? dead end
Darkness.
Darkness was everywhere.
There was only one path in the darkness, and Yu Mu could only run along it.
He was not afraid. Instead, he felt a little excited and happy. Because the end of this road was his goal, what he wanted to do.
The Green Lotus Sword in his hand emitted a cold aura, as if it could not help but want to drink blood.
He groped his way to a door. Inside was the person he wanted to kill.
Kill him, Yu Mu wanted to kill him.
He pushed open the door. There was a candle inside.
The man Yu Mu wanted to kill was sitting next to the candle. He was unarmed, so he didn't react when he saw Yu Mu rushing in with his sword.
He seemed to have accepted his fate.
Yu Mu saw the man's face clearly under the light of the candle.
That was the face he didn't want to see the most.
Yu Mu retreated in fear, but he had nowhere to go. The door was already closed.
Compared to Yu Mu's panic, the man beside the candle was still very calm. He smiled at Yu Mu, as if encouraging him to kill him with his sword.
Yu Mu couldn't kill him. He wanted to let go of the sword in his hand, but the sword seemed to grow in his hand. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't let go.
"Didn't you think of ways to kill me? Why didn't you do it?" the man asked.
Yu Mu couldn't answer him. He really wanted to kill him, but Yu Mu himself didn't know why he couldn't do it.
"What you're doing is very difficult and very big. It was impossible to achieve such a thing without sacrifices. Kill me, kill me and you will get what you want.”
Yu Mu shook his head crazily. He couldn't, he knew he couldn't.
"Why? Why didn't you do it?"
Why?
The questioning voice echoed in Yu Mu's ears, giving him a splitting headache.
Why?
Because that face, that person, was Yu Mu himself.
He couldn't kill him.
He couldn't.
"Phew. Whoosh. Phew." Yu Mu sat up from the bed and panted heavily.
He had a nightmare.
Yu Mu was an optimistic person. He rarely had nightmares.
"What?" Pei Shengxin asked. Did you dream of a ghost?"
"I dreamt of myself." Yu Mu tilted his head.”
Pei Shengxin smiled and thought that Yu Mu was joking.
"I won't pry open other people's coffins again," Yu Mu said."I'll really have nightmares." Eh? I'm a little curious, has this Iron Faced Constable ever had nightmares?”
"I never dream," Pei Shengxin said lightly.”
"Boring." Yu Mu pursed his lips.”
"I think you should think about what to do now."”
"Didn't I tell you last night?" Yu Mu said.”
"I can't make such a decision based on a poem or a sentence." Pei Sheng said. Even if the assassin only has a slight chance of going to Yan Qixuan, I can't make such a decision.”
"Then what should we do?" Yu Mu asked helplessly. One of them was in the east, while the other was in the west. Unless we split up and look for them separately.”
Pei Shengxin muttered,"We can only do this now."”
"Blackface, do you think it's better to look for them separately, or gather them in one place to protect them?" Yu Mu suddenly asked.”
"Of course it's safer to gather them in one place." What do you mean? Do you have a way to get the two of them together?”
" I don't know if there's a way," Yu Mu said." It's just that I happen to know both of them at the same time, so I roughly know where they are now."”
"Where are they now?" Pei Shengxin asked.”
Yu Mu wanted to keep her in suspense, but Pei Shengxin didn't seem to want to joke with her at this time.
Yu Mu said," Wei Yuxie has always been living in seclusion in Yuque Garden by the Fu River in Yuzhou. As for Yan Qixuan, I am 90% sure that he is still accompanying Second Young Lady Yin in the Yin Clan in Yangzhou.”
"It would be great if they could gather together as soon as possible." After being chased by you like this, the assassin is now like a bird frightened by the twang of a bow. He shouldn't attack again in the short term.”
"What if they have more than one assassin?" Yu Mu asked.”
Pei Shengxin fell silent. The person involved in this matter was most likely a mysterious organization. They might not only have one assassin working for them.
"But it's alright." Compared to Liu Changting and Song Wanxiao, it was more difficult to assassinate Wei Yuxie and Yan Qixuan. They were not in their own sects, so it would not be too fast for the assassins to figure out their whereabouts. Wei Yuxie's reclusive Jade Que Garden might not even know where the assassin was, and the terrain of Jade Que Garden would make it very difficult for him to launch an assassination. Yan Qixuan had always been with Yin Lanyao, so it was hard to say if the assassin knew his whereabouts. Speaking of which, other than the assassin's concealed weapon skills, his lightness skill and internal strength were relatively weak.”
Pei Shengxin said,"How do we gather them together? If we can't think of a way, we can only split up."”
"I heard that you often receive help from other yamen to handle another case after you finish a case in one place," Yu Mu said. How did the yamen at the crime scene contact you?”
"Send a messenger pigeon," Pei Sheng replied.
"How did the pigeon find you?" Yu Mu asked.”
"It's a secret," Pei Sheng replied.
Yu Mu didn't expect Pei Shengxin to play this game with him and let him get a snub.
"There are carrier pigeons in Huzhou's yamen, right?"”
"Yes." Pei Sheng replied.
Yu Mu said," How about this? We'll go to Yuzhou to look for Wei Yuxie. Before we leave, I'll send a letter to Yin Lanyao. You can send it to the yamen in Yangzhou by messenger pigeon and ask the yamen to send it to Yin Lanyao."”
"Shouldn't this letter be written to Yan Qixuan?" Pei Shengxin asked suspiciously.”
"You don't understand, do you?" Yu Mu pretended to be mysterious. If this letter was written to Yan Qixuan, he might not come, but if it was written to Yin Lanyao, Yan Qixuan would definitely come. It will take about two days for the letter to reach Yin Lanyao, three days for them to reach Yuzhou by water, and at least four days for us to reach Yuzhou.”
