Chapter 221: Problematic Qianhu

The next morning, Gu Mo and Gu Chundong set off for Tianzhou.

Tianzhou was the foremost of the Qian Dynasty's eight prefectures. It was unequivocally the leading prefecture in terms of vast territory, political and cultural influence, and martial arts tradition. Only in economic aspects had Cangzhou, due to its unique geographical location, gradually surpassed Tianzhou in recent years.

However, Cangzhou's economic expansion was merely a result of the imperial court opening ports and allowing trade with other countries in recent years. In terms of true underlying strength, it still couldn't compare to Tianzhou.

Tianzhou comprised fourteen commanderies, and Gu Mo and Gu Chundong's destination was Linhai Commandery, one of them. The journey was not easy; they traveled by both water and land, making several detours, and it took them over half a month to arrive.

It must be said that long-distance travel was incredibly difficult in that era; most people never even left their county seat in their entire lives. The fact that siblings like Gu Mo and Gu Chundong traveled so extensively was purely a testament to their skill and courage. During this half-month journey alone, they encountered bandits five or six times. Ordinary people would have had to take detours, making the trip at least three months long.

By the time they reached Linhai Commandery's administrative city, it was already mid-June, the hottest time of the year. As its name suggested, Linhai Commandery was by the sea, a place with high humidity, so when the weather turned hot, it became incredibly oppressive.

The city streets were quiet, with few pedestrians.

Inside the shops along the streets, the clerks were listless, slumped or leaning against counters. Even their shouts were weak, as if the entire city had been made sluggish by the stifling summer heat.

Gu Mo and Gu Chundong inquired along the way in the city until they reached the Commandery Magistrate's yamen.

They came to the yamen because the intel about the wanted criminal Madame Liu, previously sent by Imperial Advisor Zhang Daoji, included a letter of introduction recommending Gu Mo to Pei Yuanzhen, the Prefect of Linhai Commandery.

Upon arriving at the yamen entrance, Gu Chundong presented their calling card and was not subjected to any difficulties by the gatekeepers. After all, while these gatekeepers were fond of extorting bribes, they were also very discerning.

Although Gu Mo and Gu Chundong were not dressed lavishly, they possessed an extraordinary demeanor. Furthermore, due to their cultivation of the Bright Jade Art, both Gu Mo and Gu Chundong had remarkably fair and delicate skin, clearly indicating they were not from ordinary households.

Before long, several people emerged from the yamen. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a dark blue official robe, with a half-piece of mutton-fat jade carved with thunder-script dangling from his waist. His temples were slightly frosted, but his hair was tied back casually with a coarse hemp rope, and a few strands clung to his forehead. His demeanor was less like that of a high-ranking official and more like a Daoist priest.

Gu Mo, sensing the man's Daoist internal energy, immediately knew this was Pei Yuanzhen, the Prefect of Linhai Commandery.

Earlier, at Chunyang Temple, Song Danyang had told Gu Mo that Pei Yuanzhen hailed from the prominent Pei clan of Tianzhou. This Pei clan was not a martial arts family like the Lin clan, but a genuine political dynasty, a true prestigious lineage that had long since transcended the realm of jianghu.

However, the Pei clan was affiliated with Longhu Mountain, or more precisely, with the Daoist sect. This was a common phenomenon; the imperial court was rife with factions, and the Daoist faction, led by Longhu Mountain, was one of the largest, consistently attracting many adherents.

Pei Yuanzhen had first cultivated Daoism at Longhu Mountain for over a decade before descending to study and participate in the imperial examinations. He only became an official at the age of forty, after which he rapidly ascended in rank. Now, at just fifty years old, he was already a Commandery Prefect. The intricacies behind his rise were self-evident!

At this moment, outside the Commandery yamen, Pei Yuanzhen's eyes flashed with surprise upon seeing Gu Mo and Gu Chundong. He quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, leaned slightly, and respectfully said, "Grand Master Gu, Lady Gu, I apologize for not coming out to greet you sooner!"

Both Gu Mo and Gu Chundong returned the gesture. Gu Mo replied, "Prefect Pei, my sister and I will be imposing on you quite a bit during our stay here."

"Not at all, not at all," Pei Yuanzhen quickly waved his hand, saying, "My grand-master had already sent word, instructing me to fully cooperate with you, Grand Master Gu. However, there's something I need to inform you about first."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "Please do."

