Dimension Demon's Chat Group

Chapter 20: Chang'an Ghost Market
Of course, no matter how terrifying Lin Yu's nature is, on the surface, he is still a human being.

To the three members of the chat group, he was just an older brother with a long life and vast knowledge...

The next morning, in the strange world of Tang Dynasty.

The morning drum had just stopped, and the bluestone-paved Zhuque Street was steaming with last night's autumn dew.

As early as five o'clock in the morning, the imperial road had been swept and shimmering with water. If you look closely, you can find a few pieces of Persian gold foil left behind by foreign merchants in the cracks of the bluestone.

The locust leaves swirled and fell on the bright armor of the patrolling Jinwu Guards.

As they walked, the armor plates collided with each other, and the sound of the collision startled a group of gray pigeons on the wall of Daozhengfang.

In the new guesthouse on Zhuque Street, a young scholar in a blue shirt stood by the window, admiring the morning scenery outside.

To be honest, leaving aside the undercurrents in the court, this era is indeed one of the rare prosperous times in Chinese history.

Being able to enter the poetry and experience the splendor of the Tang Dynasty firsthand is also a blessing for Su Haoming, who has recited 300 Tang poems since childhood.

"Come to think of it, Li Bai should be ten years old this year, right?"

Just as Su Haoming was thinking this, footsteps suddenly came from outside the guest room door.

Su Haoming's expression froze, and he quickly moved away from the window, returned to the table, and pretended to pick up the book in front of him.

"Tuk-tuk-"

"Please come in."

The door opened, and the innkeeper came in carrying porridge and pickles. He said with a smile, "Mr. Su, you're studying so early. I'm sure you'll pass the provincial exam next year!"

"...Thank you for your kind words!"

Su Haoming replied with a smile, then looked at him puzzledly and asked, "Liu Er, why are you here today? Where is Uncle Qian?"

Liu Er placed the tray on the table and replied with a smile, "You are talking about the old servant who lives next door to you. He went to the government office with the county lieutenant last night and has not returned yet."

"Did you go to the government office?"

Su Haoming was slightly startled, then frowned.

When he came to Chang'an, he was accompanied by two people, namely his cousin Su Wuming and Su Qian, who raised the two brothers and was called the old servant but was actually his father-in-law.

Before coming to Chang'an, Su Wuming actually didn't mind his cousin living with him.

But after arriving in Chang'an, Su Wuming suddenly changed his attitude. He would rather spend more money to let his cousin live in the inn, and leave Uncle Qian with his cousin to take care of his daily life and food.

Su Haoming didn't know the reason before, he just felt that his cousin's attitude was too strange.

It was not until Lin Yu joined the group yesterday that he learned that the previous Chang'an County Magistrate Wu Daqi had died in his own residence.

After Su Wuming moved into this mansion, he found many suspicious clues. Out of concern for his cousin's personal safety, he never dared to let his cousin move in.

"I need Uncle Qian's help. I think there's been some progress in the case. They're doing another autopsy."

Su Haoming pondered in his heart.

At this moment, Liu Er suddenly slapped his head and said in a low voice, "Oh, by the way, speaking of the County Lieutenant, a few constables from Chang'an County just came to the inn. While I was waiting on the side, I vaguely heard some news that seemed to be related to the County Lieutenant and the Ghost Market..."

"Ghost market?"

Su Haoming was stunned for a moment, then frowned slightly.

The city of Chang'an was designed by Emperor Yuwen Kai of the Sui Dynasty by combining the six high slopes in the city with the imagery of the six lines of the Qian Gua.

The ninth and second position is in the palace where the emperor lives, the ninth and third position is the imperial city where ministers work and stay, and the most honorable ninth and fifth position is where Xuandu Temple and Xingshan Temple are built to maintain order.

But what no one expected was that during the late Sui Dynasty, the depression near Xuandu Temple became deeper and deeper, and eventually, in a violent earthquake, it completely evolved into a complex underground world.

