The Ghostly Shadow drifted silently downward, tilting its head as it leaned close to Chu Yunxi, nearly touching his face. Its hollow eye sockets fixed intently on Chu Yunxi's nose as it spoke in an eerie voice.【Yu Nu, he's breathing.】Chu Yunxi's gaze passed through The Ghostly Shadow to Shi Wuxie's jade-like face, and the corner of his lips curled upward."If you don't believe me, why not feel for yourself?"As he spoke, he laboriously flexed the fingers of his right hand, his fingertips brushing against Shi Wuxie's slightly cool fingers hanging at his side. Then he lowered his gaze to his own bared chest and winked at Shi Wuxie.Shi Wuxie was silent for a moment. Then, seeming to understand, he slowly pressed his palm against that icy-cold chest.Thump-thump—thump-thump—A rhythmic heartbeat pulsed against his palm.More than that, on the bloodless, deathly pale skin was the wound he had just made with his scalpel. Now, with blood circulating once more, the wound was slowly trickling blood, a crimson stain gradually spreading across the nearly translucent white skin—like a red plum blossom suddenly blooming across a snowy field.Shi Wuxie's brow arched slightly. He nodded thoughtfully, the hint of excitement in his eyes growing even more pronounced.Resurrection from death?The Ghostly Shadow was equally excited. It swirled into a ball of black mist and circled overhead.【Yu Nu, he was clearly completely dead before, wasn't he? How did he come back to life?!】Shi Wuxie's eyes sparkled.He thought, I should find an opportunity to dissect him and see.Chu Yunxi shifted his shoulders, his voice deliberately aggrieved and coaxing."Then could you untie me? The ropes hurt…"But Shi Wuxie didn't move. Instead of answering, he asked, "The servants at the residence said that last night, you suddenly collapsed and died after eating alone in your room. But we examined everything you ate and found no poison. Do you know how you died?"Chu Yunxi froze, then shook his head."I… don't remember."The original owner's memories in his mind were fragmented—only a few scattered glimpses of a wedding flickered past: crimson candles, the clamor of voices…And then there was this person before him, who had gone through the wedding ceremony with him, called himself his husband, and nearly dissected him.What kind of hellish start was this?Hearing his answer, a trace of suspicion flashed through Shi Wuxie's eyes, disappearing in an instant before curiosity gathered there once more."Then how did you come back to life?"Chu Yunxi thought, I'd like to know that too.One second, he had been skiing, leaping off the highest peak of a snow-covered mountain.The next, he had awakened inside this body.He gave an awkward smile."I don't know."The Ghostly Shadow hovered in midair, observing Chu Yunxi curiously from above.【Yu Nu, he doesn't know anything. Could this be soul possession?】Shi Wuxie pondered for a moment, then shook his head."Unlikely. He recognized Chu Ji and called him Father. He must remember his identity."【How strange! Truly strange!】The Ghostly Shadow suddenly grew excited and began circling rapidly around Chu Yunxi.【Yu Nu, we searched through so many ancient texts for so long and never found a way to bring the dead back to life. And now there's a living example right in front of us!】Shi Wuxie looked at Chu Yunxi, his burning gaze growing increasingly resolute.If only this person had appeared ten years earlier…Then perhaps he could have brought all his loved ones back to life.But it wasn't too late now.He only needed to cut open this person's Niwan Palace and find the key to resurrection…Chu Yunxi could only see Shi Wuxie's lips moving slightly, as though he were murmuring something to himself. The look in his eyes grew increasingly eager.The next instant, the scalpel, gleaming with a chilling light, rose once more—And descended without hesitation toward his chest.Chu Yunxi's pupils contracted.He reacted with lightning speed, rolling off the autopsy table and stumbling several steps backward toward the door."Wait! You're going to murder your own husband?!"Shi Wuxie, scalpel in hand, shifted his gaze slightly and casually produced a perfectly reasonable excuse."Since you don't know the cause of your death, I'll have to find the truth