People in the Qin Dynasty, entertained during the Warring States period

"What is the second? Is there something you're having trouble saying?"

"I later learned that my ex-husband was killed by Liu Yi."

Han Fei and Zhang Liang exchanged bewildered glances. "Why didn't you report it to the authorities?"

"...I have no evidence." Madam Hu's face was full of bitterness.

Han Fei rubbed his temples. "You can go now. Brother Cao, please stay."

Madam Hu left the study with the help of her maid.

Han Fei said sternly, "Brother Cao, what do you know? Tell me!"

He doesn't care about anything else now; he just wants to know if Li Kai, the Right Sima from back then, is really dead.

If Li Kai returns, then all the questions will be answered.

However, it may also cause more unforeseen problems.

For example, the truth about the Baiyue people back then...

Cao Ze laughed and said, "Don't you suspect that I committed adultery with Madam Hu and killed Liu Yi?"

Han Fei chuckled, "If you wanted to kill Liu Yi, why go through all this trouble? Isn't that right, Sir Fierce General?"

When he heard Cao Ze say that he had replaced Emerald Tiger and become one of the Four Fierce Generals of Night, he found it absurd.

Zhang Liang's expression was serious. "According to the records in the archives, Li Kai, the Right Sima, was defeated and killed because he disobeyed orders and led his troops deep into enemy territory without authorization. It seems that there were some hidden secrets behind the Baiyue war back then."

Cao Ze said, "Brother Han, as your brother, I can only tell you now that Li Kai is not dead, but Liu Yi was not killed by Li Kai either. It was the work of the notorious bandit Duanfa Sanlang, who used to commit crimes in Baiyue, and is now an assassin hiding in Bai Niao under the alias Wujiu."

Han Fei narrowed his eyes. "Brother Cao, you know so much about this. Have you perhaps met Li Kai?"

"That's true."

"Please explain in detail, Brother Cao."

"Not long ago, Wujiu encountered Li Kai in the city, and then secretly sent the Poison Scorpion Sect to capture him. After Li Kai was arrested, it was learned that Wujiu was searching for the Baiyue treasure..."

After Cao Ze finished speaking, Han Fei and Zhang Liang exchanged a glance.

"Brother Cao, was Li Kai framed by Bai Yifei back then? Why would Bai Yifei frame Li Kai and put him to death?" Zhang Liang couldn't help but ask.

"The Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon, the treasures of the Hundred Yue..." Han Fei murmured, "Rumor has it that the Marquis of the Bai family is not dead. Could the rumors be true?"

Han Fei was starting to have a headache. He had thought it was just an ordinary murder case, but he never expected it to involve old news from South Korea from many years ago.

Zhang Liang suddenly realized that he had overlooked the most crucial point.

"By the way, I once heard my grandfather say that Li Kai, the Left Sima, was just as loyal to the King of Han as the Zhang family. Why didn't the King investigate this matter back then?"

Cao Ze smiled faintly: "You really want to know?"

Han Fei's heart stirred slightly: "I would like to hear the details."

"Have you ever heard of a bloody ascension to the throne?"

Han Fei and Zhang Liang's expressions changed slightly. "Brother Cao, what do you mean?"

"Hasn't Brother Han already understood?"

Han Fei chuckled bitterly. What could he do about his father's disgraceful actions?

Zhang Liang sighed softly, "The Bai family no longer holds the authority it once did, and now Ji Wuye wields immense power in the court. The state of Han is in dire straits..."

Han Fei walked to a bookshelf wall, and his original intention to take the opportunity to observe Madam Hu and Cao Ze faded away.

The bookshelf slowly parted, revealing a secret room where a bloodstain was clearly visible.

"This is the place where Liu Yi first died."

Zhang Liang, Cao Ze, and Han Fei went inside.

The secret room was empty except for a long table placed directly in front of the wall, on which was a treasure chest.

"Is this the box Brother Cao mentioned?" Zhang Liang asked.

Cao Ze nodded.

Han Fei examined the box by candlelight. “The runes on this box… Brother Cao, they seem to be the same as the runes you showed me the other day.”

“That’s right, Liu Yi showed it to me, and I wrote it down.”

"Is that so..." Han Fei remained skeptical. If he were Liu Yi, how could he easily let outsiders see the box?

But Liu Yi was already dead, so he had no way to investigate and could only listen to what was said and believe it, and temporarily catch the murderer.

Zhang Liang said, "Brother, there are mechanisms on the box."

"Put it away and go find Brother Wei Zhuang." Han Fei glanced at it and directly handed over the task of deciphering the code to Wei Zhuang.

