In the inner hall, Chen Geng was deep in thought, pacing back and forth. The dark wooden floor creaked slightly under his steps, surrounded by various screens sectioning off different areas. The lanterns cast his elongated shadow on the floor, creating a serene atmosphere.

This tranquility was disrupted as Wei Zhaoyang entered, followed by Ye Nanqiao and Cheng Wuyue. Chen Geng stopped and nodded as he saw them.

"Greetings, Master Bingchen," Chen Geng said to Ye Nanqiao, then turned to Cheng Wuyue, "And who might this be?"

"Cheng Wuyue," was the reply.

Chen Geng bowed slightly, "Apologies for summoning you so abruptly."

Ye Nanqiao, not particularly fond of officials, retorted, "It is indeed abrupt. May I know why we have been summoned?"

Chen Geng motioned for them to sit and poured tea, then began, "I had the fortune to witness Master Bingchen solving a case on the street, which was quite enlightening. Seeing you outside the hall, I assumed you might be interested in this case as well, hence the invitation. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

Ye Nanqiao replied with a smile, "So the official wanted to hear about this. I thought we were being suspected of a crime."

Chen Geng looked at Wei Zhaoyang, "Do I seem so indiscriminate?"

Wei Zhaoyang shrugged, "It was you who stopped the procession in public."

Chen Geng looked apologetically at Ye Nanqiao, "It was a hasty decision, indeed inappropriate."

Ye Nanqiao sipped his tea, "I doubt my little tricks would be of much help to an official like yourself."

Wei Zhaoyang, standing behind Chen Geng, interjected anxiously, "My master is not like those other incompetent officials!"

Chen Geng coughed lightly and poured another cup of tea, then looked at Wei Zhaoyang, "Calm down, Zhaoyang. Sit down. No need to rush."

Wei Zhaoyang sat down, slightly disgruntled.

Seeing the interesting dynamic between the two, Ye Nanqiao, sensing Chen Geng might be different from other officials, asked more seriously, "Why are you so certain there's something amiss with Luo Tianqi's death?"

Chen Geng replied, "I passed by today and noticed the woman in the funeral procession wearing red under her mourning clothes, which seemed odd."

"Why not bring her in for questioning?"

"I don't think she's a murderer. If Luo Tianqi's death is related to her, there must be an accomplice."

Cheng Wuyue, who had been silent, asked, "What if Luo Tianqi was indeed killed? What if it was just an accident?"

Ye Nanqiao shook his head, "Can someone really sleep soundly through a fire?"

"Maybe he was drugged..." Wei Zhaoyang's eyes lit up.

Cheng Wuyue nodded, "Or the murderer set the fire after the killing..."

"The truth will be clear after tomorrow's autopsy," said Chen Geng, looking at them, "Would you like to join?"

Ye Nanqiao agreed readily, "I'd like to see how this unfolds."

"Then, see you tomorrow morning at Ganquan Temple."

With the matter settled, Chen Geng smiled faintly and stood up to see them out. Somehow, he felt that with Master Bingchen's help, the case would soon be resolved.

After leaving the county yamen, Ye Nanqiao and Cheng Wuyue found themselves under a deep, star-studded sky that added a serene touch to the night. Lanterns hung high on both sides of the street, swaying in the wind and casting soft light on the stone pavement, guiding those walking at night.

Ye Nanqiao, deep in thought since leaving the yamen, finally turned to Cheng Wuyue, "What do you make of this Chen Daren?"

Cheng Wuyue's eyes sparkled with sharpness as he replied, "Daring to assert the case is peculiar with just a glance, he’s certainly a character."

"He's quite interesting, young yet holding the position of a magistrate," Ye Nanqiao nodded thoughtfully, "Just hope he's not another Liu Changyu."

"He seemed composed and sharp on the stand today, certainly not like that timid county official," Ye Nanqiao smiled faintly, "Might be worth getting to know. Especially if he knows something about the old cases…"

As they walked side by side, fading into the night, at the Luo residence, Luo Tianjie paced anxiously in his room, muttering, "Think about it, Luo Tianjiao is a fool, Luo Caihuan barely has teeth. With Luo Tianqi gone, I'm the only one left. Once my uncle passes, my father can take over everything. Everything was set until this Chen had to interfere…"

His wife, Zhao Shi, remained calm, pouring tea for herself, "We have nothing to fear if we're innocent. Let him investigate."

