Chapter Seven: The Guardian White Goose and the Ironleaf Demon Tea

At that precise moment, a string of sharp, piercing goose calls echoed from the eastern courtyard. Even the usually impassive face of Xia Ruxuan registered a flash of surprise.

She immediately sprang to her feet, her lithe figure darting away so swiftly she didn’t spare Han Chong a second glance, gun in hand as she hurried off.

Han Chong, who had been lost in thought, was startled by the goose’s cry, turned his head, then hesitated a moment before vaulting over the stone table to chase after Xia Ruxuan.

He was secretly unsettled by the eerie nature of the goose’s call, but this valiant woman’s agility was truly remarkable—clearly the mark of a first-class martial artist.

She moved with both speed and grace, vaulting over the wall.

Han Chong summoned all his strength and only managed to catch up after crossing three successive courtyards.

There, he found himself in a spacious, open yard—and in its center stood an enormous white goose, as tall as a grown man!

Not only was this goose of astonishing size, but it stood with proud bearing, its wings nearly a full yard across, its beak and webbed feet a vivid red, eyes black and shining with intelligence—a veritable divine goose!

The reason for its shrill cries was clear: across from it, the black-clad Inspector stood, facing the goose in a tense standoff.

The Inspector’s black dress had been torn, revealing white trousers beneath. Her wide-brimmed black veil had tumbled to the ground, her face flushed, willow brows furrowed in anger as she glared at the great white goose.

"Who are you to trespass in my Xia estate?" Xia Ruxuan demanded, her silver spear raised, brows arched in challenge.

"Wait! Miss Xia, you misunderstand. This is an Inspector from the Demon-Slaying Bureau, here to investigate the case with me. Please, don’t act rashly!"

Han Chong stepped between the two women to mediate, but the great white goose let out another series of loud honks and lunged to peck at him instead!

“Demon goose! Taste my sword!”

The black-clad Inspector lunged, sword flashing, but with a single squawk, the white goose bit down on the blade and, with a toss of its head, sent the weapon flying.

“What a formidable goose! Miss Ruxuan, please make it stop!”

Han Chong, never having seen such a fearsome bird, hurried to intercede.

"Da Bai, enough!"

Xia Ruxuan, snapping out of her earlier shock at the Inspector’s title, hurried forward and spread her arms to block the goose, who reluctantly folded its wings and ceased its assault.

"Chickens live no more than six years; dogs, eight. Miss Xia, I fear this goose has lived beyond a decade, acquiring demonic traits. It should be destroyed," the Inspector said coldly after a moment’s calm had settled.

"Demonic traits? Inspector, surely you exaggerate. This goose is our loyal guardian. It neither harms nor kills, only startles away those with ill intentions. It has saved my family more than once!"

Xia Ruxuan, displeased, saluted with her fists, her tone blunt.

"Let us hope so. Beware, for your own good."

The atmosphere turned icy.

"Inspector, I have already questioned Miss Ruxuan and uncovered the key to the case!"

"Oh? You’ve already found the means to solve it?" The black-clad Inspector turned to Han Chong, a hint of surprise on her face.

"Indeed. There can only be one truth! Let us sit and discuss." Han Chong gestured invitingly.

Xia Ruxuan led the way back to the pavilion, where the three of them took their seats.

"You may speak, Vice Chief Han," the Inspector said, laying her sword on the table with quiet composure.

"Hmm, I still do not know your name, Inspector. It would be awkward to report without it," Han Chong said respectfully.

"Leng Yue," she replied.

"So you are Inspector Leng." Han Chong pondered his words, sipping the bitter tea.

"The matter concerns Tribute Tea from the Food Administration. The Ye family acquired the contract for Xianshui Town’s tea. The key lies with the word ‘tea.’ Miss Ruxuan, does any of this demon tea your father mentioned remain?"

"Yes. On the day my father died, he still clutched that strange tea in his hand! I will fetch it at once," Xia Ruxuan replied, offering a graceful salute before hurrying away.

The presence of demon tea was a major clue. If it truly was demon tea, it would prove the Ye family’s collusion with demonfolk.

"Chief Han, you are quite adept at investigation," Leng Yue acknowledged with a slight nod.

"You flatter me, Inspector. I know but a little," Han Chong replied.

