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The white lanterns in the Dongping Marquis's mansion have been hanging for seven days.

In the mourning hall, Mrs. Xiao cried so hard that she almost fainted. Those who didn't know the truth thought that the dead person was her own daughter.

"Bah! Pretending." Jiang Zhan couldn't help but spit, tugging at the collar of his plain white mourning clothes. "When my second sister was alive, when did she ever give me a good face?"

Jiang Si knelt quietly in front of the coffin, running his fingertips over the delicate patterns on the coffin.

The power of the contract flowed through her veins, allowing her to clearly feel the texture of every inch of wood in the coffin.

One could even "see" Jiang Qian's blue-white nails and the congealed blood at the corners of her mouth.

[Regret it?] Su Ning's voice passed through my mind like a feather.

Jiang Si threw a piece of paper money into the brazier with an expressionless face.

Regret? No, she just felt a little uncomfortable.

Ever since she signed the contract, the tragic scenes that once kept her awake at night now seem as calm as looking at a picture album.

For example, when she passed by the kitchen last night and saw the blood splattering when the cook killed a chicken, she actually thought it was very normal.

"Sister." Jiang Zhan came over suddenly, "The atmosphere in the mansion is too depressing. I'm going out to get some fresh air first."

Jiang Si raised his eyes and saw that his brother had dark circles under his eyes.

She knew that Jiang Zhan had nightmares every night, nightmares about the day he was near death in the lake.

The contract had promised to heal his brother, but it only left this "memory".

"A little punishment! You're a bit of a troublemaker, brother." Suning scoffed.

"Go." Jiang Si said softly, and straightened Jiang Zhan's crooked collar.

The moment she touched her brother's neck, she clearly felt his accelerated pulse and a hint of fear.

It was obvious that he was afraid of her.

Jiang Zhan slipped out of the mourning hall as if he had been pardoned.

Jiang Si lowered his eyes, and the ashes in the brazier swirled up.

In front of the busiest teahouse in West Market, Lu Chuchu was staring at a jewel-encrusted dagger with shining eyes.

"You have a good eye, young lady!" the stall owner spitted. "This is the magic weapon used by Nie Yinniang, it can cut through iron like mud! It's only three hundred taels! You won't be cheated or taken advantage of."

"Three hundred taels? That's all my belongings." Lu Chuchu's eyes widened.

"Tsk! You dare to ask for three hundred taels for this piece of junk?" Jiang Zhan, who had been suppressed by everything, let go of himself and squeezed into the crowd, waving his folding fan. "Boss, are you treating this girl like a fat sheep to be slaughtered?"

Lu Chuchu turned her head suddenly, surprise flashing in her almond-shaped eyes: "It's you! The drowned dog?"

She suddenly covered her mouth and looked guiltily at Jiang Zhan's wrist which was still wrapped in gauze.

Jiang Zhan raised his eyebrows: "Girl, you make me so sad. It turns out that I am just a drowned dog in your eyes."

"I'm sorry!" Lu Chuchu clasped her hands together. "That day I really didn't know you couldn't swim! Later I went to the clinic to look for you, and they said you'd faked your death."

Jiang Zhan almost choked on his saliva.

This girl still speaks without thinking.

"Ahem... stall owner, your dagger..." He deliberately poked the so-called "divine weapon" with the tip of his fan. "If Nie Yinniang were still alive, she would be so angry that she would crawl out of her grave."

"Humph! What do you know, young man?" the stall owner said anxiously, "Look at the pattern! This is definitely..."

"Copper-plated." Jiang Zhan snapped open his fan, interrupting the vendor's boasting. "Look at this so-called 'gem'..."

He suddenly hit the dagger with the fan bone in his hand. With a "click", the "ruby" broke into two halves, revealing inferior glass inside.

The crowd was suddenly in an uproar.

The stall owner's face turned pale, and he suddenly pulled out a real knife from under the stall: "You're looking for death, you little bastard!"

The knife flashed, and Jiang Zhan closed his eyes instinctively, but heard a crisp "clang" sound.

When she opened her eyes, Lu Chuchu had unwittingly drawn the dagger from her waist and firmly held the stall owner's knife.

She flipped her wrist and the stall owner's knife fell to the ground. "The rules of the West Market are that if you sell fake goods and use violence, your fingers will be chopped off."

The stall owner fell to his knees with a thud: "Auntie, please spare me! I know I was wrong."

Jiang Zhan stared in amazement as Lu Chuchu quickly tied up the stall owner like a dumpling and stole the fake dagger.

