Luo Yang was someone who spoke his mind directly, saying whatever came to his thoughts.

These contemptuous words were like a knife stabbed into the Zhan Jiu Si’s signboard.

Li Shiyan secretly gave him a thumbs up, not forgetting to add fuel to the fire: “That’s right, if you can’t do it then forget it. When I spread this throughout the jianghu, the Zhan Jiu Si’s reputation will be… tsk tsk tsk…”

Having said this, he deliberately frowned and shook his head.

Zuo Tu wasn’t angered, knowing they were using reverse psychology on him. He said unhurriedly: “Even if the Young Master threatens me, it’s useless!”

Li Shiyan’s expression turned cold: “Then what will it take for you to agree to help investigate?”

“The matter involves people from General Wen’s manor, so naturally it doesn’t count as a jianghu matter. Therefore, to investigate, the court must investigate. Young Master, please return.”

“You…”

Zuo Tu showed his intention to send them away, instructing those outside: “See the guests out!”

Li Shiyan flew into a rage out of embarrassment, slapping the table and standing up: “What a Zhan Jiu Si, not even putting this Young Master in your eyes! Do you really think things won’t work without you? I’ll tell you the truth – back on the boat we captured an assassin alive, but that person was severely injured and has remained unconscious until now. Fortunately, his condition has recently improved somewhat. I believe he’ll wake up soon. When that time comes, this Young Master will put a blade to his throat, and I don’t believe I won’t be able to force some answers out of him.”

Eh?

After hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed across Zuo Tu’s face.

His pupils suddenly constricted.

His hands in his sleeves also clenched slightly.

Li Shiyan threw down these words, then turned his head to say to Luo Yang: “Since the Zhan Jiu Si won’t handle it, then we’ll investigate ourselves. I refuse to believe that damn assassin can lie in bed for a lifetime! Let’s go, we’ll drag him up from the bed right now!”

Luo Yang cooperated perfectly, shouting “Let’s go!”

The two then left angrily.

Zuo Tu watched their departing backs. Changing from his previous calm and composed manner, his brows furrowed deeply as he immediately summoned Old Tang.

He whispered instructions in his ear!

…

After leaving the Zhan Jiu Si, Li Shiyan and Luo Yang headed straight for a dilapidated residence in the northern part of the city.

After entering, they locked the courtyard gate.

Unexpectedly, someone had followed them all the way there!

Several black shadows jumped onto the roof in unison, each with their faces covered by black cloth, holding long swords, surveying the dilapidated courtyard below.

But there wasn’t a single sound.

After waiting a while, one of them said: “Those two people clearly went in earlier, how is there not a single sound?”

Another person said: “Did you see which room they entered?”

“Didn’t see.”

“Let’s go, go down and look.”

The leader immediately stopped them: “Be careful of a trap.”

“Could it be we should leave now? If the Boss blames us, we won’t be able to handle the consequences.”

The leader hesitated for a moment, then had no choice but to agree to go down.

The group stepped on the roof tiles, using their lightness skills to drop into the courtyard one after another.

The rustling sound of leaves around them could be heard crystal clear.

It didn’t look at all like anyone lived here!

Someone sensed something was wrong and shouted: “Not good, retreat quickly!”

But it was already too late!

A large net flew down from above the roof.

“Watch out!”

The net descended, trapping them all. Then a cloud of white powder scattered through the air. Before they had a chance to draw their swords, they were all knocked unconscious!

In an instant, several people jumped down from the courtyard roof, holding long swords and surrounding the net.

They checked that all the black-clothed men who had been captured were unconscious!

A door in the courtyard also suddenly opened, and Li Shiyan and Luo Yang swaggered out.

Jingrong followed closely behind.

“The people from Zhan Jiu Si are nothing special! So easily captured.” Luo Yang crossed his arms over his chest, mocking them.

Li Shiyan lifted his foot and kicked viciously at the people on the ground, saying: “Dare to follow this Young Master, this is what you get.” Speaking, he turned his head to say to Jingrong, “Your trick of luring the wolf into the house was truly splendid!”

Jingrong wore half a mask, his expression stern. He swept his gaze around the group trapped by the net, then instructed his own people: “Take them down and watch them carefully. Not a word of this can leak out.”

“Yes!”

Those who had been knocked unconscious perhaps still didn’t know what had happened?

Even less did they know what medicine was really being sold in this gourd?

…

That evening.

In the Zhan Jiu Si, Zuo Tu had waited all day, but the people he had sent out still hadn’t returned.

Old Tang sitting beside him was getting anxious, speculating: “Could something have happened?”

After a while, someone came in to report: “Boss, Third Master, we’ve searched everywhere, nothing.”

Old Tang questioned: “Did you search everywhere?”

“We searched the entire city.”

“What about outside the city?”

“The Young Master of the Marquis manor didn’t leave the city, our people couldn’t possibly have followed to outside the city.”

Old Tang was both worried and puzzled: “Alive to see the person, dead to see the corpse – how could they just disappear into thin air?”

Zuo Tu, who had been silent all along, waved his hand to dismiss the person who came to report. Then with a grave expression he said to Old Tang: “This matter is probably not simple.”

“Then what do we do?”

“I need to tell the people above.”

Old Tang understood his meaning: “Alright, I’ll go arrange it now.”

…

Deep in the night, at a pavilion by a secluded lakeside, Zuo Tu had been waiting there for a long time.

Usually calm, he appeared somewhat flustered because of today’s events.

After several incense sticks’ worth of time passed, he paced back and forth in the pavilion.

His brows deeply furrowed.

Little did he know, he had already been targeted by Jingrong.

Jingrong was hidden in a small grove by the lakeside. From when Zuo Tu left the Zhan Jiu Si to here, he had been following all along.

This time taking the risk to lure the snake out of its hole, he wanted to see exactly which big snake was setting traps between the Wen and Su families?

After another half shichen passed, it reached the hour of chou.

Suddenly, faint footsteps came from the distance. Jingrong became alert. Then he saw a mysterious person wearing a cloak walk into the pavilion.

When Zuo Tu saw him, he was very respectful, cupping his hands in salute.

He showed great reverence toward the newcomer!

Someone who could make even the number one person of the Zhan Jiu Si have to be careful and cautious – who could it be?

It wasn’t until the newcomer removed his cloak that his face was clearly reflected in the pavilion’s lamplight.

Jingrong was shocked!

He hadn’t expected that person… to actually be Grand Tutor Yi!

…

Su Manor

Li Shiyan exclaimed loudly: “Grand Tutor Yi? How could it be that damn old man?”

Grand Tutor Yi was famously shrewd.

The court’s power was mainly divided into two factions – one was the Su family, one was the Wen family.

And Grand Tutor Yi was essentially his own faction!

Never getting involved.

“I understand now. So it was all this old fox doing these things behind the scenes. He plans to secretly sow discord between the Wen and Su families, then reap the benefits! It must be like this, this old scoundrel… truly vicious.” Li Shiyan said, clenching his fist and punching hard into the air.

But this punch was like hitting cotton, not satisfying at all.

The so-called snipe and clam fighting while the fisherman profits – Grand Tutor Yi might really have this motive.

However, Ji Yinshu remained silent.

Pondering something in her mind.

Jingrong seemed to see through her thoughts, asking: “Are you thinking of something else?”