Universe Infinite Canteen

The three arrived outside the Xu Mansion, and Tan Mazi didn't rush to knock on the door; instead, he first walked into the teahouse across the street and greeted the Tea Scholar there.

The Tea Scholar glanced at Ma Lu and Gu Qingyi and asked, "These two are...?"

"They are Young Master Ma, an outside disciple of the Xu Deputy Gate Master, and Catcher Gu from the Iron Clothes Sect," said Tan Mazi.

Upon hearing this, the Tea Scholar couldn't help but take a few more looks at Ma Lu, but he didn't ask further, just waved his hand.

The next moment, Ma Lu saw that the street vendors selling sugar figurines, herbal tea, pastries, toys, and the idlers playing chess by the roadside had all dispersed.

Tan Mazi explained, "After the Xu Deputy Gate Master was attacked, we arranged some hands outside his residence to protect his family.

"But there are too many filthy beggars in the Beggars' Sect. I originally planned to bring Madame Xu and Young Master Xu to Merry Woods early tomorrow morning, but since we're here tonight, I'll take them away after you've finished asking your questions, Catcher Gu. It's better than risking more trouble as the night grows longer."

Ma Lu casually remarked, "Has the situation really deteriorated to this extent?"

Tan Mazi snorted, "Those filthy beggars already started targeting our properties three days ago. I just didn't think they'd be bold enough to send assassins after the Xu Deputy."

"Alas, it's a pity that the Xu Deputy was negotiating with the Beggars' Sect, hoping to peacefully resolve this dispute before he was killed. I had long advised him that those filthy beggars can't be trusted and it would have been better to have a clean fight. Even in death, we could've settled scores," Tan Mazi said as he moved forward to knock on the door.

Ma Lu said in wonder, "Just over a Lotus Bowl, the two biggest Jianghu forces in Qingzhou are actually about to come to blows."

"It's not just about the Lotus Bowl," said Gu Qingyi. "Not long after you left last time, a Eight-Bag Elder surnamed Han from the Beggars' Sect also died, suspected to have been killed by the Heavenly Dragon Sect."

"Hmm?" Ma Lu suddenly perked up, "Where?"

"Where what?"

"Where's the body?"

"Two Divine Detectives from the Iron Clothes Sect have already examined it and confirmed that the elder indeed died from the 'Shock the Heavens Finger,' which is a signature move of Li Tianlong, the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Dragon Sect."

However, Gu Qingyi misunderstood and shook his head, "Their investigation should be correct. It was after that when the Beggars' Sect issued the Hero's Order to avenge Elder Han."

Ma Lu didn't ask further, lest Gu Qingyi and Tan Mazi start to suspect.

After all, since the body had already appeared, he could examine it anytime; it wasn't going to grow legs and run away. At worst, it might be buried, which would actually make accessing it even easier.

For others, the conflict between Beggars' Sect and Heavenly Dragon Sect was complicated, but for Ma Lu, it was definitely good news.

After all, under normal circumstances, coming across a body of a martial arts expert wasn't easy, and in just the week he was away from Yuchang County, two martial artists had died.

If the Beggars' Sect and Heavenly Dragon Sect were to wage all-out war and blood flowed like rivers, Ma Lu pondered that he might just pick up 'Divine Techniques' until his hands were full, right?

Thinking about it even got him excited.

While they were talking, the large doors of Xu Mansion opened a crack, revealing an eye. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire

That eye looked at Ma Lu and Gu Qingyi with full vigilance until it saw Tan Mazi and the wariness in his eyes faded.

"Fragrance Master Tan, it's you."

The owner of the eye opened the door; he was a middle-aged man around fifty years old, seemingly a steward based on his attire.

Tan Mazi said, "We will soon take revenge for Xu Deputy Gate Master. Before that, I've come to take Madame Xu and the young master to a safe place."@@novelbin@@

The steward showed a troubled look on his face upon hearing this, but still invited the three of them into the house.

"What's the problem?" Tan Mazi asked.

"There should be no problem on Madame's side, she has already packed her things. But the young master is still outside."

"Hmm?" Tan Mazi's brows instantly furrowed. "Didn't I tell you not to let Madame and the young master go out? It's not safe outside right now."

"I'm just a servant; how can I control the young master?" the steward also felt helpless. "When the old master was still here, it was fine, but now that the old master is gone, even Madame can't control him."

"What did he go out for?" Tan Mazi's frown deepened.

"Could it be that he has gone to see that Xiao Hong again? He just lost his father in the morning and went to listen to music in the afternoon? How can he be so unfilial, he's worse than a beast!"

Tan Mazi cursed loudly, but he was at a loss as what to do. Xu Deputy had his only son in his later years and had always been very indulgent with him.

His son found martial arts too tiring, so Xu Deputy found a teacher for him to educate him in literature, but not long after he began, his son also found writing to be boring.

After driving the old master away, he spent his days with a bunch of bad friends indulging in eating, drinking, and gambling. Recently, he even became infatuated with a singing girl and had already spent seven or eight thousand pieces of silver on her.

Xu Deputy therefore grounded his son for a month, but before the time was up, he had already sneaked out again for a secret rendezvous with the singing girl named Xiao Hong.

Tan Mazi felt angry in his heart, but this Young Master Xu was now the sole heir of Xu Mansion. If anything happened to him, Tan wouldn't be able to face Xu Deputy even if he died.

So Tan Mazi briefly informed the steward about Ma Lu and Gu Qingyi's identities and intentions, and then hurriedly left to gather men from the teahouse across the street to search for Young Master Xu.

The steward, meanwhile, took Ma Lu and Gu Qingyi to the bedroom where Xu Deputy had been murdered.

According to the steward, nothing in the room had been touched and everything was kept the way it originally was.

Gu Qingyi examined the surroundings while discussing with Ma Lu what she had found that week.

She hadn't been idle after Ma Lu left and had done quite a lot of work. Contrary to Ma Lu's expectations, Gu Qingyi had indeed found out a lot of things.

"I found the person who stole the Lotus Bowl, one of the disciples of Law Enforcement Hall from the Beggars' Sect.

"The Law Enforcement Elder trusted that disciple greatly, so many important matters were not hidden from him. Moreover, he was smart and switched out the Lotus Bowl in advance, therefore clearing himself of suspicion," she continued.

"How did you find out?" Ma Lu asked curiously.

"I recalled a case that my uncle had told me about. In that case, the thief had used a similar method to steal a white jade statue, which left a deep impression on me."

"Ah, can that work?"

Ma Lu had to admit that Gu Qingyi's Inspired Investigation Method indeed had its merits.

Gu Qingyi went on, "The key point is why the disciple stole the Lotus Bowl. He said he had lost a large sum of silver to Merry Woods and was eventually pressured by Merry Woods to steal the Lotus Bowl to settle the debt."

"Eh, isn't Merry Woods owned by the Heavenly Dragon Sect?"

"That's right, so the Beggars' Sect is adamant that the Heavenly Dragon Sect took the Lotus Bowl. They've issued an ultimatum demanding its return within three days, otherwise they will declare war on the Heavenly Dragon Sect."