Ah Jiu hadn't had time to leave when she saw two constables in official uniform dismount and head straight for her father.
Meng Shaode was already bending over, putting all his might into dragging the horse into the woods.
He immediately felt a chill run down his spine.
"You are refugees from the north, aren't you?"
Meng Shaode slowly turned his head, large beads of sweat trickling out.
"Esteemed officer, we are indeed refugees from Menghua City. May I ask what business you have with us?"
Ah Jiu saw that the two officers did not immediately arrest them, and for a moment, she was unsure of the situation.
Then, one of them dismounted and cupped his fist in greeting.
"We are constables from the Nanming City yamen. We need to inquire about something."
"Inquire about something? You should have said so! You scared me to death."
Meng Shaode finally wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Over there, Ah Jiu and Cai Lihua also breathed a sigh of relief.
"This area belongs to our Nanming City. Someone reported that dismembered corpses have appeared in this vicinity. We have been ordered to investigate thoroughly. Have you heard anything, brother?"
Ah Jiu's heart sank, and she instinctively glanced at Tuoba Yan beside her.
He acted as if nothing was wrong and said, "So, you're just here to ask questions. I'm not afraid of that."
Is this kid's head full of mush? If they find out, won't they arrest you? I'm filled with indescribable emotions right now.
Does he not even understand what constables do? Are there no hell guards in the underworld?
It's truly worrying.
Meng Shaode straightened his back and cupped his hands. "Esteemed officer, you've come to the right person. Just from Qi Ming Mountain, I was coming out of Qi Ming Mountain and indeed saw two such corpses."
"Oh? You saw them?" The eyes of the two constables lit up.
"Tell us quickly, where are they?" They had already traveled for several days and couldn't find the exact location.
Moreover, as soon as the matter spread, it caused widespread panic. The northern cities were already at war, and now with talk of demons and monsters, the common people were in fear, which had even alarmed the higher-ups.
"From here, about fifty li north, going up Qi Ming Mountain. You'll reach it after crossing about two mountain peaks. However, esteemed officers, if you travel now, you'll be sun-baked to death."
Meng Shaode answered everything he knew.
The two constables exchanged glances. "Sun-baked?"
"Yes, they died miserably. No external injuries, but all their bones were shattered."
Meng Shaode described it vividly, making it sound truly horrific.
"Brother, it seems this is the case we are investigating."
As he spoke, one of them took out a piece of broken silver from his waist and tossed it over.
Meng Shaode caught it reflexively, his pupils contracting.
These officers are so courteous.
"Right, you should leave quickly. This area is not safe." The other officer remounted his horse and called back as a reminder.
Meng Shaode, who was both startled and frightened, was now also moved. His emotions surged. He bowed several times to the kind officers.
As soon as the men left, Meng Shaode waved to the women.
When they approached, Meng Shaode, holding the fingernail-sized piece of broken silver, grinned from ear to ear.
"Lihua, we've met good officers. This is a reward."
Cai Lihua had also been terrified. If they were conscripted, the men and Tuoba Yan and Zhao Kun would not have escaped.
Then, only they, the widowed mother and orphaned children, would remain. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. "Give it to me, I'll keep it."
Cai Lihua snatched it and tucked it into her embrace.
Seeing that the situation had passed, the others gradually emerged from the woods, their eyes glued to the silver.
"That must be worth an ounce," murmured Deng family's eldest daughter-in-law.
"No way, at most six qian," Cai Lihua said with a smile.
Ah Jiu tugged at Tuoba Yan's clothes.
She led him to a distance and said solemnly,
"Little Yan Yan, you promised to listen to me, right?"
"Yes, sister, I only listen to you." Tuoba Yan still didn't grasp the severity of the situation.
Ah Jiu didn't know how to explain it to him, so she said directly,
"I'll say it again. The fact that you are a ghost cannot be mentioned to outsiders. Only I can know. Also, you must not kill anyone anymore, not even to protect me."