"I confiscate this!" She turned around and stuffed the dagger into Jiang Zhan's hand, "I'll give it to you as a thank you gift!"

"That's all?" Jiang Zhan waved the broken dagger, "Why not treat me to a meal?"

Half a minute later, Jiang Zhan regretted it.

In the elegant room on the second floor of Juxian Tower, Lu Chuchu had already finished three bowls of plain noodles, two roast chickens and half a braised shad.

"Lu Chuchu, do you usually eat like this?" Jiang Zhan's hand, covering his purse, trembled slightly.

Lu Chuchu's cheeks puffed up: "Master's wife said that people who practice martial arts should eat more!"

She suddenly pointed downstairs and said, "Look!"

The storyteller downstairs was clapping his wake-up stick. "Speaking of the Seventh Prince, he's truly the reincarnation of a star of misfortune! His biological mother died in childbirth, his adoptive mother died suddenly, and even Miss Cui, the woman he was betrothed to, has mysteriously disappeared."

"Nonsense!" The girl in fancy clothes at the next table suddenly slammed the table and said, "My cousin is clearly..."

"Mingming!" The noble lady beside him shouted sternly, "Be careful with your words!"

Jiang Zhan narrowed his eyes.

The woman was wearing a nine-phoenix hairpin with pearls in her mouth, and it was clearly the eldest princess Rongyang.

Then this girl should be Miss Cui...

Wait, didn’t the Cui family just break off the engagement with the Seventh Prince?

Lu Chuchu suddenly approached Jiang Zhan and said in a low voice, "I know the truth."

"Ok?"

"Then Miss Cui is actually..." Lu Chuchu's words were interrupted by the commotion at the stairs.

Several guards from the Capital Guard rushed in, led by Yu Qi.

Jiang Zhan was about to say hello when he saw Lu Chuchu's face change drastically and she slipped under the table.

"Come out." Yu Qi stood by the table with an expressionless face.

Lu Chuchu grabbed Jiang Zhan's clothes and shook her head frantically.

Jiang Zhanfu suddenly realized: "Master Yu, are you searching for the fugitive? This is me..."

"She is my sister." Yu Qi's words made Jiang Zhan so angry that he was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

"..."

Lu Chuchu climbed out reluctantly, muttering softly: "Brother..."

In the rear office of the Duwei Division, Yu Qi's official boots tapped rhythmically on the bluestone slabs.

Lu Chuchu huddled in the chair like a quail.

"Running away from marriage?" Yu Qi's tone dropped with each word he spoke. "Does father know?"

"He's eager for me to get married!" Lu Chuchu suddenly looked up, her eyes red. "The Seventh Prince has killed three of his fiancées! Brother, how can you bear to see me..."

"There's something else going on with the Seventh Prince." Yu Qi rubbed his temples. "But you left the palace without permission, and even flaunted yourself under the name of the Red Feather Cavalry..."

Jiang Zhan spat out a mouthful of tea. "Akabane Cavalry? The secret organization that specializes in investigating strange cases?"

The room suddenly became silent.

Yu Qi's eyes were so cold that they could freeze someone to death, while Lu Chuchu had an expression that said "it's all over" on her face.

"I, I'll go get some more tea!"

Jiang Zhan was about to leave when a clear female voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Is Lord Yu here? I made some ginseng soup."

Jiang Si was standing in the yard holding a food box, her white skirt blown by the wind like a blooming Udumbara flower.

Yu Qi's breathing stopped. Ever since that day at the Marquis of Changxing's Mansion, Fourth Miss Jiang seemed like a different person.

Her eyes are brighter, her skin is whiter, and even her gait has a more enchanting charm.

"Sister?" Jiang Zhan asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"

"I heard that Lord Yu has been working hard on the case these days, so I specially prepared some soup."

The moment Yu Qi took the food box, their fingertips accidentally touched.

A biting chill ran up my spine from my fingertips. This was definitely not the temperature a living person should feel!

"Thank you, young lady." He tried to remain calm, but saw Jiang Si's eyes fell on Lu Chuchu.

"Master Yu, this is..."

"My sister, Lu Chuchu." Yu Qi subconsciously moved sideways to block Lu Chuchu. "She has a reckless personality. Please forgive me if I have offended her."

"Master Yu's sister is my sister." Jiang Si smiled gently, but it made Yu Qi shudder.

A flash of red light flashed in her eyes, so fast that it seemed like an illusion. "The sister of the Red Feather Cavalry Commander should be treated well."

Yu Qi's hand shook and the food box almost fell to the ground.

