Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter Twenty-Nine: Yan Zhi

Chen Chang'an chuckled, "Many thanks, brother-in-law!"

Su Dingfeng shot him a glare and took off his outer robe.

"What...what are you doing?" Chen was baffled.

Su Dingfeng explained, "To fake a higher cultivation level, your entire body will feel as hot as a furnace—best to remove some layers in advance. Also, when I forcibly elevate myself to the Nascent Soul stage, I can only use my spiritual sense to observe the scene. If you want to see it too, you’ll need to touch my hands."

"Alright, alright!" Without hesitation, Chen Chang'an rolled up his sleeves and placed his palms firmly against his brother-in-law's.

With a focused gaze, the swordsman in white manipulated the Chaos Purity Talisman in Chen Chang'an’s pocket, making it float up slowly. It split into tiny sparks that began to burn.

Suddenly, both men sitting cross-legged on the bed found their minds transported to the residence of Xu Hezi, the foremost painter in the Da Min realm.

Under Su Dingfeng’s spiritual guidance, Chen Chang'an’s consciousness first swept through the side rooms, then the bedroom, where a sleeping Xu Hezi had already removed his outer clothing. After confirming nothing amiss, they moved to the artist’s studio, where completed paintings of figures, flowers, birds, and landscapes lined the walls, each one lifelike and beautifully rendered.

In the center of the room stood a long table cluttered with inkstones, over a dozen in all, each stained with traces of pigments—orange, pink, black. One square inkstone bore dried remnants of both yellow and blue.

"Why would he mix two colors together?" Chen Chang'an wondered aloud, turning his attention to the finished works on the wall. He paused before a piece titled "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains," suddenly understanding, "Ah, he uses blended colors!"

He carefully scanned the rest of the paintings, confirming his earlier deduction, and prepared to investigate elsewhere. But just as the thought formed, the scene around them twisted and shattered, a wave of dizziness overwhelming them both. Chen Chang'an opened his eyes to see Su Dingfeng drenched in sweat, chest heaving, looking utterly spent. Was that it? Couldn’t his brother-in-law have managed a few more minutes of pretense?

With a sizzle, the floating talisman burned to ash. Su Dingfeng coughed harshly, "I...didn’t expect faking a higher cultivation level to be so exhausting."

He collapsed, his body falling atop Chen Chang'an.

Just then, Su Wanqing burst in, calling for her brother because their mother needed him. She stopped dead at the sight of the two men, palms pressed together, Su Dingfeng’s shirt half-off and drenched in sweat. Her face flushed crimson, and she stammered, "Brother, you...you two..."

She fled before finishing her sentence.

Su Dingfeng, spent from exhaustion, had already passed out and could not respond or explain. Chen Chang'an, now pinned, shoved him off and got up. "Hey, no—it’s not what you think!"

Bang! In the dark, half-lit room, Chen Chang'an stumbled and smacked straight into the door.

Not far outside the Su family estate, across three or four streets, stood a long-abandoned high-rise. At its top, Mr. Fenyang stood facing the wind, looking toward the Su estate and shaking his head in disappointment. "Chen Chang'an, so you’re nothing but a schemer lacking courage. I gave Ye Lin and Hua Mulan a minor lesson, and you cowered indoors, clinging to Su Dingfeng. I overestimated you."

...

The next day, led by the matriarch Qin Fuluo, the entire Su family waited in the courtyard. As soon as Chen Chang'an opened the door, a servant girl rushed up, holding something high. "Master, these are salted duck eggs, cooked especially for you!"

"And this, chicken biscuits—delicious and best for breakfast!"

"And some preserved vegetables with diced pork, very nourishing."

Qin Fuluo smiled, her eyes shining with a clear light, "These are the last provisions in the house, my good son-in-law. They're all for you. Please, find the murderer quickly and restore our household registration in the Inner City."

"The last...provisions?" Chen Chang'an couldn’t help leaning forward.

A maid stepped up to explain, "Yes, Master. Our registration is now as Outer City residents. We’re hiding in the courtyard, afraid to go out and buy food. If we’re discovered, we’ll be punished."

