Yang Luoya and Song Ren arrived at the scene located in narrow alley. A lot of people surrounded a completely burned body. As they get off from their horse, people make a way for them to get closer. It was the body of a young woman. He crouch to examine the body. He lift the woman long skirt a bit, a flower petal mark could be seen.
Yang Luoya frown upon saw it. "Can you explain what the victim does before she became like this?", He asked a middle aged man among the crowd.
"well... her name was Linqi, she work at nearby restaurant. She just do her usual activity. Yesterday the restaurant owner asked her to buy flour from nearby market, she hasn't come back since then. This morning.... a drunk man accidently come across her... she already became like this", the man explained.
"Then what about the flower petals mark?"
"I don't know about that... but her best friend said she never had those mark before"
"(suddenly appeared? or someone else make it deliberately?)", Yang Luoya thought. "Can we meet her best friend you talking about?"
"Her name is Xiuying, she work at the same restaurant as Linqi, it's ....", The man give Yang Luoya direction to the restaurant Linqi work at before. Yang Luoya and Song Ren arrived at Moonlight restaurant. The restaurant is empty, probably because Linqi died. Yang Luoya and Song Ren entered the Restaurant.
"ah welcome", A young woman greet them, She looks tired and depressed. Yang Luoya nodded and followed the woman to sit and maybe order something. "What do you want to order", The woman ask.
"give us your recommendation", Said Yang Luoya. The woman shocked at first but nodded. "The most popular dish in our restaurant is lotus seed soup", The girl explain. "we order two"
The woman bowed down and leave. A few minutes later the woman came back brought the dish they ordered. As the woman place down the dish, Yang Luoya asked, " I heard there's a girl named Xiuying working here"
"that's me.... do you have something to do with me?", Xiuying ask. "We just want to investigate Linqi murder case", Xiuying expression changed, she become more sad and depressed.
"She's a good person.... why would someone murder her like that? Each and every customer liked her for her kindness. Why... why would.... she left me just like this", She sobbed.
"calm down, we also want to know the culprit, so tell us did Linqi encounter a strange person yesterday or maybe you found someone suspicious?". Yang Luoya were serious.
Xiuying stop crying and thinking for a second, "Not yesterday... but few days ago, we went to night market together....."
.
.
.
"Linqi don't run in the crowd!", Xiuying tried to chase after her. Linqi laughed as she keep running among the crowd. Night market was completely different compared to day market. Bustling road under colourful light and beautiful moon.
"Hurry up Xiuying! they will began the music soon!", Dance under the moonlight was Linqi favourite. A lot of people will gathered near the lake under the full moon and dance happily. Linqi arrived first, while Xiuying was out of breath after chasing for Linqi.
"Look the lake was so beautiful!", Linqi pointed her finger at the lake wich reflected the moonlight. Suddenly the music began, a lot of people started to dance happily, they also brought their partner.
"How envious.... if only i have dance partner....", said Linqi a bit sad.
"huff... huff... then you can dance with m-", before Xiuying manage to finish her sentence, a young man with silver hair, dressed in black and wearing a mask grabbed Linqi's hand, "May i have your first dance, lady?", The young man kissed Linqi hands.
"uh... um... okay...", Linqi blushed and followed the man. Xiuying was confused, it's just a normal dance under the moonlight, why would someone wearing such strange fancy outift and even a mask?
As Linqi and that strange man started to dance, Xiuying became more and more suspicious of him. He wear that fancy and expensive clothes.... yet no one paid attention to them. It's as if that man was never been there. Linqi was completely captivated by that man. But Xiuying know.... that man was a bad news.
"What if that man just want to dressed nicely?", Yang Luoya ask.
"If that's his reason... then he would become the center of attention. I'm not joking.... his silver hair and blue ethereal eyes make him unique, yet no one paid attention to him"
"what stand out from his is his silver hair.... but how can we found him....", Yang Luoya thinking.
"Young master, i heard a rumour", Song Ren said to Yang Luoya. "A few days ago there's a man who always wander at night. Sometimes he stand on rooftop or seen on the bridge at night. Someone also said he was seen inside the brothel empty room, Inside the temple, and even on top of palace military building", Song Ren explained.
"what? is he a ghost or something?", Yang Luoya was shocked. "People called him the night walker, he has silver long hair just like miss Xiuying descripted"
"My dad also said there's one courtesan who had the same mark as Xiuying, we should go there later", Said Yang Luoya. Song Ren nodded. "Thank you for the food, miss Xiuying", Yang Luoya placed a silver on the table and leave. Xiuying bowed down as she escort them out.
Yang Luoya and Song Ren went to the brothel Yang Soren Said before, Golden Lotus Pavilion. This brothel was magnificent, decorated in red and golden cloth. A lot of people went in and out from the brothel.
"welcome mister~", A young woman greet them. "we're from the palace for investigating the flower petals", Yang Luoya said. The woman expression become serious. "This way sir", The woman lead them inside. The woman lead them towards one room. As she open the door, there was a woman inside, sitting on the bed, she looks scared and horrified.
"Zhenyi, you have a guest", The woman said towards the woman inside. The woman called Zhenyi look at them, her trembling hand calmed down. The woman who escort Yang Luoya and Song Ren leave them alone.
"Lady Zhenyi, i heard you had the flower petals mark", Yang Luoya started the conversation. Zhenyi lift her skirt a bit, showing the same flower petals mark. "I didn't have this before.... it suddenly appeared....am i... am i gonna die too?", The woman looks scared.
"We're here to investigate and find the culprit, it's just speculation, lady zhenyi, have you seen a silver haired man before", Yang Luoya became serious.
"silver hair..... I-I think i saw him before....", The woman said. "It was a few days ago...."
During that night, Zhenyi didn't have any guest so she just casually take a stroll on the third floor. The third floor was restricted just for staff and owner. She just happen to pass through one of the courtesan room. Zhenyi knows that courtesan isn't here anymore since someone already bought her. But.... the lights is on.
Curious, Zhenyi entered the room. Once she open the door, she saw A silver haired man with mask staring at the opened window. He aware of Zhenyi presence, and the door behind Zhenyi suddenly closed. At first she was scared.
"No need to be scared my lady, i'm just lost", the man said as he raised Zhenyi's chin. Zhenyi blushed as she saw such beautiful blue eyes the man had. The man went closer as if to kiss her, but when Zhengyi closed her eyes..... The man disappeared..... The next morning, she realized a mark appeared in her thigh.
"And then yesterday.... i heard a woman died... she had the same flower petals mark as me..... that mark suddenly appeared.... am i being targeted?", Zhenyi trembled.
"this is more complicated.... ", Yang Luoya grumble.
"sir... it's already dark, you can stay here for tonight, just think of this as the first payment to catching the culprit"
"but i haven't found the culprit yet"
"But the palace send you, just think of this as our way to say thank you for helping us, i will also prepare the room for mr. assistant", said Zhenyi.
"..... alright thank you", as Yang Luoya said that, Zhenyi left the room and Song Ren followed her to the room next door.
It was midnight,Yang Luoya couldn't sleep. He just keep thinking the plot have been altered way too much. As he shift his position, he saw something. There's someone standing on top of the roof across the building Yang Luoya at. Is it the night walker?
Yang Luoya jump from the bed, he grab his sword and open the window.
"Hey you!", Yang Luoya jumped from the window, now he's standing on top of the rooftop.