Chapter 62 — The Girl In The Well (2)
Without warning, the Left Prime Minister seized Chen Ye by the arm and pulled her sharply toward him—
A loud crack split the air. His hand had struck her.
Chen Ye froze instantly. Her head snapped to the side, her cries cut off instantly.
The courtyard fell into a stunned silence, the kind that pressed heavily against the chest and stole the breath from those who witnessed it.
For a brief moment, no one dared to move.
"Compose yourself," Ji Wanghao said coldly, his voice low yet suffocatingly authoritative. "Wailing like this… are you trying to disgrace me?"
Chen Ye's body trembled violently. Her lips quivered, her eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill again—but this time, she forced them back. Not a single sound escaped her.
Only silence remained of her grief.
Ji Wanghao did not spare her another glance. Instead, he turned toward Li Ming as though nothing had happened.
"I apologize for this spectacle," he said flatly. "Please, continue."
Li Ming, who had been momentarily stunned, quickly straightened. He lowered his gaze, forcing himself to regain composure. Whatever shock he felt, he buried it beneath duty.
"Yes, Prime Minister," he replied.
He hesitated briefly, choosing his words with care.
"Although her body was found in the well, we suspect it was not an accident. It is highly likely… she was murdered." He paused, then added in a lower voice, There were marks on her body… signs of force.
A brief silence.
Chen Ye's breath hitched.
Her hands flew to her mouth, covering it tightly as if afraid even the sound of her sorrow would provoke another blow.
Her shoulders shook as she struggled to contain her sobs, tears slipping silently between her fingers.
Ji Wanghao's expression did not change. For a moment, he simply closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, whatever faint trace of humanity might have existed there had already vanished.
"I see," he said calmly. A pause followed. "Then…This matter ends here."
The words fell like cold iron.
Chen Ye could not hold back anymore.
"My lord—!" she cried out, her voice breaking.
"Silence!" Ji Wanghao snapped, his gaze turning sharp as a blade. "Do you intend to ruin the future of the other children in this household as well?"
Chen Ye flinched as if struck again. Her voice died instantly, her entire body shrinking into itself.
Ji Wanghao turned back to Li Ming, his tone measured, controlled—decisive.
"This matter must not spread," he said. "People cannot know that my daughter was violated by some unknown scoundrel… especially in a place like Hanshen Ge".
His eyes hardened.
"A gisaeng house."
Each word carried quiet contempt.
"Report it as an accident," he continued. "Say she fell into the well during the night."
Li Ming lowered his head. "Understood, Prime Minister."
There was no room for refusal.
Ji Wanghao gave a small nod, as though the matter had already been settled.
"Let us go."
Without waiting for a response, he reached out, seized Chen Ye's wrist, and dragged her toward the carriage.
She stumbled after him, her steps unsteady, her grief forcibly buried beneath fear and helplessness.
The carriage doors shut.
Moments later, the sound of hooves echoed once more as it rolled away from Hanshen Ge, carrying them with it.
Only after it had disappeared from sight did the tension in the courtyard begin to loosen—though the heaviness remained.
And just then— Another carriage arrived shortly after.
This one, far more familiar. It was Madam's carriage.
Madam had returned.
.
.
.
.
.
The carriage came to a slow halt before the gates of Hanshen Ge.
For a brief moment, the murmuring crowd lingered, curious and restless. Then the curtain was lifted, and she stepped out.
Madam.
The moment her feet touched the ground, those gathered at the entrance instinctively moved aside.
The path cleared almost immediately, not out of respect alone—but recognition. Whether true or not, everyone knew her as the woman who owned Hanshen Ge.
She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping over the unusually large crowd gathered at her doors. A faint crease formed between her brows.
Something was wrong. Still, she said nothing and began walking forward.
Behind her, however, whispers quickly rose.
"She's… beautiful…"
"I didn't expect the Madam of a gisaeng house to look like that…"
Another voice, sharper, laced with disdain—
"What's the use of such beauty if all she does is run a place like this?"
A few quiet chuckles followed. The words drifted through the air, light yet cutting.
Madam heard them. But her expression did not change.
As if such remarks had long since lost the power to reach her, she continued forward without the slightest pause.
Step by step, she crossed the threshold of Hanshen Ge—
And stopped.
The moment she stepped inside, the scene before her froze her in place.
Chaos.
Yamen constables moved hurriedly across the hall, their boots striking against the wooden floors as they barked orders and searched every corner.
The calm, elegant atmosphere that Hanshen Ge was known for had completely vanished.
Servants stood in clusters, whispering anxiously.
The gisaengs, who should have been preparing for the evening's performance, had abandoned their duties entirely. Instead, they watched the unfolding commotion with wide, uneasy eyes.
Even the great signboard of Hanshen Ge—usually straight and pristine—hung slightly crooked, as if the building itself had been disturbed.
Madam's gaze darkened. This was not how she had left things.
Before she could fully take it in—
A yamen guard suddenly came rushing across the hall, gripping a young girl tightly by the wrist. The girl struggled weakly, nearly stumbling as she was dragged forward.
