Legend of Zhan Zhao

Chapter 39 Prove your innocence
The winter night was deep and dark.

Two dark figures swept across the continuous rooftops, one after the other.

Zhan Zhao lightly touched the ground with his toes, and his azure monk's robe fluttered in the wind, like a sharp blade slicing through the night.

Lian Caiyun followed closely behind, and the scarlet cloak she carried as she passed her room gleamed darkly in the moonlight, like a flame that was about to go out.

Her steps were light and graceful, even more ethereal than Zhan Zhao's. When her toes brushed against the snow-covered eaves, she didn't disturb a speck of snow. She seemed like a spirit formed from the snowy night.

"Miss Caiyun, what excellent agility!"

Zhan Zhao turned his head to comment.

Lian Caiyun followed closely, managing to keep her breathing steady. But the praise made her so happy that she almost lost her composure.

She slowed her pace and saw that Zhan Zhao's steps had also slowed down. She immediately said embarrassedly, "Brother Zhan, you don't need to wait for me. I don't want to be a burden."

Are you a burden?

Zhan Zhao said solemnly, "If the murderer is indeed a member of the Six Doors, given Su Wuqing's meticulous and cunning style, he certainly wouldn't be caught off guard. If all the elites from the four halls are mobilized, we'll need to join forces!"

"Ok!"

Lian Caiyun nodded emphatically and slid a hidden sword out of her sleeve.

The sword is narrow and thin, with a beautiful shape, like a piece of frozen moonlight.

The sword hilt had no handguard or cord; it simply had a groove with a thin, silvery thread embedded inside.

"What a sword!"

Zhan Zhao's eyes lit up.

Lian Caiyun said, "Brother Zhan, why don't you guess what this sword is called?"

Zhan Zhao recalled Yan Jidao's poem "Linjiang Xian": "The bright moon was there then, once shining on the returning colorful clouds. Could it be that the sword of the girl Caiyun is called 'Bright Moon Is Here'?"

"The bright moon is here... The bright moon is here... It sounds so beautiful!"

Lian Caiyun's bright, sparkling eyes immediately lit up: "I'll go back and pester my master's wife to change the sword's name!"

Zhan Zhao, recalling the deathly still aura surrounding Madam Yun, was somewhat surprised by the close relationship between the two: "What was this sword originally called?"

Lian Caiyun immediately expressed her disdain: "It's called 'Heart Demon Summoning'!"

Zhan Zhao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What's the explanation for this?"

"Because of this string."

Lian Caiyun displayed the strings in the slot: "This item comes from the 'Heavenly Demon Qin' of Wanjue Palace. When activated with true qi, it can unleash the 'Seven Deadly Sound Kills'. The sword technique that my master's wife taught me is most suitable for the use of this extraordinary weapon."

"I see."

Zhan Zhao scrutinized him for a moment before looking away.

The two continued talking, but their feet did not stop.

The Gu family mansion was located in the city center, and in less than a quarter of an hour, the headquarters of the Six Doors was already in sight.

Against the backdrop of complete darkness, the lights inside the yamen (government office) stood out all the more.

Zhan Zhao said no more, made a gesture, and gracefully landed.

Lian Caiyun followed closely behind.

"yawn……"

Chief Constable Pang Wen hurriedly entered the interrogation room carrying a stack of case files. Despite his considerable skill, the relentless work had left him looking exhausted.

But he pressed his temples, forcing himself to stay alert, and went to a table to report: "Master, after the great fire in the archives, much of it was eaten away by insects and ants. Only these backup copies of the files related to the 'Ten Directions Ghosts' remain..."

Su Wuqing's weak voice rang out: "You've worked hard."

"Master! You should go and rest!"

Pang Wen was full of worry: "You haven't slept for three days and three nights. If this continues, even if you discover the thief, how will you capture him?"

"The imperial court is full of talented people. As long as the truth is found and everyone works together, it doesn't matter if anyone is missing..."

Su Wuqing said, "Go and rest. Everyone has been staying with the sick patient for too long."

"Yes!"

Pang Wen sighed softly and silently withdrew.

The torture chamber became mostly quiet.

The only sounds were soft coughs and the rustling of paper as files were turned.

'There's only Su Wuqing inside!' Zhan Zhao concluded.

Su Wuqing's breathing was as light as falling dust, revealing his extremely profound internal martial arts cultivation.

However, the Six-Line Sword Qi is best at sensing the surrounding environment. No matter how light the breath or how concealed the aura, it cannot escape Zhan Zhao's perception.