He is not skilled in mechanical arts, and it would take him at least a day to crack the code. Time is of the essence, and his father wants him to capture the murderer in three days.

The three left the study, and Han Fei ordered his men to collect Liu Yi's body and put it in a coffin.

Just as the three were standing in the courtyard, Hu Meiren, dressed in a pink palace dress, walked into the mansion with grace and elegance, her eyes smiling and her demeanor charming.

Han Fei hesitated for a moment, about to ask Hu Meiren what she was so happy about, but swallowed the question back down.

For Madam Hu and Consort Hu, Liu Yi's death seemed like a good thing, something to celebrate.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Zhang Liang and Cao Ze bowed to each other.

Hu Meiren glanced at Cao Ze, her eyes crinkling with a smile, and said, "You guys are investigating the case, I'm going to comfort my sister."

After Lady Hu left, Han Fei asked in surprise, "Brother Cao, why did Lady Hu only look at you?"

You should ask your stepmother, not me... Cao Ze said, "I don't know either. Maybe Consort Hu wants me to give Princess Honglian a copy of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' again."

Han Fei's face darkened. Sooner or later, he would burn all these tattered books and bury the traitor Cao Cao inside.

After thinking it over, Han Fei felt much better. "Zifang, Brother Cao, let's go."

Zhang Liang nodded in agreement.

"Brother Cao, aren't you leaving?"

Cao Ze yawned. "I'm not going."

Han Fei really wanted to beat Cao Ze up, showing no respect for his brother-in-law.

Zhang Liang and Han Fei left the mansion.

Han Fei quietly pulled Zhang Liang aside into an alley.

"Brother, what's going on...?"

"I always felt there was something wrong with Brother Cao, what about you?"

"...Brother Cao, you're not the murderer, are you?"

Han Fei said meaningfully, "Sometimes, it's not only the one who kills who is the murderer."

“Let’s go up over there and see what our Brother Cao is up to.”

Zhang Liang and Han Fei ascended the high platform. From there, they could see the entire courtyard of Liu Yi's residence clearly.

Cao Ze was standing in the courtyard when, after a short while, a dark figure appeared in front of him.

"It's Mo Ya," Zhang Liang said in a low voice. "Does Ji Wuye want to interfere?"

"Zifang, can you read lips?"

Zhang Liang said with shame, "I have not studied this."

Han Fei laughed heartily and said, "What a coincidence, I know a little about it."

Zhang Liang: "..."

Chapter 289 To look good, wear mourning clothes

While keeping an eye on Cao Ze, Han Fei said, "Zifang, there were many questions I hadn't raised when Brother Cao was here."

"Do you remember the pendant that Madam Hu used to weigh down her skirt?"

Zhang Liang recalled briefly: "Was it that Fire Rain Agate?"

“Indeed, I have seen a gem like this on a musician in the Purple Orchid Pavilion. It is exactly the same.”

Han Fei said with a sigh, "If I'm not mistaken, the daughter that Madam Hu lost all those years ago is that girl named Nongyu."

Zhang Liang said, "What a coincidence."

"Hehe, whether it's a coincidence or intentional, we'll only be able to say for sure once we see the answer."

Han Fei pondered Cao Ze's purpose in entering Han, but still had no clue.

He couldn't have come just for a woman or for his sister, could he?

……

In the courtyard.

Mo Ya appeared openly and brazenly, saying, "Mr. Cao Ze, the general has ordered me to come and inquire about the death of Lord Liu."

"We now have leads on the killer."

Mo Ya narrowed his eyes slightly. "So fast? Who is it?"

Cao Ze glanced at Mo Ya and couldn't help but sigh, "Ji Wuye has quite a few talented people under his command."

"Han Fei discovered that it might be related to one of the assassins from Bai Niao."

"The Hundred Birds Assassin? That's impossible." Mo Ya vehemently denied it. If the Hundred Birds Assassin had killed Liu Yi without authorization, he, as the person in charge of the Hundred Birds, would certainly be punished.

Liu Yi's death is just that—death. But if it affects his achievements, future prospects, and destiny, he can only try to find ways to avoid the risks.

Cao Ze's heart stirred slightly. "Brother Mo Ya, are you worried about the general's punishment?"

Having his thoughts seen through by Cao Ze, Mo Ya remained silent.

Cao Ze said, "Brother Mo Ya, there is no need to worry. Compared to Liu Yi's death, there is another matter that the general is probably more concerned about. If Brother Mo Ya reports it personally, the general will not only not blame you, but will also reward you."

Mo Ya frowned slightly. He didn't care about any reward; what he cared about was not letting Ji Wuye leave the impression that he was incompetent in managing his subordinates and was not capable of being of great use.