How could someone be unhappy living in a matriarchal society?

Chapter 123 Superior Sacrificial Offerings

Not long after, the window was slowly pushed open, and Zhang Ping's slightly tired face appeared in the window.

Upon seeing Chu Ci, Zhang Ping smiled slightly and gestured for her to come in quickly.

"how?"

“Everywhere there are corpses.”

Zhang Ping nodded slightly, a hint of barely concealed anger flashing across her face. "So many young men have died. The murderer behind this is simply a heartless, inhuman beast!"

She clenched her teeth, her hands unconsciously forming fists.

Chu Ci propped himself up on his arm, sat down opposite her, and then asked, "What are you planning to do next?"

Zhang Ping did not rush to answer the question about Chu Ci.

She first stood up and gracefully poured Chu Ci a cup of fragrant tea before slowly saying, "Before I tell you my plan, don't you have anything to say to me?"

As she spoke, her bright eyes were fixed on Chu Ci, as if she could see through the secrets in her heart.

Chu Ci was taken aback upon hearing this, and subconsciously exchanged a glance with Zhang Ping.

After a brief silence, Chu Ci's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile: "How did you know I was hiding something from you?"

"When you first saw the tattoo, your expression was different; it didn't seem like it was your first time seeing it."

Chu Ci picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip of the tea, and said, "As expected of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, your observation is indeed meticulous."

She then recounted her recent experience of being followed in detail.

Zhang Ping listened quietly to Chu Ci's story. After she finished speaking, she lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "I wonder what year and month you were born?"

This question came rather suddenly, and Chu Ci was momentarily dazed.

She tried hard to recall, and it took her a while before she remembered to tell Zhang Ping.

“You are a person of extreme yang, a top-grade offering.”

Upon hearing this, Chu Ci's eyelids twitched violently, and an ominous premonition welled up in her heart. "What does this mean?"

With a solemn expression, Zhang Ping told Chu Ci about the clues she had painstakingly investigated over the past few days.

It turns out that the person who was manipulating everything behind the scenes had actually mastered the mysterious and unpredictable art of Yin and Yang.

This person is utterly depraved. He secretly used those extremely yin corpses in Kyoto to meticulously set up a terrifying array, and then attempted to use people with extremely yang attributes, like Chu Ci, as sacrifices to the evil god.

In this way, half of Kyoto's fortune can be gathered in one person, and in an instant, one can transcend the ordinary and ascend to become a demigod.

Moreover, according to Zhang Ping's information, this terrible plan was probably already being quietly laid out as early as ten years ago.

Upon hearing these words, Chu Ci's first reaction was disbelief.

However, the fact that she herself is a soul that has traveled from another time makes such a bizarre possibility quite plausible.

"Could this... really succeed?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping snorted coldly, "Who knows? But in any case, the mastermind behind this has killed so many innocent people, it's an outrage against heaven and earth! I will definitely make them receive the punishment they deserve and confess their crimes!"

Chu Ci nodded in deep agreement after hearing this, "What do you need me to do?"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Ping replied, "For now, there's nothing specifically I need you to do. But don't worry, you'll be needed in the future."

Chu Ci nodded slightly and turned to leave.

But at that moment, Zhang Ping suddenly called out to her.

"Wait a moment!"

She gently handed the thin scroll in her hand to Chu Ci and said softly, "This is what you need."

Chu Ci reached out and took the file, carefully flipping through it to examine it.

As expected, just as Shi An had learned before, most of the information was similar to what he had found out. However, upon closer reading, an unfamiliar name suddenly caught Chu Ci's eye.

"Xia Yuanzhi?" Chu Ci murmured softly, the name was quite unfamiliar to her.

Seeing this, Zhang Ping explained to her, "This woman was the main official in charge of handling this case at the time. Back then, Tian Fengmei only knew how to indulge in pleasure and had no interest in official duties. At that time, all the affairs of the Dali Temple were entrusted to this Xia Shaoqing."

Hearing this, Chu Ci frowned slightly and asked, "Then where is Xia Yuanzhi now?"

"She had already resigned from her official post and returned to her hometown."

"Oh? I wonder where her hometown is?"

"As far as I know, it should be in the Nanzhou area."

Chu Ci nodded, thinking to himself: Now that we have such a clear direction for the investigation, things should be much easier from here on out.

Thinking of this, she looked up at Zhang Ping and said, "This time, we are very grateful for Lord Zhang's help."

"It's just mutual help and benefit; remember to pay back."

"rest assured."

After saying this, Chu Ci turned and left.

It was already late at night, and it was almost dawn.

Chu Ci hurried home. After entering the house, she quickly took off her black night clothes and changed into a loose and comfortable nightgown. Then she tiptoed to the bedside and slowly lay down.

Beside him, Shi An was still immersed in a sweet dream, her sleeping face peaceful and charming.

Chu Ci stretched out her arms and embraced Shi An, feeling his warm body temperature and even breathing. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep with him.

Three days later, Chu Ci carefully crafted a plausible excuse and then resolutely embarked on his journey to Nanzhou.

On her first day after arriving in Nanzhou, she secretly investigated, wandering through the streets and alleys, inquiring about Xia Yuanzhi.

Fortunately, perseverance pays off. After a whole day of tireless effort, she finally found Xia Yuanzhi's old house.

However, what awaited her was a grave.

Xia Yuanzhi had unfortunately died of illness on his way to Nanzhou years ago.

This sudden turn of events brought the clues about the Shi family to an abrupt end once again. However, Chu Ci did not show excessive frustration or disappointment at this outcome.

Perhaps it was because, throughout the long investigation, she had a lingering feeling that the case at this family's home was no small matter, and that it revealed an indescribable strangeness in every aspect.

After this less-than-successful trip to Nanzhou, Chu Ci returned to the capital with a sense of helplessness.

Upon meeting Shi An, she immediately recounted to him everything she had experienced in Nanzhou.

After listening to Chu Ci's account, Shi An's face clearly showed a hint of disappointment.

Chu Ci stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder.

"Don't be discouraged, I will continue to search, and I believe new clues will appear soon."

Upon hearing this, Shi An responded softly and hugged Chu Ci tightly.

At that moment, the two seemed to transform into two small animals huddled together for warmth, offering each other strength and support.

“My lady, I’ve been dreaming about my father a lot these days. Every time he sees me in my dream, he’s so happy and he keeps smiling at me…”

Shi An murmured softly, her voice filled with longing.

"Then he must be very satisfied with your life now."

After saying that, Chu Ci gently stroked Shi An's back, hoping to make him feel more warmth and reassurance in this way.

"My dear wife, do you know that it's not just him who's happy, I'm happy too. Only when you're by my side do I feel like I'm truly alive..."

He spoke sincerely, but where Chu Ci's gaze could not reach, the obsession in Shi An's eyes was so intense that it was terrifying.

Time could be reversed, allowing him to live his life again.

But what good would starting over do? He had nothing but the Chu Ci (a collection of classical Chinese poems) by his side.

He was like someone who had accidentally fallen off a cliff, filled with despair and helplessness.

But Chu Ci was like a tree or a cloud growing on the edge of a cliff, steadily supporting him and preventing him from falling further into the endless abyss.

At this moment, the only thing he could do was to use all his strength to firmly grasp this life-saving tree, to tightly hold onto this cloud of hope...