the giant brought Jin Zhaonan into a dim, secluded alley.

*Smack.*

Jin Zhaonan winced in pain; his attendants had lost them in the crowd. The giant didn't speak, just kept searching Jin Zhaonan’s body. When his hand reached for the white jade, Jin Zhaonan grabbed it with both hands to resist. But he was no match for the giant, whose fist was the size of Jin Zhaonan’s head.

Still, Jin Zhaonan refused to let go. The giant was angered and raised his other hand. Just as the fist was about to land, a slender hand blocked it.

The giant glanced at Shen Hua, but didn't stop; instead, he pressed harder, intent on leaving a mark on Jin Zhaonan’s face.

"If you kill him, I guarantee you won't make it out of the Ghost Market today."

Shen Hua wasn't bluffing; if she sent word to the Ghost Chief, the giant wouldn't survive the night. The giant finally stopped, slowly stood up, and sized Shen Hua up. Suddenly, his eyes glazed over, and he bowed low.

"Considering this is your first offense, I’ll spare you." Shen Hua looked at the giant. "Are you a Kunlun slave?"

The giant nodded, showing a childlike simplicity before her.

"If you steal his things, they're useless if you can't sell them. I have ten taels here—take it as a favor to me."

The Kunlun slave waved his hand.

"Take it and get out of here."

Seeing Shen Hua’s displeasure, the slave dared not refuse. He took the silver and fled.

"You really are Doctor Shen." Jin Zhaonan scrambled to his feet, looking at her with excitement, as if he had forgotten he had nearly lost his life.

Shen Hua’s cold expression softened into a faint smile. "Young Master Jin, you owe me another favor."

"Another?" Confusion was written all over his face.

"You didn't eat the meal during the day?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

"If I hadn't arrived in time just now, the Ministry of Rites would be hanging funeral banners tonight."

Jin Zhaonan seemed to have already forgotten his brush with death. He stared at her face, curious. "Doctor Shen, do you know the art of disguise?"

"Yes."

"Amazing! I was so close to you earlier and didn't notice a thing. I never thought such an art truly existed."

Shen Hua suddenly felt that Jin Zhaonan was truly a heartless young master, though born into the wrong house. If it weren't for her, he would have met the King of Hell by now. She kept her mission in mind, looking for opportunities to get closer to him.

"The art of disguise is not difficult to learn."

"I want to apprentice under you. Will you teach me?"

Shen Hua was surprised. She hadn't expected the young master of the Ministry of Rites to want to apprentice just because of a disguise. She thought it over—if she agreed too easily, he might suspect her earlier intervention had been a setup. In truth, she had known the Kunlun slave for two years; she had saved him when he was wandering the market.

The slave couldn't speak, and though his appearance was unnaturally large and strange, his mind was that of a ten-year-old. Most importantly, he was loyal. Shen Hua had only given him two buns and a bowl of water, but he had followed her ever since. Since she couldn't keep him with her, she had found him work at a stable, gave him money so he wouldn't go hungry, and taught him a few simple characters. Much of the news in the Ghost Market reached her through him.

"Apprentice?" Shen Hua slowed her speech intentionally.

Fearful she might refuse, Jin Zhaonan pulled out the white jade he had just bought. "I’ve asked around about your preferences, so please accept this as an apprenticeship gift."

Shen Hua recognized that the jade was valuable. She liked it, but didn't reach for it. Seeing her hesitation, Jin Zhaonan grew anxious, beads of sweat forming on his brow, unsure whether to hold onto the jade or offer it again. Shen Hua had initially thought he might have some ulterior motives, but she now realized he was truly just a medical nerd.

"I don't take apprentices, but I can teach you. Though, the art of disguise isn't easy to learn, and the skin used for it isn't just any skin."

"Then... what kind of skin is it?" Jin Zhaonan’s voice trembled.

"Human skin, naturally," Shen Hua replied. "How else would it look so lifelike?"

"Ah?" Jin Zhaonan wiped his forehead, his face turning from red to white in an instant.

"A man of medicine is afraid of this?" Shen Hua teased.

Jin Zhaonan looked embarrassed. "I’ve never formally treated anyone. I usually only practice on the servants in the manor."

