During the Yifeng period, the spring was very cold.
Luoyang, the most prosperous capital city in the world, was shrouded in a rare heavy snow at this time. The streets were deserted and the city was quiet. The night falls and the wind is as cold as a knife. In the imperial city, the bangs of the bell and drum towers sounded clearly, announcing that midnight had arrived.
However, in this silent night, a shrill female scream came from the depths of Anrenfang, tearing the tranquility of the night apart.
Di Renjie, then the governor of Luozhou, was discussing a recent suspicious case in the city with his personal aide Li Yuanfang. Upon hearing this scream, Di Renjie immediately put down the bamboo slips in his hand and looked up out of the window. The candlelight flickered, and a sharp light flashed in his deep eyes.
"Yuanfang, take someone with you and follow me to Anrenfang." He said solemnly.
Li Yuanfang stood up in response, put on his cloak and brought his entourage with him. Not long after, a group of people set off on horseback, the horses' hooves breaking the snow, making a dull sound. Anrenfang is only two miles away from the Governor's Mansion, but in the darkness at this moment, the walls are high and the gates are closed, and there are almost no people around. As soon as he entered the square, Di Renjie smelled a faint smell of blood coming from the east direction of the square.
Following the smell, everyone came to a remote house in the square. The door of the house was ajar, and a line of messy footprints on the snow extended from outside the door to the inside of the house. Di Renjie waved his hand to stop and whispered: "Yuanfang, be careful and be alert to the surroundings."
