Chapter 135: The Mischief of the Water Ghost
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation
Li Feng, burdened with such an immense injustice, remained concealed from public view. If even someone of his stature could suffer such treatment, one could only imagine the untold numbers of less significant cases buried under layers of neglect and corruption.
Although not all such matters directly involved loss of life, the weight of unfair treatment could, at times, feel far worse than death itself.
Yu Zhi Yi meticulously documented each of these wrongful cases. Once she set aside the files from Linzhang County, she turned her attention to the unsolved cases, selecting one from the very bottom of the pile.
In the 28th year of Yuan An’s reign, the village of South Cao in Taiping County was haunted by a water ghost.
The ghost lurked beneath the suspension bridge leading into the village. By night, anyone crossing the bridge was dragged into the river and drowned. By the following morning, the corpse would reappear on the riverbank at the village’s entrance, bloated and wide-eyed, with a ghastly expression frozen on their face.
Within three short years, eight villagers—men, women, young, and old—had met this fate.
After the eighth victim three years ago, the bridge was dismantled. The villagers constructed a path around the river, which, though longer, was deemed a far safer alternative to the threat of death.
Initially, the villagers suspected human foul play and reported the matter to the authorities. However, as investigations progressed, the first victim’s death seemed connected to a woman who had been forced to drown herself in the village pond. This sparked widespread speculation among the villagers that the woman’s ghost had returned for revenge.
At first, the authorities dismissed such superstitions. But as the subsequent seven deaths unfolded, all linked to the deceased woman, the government had no choice but to attribute the cases to supernatural forces.
Yu Zhi Yi extracted the birth dates of two of the victims and began calculating. Moments later, her brows furrowed as she scrutinized the testimonies and evidence within the case files.
After a long while, she set everything aside and sipped her tea thoughtfully.
The case was not the work of supernatural forces. However, confirming this required further evidence, and it was not something she could solve within a single day. She jotted the key details into her personal notebook before moving on to the next case.
…
The second-to-last file she opened detailed a theft within the imperial palace. In the 28th year of Yong An’s reign, a precious artifact, the Prajna Glazed Lamp, vanished from the Longevity Palace.
The lamp had been an offering placed before the Buddha for twenty years, imbued with immense Buddhist power capable of exorcising demons and purifying malevolence. It also fostered tranquility and longevity when kept within a dwelling. Most importantly, it was a tribute from a vassal state and greatly favored by the Grand Empress Dowager of Tranquil Peace.
The lamp disappeared under her very nose. One moment, she saw it prominently displayed in her chambers; the next, after merely sipping tea, it was gone.
In the aftermath, Emperor Yuan An ordered a thorough search of Longevity Palace, scouring it from top to bottom, but to no avail. A subsequent search of the entire palace grounds also yielded no results.
Within the Mystic Sect, locating objects was considered a relatively simple task. With knowledge of the item’s appearance or residual aura, a search talisman could easily reveal its location. Unfortunately, Yu Zhi Yi had never seen the lamp herself.
Luckily, alternative methods were available. She perused the records of the palace staff from that time. Longevity Palace had housed twenty-eight palace maids and thirty eunuchs, most of whom had since passed away. Only one, the Grand Palace Maid Aunt Chang, remained alive—now a venerable seventy-eight years old.
The Grand Empress Dowager of Tranquil Peace had been the birth mother of the late emperor and the grandmother of the current ruler. Aunt Chang had served her faithfully from a young age and outlived her mistress. Following the Grand Empress Dowager’s passing, Aunt Chang was released from the palace. However, the emperor’s care for her endured, and he regularly sent her gifts during festive occasions.
With time on her side, Yu Zhi Yi decided to investigate. Carrying her imperial gold token, she entered the palace.
“You wish to examine Aunt Chang’s records?” The emperor’s well-maintained face betrayed his confusion. “Why so suddenly? Have her unworthy descendants caused trouble?”
Yu Zhi Yi replied, “Your Majesty tasked this subject with solving one case per day. After reviewing the archives, I believe the thirty-year-old case of the missing glazed lamp is the most solvable.”
“However, to succeed, I must first learn the lamp’s precise appearance. I plan to inquire with Aunt Chang.”
The emperor pondered her request briefly before signaling Eunuch Hu. Moments later, Eunuch Hu returned with two books: Palace Compendium of Treasured Artifacts and a record of palace staff.
The compendium contained an entry on the Prajna Glazed Lamp, complete with a detailed illustration. The lamp was exquisite, shaped like a lotus flower, translucent, and with a wick that emitted a faint red glow.
Yu Zhi Yi committed the image to memory and then calculated Aunt Chang’s fate based on her birth date. After some deliberation, her eyes gleamed with understanding.
“So that’s how it is,” she murmured.
The emperor’s eyes narrowed. “Is Aunt Chang involved in this matter?”
Eunuch Hu’s expression darkened with worry. Aunt Chang was a revered figure in the palace, practically family to the emperor. Any implication of wrongdoing on her part would place the emperor in an agonizing position.
“No,” Yu Zhi Yi assured.
The emperor visibly relaxed.
…
In the Glass Palace, Consort Yu lightly caressed her not-yet-rounded abdomen, her narrowed eyes glinting coldly. “That imposter has entered the palace again?”
Her attendant confirmed it with a bow.
Consort Yu’s sleeves swept sharply through the air. “Shameless wench! Married and still clinging to the emperor—what a disgrace.”
Though grudgingly impressed by the woman’s abilities, Consort Yu dismissed her as a schemer lured by wealth and status. Her trusted maid, Xiu Zhu, knowing her mistress’s temper, flattered, “That mountain wildling can’t compare to Your Grace’s beauty, nor even to the least-favored concubines here. His Majesty would never favor her. You need not worry.”
Pleased, Consort Yu’s mood improved. “Even so, one must remain vigilant. A person used to delicacies might still crave porridge occasionally. That woman is cunning; she must be watched.”
A young eunuch entered and whispered into her ear. Consort Yu’s eyes sharpened. “Aunt Chang…”
…
Back at Longevity Palace, Yu Zhi Yi ignited a search talisman, its paper burning with a trail of blue smoke that drifted purposefully before vanishing beyond their sight.
“It’s outside the palace,” Yu Zhi Yi concluded.
The emperor, intrigued, declared, “Wait, I’ll change and accompany you.”
Moments later, dressed as commoners, the emperor, Eunuch Hu, and Yu Zhi Yi prepared to depart. Just as they were about to step outside, a sharp announcement echoed:
“Aunt Chang has arrived!”