Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess

Bleeding, scalding, plucking, gutting, and removing the entrails... Lu Renjia, who had stealthily learned for a month at Shi Yue Pavilion, renowned as the top gourmet spot in the world, deftly cleaned the old hen in his hands and tossed it onto the chopping board.

"I'll leave the rest to you, sister-in-law. I'm really tied up with some matters and can't help you, but make sure to save some for Jiang and me."

Lu Renjia moved his acidy back and silently lamented that age spares no one, his body becoming frailer with each passing year.

Zhao Di handed him a cup of tea and thanked him repeatedly, "Thank you, Lu. Once it's done, I'll have Wu call you guys. It's more fun to eat together."

Jiang Shouzhong added, "Just make sure to leave him the chicken buttocks; he loves that part."

"Hey, Jiang really gets me."

Lu Renjia cracked a smile.

Zhao Di pressed her lips together to suppress a smile and nodded with a blush.

The two had not gone far from the courtyard gate when they suddenly heard Zhao Di's urgent call behind them.

Zhao Di hurried over to them with small steps and handed a newly knitted gray scarf to Jiang Shouzhong, panting slightly, "Jiang, could you please give this scarf to my husband? He rushed out this morning and forgot it. The weather is so harsh, I'm afraid he might catch a cold."

"Sister-in-law, what about mine? My body is more susceptible to cold than Zhang's."

Lu Renjia sulkily said.

"Ah?" Zhao Di was taken aback, her cheeks reddened further by the cold air, she said in a low voice, "If Big Brother Lu wants one, I can knit another for you."

"Forget it," Lu Renjia sighed, "If you knit one for me, you'd have to knit one for Jiang as well. It's not much for this old face of mine, but that kid Jiang is quite the pretty face. If those nosy neighbors see it, who knows what kind of gossip it might stir up."

Zhao Di quickly shook her head, "No... no need to mind that."

Jiang Shouzhong, taking the scarf, chuckled, "Old Jia is right; even though we are open-hearted, sometimes gossip can be quite hurtful."

"Alright then, I'll listen to you both."

Zhao Di smiled sheepishly.

As Jiang Shouzhong took the scarf from her, the woman's fair tail finger unintentionally or intentionally brushed lightly across his palm.

Jiang Shouzhong looked up, but the woman's expression was as usual, showing no signs of change.

Perhaps it was just an unintentional gesture.

...

About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the scene of the crime.

The site of the incident was a dilapidated Daoist temple called Wufeng Temple, located near the north city gate and Laoyanzi Street.

There was already a crowd of locals gathered outside the temple, craning their necks to peek at the excitement. The government officials were maintaining order, occasionally driving back the overly curious onlookers.

Jiang Shouzhong and Lu Renjia took out their Dark Guard tokens to identify themselves and walked straight towards the temple.

As soon as they entered the temple, they were confronted by an imposing figure towering like an iron tower.

The man had rugged features and a bronzed skin tone, looking about thirty, somewhat naive. If one could ignore the shiny axe on his back, he would pass for a typical farmer.

Seeing Jiang and Lu, the rugged man paused, then asked in a low voice, "What took you guys so long?"

The man was none other than Zhang Yunwu.

Zhang had been a Dark Guard at Liushan Division for longer than Jiang had.

Originally just a minor constable at a county office.

After about seven years, he was promoted to a Dark Guard of Liushan Division due to a stroke of luck.

Zhang was known in Liushan Division for being straightforward and honest, always willing to lend a helping hand and take on the toughest jobs without a complaint.

Especially since in his youth, he had been taught by a monk from Vajra Temple, mastering formidable ax techniques.

In the trio, he was obviously responsible for brute strength.

He was the one who exerted the most effort during demon hunts.

Lu Renjia snatched the scarf from Jiang's hand and threw it to Zhang, grumbling, "You thick-headed ox, still have the nerve to ask us? Had it not been for helping your wife with the killing—"

"Shush~"

Zhang hastily gestured for silence and quietly pointed behind him, whispering, "Judicial Council's people are also here."

Judicial Council?

Both were astonished.

Jiang Shouzhong slightly turned to look inside the temple, and indeed, inside were three men in Judicial Council uniforms, gathered around a corpse, discussing and recording something.

These three looked somewhat unfamiliar.

The Judicial Council is the department specifically tasked with supervising the Dark Guards of Liushan Division.

Apart from regular monitoring to ensure the Dark Guards were not negligent, derelict, biased, or corrupt, they also conducted regular appraisals and background investigations of each Dark Guard.

It could be said that the most annoying and troublesome thing for a Dark Guard was dealing with them.

"Damn it, our luck really stinks."

Lu Renjia cursed under his breath.

Although cursing under his breath, he had no choice but to go in.

When the three people inside the temple saw someone enter, they stopped their conversation. One of them, a middle-aged official dressed in a thick robe and sporting swallow-tail whiskers, scrutinized them with a cold gaze and asked, "Are you two also from the Wind Thunder Hall? Why have you arrived only now?"

