Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 161: Clues

Wu Sheng and Qian Ai were also heading back to the Cheng family’s residence, so they joined the procession of monks along the way.

Leading the monks was the abbot of the Guajia Temple, Master Yan Yi.

Not just any family could request the presence of the abbot from the Guajia Temple, but the Cheng family was a prominent household in Tianjin, and naturally, their funeral arrangements had to be conducted with dignity and propriety.

“This is the situation. I wonder what Master thinks?” After introducing himself and successfully joining the monks, Wu Sheng shared with Master Yan Yi the story of Old Master Cheng’s supposed “false corpse”.

Master Yan Yi, with his long white hair and eyebrows, looked wise and spirited. His gaze was insightful yet serene. “Death ends all entanglements.”

He spoke only these words and then remained silent.

Death ends all entanglements?

So, does it mean that anything happening afterward has nothing to do with Old Master Cheng?

Is this implying that the “false corpse” was the work of the living?

Or is there no implication, and it’s merely a statement from a Buddhist perspective?

Wu Sheng’s mind was filled with various “interpretations”, but he couldn’t come to a conclusion about which was correct. Master Yan Yi, looking straight ahead and focusing on the journey, obviously had no intention of elaborating further.

For some reason, Wu Sheng always felt that there was something more hidden in Master Yan Yi’s eyes besides wisdom and serenity. But being inexperienced himself, he found it impossible to see through an old monk who had lived twice as long as he had.

Qian Ai walked beside Wu Sheng, occasionally turning his head to look at Wu Sheng, then at Master Yan Yi, and back again, finding the conversation between the experts too difficult to understand.

Following them was a young monk who had been with the group for some time.

Xu Wang had noticed the two men at the front of the procession from the start. Appearing out of nowhere, getting cozy with the abbot, and then mysteriously joining the procession seemed key to some quest.

Deciding quickly, he sneaked to the front of the procession, hoping to overhear their conversation for clues to a mission or to meet up with teammates.

But as soon as he got close, he heard a thrilling story about an old man’s corpse rising in the fog and dashing through the streets.

He didn’t understand the sentence later spoken by Master Yan Yi, but the thoughtful silhouette of Mr. Glasses always felt both strange and familiar to him.

Sneaking to the side to get a better look at Mr. Glasses’ thoughtful profile, his feeling of familiarity grew stronger.

Perhaps his staring was too obvious, as Mr. Glasses sharply turned his head toward him.

Their gazes met in the air, sparking a connection.

Wu Sheng adjusted his glasses, scanning the nosy young monk from head to toe with an X-ray-like gaze.

Swallowing nervously, Xu Wang instinctively touched his head, unsure if it was out of nervousness or something else.

Wu Sheng observed the young monk’s rosy cheeks and white teeth for a while but ultimately focused on his bald head.

Resisting the urge to cover his entire head, Xu Wang felt warmth under Wu Sheng’s touch, not resisting it.

Wu Sheng tilted his head slightly and smiled at him, with a little joy, a little pride, and a little… interest.

The next second, Wu Sheng suddenly pulled Qian Ai out of the group and led him into a small alley.

Master Yan Yi, focused solely on moving forward, didn’t notice that the two accompanying laymen had left the group.

“What are you pulling me here for? Aren’t we going back to the Cheng family?” As soon as they entered the alley, Qian Ai finally got a chance to speak and immediately asked.

Wu Sheng gestured for him to be quiet with a “shh” and indicated to wait.

Qian Ai could hardly calm down but still waited.

Less than thirty seconds later, a figure nimbly entered the alley.

Wu Sheng saw the young monk peeking in, smiled slightly, opened his arms, and waited for an embrace.

Qian Ai was baffled, and even more so when the young monk, instead of running into Wu Sheng’s arms, stood firm and asked proudly, “Be diligent and cautious?”

Wu Sheng responded smoothly, “Study diligently and innovate.”

The young monk then laughed, looking like he wanted to jump in, but hesitated upon noticing someone else standing nearby.

Unable to resist any longer, Wu Sheng, who had his arms already open, moved them to pat the young monk’s head.

Xu Wang, having his head frozen all the way, found Wu Sheng’s touch quite warm and didn’t resist.

After patting a few times and feeling somewhat satisfied, Wu Sheng introduced, with a smile, “This is Lao Qian.”

Hearing this, Xu Wang was taken aback, then looked at the man beside him, who indeed seemed like a teammate, and immediately became curious. “Who have you transmigrated into?”

Hearing this tone, Qian Ai finally realized. “Captain?”

