IDWBE -Chapter 444 The Murderer

He was clearly only a seventy-percent player, yet he had performed at a hundred percent!
In that thrilling moment, he didn’t know whether to admire himself or appreciate Zixia.

“Your Grace.”

After quietly helping Lin Yi clean up in the dark, Zixia lit the lamp and stood before him, speaking softly, “Your Grace, have some tea.”

Lin Yi nodded, and Zixia helped him to his feet.

The kang stove had heated the room unbearably, and the air was stifling. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he went to the window. As soon as he opened it, the cold wind howled, and snowflakes swirled past his eyes.

“Your Grace, be careful not to catch a cold.”

Zixia draped a fox-fur cloak over him.

“No matter. I won’t sleep anyway. Heat some wine, and prepare some peanuts. If there’s any marinated meat, that would be even better.”

Lin Yi extended his hand into the snowfall, letting the flakes land gently on his palm.

Zixia smiled and asked, “Your Grace, would you like donkey meat?”

Lin Yi asked curiously, “Where did the donkey meat come from?” It wasn’t on today’s menu at all.

Zixia explained, “It’s from that fat fellow Su Yin. He always knows how to make something tasty. He braised over ten jin of donkey meat, and many of us couldn’t resist the aroma, so we shared some in the kitchen.”

Lin Yi scolded lightly, “Donkey meat is such a delicacy, and you all secretly ate it without telling me? Bring it here at once.”

Since entering Ankang City, his meals had become more refined, but not more abundant. Favorites like pig intestines, chicken giblets, or beef offal were no longer served.
Not even donkey meat!

At the estate, he couldn’t get what he wanted, no matter how badly he craved it. Sometimes, when hunger struck, he had to resort to street vendors.

“Please wait, Your Grace.”

Zixia stood at the doorway, quietly giving instructions to a young maid.

She and Mingyue had served Lin Yi since childhood, unknown and unrecognized. Even if Mingyue became pregnant, she still couldn’t openly claim anything from Lin Yi.

Both Zixia and Mingyue could command the servants, one due to seniority and the other because both were ninth-grade experts.

For the sake of appearances, they couldn’t openly kill anyone, but secretly, they could devise a hundred ways to end someone’s life.

Any servant with even a shred of sense wouldn’t dare oppose them.

So when they ordered the maid to fetch food from the kitchen, no one dared refuse.

Night fell.

The wind howled, making the two windows bang.

Lin Yi waited while Zixia brought up the wine and food. He picked up two thin slices of donkey meat, tasting them. “Su Yin’s skills have improved.”

Without guidance, he had managed to make the donkey meat delicious, which was beyond Lin Yi’s expectations.

Zixia said with a smile, “Following your instructions, Your Grace, Su Yin established the Liang Kingdom Culinary Association. Since becoming its president, he’s more steady, blending northern and southern dishes. Now it’s becoming quite professional.”

Lin Yi sighed, “That rascal has no real talent, just a first-class knack for opportunism.”

He loved twice-cooked pork.

Even in the modern world, over ninety-nine percent of restaurants would botch this dish.

As a non-professional, Lin Yi couldn’t make it right either.

He had given Su Yin a rough recipe, but it never felt correct.

In the end, Su Yin tried a new approach: draining the fat.

Only then did the twice-cooked pork taste just right!

Of course, there were other ways to make it. If not draining, add cabbage, potatoes, or beans to absorb excess oil.

In some ways, Su Yin was quick-witted.
That was why Lin Yi had kept him as the kitchen chef.

Thinking of the chef, Lin Yi thought of that damned Luo Han!

He couldn’t help but ask, “Where is that bastard Luo Han?”

Though incompetent, he was loyal.

Even if Lin Yi became worthless, he could trust Luo Han, like Hong Ying, to remain steadfastly at his side.

Loyalty was the only value such a person had.

Lin Yi neglected Luo Han out of frustration that he didn’t show initiative. “If you had been a bit smarter, you could’ve soared alongside me. No need for all this formality.”