Unless one has mastered a similar level of concealment technique, or is simply a martial arts master hiding in the shadows, they will not be able to detect it.

'Brother, this is a great opportunity!'

Even Caiyun gestured and silently said something.

To catch the thief, first catch the king. If we can capture the leader of the Four Great Constables, everything else will be much easier.

Zhan Zhao shook his head slightly, parted his lips, and transmitted his voice secretly: "I will take action, you will provide cover. If anything unexpected happens, ensure our escape route."

'good! ’

Lian Caiyun grasped "Bright Moon" in her slender hand, poised and ready, watching nervously as Zhan Zhao gracefully entered.

"Snap—crack!"

Suddenly, a sickeningly loud mechanical sound rang out.

Just as Lian Caiyun's heart was in her throat, and she was about to peek inside to check the situation, Su Wuqing's voice rang out: "Excellent swordsmanship!"

Zhan Zhao's voice rang out: "Your Excellency is exhausted from the paperwork and mental strain; it would be unfair for me to win."

"Cough cough!"

Su Wuqing coughed lightly twice: "The patient used a hidden weapon. There is only inferior skill, not unfairness in victory. Moreover, the patient attempted to attack three times, but was forced to stop each time because he knew that even if the hidden weapon was released, it would be intercepted by the sword light... He changed his moves three times and was restrained three times. How could he not be defeated?"

'Brother Zhan won!!'

Lian Caiyun was overjoyed. She landed gracefully and looked into the room. Sure enough, she saw Zhan Zhao standing in front of Su Wuqing's wheelchair, his sword pressing down on the world-renowned constable.

Despite being under someone else's control, Su Wuqing remained calm. However, upon seeing Lian Caiyun appear and stand guard at the entrance of the torture chamber, her expression shifted, revealing concern: "Has something happened at Yunqi Manor?"

"You harmed my second senior brother, and you're still pretending to be virtuous here?"

Lian Caiyun drew her sword.

Zhan Zhao slightly turned his body to block her possible path of attack, and concisely described the murder case that had occurred not long ago.

"Given the circumstances of Tang Lei's death, the marks on the door frame, and of course, the previous conflict between your manor and my Six Doors, you all suspect that the murder weapon is 'Panlong Silk'..."

Su Wuqing suddenly realized, then fell into deep thought: "There was one person at each door and window, and eyes in front and behind, yet the murderer disappeared from the scene after faking the victim's voice and screams?"

"The murderer could have used a hidden weapon like the 'coiled dragon silk' to set up the trap, but how do you explain the sounds inside the house?"

"If Young Hero Shen Lan and Granny Jiang weren't lying, then this locked-room murder is indeed an unbelievable method!"

Lian Caiyun said coldly, "You mean you're not the murderer?"

"For three days, the patient remained in this place without ever leaving, and the 'Panlong Silk' never left his body."

Su Wuqing smiled bitterly: "Of course, the patient never left, and there were many witnesses. Whether the 'Panlong Silk' was secretly given to my fourth brother and retrieved after the crime is hard to prove."

"Actually, it's not entirely impossible to prove."

Zhan Zhao asked, "When was the last time 'Panlong Silk' killed someone?"

Su Wuqing replied without hesitation: "The patient has never killed anyone with the 'Panlong Silk'."

Zhan Zhao asked, "What about injuring someone?"

Su Wuqing thought for a moment, then said firmly, "One year ago."

"Since the 'Panlong Silk' injured someone in Su Shenbu's hands a year ago, and he has never been without it since then..."

Zhan Zhao nodded: "Then if there are some fresh bloodstains left on the 'Panlong Silk', does that mean that Detective Su is highly suspected in the case of Tang Lei's murder? Coincidentally, I have a method for examining bloodstains that are difficult to detect with the naked eye on weapons!"

"Brother Zhan is awesome!"

Lian Caiyun looked at Su Wuqing with gleaming eyes: 'Let's see how you handle this!'

In the last locked-room murder case, Zhan Zhao's proposed murder cross and autopsy ideas were later proven to be tests.

It was precisely these tests that exposed the Six Doors as highly suspicious.

So, is the blood test on Panlongsi at this time another test?
Does Su Wuqing dare to accept the challenge?

However, the leader of the Four Great Constables responded very simply. With a light press, a hidden compartment popped out of the wheelchair beneath him, from which a silver thread was drawn: "The patient wishes to hand over the 'Panlong Silk' to Young Hero Zhan to prove his innocence!"

(End of this chapter)