Chun Qiong couldn't have imagined that in a remote and impoverished place like Ku Hai County, there would still be some unexpected surprises.
Wu Xie recalled the news he had received from Lu Chuan and said, "Last night, a person from Wangchuan had their arm torn off and stumbled to Liu Jinshi's residence, seeking help..."
Chun Qiong's eyes narrowed, and he interrupted him, "You just said... torn off arm?"
Wu Xie replied, "That's the message from Lu Chuan's side; the assassin who sought help last night had her arm literally torn off."
"She had a fatal heart injury, but her heart was naturally on the right side, so she didn't die immediately. She escaped back, hoping to seek help from others... But no one expected that she would lead the person who killed her back here."
Chun Qiong remained silent for a long time.
"So, everyone at the entrance of Liu Jinshi's residence died at that time?"
Wu Xie said, "Only one person is still alive."
"That person was lucky; he had an upset stomach and went to the outhouse. When he returned, he saw everything."
"He originally wanted to join the fight, but in just a few breaths, the battle ended... Perhaps, it wasn't even a battle at all."
"Fortunately, he was holding a lantern, looking like someone patrolling the residence at night, and thus escaped."
Chun Qiong began to pace again, saying, "Many people from Wangchuan came this time. When we set out earlier, I felt that something wasn't quite right... If it was just to simply help the Lord deal with some minor matters, it didn't seem to require such a large force."
"Moreover, the strength of these assassins varies, and they don't seem to belong to the same branch. I've thought about it for a long time today, and the only possibility I can think of is a bounty."
"Recently, there seems to be some rumors in the Jianghu that a major target has appeared on Wangchuan's bounty list."
Wu Xie's fingers, holding the blade, spread open, then slowly tightened again.
"We are not that familiar with Wangchuan's affairs, nor do we have any power rooted in Wangchuan. If the Lord needs information, I'm afraid he'll have to ask Lu Chuan."
Chun Qiong nodded and said, "I'll see him tomorrow anyway, and I'll ask him."
"Over the years, Wangchuan has offended many people in the Jianghu. If it's just common grievances, then so be it, but I'm afraid that what they did before has leaked out and reached Panlong Palace..."
When Panlong Palace was mentioned, Wu Xie's entire body instantly tensed up.
Evidently, he also knew the seriousness of the matter.
But very quickly, he relaxed again.
"That one from Panlong Palace hasn't managed affairs for many years, has he?"
Wu Xie's hand began to make that small gesture again.
This was a sign of his relaxation.
Chun Qiong stared at the flickering candlelight in the room, reached out and gently pinched the flame. The scorching flame, upon contact with his skin, left no scar whatsoever.
Upon closer inspection, there were almost imperceptible gaps between the flame and his skin, as if the flame was separated by some force.
"Ten years of extravagant living, debauchery, and indulgence."
"Everyone in the world believes that the one from Panlong Palace has long been a useless person. For the past ten years, the court officials in the Palace have paid less and less attention to him."
"What's strange is that for the past ten years, everything in Qi, from the Royal City to the local areas, seems to have been arranged in an orderly manner, and no unrest has ever been heard of."
"Behind all of this, there seems to be a pair of invisible hands controlling everything..."
Wu Xie said, "Within Langan Pavilion, countless eyes are watching him, and even that towering forbidden place occasionally casts its gaze. If it were truly him, no trace would have been left."
"The Lord's worries might be superfluous... More importantly, this opportunity is unique. The Lord should perhaps put more effort into 【that matter】. If it succeeds, in a year, the Lord will be able to enter Langan Pavilion for further study, and even..."
Chun Qiong pondered for a moment, then turned and said, "You go back first, I'll think about it some more..."
...
Wen Chaosheng dragged a large pile of chopped firewood and painstakingly returned to the dilapidated temple. Under the stars and moon, most of the tracks left by the wood cart had been erased, leaving only blurry and messy traces.
He had changed into a clean cotton padded jacket and was no longer as disheveled as before. After returning to the dilapidated temple, he not only didn't feel cold but also broke out in a sweat.
A Shui sat cross-legged by the fire. Seeing Wen Chaosheng, she asked, "Not in the treehouse tonight?"
Wen Chaosheng said, "If there's enough firewood, the dilapidated temple is warmer."
"Come, lend a hand!"
A Shui stepped forward, and with a strong pull of her slender arm, her muscle lines immediately appeared, and the wood cart was pulled back into the dilapidated temple.
"Did you chop all of these?"
"Yes."
Wen Chaosheng placed the firewood in the corner, then said to A Shui, "A Shui, what were you watching at the county yamen entrance all day?"
A Shui said without raising her head, "Liu Jinshi was forced to her death."
Wen Chaosheng stared at her, "How do you know?"
A Shui casually threw out a small object, which rolled onto the floor of the dilapidated temple.
Wen Chaosheng looked closely and saw that it was a bottle of poison.