Chapter 12: Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

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Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

 Chapter 12: 

Series of Disappearances

Zhu Yan nodded. Lu Chuichui, whose legs had gone numb from standing, said she would go to inquire about Kong Suier and Kuang Zhanxiang and then left.

Xu Xiangren smiled and said, “Miss Lu is still the same as ever.” Shaking his head, he took out a document and handed it to Zhu Yan. “I’ve already informed the chief constable about this matter, and he asked me to give you this.”

Zhu Yan opened the document, which contained several records of missing persons cases.

All of them involved courtesans disappearing, and they all occurred between April 15 and May 10.

Each portrait included was of a different face, but there were common features.

This included Kuang Zhanxiang’s case.

At first glance, there was a vague similarity among them.

“There are many missing persons cases every year, but the proportion of missing courtesans is extremely low,” Xu Xiangren said. “The case was first discovered by the Chang’an Magistrate. Last year, there was a similar case involving a courtesan’s madam who caused a lot of trouble, so he was quite troubled. When he saw Kuang Zhanzhen’s portrait, he felt something was off and decided to consult the chief constable.”

“I heard that after the Inner Guard took over, they didn’t pay much attention to the matter. Therefore, the Chang’an Magistrate didn’t dare to bypass the Inner Guard and report directly to the Criminal Department,” Xu Xiangren sighed. “Everyone in Chang’an knows that the officials fear the White King of Hell when they stand up and the Black King of Hell when they sit down. The chief constable and the Chang’an Magistrate also dare not provoke the White King of Hell. Since you are in the Criminal Department, if you think something is wrong, you can report it further up for the Minister of Justice to decide. Moreover, the White King of Hell is unlikely to resort to violence over this issue…”

Zhu Yan smiled. “You’re mistaken.”

If it weren’t for the recent marriage, and if the Emperor of Zhou still remembered the incident, the head beside the palanquin that day would have been hers.

As she flipped through the document, Zhu Yan said, “I will discuss this with the person in charge. If it really is a series of disappearances…”

“A series of what?”

The chilling voice made the noise of the street vanish into silence.

She didn’t turn around, but from Xu Xiangren’s bowing and retreating actions, she knew who the cold and unpleasant person behind her was.

Taking a deep breath, Zhu Yan turned and said, “What brings the Grand Chief Guard to Pingkang Fang? Could it be that you have someone here? If that’s the case, I won’t disturb you and will take my leave…”

Her chin was grasped firmly.

Shen Du, dressed in official robes, raised his sword-like eyebrows slightly and looked at her with his deep phoenix eyes, sneering, “Isn’t my beloved right here? If you leave, how will I meet my beloved?”

Hearing him refer to "beloved" twice, Zhu Yan knew he was mocking her, but she still felt the place he was gripping growing warm, like a boiling stone dropped into cold water, making her feel as if she were about to boil over.

Quickly stepping back, Zhu Yan rubbed her chin and asked, “I... How is the Grand Chief Guard here?”

Jing Lin, who was behind Shen Du, coldly replied, “It’s because Miss Liu didn’t return all night. This morning, Prime Minister Zhang sent someone with a gift, but when he didn’t see Liuninang, he thought we had dealt with her in some way and almost alarmed His Majesty.”

Shen Du remarked indifferently, “I’m afraid His Majesty didn’t expect you to be here, and with someone of dubious character.”

Regardless of the issue of being with someone of dubious character, Zhu Yan was first stunned by the fact that her mere absence from the Shen residence for a night could nearly alarm the Emperor of Zhou.

After a long silence, Zhu Yan realized for the first time how terrifying her marriage with Shen Du was as a political maneuver.

Zhang Xingwei’s visit early in the morning with gifts was not merely about her safety. It was more likely that he knew she was a substitute bride and intended either to use her to monitor Shen Du if she was alive, or if she was dead, to use her death as a basis for a memorial accusing Shen Du.

The Emperor’s concern in this matter was likely to maintain the balance of power by leveraging the conflict between these influential officials.