Pei Yuanzhen said, "Grand Master Gu, you came specifically to apprehend the notorious thief Madame Liu. Aside from my grand-master's command, even purely for the sake of eliminating evil for the common people, my Linhai Commandery yamen should provide full support. However, unfortunately, you arrived a little late; Madame Liu was apprehended half a month ago."

Gu Mo was slightly stunned. He immediately checked his system interface, where the wanted mission to capture Madame Liu was clearly shown as still active.

According to the system's rules, if a wanted target was captured or killed, the mission would disappear and become invalid.

Since the mission was still intact, it meant Madame Liu had not truly been brought to justice.

"Prefect Pei, could you elaborate?"

Pei Yuanzhen said, "Grand Master Gu, Lady Gu, I've just instructed someone to prepare a welcome banquet for both of you. Perhaps we could go inside, have some light wine, and chat at leisure!"

"Then we shall trouble you."

"Please!"

Soon, Gu Mo and Gu Chundong followed Pei Yuanzhen to the yamen's backyard, where a table of food and wine had already been prepared. It was rather simple, but it met the standards for entertaining guests as an imperial official.

After they were seated, Pei Yuanzhen poured wine for Gu Mo and slowly explained, "Madame Liu has been committing evil deeds for many years, active in both Linhai and Shanggu Commanderies. For years, both of our commanderies have been fully dedicated to apprehending her, with our Linhai Commandery's Six Gates leading the effort, as Madame Liu committed most of her crimes here.

"However, she is proficient in disguise, Qinggong, and poison arts, and is extremely cunning, so she had never been caught. It was only half a month ago that our Linhai Commandery's Six Gates received a crucial tip. Commander Wang Mingxiu, leveraging his years of experience clashing with Madame Liu, finally pinpointed her whereabouts. She was ultimately apprehended by the combined efforts of many Six Gates experts!"

Gu Mo asked, "So, is this Madame Liu still alive?"

"She's dead," Pei Yuanzhen replied. "Madame Liu had disguised herself as a widow and was hiding in a civilian residence surrounded by many ordinary people. The Six Gates dared not be lenient, fearing she might take hostages, so she was killed on the spot. Commander Wang Mingxiu personally delivered the fatal blow."

"Was her identity verified?" Gu Mo asked.

"Of course, her identity was verified," Pei Yuanzhen said, puzzled. "Grand Master Gu, do you perhaps have some doubts?"

"Not at all," Gu Mo quickly waved his hand. "It's just that I've dealt with many rogue cultivators skilled in disguise. Such individuals are particularly adept at faking their deaths to escape, so I merely have that concern!"

Pei Yuanzhen chuckled, "I see. Grand Master Gu, you travel the jianghu, eliminating evil. They say no wanted criminal has ever escaped your grasp. It seems it's not just your unparalleled martial arts, but also your meticulous attention to detail!"

"Those are just jianghu friends praising me to enhance my reputation," Gu Mo said. "If I truly had such immense ability, I would have long since apprehended all the villains in the world and ushered in an era of peace and order."

"Grand Master Gu's righteousness is admirable. I toast you!"

Pei Yuanzhen raised his wine cup and stood to toast, and Gu Mo also stood and returned the toast.

Gu Chundong, whose mouth was full, looked up, her cheeks puffed out like a bun, a puzzled expression on her face. She had been solely focused on eating and had no idea why the two men were toasting each other.

Then, seeing that neither of them intended to pay her any mind, she continued eating by herself.

Meanwhile, Gu Mo and Pei Yuanzhen opened up and began to converse.

After three rounds of wine, Pei Yuanzhen said, "Grand Master Gu, I know you despise evil and enjoy pursuing wanted criminals. After Madame Liu was killed half a month ago, I sent word to notify you, but I learned you had already departed and couldn't be reached. So, I kept thinking of how not to let you make a wasted trip. Thus, I had the Six Gates make inquiries, and they indeed found a lead on another wanted criminal: the assassin Ruan Hongqiao, known in the jianghu as 'Tail-End Needle.'"