myself. My superiors made an exception and allowed me out of prison to investigate for this one night only. If I can't find the true culprit before dawn, I must return to my cell to await trial."As he spoke, he walked unhurriedly toward Chu Yunxi. The hem of his coarse hemp examination robe swayed in the dim light, the blade hanging low in his hand, its edge flashing in and out of the candlelight with each step."So I still need to perform the autopsy."The excitement in his eyes was far too obvious.Chu Yunxi finally noticed it.An inexplicable chill ran down his spine.Why did Shi Wuxie look like someone staring at an extraordinarily precious experimental specimen?Rare.Fascinating.And begging to be explored.Chu Yunxi retreated rapidly, struggling to maintain his composure, both exasperated and amused."Have you considered that since I'm not actually dead, the murder charge against you no longer stands? If you lay a hand on me now, you'll really become a murderer."As he backed away, the corner of his eye caught sight of the long blade lying on the ground.He nimbly bent down and scooped it up. With a flick of his wrist, he sliced through the ropes binding his arms, then leveled the blade at Shi Wuxie.Faced with its point, Shi Wuxie did not retreat a single step.His normally flat lips even curved upward slightly, seemingly beyond his control."Doesn't matter."He looked at Chu Yunxi."You're already 'dead.'"Chu Yunxi fell silent.This guy was a complete lunatic.He turned and ran.The rainy night at the Court of Judicial Review was shattered by pounding footsteps.A drenched figure in red wedding robes sprinted down the covered corridor, blade in hand, bare feet slapping loudly through the puddles.Not far behind him, a gray-white figure pursued him with steady, swift strides, refusing to give up the chase.Several yamen runners were huddled beside the door leading to the corridor, peeking out and craning their necks.One of them said in a trembling voice, "Boss… did you just… see that? Those black-armored troops… they were all scared away by that risen corpse…"The speaker immediately received a rap on the head from their leader."Nonsense!" the head runner scolded righteously. "Don't go learning from those unruly commoners and spouting rubbish. We've served at the Court of Judicial Review all these years—when have we ever actually seen a ghost?"But the moment the words left his mouth, a figure appeared deep within the corridor, emerging from the interwoven shadows of rain and dim lamplight.His hair was disheveled.He wore a deep crimson wedding robe.His collar hung loose, blood still trickling down his pale chest, and he was brandishing a gleaming blade as he charged straight toward them.The color drained from the head runner's face.He pointed at the crimson figure with a shaking hand, his lips quivering."G-g-ghost…"His eyes rolled back, and he toppled stiffly to the ground."Boss!"The yamen runners had barely managed to catch him when a gust of icy wind swept past.The red-robed "vengeful ghost" was already upon them.Terrified out of their wits, they all froze where they stood.Yet the "ghost" didn't spare them so much as a glance. He swept past without looking back, leaving only an exasperated shout, half angry and half laughing, hanging in the air."You have to dissect me just to investigate a case?! Can't you try another way?"The next instant, another gray-white figure arrived.Shi Wuxie moved like the wind."The corpse is the most honest evidence. Only by determining the cause of your death can we trace it back to the culprit!"With that, he too swept past them like a gust of wind.Everyone remained frozen where they stood.After a long while, one of the yamen runners finally spoke blankly."The corpse… is being chased by my lord…"Then an inconceivable yet strangely reasonable possibility occurred to him.His eyes suddenly lit up with vicarious excitement."My lord is… catching a ghost, isn't he?""That's our lord for you!"After rounding several corridors and passing through the curtain of rain, Chu Yunxi found his path blocked by a thick stone wall.He raised his head against the falling rain and, by the dim light of the storm lantern beneath the eaves, saw the black plaque with gold characters above the doorway—Court