Zhu Yan didn’t need to ask if her parents would be implicated because, regardless of the situation, both Zhang Xingwei and Shen Du would surely convince the Emperor to remain calm and not worry further.

“I stayed at the Criminal Department last night,” Zhu Yan said. “Since we’re not on good terms as a couple, there’s no point in going back to merely avoid each other.”

After examining Kuang Zhanxing’s body yesterday, Zhu Yan and Lu Chuichui had come to Pingkang Fang. However, because they were not frequent visitors to this area, they found out at the Tongming Pavilion that newcomers needed to either be introduced by a madam or have a recommendation from a regular guest to enter. Planning to get a recommendation from Lu Chuichui’s cousin today, and given the distance between the Zhu and Lu residences, Zhu Yan and Lu Chuichui decided to return to the Criminal Department while the palace gates were still open.

At that moment, Shen Du was completely dismissed from her thoughts, and by the time he crossed her mind again, she was already resting at the Criminal Department.

Remembering how she had tossed and turned all night because of this annoying man, Zhu Yan lowered her gaze and had no desire to even look at Shen Du.

Shen Du looked at her and commented, “It’s a good thing you have self-awareness.”

Zhu Yan was thoroughly unwilling to continue the conversation with him. She inclined her head slightly and intended to find Lu Chuichui. However, as she passed by Shen Du, her path was blocked by an elevated sword.

“Nevertheless, no matter what, you are now seen as Madam Shen by everyone,” Shen Du said as he lowered his arm. “To prevent Zhang Xingwei from speaking ill of me to His Majesty, claiming that I, Shen Du, am mistreating my new wife, you will need to stay with me today.”

If she had to stay with him all day, how could she investigate the case?

Reluctantly, Zhu Yan said, “The Inner Guard has many duties to attend to. Isn’t the Grand Chief Guard also supposed to handle the Liang family’s second branch for His Majesty? It might be inconvenient to have me with you…”

“Are you dead or injured?”

Zhu Yan choked up and looked up at Shen Du. “What do you mean, Grand Chief Guard?”

Shen Du made a beckoning gesture to his subordinates behind him with two fingers and said to Zhu Yan, “Since you’re neither dead nor injured, what inconvenience could there be, Madam?”

Without giving her a chance to refuse, Zhu Yan was pulled along. She saw Jing Lin effortlessly taking her horse and leading her toward the gate of the district.

The Inner Guard’s people handled their duties with efficiency, clearing the way for them. Vendors and passersby on the long street instinctively moved aside. Zhu Yan, hanging on Shen Du’s arm, walked backward. In her unsteady gait, she saw Lu Chuichui in front of the Lan Yan Pavilion and tried to mouth a plea for help, but Lu Chuichui shrugged, indicating that she was powerless to intervene.

Zhu Yan resigned herself to her fate. They reached the district gate, where Shen Du’s horse was still being held by his subordinate.

She thought he would let her go, or at least not maintain this position, but to her surprise, the next moment, Shen Du raised his chin towards his horse and said, “Get on.”

Zhu Yan didn’t move.

She thought Shen Du might be ill.

“I can ride my own horse and follow behind you,” Zhu Yan said, trying to suppress the urge to curse Shen Du.

Shen Du was unyielding: “Get on.”

Zhu Yan’s eyelashes fluttered. Just as she was about to speak, Shen Du lowered his head and came closer to her.

She saw her reflection in his eyes and noticed his straight nose.

The heat from his presence made her face uncomfortably warm.

“If you don’t get on, I have plenty of ways to make His Majesty see our ‘deep marital affection,” Shen Du said, his fingers touching her chin and brushing over Zhu Yan’s soft lower lip. “Madam, I suppose you’ve never been so close to a man before?”

Zhu Yan’s eyes widened in shock as she clearly saw the cold curve at the corner of Shen Du’s lips.

“If I were to kiss you in the street, no one would dare to say anything.”

Zhu Yan felt a jolt of shock run down her spine. She quickly mounted the horse, her movements swift and tense.

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