CH 65

Pure: Thank you for all of your reviews on NU. Even if it’s not all positive critiques, I think it’s nice to read everyone’s thoughts on this book. Of course I didn’t write this story, but as a translator, I hope we’re doing this novel justice. Thank you Loume for helping me :)

Warning: more graphic descriptions of killing chicken

Translated by Pure

Edited by Loume

translate(d) by puretl . com / do not steal / re po/st

Chapter 65  Encountering the Little Maquis Outside a Brothel (1)

The three-day blizzard finally passed, and the sky cleared up. When Chaoge's bell rang for the first time at mao-shi (5-7 am), someone took a broom and went to the street to clean up the snow. The government also used the remuneration to hire the common people of Chaoge, encouraging people to take to the streets to clean up.

In about two hours, the streets and alleys were almost cleared up. The snow was transported to the outside of the city by wagons, piled up, waiting for the sun to come out and slowly melt.

The sons of officials trapped in Songhai Academy were also able to return home.

Wen Yantong stood by the door. She bid goodbye to Chi Jingxi who was about to head home. "Little Marquis, don't forget to take your medicine when you get home!"

Chi Jingxi didn't react, but Mu Yang turned around and gave her a big smile, imitating her appearance of saying goodbye.

The Academy resumed its usual classes the following day. Wen Yantong inquired and heard that Chi Jingxi didn't come. He must have ignored her instructions and didn't take his medicine when he went back, which worsened his condition.

At noon that day, Wen Yantong dragged Fu Zixian to the dining hall and stood in front of the dish that Chi Jingxi had mentioned.

The dish was called ‘inextricable’. It was just roasted chicken placed on a plate. The chicken was cut into strips, and the sauce was drizzled on top.

Wen Yantong didn't know how Chi Jingxi knew that there would be such a dish there. She leaned over to take a serious look and suddenly found a clue.

The problem was quite easy to spot. No wonder Chi Jingxi said that she had to write a withdrawal letter if she couldn’t see it.

Because the students in Songhai Academy were pampered, they did not eat chicken heads or necks. So when the grilled chicken was cut into stripes, the neck of the chicken was not included.

Wen Yantong looked to the side at the remains; the shell of the chicken frame. The chicken’s neck was cut off by a knife. She watched the kitchen aunt who sliced the chicken, held the chicken neck with her hands, and cut down with the knife skillfully.

Seeing this, she finally understood how Chi Jingxi immediately determined that the murderer was from the kitchen.

Because of the inertia of the knife.

If a normal person killed a chicken, the position of the knife would be very random, and at most, they would cut along the chicken’s head. But the murderer had to be a chef who often cut off chicken necks. Their knife cut was based on muscle memory; they cut off the chicken heads from the neck because that’s what they used to serve the students.

That's why when she saw Wu-dou that day, its head was severed from the neck root. It was because the chef, who probably thought it was too cold at night and also because they were afraid of being found out, operated under instinct.

Wen Yantong secretly rejoiced, realizing she was getting closer to the truth.

She calmed down and ate this dish for several days in a row. She did this so much that it made Fu Zixian feel uncomfortable whenever he saw chickens.

Finally, on the fifth day, she saw a chicken body without a neck on the plate, looking exactly like Wu-dou’s dead body.

The auntie in charge of the shredding seemed to dislike the person who cut chicken necks like this as she scolded, "It's Old Feng again! He sure likes to cut up every little bit, huh? How much can you fill up just by that little extra piece of meat?!"

Wen Yantong asked nicely, "What's the matter, Auntie? Isn't this chicken cut beautifully?"

"What's so beautiful ‘bout it?!" Wen Yantong often chatted with her in the past few days, so the aunt recognized her. Naturally, she answered Wen Yantong’s question, "Other chefs in the kitchen know to leave a section when they cut off the chicken neck. This way, when we shred the chicken, there’s something to hold on to. But there's one person who takes advantage of this and cuts off the neck of the chicken from the root, sigh..."

Wen Yantong agreed. "To not even let off small advantages, he doesn’t sound like a decent person at all..."

"Right? It's no wonder he’s still single even at this age..."

Wen Yantong was relieved, and after having dinner hastily, she ran to the kitchen. She asked for Old Feng, the one who doesn’t have a wife, and learned that there was only one Old Feng in the kitchen. So she assuredly asked for Old Feng's residence.

After she was directed to One Corner Courtyard, Wen Yantong learned that this Old Feng went out to have fun.

Wen Yantong asked a few more questions, "What kind of fun can Chef Feng go out to find?"

The other sighed. "Who knows? He has always been very poor. Whenever he had some money, he would use it to eat, drink, and have fun. Recently, he’s been talking nonstop about Xiao Yan from Qin Mo. So you may probably find him there."

"Qin Mo?" Wen Yantong wondered. "What is he doing there?"

What was a cook doing at Qin Mo? That place didn’t sound like a place for a crude person to go.

Unexpectedly the man laughed, "What else is he there for? Qin Mo is our Chaoge’s famous ‘place of warmth’!"

Wen Yantong quickly understood. She secretly scolded Chaoge for being so crooked. There were restaurants named like brothels, and the brothels were named so elegantly like restaurants.

But then she realized that this Old Feng might have gone to destroy evidence.

What was a brothel? A typical money-squandering establishment! It was very likely that this Old Feng was given banknotes by the mastermind behind the chicken murder. He wanted to spend the banknotes as soon as possible because he was afraid of being exposed. If the denomination of the banknote was too large, going to a place like a brothel was the fastest way to use it!

Wen Yantong nudged Fu Zixian. "Hurry! Hurry, we have to go!"

As long as she could get the banknote in Old Feng's hand, they would be able to find out who instructed him to kill Wu-dou. There was always a surname on the banknote. Like the banknote in Wen Yantong's hand, the lower right corner will always be stamped with ‘Wen Residence’s Deposit’.

Only stamped banknotes can be used and exchanged into silver, so this must be why Lao Feng was eager to use the banknote.

Fu Zixian was still confused as the two walked all the way to the Academy's entrance. They used Fu Zixian's jade plaque to leave the Academy and got into a carriage.

Wen Yantong hurriedly said, "Go to Qin Mo. The sooner the better!"

Fu Zixian added, "Don't be too fast. The roads are still slippery. Be careful of accidents."

Wen Yantong had no objection, so the carriage set off. It followed Chaoge's main road and headed towards Qin Mo.

Fu Zixian asked, "Why are we going to Qin Mo?"

"Go get something very important." Wen Yantong answered, "Hopefully, we can get there on time."

When they arrived at the Qin Mo Building, it was already completely dark. This three-story building was quite splendid. Colorful printed lanterns were hanging under the eaves, and a beautiful girl standing at the door to attract guests. It was just because of the cold winter and snowy weather, the girl's face and hands were frozen red.