Chapter 509: Temporary Assignment

Chapter 509: Chapter 509: Temporary Assignment

Shen Hao received the news on the third day after he and Jiang Cheng ate that hotpot together.

"Dead? Where’s the body?"

How could Qin Xiuyuan die? Sure, he was bound to suffer, but death was just out of the question. For most people, smearing the Xuanqing Guard would be a death sentence, but he was from the Qin Family—not only was he arrested by the Ministry of Justice instead of the Xuanqing Guard, but whatever happened, his life shouldn’t have been in danger.

So how did he end up dead?

The news came from the Governor’s Office, delivered directly in the form of an order, received first by Wang Yiming and then passed on to Shen Hao.

"Reporting to Lord, Qin Xiuyuan died inside Prince Shou’s Mansion."

"Died in Prince Shou’s Mansion?"

Qin Xiuyuan’s death was already unexpected, but dying in Prince Shou’s Mansion all the more shocked Shen Hao. This was rather...

He opened the order in his hand. It was penned by Jiang Cheng of the Jingxi Town Governor’s Office, commanding Shen Hao to proceed immediately to the Imperial City and assist the Ministry of Justice Major Case Department in investigating Qin Xiuyuan’s death.

"Lord, shall I prepare the carriage for you?" Wang Yiming had read the order. Naturally, he knew what it said, and expected his Lord to leave at once. Yet, he was surprised to see Shen Hao wave his hand, seemingly lost in thought as he stared at the order, before sitting back in his chair.

Wang Yiming dared not ask; he could tell his Lord was thinking things over.

It was a while before Shen Hao spoke: "You know the Imperial City. What’s the situation at the Major Case Department?"

Wang Yiming was stunned for a moment, but recovered quickly, secretly glad his family was well connected in the Imperial City—he knew a fair bit about all sides.

"Lord. The Major Case Department is the Ministry of Justice’s premier unit, commonly called the ’Hawkeye’. It’s comprised of elite investigators from government offices nationwide, selected for high cultivation or exceptional skill at solving cases—rumored to be full of talent.

Moreover, Major Case Department holds a special status within the Ministry of Justice, and also... also..."

"And also what?"

"And also, it’s said the folks at Major Case Department never get along with us Xuanqing Guard."

Talented people—of course they wouldn’t look up to the Xuanqing Guard. Shen Hao wasn’t surprised; he could even guess that the Major Case Department probably viewed the Xuanqing Guard as ’privileged dogs’.

"Also, Major Case Department runs on a Thousand Households model, with the current steward named Xue Gui, known as ’Iron Face’. He actually has a grotesque birthmark on his face, so he wears a black iron mask—that’s how he got the nickname."

Shen Hao nodded at ’Iron Face’. He’d heard the name, mostly in local government offices, spoken of as a legendary case-solver—rumors of skill bordering on miraculous.

Wang Yiming continued his explanation, while Shen Hao listened and studied the order, his thoughts spinning rapidly.

Major Case Department... That meant the Ministry of Justice was determined to thoroughly investigate Qin Xiuyuan’s death, at least for appearances.

Yet the order used both ’immediately’ and ’assist’. At first glance, nothing odd, but Shen Hao tasted something off. With Jiang Cheng personally signing it, for a department known not to get along with the Xuanqing Guard, was ’assisting’ really needed with such urgency? That wasn’t Jiang Cheng’s style at all.

Besides, there were plenty of experts in the Imperial City. The Xuanqing Guard’s Governor’s Office alone had four, plus a Commander’s Office. Was it necessary to dispatch Shen Hao from Fengri City just to ’assist’ an investigation? It didn’t add up.

Maybe... Shen Hao suddenly smiled, stood up abruptly, and his thoughts finally clicked into place.

"Come with me. Bring five or six good investigators as well."

"Understood, Lord."

About the time it takes to burn an incense stick later, Shen Hao’s group left the Black Banner Battalion post and headed for the Teleportation Array. They arrived in the Imperial City that night, then were escorted by a Xiaoqi from the Jingxi Governor’s Office to Prince Shou’s Mansion.

The main entrance was, of course, off-limits for investigators—even access to the mansion’s rear courtyard was forbidden. They could only enter through a side door in an alley behind the mansion, and their movement was restricted to the area where Qin Xiuyuan’s body was found.

When Shen Hao arrived, he saw plenty of Ministry of Justice officials inside, led by their yamen attire, along with some inner guards from the Prince’s Mansion standing silently by.

The Royal Guard wouldn’t greet Shen Hao, nor did the Ministry folks acknowledge his arrival—in fact, their looks were mostly filled with disdain.

The Ministry people’s uniforms bore a subtle eye pattern on the chest. Now Shen Hao understood why they were called ’Hawkeye’ on the streets.

The Xiaoqi who escorted Shen Hao led him straight to Xue Gui, who wore a black metal mask.

"Xuanqing Guard Shen Hao, greetings Lord Xue." Shen Hao followed the Jingjiu Dynasty’s etiquette with a bow. Xue Gui was a Senior Fifth Grade Thousand Households, so Shen Hao had to show courtesy.

"We’re not subordinate to each other, no need for formalities."

His voice was hoarse, as though his throat had been damaged—grating to the ears. Shen Hao also noticed the mask was a magical artifact, which impressed him; it was the first time he’d seen a magical mask. What purpose did it serve? He really couldn’t guess.

Before Shen Hao could ask, Xue Gui waved a hand, and a petite woman approached with a stern expression, bowing to Xue Gui.

"This is Shen Hao from Xuanqing Guard, sent to assist our investigation. You show Lord Shen around and lay out the case details." He finished, then said to Shen Hao: "I still need to report upwards, so I won’t accompany you. This is Li Qing—look for her if you need anything."

He then walked off, without so much as a backward glance or waiting for Shen Hao to say a single word.

Well, that was direct. Shen Hao looked at Li Qing’s face—she looked like she was suffering from constipation. Uncomfortable?

Shen Hao didn’t mind; business was business. Besides, he wasn’t really here to ’assist’—he’d already understood Jiang Cheng’s hidden meaning within the order.

"Take me to the crime scene."

"Lord Shen, right this way." Li Qing stepped aside to lead him. Reputation matters—after all, Shen Hao was currently the most prominent figure in the Xuanqing Guard, nicknamed the ’Evil Star’, said to be ruthlessly cold-blooded—not someone easy to deal with. So even if Li Qing disliked him inwardly, on the surface she dared not show the slightest disrespect.

When he saw Qin Xiuyuan, the man who once slipped under Shen Hao’s nose, he was stone-cold, lying on his side on the ground, limbs disordered, hands at his throat.

"He was found in trouble this afternoon, just past mid-5 p.m. According to the guards at the mansion, there was nobody else around when the body was discovered."

While Li Qing spoke, Shen Hao had already crouched beside the corpse, tilting his head to inspect Qin Xiuyuan’s neck—raked bloody, apparently clawed by his own hands before death. His complexion was a dark reddish, so-called ’cyanotic’. His eyes were bloodshot.

This was... death by asphyxiation?