Bone Painting Coroner

Chapter 704 - Catching Ghosts

The Marquis’s Estate.

That crow covered in luminous powder spiraled up into the sky, cawing all the while. The green glow flickered rapidly. The crowd followed the crow, chasing it back and forth as it circled the courtyard. As the number of people looking on increased, they formed a long, snaking procession. Ji Yunshu chased after that crow while those people followed her. It was a grand spectacle!

The crow seemed to be deliberately toying with these people, sometimes flying low, then rising up into the sky again, but it just refused to land.

Marquis Kang has a rather plump and slightly weaker body, and typically would start panting after walking a little. Now, after running back and forth after that crow several times, he had long become exhausted. He halted his clumsy steps and wheezed heavily, forehead full of sweat. I’m not chasing anymore! No more, no matter what anyone says!

If this continued on, someone would surely die! He stuck a hand on his hip as he dabbed furiously at the perspiration on his forehead. “Teacher, how...how long more? If this goes on, I really...really can’t run anymore.”

Ji Yunshu also stopped and turned her gaze from the crow to glance at him. “Marquis, if you want to find your treasures and catch the ghost that has been haunting the estate, you need to have a bit of patience.”

In comparison to the exhausted Marquis Kang, she was obviously more at ease.

“I...I really can’t run anymore.” He flapped a hand in defeat. He’s not chasing anymore! He really can’t!

“Marquis should exercise a little more. It’s easy to fall sick if one has too much fat."

Ah! Marquis Kang was rendered speechless. He pointed at the crow in the sky and asked, "How long more will this go on?"

Ji Yunshu glanced at the faint tendrils of moonlight. "The moonbeams probably haven’t reached a certain place."

"Moonbeams? What does this have to do with the moon?"

"Because crows like shiny things."

Eh? "Shiny things?" Marquis Kang muttered, "What is that?" He was puzzled.

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The surrounding maids and manservants also puzzled over her words.

Caw! The crow cried out.

Ji Yunshu tilted her head up to look and tightened her hold on her lantern. "Marquis, we’d better continue." She then hiked up her robes with a hand, lantern in the other, and continued chasing after the crow.

The servants followed suit.

Since this was still a matter of the estate, Marquis Kang didn’t have a reason to stay put and stay idle. Thus, he rested for a moment before he also strode after them.

This whole troop of people weaved through the corridors and paths of the large courtyard, back and forth, back and forth.

Meanwhile, Jing Rong’s expression was solemn as he lifted his head slightly to look at that green glow in the distance. It had leapt and twinkled in the inky black sky for almost 15 minutes.

Lang Po hugged his sword as he leaned against a pillar. "Your Highness, aren’t you going to take a look?"

"Run all across a courtyard after a crow?" Jing Rong shot back at him.

"Didn’t Teacher Ji say that that crow is a Daoist?"

Haha! You’d believe even that? Jing Rong smiled, this woman is too adorable. “Daoist? I’m afraid only she would be able to come up with such a novel term.”

Lang Po was puzzled. “Your Highness, why did Teacher Ji send people to surveil the estate troops? Aren’t we catching the ghost inside the estate? Could it be that... there is something fishy going on with them?”

After they returned from the Marquis’s treasure courtyard in the morning, Ji Yunshu had asked Jing Rong to send someone to monitor those estate troops. They were to report immediately if they made a move.

Clearly, there was something fishy going on, and it was something major!

But what on earth was Ji Yunshu planning? Nobody knew.

Jing Rong shook his head. “This prince doesn’t know either. Just wait quietly.” Wait to see a good show!

In the distance, that crow was still circling in mid-air.

Just then, Mo Ruo and Tang Si both came as well. The former had on a solemn expression, while the latter looked very carefree. Once he entered the courtyard, Mo Ruo strode up the flight of stairs and went to Jing Rong’s side, following the direction of his gaze.

In the inky darkness, a green blob of light flashed her and there. It looked a little like a person, a little like a firefly.

Mo Ruo asked, “I hear that we are catching a ghost?”

“Mn. Catching it right now.”

“I suppose this time, we are catching a ghost that’s not a ghost!” His words were heavy with implications.

Jing Rong gave him a side glance. “What do you mean by that?”

Mo Ruo paused for a moment. “Those men are not ill at all.”

“Pretending?”

“Mn.”

Jing Rong found it extremely amusing and clicked his tongue, narrowing his eyes slightly, “So there are really countless ghosts in the estate. Then I’m afraid that that Daoist Crow will be busy indeed.”

“Daoist? Teacher Ji invited him?” Mo Ruo was curious.

“Not invited. He flew here himself.”

Just then, Tang Si suddenly pointed up into the sky from her spot in the courtyard and yelled, “Look! The crow is flying downwards!”

Indeed, it was descending in the sky. “I’m going to take a look as well. I will catch the ghost that was knocking on my door all night and won’t let him off!” Tang Si took off the minute she finished speaking.

Immediately after that, Jing Rong’s guards also hurriedly entered, reporting, “Your Highness, we just discovered several estate soldiers sneaking in from the back door, carrying some things.”

“What are they carrying?”

“It’s unclear.”

“Watch them carefully.”

“Yes.” The guard withdrew.

Jing Rong’s expression was serious.

Mo Ruo noticed and asked, “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “It’s Yunshu who asked this prince to have someone monitor those estate soldiers. I didn’t expect that they would really make a move.” As he spoke, he started pondering the matter.

“What are you thinking about?”

“The estate soldiers are not allowed to enter without the Marquis’s orders. Why would they sneak in carrying things?” As he mulled over it, a smile curved his lips. “Ah, I see. She’s trying to lure the snake out of its lair.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Didn’t you say that there isn’t only one ghost in the estate? Let’s go, we’ll catch a big ghost.”

Eh?

Jing Rong didn’t wait for Mo Ruo to react and strode out of the courtyard with a fling of his sleeves.

“Wait for me!”

......

The crow landed on a rooftop and started pecking on the tiles with its sharp beak, making a crisp and clear sound.

Everyone was puzzled when they saw this. The roof that the crow had landed on was the same one that housed the dozen sick people.

“Why did the crow come here?” Marquis Kang was perplexed.

Ji Yunshu quirked her lips upwards and narrowed her eyes slightly. “The treasures that Marquis lost are right on the beams of this room.”

“The room... beams?”

“That’s right.” She was sure.

Marquis Kang stared blankly at her, then at that room. He was baffled.

At that moment, flames suddenly sprouted from the room.

“Ah!” Screams ran out. Immediately after that, a billow of thick smoke rushed out from the cracks of the doors.

Eh? The people outside instinctively backed away, looking at each other, not daring to speak.

Inside the room was a mass of panicked silhouettes. Cries and screams rang out in a dismal cacophony.