Chapter 118 (1/2)

Chapter 118 Cascades: A Meticulous Plan

Feng Luodi, along with Fei, Scarlet and Jet rushed to Wuling Province. They hurriedly put down their belongings and Feng Luodi immediately followed Jet to the zither merchant mentioned by the informant to enquire about Cascades. However, they were met with bad news.

The boss of the shop was full of apologies. ”Master Li here did pay us the down payment for Cascades, but Cascades was involved in a murder case three days ago and have been taken by the authorities as evidence, and I'm not sure when they will return the zither. If you are still willing to buy the zither then, I will send someone to inform you.”

”What murder case is the Cascades involved in?” Feng Luodi asked, her heart filled with suspicion.

”I am not so sure about that.” The boss was confused as well. ”We were visited three days ago by the people from the yamen, who came with their badge, claiming that the Cascades is an important evidence and left with it. They didn't even give an explanation for it. But the Prefect always does things this way. As commoners, we won't dare to ask anything else.”

Feng Luodi nodded her head. ”When the zither has been returned, please send someone to Yunlai Inn to find Master Li.”

”Of course, I am an honest businessman, I will not cheat your down payment.” The boss of the zither shop immediately agreed.

When Feng Luodi and Fei left the zither merchant, Fei said, ”This is too much of a coincidence! The Cascades got involved in a murder case the very moment we arrive, and there was no explanation given at all. This makes no sense at all.”

Feng Luodi suddenly stopped in her tracks. ”Yes, this is very suspicious. Even if it is an investigation by the yamen, they will send someone to explain the situation. This is a law of the Xuan Kingdom. Come, let's pay a visit to the yamen and get some answers.”

Fei nodded along and asked a pa.s.ser-by for directions. Soon, the two of them arrived outside the yamen. Fei directly asked one of the guards. ”We are the buyers for Cascades, the guqin which was involved in a murder case three days ago. We are really anxious about the zither and will like to know the progress of the investigation.”

”Murder case?” The guard was confused. ”There is no ongoing investigation for any murder case in the yamen right now. And what is Cascades?” The other guard gave an equally lost expression and shook his head.

Fei looked at Feng Luodi. Both of them were thinking about the same thing. There is really something fishy going on.

At this moment, a man dressed in court-attire came out of the yamen. ”I am the a.s.sistant magistrate of yamen, who are you?” The a.s.sistant magistrate asked the two guards to return to their positions and took a long look at Fei. Then he took a look at Feng Luodi who was at the foot of the stairs. Fei repeated his statement again.

”Oh, that murder case.” The a.s.sistant magistrate acted as though he understood them. ”This case is still under investigation. Cascades is an evidence and can't be returned to the zither merchant currently. The few of you will have to wait till the investigation is over.”

”When will the investigation be over?” Fei asked.

”That is difficult to say.” the a.s.sistant magistrate thought for a while and waved his hand impatiently. ”You can come back in three days.”

”What kind of murder case is this to actually involve a zither?” Fei tried to probe further.

”That is none of your business. This information is confidential. Commoners like you will not get to know of such information.” The a.s.sistant magistrate started to chase them away. “Get going soon or I'll charge you for the disruption of our investigation!”

Fei walked down the stairs and left with Feng Luodi.

”How is it?” Feng Luodi softly asked.

”Full of loopholes.” Fei coldly replied. ”They didn't even try to hide their intentions. So brazen of them.”

”They know that we can't trespa.s.s the grounds by force. It is obvious that they want to hold us back, but what from?” Feng Luodi could not make heads of the situation as well. Taking Cascades away was a trap for her. When she was trapped, they could use her to threaten Chamberlain Feng.

Feng Luodi suddenly remembered when she left Chang'an, Chamberlain Feng received an imperial decree to investigate the embezzlement of the governor of the Shanyin Province. Would this matter to related to her father? Someone is trying to use her to threaten her father. But what is the relations.h.i.+p between the Governor of Wuling Province and the Governor of the Shanyin Province? Even the journey between the two places takes half a month.

”Miss, someone is following us.” Fei interrupted Feng Luodi's thoughts.

”Yes, I realise someone has been following us since we left yamen.” Feng Luodi sighed. The path to finding the Guqin is filled with hards.h.i.+ps and danger.

”What should we do now? We don't have enough reasons to ask the Prefect for an explanation. We can only be trampled upon by them.” Fei was in low spirits.

”Let's wait for three days,” Feng Luodi said after some thought, ”you will go around and ask for information these three days. We will stay within the compound. If three days later the reply is still the same, we immediately leave Wuling City to prevent others from taking advantage of us.”

”What about the Cascades?” Fei knew the importance of the Guqin in Feng Luodi's heart.

”We can only ask for the help of that person.” Feng Luodi sighed, ”hope there won't be such a day. Let's go back to the inn first.”

”Yes.” Fei agreed.

Feng Luodi only had a slight suspicion that the Cascades was withheld to keep her here. However, during the short period of time when Feng Luodi was at yamen, Duo, who was hiding in the shadows, had already gone into the yamen to investigate. After listening to the conversation between the Governor and a few others, he understood everything. They were not only planning to keep the Chamberlain in check but also wanted to stop General Situ from interfering with that thing.

Duo sneered. Such wishful thinking.

At the same moment, in Chang'an city.

Situ was getting ready to meet Gan Qingjia when Two suddenly appeared.

”General, the Minister of the Right has gotten leverage on the Imperial Treasurer. He is facing trouble now as he needs to take him down with a single strike.”