TGCFNM -Chapter 26 Moving into the Prefect’s Residence

Chu Ling’s eyes shifted, and she suddenly curved her lips into a smile as she looked at Wan Sanjin.

“Advisor Wan, tell me—how could someone following Shen Lizhou, a poor scholar lodging in a broken-down temple, possibly afford to wear fine brocade?”

Wan Sanjin frowned in surprise. “Could it really be as you say, my lord—someone disguising himself to deceive others? But… why?”

“Exactly. Why?” Chu Ling’s lips lifted into a faint smile. “That’s what I’ll need Advisor Wan to investigate. It should be more convenient for you to act.”

Wan Sanjin paused. It would indeed be easier for him. If he flaunted a bit of wealth and posed as a rich young master seeking study opportunities, he could certainly gather some information.

But—

“Who would believe I’m a scholar?” Wan Sanjin sighed. It wasn’t false modesty; he truly couldn’t bear to read books.

Chu Ling lifted her chin toward Sun Yang. “Isn’t there still Scholar Sun? You two can travel together.”

Sun Yang hadn’t expected to be called out. He let out an “Ah,” then meekly submitted under Chu Ling’s tyrannical authority. He didn’t dare resist. Ever since their county magistrate had been struck by lightning, she hadn’t been quite normal.

“You two rest for now. Leave early tomorrow morning for Chengyang. As for me…” Chu Ling’s smile was inscrutable. “I’ll wait a little longer.”

With no other choice, the group obeyed.

Early the next morning—

Wan Sanjin packed up and stuffed a pouch into Xiao Hua’s hands. “There’s some silver inside. Don’t let your magistrate go hungry.”

With that, he left ahead of schedule with Scholar Sun.

Xiao Hua accepted it without hesitation. After reporting to Chu Ling how much silver was inside, she put it away for future grocery expenses.

“Sanjin is a good person,” Su He said, deeply moved. “He isn’t afraid of me, even slept beside me, and he’s worried we might go hungry.”

The Ghost Scholar gently fanned himself. “His heart isn’t bad. And he did not come here seeking the magistrate’s life—he must have another purpose. After spending some time together, his heart has softened.”

Chu Ling smiled. She had finally remembered why Wan Sanjin’s surname sounded so familiar.

“Well, of course. Advisor Wan’s family background should be quite good. He’s been well raised,” she said.

The Wan family—the wealthiest in the Great Zhou—was the hidden force behind Tiansheng Grand Bank, truly rich enough to rival a nation.

However, the next heir of the Wan family was named Wan Xing, not Wan Sanjin.

Assuming Wan Sanjin was his real name and not a fabrication, then Wan Xing must be the adopted son mentioned in the novel, while Wan Sanjin was the legitimate biological son.

In the novel, Wan Xing doted on his younger brother. He was ruthless in his methods, influential both in the martial world and the imperial court—a powerful businessman and one of the male leads. Wan Sanjin, on the other hand, had no romantic entanglement with the female protagonist.

After observing him for this period of time, Chu Ling had come to understand: Wan Sanjin was simply a young master raised in luxury since childhood. Generous with money, somewhat clever, possessed of some scheming but not much. Compared to his elder brother, he fell short by miles.

With that thought, Chu Ling finally felt reassured.

“By the way, my lord,” Su He walked over, “what exactly are we waiting for?”

“For the Prefect to personally come and receive us.” Chu Ling accepted a cup of tea from Xiao Hua.

Su He also took a cup, thanked Xiao Hua, and then looked at Chu Ling with a helpless smile. “My lord, you’re only a county magistrate. Why would the Prefect come to fetch you?”

“Last night, I stayed at the Mountain God Temple to lure out the culprit. Who would have thought I’d nearly be harmed by an evil deity? My legs are weak and sore now—I can’t walk. Naturally, the Prefect must send a carriage to pick me up.” Chu Ling blinked, her expression utterly sincere.

Su He: “……”

Who would possibly believe such nonsense?!

But the truth was—someone really believed it.

