"What is it?" Lan Heng saw Zhong Li emerge and, upon seeing she was unharmed, stepped forward to ask anxiously.
Zhong Li, suppressing the unease brought on by the water prison environment, walked quickly toward the exit and said, "Sir, you said the origin of the Goddess Cult was in Liaocheng, correct?"
Lan Heng nodded, his gaze dropping as he already understood her intention.
"You're going to Liaocheng?"
Zhong Li nodded. "Didn't Sir say earlier that the religion's origin was from Liaocheng? Then Xuan Qingzi must also be from Liaocheng, right?"
"Yes," Lan Heng replied. "Minister Chen even went to Liaocheng specifically for this."
"What was the result?" Zhong Li asked.
Lan Heng shook his head. "I don't know much more than you. At most, it's what I've overheard from others in my years as an official. As for what Minister Chen found, if his case files didn't record it, then either he found nothing, or he found something but couldn't write it down."
"So, I need to go to Liaocheng immediately to investigate this matter thoroughly."
As Zhong Li spoke, she had already exited the water prison.
"Li'er." Lan Heng quickly caught up and held Zhong Li’s arm, his brows furrowed as he looked at her. "What did the person inside tell you to make you so anxious?"
Zhong Li glanced at the firmly locked water prison door and said, "I think what Xuan Qingzi said was just to create a mystery and is not to be trusted."
"Then why are you..." Lan Heng began, his gaze inadvertently falling on a carriage not far away. He was very familiar with its style; it belonged to Lu Wuxie.
"So, you're going to Liaocheng to see him?" Lan Heng's tone shifted from anxious and concerned to suddenly serious.
Zhong Li, initially confused by Lan Heng's sudden change, followed his gaze to see Lin Jin sitting in the driver's seat of the carriage, waiting for her. She suddenly understood.
"Yes, for a part of it."
"You..." Lan Heng thought Zhong Li might still be hesitant, but he was surprised by her direct answer. "Zhong Li, no matter what, you are a minister of the Dali Temple. What you're doing is mixing public and private affairs!"
Zhong Li raised her eyes to meet Lan Heng's gaze and said, "Does Lord Lan think so little of me?"
Lan Heng was somewhat exasperated. He closed his eyes and decided to ignore her.
Zhong Li took a deep breath and said, "Lord Lan, you said you liked me, right?"
"..." Lan Heng remained silent.
Zhong Li asked, "If I were to go to Liaocheng and have no news for over half a month, what would you do?"
Lan Heng startled, frowning at the woman before him, and murmured, "Lu Wuxie, he..."
"Yes, it's been over half a month since he contacted me. Even without Xuan Qingzi's matter, I was planning to handle my current affairs and go to Liaocheng. Now, encountering this strange case is one reason, and you also mentioned that Liaocheng has problems. So, Sir, how can I not worry about Lu Wuxie?" Zhong Li asked again.
Lan Heng's thin lips parted, but he couldn't utter a word.
"The Goddess case happened just two days ago, and His Majesty has already questioned you once. The situation developed rapidly. No one knows if there will be a second Bai Daoshi, nor if another female corpse will hang on the southern city wall. If all this happens tomorrow, and the case makes no progress, and the Dali Temple still has no one to truly investigate it thoroughly, will His Majesty be angry with you? Will the Dali Temple be held accountable?" Zhong Li asked again.
Lan Heng's throat bobbed, and his hands under his sleeves clenched slightly.
"I admit I have personal feelings. If you think this is not good, then consider it my half-month leave. If I remember correctly, in my nearly one year at the Dali Temple, I, Zhong Li, have not taken any rest. I've saved my leave days. This should not be too much to ask, right?" After speaking, Zhong Li walked around Lan Heng and headed quickly in Lin Jin's direction.
Lan Heng reacted, wanting to catch up to Zhong Li, who had already gotten into the carriage. Unexpectedly, Lin Jin blocked his way and said, "Sir."
Lan Heng said nothing, merely taking a gentlemanly step back.
Lin Jin sat in the driver's seat. Just as he was about to flick the whip, Lan Heng's voice rang out: "Li'er, remember to come back safely."
Zhong Li lifted the curtain, smiled at Lan Heng, acknowledging his words, and then the carriage wheels turned, speeding towards the south of the city.