Pei Shengxin immediately said," Alright, hurry up and write it. I'll immediately send it to the yamen and let them send a letter by pigeon. Then, we'll rush to find Wei Yuxie."”
Yu Mu found a pen and paper to write a letter, but just as he was about to start writing, he stopped.
"Why aren't you writing?" Pei Shengxin urged.
Yu Mu stared at the pen in his hand and said,""We have clues that might lead us to the murderer's origin. We also found out that the murderer might be backed by an organization. We even know the murderer's next move. However, I really don't understand what the motive of this murderer or the organization behind this murderer is. If only one of them, Liu Changting or Song Wanxiao, had died, it would be easy to deduce the reason for the murder. However, from the current situation, it seemed that they might have to kill all of the four young masters. Why?"
Pei Shengxin did not know why. He had thought of this question from the beginning, but he could not find the answer, so he stopped thinking about it. He only thought about how to catch the murderer.
Yu Mu said," Let's not talk about how the murderer connected with these four people at the same time. The connection between these four people is just that they are known as the Four Great Young Masters in Jianghu. Could this be the reason for the murder?" I thought about it. If we really can catch this black-robed man, I'm not sure if he can tell us the real reason for killing him.”
"Maybe it's because this reason is too shocking and we didn't expect it at all."”
"I just feel that this matter is too strange, so strange that I can't find a reasonable explanation." Yu Mu said. The murderer was like a hunter, hunting the prey on his list one by one.”
"Since you don't understand, then don't think about it." We'll first protect the 'prey' that he wants to hunt, then we'll find this hunter and let him tell us the truth behind this matter.”
"I shouldn't have agreed to investigate such a complicated case. I hate complicated things." Yu Mu sighed.”
Pei Shengxin smiled." It's too late to regret now. Don't tell me you want to leave?"”
Yu Mu dipped the ink again and said,"I still can't bear to leave you, Blackface, alone."”
In a room in Yangzhou's Yin Manor, Yan Qixuan, the only two of the four great young masters who were still alive, was pacing back and forth with a worried expression.
The news of Liu Changting's death made him uneasy.
Two of the four young masters had died in a row. This made Yan Qixuan realize that he would also be the target of the mysterious assassin. How could he not panic?
There were also rumors in Jianghu that Yu Mu was the murderer of Liu Changting and Song Wanxiao. Yan Qixuan didn't believe this at all. Although he hated Yu Mu, he was sure that Yu Mu was not the murderer.
Yin Lanyao pushed the door open and entered. She didn't look too good either.
"What did Uncle say?" Yan Qixuan asked.”
Yin Lanyao said," My father means that you will be in danger if you return to the sect. He wants you to stay here for the time being. The Yin Residence is very safe now." He has already sent a letter to your father, asking him to deliberately spread the news that you have returned to the sect to distract the assassins.”
"Uncle is doing this out of kindness, but wouldn't I be causing trouble for you if I stayed here?" Yan Qixuan said.”
Yin Lanyao pushed Yan Qixuan back into the chair and said,""What trouble? Could it be that you've been with me for too long and are tired of it?”
"No, no, that's not what I meant." Yan Qixuan quickly denied.”
Yin Lanyao chuckled." Look at how nervous you are. I didn't say you meant that."”
"I'm just afraid that staying here will put you in danger." Yan Qixuan sighed.”
"What danger?" Yin Lanyao asked. That assassin only knows how to use hidden weapons to sneak an attack, but he definitely can't enter our Yin family. You just have to stay here in peace. This way, I can stay with you for a while longer. Isn't that good?”
Yan Qixuan smiled. As long as I can be with you, I'm willing to stay here forever.”
Yin Lanyao's face instantly turned red. She said coquettishly,""Why are you saying this again? Let me tell you first. Only my father has agreed to our marriage. I haven't agreed to it myself.”
Yin Lanyao's words were not considered as a rejection, but they were simply touching words of love to Yan Qixuan under her shy expression.
"I'm willing to stay by your side for the rest of my life and wait for your approval," he confessed affectionately.”
This sentence made Yin Lanyao turn around in embarrassment and no longer dared to look at Yan Qixuan.
"Second Miss?"
Someone knocked on the door.
"What's wrong?" Yin Lanyao asked.
"The yamen in Yangzhou has sent you a letter."”
"The yamen of Yangzhou?" Yin Lanyao asked curiously. I don't know the people inside."
"The messenger specifically said that this letter was written to you by a person called Yu Mu."”
"Yu Mu?"
Yin Lanyao immediately opened the door and snatched the letter from the servant.
Yan Qixuan felt like crying. He didn't understand why Yu Mu's name would always appear every time he was on a roll. He asked himself in his heart,"Is Yu Mu really the biggest obstacle to me being with Yin Lanyao in this life?"
Yin Lanyao opened the letter excitedly and sat on the bed to read it, as if Yan Qixuan was just a wisp of air in the room.
Yan Qixuan was furious when he saw this, but he couldn't vent his anger.
He suppressed his temper and forced a smile as he asked,"What did he say in the letter?"
Yin Lanyao ignored him. She was so focused on Yu Mu's letter that she didn't hear what Yan Qixuan was saying.
Yan Qixuan's smile disappeared. There was only bitterness left on his face and heart.
Before he could enjoy the warmth he felt a moment ago, it was destroyed by Yu Mu's letter from thousands of miles away.
Yin Lanyao's excitement turned to disappointment as she read the letter.
"This letter is not so much for me as it is for you," she said disappointedly.”
"Is this letter for me?" Yan Qixuan asked in confusion.”
"He wrote the first two sentences for me, but the rest was for you," Yin Lanyao complained.”
"What did he write in the letter?" Yan Qixuan asked.”
Yin Lanyao handed the letter over and said,"Read it for yourself."”
Yan Qixuan felt some resistance when he thought that this letter was written by Yu Mu.
