Chapter 19: Ordering the Prince Around

"Your Highness has quite the refined taste, choosing to admire corpses out here instead of resting in your carriage?"

Chu Li’s teasing remark was met with an indifferent response from Fu Heng. He didn't even lift his gaze, his lips curling into a faint, elusive arc as he retorted, "The feeling is mutual. Miss Chu, despite your frail health, you’ve followed Magistrate Cao here to inspect the dead. I was unaware that you were so eager to be of assistance."

Chu Li choked on her words. Was he still annoyed about her refusing to help him earlier? Who knew this man had such a sharp tongue? He was quite adept at sarcasm.

The village head and the others, realizing this was a Prince, were so terrified they immediately knelt on the ground. "Forgive us, Your Highness. We did not know you were here in person; our etiquette has been lacking."

Fu Heng waved a hand and walked to the side, his brow furrowed. He had come merely to observe, not to put on airs.

At that moment, Cao Ronghai and his men had caught sight of the reality within the coffins. At a single glance, Cao Ronghai’s stomach churned violently. He clutched a tree and began to retch uncontrollably. As he vomited, he turned back to demand, "They died so miserably? Is there even a human shape left? Did your Luohe Town commit some heinous atrocity that provoked the heavens to bring this retribution upon you?"

"Magistrate Cao, we are wronged! The people of our town have always been law-abiding..."

Inside the coffins, several of the corpses were already bloated to the point of being unrecognizable. Their faces remained tilted toward the sky, and their protruding eyeballs seemed to lock gazes with anyone who looked down, creating a truly horrific sight.

Chu Li examined several coffins, her expression darkening with each one. These were all unnatural deaths, and the yellow charms pasted on them possessed no spiritual power whatsoever; they were completely useless. It would be dangerous if people inhaled too much of the miasma emanating from the corpses. She had to begin purification as soon as possible.

"Magistrate Cao," Chu Li cast a look of disdain at him. She had no idea what he had eaten last night, but he was certainly vomiting enough... "Go and summon your men. Help me move these coffins onto the road and line them up, one by one."

Cao Ronghai, now looking as pale as a wilted vegetable, felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of moving the coffins. "Miss Chu, what are you planning? In my humble opinion, wouldn't it be better to just burn them all?"

"Impossible. Ordinary flames cannot dispel the miasma, and burning them in such large quantities will only contaminate the surrounding soil and vegetation. Just do as I say."

Cao Ronghai glanced around. Seeing Prince You observing the scene with calm detachment, he felt even more aggrieved. Clearly, the Prince’s subordinates were more capable, so why wouldn't she ask for their help? If his own servants moved the coffins, would they still be usable afterward? Would they contract the miasma and pass it on to him?

Seeing Cao Ronghai’s hesitant expression, Chu Li immediately understood his thoughts. "Magistrate Cao, I forgot to mention something. You and your men have already been contaminated by the miasma. When I process these corpses later, I will handle yours as well. What do you think?"

"What? Me? I’m contaminated too?" Cao Ronghai jumped in fright and began sniffing himself frantically. He felt as if he could faintly smell a stench, and suddenly, he felt utterly unclean.

Chu Li smirked to herself. The Magistrate was so afraid of death that he was easy to manipulate.

Soon, Cao Ronghai had rounded up all his servants and thugs, moving the hundred or so coffins from the woods to the clearing. The row of dark, oppressive coffins stretched along the entire road, making the day feel so gloomy that everyone instinctively pulled their thin cloaks tighter.

"Have everyone step back, and bring me the practitioner from Luohe Town."

As Chu Li gave the order, Cao Ronghai nodded eagerly and quickly dragged the old practitioner over.

Watching this from a distance, Fu Heng couldn't help but feel a sense of contempt for Cao Ronghai, and even Black Feather found it difficult to watch.

"My Lord, what is wrong with this Magistrate? Your subordinate feels that Miss Chu’s status in his heart has surpassed even yours. He might not truly carry out your orders, but he follows every word she says like a lapdog."

Black Wind added, "I’ve noticed it too. His reliance on this practitioner has completely exceeded that of a normal person. Miss Chu is so young; she doesn't look like a powerful master at all."

Fu Heng listened to his subordinates' grumbling, his eyes fixed steadily on Chu Li. Seeing her prepare to draw charms on the spot, he walked over.

"Young lady, my paper and cinnabar ink are of good quality, purchased in the county seat. It’s just that there isn't much of it, so please make do." The old practitioner was in his seventies, and Chu Li could see his life force was fading; his days were numbered.

As a fellow mystic, and seeing the faint golden light of merit on him—a sign he had performed many good deeds—Chu Li felt a surge of sympathy. "Old sir, this paper is sufficient. Leave the rest to me."

The old man stared at Chu Li with cloudy eyes for a moment, then nodded with a smile and retreated with the others.

The village head whispered to him, "Master Wang, do you think that girl can really do it?" She looked to be under twenty and appeared sickly, her complexion even worse than the people in their town. If not for Magistrate Cao’s fervent support, he would never have believed she possessed any real ability.

Master Wang’s expression flickered. He was merely a self-taught amateur with limited skill, but after locking eyes with the girl, he felt she was far from simple. Her eyes seemed veiled by a mist that hid their true brilliance. He felt as if she had already seen through his old bones—a intuition born from his years in the craft.

Seeing that Master Wang remained silent, the village head stopped asking, secretly calculating that if the girl failed, he might have to beg the Prince for help.

Chu Li took out her inkstone and brush, laying the blank paper flat on a coffin lid. Her supplies were limited, and this was a massive undertaking, so she would have to draw them on the spot.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over the paper, and a familiar scent drifted closer. Chu Li didn't need to look to know that Fu Heng had arrived.

"Is the Prince so idle?" Chu Li frowned without turning her head.

Fu Heng stepped to her side. Seeing her prepare to draw, he was genuinely curious and simply replied, "Indeed."

Chu Li: "..."

"Then, would you mind grinding the ink for me, Your Highness?"

She pushed the inkstone toward him with a slender hand. Fu Heng was stunned. "You want me to grind your ink? You truly have a lot of nerve."

"You flatter me, Your Highness. Please, the day is growing late. If we drag this out until nightfall, there is a strong chance they will reanimate. Surely, you don't want to fight a group of corpses?"

Fu Heng’s expression shifted. Though reluctant, he obediently squatted beside her and began to grind the ink.

The shadow guards in the distance were dumbfounded. Their high and mighty Prince was actually listening to Miss Chu and grinding her ink! Was there some sort of magic in her words? It was one thing for that sycophant Cao Ronghai to be obedient, but how had even the Prince become so docile?