The suspects were only three: Xiao Xue, Xiao Kuang, Xu Wang. Combining this with the advisor’s affectionate gaze, the answer was clear.

“Wait.” Qian Ai remembered something. “Did you two just exchange a code? That diligence and innovation thing?”

“Yes,” Xu Wang said matter-of-factly. “How else could I be sure of his identity?”

Qian Ai: “But when did you guys come up with this code?”

Xu Wang: “No need to come up with it. You should know it too.”

Qian Ai: “Where would I know it from?!”

Wu Sheng: “It’s our high school motto.”

Xu Wang: “You forgot?”

Qian Ai: “……”

He had never remembered it to begin with!

So, that’s why some could be class representatives, and he was just an ordinary member; there were reasons for everything…

The three quickly exchanged information, with Xu Wang having little to share, so it was mostly Wu Sheng talking, with Qian Ai adding details.

While talking, Wu Sheng pulled Xu Wang into his arms, occasionally patting his head as if he was a mascot.

After finishing, Wu Sheng looked down at the captain in his arms and gave his transmigration a fair assessment. “You’ve gotten smaller.”

Xu Wang: “……”

The young monk was indeed shorter and slimmer than Xu Wang, so in terms of both age and physique, he had “gotten smaller”, but… it felt awkward to hear!

Xu Wang, never one to be outdone, immediately retorted, “You’ve become…”

And then there was no follow-up.

The person Wu Sheng had transmigrated into, Mr. Bai, was handsome, broad-shouldered, and tall, with an aura of a returned student, even having a scholarly and abstinent filter. No matter how one looked, he was attractive, leaving Xu Wang at a loss for words!

Qian Ai couldn’t stand it anymore and quietly left the alley.

Whether it was Mr. Bai holding the young monk or the advisor hugging the captain, it caused him immense distress on this chilly night, even more so than Old Master Cheng’s false corpse.

……

When the three rejoined the procession of monks, they had arrived at the Cheng family’s front gate.

The Cheng family’s courtyard was brightly lit and noisy—it was in chaos.

Old Master Cheng’s false corpse and disappearance over the wall had caused a commotion, and Wu Sheng thought this as he entered, only to find the situation even more complicated—Old Master Cheng’s body had been returned by a group of rather unfriendly-looking people and was lying on the ground inside the courtyard. Instead of moving Old Master Cheng back to the memorial hall, the Cheng family was confronting the group that had returned the body.

Perhaps they were too frightened to touch it, fearing the corpse might come back to life again.

“Master Jiu, does your Fushou Gang intend to ruin our Cheng family?” The man standing as the head of the Cheng family was naturally Cheng Xiaonan. He was dressed in Western pajamas with a Chinese-style cloak thrown over, which was rather a unique look. He was probably woken up by the servants and hastily put on the cloak before coming out to investigate.

Compared to Cheng Xiaonan, the man known as Master Jiu appeared much more composed. “Mr. Cheng, we were just walking down the street when your family’s Old Master fell from the sky. We recognized him and immediately brought him back respectfully. Your words might cool the hearts of the Fushou Gang brothers.”

“Ying Jiu! Stop your crocodile tears!” From the Cheng side, a woman in her late twenties, surrounded by servants and dressed more neatly, spoke up sharply. “For what happened to Second Master, the Cheng family and the Hai Gang have a bone to pick with you!”

Master Jiu’s smile faded, but he remained calm, exerting a sense of pressure without anger. “I have told Old Master Cheng before, and I will say it again today.” He looked around the courtyard as if addressing everyone. “The matter of Second Master Cheng has nothing to do with the Fushou Gang. We also want to find out who harmed him…”

“And,” his last words were directed solely at the woman, “don’t make me say it a third time.”

The woman still looked resentful but hesitated and ultimately didn’t speak again.

“Sir…” The gatekeeper leading the monks into the courtyard finally found a gap to speak.

This broke the deadlock.

Cheng Xiaonan immediately ordered some braver servants to carry Old Master Cheng back to the memorial hall, then warmly greeted Master Yan Yi, calling for the tea server to come over. Eventually, the tea server led the monks to rest in the side courtyard, discussing the next day’s rituals with Master Yan Yi along the way.

Taking advantage of the chaos as the monk procession moved again, Wu Sheng quietly instructed Xu Wang to keep an eye on Master Yan Yi—he had a feeling Master Yan Yi knew something.

Thus, Xu Wang, with a mission, followed the monks and disappeared in the direction of the side courtyard.