"Haven't you already seen it?" he declined. Just tell me the contents of the letter.”
Yin Lanyao sorted out her thoughts and said,""He probably said that he is now with Iron Face Constable Pei Shengxin to investigate the case of Liu Changting and Song Wanxiao. They are worried that you and Wei Yuxie will be harmed, so they want me to go with you to Wei Yuxie's place of seclusion so that they can protect you both.”
Yan Qixuan felt that it was a little strange. It was not impossible for Yu Mu and Pei Shengxin to be working together. However, when he met Yu Mu in Hangzhou not long ago, Yu Mu clearly didn't know the other three of the four great young masters at all. How did he know where Wei Yuxie lived in seclusion now? Moreover, staying with Yu Mu, Pei Shengxin, and Wei Yuxie might not be safer than the current Yin Manor.
Naturally, he didn't know that Wei Yuxie had taken the initiative to look for Yu Mu.
Although Yan Qixuan believed that Yu Mu wasn't the murderer, he didn't want to run away with Yu Mu just because of a letter. The current tense situation forced him to think carefully.
Yin Lanyao didn't think too much. She looked at Pei Shengxin expectantly."When are we leaving?”
Yan Qixuan said without thinking,"What 'us'?" It's impossible for you to go. It's hard to say how dangerous the road is, and it's hard to say how dangerous it is to go to his place. Besides, Yu Mu only asked me to go alone.”
Yin Lanyao took the letter and said,"But he clearly said that he wanted us to go together."”
Yan Qixuan smiled." Yu Mu's little trick can't fool me. He didn't mean to ask you to go with me. He just said it on purpose because he was afraid that I wouldn't go."”
"But you can't leave the residence without my help. Father won't let you out." Yin Lanyao said.”
"How did you know I was going to meet Yu Mu and the others?" Yan Qixuan smiled. Why should I listen to him?"
Yin Lanyao's mood immediately dropped. She knew that Yu Mu only wanted Yan Qixuan to go. Since Yan Qixuan himself didn't want to go, how could she go alone?
Yan Qixuan saw that Yin Lanyao was unhappy and comforted her,""It's really hard to predict how dangerous it is outside. Your father is right, we should stay in the residence peacefully. Perhaps Yu Mu is doing this out of kindness, but we can't accept it rashly.”
How could Yin Lanyao listen to Yan Qixuan's kind words of comfort? She would only think of ways to find Yu Mu and the others.
"Are you really not going to meet up with Young Master Yu and the others?" she asked lightly.”
Yan Qixuan shook his head.”
"Alright, since you're not going, I'll personally go to Young Master Yu and tell him that you're not going." It can also be considered as helping you repay the kindness of the other party for sending the message over thousands of miles.”
"Lan Yao, you can't be stupid." Yan Qixuan said anxiously. How can I be at ease if you go out alone? How can Uncle be at ease?”
"Father will grant whatever I ask of him anyway," Yin Lanyao said proudly. He doesn't want you to leave the residence, but he doesn't want me to leave the residence. Since you're willing to stay here, then you can stay here alone and wait for me to come back.”
After saying that, she pretended to leave.
Yan Qixuan hurriedly stopped her." Lan Yao, don't be rash. Let me think. Let me think."”
"I'll count to ten," Yin Lanyao said as she counted with her fingers,"If you still haven't made up your mind, I'll go alone." One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.。。”
"Okay, okay, okay. I'll go, I'll go." Yan Qixuan had no choice but to agree. No matter what, he would always go along with Yin Lanyao.
Yan Qixuan saw through Yu Mu's little trick, but he still fell for it.
"Lan Yao, I can go over, but I'm still worried if you go with me." There might be some danger along the way.”
Yin Lanyao said," It's fine. Young Master Yu said in the letter that we should go there by boat. What danger can there be on the boat?" Besides, aren't you still by my side? You'll protect me, right?”
This sentence, coupled with Yin Lanyao's pitiful expression, was indeed useful.
" Of course, I'll protect you with my life," Yan Qixuan said helplessly." It's just that…it's just that…sigh." Alright then."
"You agree?" Yin Lanyao asked happily.”
"When have I ever rejected you?" Yan Qixuan smiled bitterly.”
"Then I'll go pack my things now."”
Yan Qixuan stopped her." Wait a minute. You said earlier that Uncle won't let me leave the Yin Manor." Even if we find an opportunity to leave, if we are discovered by uncle soon, I'm afraid we will be chased back before we reach the river.”
Yin Lanyao shook her head and smiled." You don't have to worry about that. I have my ways."”
There were no waves on the surface of the Fu River.
If you came to the riverside in the early morning, you would definitely feel the chill. Yu Mu couldn't help but shiver when he was hit by a gust of cold wind.
Yu Mu said," If Yan Qixuan and the others do as I say, then they should disembark from the dock we just passed by. When they reach this pavilion, they will shoot the whistling arrows. At that time, we will come to pick them up."”
"Will there be any accidents along the way?" Pei Shengxin asked worriedly.”
"How could there be an accident?" Yu Mu said confidently. I was afraid that they would get into an accident, so I let them take the waterway. Moreover, it wasn't long before they reached this pavilion. The Jade Que Garden is only ten miles away from this pavilion. It won't be long before we can pick them up. What accidents can happen?”
Pei Shengxin was a little worried, but he couldn't say anything else.
Yu Mu pointed at the road and said," There's a road ahead. One of the roads leads to the Jade Que Garden. I don't know where the other road leads to. Do you want to take a walk together?"”
"I think we should hurry and find Wei Yuxie."”
"You're such a boring person," Yu Mu said unhappily. You went to look for them so early in the morning. The young couple probably haven't woken up yet. Are we just going to barge in like this? Nothing would happen even if he was a little late.”
Pei Shengxin could only agree to go with Yu Mu.
