Merit-based card draws, quickly become a Heavenly Emperor

Fang Zheng remained silent until Ning Xuejian calmed down, then led her to the corpse in the coffin.

"Miss Ning, take a closer look. Is this the body of your father, Lord Shen Xingzhou?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Xuejian's expression changed. She lowered her head and observed carefully for a moment, then her lips suddenly tightened for a second, as if she had seen something that surprised her.

"This is……"

She opened her mouth, about to speak, when the old servant Shen Fu suddenly rushed over, grabbed her sleeve, and burst into tears.

"Miss! Master misses you so much!"

He passed away without even seeing her one last time…

Ning Xuejian was stunned for a moment by his crying, and then her eyes also reddened. In the end, she didn't say anything, but just lay on the coffin and cried again.

"Yes, my father died tragically, and now even his head has disappeared."

As a daughter, I must find out the truth and bring the murderer to justice.

Fang Zheng stood aside without asking any questions, but he had seen Ning Xuejian's reaction just now.

The expression wasn't simply one of grief; it was more like the confusion that arose when trying to identify something.

Perhaps she recognized something amiss with the corpse.

Shen Fu's wailing came at just the right time, effectively silencing Ning Xuejian from what she was about to say.

Fang Zheng glanced at Shen Fu, then at Ning Xuejian, but said nothing.

At this moment, Ning Xuejian raised her head, looked at Fang Zheng, and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Lord Fang, I urge the Cangwu government to put in the effort and solve the case as soon as possible."

Fang Zheng's expression remained calm and composed as he stared directly at Ning Xuejian.

Under the clear sky, he noticed that Ning Xuejian's mind was not right, she was under great tension, and her grief was mixed with a hint of doubt.

He wanted to glean some clue from Ning Xuejian's eyes.

But Ning Xuejian was no ordinary person. She used some kind of mental technique to quickly calm her chaotic emotions. Her eyes were filled with grief, and she could not see any flaws in her expression.

Fang Zheng looked away, nodded, and comforted him, "Please accept my condolences."

However, he became even more certain of his guess.

The headless corpse in the coffin should indeed not be Shen Xingzhou, but for some reason, the old servant Shen Fu and Ning Xuejian both insisted that it was him.

He had previously suspected that Shen Fu was the real culprit in Shen Xingzhou's murder, but Ning Xuejian, as a daughter, was unlikely to murder her own father.

There must be something hidden here.

However, they do not currently trust Fang Zheng, or rather, they do not trust the Cangwu County government behind Fang Zheng, which is why they are keeping things hidden.

Keeping this doubt in mind, Fang Zheng lit a few incense sticks in front of the mourning hall and then prepared to take his leave to ask Liu Qingyu to go back to the Gates of Hell to check if Shen Xingzhou's soul was there.

Just then, another old man walked in.

He was hunched over, his face was withered, and most of his hair was white. He cried and wailed as he walked.

"Lord Shen! Lord Shen!"

Fang Zheng stepped aside, and the old servant Shen Fu wiped away his tears and introduced, "Lord Fang, this is Gu Mingyu, the registrar of the county government. He was a capable subordinate of the late master and also a close friend despite the age difference."

When Gu Mingyu saw Fang Zheng, he grabbed his sleeve and cried out with tears streaming down his face, "Lord Fang, you must be the newly appointed Supervisor Fang!"

Lord Shen is a good official!

Since taking office, he has improved water conservancy, reduced taxes, and cracked down on cults. The people of Cangwu County all remember his good deeds.

He was on the verge of a promotion, and then he suffered such a cruel fate!

He pointed at the headless corpse in the coffin, his voice trembling.

"The teeth marks on that neck clearly indicate it was bitten by a wild beast!"

What other ferocious beasts can be found in Cangwu County?

The most common one is the White Tiger!

"The White Tiger will definitely use its power to harm Lord Shen!"

Upon hearing this, Ning Xuejian clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white, and gritted her teeth as she whispered, "The White Tiger Society!"

The old servant Shen Fu also had tears in his eyes and sighed.

Gu Mingyu wiped away his tears and continued, "During his lifetime, Lord Shen always wanted to suppress the development of the White Tiger Society, which touched their sore spot, and they have long held a grudge against him!"

Over the years, the White Tiger Society has run rampant in Cangwu County, seizing land and forcing people to join the society.

Those who disobeyed were punished by kneeling, being publicly displayed, or even being tied up in the mountains to be fed to wild animals, all for "disrespecting the Holy Spirit."

At its most rampant, which of the surrounding villages and towns did not have the remains of the tiger demon appear?

Otherwise, if Lord Shen had spoken up and stopped it, the white tiger would have committed even more sins.

I heard that Lord Shen has collected a lot of evidence, but before he could report it, ...

He started crying again as he spoke.

Fang Zheng patted the back of his hand to comfort him, but a sense of vigilance rose in his heart.

In the clear perception of the world, Gu Mingyu's behavior was perfectly normal; he was angry when he should be angry and sad when he should be sad, but it was too standard, like a model opera.

Ordinary people might not be able to perceive it, but Fang Zheng has a clear mirror hanging above him, making him very sensitive to such emotional fluctuations, so he noticed something unusual.

However, this doesn't prove anything.

After learning more about Shen Xingzhou's official achievements and the evil deeds of the White Tiger Society from Gu Mingyu, Ning Xuejian, this hot-tempered female knight, gritted her teeth and was furious, wishing she could draw her sword and kill her way to the White Tiger Society's lair.

On the contrary, it was the old servant Shen Fu who earnestly tried to persuade him.

"The White Tiger Society is powerful, with its influence deeply entrenched throughout Dinghu County, and it is said to have originated in Cangwu County."

"Miss, although you are highly skilled in martial arts, you are outnumbered and outmatched. You should plan carefully."

Upon hearing this, Ning Xuejian looked at Fang Zheng, clenched her fists, and her knuckles turned white.

I want to find out the truth.

"You're an official from Cangwu County, would you like to come along?"

Fang Zheng nodded.

"It is my duty."

Ning Xuejian took a deep breath, bent down, and bowed deeply to Fang Zheng.

Fang Zheng stepped aside and did not accept her greeting.

"Miss Ning, I will definitely investigate Lord Shen's case thoroughly."

"I'm an old man with bones, but I'm not afraid of death!"

Lord Fang, I've lived in Cangwu County for decades and know a lot about the White Tiger Society. Feel free to ask me anything if you need my help!

"I must avenge Lord Shen, overthrow the White Tiger Society, and rid the people of this scourge!"

Unexpectedly, Gu Mingyu, filled with righteous indignation, also took the initiative to join in.

Fang Zheng stood in front of the mourning hall for a while, listening to Gu Mingyu and Shen Fu talk about Shen Xingzhou's life and political achievements, who he had clashed with and who he had offended in the White Tiger Society issue.

He kept these words in mind, but remained expressionless.

As night deepened, Ning Xuejian and Shen Fu were to keep vigil over the coffin. Overwhelmed with grief, Gu Mingyu also volunteered to stay and see Lord Shen off.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng simply stayed at the Shen residence to keep vigil with them.

Looking at the coffin and the candles that were mostly lit before him, Fang Zheng glanced at Ning Xuejian, who was dressed in mourning but looked even more elegant, and his thoughts gradually sank.

"Qingyu, go back to the Gates of Hell and ask Master Li to check if Shen Xingzhou's soul has arrived in the underworld."

Liu Qingyu silently replied in his mind, "Yes, I will inform my benefactor immediately if there is any news."