“Your Grace, he’s still a drum-beater at the Military Office,” Zixia said honestly. Though she disliked Luo Han, she told the truth. “A few days ago, he even got punished by Hong An.”

“Called that ‘big niece’ again?”

Seeing Zixia nod, Lin Yi chuckled, “He never learns, does he? Always ends up under Hong An’s hand.”

Zixia smiled, “After Your Grace entered Ankang City, he begged He Hong to bring him from Jiangnan. He Hong owed him a favor, couldn’t refuse, so he now works as a night watchman. He’s a pitiable man, always seeking attention so no one forgets he came from Your Grace’s estate.”

“Right, he annoyed fierce people like Hong An and Cao Xiaohuan, yet they couldn’t touch him. Others would speculate about his backing. Without powerful protection, he’d have been skinned long ago. That’s why no one dares mess with him?”

Lin Yi marveled, “It’s been a long time. He’s finally smartened up.”

Zixia smiled, “Your Grace’s guidance works wonders.”

“Let him have his turn. After waiting so long, it’s about time.”

When the charcoal pot heated the wine, Lin Yi refused Zixia’s pour, taking the wine pot himself.

Zixia bowed, “As you wish.”

The wine was too hot to drink immediately. While waiting for it to cool, Lin Yi ate a few slices of donkey meat.

“This Su Yin has improved. In the past, he couldn’t make meat this tender.”

“Your Grace, slow down. It’s cold; don’t overeat,” Zixia cautioned, careful not to let him eat too much. “Even Master Hu, though brilliant, isn’t omnipotent.”

“Then I’ll drink and not eat much,” Lin Yi said, popping a peanut into his mouth. “Too much food is hard to digest.”

They continued like this until drowsiness overcame Lin Yi.

The next morning, when he opened the window, the world was a white expanse.

North Gate, Ankang City

Ma Jie, wearing a black coat, stood at the city gate, looking at horse carts piled with stiff corpses. His face turned iron-gray. He turned to Jiang Yi, “Lord Jiang, I repeatedly stressed winter precautions to prevent freezing deaths, yet thirty-seven people froze to death overnight!”

By the end, he was grinding his teeth.

Jiang Yi glanced around, sighing softly. “Ma Lord, you know the state of the Military Office. There aren’t enough men. Honestly, only this few deaths in such a huge city is divine protection.”

The blame could only fall on Xie Zan!

He had taken tens of thousands of troops to investigate He Jin in northern Ji, leaving the Military Office understaffed.

Some returned, but they were dismissed and barred from service.

Now, the Military Office had no money, no men, and fewer than a thousand remained.

If Ma Jie hadn’t still held command at the South Gate, he would have suspected that Xie Zan and He Jixiang wanted to disband it entirely.

“Gentlemen,” Cao Xiaohuan toyed with the corpses’ scabbards and said, “Not all of these people froze to death.”

Ma Jie was startled. “How so?”

He inspected several corpses and found no visible injuries.

Cao Xiaohuan smiled, “Though ragged, their skin is fair and cared-for. They come from wealthy families, not beggars.”

“Look at the palms—rough and calloused,” Zhou Xun added. “Clearly, they are martial practitioners.”

Cao Xiaohuan nodded. “Yes. Ankang City has beggars and vagrants, even fake monks, but most are elderly, not young people like these.”

In prosperous Ankang, anyone able-bodied wouldn’t end up freezing to death on the street.

By Prince He’s words, Ankang City is no longer the old Ankang City.

“True enough,” Ma Jie examined the corpses again, increasingly convinced. “Then how do you think they died?”

This was troubling.

If just frozen, it was a management failure.

If murdered, it was a criminal case under Liang law—dozens of murders!

Spread that news, and the city would panic.

Whether He Jixiang or Prince investigated, Ma Jie as prefect would be in deep trouble.

Cao Xiaohuan glanced at Ma Jie, hesitated, then looked at the silent Chief Constable Chen Xinluo.