On the way, Pei Shengxin asked,"I haven't asked you yet. How did you get to know Wei Yuxie?" Wasn't he the most mysterious of the four young masters?”
"He is indeed the most mysterious one. However, I didn't get to know him. He came to find me." Yu Mu said.”
Pei Shengxin teased,"It seems that Young Master Yu is a hot and sought-after person. Everyone loves to stick to you."”
Yu Mu was looking at Pei Shengxin with a strange look.
Pei Shengxin felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. He asked,"What's wrong? Do I sound strange?"
Yu Mu nodded heavily. He didn't expect that the world-famous Iron-masked Constable would actually learn how to joke. Tsk, tsk, tsk, it was really a rare sight. It's a world's wonder, a world's wonder."
Pei Shengxin smiled and said,"I'm a man of red and black." I've unconsciously learned from you, a person who talks nonsense every day.”
"Ah, you're blaming me again." Yu Mu rolled his eyes. I don't want to get close to you, Blackface. I don't know who came all the way here to ask me to help him investigate the case.”
Pei Shengxin interrupted,"Hey." You can't say that. I'm inviting you, not begging you. There's a big difference between these two words.”
"Is there a big difference?" Yu Mu asked. Request, request, I think the meaning is similar.”
"Forget it, I won't talk about this with you." You still haven't told me how you got to know Wei Yuxie.”
"You're indeed the 'Number One Constable in the World'," Yu Mu said."Why do you ask so many questions?" I think you can only be a doctor other than a constable.”
Pei Shengxin couldn't understand the meaning in Yu Mu's words. He asked,""Why can I only be a doctor?"
"The doctor is also asking questions." Yu Mu laughed.”
"Are you sick?" he asked, imitating the doctor. Where does it hurt? How many days has it been?"
Pei Shengxin was also amused by Yu Mu's decent learning.
"Where did you learn to be so talkative?" he asked.”
"When I was on the island with the old man, there was no one to talk to me, so I just teased myself," Yu Mu said.”
Pei Shengxin changed the topic and said,"Quickly tell me how you met Wei Yuxie."”
"Didn't I say that I would fight the four young masters on the seventh of September at Weiwei Mountain?" Yu Mu asked. Wei Yuxie was afraid that he would make a wasted trip that day, so he first found me to test my abilities to see if I was worth him making a trip on the seventh of September.”
"You two fought?" Pei Sheng asked.”
"We fought," Yu Mu said.
"Who won?" Pei Sheng asked.
"Who did you say won?" Yu Mu asked. If I lost, would I still come and look for Wei Yuxie? Sigh, black face. I once chatted with Yan Qixuan. He said that if you don't join the public, you'll definitely have a place among the four great young masters. Why don't you go and compete with Wei Yuxie when we enter Jade Que Court later? If you win him, I'll exchange a few more moves with you.”
"It seems that I don't have the qualifications to directly challenge Eldest Young Master Yu." Pei Shengxin laughed.”
"Of course, you have to eat one bite at a time, and you have to fight in the arena one by one." If you want to exchange blows with me, you have to defeat my defeated opponent first.”
Pei Shengxin was also too lazy to bother with Yu Mu. He would never be Yu Mu's opponent when it came to talking nonsense.
"Eh?" Yu Mu thought of something, but before he could say anything, he found that the horse under him had stopped.
It turned out that the other path led to a cliff instead of a place.
Yu Mu and Pei Shengxin both dismounted and came to the edge of the cliff. There was a thick fog on the opposite side, and they couldn't see what was there. Below the cliff was a bottomless abyss.
"Looks like we're going down a dead end." Yu Mu shrugged. Let's go and find Wei Yuxie."
Yu Mu mounted his horse, but Pei Shengxin was still looking down from the cliff.
"Let's go. What's there to see at the cliff? Do you want to jump off the cliff?”Yu Mu urged.
Pei Shengxin then mounted his horse and returned with Yu Mu.
When they arrived at the bamboo forest of Jade Que Garden, Yu Mu and Pei Shengxin tied the horses outside.
"You must follow me closely when we enter the bamboo forest. Don't wander around." Yu Mu said seriously.”
"Alright," Pei Shengxin replied.
The two of them entered the bamboo forest one after another.
Pei Shengxin thought that there would be some kind of fork or mechanism in the bamboo forest. Not only did he follow Yu Mu closely, he even followed Yu Mu's footsteps.
After walking for a while, Pei Shengxin felt that something was wrong. There was only one path in the bamboo forest. He had no chance to get lost even if he wanted to. Moreover, Yu Mu's steps did not seem to have any tricks to avoid the traps.
Pei Shengxin couldn't help but ask,"Is there only one path in this bamboo forest?"”
"Of course, there's only one way. Only this way can we get in and out of Jade Que Garden." Yu Mu said.”
"Is there a trap on this road?" Pei Sheng asked.”
"There's no mechanism, it's just a path." Yu Mu said.”
"Then why did you ask me to follow you so seriously?" Pei Shengxin asked.”
"I was just saying."”
Pei Shengxin really didn't know whether calling Yu Mu over was to help or to cause trouble.
In the Jade Scarce Court, Wei Yuxie was still sitting in front of the bluestone table. This time, he didn't know that Yu Mu and Yu Yu would be here, so he naturally didn't prepare any tea.
When Yu Mu saw Wei Yuxie's shocked expression, he quickly said,""Young Master Wei, don't say anything. I came here for a reason.”
Wei Yuxie could only suppress his doubts and listen to Yu Mu.
"Did you know that Song Wanxiao is dead?" Yu Mu asked.”
"Jianshuang told me a few days ago.”
" Liu Changting is dead too," Yu Mu said slowly." They were killed by the same assassin."”
" What?!"
Wei Yuxie wanted to get up in shock, but he could only sit still when he saw Pei Shengxin beside him.
"When was Liu Changting assassinated?" Wei Yuxie asked.”
