In the alley, Lin Baici leaned against the wall, listening to the old man introduce those missing maidens, his eyes occasionally sweeping over both sides of the alley to ensure no one approached.
"Hero, I’ve told you everything I know, will you let go now?"
The old man cupped his hands in a plea for rcy.
"Why do you know so much?"
Lin Baici squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the old man, pondering whether he was a valuable NPC and if more intelligence could be extracted.
"I have no other hobbies, just love going to teahouses and listening to stories. The more you go, naturally, the more you know!"
The old man took out a money bag from his bosom, initially planning to give Lin Baici a few taels of silver to send him away, but after so thought, he handed it all over.
"Hero, I’ve never done anything evil in my life, I’ve always paid the workers at ho fully, never begrudgingly using them like donkeys. If you kill , several families who depend on for their livelihood will be ruined!"
The old man played the sentint card.
Lin Baici hadn’t planned to take the money bag, but upon hearing this, knowing he was dealing with a wealthy man, he took it unceremoniously.
"If you dare report this or speak of today’s events, I’ll kill your entire family!"
Lin Baici threatened.
There was no other way,
Without threatening, he could only silence the man permanently; even though he was just an NPC, Lin Baici was hesitant to be ruthless.
"Hero, I..."
The old man didn’t finish his sentence before Lin Baici delivered a hand chop to his neck, causing his eyes to roll back and faint imdiately.
Lin Baici quickly left the alley.
A quarter of an hour later, Lin Baici entered a teahouse, and amid the diners’ idle chatter, he soon learned of the major recent event at Shuntian Prefecture—those maidens dedicated to the Emperor, preparing to head north by boat, were all burned to death.
"Rule contamination must be related to this incident!"
Lin Baici, now an experienced hand, mused.
Among those maidens, the most famous was the daughter of the Shen Family of wealth; she was beautiful, had a clean background, and with a famous father, it was naturally widely known.
Lin Baici’s first stop was the Shen Family.
Actually, seeking out the official in charge of the case would be better, but Lin Baici, a re civilian, in ancient tis, hoped to see a high official—was akin to ascending to heaven.
From the nickna "Shen Wansan" it was obvious that he was a local figure of great renown.
Lin Baici casually asked a roadside vendor selling baked pastries for directions and figured out where the Shen Family was.
Half an hour later, Lin Baici arrived at the Shen Family.
Without a legitimate identity, Lin Baici couldn’t directly visit, so he simply went to the back alley and climbed over the wall.
Perhaps due to the death of the young lady, the servants and attendants appeared heavy-hearted, fearing that a careless mistake would anger the old master, who would then find an excuse to deal with them.
This was a Jiangnan Garden-style building, quite large, Lin Baici even got a bit lost.
Searching for soone unseen in such a large place proved difficult.
However, a quarter of an hour later, Lin Baici unexpectedly heard a familiar voice.
"Red dicine?"
Lin Baici traced the voice and saw inside a main hall, Xia Hongyao and Gu Qingqiu, talking with a middle-aged man with a goatee.
"..."
Lin Baici was sowhat surprised, High Ponytail and Gu Qingqiu were actually dressed in black uniforms, appearing as constables?
Was their developnt a bit too fast?
Lin Baici felt he’d already moved swiftly finding Shen Wansan’s ho, yet these two were already dressed in constable garb.
This was clearly an official investigation.
Lin Baici no longer hurried, trusting Gu Qingqiu’s intelligence and her personal involvent, needing no worry she might miss any details.
Due to Gu Qingqiu’s early frail health, Big Bear Brother wasn’t very big, her figure was slender, and wearing a constable uniform, she had a sort of androgynous beauty with red lips and white teeth.
Xia Hongyao was different, her Big Bear was too conspicuous, hardly making the official uniform imposing, more like a cosplay ga between lovers.
Lin Baici watched for a while, and once certain there were no problems, quietly withdrew.
...
Master Shen served tea to send off guests.
He not only had the steward escort Gu Qingqiu and Xia Hongyao to the door, but also generous enough to each give a hundred-tael silver note.
"Do you think the arson case is related to him?"
Xia Hongyao stood on the street, gazing at the Shen Family’s gate, arms folded, carefully recalling every detail from when they entered his ho.
"His answers were flawless, and with this kind of self-made man, his ntal resilience was strong, his acting superb, don’t assu you’ll see any trace of flaw from his emotions!"
Gu Qingqiu recalled their conversation: "However, precisely because it’s too perfect, it gives a feeling that he must know so hidden truths!"
"Too bad Little Linzi isn’t here, or perhaps he’d notice sothing?"
Xia Hongyao turned, looking around: "Where to next?"
"Continue the investigation?"
"No!"
Gu Qingqiu walked to the street: "Wait for the schoolmate to co!"
With Lin Baici’s intelligence, he’d soon find his way here.
Gu Qingqiu and Xia Hongyao stepped over the threshold, waiting for the view to restore, then saw a constable hanging himself; upon rescuing him, they learned about the maiden death case.
Gu Qingqiu then proposed to help him solve the case.
The constable was overjoyed, for failing to solve the case ant not just losing his position, but facing severe punishnt, so he held onto Gu Qingqiu like a lifeline, desperately wanting her help.
Whew! Whew!
Lin Baici whistled a few tis.
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