Chapter 524: Fed Up

Chapter 524: Chapter 524: Fed Up

"A note?"

Wang Yiming took the note and hurried to Shen Hao’s side to hand it over.

Shen Hao opened it, a flash of surprise in his eyes. He looked at the Small Banner Officer: "Where’s the person who delivered this?"

"He’s already left."

He waved his hand, dismissing the officer. Shen Hao lowered his head once again to read the note: There are suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Qin Xiuyuan. Tonight at mid-7 p.m., Lechi Tea House. Awaiting your esteemed arrival.

Signed: "Yang Lin."

Wang Yiming kept his gaze to the side. He assumed the note was a private matter sent to Lord Shen by an acquaintance in the Imperial City, and he didn’t dare look.

"Guess who sent this?"

Unexpectedly, Shen Hao asked. Wang Yiming was stunned for a moment, then shook his head.

"It’s from Prince Shou, inviting me to meet at a teahouse tonight. You know your way around here, so come with me."

"Yes, my lord. I’ll go make arrangements." Wang Yiming was equally puzzled. Why would Prince Shou invite Lord Shen to meet at a time like this?

"No need. First, let’s go see Xue Gui. The meeting is tonight at Lechi Tea House... You know the place?"

"Lechi? Oh! Yes, I know it. It’s over in the West City."

As they spoke, they made their way out together. They took a carriage straight to the Ministry of Justice government office once more.

Just like last time, Shen Hao was shown into the tearoom to await. But this time, he waited less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before someone came to summon him in. Wang Yiming was stopped at the entrance of the Public Office; Shen Hao went in alone.

"Lord Shen."

"Lord Xue, my apologies for disturbing you again."

"Not at all, please sit."

The gatekeeper brought in hot tea, placed it on the table beside Shen Hao, and withdrew. Shen Hao didn’t touch it, instead smiling as he looked at Iron-faced Xue Gui before him. Normally, he wouldn’t stare at someone, but Xue Gui’s mask covered all micro-expressions; only the eyes betrayed any emotion. Shen Hao had no choice but to study them.

"What brings Lord Shen here this time?" Xue Gui’s attitude was entirely different from their previous meeting. Unlike Li Qing, he never showed disdain or aversion toward the Xuanqing Guard, much less toward someone who had risen from the ranks by "taking heads," climbing to Deputy Thousand Households in just over two years. He was careful to handle things properly.

The previous "unfriendly" manner was simply Xue Gui testing Shen Hao’s temperament and character; the result hadn’t pleased him. Now, he had no intention to probe further, so his demeanor was naturally more amiable, which was actually his usual bearing toward others.

"Nothing important—just disturbing you again, Lord Xue. I wanted to ask: Has Qin Xiuyuan’s corpse completely decomposed? If it’s still moveable, could my men examine it again?"

"Hahaha, Lord Shen does jest. Living bodies are fresh; once dead, they’re nothing but rotting flesh. Either you burn it or bury it—leave it long enough, and the worms come, and the deathly stench follows."

"So the corpse is gone?"

"Yes, the weather is too hot—even with ice around, it’s useless. It’s been here too long, inside out it’s all rotted and soft. With the consent of the Qin Family, we burned it last night," Xue Gui replied plainly, no evasion.

Shen Hao’s eyes narrowed slightly. The body was burned?

Saying it was too decomposed. Even the Xuanqing Guard has preservation powders, would the Major Case Department not have them too? With some ice, a body can be kept for ten days or half a month without issue, no matter the heat. Shen Hao had seen a corpse remain presentable after a whole month—this had only been several days, and they burned it?

No need to guess—this was clearly the Major Case Department eliminating any "opportunity for the Xuanqing Guard to interfere." After all, without a corpse, you lack even the basic evidence for a case file; you can’t even get past the first page. Not only does this block the Guard from seizing jurisdiction, it also slows them down—falling behind, you’ll be worn out before advancing.

This is precisely "take one step ahead, and you’ll always be ahead."

Shen Hao keenly caught a fleeting touch of mockery in Xue Gui’s eyes, that kind of satisfaction that comes from holding the upper hand.

"I see..." Shen Hao played along with a stiff expression, then his usual smile returned. He reached into his robe, slowly produced his Storage Bag, making sure Xue Gui saw it clearly.

Upon seeing Shen Hao take out the Storage Bag, Xue Gui’s eyelid did indeed twitch. What the hell do you want now? Can’t we talk properly?

"Well, Lord Xue, please understand, the Xuanqing Guard is governed by strict rules. Every case must follow procedure—even the slightest deviation is ’negligence,’ severely punished, sometimes to the bone. So it’s really not that I’m nitpicking. If Qin Xiuyuan’s body was burned, then the case file is missing a critical piece, and I can’t give a satisfactory report to my superiors.

So... Lord Xue, do me a favor and sign a ’statement of circumstances’!"

Sign for you... As soon as Xue Gui saw Shen Hao pulling out a slip of paper, he cursed inwardly. Another one of those bullshit statements! Is this guy for real?!

You can’t blame Xue Gui for being so exasperated—he’d lived for decades and never seen anyone like Shen Hao, never played by the rules, always coming up with weird and shameless tricks, particularly fond of schemes that are written out in black and white.

Right! Xue Gui suddenly recalled this fellow’s a scholar! Their poems are the talk of the town. Pen in the left hand, blade in the right—no wonder he’s so odd!

Xue Gui glanced down at the slip handed over. Sign? Sign my ass!

In just a few dozen words, the entire responsibility fell on the Ministry of Justice—in sum: it’s not the Xuanqing Guard refusing to work, it’s the Ministry bottling up every avenue. And then, yet wants the case signed by the Chief of the Major Case Department? How is that different from a confession under duress?

"Lord Shen, there’s no need. While the body was burned out of necessity, there’s really nothing for your side to worry about. As the case’s lead, we’ve already sorted out a complete preliminary report. Your Xuanqing Guard was only assisting on this case, not the main party—no need to make things harder for yourselves."

"Heh, Lord Xue, you clearly don’t understand us—at the Xuanqing Guard, we—"

"Enough, Lord Shen, that’s enough." Xue Gui quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear another word. Too troublesome—this man’s nothing like a proper Deputy Thousand Households, more like a petty street rogue.

Xue Gui had been mentally prepared for Shen Hao’s visit today. He didn’t want to waste more words, so he directly pulled a stamped case file from the drawer and pushed it across.

"Here is the follow-up file for the case; Lord Shen, you may use it for your report. I do hope, however, that in the future Lord Shen will communicate more, rather than act without prior notice—such actions easily lead to misunderstandings. What do you think, Lord Shen?"