Luo Tianjie stopped and glared at her, "Easy for you to say. Delay could lead to trouble. As long as Luo Tianqi remains unburied, I won’t be at ease. What if Chen really finds something that implicates us?"

"You worry too much," Zhao Shi chided, "Did you kill him?"

"Of course not!" Luo Tianjie exclaimed after taking a gulp of water.

"Then stop worrying. Look at yourself, so lacking in composure."

The residence gradually quieted down, white cloths fluttering in the wind. At the back door, a man hurriedly left in a fluster.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The night had deepened, but the Drunken Life Pavilion was still bustling with guests, their toasts and laughter filling the air.

Ye Nanqiao and Cheng Wuyue made their way through the crowd to the second floor, where they found Xiaonan, who was supposed to be resting at the Ganquan Temple, now donning a fitting outfit and adeptly assisting Wanqiu.

Ye Nanqiao patted a resigned Cheng Wuyue, "After all, he's just a child, probably couldn't stand the loneliness of the temple."

Wanqiu saw them and gestured for them to enter a private room.

Inside, Mu Jin was chatting leisurely with Xu Changfeng. Seeing Ye Nanqiao and Cheng Wuyue, Xu Changfeng greeted them heartily, "Ah, Nanqiao is back! Always mysteriously busy, aren’t you tired?"

Wanqiu rolled her eyes at him, "Always the talker."

With a sheepish smile, Xu Changfeng refrained from further comment.

Wanqiu then introduced Mu Jin to them, "This is Miss Mu Jin, a skilled acquaintance of Changfeng. She'll be staying here for a while."

Ye Nanqiao, who had met Mu Jin before, now sat next to her with a sweet greeting. Cheng Wuyue just nodded politely and sat down beside Ye Nanqiao.

Wanqiu introduced Ye Nanqiao to Mu Jin, "This young lady is Ye Nanqiao, the daughter of an old friend."

Mu Jin, sizing up Ye Nanqiao and then Cheng Wuyue, asked jokingly, "Is this also a sister?"

Ye Nanqiao couldn't help but laugh at the question, catching Cheng Wuyue's innocent look.

Wanqiu was about to explain when Xu Changfeng stood up and approached Cheng Wuyue, "This young friend must be the little Wuyue I’ve heard about, right?"

Cheng Wuyue then formally introduced himself to Xu Changfeng and Mu Jin.

Xu Changfeng, eyeing Cheng Wuyue closely, asked, "How do you know my name?"

Cheng Wuyue stepped back, "Nanqiao told me."

Ye Nanqiao jokingly pulled Xu Changfeng away, "Uncle Xu, you're too talkative today... Don’t scare the kid."

Mu Jin, unaccustomed to such dynamics, watched with a hint of amusement in her usually stoic eyes.

Wanqiu then settled everyone down. A waiter brought in a table full of dishes, and Ye Nanqiao began to chat.

"Have you heard of the new magistrate in Jiangnan, Chen Geng? Quite young, but very skilled."

"Met him today?" Wanqiu inquired.

"More than that. He stopped Luo family’s funeral procession on the street today, insisting on inspecting the coffin. Seems like he’s already making enemies among the local elite."

"That’s interesting!" exclaimed Xu Changfeng. "What about Liu Daren? He’s close with Luo family’s second master, isn’t he?"

"The new magistrate, Chen Geng, is no pushover. He had Liu Changyu sitting there, not knowing what to do or say. Quite satisfying to see."

"Chen Geng?" Mu Jin pondered, "I’ve heard of him. Came from the capital. He’s a son of the Chen family, known for his achievements. Made a name for himself in Dali Temple."

Cheng Wuyue added, "He invited us to inspect the body tomorrow, seems interested in Nanqiao’s street investigations."

Mu Jin curiously asked, "You have such skills?"

