The emperor received a spirit tortoise made of pure gold, and the whole court celebrated.
The next day, the golden tortoise turned out to be dead, with a bloody curse carved into its shell.
While investigating the case, Song Ping, a judicial officer at the Dali Temple, had his trousers pulled down in the middle of the street by Lu Xiaochan, the pawnshop heiress. “Officer, those trousers are stolen goods from my pawnshop!”
To keep her quiet, Song Ping was forced to take her on as an aide.
When Lu Xiaochan examined the body, her eyes lit up. “Is this tortoise shell gold-plated?”
Song Ping groaned. “Is that really the point?”
She pried the shell open. “Look, there’s Sanskrit carved inside: ‘Wu Chengsi dies.’”
That night, Lu Xiaochan carried her bedding into Song Ping’s bedroom. “My lord, I’m afraid they’ll kill me to silence me.”
Song Ping looked at the young woman who had taken over his bed. “...You’re more afraid of missing the excitement, aren’t you?”
