Chapter 32: What, Afraid I’ll Eat Your Young Master?

Chapter 32 What, Afraid I'll Eat Your Precious Young Master?

Sang Yu hurriedly steadied him, his voice full of concern: "Since we've found her, let's hurry over and see what happened."

"Alright, alright..."

When the two arrived at the thatched cottage west of the city and saw the scene before them, Li Zhiming's pupils shrank sharply. The world spun around him and his vision blacked out.

"Ah..."

Li Zhiming cried out, his whole body trembling with fear. Almost instinctively, he pressed against Sang Yu beside him, his voice trembling: "Is she... is she..."

Inside the dilapidated thatched cottage.

Cui Liuer's hair ornaments and outer robes were a mess, filthy and disheveled. Her body was covered in multiple knife wounds, and her pretty face bore several bright red slap marks and was slashed multiple times, her features utterly destroyed.

Such a pretty face—better dead. Only dead would she be well-behaved.

Crimson blood slowly pooled beneath her, soaking her precious silk robes.

Her wide-open eyes seemed to say she died with unfinished business.

Although Li Zhiming had seen scenes like this before, they'd all been fictional. This was his first time confronting a bloody, horrifying crime scene up close.

He seemed terrified, shaking violently, yet he forced himself to endure the overwhelming nausea and fear, staring hard at the scene.

Sang Yu quietly took his hand and whispered soothingly, "Young Master, she's gone. Don't look anymore. Let's head back."

He looked very considerate.

But from an angle no one could see, there wasn't a trace of worry in the young man's eyes—only immense satisfaction and glee, like a kid who'd just stolen candy.

He was excited, so excited his veins were bulging.

Li Zhiming, his hand held by Sang Yu, felt the violent pulse and assumed he was scared—after all, he was only seventeen.

The smell of blood grew thicker, creeping into his nostrils, as if the blood on the ground was still warm.

Just this afternoon, they'd been talking. She'd been a lively, breathing person.

They'd even pledged their lives to each other.

Li Zhiming's thoughts slowly cleared. Looking at the chaotic scene, grief overwhelmed him and he vomited with a retch.

"Young Master..."

Feng Yin arrived too. Seeing the bloody, chaotic scene, even a guard like him was stunned breathless—this had to be a deep grudge.

He quickly spotted Li Zhiming being supported by Sang Yu and rushed over in a few strides: "Young Master, you shouldn't look at this. Let me take you back to the residence first."

Li Zhiming swayed, unable to speak.

Sang Yu kept supporting him, saying to Feng Yin in a calm, measured tone, "I'll take him back. You stay and handle things here. The Cui family will probably show up soon."

Feng Yin hesitated.

Sang Yu shot him a casual glance. "What, afraid I'll eat your young master?"

Feng Yin glared at him, annoyed, but reluctantly let go.

After vomiting, Li Zhiming felt a bit better and gradually got used to the surroundings. He wanted to stay, but Sang Yu dragged him away by force.

Then with a single palm strike, he knocked him out, sending him into a deep sleep.

In the quiet room, only the sound of steady breathing filled the air.

Sang Yu sat by Li Zhiming's bedside, watching his sleeping face, watching his slightly furrowed brow. He couldn't help reaching out to smooth the furrow.

"Li Zhiming, Li Zhiming. You provoked me, and now there's no getting away. In this life, you'll never marry anyone."

"Whether I want you or not, you're mine."

"Sleep now. When you wake up, everything will be okay."

News of Magistrate Cui's daughter dying horribly in the wilderness spread fast, growing more exaggerated with each retelling—that the magistrate's enemies had taken revenge by killing her so miserably.

Magistrate Cui submitted an urgent memorial that very night, vowing to catch the murderer.

Word soon came that the culprit had been found—and before he could be arrested, he chose to take his own life. The investigation showed no connection to Li Zhiming or the Prime Minister's estate.

When Li Zhiming heard the news, he showed no reaction, just staring blankly.

He'd wanted to visit the Cui residence again.

But the emperor's decree was clear—he had a mission and had to leave the capital at once. He had to set matters here aside for now, so he boarded the carriage out of the capital.

Sang Yu stood by the window, a man in black kneeling outside: "Master."

"Follow Li Zhiming. If he's in danger, anyone can be killed."

His tone was icy, like an emotionless robot.

"Yes, Master."

"How is that old man doing?"

"No change. The court situation is stable."

"Go."

"Yes."

...

The journey was long, the carriage jolting along for days before reaching Liangzhou.

Feng Yin accompanied him, noticing his gloom the whole way: "Young Master, Miss Cui's death has nothing to do with you. There's no need to blame yourself."

He didn't know Li Zhiming and Cui Liuer had known each other, let alone that they'd nearly been betrothed.

Li Zhiming opened his mouth as if to speak, then sighed: "I'm fine."

"Then why have you been sighing and frowning the whole way? Are you worried about the second young master and the others?"

"No, that's not it either."

Li Zhiming stared blankly into space.

Feng Yin did his best to cheer him up along the way, but Li Zhiming increasingly felt like a cold-hearted person—someone who'd nearly become his wife had died so miserably...

Apart from shock and fear, and a sense of pity and sorrow, that grief faded away surprisingly fast.

In just a few days, he barely felt any sadness at all.

"Feng Yin, am I being cold and ungrateful?"

"Huh?"

The sudden question caught Feng Yin completely off guard, and he shook his head honestly: "No, everyone says you're the most compassionate person, how could you be heartless?"

"..."

It's like talking to a brick wall.

Li Zhiming gave up trying to confide in him, went back to staring blankly, and braced for the busy days ahead.

"Master, should we go see the local magistrate first..."

"No." Li Zhiming refused decisively, "No one here is reliable; we can't trust a single person. Any one of them could be the death of us."

Magistrate Cui had already told him that since there were local big shots here, and from his years of watching dramas, these types usually worked hand in hand with officials.

Officials? They were the least reliable of all.

Maybe they were even in cahoots with higher-ups.

"Then, Master, what should we do now?"

"Go quietly check out where the Prince and the others usually hang out and where they stay. Don't make a scene; we have to do this on the down low."

"Yes."

Feng Yin went off to investigate.

Li Zhiming headed back to the inn he'd booked.

It was still risky, but at least it was more comfortable.

Aside from Feng Yin, he'd brought a few reliable guys to dig up info, and they should have some news by tomorrow.

Li Zhiming was beat and flopped onto the bed.

That night, General Lu quietly came to meet him; he had already rushed back to Liangzhou ahead of time and now shared his plans and known intelligence with Li Zhiming.

"A brothel?"

Li Zhiming was shocked.