Chapter 617 - 397: Divine Retribution (2)

Duan Rong shook his head and said, "I’ll go alone. Shen Mizi is only at the True Qi Realm First Level. In a place like the Divine Cloud Prefecture, full of intrigue and danger, what use could she possibly be?"

Xiao Yu glared at Duan Rong and said, "You’re going all the way to such a distant place by yourself, and it’s a case with huge implications. How can I not worry?"

As Xiao Yu spoke, her eyes turned red.

Duan Rong laughed and said, "You’re reassured because Shen Mizi is with me? A man and a woman, far from home, aren’t you afraid something might happen?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu spat and said, "I’m speaking seriously to you, and you’re talking nonsense again?"

Duan Rong’s face turned serious, and he said, "I’m being serious too. Precisely because Divine Cloud Prefecture is an unfamiliar territory, and the case is so significant, it’s safer for me to go alone. Alone, there’s nothing that can threaten or hold me back. Any of you coming along would actually be of limited help and would become a liability for me."

Xiao Yu looked at Duan Rong, dazed, and eventually, she was persuaded.

Duan Rong rested at home for the night. Xiao Yu prepared his luggage, and at the crack of dawn the next day, he rode out of the city on horseback. Xiao Yu accompanied him on horseback, escorting him outside the city.

At the fork in the official road outside the city, the two parted ways with a willow branch.

Xiao Yu said, "Husband, if you encounter danger on this journey, remember to take care of yourself. I will be at home, waiting for you every day to return."

Suddenly, Duan Rong leaned over from his horse and wrapped his arms around Xiao Yu’s neck, giving her a kiss.

In ancient times, people were reserved, and even between husband and wife, it was unlikely to kiss openly on the street.

Xiao Yu’s face flushed instantly, and she said with a hint of reproach, "About to leave, and you’re still doing this reckless thing!"

Duan Rong laughed heartily and said, "Don’t worry. Even though the Divine Cloud Prefecture is chaotic, I will definitely return alive to see you. If the case is truly dangerous, I can just let it go; who can do anything to me?"

After finishing, Duan Rong caressed Xiao Yu’s face and then suddenly rode away.

Being kissed and touched like this, Xiao Yu’s heart raced, and as she watched Duan Rong riding into the distance, she suddenly felt a profound sense of reluctance.

Only when even a black spot was no longer visible on the official road did Xiao Yu, feeling dispirited, ride back.

Duan Rong rode along the official road day and night. On the morning of the tenth day, in the bright dawn, he saw the towering and solid city gate of the Divine Cloud Prefecture.

He rode into the city, found an inn to dust off, ate a hearty meal, and then went directly to the inn to stay.

After handing his horse to the stable boy, he went to his room and slept straight until noon.

After having lunch at the inn, he wandered to the streets of the Divine Cloud Prefecture.

As the capital, the hustle and bustle of passersby were naturally prosperous and striking. The attire of the people on the street was also pleasing to the eye.

Duan Rong tried a few distinctive snacks and then strolled to a teahouse.

Wherever you are, a teahouse is a sea of information, crowded and full of people who love to chat.

The secret letter instructed him to report to the Ministry of Justice upon arriving at the Divine Cloud Prefecture. However, he decided to go there first thing the next morning. Firstly, he was exhausted from the journey and wanted to rest. Secondly, he wanted to gather some information before going to the Ministry of Justice to avoid being in the dark and being led by the nose.

In the main hall on the first floor of the teahouse, a tall, thin, horse-faced elder was telling a story. His expressions and gestures were animated, just like the characters in the book coming to life, and some tea drinkers were so engrossed that they stared at the stage without blinking for a long time.

Duan Rong chuckled softly and then ascended the stairs to the second floor.

As he walked up the steps, he caught snippets of the story. The elder indeed told it well. Those making a living in the Divine Cloud Prefecture must have a few tricks up their sleeves.

The window seats on the second floor were already full.

Duan Rong had no choice but to pick an empty spot in the corner and sit down.

The waiter quickly approached, and after some conversation, Duan Rong learned that the teahouse offered not only dried fruits but also small dishes.

Duan Rong ordered a few small dishes and a pot of tea.

Before long, the waiter served the dishes to Duan Rong, who tasted them and found them quite refreshing. He then poured himself a bowl of tea and began to sip slowly.

At the moment Duan Rong lifted his bowl of tea, his Divine Sense suddenly extended, enveloping the entire teahouse.

Although Duan Rong appeared to be leisurely savoring the tea, his ears were filled with a cacophony of sounds, like the chattering of a thousand birds, making him almost frantic.

Duan Rong calmed himself, identifying and filtering through those voices one by one.

After blocking out most of the noise, he focused on nearly twenty tables of guests, listening carefully.

As he had anticipated, many people in the teahouse were discussing the case of Minister Zhu Shizhong.

Though it had been about ten days since he arrived and the hottest period of discussion had passed, many were still talking about it even then.

After all, the deceased was the Minister of the Secretariat!

In charge of the entire Qingzhou’s political documents, he held one of the highest positions in the Mortal World.

After listening for several hours, Duan Rong had a general understanding of the case of Minister Zhu Shizhong before even visiting the Ministry of Justice.

However, to his surprise, it seemed that Minister Zhu did not die from assassination but from a natural disaster!

To be more precise, he was struck dead by lightning.

According to the tea guests, he was punished by the heavens!

It seems that Minister Zhu’s reputation among the public was not good at all!

Already in his sixties, over a month ago, he had just married his sixth concubine. And this concubine was none other than the famous courtesan Li Muping from the Flame Moon Building.