"Four days ago, August 15th." On the day he took over as the Twin Peaks Sect Leader, he was assassinated at the inauguration ceremony.”
"Who is the murderer?" Wei Yuxie asked.
"It was a black-robed man." Yu Mu sighed."I exchanged two moves with him when I was chasing him, but I couldn't keep him."”
"He actually managed to escape from your hands?" Wei Yuxie asked in shock.!”
"His kung fu is just ordinary, but he used a very powerful hidden weapon." Yu Mu said. He took advantage of the time when I was blocking the hidden weapon to escape.”
"What secret weapon?" Wei Yuxie asked.”
Yu Mu gave Pei Shengxin a look. Pei Shengxin took out the few pieces he had pieced together and handed them to Wei Yuxie.
"These are just a few fragments that we collected," Yu Mu said."We tried to put them together, but we failed.”
Wei Yuxie took the fragment and said," The more complicated the hidden weapon is, the harder it is to assemble. Even the person who made it can't reassemble the hidden weapon after using it. Moreover, this is just a remnant that hasn't been collected completely.”
"How was it?" Yu Mu asked. Can you see the origin of this hidden weapon?"
"Young Hero Yu, can you describe the power of this hidden weapon?" Wei Yuxie asked.”
"Before this hidden weapon is used, it is a small square iron box. After it is used, it will emit hundreds of sharp iron pieces, like a blooming flower." It lasted for about three to four breaths.”
Wei Yuxie shook his head and said," I still can't see through it. I'm a semi-reclusive person. How could I see through this kind of unique hidden weapon?" However, judging from the texture and material of this hidden weapon, plus your description just now, I'm sure that there are no more than five people in Jianghu who can make such a powerful hidden weapon.”
"Aren't you just saying that for nothing?" Yu Mu said.”
Wei Yuxie was already used to Yu Mu's tone. He looked at Pei Shengxin and said,""May I know who this is?"
" This is the famous Iron Mask Constable," Yu Mu said." He came with me to find you this time to ensure your and Yan Qixuan's safety." The assassin will most likely target the two of you.”
Pei Shengxin cupped his fists and said,"I am Pei Shengxin. Greetings, Wei Yuxie, Young Master Wei. I have long heard of Young Master Wei's great name."”
Wei Yuxie returned the greeting and said," I've also long heard of the title of Iron-masked Divine Constable. Now that I've met you, I'm deeply honored. Brother Pei, forgive me for not being able to stand up to welcome you."”
"Why is it so troublesome for you two to greet each other?" Yu Mu asked. Pretentious."
"Young Hero Yu and Constable Pei are here to protect me and Young Master Yan?" Wei Yuxie asked.”
"That's right," Yu Mu replied.
"But Young Master Yan isn't with me."”
"I can't tell you about this in advance," Yu Mu said. I've already sent a message to Yan Qixuan and Yin Lanyao to come here by boat. Once they disembark at the Fu River, they'll use a whistling arrow to inform us. We might have to stay in your Jade Que Garden for a while, so please don't take offense.”
Wei Yuxie smiled and said," Since when did Young Hero Yu become so polite? You're thinking about Yuxie's safety. How can I not appreciate it?" It's just that there's only one room in my Jade Que Garden, so I'm afraid it can't accommodate so many people.”
Yu Mu said," Young Master Wei, you don't have to worry. We won't disturb your life. We'll just build two thatched cottages outside the bamboo forest."”
Wei Yuxie cupped his hands and said,"I'll have to trouble you then."”
"Where's Miss Lin?" Yu Mu asked.”
He patted Pei Shengxin." You don't know, right? One of the four beauties, Lin Jianshuang, has already married Young Master Wei."”
Wei Yuxie said," Oh, Jianshuang went out to play. With her personality, she'll definitely be bored to death if she stays with me in Jade Que Garden. However, I reckon she'll be back in two days."”
Yu Mu agreed." That's right. With Miss Lin's personality, I'm afraid it would take ten Wei Yuxies to keep her here."”
Wei Yuxie and Yu Mu looked at each other and laughed.
Pei Shengxin suddenly said,"I heard that Young Master Wei is also proficient in hidden weapons. I wonder what kind of hidden weapons Young Master Wei uses."”
Wei Yuxie was stunned for a moment, but he still took out a plate of silver needles and handed it to Pei Shengxin.""I can't be considered proficient in hidden weapons. I just learned some hidden weapon techniques by chance in my early years. I also taught this hidden weapon to Jianshuang and told her to use it for self-defense.”
Pei Shengxin carefully checked Wei Yuxie's silver needles.
These were indeed just a few ordinary silver needles. Their length and thickness were completely different from the hidden weapons used by the assassins to assassinate Liu Changting and Song Wanxiao.
After confirming it again and again, Pei Shengxin handed the silver needle back to Wei Yuxie.
"I think Yan Qixuan and the others are almost here," Yu Mu said."I'll wait for them outside the bamboo forest with Divine Constable Pei." Young Master Wei, you must brew some good tea. It must be the kind of tea I drank last time. You know me. If it's not good tea, I won't drink it.”
Wei Yuxie smiled and said,"Of course."”
After arriving outside the bamboo forest, Yu Mu immediately questioned Pei Shengxin,"My Great Constable Pei, we are here to protect them, not to capture them. Moreover, this was a place where people lived in seclusion. What do you mean by wanting to see Wei Yuxie's hidden weapon? You suspect that he is the black-robed man? Just because I mentioned to you that he used a hidden weapon in the duel with Liu Changting?”
"I did suspect him, but I didn't say it out loud."”
"I really have nothing to say to you," Yu Mu said. If you really think that Wei Yuxie is an assassin, then we should have rushed in and held him down, then tortured him to make him confess why he assassinated Liu Changting and Song Wanxiao.”
"I'm just asking."”