Shen Hua sneered, a flicker of displeasure passing over her face before it vanished. "I’ll take the jade as the tuition fee. But learning this won't be simple, and it won't happen overnight."

Jin Zhaonan jumped for joy, clenching his fists. "Then may I come to your clinic starting tomorrow? I’ll be your unpaid assistant."

"You still want a salary?" Shen Hua narrowed her eyes.

"Just a joke," he said, waving his hands. He was surprised; this was the first time he had seen her smile since the morning.

"I have one condition, to satisfy my curiosity."

Jin Zhaonan handed her the jade immediately, fearing she might change her mind. "A gentleman’s word is his bond. You can't go back on it."

"I’ve never been to the Ministry of Rites," Shen Hua said. "I want to see what the homes of you high-ranking officials look like. Once I’ve earned enough, I’ll build one myself."

"That’s simple, but..." Seeing his hesitation, Shen Hua frowned.

"You must leave before my father returns."

Shen Hua mused that a Minister of the Ministry of War wouldn't return from his duties before the hour of Shen. She only needed a visit or two to map out the residence and find an opportunity to act. She agreed readily.

...

At the Northern Bureau of the Imperial Guard’s prison:

"He really is a tough nut to crack."

"I... I have no one behind me. I was just seeking justice for myself." The petty officer’s lips curled upward.

Chi Han’s gaze sharpened. He tightened his grip on the hammer and slowly placed the petty officer’s hand onto the wooden board. "Come now, there is another hand; let’s relieve some of the tension."

Perhaps already at death’s door, the petty officer showed no reaction. Only his eyes and mouth could still move. He swallowed a mouthful of bloody saliva and sneered, "Assistant Minister Chi, with such methods, I think the Northern Bureau would suit you better."

Chi Han wiped the blood from his hands. "I heard you are from Dengzhou. Is there anyone left in your family?"

The petty officer chuckled. "Don't trouble yourself. I have no one left."

Chi Han seemed to have a plan already. "I sent men to your home earlier. True, nothing was left behind, but you have a good neighbor. A very good neighbor, indeed. Heard you were in trouble and seemed quite anxious."

The previously calm petty officer’s pupils dilated, and the flesh on his face trembled. "What does this have to do with her? You are an official of the government; use whatever methods you want on me!"

Chi Han tsked and shook his head. "When the government investigates a case, anyone in close contact with the suspect must be brought in for questioning. Who knows what we might find out?"

Though Lu Chenzhou felt Chi Han’s tactic was a bit underhanded, it was an effective way to make the officer talk. He stood up, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Chi Han. "Assistant Minister Chi, have some tea. Let me have a word with him."

Chi Han had been interrogating him for three hours and was exhausted. He drained the cup in one gulp and sat down, letting out a long sigh.

Lu Chenzhou poured a cup of water and held it to the petty officer’s lips. The man hesitated briefly before raising his head with great difficulty to drink.

"You won't survive this, but you know the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. That girl is in the prime of her life. Regardless of your relationship, she won't escape a visit to this prison. Think about it—how many who enter this place leave in one piece?"

The officer was silent for a moment before finally speaking: "Commander Zhou was my former superior. We were both soldiers guarding the frontier. Later, he went to the Imperial Mausoleum, and I joined the Northern Bureau."

"You were involved in the tomb robbery, weren't you?" Lu Chenzhou asked.

The officer nodded. "Three months ago, he found me and said there was an opportunity for promotion." He looked at Lu Chenzhou with a bitter smile. "Lord Lu, you come from a wealthy family; you wouldn't understand the plight of us small people. The salary is pitiful, and the credit for our lives' work is stolen by our superiors. Without money, you remain a petty officer for ten or twenty years. In the official circles of Nanjing, you can't move an inch without money."

Lu Chenzhou felt a mix of emotions, but he remained calm. "The mausoleum was robbed—who else was involved?"

"The fewer people in such things, the better," the officer said, shaking his head. "We spent over a month digging and found a burial chamber. Besides, we never intended to disturb the Great Ancestor; the grave goods in the burial chamber were enough for a commoner to live on for generations. One shouldn't be too greedy."

Lu Chenzhou sneered, not knowing how to respond. It was hard to say whether robbing a tomb was a matter of greed or desperation.