Chapter 6: A Nuo
Sheng Yuanyao's questions went unanswered.
The exact date of Seventh Master Huo's death could be ascertained. However, the Old Taoist of Danxia Temple lived secluded in the mountains, the temple had few visitors, and so much time had passed that no one could say precisely when the Little Daoist appeared by the Old Taoist's side.
Not to mention a clear timeline, no one could even confirm whether he was disabled or not.
Who would remember an irrelevant person from ten years ago…
However, Lu Xingzhou had a Xia Province accent, possessed the Danxia Temple's deed, and could perform Alchemy, so he was most likely that Daoist back then. If he was also Seventh Master Huo, then the Huo Family murder case could almost be declared solved, and Sheng Yuanyao could almost imagine a complete drama of grievances and enmities.
Regrettably, no clear connection could be found between the Daoist and Seventh Master Huo, and solving a case could not rely on speculation.
In terms of age, Lu Xingzhou and Seventh Master Huo also had some differences. If Seventh Master Huo were alive, he would be eighteen this year, while Lu Xingzhou was nineteen—he was able to exchange the deed, and his identity documents were very legitimate, though faking them couldn't be ruled out, but it would be difficult to obtain evidence. Crucially, Sheng Yuanyao knew many people from the Huo Family, and Lu Xingzhou did not resemble them.
Sheng Yuanyao's investigation and inquiries went on for several days, but this was the only progress.
In short, based on the surface evidence, Lu Xingzhou indeed had no connection whatsoever to the Huo Family murder case.
She stood up, feeling a bit weary, and left the Demon Suppression Division directly, heading towards the Huo Residence. According to her subordinates' reports, Lu Xingzhou had been repairing the former Danxia Gang site there these past few days. She felt she had to meet Lu Xingzhou; there were many things she wanted to ask him.
However, she hadn't walked two streets before she saw a chubby-faced Little Daoist sitting at the entrance of a general store on the street corner.
The Little Daoist huddled there, with two black lenses on his eyes, almost covering half his face. Beside him, a small banner was propped up, inscribed with "Fortune-telling and Divination."
Forget divination, just looking at this scene would make people laugh out loud.
Sheng Yuanyao's mood, which had been gloomy for days, suddenly brightened considerably. She strolled over with a smile and squatted in front of the Little Daoist: "Hey, why are you here alone?"
The Little Daoist extended his index finger, pushed the black lenses down a bit, and peered at Sheng Yuanyao from above the lenses: "Pretty Big Sister, it's you. Want your fortune told?"
Sheng Yuanyao smiled: "Speaking of which, I haven't asked your name. What's your name?"
"My name is A Nuo, the 'nuo' from glutinous rice."
"You're dressed like a Daoist, shouldn't you use a Daoist name?"
"A Nuo is my Daoist name! My full name is Nuomi Tuanzi, and my surname is Lu!"
Sheng Yuanyao almost burst out laughing. Her biggest impulse right now was to rub this little child's face, but unfortunately, their relationship wasn't at that point, and she still had to maintain the demeanor of a Demon Suppression Division Commander…
Seeing her expression, A Nuo scratched his head: "What, can't A Nuo be a Daoist name?"
"Yes, yes, of course, it can. Hmm… Immortal Master A Nuo, where is your Master?"
A Nuo, being called "Immortal Master," was very happy: "Master is fixing the house, I came out to earn some extra money."
Sheng Yuanyao was quite speechless: "You just had a large sum of money come in, you're not poor. Why do you seem so desperate for money, even needing a child like you to supplement the household expenses? Lu Xingzhou isn't afraid of anything happening."
A Nuo put his hands on his hips: "A Nuo is very powerful and can help Master a lot!"
Sheng Yuanyao still smiled: "So, how many times have you opened for business?"
A Nuo said with a fawning smile: "Only waiting for a fated person."
"Then am I your fated person?"
A Nuo blinked his big eyes.
Who knows if it's fated or not? A Nuo only knew the 'yuan' from 'yuanbao' (ingot), and this big sister definitely had it.
Sheng Yuanyao smiled: "How much is one divination? How about you tell my fortune?"
A Nuo's eyes immediately lit up: "One tael of silver, just one tael!"
One tael of silver is very expensive… Who would be such a fool to ask a child like this to tell their fortune for one tael!
But Sheng Yuanyao actually pulled out a tael of broken silver and said with a smile, "Tell me about my marriage prospects?"
It was more like teasing a child than actually seeking a fortune.
There really was a fated person! A Nuo snatched the silver, grinning: "Big Sister actually has no intention of finding a marriage partner. The elders in your Family are quite eager to urge you to marry, and this is one of the reasons Big Sister fled to Xia Province."
Sheng Yuanyao's smile froze on her face.
She came to Xia Province for multiple reasons, but undeniably, avoiding her Family's pressure to marry and arrange matches was a significant one! And this reason, besides her own Family, no outsider knew about it at all!
Did he really divine it? Without even looking at characters or palm lines, without needing to calculate, just by looking at her face?
A bit outrageous…
Her expression became several shades more serious: "What about after that? Where is my true love?"
A Nuo looked Sheng Yuanyao up and down for a long time again, and the expression hidden by his sunglasses became somewhat strange. His chubby hand scratched his head in confusion.
Sheng Yuanyao's heart actually tightened: "How is it?"
A Nuo gave an awkward smile: "Big Sister, don't worry, you will marry someone you truly love in the future. It's just… it's just that there might be a few other sisters."
Sheng Yuanyao was expressionless.
