In the confines of the ice room, the air was thick with the scent of death. Li Lianhua gingerly covered his face with a handkerchief, his stomach churning at the sight of the lifeless body before them.
"You look like you're about to lose your lunch," Fang Duobing remarked, his voice muffled by his own cloth mask as he meticulously examined the body for any signs of injury.
Li Lianhua shot him a reproachful glance. "You don't seem to be bothered by the sight of a dead body."
"I'm a detective," Duobing retorted matter-of-factly, not missing a beat in his examination. "If you're feeling queasy, you can always wait outside."
"I'm not going to let you have all the fun," Lianhua replied, determinedly holding back his discomfort. "Besides, someone needs to make sure you don't miss anything."
Duobing chuckled under his breath. "Just try not to faint on me."
After sometime they went to Madam Yu and showed her the needle, "Do you recognize this? This golden needle was found in Second Young Miss's heart."
"This needle can kill people?" Madam Yu's husband asked.
"This is... the Soul Snatching Needle?" she said and was shocked, "How did it get out? Bring me the Armory's records."
A person who was incharge of armory room came with a register, "Madam, I've checked. The Soul Snatching Needle has been missing since six months ago."
"Who took it?" she yelled.
"It was..." the guard reluctantly said, "Yun Jiao, Second Young Miss."
Madam Yu angrily walked towards Yun Jiao room and yelled at her, "I knew it. It was you who killed my sister. If you don't confess, I have thousands of ways to make you suffer. Tell me the truth."
"Stop! Madam Yu! Are you going to torture her?" Fang Duobing intervened.
"If I don't torture her, how can I make her talk? Ever since she saw the dead body she got traumatized and is acting crazy."
Fang Duobing, realizing Madam Yu's reluctance to listen, swiftly turned the situation to his advantage.
"Here, Master Li is a renowned miracle physician," he declared, gesturing towards Li Lianhua. "If he can't cure her, you can hang him up again and roast him. I won't plead for him."
Li Lianhua shot a glare at Fang Duobing, feeling a pang of frustration at being thrust into the spotlight once again. "How typical of Fang Duobing to offer me up as a sacrifice whenever he's in a bind," he grumbled inwardly. "I swear, this detective benefits more from my skills than any of my patients."
"Doctor Li, please say something," Fang Duobing said with an innocent smile, seemingly oblivious to Li Lianhua's silent frustration.
"Surely, I can cure here but it will take some time to prepare the medicine."
Madam Yu was irritated at this but to force confession out of Yun Jiao she reluctantly agreed, "Do anything you want but I need her to speak up."
Madam Yu departed from the room, leaving Fang Duobing and Li Lianhua alone. Lianhua let out a tired yawn, rubbing his eyes. "I need to sleep. I want some rest; my brain is not braining anymore."
"You should take some rest, or your wound won't heal," Duobing advised, feeling a sharp twinge of pain in his back, a reminder of his own injury.
"What are you going to do?" Lianhua inquired, but Duobing brushed off his question and left the room. Lianhua sighed and made his way to the guest room, feeling grateful for the hearty dinner that awaited him. Deep down, he knew that Duobing would solve the case, as always.
Late at night, the tranquility of the palace was shattered by the sound emanating from Yun Jiao's room. A crowd quickly gathered, drawn by the commotion. There, they found Queen Yu's husband ensnared in a net, with Fang Duobing standing beside him. It was evident that Duobing had set a trap to capture whoever intended to harm Yun Jiao, as she was the sole witness who posed a threat to the perpetrator. Caught in the trap was none other than Pu Mulan, Queen Yu's husband.
"What's happening in the middle of the night? What are you doing here?" Madam Yu asked as she looked at his husband captured in a net.
Pu Mulan's retort was laced with irritation as he explained, "I was merely concerned for her well-being, hence my visit."
"Sneaking in like a thief in the dead of night?" Fang Duobing scoffed, his amusement evident. He then turned his attention to Queen Yu with a solemn declaration, "Madam Yu, the murderer of Second Young Miss stands before you."
Madam Yu was shocked and asked, "Wasn't it Yun Jiao?"
Li Lianhua stepped forward, his tone firm as he addressed the room. "Yun Jiao's intentions were pure. She only sought to aid Castellan Yu, driven by her affection for him." With a sense of purpose, he revealed a love letter discovered in Pu Mulan's quarters, written by Yun Jiao herself.
The room fell into a hushed silence as the implications of Li Lianhua's revelation sank in, casting a shadow of doubt over Pu Mulan's innocence.
Fang Duobing's mind raced like a whirlwind as he watched Li Lianhua, his expression akin to a bewildered owl caught in a storm. "So, he wasn't just catching Z's; he was playing detective all along," Duobing thought to himself, his admiration for Lianhua's cunning rising like a freshly baked soufflé.
In the silent exchange of glances between them, Duobing could almost hear the unspoken victory chant echoing in Lianhua's eyes. It was like watching a mischievous fox reveling in its successful hunt, and Duobing couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the sight. After all, who knew a sleeping beauty could also be a master detective in disguise?
Pu Mulan attempted to dismiss the accusation with a derisive laugh, crossing his arms defiantly as he countered, "Even if I were responsible for the princess's demise, why would I go to such lengths to draw attention to her body? It makes no sense."
His words carried a hint of desperation as he sought to regain his wife's trust, despite the damning evidence stacked against him.
Fang Duobing's words were like a sharp dagger, piercing through the silence of the room.
As Madam Yu flipped through the account book, her rage surged like a tidal wave. She turned to her husband with fiery eyes, her voice booming with fury, "How could you? After all these years of trust, you dare to betray me like this?"
Yun Jiao, who had been silent since the incident, could no longer bear the weight of her guilt. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she rose from her seat, her voice trembling as she confessed, "Yes, I helped him in killing her." Her admission hung heavy in the air, casting a pall of shock over the room.
"You-" Pu Mulan's anger boiled over, and he swiftly hurled a poisonous needle towards Yun Jiao before making a dash to escape.
Fang Duobing swiftly intervened, deflecting the needle with his sword just in time to save Yun Jiao from harm. "Catch him!" he shouted, rallying the others as they pursued Pu Mulan. In a final confrontation, Duobing tackled Pu Mulan to the ground, bringing an end to his escape.
Realizing that her reputation was at stake, Madam Yu glanced around, noting the absence of any other witnesses besides her men and the two detectives, Fang Duobing and Li Lianhua. In a panic, she ordered her guards to eliminate them before they could reveal the truth about the assassination attempt.
The guards swiftly closed in, surrounding Fang Duobing and Li Lianhua with their drawn swords, ready to carry out their orders.
"Madam Yu, we've brought you the culprit. Why turn against us now?" Duobing questioned, his tone tinged with disbelief and instinctively positioned himself between Li Lianhua and the oncoming onslaught of attacks.
Looking at Fang Duobing's determined face, Lianhua felt grateful. It was rare for someone to risk themselves for him. But here was Fang Duobing, facing danger head-on to protect him. It meant a lot.
As the guards pressed their assault, Fang Duobing remained steadfast in his defense, his movements fluid and calculated. With a fierce determination etched upon his face, he fought with a singular focus: to shield Li Lianhua from harm at all costs.
Suddenly, a bark echoed through the chaos, heralding the arrival of reinforcements from the Baichuan Academy. With swift efficiency, the academy members entered the fray, subduing the remaining guards and restoring order to the scene.
To be continued...