Yu Mu said," My Great Divine Constable Pei, we just said that the assassins used hidden weapons to assassinate Liu Changting and Song Wanxiao. We even showed him a kind of hidden weapon used by the assassins. The next thing you asked was if you could take a look at Wei Yuxie's hidden weapon." Even a fool could tell that you were suspecting Wei Yuxie to be an assassin. It's just that he has a good temper and didn't argue with us. If we meet someone with a bad temper, I'm afraid they'll question us on the spot whether we're here to protect him or to capture him. Why don't you understand the ways of the world at all?”
Pei Shengxin also reacted to what Yu Mu said.
He was known for his iron-faced selflessness. Perhaps Pei Shengxin knew a little about the ways of the world before he entered the public sect. However, after he became a police officer, he was iron-faced. After being iron-faced for a long time, he had almost forgotten the ways of the world. Therefore, Pei Shengxin had always been straightforward when handling cases. He had never considered whether his words and actions would offend others.
"I was careless." Pei Sheng said.”
Yu Mu sighed and said," Fortunately, he didn't argue with you. But I can tell you one thing. Wei Yuxie is definitely not the black-robed man who assassinated Liu Changting and Song Wanxiao."”
"Nothing is absolute. How can you be so sure?" Pei Sheng said.”
"I can't tell you the reason," Yu Mu said."Anyway, you just have to believe me."”
Yu Mu knew that Wei Yuxie did not want more people to know that he was a cripple, so Yu Mu made up his mind not to tell Pei Shengxin about this.
Pei Shengxin wanted to say something more, but a whistling arrow shot into the sky in the distance.
"Yan Qixuan and the others are here. Let's go and pick them up." Yu Mu said.
"Not riding a horse?" Pei Sheng asked.
"It's only a few miles," Yu Mu said. We only have two horses. Are they going to ride one horse and we're going to ride one? I'm not riding on the same horse as you. Taking two steps was not much slower than riding a horse.”
After saying that, Yu Mushi used his lightness skill and flew towards the Fu River Pavilion.
Pei Shengxin couldn't dissuade him and could only follow.
"Why don't we hurry up and compete in Qinggong?" Pei Sheng asked.”
"I didn't know that our Great Constable Pei knew how to have fun." Yu Mu laughed. Why did they have to rush so quickly? It wasn't like they were fleeing for their lives. I don't want to be out of breath when I see them later.”
Although Yu Mu said so, he hastened his pace.
Pei Shengxin looked at Yu Mu's back and shook his head with a smile.
After arriving at the pavilion, Yu Mu was dumbfounded.
The pavilion was empty.
Yu Mu had been thinking about how to tease Yan Qixuan and Yin Lanyao on the way here, but he couldn't even see a shadow of them when he arrived at the pavilion.
"No, where is this person?" Yu Mu looked around. Didn't the whistling arrow shoot? They had already gone over? No way, we didn't see them when we came here just now. Besides, they don't know the way.”
Pei Shengxin ignored him, leaving Yu Mu alone talking to himself.
"Yu Mu."
"What's wrong?" Yu Mu asked.
Pei Shengxin did not speak again.
Yu Mu followed Pei Shengxin's gaze and slowly looked over. There was a steel needle inserted into the pillar of the pavilion!
Pei Shengxin stepped forward and pulled out the steel needle. This steel needle was the same as the steel needle used by assassins.
Yu Mu regretted not listening to Pei Shengxin. He should have rushed faster.
The atmosphere in the pavilion was a little dead silent.
The whistling arrow was shot out, as Yan Qixuan and Yu Mu had agreed upon.
The steel needle was left on the pillar of the pavilion.
There were no bloodstains or corpses on the ground!
Where was the assassin?
Where were Yan Qixuan and Yin Lanyao?
Both of them turned to look at the other path.
That road didn't lead to the Jade Scarce Court. It was a dead end!
Yu Mu and Pei Shengxin didn't walk far before they saw Yan Qixuan.
He was lying in the middle of the road, and behind him was Yin Lanyao, who had collapsed to the ground in fear.
Yu Mu rushed to Yan Qixuan's side and saw that Yan Qixuan's body was covered with steel needles. There were more than ten of them.
Pei Shengxin pulled out one and said,"Poisonous, green tea."”
Yan Qixuan heard someone beside him call out vaguely,""Who, who is it?"
"Yan Qixuan! Yan Qixuan!" Yu Mu hurriedly carried Yan Qixuan. It's me, Yu Mu."
Hearing Yu Mu's voice, Yan Qixuan was finally relieved. His eyes had been blinded by the poison.
"Lan Yao, Lan Yao, is she alright?”Yan Qixuan said softly.
Yu Mu glanced at Yin Lanyao, who was shivering with her arms around her chest.""She's fine. She's unharmed. You protected her.”
"That's…that's good." Yan Qixuan said intermittently.”
"Yan Qixuan, hang in there, I'll help you circulate my energy to remove the poison."”
Yan Qixuan used his last bit of strength to grab Yu Mu's hand and said,""There's no need. I-I know that I-I'm already hopeless. The assassin was hiding in the forest. I, I didn't see his face.”
Yu Mu held Yan Qixuan's hand tightly and said,""It's okay, it's okay. I will catch him. I will definitely catch him.”
Yan Qixuan said," You have to…you have to help me. Protect…protect Lan Yao."”
Yu Mu said," How can I protect her? She must be protected by you. Yan Qixuan, Yan Qixuan!" Only you can protect her, you know? In the past, I only said those words to tease the two of you.”
Yan Qixuan wanted to say something more, but he no longer had the strength to.
Pei Shengxin rushed into the forest. At this time, there was no sign of the assassin in the forest. He only left the branches that he had cut off.
When Pei Shengxin returned to Yan Qixuan's side, Yan Qixuan was already gasping for air.