The Akabane Cavalry is top secret, how did Jiang Si know about it?

"Huh? Didn't I tell you that?" Lu Chuchu looked up blankly. "Brother, I wasn't the one who told you to create the Akabane Cavalry."

"Chu Chu!" Yu Qi shouted, but it was too late.

Jiang Si raised the corner of his lips into a meaningful smile, which reminded Yu Qi of the blood mist above the Changxing Marquis Mansion.

……

The peonies in the Princess's Mansion are in full bloom.

Princess Rongyang leaned on the soft couch, twisting a crystal grape between her fingertips.

"Mother, do you really think there's something fishy going on at the Changxing Marquisate?" Cui Mingming patted his mother's shoulders. "Cao Xingyu has done so many evil things. Maybe he's our enemy..."

"Mingming, what kind of enemy could break through the guards of the Marquis' Mansion?" Rong Yang sneered, "And leave thirty-eight people powerless to resist?"

She lowered her voice, "His Majesty summoned Yu Qi this morning."

Cui Mingming paused. "Oh? Is that the new Tongpan of the Duwei Division?"

"Well, on the surface it's investigating the Cao family's case, but in reality it's investigating..." Rong Yang suddenly fell silent and looked out the window.

A strange wind blew by, and all the peonies in the garden moved without wind, as if something invisible was passing through the flowers.

"Mother?"

Princess Rongyang slowly exhaled, "Mingming, stay out of the house these days! I have a feeling... things are about to change in the capital."

At the same time, in the imperial study, Emperor Jingming threw the secret memorial into the incense burner.

"Investigate." He said to Yu Qi in the shadows, "Whether it's a human or a ghost, if they dare to stir up trouble in my capital."

The flickering light of the fire illuminated the emperor's cold face. "Kill without mercy."

"Yes! Your Majesty."

Yu Qi bowed and accepted the order, but Jiang Si's eyes, which occasionally turned red, appeared in his mind.

If the real murderer was her... no! If it was the mysterious man in white behind her, how would he deal with it?

As he walked out of the palace gate, Yu Qi unconsciously reached for the ebony dagger at his waist.

The dark red silk rope wrapped around the hilt suddenly moved without any wind, pointing in a certain direction. That was the location of the Dongping Marquis's Mansion. ...

In the imperial study, the scent of agarwood wafts through the air.

Emperor Jingming looked at his sons kneeling on the ground, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the inkstone with a broken corner on the desk, which was Concubine Xian's favorite item during her lifetime.

"Your son is confused!" The Third Prince rested his forehead on the ground. "It's true that I had some dealings with Cao Xingyu, but I had no idea he would dare to do such a thing."

"I've only been to the Marquis's Mansion poetry gatherings a few times!" the Fifth Prince quickly replied, "I know nothing about those missing women!"

Emperor Jingming glanced at his sons dressed in gorgeous clothes, and a dull pain arose in his chest.

Twenty years ago, in this very study, Concubine Xian knelt in the same spot, holding the one-month-old Seventh Prince, and begged him to send this "unlucky" child away.

Eunuch Liu stepped forward quietly, "Your Majesty, the princes have been kneeling for half an hour."

Emperor Jingming waved his hand and said, "Let them all leave."

When the hall returned to silence, Eunuch Liu offered a cup of ginseng tea and asked, "Your Majesty, are you thinking about the Seventh Prince?"

The candlelight beside the inkstone suddenly crackled. Emperor Jingming looked at the swaying shadow and said, "That child... should be twenty-three this year, right?"

"Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince is twenty-four," Eunuch Liu corrected carefully. "He won a victory in Longxi just last month. The Red Feather Cavalry suffered fewer than a hundred casualties, but wiped out three thousand enemies."

The corners of Emperor Jingming's mouth rose slightly, then quickly flattened. "Have the assassins from the Nightingale Sect made any moves recently?"

"Last month, we intercepted three groups, all heading towards Longxi." Eunuch Liu hesitated for a moment. "Your Majesty, I dare you to say this! Since the Seventh Prince has made great military achievements, why not arrange for him to return to the palace?"

"Do you think I don't want to?" Emperor Jingming suddenly slammed the table, ink from the inkstone splashing onto his sleeve. "The Imperial Astronomical Observatory's prophecy still exists! 'Seven stars fall, the nation's destiny is in danger'. Can those old stubborn people agree to that?"

Eunuch Liu knelt on the ground without saying a word.

It was the astrological predictions made by Jiang Ancheng, the deputy director of the Imperial Observatory, that led to the Seventh Prince being labeled a "disaster to the country."

