“Wow!” Wen Ningwan let out an exclamation of awe, as if she had never seen such splendor before.
The bustling and lively city of Jinling was ablaze with lanterns during the Ghost Festival night, illuminating the entire sky. Having stocked up on suppressants from the Dali Temple’s storeroom to keep her pheromones in check, Wen Ningwan finally felt at ease to venture out and enjoy herself.
Gazing at the towering buildings in the distance and then at the lanterns behind her, she grabbed Miao Shiyi’s hand and pushed through the dense crowd, struggling for quite some time before finally squeezing into the restaurant across the street.
“Best view in town!” Wen Ningwan declared triumphantly, gesturing for Miao Shiyi to join her.
Miao Shiyi walked over and was stunned the entire city of Jinling sprawled beneath them, a dazzling sea of lights so beautiful it was almost blinding.
Glancing back at the few people behind them, Miao Shiyi tugged at Wen Ningwan, who was completely absorbed in the vibrant spectacle.
“Hmm?” Wen Ningwan turned curiously to look at Miao Shiyi, who seemed tense.
When she turned around, she was startled and immediately took a step back. Facing a group of armed men with swords at their waists, she swallowed nervously and forced a flattering smile. “Gentlemen, let’s talk this out, shall we?”
“This table was reserved by the State Preceptor. Leave now!” The leader’s tone was threatening, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, which was already partially drawn.
Miao Shiyi rolled her eyes and pulled Wen Ningwan away. “Let’s go, my lady. It’s not worth the trouble. If we can’t win, we can at least avoid it.”
Wen Ningwan quickly stopped her and stepped forward with a bright smile. “Do you even know who I am?”
“Doesn’t matter who you are. Get lost now!”
“…” Wen Ningwan’s lips twitched, and she shot Miao Shiyi a glare. “How dare you speak to me like that? Haven’t you heard of Assistant Minister Wen of the Dali Temple? The State Preceptor and I are close friends!”
“…” Miao Shiyi looked at her with disdain, amazed at her shamelessness and lack of boundaries.
The men exchanged glances. Recently, rumors had indeed circulated about the State Preceptor and Assistant Minister Wen of the Dali Temple. Though the State Preceptor had denied them, she hadn’t taken any action against Wen Ningwan afterward. Perhaps they really were friends.
“You’re really Assistant Minister Wen Ningwan of the Dali Temple?”
“Of course! The real deal!” Wen Ningwan puffed out her chest proudly.
After another shared look, the men cupped their hands in apology and retreated. “Our apologies for the disturbance.”
Miao Shiyi stared in disbelief as the men left, then turned to the smug Wen Ningwan. “My lady, what if the State Preceptor actually shows up? What do we do then?”
“Then we’ll give up the table, of course,” Wen Ningwan said, sitting down. She doubted the State Preceptor would make a scene over a mere seat, her dignity wouldn’t allow it. Besides, Wen Ningwan was now under her protection.
“Bring us food!” Wen Ningwan waved her hand grandly. “And a jug of wine while you’re at it.”
Miao Shiyi sat down uneasily, watching as Wen Ningwan admired the view below. She let out a resigned sigh.
Wen Ningwan glanced at her curiously. “What’s wrong? Lighten up, we’re here to have fun.”
“How can I relax when we’re sitting at the State Preceptor’s reserved table?”
“Don’t worry!” Wen Ningwan leaned in and whispered, “The State Preceptor may be formidable, but she wouldn’t stoop to fighting over a seat. That’d be beneath her. Besides, we helped her household catch a murderer, she won’t do anything to us.”
Miao Shiyi nodded, though she still had her doubts. Was this really enough to justify their boldness? Could it be that Assistant Minister Wen truly had an extraordinary relationship with the State Preceptor?
Wen Ningwan inwardly bet that the State Preceptor wouldn’t get angry. She had a clear understanding of his character aside from matters of power and interest in the court, he was unwilling to meddle in other affairs. Moreover, if he found her annoying, he wouldn’t have assigned her tasks. So why not take advantage of that?
The waiter respectfully served the dishes and looked at them warmly. “Young Master Wen, please help yourself. Don’t stand on ceremony. This wine is a gift from our boss.”
The two exchanged curious glances before the proprietress upstairs smiled at them.
“Why?” Wen Ningwan grew wary. There was no such thing as a free lunch.
The waiter explained, “Zou Yun was from the same hometown as our proprietress. Since you solved the case and brought peace to the deceased, she wanted to thank you specially.”
“Oh, it was just our duty,” Wen Ningwan replied modestly, pouring a glass of wine and raising it toward the proprietress upstairs.
The proprietress smiled faintly before swaying over gracefully with a fan. “May I join you?”
“Please!” Wen Ningwan gazed at the beauty with infatuation. Why were all the women in this story so stunning? It was enough to make her head spin.
“I’d like to toast Young Master Wen,” the proprietress said, pouring herself a drink.
Wen Ningwan enthusiastically clinked glasses with her while Miao Shiyi quietly focused on the food.
“Speaking of which, Zou Yun’s wife was a friend of mine. That very morning of the incident, she even gave me some mushrooms her family had dried.”
“The morning of the incident?” Wen Ningwan asked, puzzled.
“Yes. Not long after, she was called back, saying something had happened at home. Later, I found out Zou Yun had been killed.”
The proprietress shook her head helplessly and sighed. “Zou Yun wasn’t like this before. It was only after he got together with his wife that he started indulging in debauchery. It’s a shame, they were both good people, just incompatible.”
Wen Ningwan suddenly stood up, her expression tense as she looked at Miao Shiyi. “Stop eating. We need to go.”
Miao Shiyi, still chewing, was dragged away by Wen Ningwan. The proprietress watched them in confusion. “Young Master Wen, what’s wrong? Aren’t you staying?”
“We’ll settle the bill another day!” Wen Ningwan called back as she pulled Miao Shiyi downstairs.
Once Miao Shiyi finally swallowed the food in her mouth, she asked, “My lord, what’s going on?”
“Do you remember the dried mushrooms you saw at the scene? And the case records from the Capital Office? Zou Yun’s wife claimed she was called back from outside the city, but in reality, she had already delivered mushrooms to the proprietress that morning.”
“She lied!” Miao Shiyi realized. “She’s the real culprit!”
“Not certain yet. First, go to the Dali Temple and gather backup,” Wen Ningwan instructed.
Miao Shiyi quickly grabbed her. “My lord, where are you going?”
“Chief Clerk Liu mentioned that Zou Yun’s wife plans to return to her hometown tomorrow morning. I’ll go keep an eye on her in case she tries to flee. You hurry and bring reinforcements.”
“Yes!” Miao Shiyi turned to leave but glanced back. “My lord, be careful.”
Wen Ningwan nodded. As long as she didn’t leave the city, she wasn’t afraid of becoming cannon fodder especially since she was only going to surveil.