"She's quite famous in Jiangnan!" Xiaonan interjected with a grin.

Xu Changfeng explained, "The 'Detective Bingchen' everyone talks about in the streets, that's her."

Wanqiu chided Xu Changfeng, "What detective... Dressing strangely and roaming the streets solving cases."

Despite her words, her eyes were filled with affection for Ye Nanqiao.

Mu Jin, not fully aware of their relationship, came to Ye Nanqiao’s defense, "Don’t be hard on her. In this era, women have more opportunities. I think she's smart and capable."

Ye Nanqiao couldn’t agree more.

Wanqiu teased, "Keep going and you’ll end up in the clouds."

Ye Nanqiao playfully winked at Wanqiu before continuing, "But Luo Tianqi's death is indeed peculiar. A healthy man doesn’t just sit and burn to death in a fire... Strange that the Luo family isn’t pursuing the matter more. We didn't even see the Luo family head today."

Xu Changfeng, the chief informant at the Drunken Life Pavilion, informed Ye Nanqiao, "Luo Tianqi's father, Luo Yuesheng, has been chronically ill for years. Apart from a young daughter with his current wife, he has two sons. The younger, Luo Tianjiao, has always been somewhat impaired, while the elder, Luo Tianqi, was a well-respected successor and the backbone of the Luo family. With Luo Tianqi's death, Luo Yuesheng is probably grief-stricken and too weak to appear in public."

Cheng Wuyue, after hearing this, speculated, "Given this, it seems the Luo family hastily wrapped up the matter. It’s possible a family member killed the young master to seize power."

Ye Nanqiao disagreed, "But Luo Er Ye (Luo's second master) didn't object to the investigation today. Doesn't seem like the act of someone guilty."

"It’s either unrelated to him, or he's confident he left no trace," suggested Cheng Wuyue.

"Now is too early to conclude," said Ye Nanqiao. "We will know more after tomorrow's examination."

Mu Jin cautioned, "Be careful of related parties causing trouble under the cover of night."

"Don’t worry, the government has assigned guards to watch over the coffin all night," assured Ye Nanqiao. "Mu sister, are you interested? Why not join us tomorrow? More eyes, better insights."

New to Jiangnan, Mu Jin saw this as an opportunity to get closer to local dignitaries and readily agreed, "That sounds great, as long as I don’t disturb you."

Ye Nanqiao reassured her, "Just be an observer, no trouble at all."

The group's dinner was lively, lasting until late into the night. Finally, Cheng Wuyue stood to leave.

Xiaonan, reluctant to depart, looked tearfully at Wanqiu.

Wanqiu, feeling pity, suggested, "If you don’t want to leave, just move in. The Drunken Life Pavilion has plenty of rooms. But you'll have to help me with work."

"Deal! You can’t back out," Xiaonan implored Cheng Wuyue.

Cheng Wuyue, not wanting to separate daily from Ye Nanqiao, agreed, "Alright. I’ll discuss it with Master Yuanqing after this Luo Tianqi matter."

Satisfied with the response, Wanqiu patted Cheng Wuyue's shoulder, "Then I won't see you out."

Cheng Wuyue nodded to Ye Nanqiao, who understood and walked a few steps away with him.

Cheng Wuyue then warned in a low voice, "Sister, be wary of Mu Jin. She seems more complex than she appears."

Ye Nanqiao nodded, "Don’t worry, I’ll have my aunt look into her background."

As they spoke, Xiaonan reluctantly left with Cheng Wuyue.

Watching them go, Wanqiu mused, "Xiaonan, Xiaonan. What a name…"

Ye Nanqiao, walking away, called back, "You spend all day pondering names. Why not ponder a wife for Uncle Xu?"

"What do I care about him for…" retorted Wanqiu.

"Consider finding him a wife."

"Little girl, you owe me for those eight screens you charged to my account!"

"Ah, auntie!"

Meanwhile, in a nearby wine cellar, Xu Changfeng sneezed heavily while picking out a jar of wine.

"This one I can’t steal…"

He put it back, choosing another jar with satisfaction, and walked away contentedly.