Chen Xinluo frowned. “This matter should not be publicized. Send the corpses to the Dali Temple, post notices, and search for relatives.”

Ma Jie couldn’t help asking, “Master Chen, is there more to this?”

Officially, Chen Xinluo was his subordinate.

But everyone knew he came from Prince He’s estate!

Highly trusted by Prince and He Jixiang, no one could provoke him lightly.

Even Ma Jie spoke carefully and politely.

Chen Xinluo turned to leave and said to Ma Jie, “Pardon me, I must report to Lord He first.”

By evening, rumors of vampires began circulating in Ankang City.

A blood-sucking ghost had killed thirty-seven people!

“Using rumors to stop rumors,” Lin Yi admired. “He Jixiang’s method is clever; the old really are wise.”

He Jixiang smiled, “Your Grace flatters me.”

“Absorbing internal energy to kill?”

Lin Yi was most shocked by this.

He had mentioned it casually while telling the Tianlong Babu story.

He never expected Hong Ying and others to take it seriously!

Now, people even claimed that someone practiced this technique, absorbing others’ internal energy, murdering many.

Truly heinous.

Chen Xinluo bowed. “Your Grace, I’ve studied this method. I examined the corpses—each has empty dantian, killed by someone draining internal energy.”

Lin Yi frowned. “Then what do you suggest?”

He knew nothing about investigations or martial arts.

He didn’t understand why they had come.

Chen Xinluo hesitated. “The Absorbing Star Method is our Sanhe’s secret. In Ankang, fewer than fifteen know it. The culprit drained so much last night; their internal energy must now be unstable. Following He Jixiang’s order, I searched the garrison and constables—no one’s energy abnormal. I suspect—”

He hesitated and didn’t finish.

“You suspect the practitioner is in Prince He’s estate?”

Lin Yi said it for him.

“Your Grace, forgive me!”

Chen Xinluo knelt, neither confirming nor denying.

Lin Yi smiled, “Approved. Investigate Prince He’s estate thoroughly.”

Whether or not the Absorbing Star Method is involved, taking lives is unacceptable!

Most importantly, such a person cannot remain in Prince He’s estate.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Chen Xinluo stood, respectfully addressing Monk and Ye Qiu, “Please advise, gentlemen.”

“Amitabha,” The monk rotated his prayer beads. “My sins, my sins.”

Chen Xinluo couldn’t understand him and looked to Ye Qiu, smiling, “Please enlighten us, Young Master Ye.”

Seeing Prince watching him, Ye Qiu collected himself and said, “You guessed wrong. The culprit isn’t in Prince He’s estate.”

Chen Xinluo was stunned, then bowed. “Thank you, Young Master, for clarifying.”

Zhou Xun asked, “How are you so sure the culprit isn’t there? It involves Prince’s safety; this isn’t something to take lightly.”

Chen Xinluo said calmly, “Young Master Ye is a Grandmaster. This person absorbed dozens’ internal energy in one night, seeking breakthroughs. Their qi would be chaotic internally. To hide it from Master Jihai and Young Master Ye? Foolish.”

Ye Qiu smiled proudly, unshaken.

Zhou Xun lowered her head in shame.

Though she was eighth-grade, her insight hadn’t improved with skill.

“So, truly not in the estate?”

Lin Yi breathed a long sigh of relief.

Even servants and guards in Prince He’s estate, constantly attending him, had feelings.

If one committed a crime and he had to kill them, would he not feel heartbreak?

Chen Xinluo reassured him, “Your Grace, with Master Jihai and Young Master Ye, you can rest easy.”

“Excellent,” Lin Yi said, looking at Ye Qiu. “Since you’re free, help the authorities catch the culprit.”

“Understood!”

Ye Qiu was reluctant.

The cold wind was harsh, and as a Grandmaster, he preferred drinking wine and admiring snow in bamboo groves.

To chase criminals for the authorities? Pure boredom!