Hearing this, Chen Chang'an put down his chopsticks, his appetite dampened. Last night he’d claimed the case could be solved today, mostly to give hope to Qin Fuluo and Su Wanqing, both desperate for their Inner City status back. But in truth, he had no idea when the mystery would be solved.

He’d thought the key was that, before her death, Xiao Lian had suggested Princess Changning hire Xu Hezi to paint a portrait of the Empress as a birthday gift. But their remote inspection last night, with Su Dingfeng’s feigned Nascent Soul sense, had revealed nothing useful.

"If all goes as expected, Xu Hezi should still be at the princess's residence today. Let’s visit his studio and see if anything turns up!"

Just then, Su Dingfeng approached, face pale, dragging his iron sword along the ground with a scraping sound, looking utterly drained.

Qin Fuluo asked with concern, "Feng'er, what’s wrong? You look unwell."

Su Dingfeng barely managed to lift his heavy eyelids, shaking his head, "It's nothing—probably just didn’t sleep well last night."

Standing nearby, Su Wanqing’s lovely face was creased with worry. She wanted to tell her mother what she’d seen last night, but shame and family reputation kept her silent. She could only shake her head, trying to block out the memory.

Noticing his sister’s odd look, Su Dingfeng asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Um..." Su Wanqing blushed, unable to speak.

Chen Chang'an guessed her thoughts and, embarrassed, seized Su Dingfeng. "Let’s go investigate!"

So, once again, Su Dingfeng hefted his brother-in-law over the wall, heading for Princess Changning’s residence. Along the way, they ran into Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng leading a detachment from the three investigative bureaus.

Li Shu greeted them amiably, "How did you rest last night? Where do you plan to investigate today?"

Chen Chang'an’s eyes flickered. "I heard Princess Changning invited Da Min’s foremost painter, Xu Hezi, to paint the Empress’s portrait. Why not forget the case for now and go see this master at work?"

Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng exchanged puzzled glances.

"Watch him paint? What’s there to see? The Censorate already impeached Lord Wen and Prefect Liu at court this morning over this matter. They claimed that, with the Empress’s birthday near, the murder of the princess’s personal maid was an affront to imperial authority. We must find the killer quickly. Besides, painting the Empress’s portrait is a solemn affair. Not even the princess herself is allowed to watch before it's finished."

Chen Chang'an winced inwardly. As expected, the censors would blow up any minor issue, making it a matter of imperial dignity.

"Fine, then let’s continue investigating Xiao Lian," he said. In truth, his plan was to reach the princess’s residence and then find a suitable reason to visit Xu Hezi’s studio with Su Dingfeng.

"Very well, let’s move," Wu Yuanheng agreed.

Li Shu muttered to himself, "Let’s hope we find something new from Xiao Lian this time. Otherwise, if Lord Wen is impeached, he’ll make trouble for me!"

On the main street, Su Dingfeng hugged his iron sword, Chen Chang'an’s vision blurred with fatigue, Wu Yuanheng trudged along, and Li Shu toyed with his copper coin as they led over ninety men from the three bureaus. The procession looked less like an official investigation and more like a gang marching to pillage.

Arriving at Princess Changning’s gates, Li Shu ordered, "All personnel, wait outside!"

"Yes, sir!" came the crisp reply.

Satisfied, Li Shu turned to enter, but just then, Madam Wang from the princess’s household hurried over and collided with him, spilling a bowl of green pigment all over his clothes.

"Sorry, Lord Li! Master Xu urgently needs green pigment, so I was rushing and didn’t see you. My apologies!"

Li Shu wanted to lose his temper, but thinking of the princess’s status, he waved it off magnanimously. "It’s fine, no harm done."

Chen Chang'an’s brows furrowed deeply as he stepped forward, his tone sharp. "You said Master Xu urgently needs green pigment?"

"Yes," Madam Wang replied. She was less deferential to Chen than to Li Shu, but since the princess had tasked him with the investigation, she answered his questions.

He wants...green pigment? No, that can’t be right. Why would he need green right now?

Suddenly, Chen Chang'an’s mind raced—something was definitely amiss. "There’s a problem here!"