Inner Demons

Chapter 44: Uncomfortable

If these things made Li Yunxin feel incredible, then a word spoken by Qiao Jiaming that afternoon truly astonished him.

Old Daoist Liu had been very listless these past few days. He probably felt he needed a backup plan besides Li Yunxin, so he shamelessly ran around everywhere. But facing such a situation—Prefect Li personally overseeing it—those few "friends" who were merely acquaintances were eager to avoid him, so no one paid him any mind.

The Old Daoist was now like a fish on a chopping board—knowing the knife was about to fall, yet powerless.

That afternoon, when Qiao Jiaming strolled over to the temple entrance with a cruel and smug expression, the Old Daoist already had a mouth full of blisters, and was circuitously asking Li Yunxin how that method was progressing.

Li Yunxin just smiled, inwardly organizing the clues he had gathered that day.

At that moment, he heard a strange laugh—

"Oh, I say, are you two still idling about?" Qiao Jiaming poked his head into the temple gate, looking left and right. Seeing that there were no more incense burners at this hour, he leaned against the doorframe with satisfaction. "If I were you, I wouldn't be so carefree. I'd have surrendered long ago—maybe Lord Prefectural Governor would take pity and not sentence you to death, only to banishment—that would still give you a few more days to live."

Li Yunxin put his hands in his sleeves, walked in front of him, and stood still, nodding slightly: "Thank you for your concern. Have you come to offer incense? To seek wealth or ward off disaster?"

Qiao Jiaming tilted his head and looked at him, feeling extremely displeased. This brat... actually showed no sign of fear or apprehension. So he changed his expression, leaned close to Li Yunxin, and said fiercely, "Don't be foolish, kid. Do you think you have a way out? I'm telling you, I paid money, I want you dead. You and that old geezer, neither of you will live."

Li Yunxin slightly turned his face to avoid the spittle flying from Qiao Jiaming's mouth, and said with not a shred of sincerity, "Oh. I'm so scared. But I must say, with you like this—getting so easily agitated, how have you not been done for yet? I heard that a few years ago, you wandered the streets cheating people out of their money and misdiagnosing many illnesses... hasn't anyone come to settle accounts with you?"Qiao Jiaming's face darkened, and he wanted to curse. But then he thought, this is a dead man anyway, who will die in a few days, so he forced down his anger and smiled, "Heh, you worry about me? Grandpa back then—"

Unfortunately, in a war of words, he was no match for Li Yunxin after all.

They went back and forth for nearly two quarters of an hour, and Qiao Jiaming finally couldn't hold back and wanted to make a move. But he quickly remembered Li Yunxin's methods from last time and dared not act – at this moment, he almost regretted why he had been so foolish as to come here, his belly full of evil fire with no way to vent it. He could only spit several times continuously at the temple gate, until his mouth was dry, then he muttered resentfully to himself, "You wait, bah! A good official, humph... insisted on talking about 'Procedural Justice'... bah! What the hell is that?"

After he left, Old Daoist Liu stared dumbfounded at Li Yunxin: "Brother Xin, you..."

It was the first time he had seen Li Yunxin like this – bickering endlessly with a ruffian. He truly seemed like a naive and provoked young man.

But Li Yunxin had already regained his composure. He closed his eyes, thought for a while, and then smiled at him.

Somehow, Old Daoist Liu suddenly felt that in his smile...

He saw a hint of cruelty.

He really didn't know if it was his imagination.

Actually, Li Yunxin was thinking of a phrase – "Procedural Justice."

This phrase... how could it appear in this world?

That predecessor... was more interesting than he had originally imagined. How much had he changed this world?

...

...

Prefect Li wanted to make the case an "iron case" of "Procedural Justice." But he probably also had a guilty conscience – after letting the rumors out, he didn't make any further noise. In fact, Li Yunxin suspected that the "rumors" were spread by that idiot Qiao Jiaming – just to see him and Old Daoist Liu in a state of "constant fear and anxiety" these past few days.

Unfortunately, he was disappointed.

And in Qiao Jiaming's eyes... Li Yunxin, after "holding on" for a few rounds that afternoon, finally couldn't sit still.

—Then Li Yunxin and Old Daoist Liu also started walking the streets, asking around everywhere. Qiao Jiaming asked about it and learned that the fool was asking about his past. His past... well, there were some things that weren't honest. But when it came to treating illnesses, surely one couldn't say that one could only cure, not kill? He had at least read some medical books and learned a bit. Treating the poor who couldn't afford proper doctors... well, perhaps he used the wrong medicine a bit, collected the wrong fees a bit—who doesn't make mistakes sometimes?

Anyway, if you're sick and can't afford treatment, you're going to die eventually.

And it's not like any doctor's clinic has never seen a death, right?

That kid wants to use this to talk? Bah. Prefect Li is determined to get that residence, why would he care about him?

He also heard that this kid even went to Prefect Li's mansion...

Ha, he does have a bit of a brain, knowing to seek connections. But with the meager silver he and Old Daoist Liu have, who would even notice it?

Qiao Jiaming became even more amused.

He even hoped that the day Li Yunxin and Old Daoist Liu were summoned to the Prefectural Office would come later – it was interesting to see them like headless flies now. Originally, it was said that they might have befriended a noble person like Yu Meng... but now it seemed that Young Master Yu was truly just interested for a while – he had forgotten them long ago.

And so, three more days passed.

It was that afternoon, in the spacious backyard of the Prefectural Office, Prefect Li was drinking tea.

Prefect Li, whose real name was Li Yaosi, was originally a broad-minded, plump, kind, and compassionate man. He had been an official for over twenty years and had always been known in official circles for his "impartiality and strictness." The cases he handled were impeccable—with conclusive evidence and reasonable procedures—even if Jinghua's "Iron Judge" came, he wouldn't find any faults.

Actually, given his compassionate nature, the old servant was already old. If he had confessed after being beaten, settling the case quickly and giving him a quick end would spare him suffering.

Who knew that old bone was a tough nut to crack. Both his legs had been crippled from the beating, yet he still refused to budge.

Normally, he would have been released early, and a confession drawn up, and that would be that. But the "Iron Judge" was also coming to Weicheng recently, so he had to be extra careful.

Thinking of this, he felt annoyed.

Actually, he shouldn't have been so annoyed—his chest was pounding, and he felt flustered. Everything seemed annoying and eerie, yet he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.

Even A'Ze, his usually brightest young servant, seemed unpleasant to him these past few days. He had filial piety, that was for sure.

But these past few days, he kept messing things up.

A few days ago, he said he found a piece of wood in the courtyard left from the last lightning strike, claiming it was "lightning-struck wood" that could ward off evil, and brought it over as if presenting a treasure.

But when he thought of what happened that night, his heart pounded, and he immediately reprimanded him.

In the afternoon, he again said, "Seeing master vexed, I thought I'd tell some strange stories to listen to"—and again he told stories about the Sanjiangkou Dragon King Temple—and again he was reprimanded.

Then he became timid and spoke nothing, feeling wronged. But his expression, his appearance, his walking posture...

He reprimanded him again.

Something was wrong. Something was always wrong, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Li Yaosi heavily placed the teacup on the table, feeling it was time to bring this case to an end.

Perhaps it was because of this case... that his heart always felt uncomfortable.