Qian Ai also took the opportunity to return to the memorial hall, carrying out the task assigned by his advisor—to inquire about the Cheng family’s situation from the servants; the more detailed and gossipy, the better.

Soon, only the Cheng family, the Fushou Gang members, and Mr. Bai were left in the courtyard.

Both groups were large, leaving Wu Sheng, a lone figure, immediately standing out and attracting all eyes.

Wu Sheng had no choice but to offer an awkward smile and explain to the Cheng side. “I went to chase the Old Master but didn’t catch up. Instead, I ran into Master Yan Yi and followed him back.” He then turned to Master Jiu, feeling he should say something, but couldn’t find the words.

Master Jiu watched him for almost a minute, finally realizing that Wu Sheng might not start the conversation and gracefully stepped forward. “Mr. Bai.”

Wu Sheng was taken aback. His first instinct was to ask, “Master Jiu knows me?” but immediately realized that would give him away and quickly went along. “Master Jiu.”

The two “acquaintances” nodded at each other, and the situation seemed to shift from a three-way standoff to a two-party alliance. Cheng Xiaonan, in his unique mix of Western and Chinese attire, couldn’t stand it any longer and cleared his throat. “Mr. Bai, everything you wished to know has been fully explained by the Cheng family.”

The implication was clear: You can leave now.

Wu Sheng, however, looked innocently puzzled and rooted to the spot.

“Mr. Cheng,” Master Jiu said with a light smile, taking control of the conversation. “It’s late and chilly. Let’s not talk here in the courtyard.”

Cheng Xiaonan’s face turned as dark as the night, matching the surrounding darkness.

But Master Jiu remained leisurely, adding insult to injury. “The great Cheng family can’t even spare a cup of hot tea?”

……

Wu Sheng, riding on Master Jiu’s coattails, entered the Cheng family’s living room for the second time.

Why did Old Master Cheng’s body end up in front of Master Jiu? And what was Master Jiu’s purpose in staying? With so many mysteries, Wu Sheng could only wait and see how things unfolded.

The Cheng family mansion was a blend of Chinese and Western styles. The front courtyard retained the old house’s appearance, but as one walked further in, a Western-style building emerged, rivaling the grand mansions of 5^th Avenue.

The women had returned to the inner quarters, leaving only Cheng Xiaonan to entertain them in the small building’s living room.

Wu Sheng found that Master Jiu indeed had the demeanor of a major figure in the underworld—he had only brought one person into the living room, leaving the rest of the Fushou Gang members outside. He was domineering when necessary yet showed perfect manners when appropriate—truly a formidable character.

The person Master Jiu brought in was a young man in his early twenties. He looked handsome, with fair skin and a facial injury, but dressed very decently… almost exactly like Master Jiu.

He didn’t sit down but stood next to Master Jiu, silent yet impossible to ignore.

As soon as they were seated, tea and some whiskey were served.

Cheng Xiaonan lifted his glass and casually asked the guests, “You don’t mind, do you?”

As the host preferred whiskey and didn’t force anyone to join him, the guests naturally had no objections.

So, two drank tea and one drank whiskey, with occasional awkward attempts at conversation, creating a momentarily harmonious scene.

That was until Wu Sheng saw a half-face appearing and disappearing outside the window.

Finding an excuse, Wu Sheng left the small building for a hidden spot where visibility was poor to meet up with his teammate.

Wu Sheng: “Did you find anything out?”

Qian Ai: “I did. The woman who shouted at Master Jiu earlier is Second Master Cheng’s wife, Hai Huiping, the daughter of the Hai Gang leader. She has an older brother, Hai Yunlong, the young leader of the Hai Gang.”

Wu Sheng: “Hai Gang?”

Qian Ai: “Yeah, an organization similar to the Fushou Gang, you know.”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “Cheng Xiaonan’s wife died years ago, leaving no children; Cheng Jiming, that is, Second Master Cheng, died last year, leaving behind a ten-year-old daughter and Hai Huiping, the stepmother.”

Wu Sheng: “Stepmother?”

Qian Ai: “Yeah, his daughter was with his first wife, who died of illness before he remarried Hai Huiping.”

Wu Sheng, having a rough understanding of the Cheng family’s current situation from Xue Qingshan, knew the Cheng family now consisted of a master, a widow of the second master, and a daughter of the second master.

But since Xue Qingshan and the Cheng family hardly interacted and Du Jinnian didn’t talk much about the Cheng family, further information was scarce.

“How did Cheng Jiming die?” The confrontation in the courtyard earlier was what Wu Sheng was most concerned about. Both Cheng Xiaonan and Hai Huiping mentioned Cheng Jiming’s death was related to the Fushou Gang, but Master Jiu insisted it wasn’t. The key phrase here was “caused his death.”