Gu Mo chuckled inwardly. As expected of an official, Pei Yuanzhen was certainly eloquent. Gu Mo could basically surmise that Ruan Hongqiao must have recently committed a crime in Linhai Commandery, and with his arrival, Pei Yuanzhen wanted to ask for his help. Yet, the way Pei Yuanzhen phrased it, it sounded as if the wanted criminal had been specifically sought out for him.

However, Gu Mo was quite interested in this wanted criminal:

New target detectedWanted Target - Ruan HongqiaoMission Level - Three StarsMission Reward - Max-level White Rainbow Palm

Gu Mo was very interested in the White Rainbow Palm, a unique skill of the Carefree Sect. It was a technique that allowed control over the direction of one's palm force. The force could be curved or straightened at will, and especially when delivered as an Air-Splitting Palm, it would appear to confront the enemy directly, but in reality, the palm force would wander unpredictably, making it difficult for opponents to detect.

The White Rainbow Palm was formless and intangible, with an elusive trajectory, a martial art that utilized internal energy techniques to an extremely profound degree. Even at Gu Mo's current level, the techniques of the White Rainbow Palm would still be of great help to him. Especially since achieving mastery in his Four Illuminations Divine Art had already refined his control over true qi to an extreme, if he were to also master the techniques of the White Rainbow Palm, he could truly achieve extraordinary feats with this martial art.

However, interest aside, Gu Mo had no interest in accumulating unnecessary favors. After all, if his intervention was required, it should be the other party incurring a debt of gratitude, not him becoming the one indebted, which would make him a fool.

Immediately, Gu Mo feigned difficulty, saying, "Prefect Pei, I appreciate your kindness. However, I'm afraid I don't have the time. Prefect Pei should know that I've been pursuing several wanted criminals recently, and Madame Liu was just one of them. I've enlisted many jianghu friends to help me search. Now that Madame Liu has been apprehended, I must immediately proceed to the next location and simply don't have time to linger here!"

Pei Yuanzhen quickly said, "It won't take too much time. This Ruan Hongqiao is an assassin, and our yamen has received confirmed intelligence that she is going to assassinate someone..."

At this point, Pei Yuanzhen noticed Gu Mo's faint smile and immediately understood his meaning. He chuckled lightly and said, "To be honest, Grand Master Gu, I actually wanted to ask for your assistance in the name of the Linhai Commandery yamen, but I feared your refusal, which is why I spoke in such a roundabout way to gauge your inclination. If you are willing to help, the Linhai Commandery yamen and I will be greatly indebted to you. In the future, should there be anything we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to command."

Gu Mo smiled faintly, not exposing Pei Yuanzhen's desire to gain a favor for free, and said, "Prefect Pei, please elaborate. I'll see if I have time!"

Pei Yuanzhen poured a cup of wine for Gu Mo and asked, "Grand Master Gu, have you heard of Mr. Dongjing from Bailu Academy?"

Gu Mo replied, "I am not part of the scholarly officialdom, so I am not well-acquainted with prominent Confucian scholars."

Pei Yuanzhen said, "Mr. Dongjing is the former head of Bailu Academy and a great contemporary Confucian scholar. He holds immense prestige within the scholarly and official circles; even His Majesty the Emperor holds him in great respect."

"So, the target Ruan Hongqiao intends to assassinate is this Mr. Dongjing?" Gu Mo asked.

Pei Yuanzhen nodded. "Mr. Dongjing is coming to lecture at our Linhai Commandery's Prefectural Academy. The lecture is scheduled for three days from now."

Gu Mo wondered, "Is he truly just a scholar?"

"Indeed."

"Then why would someone want to kill him?" Gu Mo asked.

Pei Yuanzhen said, "Because Mr. Dongjing advocates for war."

"War?" Gu Mo questioned.

Pei Yuanzhen explained, "Grand Master Gu, having lived in the jianghu for so long, you might not be very familiar with state affairs. Over the past two years, our Great Qian's relationship with the State of Chu has sharply deteriorated, especially last year after His Royal Highness the Second Prince, who was a hostage in Chu, escaped and returned. Relations between the two nations worsened to an extreme once more.

"At court, there are two factions: the peace faction and the war faction. Generally speaking, the peace faction is dominant, while the war faction is weaker. At this time, Mr. Dongjing is leveraging his influence in literary and official circles to lecture across the country, promoting the idea of war, and thus..."