Nonsense.
With my status and position, would my future husband dare to take concubines?
I'd chop him to death!
A Nuo carefully glanced at her, quietly hiding the silver securely. He could guess what this Big Sister was thinking… But Big Sister, is there a possibility that your spouse palace doesn't look like a main wife's…
Sheng Yuanyao, still expressionless, pulled out another large silver ingot. A Nuo's eyes lit up and he reached for it, but Sheng Yuanyao suddenly pulled it back: "Although your marriage fortune-telling was completely inaccurate, if you can figure out who the murderer of the Huo Residence case is, this silver will be yours."
A Nuo said with a fawning smile: "No one can divine such a hexagram. At most, I can calculate clues."
"Then clues it is."
A Nuo calculated for a long time, muttering: "Evil spirits seeking revenge… They must have done too many wicked things."
Sheng Yuanyao took back the silver ingot and replaced it with a tael of broken silver.
A Nuo was on the verge of tears: "Big Sister, don't rush, there are more clues, more clues… Hmm, the disaster originated from within the Family."
Sheng Yuanyao narrowed her eyes and suddenly asked, "How much do you know about your Master's past at Danxia Temple?"
A Nuo shook his head: "I don't know, I'm only six years old! Master never talked about things that happened so long ago."
…Didn't you also know there was a sow named Xiaohua buried there?
"I heard it when Master was secretly making fun of Liu Gang Leader."
"Hmm… Where have you two been living these past few years?"
"In the south, Miaoyin Mountain. Master picked me up and raised me. Master's legs were inconvenient, and he was bullied, so he brought me back to his old home." A Nuo said with a wronged expression: "But after less than half a year back, he was bullied again."
Sheng Yuanyao remained silent.
Lu Xingzhou being abandoned by the Danxia Gang, though he retaliated on the spot, was essentially being bullied.
If he picked up A Nuo in swaddling clothes and raised her until now, considering he himself was only thirteen that year… It must have been truly difficult all these years. No wonder both Master and disciple seemed so obsessed with money; how else would they have survived to this age, and how would they have supported their cultivation?
Sheng Yuanyao thought for a moment and felt there was nothing specific she needed to ask Lu Xingzhou. Assuming he was the murderer, directly asking him would certainly yield nothing. That fellow wasn't as honest as a six-year-old child; she would still have to consider indirect approaches.
Thinking of this, she said: "Then go back and tell your Master that I have a patient with a mental illness, and I'd like to ask him to treat her. If he can truly cure her, the price is negotiable."
A Nuo became happy: "Okay, I'll go tell Master right away."
After speaking, he scurried into the general store behind, holding up the broken silver and placing it on the counter that was almost as tall as him: "Two catties of wife cakes, no wives, can I get a discount?"
Sheng Yuanyao finally laughed out loud.
Wife cakes obviously couldn't be discounted. A Nuo, with a mournful face, hugged two catties of cakes and scurried back to the former Danxia Gang site—it had been mostly repaired these past few days. Since it was leased by Tianxing Sword Sect, it would likely be called Tianxing Sword Sect starting tomorrow, or perhaps a different trade association name.
Currently, the people of Tianxing Sword Sect had not yet moved in, and the large residence was filled with workers replacing beams and painting. Lu Xingzhou had set up an Alchemy room in a corner and was currently performing Alchemy.
A Nuo ran in, laughing from afar: "Master, I earned two taels of silver today!"
Lu Xingzhou looked at the Alchemy fire and smiled slightly: "Sheng Yuanyao's business?"
"Yes, yes." A Nuo put the cakes aside and said with a smile, "Big Sister Sheng is asking you to treat a patient. Are you going?"
"Of course, I'm going."
"But Master…"
"What?"
"Aren't you revealing too many clues? Aren't you really afraid of being caught?"
"If it were a local old fox, they would have already arrested me for a harsh interrogation or even forced a confession, but she is Sheng Yuanyao." Lu Xingzhou said leisurely: "The Sheng Family has been doing the Demon Suppression Division's work for generations. Sheng Yuanyao is new to the job and still has a certain ambition. She also values procedural justice; she won't act recklessly without any evidence. So, as soon as I heard Sheng Yuanyao was here to gain experience, I knew the opportunity to act had arrived."
"Then aren't you afraid that Big Sister Sheng will really find out it's you? I think she's very smart and diligent."
"But didn't you kill the people?"
A Nuo: "…"
Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Actually, the clues I leaked to her have little to do with us; they merely prove that I am the Legacy of the Daoist temple. As for the murderer, I have always guided her to think about Huo Shang. I want her to inform the Huo Family in the capital that Huo Shang might not be dead."
"Why do you want them to think Huo Shang isn't dead? Is it just to shift the blame?"
"If only some servants died, the Huo Family would probably send a steward to deal with it, which wouldn't mean much. But if Huo Shang reappears, it will definitely be a member of the Huo Family who comes." Lu Xingzhou looked at the furnace fire, the flames reflected in his pupils, as if there was fire burning in his eyes: "My hope for curing my leg, and the Huo Family's Hell, will all begin from this."
"What if they insist on believing you are Huo Shang?"
"However, I am indeed not Huo Shang. No matter how they test, it will be useless." Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly: "Of course, if they truly believe that, there are some other benefits."
"What about Big Sister Shen Tang and the others?"
"If they are indeed remnants of the Tianxing Sword Sect, they would be a very useful group of enforcers…" Lu Xingzhou paused here, frowning slightly: "But I highly doubt if they are Tianxing Sword Sect."