The trio arrived at the north street of Qin Pass at noon.
The street was as crowded as the last time. Especially with the Ghost Festival approaching, the crowds were as vast as the sea.
"This person is quite clever to choose this location for a transaction at this time," Tuo Bo Xing's brows furrowed. His gaze swept over the passing citizens. Lacking experience in handling cases, he saw everyone as a potential villain.
Zhong Li watched from inside the carriage, lifting the curtain a sliver to observe closely.
She remembered the previous obstacle had been an old man, whom she knew was an imposter. This time, they wouldn't use the same method, so what would they do?
Thinking of this, Zhong Li's gaze drifted among the surrounding shops.
The Black Alley was nearby, with silver houses, gambling dens, restaurants, and brothels on either side.
The shops seemed fine, but she felt a sense of disharmony.
"Young Master!" she called out to Lu Wu Xie.
Lu Wu Xie followed her gaze and looked outside.
After a moment, he murmured, "A brothel."
Zhong Li then remembered that such establishments typically started their business after the afternoon and continued until dawn. At this hour, the doors were wide open with few customers. What was even more peculiar was the absence of a madam soliciting guests at the entrance. There must be something amiss.
"Brother Tuo, please drive the carriage around in front of the brothel," Lu Wu whispered to Tuo Bo, leaning closer to the entrance.
Although Tuo Bo didn't understand the reason, he still followed Lu Wu Xie's instructions, flicking the reins and heading towards the facade of the Drunken Red Mansion.
As the carriage just passed the entrance of the Drunken Red Mansion, the madam, who had been standing inside looking around, rushed out. Disregarding the surrounding crowd, she grabbed Tuo Bo's sleeve and said, "Young man, come in and take a look. Many girls are waiting inside!"
Tuo Bo was a gentleman and had never been to such a place. He blushed at the madam's words and tried to pull his hand away to escape.
"Young man!" The madam stubbornly held onto Tuo Bo's sleeve andstuffedsomething into his hand.
Tuo Bo, seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, opened his palm. It was a piece of paper, rolled and sealed with wax.
"What is it, Young Master Tuo?" Zhong Li asked, noticing his troubled expression.
Tuo Bo handed the paper to Zhong Li.
Zhong Li unsealed it and read the two characters: "Enter."
Lu Wu Xie took the paper from Zhong Li, glanced at it, and said, "There's no signature, but judging by the handwriting, these past few notes are from the same person. It seems we have to go into the Drunken Red Mansion whether we want to or not."
Zhong Li nodded and gave instructions to Tuo Bo.
"Oh, esteemed guests, please come in quickly. You are the first customers of the Drunken Red Mansion today. This old servant must entertain you well. Xiao Hong, Xiao Lü, come down quickly to welcome our guests." The madam smiled warmly as she saw two young gentlemen dressed as men stepping out of the carriage.
Xiao Hong and Xiao Lü were called down and lazily walked out. One of them glanced at Lu Wu Xie as he entered the building. Her originally impatient eyes almost sparked with fire.
"Oh my, where do you two come from? Especially you, young master, the Drunken Red Mansion is illuminated by your presence!" Xiao Hong swayed her hips, waving a handkerchief, and moved to lean into Lu Wu Xie.
Lu Wu Xie subtly dodged, casting a casual glance at Xiao Hong.
Xiao Hong's expression turned serious, and her previously languid posture became rigid. In an instant, beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.
She glanced sideways at Lu Wu Xie as he slowly took his seat. He was holding a cup of clear tea, sipping it absentmindedly, appearing harmless. Yet, she was certain his eyes held a warning and... a killing intent.
"Xiao Hong, what are you staring at? Pour the wine!" The madam, oblivious, tugged at Xiao Hong's clothes.
Xiao Hong nodded and, after a moment of hesitation, sat beside Zhong Li.
Zhong Li noticed the subtle tremor in the fingertips of the woman pouring her wine. She glanced at Lu Wu Xie, her mind forming a conjecture.
"Esteemed guests, what kind of services do you require?" The madam sat opposite Zhong Li and Lu Wu Xie, smiling at them. She then placed a small wooden tablet covered in writing on the table.
Zhong Li wasn't particularly interested in these things, as flower houses usually had such clearly priced services, with prices generally similar across regions. However, as she quickly scanned the tablet, the cup of clear tea in her hand nearly fell onto the table.
"So expensive?" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at one of the prices on the tablet. "What is 'Double Cranes Spreading Wings'? Fifty taels?"
The madam's eyes held a hint of amusement. "Young master, you must be from out of town. It's understandable you wouldn't know. 'Double Cranes Spreading Wings'..."
As she spoke, she leaned closer to Zhong Li's ear and whispered.
Lu Wu Xie casually glanced at Zhong Li. When he saw her face flush with a mixture of anger and embarrassment under the madam's incessant chatter, he became interested.
He tapped another item on the wooden tablet. "And what about 'Singing and Playing'? One hundred taels..."
The madam's smile grew even more mischievous. She walked over to him, ready to explain.
Zhong Li reacted and quickly interjected, "Stop, we're just passing by, having some flower tea. We're not..."
"You're just here for flower tea?" Upon hearing this, the madam's fawning smile vanished instantly. She casually took another wooden tablet from her waist and threw it on the table. "Tea, fifty taels a cup."
This was extortion!
Zhong Li reacted and stared at the madam.
"Don't you want to?" The madam snorted coldly, raising her hand as if to slam it down.
Lu Wu Xie smiled and took out a hundred tael silver note from his pocket, placing it on the table. "Is this enough?"
The madam's face lit up with joy and she was about to pocket the silver note.
Lu Wu Xie took out another one and asked, "And this time?"
The madam's smile widened. "It's enough!"
"Then what about these?" Lu Wu Xie placed a stack of silver notes on the table.
Seeing this, the madam's eyes almost bulged out.
Zhong Li looked at Lu Wu Xie. She knew he was wealthy; Feiyuan Pavilion earned an immense amount from selling information, but it wasn't usually spent like this.
"Enough, enough!" The madam's eyes were almost invisible from smiling. She quickly grabbed the silver notes from the table, as if afraid someone would snatch them away.
Lu Wu Xie, seeing her greedy demeanor, casually took a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it on the table. "Then let me ask you something. Did you slip this note to my driver?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
The madam, who was still counting the silver notes in her hand, heard Lu Wu Xie's question and glanced at the note on the table. Without any shame, she lied, "This old servant doesn't know what you two are talking about."
After speaking, as if to evade, she threw down a few perfunctory words and used serving dishes as an excuse to slip out of the hall.
Zhong Li avoided Xiao Hong and Xiao Lü and moved closer to Lu Wu Xie. "This is a den of thieves."
Lu Wu Xie nodded. "Then let's find the evidence that can lead to the complete sealing of this place."
Zhong Li showed a knowing expression. The rich were indeed different.
"You said those thugs led us here. When exactly..."
"Shen Tu Jue?" Zhong Li had just said a few words to Lu Wu Xie when her gaze swept towards the direction leading to the backyard of the Drunken Red Mansion. She saw someone flash past her and her voice changed as she exclaimed in surprise.
"What?" Lu Wu Xie frowned.
Zhong Li said, "Wait for me here. I saw Shen Tu Jue."