"Sir!" the guard shouted urgently as he approached a man standing at the center of the chaos, clearly the one in command. "I found Minke!"
At that name, several heads turned. The tension in the air sharpened instantly.
Madam's eyes flickered.
Minke?
Her gaze swept across the disorder once more—the frightened faces, the intrusive officials, the broken order of her establishment.
This was not a simple disturbance. This was something far worse. And in a place she controlled.
The realization struck cold. Her expression hardened.
Looking at the chaos she had never left behind—but was now unfolding right before her eyes—
She stepped forward, her voice cutting cleanly through the noise like a blade.
"What is happening here?"
Hearing that, every head in Hanshen Ge turned towards her
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Madam's office was quiet. Too quiet.
The chaos outside—the hurried footsteps, the raised voices, the tension—seemed to stop at her door, as though it did not dare intrude.
Inside, only stillness remained.
Madam sat behind her desk, her posture straight, her expression composed. Across from her sat Li Ming, equally upright, though far less at ease.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—
"Now," Madam began, her voice calm and even, "tell me what is going on here."
Li Ming did not waste time.
"A girl was found dead in the well of Hanshen Ge," he said. "From our initial findings… her body shows signs of violation prior to death."
Silence followed.
Madam did not react. Not a flicker. Not a shift.
Only a single question left her lips—
"Who is the girl?"
Li Ming watched her carefully, as if trying to catch even the smallest crack in her composure.
"Ji Yunluo," he answered.
For the first time— Madam's eyes shifted.
Only slightly. Barely noticeable.
"The Prime Minister's daughter?" she asked.
"Mmm," Li Ming confirmed.
And just like that— Her expression returned to what it had always been. Calm. Unreadable.
"Have you informed the Left Prime Minister?" she asked.
"Yes."
"What was his instruction?"
Li Ming paused for a fraction of a second.
"He ordered the case to be closed."
A soft hum escaped Madam's lips.
"I see."
Another brief silence.
"Then do as he says."
The words came easily. Too easily.
Li Ming did not respond immediately. Instead, he studied her.
Carefully.
There was something about her—something familiar, something just out of reach. A feeling he could not quite place.
Madam noticed. Her gaze lifted slightly.
"Is there something else?" she asked.
Li Ming blinked, then shook his head faintly.
"No."
He stood, but before turning to leave, he paused.
"You just…" he began, then hesitated.
Madam said nothing.
"You remind me of someone I used to know."
For the first time, there was the faintest shift in the air.
Something like recognition flickered in madams eyes but she did not respond.
Li Ming lingered for a moment longer, then gave a short nod and turned, stepping out of the room.
The door slid shut behind him. Silence returned.
And this time— Madam closed her eyes.
Slowly.
The composure she had held so perfectly began to crack beneath the surface, if only for a moment. A breath escaped her, quieter than a whisper—heavy with something long buried.
But it lasted only a second.
Then— Her eyes opened again.
Clear. Controlled.
Whatever had stirred within her was gone. And the mask… Was firmly back in place.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
The moment Li Ming stepped out of Madam's office, he adjusted his robe and began walking down the corridor.
The commotion outside had not lessened. Voices still echoed faintly through the halls, but within the inner passage, things were quieter.
As he descended the stairs, movement ahead caught his attention.
A group of guards approached the entrance. But these were not ordinary men.
Their uniforms were unmistakable—royal cloth, finely woven and embroidered with authority. They were palace guards.
They advanced swiftly, their expressions firm and unreadable, carrying three large wooden boxes between them.
The boxes were heavy, secured with metal clasps, bearing official seals stamped in red.
Leading them was a Hanshen Ge guard, walking slightly ahead, guiding their path directly toward the corridor that led to Madam's office.
Li Ming slowed his steps. His gaze sharpened.
He shifted calmly to the side, creating space for them to pass without disrupting their movement. His posture remained respectful, but his eyes did not miss a single detail.
The palace guards did not acknowledge him. They moved with purpose, their boots striking the wooden floor in steady rhythm.
As they passed, Li Ming's eyes followed them.
Three boxes. Seven Palace guards.
Direct route to Madam's office.
His expression remained neutral, but his mind began calculating. When they turned into the corridor and disappeared from view, he finally looked away.
Without hesitation, he summoned one of the nearby yamen guards.
"Gather all constables," he ordered quietly. "Immediately."
The guard bowed and hurried off.
Li Ming remained still for a moment longer, glancing once toward the corridor the palace guards had entered.
Then he turned and descended the remaining steps.
Soon, the yamen constables assembled at the courtyard.
Li Ming gave a single command.
"We are leaving."
No one questioned him.
The investigation here had reached a new stage—and whatever was now unfolding inside Madam's office involved forces beyond their authority.
One by one, the constables exited Hanshen Ge in formation.
As they passed through the gates, Li Ming cast one final glance back at the establishment.
The doors were closing behind them.
And within those walls… Yunluo's truth remained buried.
The heavy wooden doors shut completely, sealing Hanshen Ge once more in uneasy silence.