Pei Shengxin did not know if he should speak now, but he still decided to say,""The assassin is gone."
This seemed to be nonsense.
Yu Mu was shocked by this nonsense.
The assassin had disappeared.
Because he had already succeeded.
Or rather, he went to find his next target.
"Assassin!" Yu Mu looked at Pei Shengxin and opened his mouth.”
He tried twice in a row, but he found that he could not make a sound.
He was too flustered.
Although Yu Mu didn't say it out loud, Pei Shengxin already understood what Yu Mu was talking about.
He turned around and sprinted towards the Jade Lacking Court.
There was another target of the assassin, Wei Yuxie.
After Pei Shengxin left, Yu Mu finally recovered. He panted heavily like a person who had just been fished out of the water.
He lowered his head and realized that Yan Qixuan's hand that was holding him had already dropped.
"Yan Qixuan, Yan Qixuan! Wake up! Yan Qixuan!" Yu Mu shook Yan Qixuan and shouted.
Of course, Yan Qixuan didn't react.
Dead people wouldn't react.
Three of the four great young masters had already died!
Yu Mu's shout didn't wake Yan Qixuan up, but it did wake Yin Lanyao up from her state of fear.
"Young Master Yu?" she called out timidly from behind.”
Yu Mu turned around.
Seeing Yan Qixuan lying in Yu Mu's arms, Yin Lanyao asked,""What happened to him?"
"Dead," Yu Mu said coldly.
Yin Lanyao peeked out and took two steps back in fright at Yan Qixuan's miserable state.
"What happened?"
Yin Lanyao kept trembling.
"What happened?" Yu Mu shouted angrily.
" I…I…" Yin Lanyao said fearfully," When Young Master Yan and I were waiting for you in the pavilion, a steel needle suddenly pierced the pillar of the pavilion." Then, then Young Master Yan brought me along this road. Then, then needles shot out from the forest. Then, then. And then…"
"Alright, I know." Yu Mu's voice softened. He didn't want to force Yin Lanyao anymore.
"Come and help me," Yu Mu said.”
"Help you with what?" Yin Lanyao asked.”
Yu Mu said,"Pull out all the needles from his body."”
Yin Lanyao looked at Yan Qixuan's corpse and didn't dare to get close.
"You don't want to?" Yu Mu frowned.”
"It's not that I don't want to. I'm just a little scared." Yin Lanyao quickly waved her hand.”
Yu Mu looked at Yan Qixuan's pale face and smiled silently.
"Forget it. Sorry to make things difficult for you." Yu Mu really didn't need to say anything that he shouldn't.
"I…I'm not…I…" Yin Lanyao stammered.。。。”
She was still thinking about how she should explain herself when she realized that Yu Mu had already carried Yan Qixuan's body and left.
She just followed behind Yu Mu, not daring to get too close or too far away.
Pei Shengxin had never been so eager to know something.
Would Wei Yuxie be in the Jade Que Garden now?
Although he believed Yu Mu's words, Pei Sheng didn't think it was a coincidence that Yan Qixuan died at this time and place.
When he rushed into the Jade Scarce Garden, would he see Wei Yuxie who was frantically changing his clothes that had been torn by the tree branches?
Pei Shengxin couldn't describe his feelings when he saw Wei Yuxie. Should he be happy or regretful?
Wei Yuxie was the same as before they left. He was still sitting at the table.
He was boiling a pot of fragrant tea.
When Pei Shengxin came in, he had just poured the first cup and wanted to taste it himself.
Pei Shengxin carefully observed Wei Yuxie. His clothes were neat and without any wrinkles. It did not look like he had changed in a hurry. His breath was long and calm, as if he had been sitting there the whole time.
Deep down, Pei Shengxin was still a little disappointed.
Wei Yuxie looked at Pei Shengxin, who rushed in panting, and asked in confusion,""Didn't Young Master Yu and Young Master Yan come back with you?”
Pei Shengxin sat opposite Yan Qixuan and calmed his breathing.
"Has anyone been here?" he asked.”
The confusion on Wei Yuxie's face grew, but he still replied,""Didn't you guys come today?"
"I mean, did anyone come after we left?" Pei Shengxin asked.”
Wei Yuxie shook his head.
"Then did you hear anything?" Pei Shengxin asked again.”
"No, I haven't." Wei Yuxie still shook his head.
"What happened?" he asked.”
"Yan Qixuan is dead. He was killed by an assassin."”
" What?!"
Wei Yuxie pretended to get up, but he stopped himself.
He stared blankly at the bamboo forest, his face filled with disbelief.
"Yu Mu was afraid that the assassin had already come to find you, so he asked me to hurry over." Fortunately, the assassin didn't find you.”
"Where was Young Master Yan assassinated?" Wei Yuxie asked.”
"By the pavilion by the river," Pei Sheng replied. When we arrived, he was still breathing, but his injuries were too serious to be saved.”
Wei Yuxie nodded heavily, feeling a little sad.
He was the only one left among the four great young masters, and Yan Qixuan had died less than ten miles away from him. How could he not feel upset?
"Can I have a cup of tea?"
Pei Shengxin's words made Wei Yuxie unable to react for a moment.
Pei Shengxin pointed at the cup of tea in Wei Yuxie's hand and said,""I'm a little thirsty. Can I drink the cup of tea in your hand?”
Wei Yuxie subconsciously handed the tea to Pei Shengxin.
Pei Shengxin took the tea and drank it.
He did not know why his intuition told him that there was something wrong with Wei Yuxie, but from Wei Yuxie's performance, he was not the assassin.
Wei Yuxie was an extremely polite person. Normally, he would never have passed the first cup of tea he tasted to Pei Shengxin.
However, he subconsciously handed the letter to Pei Sheng, which meant that Yan Qixuan's death had shocked him.
Pei Shengxin had no reason to doubt him anymore.
