The Anarchic Consort

No soul? Helian Wei Wei knitted her slender eyebrows instantly. If that’s the case, how can these rats still scurry around?

Although she could not make heads or tails of the mice’s unusual behaviour, this was enough to prove that something on the street had somehow gone unnoticed by them.

What is it actually?

What’s it that even His Highness can’t detect it?

Baili Jia Jue turned back and scoffed, “It’s most probably something similar to Elder Xu Wu. A creature that is neither alive nor dead. It even befouls the surrounding air and makes it stink.”

Is it?

Helian Wei Wei took a few breaths but she smelled nothing.

On the other hand, the Alsatian before her attempted to get a whiff along the ground, but to no avail.

As they could not stay any longer, Helian Wei Wei reminded Yan Liu’er to always carry the yellow rune with her before she bid farewell to Yan Liu’er and her mother politely. When she reached the entrance, she whispered, “Let’s go, Blackie.”

The Alsatian lifted his head and dashed toward Helian Wei Wei.

The little Kunming wolfdog in the courtyard began to bark again.

Helian Wei Wei and Baili Jia Jue did not look back as they walked. The alley was made of an unusually long stretch of road that led them right into darkness. Initially, it would take them around seven to nine minutes to reach the alley entrance from the Yan’s residence. Owing to Liu’er’s mother, they managed to find a shortcut. The road was swamped by complete darkness, but it was only a two-minute walk to the entrance. So, the locals would normally take the shortcut…

Hence, the officials of yamen had been looking at the wrong way since the beginning.

Without the information given by the locals, those ministers of Official Personnel Affairs would never realize the existence of this shortcut. Consequently, the progress of their investigation was hindered.

Helian Wei Wei fixed her eyes on the silent and dark shortcut. There were a total of nine families including the Yan family along the alley. All of them were nothing but humble and ordinary houses, locked by a wooden door. The air was peaceful and serene.

The Zhang Manor mentioned by Liu’er’s mother was amongst these houses as well. It was located on the front part of the alley, secured by a conspicuous red door and guardian stone lions. Compared to the rest of the houses along the alley, it appeared rather imposing.

The Alsatian paced forward. Carrying an ineffable aura, its black fur which seemed to have completely blended into the shadows.

Suddenly, it stopped in its tracks and lifted its gaze.

Helian Wei Wei stopped as well, her eyes turning toward whatever the Alsatian was looking at.

She then caught sight of an exquisite young master who was walking toward them. Following close at his heels was a servant who seemed to be begging him, “Young master, old master has told you to stay at home for a few more days until the officials from Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs complete their investigation. If you are found by those imperial officials…”

“Stop nagging! I’ve been staying home for three godforsaken days and I am extremely bored! Why can’t I take a stroll outdoor?” The man in his furry cloak flung the servant’s hands away impatiently. His eyes met those of Baili Jia Jue and Helian Wei Wei when he turned around.

His gaze soon landed on Baili Jia Jue’s face before he spoke in a condescending manner, “Where did these poor and pedantic scholars come from?”

Helian Wei Wei always knew the ability of His Highness to enkindle the embers of hatred. His striking handsome face was more than enough to incite any man’s jealousy.

But, poor and pedantic?

Helian Wei Wei could not help but chuckle, considering the man as a complete fool.

The man was still standing at the alley entrance. Holding his head high, he threw a glance at the back of Helian Wei Wei and Baili Jia Jue. He looked increasingly displeased and disgusted as he stared at them as if they were his servants. “You’re visiting the Yan family again? Hah, I really don’t understand why are there so many of you senseless people nowadays.”

The man took two steps forward as he spoke and stopped merely a few inches away from Baili Jia Jue. “I’ve warned you. You guys will never beat me. It’s better for you to give up now. Stop thinking so highly of yourselves just because you study and know a thing or two. Look at your shabby clothes. I bet there will be no young ladies who is willing to marry you.”

Baili Jia Jue did not utter a word. In fact, he simply raised his handsome eyebrows as he folded his right sleeve with his left hand nonchalantly.

It was then Helian Wei Wei watched as Blackie charged toward the man furiously, so fast that its fur flew in the wind. In a split second, it sank its teeth into his leg!

“Ahhhh!”

Immediately, his face turned ghastly pale before he bent his leg and hit the ground with his knees. He looked around, not knowing why he felt like he was bitten by something.

Seeing that his young master were on his knees, the servant reckoned that his master had slipped on the snowy floor. He hurriedly help him up and asked, “Are you alright, young master?”

They stirred up such a hubbub and awakened the entire neighborhood. Everyone was craning their necks to check out the commotion.

Feeling embarrassed, the man flung his legs before he turned to block Baili Jia Jue in his way. “Well, well, well. How dare you ambush me! Do you not know who am I? There’s no way you’re leaving today unless you kneel down before me and apologize to me!”

Baili Jia Jue walked past him without sparing him a glance.

Never had the man seen someone who dared disregard him like this before. “Call the imperial officers over now. Tell them that I’ve found a suspect and I have some clues to provide!” he hissed.

“But, old master said that…” the servant attempted to convince his master.

The man sneered, “Father is asking you to purge me of suspicion. Now, there’s someone who is more suspicious than me. So, what the h*ll are you worrying about? Bring my father here too. Let’s see how are these fellows going to escape!”

Helian Wei Wei deepened her gaze upon hearing his words. She painted a curl on her lips before she pulled His Highness by his sleeve and started to communicate with him via consciousness stream, “It seems like he has a pretty strong background.”

“Second Master Zhang,” Baili Jia Jue enunciated.

Helian Wei Wei knew that His Highness was always intelligent and, naturally, he could easily make the right guess. Not only that, she also knew that the slower His Highness spoke, the more brutal he was planning to act.

Helian Wei Wei did not want to bemoan Second Master Zhang anymore for she knew that he would soon be dead meat.

Instead, she felt sorry to Old Master Zhang as he would most probably lose his official position…

Sigh…

Helian Wei Wei threw Second Master Zhang another glance and thought to herself. He’s a fool who only knows how to create trouble for his father.

The onlookers were looking at them too. Yan Liu’er immediately recognized the man who was having conflicts with Second Master Zhang. He was one of the two young masters who visited her residence a moment ago. Quickly, she came forward to help Baili Jia Jue.

“I’m afraid that you’re mistaken, Young Master Zhang. They are not suspects but Feng Shui specialists.”

Helian Wei Wei frowned instinctively upon hearing this. She and His Highness hid their martial Qi just now as they did not want to act rashly and alert the enemy.

They believed that the culprit must be among the families who stayed in this alley!