of Judicial Review Prison.His steps stopped abruptly.Staring at the plaque, he tilted his head slightly.Then, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, a cunning glint flashed through his eyes.He abruptly turned and raised one hand, palm forward, making a clear stop gesture.The footsteps that had been following him like a shadow actually stopped.Shi Wuxie halted two paces away, raindrops sliding down his lean jaw.Chu Yunxi pointed toward the prison gate behind him."Are all the suspects inside?"Shi Wuxie nodded."All twenty-seven people who had the opportunity to act during last night's wedding banquet are being held here temporarily.""Good."The cunning gleam in Chu Yunxi's eyes grew brighter, and he winked at him."Let's make a deal. If I can help you find the culprit, you let me go. How about it?"Shi Wuxie tilted his head in confusion."What are you going to do?"Chu Yunxi didn't answer immediately.Instead, he turned once more toward the prison gate, his lips curling with mischievous delight.His smile was wicked."Open the door."Then he added:"Let me in."The jailers guarding the entrance had long since been frightened out of their wits. Their legs trembled as they looked toward Shi Wuxie for help.Shi Wuxie's gaze fell on Chu Yunxi's back.An extremely faint ripple passed through his eyes.Then he gave a slight nod.Trembling, one of the jailers fished out his keys and missed the keyhole several times before finally managing to insert the right one.With a heavy clunk, the iron lock opened.A gloomy wind carrying the smell of mold and blood surged out from within.Chu Yunxi, carrying the blade, sauntered slowly into the darkness.Cells separated by iron bars lined both sides of the passage.Most of the prisoners were curled up on piles of straw in the corners. Only a few near the entrance, roused by the opening door and the eerie scrape of a dragging blade, groggily lifted their heads and looked toward the passage.By the dim, flickering torchlight, a crimson figure slowly emerged from the darkness.The man was soaked through, water dripping from the hem of his magnificent robes onto the ground.Ink-black hair hung loose, covering half his face.Beneath his open collar, a gruesome wound on his blindingly pale chest was still slowly seeping blood.He walked at an unhurried pace, occasionally allowing the tip of the blade to scrape across the ground, sending up tiny sparks."I, you see—"The figure tilted his head and let out a sinister chuckle, his shoulders shaking as his eerie voice echoed throughout the prison."Ven—geance—has—arrived—"A brief, deathly silence followed.Then—"A g-ghost—!""Y-Young Master! It wasn't me! I didn't do it! Don't come for me—aaah!"Wails and pleas for mercy erupted one after another, instantly filling the entire prison and spreading into the deeper cells.By the time dawn began to break, the first rays of morning light had fallen across the plaque above Court of Judicial Review Prison.Shi Wuxie stood silently at the foot of the stone steps outside the prison gate.A night of cold rain had soaked his clothes, which clung to his slender frame.He stood perfectly straight, droplets of moisture clinging to his crow-feather lashes, staring unblinkingly at the pitch-black prison entrance.The Ghostly Shadow was restless, one moment peeking into the prison and the next drifting back to Shi Wuxie's side, circling him repeatedly.【Yu Nu, day is breaking.】The voice sounded directly beside Shi Wuxie's ear.【If you don't solve the case soon, you'll be thrown back into the dungeon.】Shi Wuxie said nothing.The Ghostly Shadow flickered back and forth around him, leaving trails of afterimages.【Why not just cut the boy open and be done with it? Why did you agree to his deal?】【He's a dead man anyway. What does it matter if he dies again?】