"I think I should stay here for a while in case the assassins come.”Pei Shengxin said.
"Alright." Wei Yuxie nodded.
Yin Lanyao looked at Yu Mu, who was squatting on the ground and digging, and felt a little scared. She hesitated for a moment before asking,""Young Master Yu, will you, will you send me home?”
Yu Mu paused for a moment.
"Yes." He started digging again.
He was digging Yan Qixuan's grave.
Yan Qixuan wasn't his friend, and they even hated each other. However, Yan Qixuan trusted Yu Mu, which was why he chose to bring Yin Lanyao along.
Now he was dead.
Yu Mu felt terrible. He had betrayed Yan Qixuan's trust. He could only vent his sadness on digging.
Back home.
Yin Lanyao's words reminded Yu Mu.
When a person died, they had to return to their roots.
Yan Qixuan also wanted to go home, to the place where he should be buried after his death. At the very least, he should not be buried here.
Yu Mu stopped what he was doing. He picked up the Green Lotus Sword and walked towards the forest behind him.
When Yin Lanyao saw Yu Mu walking over with his sword, she thought that he was going to do something to her. She quickly shrank back, but she found that Yu Mu was only cutting trees with his sword.
The Green Lotus Sword could cut through iron like mud, so it was naturally easy to cut down trees.
Yu Mu chopped the wood into strips of equal thickness. He used the strips to build a large platform and then piled the branches around the platform.
Yu Mu did all of this very slowly.
Yin Lanyao wanted to say something but didn't dare to.
When Yu Mu placed Yan Qixuan on the wooden platform, Pei Shengxin had already returned with two horses.
"Looks like Wei Yuxie is fine."”
Pei Shengxin nodded.”
"Why did you bring the horse back?" Yu Mu asked.”
"Because we don't have to stay in Jade Que Garden anymore."”
"Why?" Yu Mu narrowed his eyes.”
Pei Sheng replied," Because Wei Yuxie used a very convincing reason to convince me.”
"What reason?" Yu Mu asked.
"He said that since the assassin didn't choose to kill him, it means that the assassin didn't know he was hiding here." Moreover, if the assassin knew where he lived, he would be the first to be assassinated. As the most mysterious of the four young masters, there was no news of him in the martial arts world at all. Naturally, there was no news of his death. This way, the other three of the four great young masters would not be on guard.”
"This is indeed a convincing piece of news. It seems that we don't have to stay in Jade Que Garden any longer."”
Pei Shengxin saw the wooden platform that Yu Mu had set up and asked,""You want to cremate Yan Qixuan?"
"He has to go home eventually." However, he couldn't go that far with his body. He could only let his ashes fall back to their roots.”
Before lighting the fire, Yu Mu pulled a piece of cloth from Yan Qixuan's body.
In a short while, a blazing fire rose from the pile of firewood.
However, Pei Shengxin did not know where he went.
Yu Mu stood at the side and watched Yan Qixuan slowly get engulfed by the flames. Yin Lanyao sat very far away.
Her expression didn't look sad or sad.
Yu Mu stared at Yin Lanyao, who was standing at the stern of the ship. The ship would send her back to Yangzhou.
She was carrying a small wooden box in her arms. It was carved out by Yu Mu with his sword. The box contained Yan Qixuan's ashes wrapped in cloth.
As the boat left the shore, Yin Lanyao lowered her eyes.
Yu Mu couldn't read the emotions hidden in her eyes, and he didn't want to.
"Aren't you going to send her back?"
At some point, Pei Shengxin had returned.
"I don't want to send her back. Yan Qixuan's spirit in heaven will make sure she gets home safely."”
"It seems like you have some resentment towards her."”
"I hate her?" Yu Mu asked. Why should I hate her?"
He lowered his head. I should hate myself. Why did I take the initiative to let Yan Qixuan come over and cause him to die here?”
Pei Shengxin consoled him." The assassin being able to follow us here means that he already knew that Yan Qixuan was in the Yin Manor. Even if you don't let him come over, he might still be dead."”
"Don't say anymore. You're not good at comforting people." Yu Mu smiled bitterly.”
"Maybe." Pei Shengxin smiled.
"I will definitely catch the murderer, definitely!”Yu Mu's voice rose again.
"Let's go, it's our turn to find him."”
" I thought you would be more suspicious of Wei Yuxie being an assassin." Yu Mu turned his head and asked suspiciously." After all, Yan Qixuan died here, and Wei Yuxie wasn't assassinated."”
Pei Shengxin shook his head and said,"We just left Jade Que Garden when Yan Qixuan fired a whistling arrow." He won't have enough time, and he won't be able to sneak past us.”
"What took you so long?" Yu Mu asked.”
"I went to the place where Yan Qixuan was assassinated to take a look."”
"Did you find anything?" Yu Mu asked.”
"No." Pei Sheng replied.
"Are you feeling a little hopeless?" Yu Mu asked. Three people died, and the only valuable clues we have are those hidden weapon fragments.”
"It's better to have clues than no clues. We'll follow this hidden weapon fragment."”
"It's too difficult." Yu Mu sighed. Wei Yuxie said that the number of people who could create this kind of hidden weapon in the pugilistic world could be counted on one hand, then there were even fewer people who could tell who created this hidden weapon.”
"Yes." Pei Sheng replied.
This clue was indeed very difficult to investigate.
"Is there anyone in the yamen who knows about this?" Yu Mu asked.”
"I can't think of anyone who can see the origin of this hidden weapon."”
"I know who knows the origin of this hidden weapon." Yu Mu suddenly said.”
"Who is it?!" Pei Sheng asked.
"If I had known earlier, I would have gone with Yin Lanyao." Yu Mu said.”
"That person is in Yangzhou?" Pei Sheng asked.”
Yu Mu answered Pei Shengxin's question with a question.
"Have you heard of Jade Tiger Casino?”
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。