Chapter 98

“Master.”

Suddenly, the voice of a guard rang out from outside the carriage.

“We’re near the city gates.”

Xie Tingzhou gave a light “Mm,” lifted the curtain, and looked out.

This was not the same resting spot outside the city they used last time they entered the capital. The guards had deliberately chosen a quiet spot near a grove of trees to camp for the night.

Without needing any instructions, the guards busied themselves, quickly gathering dry firewood to start a fire and brewing hot tea, which they brought to the carriage.

Sanfu and Sixi huddled near the fire, knowing that the person inside the carriage was not an ordinary person.

Previously, at the mass grave, the two had secretly glimpsed that person’s appearance, and were astounded by their extraordinary beauty and innate presence. Such a person was far beyond their reach, no matter how high they stood on tiptoe.

Sixi reminded, “Today, the master cutting your hair was a warning. Don’t ask about anything else. Just take the money and do the job for the master.”

He lowered his voice, “You saw today’s setup. This is no ordinary person’s entourage. Be sure to behave yourself. Our family’s lives depend on it.”

Sanfu, already frightened out of his wits from the previous incident, could only nod and agree.

Shen Yu felt stifled inside the carriage. More importantly, she felt that being with Xie Tingzhou was dangerous.

He seemed to possess a peculiar power that could erode one’s willpower, making her feel like giving up, like everything was just fine as it was.

But she still had a great revenge to exact and needed to continue forging ahead.

“I need some air,” Shen Yu said without daring to look at him. She exited the carriage and gently closed the door behind her.

The guards were seated around the carriage, with the campfire in the center.

Shen Yu looked around, found an empty spot, and sat down, beginning to sort out her thoughts step by step.

She could only confirm two points now: the deceased were members of the Gui family, and the Gui family had indeed turned to banditry, information she had known since her time in Hezhou.

All the speculations and analyses with Xie Tingzhou earlier had no substantial evidence, but now the people were dead, and there was no proof to link their petition to the capital with the grain robbery.

But there was still a way—not everyone was dead. There was still the old man, Uncle Zang.

A shadow suddenly fell beside her, interrupting Shen Yu’s thoughts.

Feng Yang sat down and asked, “Why did you come down? Someone should be attending to you.”

Shen Yu looked at him, “Why don’t you do it?”

“I can’t,” Feng Yang shook his head. “These hands of mine have handled too many corpses. I don’t even dare touch His Highness’s cup.”

Coroners were considered lowly, despised even by those of the lowest ranks. Who liked dealing with corpses?

It was said that coroners had heavy yin energy and had difficulty having children, but that was just hearsay. Feng Yang’s skills in autopsy were passed down from his ancestors.

Fortunately, serving by Xie Tingzhou’s side meant no one dared look down on him.

Shen Yu turned her hands over in the firelight and murmured, “You’ve probably handled fewer corpses than I have.”

Feng Yang didn’t believe it, “How many have you handled?”

“Thousands?” Shen Yu thought for a moment, then said, “Maybe tens of thousands.”

Feng Yang was stunned, “Why on earth would you handle so many corpses?”

“Looking for someone on the battlefield.”

Feng Yang then remembered hearing that General Shen’s body had been found by Shi Yu after a day and night of searching through the sea of corpses, a testament to how fierce that battle was.

The grove fell silent, with only the crackling of the burning wood.

Feng Yang, having brought up an unpleasant topic, didn’t know where to look. His eyes unintentionally fell on Shi Yu’s hands.

He stared at them for a moment, confusion flashing in his eyes, then looked at Shi Yu’s face and suddenly asked, “May I touch your hand?”

Shen Yu was startled, “What?”

Before she could react, Feng Yang grabbed her hand, squeezed it twice, and his pupils instantly dilated, momentarily stunned, forgetting to let go.

“What are you doing?”

Both of them turned their heads at the voice. Feng Yang looked at his hand, then suddenly jumped up.

“Master.”

Xie Tingzhou glanced at the two of them, then at Feng Yang’s flustered expression, and said sternly, “Come with me.”

Shen Yu was baffled, and Feng Yang hung his head, not daring to speak.

They walked to the edge of the grove.

Xie Tingzhou turned to Feng Yang, “What did you feel?”

Shen Yu was about to speak.

Xie Tingzhou: “You shut up.”

Shen Yu bit her lip and fell silent.

Feng Yang, not daring to lift his head, said directly, “I felt she’s a woman.”

Shen Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief. She had been disguising as a man for years, and this was the first time someone had determined her gender just by touching her hands.

“Got it?” Xie Tingzhou finally looked at her, “If you’re going to disguise as a man, be more careful. How can you let people touch your hands so casually?”

Shen Yu: “I didn’t let him touch them casually.”

Feng Yang: “I didn’t touch them casually.”

The two of them spoke in unison.

Feng Yang, feeling he was doomed, thought about his earlier words. He had just said he didn’t even dare touch His Highness’s cup, but now he had touched His Highness’s person and was caught red-handed.

Heaven is going to kill me.

Shen Yu curiously asked, “Can you really tell just by touching hands?”

“What else do you want to touch?” Xie Tingzhou snapped back.

Feng Yang, feeling extremely wronged, quickly explained, “I didn’t say anything, and I don’t want to touch anything.”

“I didn’t mean that,” Shen Yu explained, “I meant can a coroner really tell just by touching?”

Pleased by the compliment, Feng Yang felt proud. If Xie Tingzhou hadn’t been there, his tail would have been wagging.

“Yes, but it usually requires more than just touching hands.”

“Then how did you figure it out so quickly?”

Feng Yang, serious, replied, “Because your hands are small and soft.”

Xie Tingzhou: “……”

Shen Yu: “What else can you use to determine it?”

Talking about his expertise, Feng Yang became enthusiastic, “Besides hand bones, the best indicators are the pelvis, hip bones, and skull.”

“You can also deduce the deceased’s gender, age, and occupation from highly decomposed bodies based on their bones and hair, and even determine if they were poisoned before death. There’s a lot more; I could go on forever.”

The two of them began talking as if no one else were around.

“Do you have to touch for that?” Shen Yu was very curious about this profession.

She had spent many years in the military, thinking her male disguise was flawless, only for Feng Yang to identify her with just a touch.

“Of course not. That’s mainly for distinguishing skeletal remains. For living people—”

Feng Yang was in the middle of explaining when he noticed Xie Tingzhou’s expression and immediately stopped.

“Finished?” Xie Tingzhou raised an eyebrow slightly.

Feng Yang: “Finished. I’ll leave now.”

Without waiting for Xie Tingzhou’s response, he scampered off, trampling dry leaves as he went.

Xie Tingzhou trusted Feng Yang and gave no further instructions, knowing he would keep his mouth shut.