"Inspector Leng, since childhood I have aspired to slay demons and rescue the people from misery. How might I join the Demon-Slaying Bureau? Could you recommend me?"

"That is difficult indeed. Even I endured countless trials, learned the arts of immortals, was selected through many rounds, and only after great merit did I become a seventh-grade Captain," Leng Yue replied plainly.

"I was naïve, it seems. But one day, I will join you," Han Chong declared, surprised at the difficulty.

Leng Yue was momentarily taken aback; this young constable did not seem to be joking—his resolve seemed genuine.

"Do you know the backgrounds of Demon-Slaying captains?"

"Their backgrounds? I ask for your guidance," Han Chong replied, his face showing surprise.

"In the Great Feng Dynasty, monsters and demons are rampant, their evils hard to eradicate. To join the Bureau, one must have an unyielding hatred of evil and unwavering will. Each captain has suffered irreconcilable loss at the hands of demonfolk before being chosen. Only then are they trained for years in the arts of immortals at district headquarters before formally undertaking missions," Leng Yue explained.

Han Chong felt a chill run through him. So that was why this woman was so cold and aloof, even to their guardian goose—she had suffered at the hands of demons from childhood.

...

Eventually, Xia Ruxuan returned, bringing a small brocade-wrapped bundle. When she opened it, the contents revealed tea leaves as hard as iron and dark red-black in color—truly bizarre.

Both Han Chong and Leng Yue looked on in astonishment, each picking out a leaf to examine closely.

Xia Ruxuan placed several leaves into two cups, instructing a maid to brew them. At once, a strange fragrance filled the pavilion.

The scent was like a parade of heavily made-up beauties, drilling straight into the nose and flooding the mind with dizzying waves, making it impossible to resist.

Han Chong reasoned the tea was likely not poisoned—if it were, would not the emperor himself have been struck down?

He took a careful sip, only to feel an unusual tightness in his chest, a suffocating sensation crashing into his mind, followed by dizzy swelling, flushed cheeks, and sweat pouring from his body.

Stranger still, what followed was a sensation of floating bliss, an irrepressible euphoria.

Splash! A cup of cold water doused Han Chong’s face, snapping him out of his trance. He came to, dazed and bewildered.

"Well? How do you feel?" Leng Yue, holding the water cup, had just pulled him from the hallucination.

Han Chong exhaled slowly, deep in thought.

"This is a kind of nerve-poisoning demon tea! It is truly the work of monsters."

The tea seemed a blend of betel nut and narcotic, something this world had never seen—a fitting product of demons.

"Let me try," Leng Yue said, tapping her chest with her left hand. In her right appeared a silver device like a truth rod, topped with a crystal-clear orb.

She inserted the rod into the cup, and a green vine-like color crept up the silver probe into the crystal ball, which began to emit a faint, enchanting green glow like a firefly.

"It truly is demon tea," Leng Yue said with a frown, stowing the detection rod away.

"The facts are clear now—the Ye family is certainly in league with demons. They must have enchanted the tea leaves to seize the contract for Xianshui Town. Only the Xia family, with its great white goose, was spared disaster," Han Chong said solemnly, eyes shining.

"That explains it. Two months ago, our Da Bai was restless every night, disturbing the whole household. If not for him, the demon would have destroyed us. Chief Han, your reasoning is brilliant!" Xia Ruxuan said, saluting.

"You flatter me, Miss Xia. I merely followed the clues. In these troubled times, even demons have grown cunning, no longer daring to act openly. Instead, they ally with the powerful, seeking mutual gain and hiding their tracks," Han Chong replied.

"What should we do now?" Leng Yue asked, frowning.

"I will question the Ye family openly while you investigate in secret, Inspector. That way, nothing will go awry," Han Chong proposed.

"Let it be so," Leng Yue agreed coolly.

"Chief Han, take me with you. I must avenge my father and uncover the truth!" Xia Ruxuan stood abruptly, her gaze resolute.

"Naturally, we need your help, Miss Ruxuan. Bring your great white goose and wait with a carriage outside the Ye estate. If anything happens, you can support us."

Han Chong nodded in approval. With these two allies, he felt more secure.

"Then it’s settled. We set out at the fourth hour tonight. We will not rest until the truth is revealed!"

The three of them sipped their tea, an air of solemnity settling over them as they realized the Ye estate was anything but ordinary.