The White Bodhisattva

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When the two assistant officials heard the words "Guiyun Manor," their expressions changed slightly.

"Your Honor, the criminal records department has files on Guiyun Manor," Ding Sheng said, seemingly reluctant to discuss the matter further. "I'll have someone bring the files to you later. Once you've reviewed them, everything will be clear."

Wei Changle nodded in agreement.

The two assistant officials didn't linger and soon excused themselves, leaving the hall in silence.

Wei Changle rubbed his temples, feeling a bit tired, but his mind was already piecing together the situation in Shanyin.

He ate a few more bites of food and then stepped outside, where he saw Zhinü waiting under a large tree.

"Second Master!" Zhinü hurried over as soon as he saw Wei Changle.

"Did you eat enough?"

"Yes, I did," Zhinü replied softly. "As per your instructions, I've gathered some information about the previous two magistrates from the kitchen staff."

Old Wei Gu and Zhinü had dined in the kitchen that evening, following Wei Changle's orders to extract information from the cooks. It seemed Zhinü had accomplished the task well.

Wei Changle patted Zhinü on the shoulder and smiled. "Let's talk back at the courtyard."

The magistrate had a dedicated residence within the yamen, located in the northeast corner. Two constables stood guard at the gate day and night.

These constables weren't just there for security; their main duty was to relay any urgent summons from the magistrate.

Ding Sheng had already arranged for the courtyard to be cleaned and stocked with all necessary supplies. As an assistant official, it was his job to ensure the magistrate's comfort.

From the dining hall, a stone path led directly to the courtyard gate.

Old Wei Gu was sitting on a stone stool by the gate, clutching his wooden box. When he saw Wei Changle approaching, he quickly stood up, and the two constables straightened their postures.

News of the incident in the prison had spread throughout the yamen by evening. Everyone knew that the young magistrate had a temper and had personally broken the legs of Pig Nine from the Five Immortals Society.

Though Wei Changle appeared harmless, the two constables were still wary of him.

Wei Changle ignored them and led the way into the courtyard, with Zhinü closing the gate behind them.

Inside the main room, Zhinü lit an oil lamp, and Wei Changle slumped into a chair, finally feeling the weight of exhaustion.

"Second Master, I'll fetch some hot water for you to soak your feet," Zhinü said, heading for the door. "You should rest early."

Wei Changle shook his head. "Tell me about the previous two magistrates first."

During his journey, Wei Changle had learned that the two previous magistrates had met mysterious fates—one died, and the other disappeared. He had suspected there was more to the story.

One had died from falling off his horse after drinking too much, and the other had vanished without a trace along with his entire family.

Within a year, Wei Changle was the third magistrate to take office. Would some misfortune befall him as well?

If he didn't figure out what had happened to the previous two, he would always feel uneasy in the yamen.

"The two previous magistrates were named He Gui and Su Changqing," Zhinü said softly, her clear eyes reflecting the lamplight. "He Gui arrived in February. He was a heavy drinker and a socialite. Soon after arriving in Shanyin, he became close with the local gentry and wealthy families. He was frequently invited to banquets and never declined."

Wei Changle sneered inwardly, knowing that He Gui's close ties with the gentry meant he had likely turned a blind eye to the plight of the slums in the western district.

"Did he really die from falling off his horse?"

"That night, He Gui went to the Gan family's banquet with Hou Tong," Zhinü explained succinctly. "The Gan family is one of the three major families in Shanyin, very influential. He Gui often socialized with them. That night, besides Hou Tong, two constables also accompanied him."

"So he got drunk at the Gan family's place?"

"Yes," Zhinü nodded. "They drank until midnight. On the way back, the horse suddenly spooked. He Gui, being drunk, couldn't steady himself and fell off, hitting his head. He died before they could get him back to the yamen."

Wei Changle frowned. "Was Hou Tong with him on the way back?"

"Along with the two constables," Zhinü said. "Their testimonies matched afterward. The coroner confirmed that He Gui died from a head injury, and the case was closed." She paused, then added softly, "But the cook let slip that He Gui's death was due to a curse."

"A curse?" Wei Changle was surprised.