There must be more to Cheng Jiming’s death.

“Ah?” Qian Ai opened his mouth. “How did he die…?”

A second later, the servant “Zhuzi” disappeared.

A little more than ten minutes later, he returned.

Qian Ai: “I managed to find out through indirect questioning. He was kidnapped, and a ransom was demanded!”

Wu Sheng: “By the Fushou Gang?”

Qian Ai: “That’s what the Cheng family says, but it seems the Fushou Gang denies it. Anyway, the Cheng family paid the ransom, but Cheng Jiming still died. His body had been discarded on a common grave for who knows how long… Quite tragic.”

Wu Sheng fell silent.

“From what they say, the Hai Gang made noise for half a year, but in the end, they didn’t really act against the Fushou Gang.” Qian Ai sighed. “You’d think Cheng Jiming, being the Hai Gang’s son-in-law and dying so miserably, the Hai Gang would react, right?”

Wu Sheng shook his head. “It’s not about enduring; it’s about having to. Didn’t you see the exchange between Hai Huiping and Master Jiu? If they really clashed, the Hai Gang couldn’t handle the Fushou Gang, and they might even suffer more losses.”

Qian Ai, looking at the occasional reflective glasses in the darkness, genuinely admired, “Advisor, you’re too into your role.”

From his demeanor to his lines, everything perfectly matched the era of the Republic of China. How did he manage that?

“By the way.” Wu Sheng, too focused on the mission, unusually ignored the praise. “What about Old Master Cheng? How did he die?”

Qian Ai: “……”

A second later, the servant “Zhuzi” disappeared.

Fifteen minutes later, he returned.

Qian Ai: “Illness… He died of illness…”

Wu Sheng: “Take your time, catch your breath.”

Qian Ai: “After Cheng Jiming died last year, he fell ill and had been bedridden until now. He probably couldn’t hold on anymore.”

Wu Sheng: “What illness?”

Qian Ai: “There wasn’t any specific illness; it was just a big blow from his son’s death, and then he just declined day by day. But…”

Wu Sheng: “But what?”

Qian Ai: “A servant said it was due to evil spirits.”

Wu Sheng: “What does that mean?”

Qian Ai: “He just mentioned it in passing; I didn’t get to ask in detail.”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “……”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “Okay, I’ve noted this question. Advisor, do you have any other questions? Can you write them down for me, so I can ask them all at once?”

Wu Sheng felt a bit guilty, but many questions arose based on newly acquired information, and he really couldn’t help it.

Fortunately, that was about it.

“Just three questions: one, why do they say Old Master Cheng was haunted by evil spirits; two, who in the Cheng family was closest to Du Jinnian; three, how long did Du Jinnian stay at the Cheng family two days ago, and when did he leave?”

This time, it took less than ten minutes for Qian Ai to return, either because his indirect questioning skills had improved dramatically or because the servants were inspired to unleash their gossiping spirits, offering information without needing to be prodded.

Qian Ai: “Last winter, not long after Cheng Jiming was buried, Old Master Cheng slipped in front of his own door, possibly due to his age and fragile bones, and never got up from bed again. The reason for the fall was water spilled by a servant in front of his door, which turned to ice. In the end, they couldn’t find who was responsible. Coupled with Cheng Jiming’s tragic death, rumors began that the Cheng family was cursed by evil spirits, leading to continuous misfortune. Now with Old Master Cheng’s death, the rumors seem even more believable…”

Wu Sheng: “The second question…”

Qian Ai: “I was just getting to that. Du Jinnian was closest to Cheng Jiming. When Cheng Jiming was alive, he often visited, but after his death, Du Jinnian almost stopped coming.”

Wu Sheng: “But he came two days ago.”

Qian Ai: “Yes, he did come, and he spoke with Cheng Xiaonan in the living room where you were sitting. At that time, Old Master Cheng had just passed away, and the Cheng family was in disarray. Cheng Xiaonan didn’t entertain him for long before continuing with the funeral arrangements.”

Wu Sheng: “And then? Did Du Jinnian leave?”

Qian Ai: “I don’t know.”

Wu Sheng: “You don’t know?”

Qian Ai: “Externally, they said Du Jinnian left after having tea, but according to the servants, no one saw him leave the Cheng family.”

Wu Sheng: “What does that mean? Did the man just vanish into thin air? Vanish inside the Cheng family mansion?”

Qian Ai: “Yes.”

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