Lan Heng stood where he was, watching the receding carriage, and then murmured, "And the heir, you must bring him back safely too."
When Zhong Li exited the city, it was during the evening glow. She changed into men's attire, opened the carriage door, and watched the startled birds fly home. Thinking that she would reach Liaocheng in three days by fast horse, she felt a surge of anticipation.
"Lin Jin," Zhong Li said, sitting beside Lin Jin, "have you contacted Mo Cang again before this?"
Lin Jin flicked the whip, accelerating the carriage, and shook his head with a tense expression. "I have, but the result is the same as Miss Zhong's – no response."
Zhong Li lowered her gaze, remaining silent. She knew that Lin Jin and Lu Wuxie had a faster, more efficient way of contacting each other to exchange clues, intelligence, and assign tasks. Now that Lu Wuxie hadn't even replied to Lin Jin, the probability of him being in trouble was even higher.
Lin Jin waited for a long time, seeing Zhong Li's lack of response, he glanced at the woman beside him and said, "Miss Zhong, don't worry. If the heir is in trouble, Ah Wu, who is always by his side, would have sent me a message. Since I haven't received any message from Ah Wu's carrier pigeon, the heir should be safe for now."
"Is that so?" Zhong Li murmured, narrowing her eyes and looking at the endless official road in front of her. "I'm afraid that Ah Wu has also run into trouble."
Lin Jin's hand gripping the reins paused. As his throat bobbed, he flicked the whip again, and the carriage's speed increased.
Liaocheng was located southeast of Jincheng. It was a prosperous place with a large population. During the years after Lin Guo was divided into two, Liaocheng served as the former capital of the Southern Yue Kingdom.
Zhong Li and Lin Jin arrived in Liaocheng during the day. Like Jincheng and Jinzhou, the most bustling Zhuque Street was crowded with people, lively and bustling. Perhaps it was due to summer, as many women wore revealing summer clothes in bright colors and varied patterns, which indeed contributed to the street's beauty.
Zhong Li and Lin Jin found an inn to lodge. Normally, they should have gone to the prefect's office to find Lu Wuxie. However, given the special circumstances and Lu Wuxie's delayed response, Zhong Li believed it was best to inquire about things in Liaocheng before making any decisions.
"Scram! You freeloader, you've been staying in our shop for so long, still owing money for lodging and food, and you claim to be a divine doctor? I think you're just a quack!"
As Zhong Li and Lin Jin were eating a few small dishes to appease their hunger, curses erupted from the second floor. Before they could react, a man with a small cap and a mustache, wearing casual clothes, carrying a small box, came tumbling down to the first floor.
"I haven't defaulted on payment. I told you, once I treat the official in the prefect's mansion and receive the reward, not only your few days of food expenses but even half of this wine shop can be bought!" The mustached man adjusted his askew hat and looked timidly at the pursuing waiter.
The waiter let out a cold snort and was about to push him out when his gaze fell upon the jade pendant on the man's waist. With a quick move, he snatched it, clutched it in his hand, and said, "Get lost! This will be considered payment for your meals."
"That won't do. That's my family's heirloom jade pendant." The mustached man reached out to snatch it from the waiter, but his strength was clearly insufficient. After just a few hops, he was already panting.
The waiter snorted coldly, pushed the man's head out of the doorway, and said, "Doctor? Famous doctor? With your spindly frame that can't withstand a gust of wind, you still want to get rewarded by the prefect's mansion? Forget it! If you want this jade pendant back, bring the money!" With that, the waiter kicked the man in the waist. With a whimper, the man was completely swept out of the door.
Zhong Li looked at the scene that had just unfolded and glanced at Lin Jin. Lin Jin understood. He said to the waiter, who was still spitting indignantly, "Add more dishes!"
Upon hearing this, the waiter's expression turned into a smile as he approached. "Honored guests, what would you like to add?"
Lin Jin glanced at the mustached man still lingering by the door and casually tossed a small piece of broken silver onto the table. "What's the situation with that person?"
The waiter's eyes almost turned into gold at the sight of the broken silver. He wiped his hands, bit the silver to confirm it was real, and then looked at the small medicine box on Zhong Li's stool. "Aren't you two here to see the prefect, sir?"