"Second Master, something strange happened the night before the incident," Zhinü continued. "He Gui was drinking alone and seemed in a bad mood. After getting drunk, he sent someone to summon a person to the yamen." She smiled slightly and asked, "Do you know who he wanted to summon?"

Wei Changle flicked Zhinü's forehead. "Don't beat around the bush. It's a bad habit. Remember that."

Zhinü rubbed her forehead and said obediently, "The White Bodhisattva. He Gui sent someone to fetch the White Bodhisattva in the middle of the night."

Wei Changle immediately recalled the mention of the White Bodhisattva when he entered the city. The corpse deliverer had called her Shanyin's greatest benefactor.

"What does He Gui summoning the White Bodhisattva have to do with his death the next night?"

"She's a nun," Zhinü said. "Second Master, the White Bodhisattva is a nun."

At this, Old Wei Gu, who had been dozing off, suddenly perked up and added, "A nun with a great figure!"

Wei Changle shot Old Wei Gu a disdainful look and muttered, "You old pervert." But he quickly found the situation intriguing and asked, "He Gui summoned a nun to the yamen in the middle of the night? What was he planning?"

Zhinü's cheeks turned slightly red, and she turned to Old Wei Gu. "You tell him, Uncle Gu."

"He was lustful and bold," Old Wei Gu said with a sly smile. "Alcohol fuels desire. He Gui had too much to drink that night and somehow thought of the White Bodhisattva. He found an excuse to summon her to the yamen, intending to take advantage of her. The cook said He Gui ordered everyone to stay away, claiming he had important matters to discuss with her."

Wei Changle understood He Gui's intentions but was shocked that the man had the audacity to try such a thing in the yamen.

"Not long after, someone saw the White Bodhisattva leaving in a hurry," Old Wei Gu continued. "She didn't seem upset, but He Gui didn't make a sound. Later, someone noticed something was wrong and went to check on him. They found He Gui lying on the floor, unconscious like a dead pig, as if he had passed out from drinking."

Wei Changle chuckled. "So no one saw what actually happened between them?"

"Someone did," Zhinü said with a faint smile. "The cook said he saw a handprint on He Gui's face, clearly from a slap. The next night, He Gui fell off his horse and died. So some people whispered that He Gui had offended the White Bodhisattva, a divine being, and was cursed to death."

"If that's the case, He Gui was indeed a scoundrel," Wei Changle said coldly. "But for a county magistrate to die the day after offending a nun? If the White Bodhisattva really had something to do with it, she must be quite powerful."

Zhinü added, "He Gui's death at least had an explanation, but Su Changqing, who came after him, vanished without a trace."

"Right, what about Su Changqing?"

"Su Changqing was a lieutenant in the Black Spear Army," Zhinü said, her expression turning serious. "Unlike He Gui, he was a military man."

Wei Changle was momentarily stunned. From his memories, he knew exactly what the Black Spear Army was.

It was the private army of Zhao Pu, the military governor of Hedong.

Hedong was the northern barrier of the empire, with a significant military presence. Besides the 20,000 border troops, there were 40,000 soldiers stationed across Hedong's prefectures, divided into cavalry and infantry. The Wei family controlled 10,000 elite cavalry among them.

However, while the Hedong army was nominally under the military governor's command, it was ultimately controlled by the imperial court and not entirely subordinate to the governor.

Each military governor maintained a private army, ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of soldiers, entirely loyal to them.

Zhao Pu, the military governor of Hedong, had a private army of 4,000, primarily composed of spearmen with black-painted spears, hence the name Black Spear Army.

Hearing that Su Changqing was from the Black Spear Army, Wei Changle was genuinely surprised.

"After He Gui's death, Su Changqing was directly transferred from the Black Spear Army to Shanyin. He brought his wife with him, along with two personal guards, also from the Black Spear Army," Zhinü explained. "Su Changqing was young, only in his early thirties. He had married just three years ago, and his wife was nearly ten years his junior. They seemed very close. Since they had no children, he brought her along to keep her company."

"After He Gui's death, the higher-ups must have suspected foul play, which is why they sent Su Changqing," Wei Changle nodded slightly. "Su Changqing knew Shanyin was a dangerous place, so he brought two trusted guards from the army. He didn't want to be left vulnerable."

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