The Liushan Division consists of one council, three departments, and twelve halls.

The council is the Judicial Council.

The three departments are: the Wenxin Department, handling documents and internal affairs; the Dark Guard Department, responsible for intelligence work; and the Dragon Tiger Department, dealing with complex and high-end matters.

The remaining lower tier members serve across the twelve halls and follow orders from above.

Whatever task is assigned from above, that is the task they perform.

Be it investigating cases or assisting in capturing demons...

Jiang Shouzhong, Lu Renjia, and Zhang Yunwu serve in a department called Wind Thunder Hall.

Together with Li Nanshuang, they make up four people altogether.

They belong to one of the Liushan Division's twelve halls, having the fewest members, poorest performance, lowest renown, worst atmosphere, and consistently ranking last in evaluations.

It wasn't that Jiang Shouzhong and his colleagues lacked abilities, it was genuinely because their superiors enjoyed slacking off.

Seeing that the other party started with accusations, Lu Renjia responded with a smile, "Are the three gentlemen from the Judicial Council? You all look somewhat unfamiliar. May I ask how to address you?"

As an old hand who had been mixed up in the Liushan Division for many years, he recognized most of the officials from the Judicial Council, except for the three men in front of him today.

Although no one in the capital would dare to impersonate an official from the Liushan Division, confirming their identities was still necessary.

He also sought to see if there was any possibility of building a connection with them.

Jia's capabilities were mediocre, but after so many years traveling north and south, he had made quite a few connections, earning face from everyone, and was known in Jianghu as "Mr. Face."

The middle-aged official narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly, then flashed an identity token shaped like a wing in front of them, saying, "Judicial Council's Second Supervisor, Yuan Anjiang. If you have doubts, you may verify it."

"There's no need for that, Mr. Yuan clearly looks to be a high-ranking official," Lu Renjia did not take the token, but his smile grew even broader as he glanced at it.

While the middle-aged official and Lu Renjia talked, Jiang Shouzhong quietly observed the scene.

"What are your names?"

Facing Lu Renjia's flattery, the middle-aged official named Yuan Anjiang still wore a cold expression, took a booklet from his subordinate, and opened it, intending to write their names down for a record.

Seeing this, Lu Renjia's face turned green.

Having a record meant a penalty in pay.

The Wind Thunder Hall already had the worst performance with hardly any bonuses or rewards.

They barely managed on their monthly allowance, not enough even to buy rouge for Qing Niang, and now with pay cuts, they wouldn't even afford to taste the northwestern wind.

Lu Renjia wanted to plead for mercy, suddenly remembered something, his eyes shifting slightly, he cautiously asked, "May I ask if Mr. Yuan, the Magistrate of Yuzhou, Yuan Anhe, is related to you?"

Yuan Anjiang's eyelids lifted slightly, his brow furrowing, "He's my elder brother."

"Oh my, family!"

Lu Renjia's face then lit up with joy, and he cheerfully said, "Mr. Yuan, we are practically family."

"Oh?" Yuan Anjiang suddenly took interest, the record book he had opened now closed, his tone becoming somewhat softer, "How so? You know my elder brother?"

Lu Renjia straightened his back and laughed, "The doorman of Magistrate Yuan's residence, Mr. Lu, his daughter-in-law's cousin's distant cousin, is a sister to my neighbor's third aunt's son's tutor's friend's wife through different mothers.

Mr. Yuan, we are practically family. Let's overlook this matter, okay?

Tonight, I will host; let's go to the Spring Rain Building for a drink. The owner of Spring Rain Building, Chun Yu, is very familiar with me, and she's like family as well..."

Watching the enthusiastic Lu Renjia, Yuan Anjiang's cheeks twitched uncontrollably.

"Names!"

He reopened the record book and asked coldly.

Lu Renjia, who had been chattering away, suddenly froze, then forced a smile and attempted to speak again, but, meeting Yuan Anjiang's icy gaze, didn't dare to make a sound.

"Mr. Yuan, actually, the two of us arrived at the scene very early but went to investigate a case," Jiang Shouzhong suddenly spoke up, breaking the deadlock.

Yuan Anjiang turned his head, his sharp glance sizing up the handsome young man before him, and sarcastically remarked, "You say … you went to investigate a case?"

"Indeed," Jiang Shouzhong replied calmly.

Yuan Anjiang glanced at Lu Renjia, then repeated with even more scorn in his eyes, "You went to investigate a case?"

"Yes … yes …" Lu Renjia stiffened and nodded awkwardly.

"Very well, then tell me where you went to investigate and what you found. Where is the demon!?"

Yuan Anjiang laughed coldly, glaring disdainfully at Jiang Shouzhong and Lu Renjia, as if to say, now, let's see what else you can conjure up.