At daybreak, a man arrived outside the Mountain God Temple, claiming to be the prefect’s adviser, surnamed Qin. After hearing about Chu Ling’s predicament, Adviser Qin expressed deep sympathy and truly sent someone back to report.

And the Prefect of Chengyang, Prefect Zhang, personally came in a carriage to fetch them.

Even after sitting inside the carriage, Su He still hadn’t recovered from the shock. Clutching his tool bag tightly, he looked at Zhang Dong and Xiao Hua, who were sharing the same carriage, and asked, “Does our magistrate… know some kind of magic?”

“Coroner Su, don’t overthink it,” Zhang Dong said with a smile. “Our lord is simply very capable.”

Xiao Hua nodded vigorously at the side.

Su He let out a sigh. There was nothing he could say to them. He suddenly began to miss Wan Sanjin.

In another carriage, Chu Ling sat opposite Prefect Zhang, a fixed square table between them. Besides the two of them, several ghosts had followed her in as well.

“Brother Chu has solved several major cases at such a young age. It truly puts this elder brother to shame,” Prefect Zhang said with polite warmth, personally pouring tea for Chu Ling.

Chu Ling quickly raised a hand to stop him. “Prefect Zhang, you overpraise me. Who doesn’t know that the people of Chengyang live in prosperity and peace? That is all thanks to your governance. In a place like a peach blossom paradise, how could there be any major cases?”

Prefect Zhang gave a bitter smile and shook his head, sighing.

Chu Ling smoothly continued, “As for the Mountain God Temple case, I don’t think it can be blamed on Your Excellency. After all, it lies some distance from your jurisdiction.”

With a faint smile on his face, Prefect Zhang said, “To be honest with you, Brother Chu, I specially invited you here this time because my younger brother wrote to me saying that you judge cases as if aided by the gods. That is why I shamelessly asked you to come lend a hand.”

Chu Ling smiled and waved his hand modestly. “Master Zhang exaggerates. In a small county like mine, how could there be any grand cases? But if I can assist Your Excellency this time, it would be my great fortune.”

The two exchanged polite courtesies along the way, and by the time they arrived, their relationship had grown noticeably closer. Prefect Zhang even directly invited Chu Ling to stay in his residence.

Chu Ling naturally agreed—after all, it would save quite a bit of money.

After entering the city, Prefect Zhang had matters to attend to, so he instructed Adviser Qin to personally escort them to the prefectural residence. Once Chu Ling had rested, they would begin investigating the case.

Chu Ling smiled in farewell, then lowered the carriage curtain and leaned against the wall happily. “Prefect Zhang is truly hospitable.”

The Ghost Scholar did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Shen Lizhou could not hold back any longer. “My lord, this Prefect Zhang looks like a smiling tiger. How can you trust him so easily? Without official documents or a formal transfer order, you’ve come here on your own. That alone gives him leverage over you.”

“My lord, forget the truth. I no longer seek it. I only ask that you take my body back to comfort my elderly mother. In my next life, I will be reborn as her child and repay her for raising me.”

Chu Ling sighed helplessly. This student was a good one—just overly upright.

“Only by staying inside the prefect’s residence can we move about freely within it,” Bai Su said.

Shen Lizhou let out an “Ah?” still not understanding.

Cui Xi had no choice but to press the ghostly student down into his seat. “Young master, even a little maid like me understands this—how have you become muddleheaded?”

Chu Ling looked at Shen Lizhou, lowered her voice, and fixed her gaze on him. “The day I spoke to your mother, she told me you died accidentally. An autopsy had already been performed, and you were to be buried directly. They wouldn’t even allow your body to be taken home.”

“But today, when I chatted casually with him, he kept saying the case was too troublesome and that he was powerless to solve it, which is why he sought my help.”

The Ghost Scholar’s eyes darkened. “There must be Prefect Zhang’s shadow behind this case. Since we do not yet know his purpose, naturally we must venture into the tiger’s den.”

Chu Ling smiled. After all, with ghosts at her side, there was nowhere she could not go.