By the time the sun hung high in the sky the next day, Adrian finally headed leisurely toward Grant's estate.
The moment he entered the main hall, he saw Keqing leading two officers from the Ministry of Civil Affairs Tribunal, carefully examining Grant's corpse inside the ice coffin at the center of the room.
Hu Tao watched with great interest, occasionally chiming in with bizarre and ridiculous theories of her own.
Meanwhile, Zhongli sat on a chair nearby, fully absorbed in the wildly popular new novel "Battle Through Liyue."
Adrian, who had no love for corpse examinations, found a halfway comfortable chair outside the hall, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.
The warm spring sunlight felt so pleasant on his skin that he nearly drifted into a peaceful nap.
Just as he was about to slip fully into sleep, Keqing shook him—without the slightest hesitation.
"Adrian. The Tribunal needs your statement."
He reluctantly opened his sleepy eyes, glaring at her with the bitterness of someone robbed of a wonderful dream.
"Master Keqing, couldn't you spare a man his nap? I was just about to kiss my master in my dream."
"Stop calling me Master Keqing!"
Keqing's temper instantly flared.
Adrian nodded innocently.
"Alright then—Master Keqing."
Her chest rose and fell with restrained fury as she glared daggers at him, clearly holding back the urge to pummel him senseless.
The two civil officers asked Adrian a few routine questions, then wrapped up the deposition within minutes.
As soon as it ended, Adrian eagerly leaned toward Keqing, plastering on a flattering smile.
"Master Keqing, when will Grant be cleared for burial?"
Keqing shot him an annoyed look.
"When the Tribunal closes the case."
Adrian had expected that answer, but still felt disappointed.
Based on his past dealings with the Tribunal—even the simplest case could take ten days or half a month.
And the longer this dragged on, the longer he'd have to keep paying Hu Tao and Zhongli to guard the corpse.
Just thinking about it made his heart ache.
Clinging to a shred of hope, he tried again:
"Master Keqing, the Tribunal should offer subsidies for this, right? Corpse-guarding has operational costs, you know."
Keqing crushed his hope instantly.
"Under the old legal reforms, yes. But last year Ningguang reclassified such events as 'unavoidable circumstances.'
Losses must be borne personally."
Her chin tilted slightly upward, a hint of schadenfreude sparking in her violet eyes.
"Why don't you go debate it with Ningguang? I'm sure she'll hear you out."
Adrian refused instantly.
What a joke! Debate with Ningguang?
Just meeting her once required at least ten million Mora in tribute.
With ten million Mora, he could pay Hu Tao and Zhongli to guard corpses for a whole year.
He dropped the topic and shifted,
"By the way, Master Keqing—about that land I mentioned on Mt. Tianheng, I think—"
Before he could finish, Keqing turned around and walked away at high speed, clearly done with him.
Adrian didn't mind. Instead, he approached the two Tribunal officers who were packing up to leave.
Once he stood before them, he discreetly pulled two heavy envelopes from his robe and slipped one into each man's hand.
The weight alone conveyed his sincerity.
The two officers exchanged a knowing glance and smiled.
"Boss Adrian, don't worry. We'll close the case as soon as possible."
Adrian bowed repeatedly, all smiles.
"Thank you both! I really appreciate it—really!"
Of course, he knew perfectly well:
Bribing them didn't guarantee efficiency.
But not bribing them guaranteed delays.
Just then, the two officers leaned close, lowering their voices:
"Boss Adrian, here's a tip. You know the wealthy Lord Dean, right? His youngest daughter jumped into a well not long ago. They still haven't held the funeral."
Adrian's heart leapt.
Ten years ago, Dean had been the richest man in all of Liyue.
Even though he had fallen from grace since then, he was still among the city's top elites.
If Adrian could secure that job…
He could start looking at real estate in Liyue's city center.
He thanked the officers profusely and promised them an additional reward if he secured Dean's daughter's funeral.
After they left, Adrian headed straight to the treasurer in the storage wing to discuss the remaining fees.
The treasurer informed him that Grant had a secret daughter, and all business concerning the estate would now be decided by her.
The previous agreement with Lillian was temporarily void.
Adrian felt helpless—but he had already secured two million Mora as a deposit, which was a massive profit regardless.
And according to Liyue's Contract Laws, deposits were non-refundable.
Which was exactly why he had demanded it upfront.
Without delay, Adrian rushed toward Dean's mansion.
Soon, he arrived.
Even in Liyue's most prosperous district, the mansion towered above its neighbors—magnificent, imposing, and once the pride of the city.
Its sheer size rivaled that of an entire modern residential complex.
But the glory of the past had long faded.
Now, the grand estate stood dull and worn, its former splendor dimmed.
Where crowds and carriages once passed through the gates, only an elderly gatekeeper with graying hair now sat alone, watching over the entrance.
Adrian politely explained who he was and why he had come.
The old man hesitated briefly, then let him through.
The moment Adrian stepped inside, his brows furrowed.
A harsh, rotting stench filled the air.
The deeper he walked, the stronger it became—heavy, suffocating, and inescapable.
Following the corridor carefully, he finally reached the hall where the body was kept.
The smell there was overwhelming—so thick it pressed down like a physical weight.
Adrian quickly covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve.
Yet Lord Dean, sitting faithfully beside the corpse covered with a white sheet,
seemed completely oblivious to the suffocating stench around him.