But who would have thought that the current Chief Justice of the Capital Guards, Yu Qi, is the exiled seventh prince?

"Forget it." Emperor Jingming rubbed his brow tiredly, "Have the Dragon Shadow Guard send more people to protect secretly. As for the matter of recognizing the ancestors..."

He looked out the window at a withered crabapple tree and said, "Wait a little longer."

"Yes! Your Majesty."

……

In the backyard of the Duweisi Yamen, Yu Qi was wiping the ebony dagger.

The blade reflected his cold brows and eyes, exactly the same as Emperor Jingming's when he was young.

"Seventh Master." Long Dan came in hurriedly. "We've checked! The astrological records of the Imperial Observatory were indeed tampered with!"

Yu Qi paused and said, "Go on."

"The original record said 'Seven stars in a row, a sign of good fortune', but the one presented to Your Majesty became 'Seven stars falling, a sign of national peril'."

Long Dan lowered his voice, "It was the then Supervisor Yang who made the move, but..."

"But what?"

"Lord Yang died suddenly three years ago. He had some dealings with the Princess's Mansion before his death."

Yu Qi's eyes flashed.

Princess Rongyang, Cui Mingming's mother, was also his future mother-in-law.

When the Cui family suddenly broke off the engagement, "ominous" rumors followed.

"Seventh Master, do you want to continue investigating?" Long Dan hesitated. "After all, the eldest princess is involved."

"Investigate." Yu Qi sheathed his sword, the sound of metal clashing crisply and coldly. "Start with Jiang Ancheng. As the deputy director of the Imperial Observatory, it's impossible for him to be completely unaware of the situation."

"Yes! Master Qi."

After Longdan received the order, he withdrew.

Yu Qi took out a jade pendant from his bosom. There was a coiled dragon carved on the front and the word "Jing Heng" engraved on the back.

This is his real name, and it has been a taboo that no one has dared to mention for the past twenty years.

"Your Highness," a voice suddenly came from the shadows, "Ms. Jiang Si's shop will open tomorrow. The gifts you requested are ready."

Yu Qi put away the jade pendant, a complicated look flashing in his eyes.

Since that day at Changxing Marquis Mansion, Jiang Si seemed like a different person.

More beautiful, more dazzling, but also... more dangerous.

That inhuman temperament reminded him of the fox demon he encountered in the snow-capped mountains of Longxi.

"Prepare the horses." He suddenly stood up. "I want to choose them myself."

"Yes! Your Highness."

On Zhuque Street in the south of the city, a shop called "Jiangxuexuan" is making final arrangements.

Jiang Si was standing on a ladder hanging a plaque, her crimson skirt fluttering in the wind like a dancing flame.

"Make it higher on the left... Yes! That's it!" Chi Ruiying gave the orders from below, holding the newly completed account book in her arms.

This former rouge shop owner is now the manager hired by Jiang Si at a high salary.

Jiang jumped down the ladder lightly, not even raising a speck of dust when he landed.

Chi Ruiying couldn't help but admire: "The girl's skills are getting better and better."

Su Ning's voice rang out in Jiang Si's mind, "Jiang Si, the devil's contract will bring you more than just beauty."

Jiang seemed to smile but said nothing.

After signing the contract, she was indeed reborn. Her five senses became extremely sharp, her strength increased several times, and she could even see in the dark.

But these changes also made her more and more alienated from ordinary people. For example, now, she could clearly hear the whispers of two maids ten feet away:
"I heard that the fourth girl is possessed by an evil spirit... Look at her eyes, they're so bright and scary..."

"Hush! Be careful she hears! It's said that day at the Changxing Marquis' Mansion..."

"Miss?" Chi Ruiying's voice brought her back to reality. "Where should I put these silk flowers?"

Jiang Si was about to answer when a clear female voice suddenly came from the door: "Sister Jiang! I'm here with help!"

Lu Chuchu rushed in, followed by a timid young lady.

The woman was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a cinnabar mole between her eyebrows. She was the missing daughter of Xiu Niangzi, Rouer.

"She insisted on coming with me to repay me." Lu Chuchu scratched her head, "I told her you were short of staff, so she came here on her own initiative."

Rou'er knelt down and kowtowed: "Fourth Miss, your kindness is so great, Rou'er is willing to be your slave!"

Jiang Si helped her up, and his fingertips touched the marks on the girl's wrist that had not yet faded.

The power of the contract allowed her to sense Rouer's inner fear, the fear of men, the darkness, and confined spaces.

