Gu frowned, his voice low and sharp.

  “The case’s already reached the higher-ups. A royal inspector, a governor’s son, and a military officer’s family are all tangled in it. Everyone in the yamen (government office in feudal China)’s walking on eggshells—who dares meddle?”

  I stepped forward, palms together like a man begging for alms.

  “Sir Gu, don’t get me wrong! I’m no big shot, but I do know herbs and anatomy. Back in Shenmu Village—uh, before I died—wait, before that, I even examined bones and diagnosed poisons! I don’t need to enter the main hall, I won’t touch the corpse, I won’t even breathe near the body if you don’t want me to! Just let me look around, see what she used for her face powder—I can probably guess what killed her from the scent alone! Really, I swear, not a step out of line!”

  Mu snorted from the side.

  “He’s not lying. Back in Shenmu Village, he did sniff a few corpses of livestock and bugs. Nearly passed out from it too.”

  I glared at him.

  “Can you not sell me out for once?”

  Gu went quiet for a moment, eyes measuring us both. Then he sighed.

  “Fine. I’m on duty tomorrow. I’ll arrange a pass for you two to enter the Liu estate. But—only the outer courtyard. One day. You touch anything you shouldn’t, you’re on your own.”

  Mu grinned.

  “Still the same righteous Gu as ever.”

  I was so moved I nearly knelt right there.

  “Sir Gu! You’re a living saint! If I make it through this alive, I’ll light incense to your name!”

  Mu scoffed.

  “You sound like you just passed the imperial exam, not begged your way into a crime scene.”

  I chuckled but inside—oh, inside I was thrumming.

  Because this? This was the turning point.

  Even trash protagonists get their moment of glory… provided they don’t get murdered first.

  The next morning, we slipped into the Liu estate. Well—slipped is generous. Gu had given us permission, sure, but only through the side gate, under the excuse of “inspection work.” No main hall, no private rooms, no asking questions. If anything went wrong, he’d disown us faster than you could say “body count.”

  “Stay quiet,” he warned before leaving. “Walk where you’re told. See what you can—but don’t run your mouth. And for heaven’s sake, don’t get caught.”

  I nodded vigorously, then rubbed a bit of dust off his sleeve.

  “Just borrowing some of your official aura, Sir Gu.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Mu rolled his eyes.

  “You earn some actual merit first, then maybe he would admit you’re related.”

  And just like that, I strutted—well, skulked—into the Liu estate’s outer courtyard, guilt and excitement tangled in my gut.

  Strange thing though—

  For broad daylight, the place felt… wrong. The air was too still. A row of old pagoda trees bent over the back wall, their branches blotting out half the sunlight. The ground was littered with uncollected leaves, and a faint scent hung in the air—powder, medicine, and something… metallic.

  My chest tightened.

  It felt like someone was tapping a finger right over my heart, softly, rhythmically, annoyingly.

  “This… was her room?” I whispered.

  Mu nodded.

  “The one the servants said was haunted. Screams, whispers, the works—all from here.”

  “Looks normal enough to me.”

  “Try saying that again at midnight.”

  I shut up.

  We weren’t allowed in the main hall, but Miss Liu’s private quarters had a back window leading into a small garden. The wall wasn’t high, and the gatekeeper clearly didn’t care about two suspicious men pretending to “look for herbs.”

  So we snuck in.

  And the first thing that hit me was the smell.

  Not decay—something worse.

  “Weird smell,” I muttered.

  “Medicine, perfume, and… blood?” Mu said.

  That word blood snapped something in my head into place.

  I started prowling around—careful not to touch anything important—until a little rouge box on the dressing table caught my eye. The lid shimmered with a dull, sickly red.

  Not the soft pink of court ladies’ blush.

  This was darker. Wetter.

  I rubbed a bit between my fingers and sniffed.

  Instant regret.

  “Hiss—hellfire.”

  “What is it?” Mu Cangli asked.

  “This rouge isn’t just makeup,” I said. “It’s mixed with something else.”

  “And you know that how?”

  “Thin skin. Been slapped enough to tell the difference.”

  Mu: …

  I flipped the box, and the bottom gave a soft click. Hidden compartment.

  Inside was a piece of jade tied with red string—smooth, pale, and carved with a single character.

  “Zhuo…” I read softly.

  My brain whirred.

  Everyone in this house was a Liu. So why was there a jade token engraved Zhuo hidden in her rouge box?

  “Could it be… a lover’s token?”

  Mu raised a brow, maybe surprised I’d managed a semi-intelligent guess.

  “You think the haunting was fake? That she faked it to sneak out?”

  “Exactly,” I said, eyes gleaming. “She said a ‘jade-armored ghost’ wanted her gone. Maybe she made it up! All this ghost nonsense could be a cover for eloping—with this Zhuo fellow!”

  I stood, dusted my hands, and looked triumphant.

  “The ‘ghost’ might’ve just been a man in armor. No spirit—just scandal.”

  Mu sighed.

  “Then poor Lu must’ve stumbled upon the scene and got framed for it.”

  “And the real killer?” I said, voice low. “Could be the man she loved. Or someone else who loved her too much.”

  A sharp ahem cut through the silence.

  We turned.

  Gu was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, expression colder than mountain rain.

  “Did I—or did I not—say ‘outer courtyard only’?”

  Cold sweat slid down my back.

  “Sir Gu! Misunderstanding! We were just… passing by! Didn’t even step into the main hall!”

  Mu stepped up smoothly.

  “My fault. I persuaded him. I thought this was part of the outer court. If we’ve offended, I’ll take the blame.”

  Gu stared for a long moment, then exhaled slowly.

  “Fine. Since you mean well… Keep what you found to yourselves. If anyone asks, you never left the corridor.”

  “Understood!” I said quickly, nearly weeping with gratitude. “Sir Gu, you’re my savior reborn!”

  He gave a small, unreadable smile and left.

  I leaned closer to Mu, whispering,

  “He talks cold, but he’s got a good heart.”

  “Better than yours,” Mu muttered.

  “Naturally,” I said earnestly. “I’m not as clever, not as handsome, barely hanging on to my—”

  “Shut up,” he said flatly. “Say one more word, I’m hauling you back to the mountain myself.”

  I grinned. He didn’t notice me slip the jade token into my sleeve.

  Because deep down, I already knew—

  this case was bigger than a jealous lover and a dead heiress.

  And somewhere in this mess…

  lay the truth that could help me finish my mission.