This place was deep underground, with numerous secret passages, making it an ideal place to hide. Furthermore, since the Tang Dynasty's establishment, a strict curfew had been in place. To avoid the curfew, homeless people and night traders began to gather here.

Gradually, this place developed into a bustling night market, commonly known as the ghost market.

Because the Ghost Market is suitable for hiding, many criminals wanted by the court and robbers also hide here.

If it were in another location, the imperial court would only need to mobilize the army to easily catch all these criminals, but the Ghost Market is located in a depression near Xuandu Temple after all, and its geographical location is of great significance.

If anyone dares to mobilize the army to attack from this position, the one sitting on the dragon throne will be the first to disagree.

Therefore, the ghost market gradually became a lawless place in Chang'an City, and even the Chang'an County Government and the Jinwu Guards avoided it.

Such a lawless place will naturally breed many conspiracies and tricks.

If Su Haoming remembered correctly, that Boss Lin Yu had clearly stated that the mastermind behind the Chang'an Black Tea case was inextricably linked to the Ghost Market...

"Has cousin found out about the ghost market?"

Su Haoming thought for a moment, then took out a few Kaiyuan Tongbao coins from his pocket and gave them to Liu Er as rewards.

Liu Er was overjoyed. After thanking him repeatedly, he happily left the guest room.

After the door closed, Su Haoming immediately opened the chat group in his mind:

[Su Haoming: @Lin Yu, is the boss here? ]

【Lin Yu: What's the matter? 】

Su Haoming told Lin Yu everything he knew, and then asked impatiently, "Boss, think about it, where has the plot developed to?"

[Lin Yu: Judging from the information you mentioned, it should have been when Su Wuming first visited the Ghost Market.]

[Su Haoming: I'd like to hear more details!]

Lin Yu: Didn't I say before that the Chang'an Black Tea Case was just a general name for the final cases? Your cousin actually took over the case of the missing bride and the mysterious drowning of former Chang'an County Magistrate Wu Daqi.

Lin Yu: There's nothing much to say about Wu Daqi's case. He simply drank Chang'an black tea. This thing is called "immortal tea," but it's actually highly hallucinogenic and addictive. Wu Daqi drank it and hallucinated, which led to his drowning.

[Lin Yu: As for the bride's disappearance case, it involves the true inside story of Changan Black Tea.]

Lin Yu: Your cousin must have discovered Yin Julang in the Ghost Market while investigating this case. However, since the previous county lieutenant died after returning from the Ghost Market, the detectives in the county government were a little scared and refused to accompany him to the Ghost Market to investigate. This is probably what the innkeeper overheard.

[Su Haoming: So he brought Uncle Qian along, and the two of them went to the ghost market together?]

[Lin Yu: According to the original novel, Su Wuming originally wanted to go alone, but your Uncle Qian didn't want to and insisted on tagging along.]

【Su Haoming: I think so too...】

[Su Haoming: Even the Chang'an County constables are afraid, so isn't this ghost market quite dangerous?]

[Lin Yu: For your cousin, it was just a close call, but I seem to remember that one of the Jinwu Guards who went to the Ghost Market with him died.]

Su Haoming's heart tightened upon hearing this, and he quickly asked, "Why is there still a matter of the Jinwu Guards?"

Lin Yu: The person investigating the Chang'an Black Tea case isn't just your cousin, but also the other male protagonist of Tang Gui, Lu Lingfeng, who is from the Fanyang Lu family and currently serves as the Lieutenant General of the Jinwu Guard.

[Lin Yu: When your cousin first explored the Ghost Market, Lu Lingfeng also disguised himself and sneaked into the Ghost Market with three Jinwu Guards.]

【Su Haoming: I see! 】

[Su Haoming: Boss, I have another concern. After all, I'm not in the original storyline. In a world with my presence, will there be a butterfly effect due to my existence? For example, the person who died went from being a Jinwu Guard to being my cousin?]

【Lin Yu: This... shouldn't be the case, right? 】

(End of this chapter)