"We're just short of someone to manage the warehouse." She smiled gently at Rou'er. "Two taels of silver a month, including food and lodging, is that okay?"

Tears welled up in Rou'er's eyes. Just as she was about to thank him, she heard footsteps outside the door again.

Jiang Zhan came in breathlessly, carrying a large box. "Fourth sister! My father and I took all those rare books in the study... Eh? Miss Lu?"

When Lu Chuchu saw Jiang Zhan, her face inexplicably blushed: "Mr. Jiang, I... I brought someone to apply for the job..."

Jiang Zhan put the box down and whispered mysteriously into Jiang Si's ear, "Father told us not to let Grandmother know about the book sale. Here, I got three hundred taels in exchange, which should be enough for you to buy more books."

Jiang Si's eyes felt hot.

In her previous life, her father watched her being humiliated without saying a word in order to preserve the family's reputation.

But in this life, he can sell his treasured books for her.

"Silly girl, why are you crying?" Jiang Zhan clumsily wiped her tears. "Oh, right! Master Yu Qi asked me to tell him that he will come to support the opening tomorrow."

Lu Chuchu's ears moved: "My brother is coming too?"

"What? Your brother?" Jiang Zhan widened his eyes.

The air suddenly solidified.

Lu Chuchu covered her mouth with an expression as if she had gotten into trouble.

Jiang Si seemed to be thinking. Yu Qi was actually Lu Chuchu's brother? Then he and the Seventh Prince...

……

On the opening day, there was a lot of traffic in front of Jiangxuexuan.

Who doesn’t know that the fourth young lady of the Dongping Marquis’ Mansion is the “survivor” of the Changxing Marquis’ Mansion tragedy?
Not to mention her sudden breathtaking beauty, which has become the latest talk of the town.

"Master Zhen is here!"

Jiang Si looked up and saw Zhen Heng wearing a moon-white robe and holding a broken jade fan, which caused the women watching to gasp.

This editor of the Hanlin Academy was a disciple of Jiang Ancheng. In his previous life, he had spoken up for her but was demoted for it.

"Good luck with your opening, Junior Sister." Zhen Heng handed over a brocade box with a smile, "It's just a small gift, not a token of respect."

Inside the box was a green jade inkstone carved with twin lotus flowers.

"Thank you." Jiang Si was about to say thank you when there was suddenly a commotion at the door.

Yu Qi was dressed in dark blue clothes, and the ebony dagger at his waist was particularly eye-catching. Wherever he went, the crowd automatically parted.

"Master Yu!" Jiang Zhan greeted him warmly, "You are finally here!"

Yu Qi nodded slightly, but his eyes fell on the brocade box in Zhen Heng's hand.

He calmly took out a long, narrow wooden box and said, "Congratulations, Miss Jiang. Hang this in your shop to... ward off evil and misfortune."

In the box was an exquisite peach wood sword with runes engraved on the blade.

When Jiang Si took it, their fingertips accidentally touched each other. Yu Qi suddenly retracted his hand, and that biting chill appeared again!

"Thank you both." Jiang Si seemed not to notice anything unusual and ordered his men to put the gifts away. "Today we have the best cloud tea, please..."

Before he could finish his words, a scream suddenly came from the corner of the street.

A frightened horse rushed straight towards the shop and was about to collide with the crowd watching the excitement at the door!
At the critical moment, Jiang Si jumped out.

A crimson figure flashed by like a ghost, and actually reined in the galloping horse with one hand!

The horse neighed and stood up, its iron hoof as big as a bowl only an inch away from her face.

"Sister!" Jiang Zhan's face turned pale with fright.

Jiang Si patted the horse's neck gently, and the horse lowered its head obediently.

No one saw the red light flashing in her eyes, and no one heard the devilish words she whispered to the horse, except Yu Qi.

"Young lady, you have great skills." Zhen Heng exclaimed, "I didn't expect..."

"Sister Jiang knows how to ride!" Lu Chuchu suddenly interrupted, then leaned close to Jiang Si's ear, "I just saw a needle under the saddle...someone put it there on purpose!"

Jiang Si's eyes turned cold.

The power of the contract allowed her to instantly lock onto the figure that flashed past the second-floor window across the street.

A white robe, a folding fan, and that creepy smile.

Suning.

At this moment, Jiang Si's feeling when looking at Su Ning had completely changed. It was as if he had the awe of a slave seeing his master.

The more you understand, the more afraid you will feel, and you will understand that this mysterious demon master is the top combat force.

...(End of chapter)