The Vigilant Guardian

Chapter Three: The Art of Celestial Reasoning

In this perplexing conundrum, no one held the key to an answer.

Li Yuchun pondered aloud, "What could possibly drive the demons to seize the tax silver?"

Chen Fuyin, deep in thought, responded, "Demons act without conscience, driven solely by their whims; to seek reasons is merely to invite one's own vexation."

Yet the girl in the yellow dress held a contrasting opinion: "Isn't human flesh far more delectable... Ah, pardon me, allow me to finish this bun first."

She enthusiastically devoured two hefty meat buns, her cheeks puffing out like those of a dumpling, struggling to swallow before taking a sip of tea. Only then could she resume her discourse on the subject of human flesh:

"Demons are unrestrained in their actions; silver may not entice them as much as a living person would. If their aim were silver, they could resort to thievery or robbery, which would surely be less risky than brazenly snatching tax silver in broad daylight."

In the capital of Da Feng, brazenly commandeering tax silver was fraught with peril.

Chen Fuyin nodded, "You speak wisely; it's not beyond reason that they are being manipulated by unseen hands."

Li Yuchun narrowed his eyes, "But who would instigate the demons to pilfer tax silver? What could their motive be? Why this specific batch of tax silver, precisely one hundred fifty thousand taels?"

"We might consider this: the mastermind requires a substantial sum yet wishes to keep a low profile... To be precise, they cannot indiscriminately collect wealth," Chen Fuyin's mind began to race.

"Thus, they set their sights on tax silver?" The girl in the yellow dress licked her vibrant lips.

"The route for transporting tax silver is chosen at random, determined by Captain Xu Pingzhi of the Imperial Guard. Yet the demons might have laid in wait in the river... It is quite possible that there are insiders among the escort," Li Yuchun remarked, casting a glance at Chen Fuyin.

"Shall we head to Yunlu Academy and seek the wisdom of the Confucian sages?"

The girl shot him a sidelong glance, "Do you look down on our astrological techniques from the Si Tian Bureau? I have already stated that the soldiers involved in the escort are entirely unaware of the true situation."

Thoughts became stagnant again; the trio fell into silence.

The air turned heavy with stillness.

Li Yuchun lowered his head to scrutinize the documents, while Chen Fuyin sighed deeply. The girl in the yellow dress fiddled with the feng shui disc at her waist, contemplating the necessity to leave the Jingzhao Prefecture before sunset, to dine with the Grand Princess.

The chef within the palace was unmatched in skill!

In contrast to them, the girl named Cai Wei more often played the role of a guest, aiding in the investigation.

She held no official title; though one of the case's leaders, she bore little responsibility.

Chen Fuyin's eyes flickered as he cautiously suggested, "The progress on this case is sluggish, and time is of the essence. It truly fills me with urgency. Master Li, perhaps we should consult Lord Wei?"

The middle-aged man shot him a sidelong glance, snorting derisively, "You civil officials have your own ways of surveillance; we night watchmen have ours. To speak plainly, this is the examination Lord Wei has imposed upon me."

Chen Fuyin forced a smile, "If we cannot solve this case, I fear my position beneath you may also be lost. Both court and populace are observing our every move."