【With your autopsy skills, are you really afraid you won't find the truth? Then you could clear your name, and we could keep his corpse to study why he came back from the dead!】Only then did Shi Wuxie's eyes move, a strange light flickering faintly within them."I'm merely curious."The Ghostly Shadow abruptly stopped moving.It hung in midair, head tilted, "staring" at him."His method might actually work."Just then, a rustling sound came from the darkness within the prison gate, accompanied by faint footsteps.The sounds drew closer.Chu Yunxi's indistinct silhouette gradually emerged from the darkness.He carried a blade in one hand.With the other, he dragged a man by the back of his collar, most of the man's body lying limply against the ground as his legs scraped feebly across the threshold.When he reached Shi Wuxie, Chu Yunxi released his grip.Thud!The half-conscious man landed at Shi Wuxie's feet like a sack."I found your culprit."Chu Yunxi gave a languid yawn, his clear voice carrying a trace of hoarseness after the sleepless night.Shi Wuxie lowered his gaze.The man sprawled at his feet was a cook who had accompanied Chu Yunxi into the Shi household as part of his marriage entourage. His eyes had rolled back, his face was drained of color, and his clothes were soaked through with sweat.He muttered weakly, "…This… this humble one was only being lazy… I used peach shortbread from Jubao Tower for the Young Master's refreshments… I… I truly didn't know their peach shortbread contained almonds…""Young Master… spare my life…"Before he could finish speaking, the cook's head lolled to one side and he fainted.Chu Yunxi shrugged."I'm allergic to almonds, so all the food in my courtyard is handled by designated staff, with strict orders that no almonds are allowed. This cook wanted to save himself the trouble, so he took it upon himself to buy peach shortbread from outside and pass it off as the household refreshments. He only realized what had happened after I collapsed from the reaction, but by then he was too frightened to admit it."As he spoke, he tossed Shi Wuxie a written confession."Here. He's already confessed and signed it."Shi Wuxie caught the confession and glanced over it.Then he turned toward The Ghostly Shadow, his eyes gleaming with excitement."See? It worked after all!"The Ghostly Shadow fell silent.【That actually worked?】It seemed somewhat speechless, but soon perked up again and spun in a circle.【So simple! I'll scare people like this from now on. Wouldn't interrogations become much easier?】Shi Wuxie tilted his head, recalling the scene of The Ghostly Shadow trying to bite Marquis Anping earlier.Then he shook his head."You won't work."The Ghostly Shadow stopped spinning."No one can see you."The Ghostly Shadow drooped dejectedly beside him.Shi Wuxie turned to Chu Yunxi."Since you're not dead, this no longer constitutes a murder case. At most, it was an accident caused by negligence within the household, compounded by deliberate concealment. I'll prepare a detailed record and close the case at the Court of Judicial Review."He glanced at the unconscious cook on the ground."He's one of your people. How you deal with him is up to you."Chu Yunxi looked down at the cook, who had been frightened half to death, and waved a hand."Someone this careless—I wouldn't dare keep him around. Just send him away."Shi Wuxie nodded."It was only a misunderstanding."Chu Yunxi took half a step forward, tilted his head, and leaned closer, staring intently into Shi Wuxie's unfathomably deep eyes.He coaxed him softly, pouring every ounce of charm into his voice."We had a deal. Now that the case is solved, you can let me go, right?"His fox-like eyes curved."My lord?"Shi Wuxie raised his lashes.Only then did he seem to remember their agreement.The excitement in his eyes gradually gave way to disappointment."Ah…"It was as though an extraordinarily precious experimental specimen were sitting right before him, yet he could only look and wasn't allowed to touch.For a long while, Shi Wuxie appeared to be engaged in an intense internal struggle.Could he take back something he had already promised?Apparently…No.His long, slender lashes fluttered.At last, he reluctantly uttered a single word."Fine."Chu Yunxi's eyes lit up.But then Shi Wuxie added:"Once you're dead, I'll use the blade on you."Chu Yunxi froze.He blinked slowly.…What?By the time he recovered, Shi Wuxie had already walked some distance away.Chu Yunxi hurried after him, his voice filled with incredulous exasperation."What's that supposed to mean? So you won't dissect me while I'm alive, but once I'm dead, you still won't let me go? Are you even human?!""Wait!""Hold on!"
Chapter 2
My Cold-Faced Wife Wants to Kill Me Again