"So, he threatened others' interests, angered the peace faction, and now they want to assassinate him," Gu Mo concluded.

"Precisely," Pei Yuanzhen affirmed. "Since the first half of last year, Mr. Dongjing has visited eight commanderies and encountered five assassination attempts in total. Yet, Mr. Dongjing remains fearless and continues to act as he pleases."

Gu Mo didn't understand state affairs; he didn't know whether advocating for war or peace was better given Qian's current national situation. As a jianghu practitioner, he certainly didn't understand state affairs as well as the court officials.

However, that didn't prevent him from finding Mr. Dongjing to be a scholar of great integrity. While outsiders unfamiliar with the intricacies couldn't judge the rightness or wrongness of his stance, someone who showed no fear of power or death was undoubtedly worthy of praise.

"This Ruan Hongqiao is the assassin for this attempt on Mr. Dongjing's life. She is a gold-tier assassin from the Seven Absolutes Tower, one of the world's top assassin organizations. In seven years since her debut, she has completed thirty-two assassinations without a single failure, so her strength should not be underestimated."

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, "Where did you get this intelligence? Is it reliable?"

Pei Yuanzhen said, "It's impossible for the imperial court not to monitor organizations like the Seven Absolutes Tower. It's just that their exact stronghold hasn't been found, which is why the court has delayed taking action to clear them out. Once the court does make a move, it will undoubtedly unleash a thunderous fury that leaves nothing behind."

Gu Mo understood. There must be an informant or mole within the Seven Absolutes Tower working for the government, but the timing wasn't right—perhaps the mole hadn't reached the core, or there were other reasons. After all, most powerful organizations in the jianghu were incredibly complex, with intricate connections behind them.

"Grand Master Gu, Mr. Dongjing is currently under strict protection by the Six Gates," Pei Yuanzhen said. "And in three days, Mr. Dongjing will lecture at the Prefectural Academy. That day will be the best opportunity for Ruan Hongqiao to act; it's basically certain she will make her move then. That will also be her only chance because after that day, our yamen will dispatch troops to escort Mr. Dongjing to the capital for protection, and Ruan Hongqiao will have absolutely no further opportunities.

"I wonder, Grand Master Gu, if you would be free to intervene on that day? Of course, regardless of success, and whether Ruan Hongqiao appears or not, as long as you are willing to help, I will consider myself indebted to you. If you require it, I can activate official channels and contact all the 'Pursuing Wind Towers' in Linhai Commandery to help you search for other wanted criminals you wish to apprehend."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "It's possible, but my personal suggestion is, if Prefect Pei trusts me, it would be best if I stayed with Mr. Dongjing these next few days."

Pei Yuanzhen asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"Everyone thinks the lecture three days from now is a good opportunity for Ruan Hongqiao, but would she truly dare to make a move then?" Gu Mo said. "Everyone knows that day will be heavily guarded, with nets everywhere. It would likely be easier for her to find a way to assassinate him in the next few days, rather than on that specific day."

"This...?"

Pei Yuanzhen pondered for a moment and also felt that Gu Mo's words made a lot of sense. He then cupped his hands and said, "Grand Master Gu, what you said is logical. Mr. Dongjing is currently staying in an inn, and although the Six Gates are strictly protecting him, the level of security certainly can't compare to the lecture three days from now. After all, on that day, due to the large crowd, I will have notified the garrison troops to enter the city."

Gu Mo put down his wine cup and said, "I believe it's better sooner than later; Ruan Hongqiao could strike at any moment."

"Very well, I'll arrange it immediately."

Pei Yuanzhen hadn't thought much of it initially, but now, after hearing Gu Mo, the more he thought about it, the more he believed Ruan Hongqiao would indeed make a move against Mr. Dongjing in the next few days. It truly would be, as Gu Mo said, relatively easier to succeed than during the lecture three days later.

Gu Chundong asked, puzzled, "Since you know there's an assassination attempt, why not simply arrange for Mr. Dongjing to stay within the Six Gates yamen? Wouldn't that be safer?"

Pei Yuanzhen shook his head. "Mr. Dongjing is here to lecture, not specifically to receive protection. If he were afraid of death, he wouldn't be traveling everywhere. Wherever he goes, he openly accepts requests from local scholars for debates, discussing whether to advocate for war or peace.

"Therefore, the place where Mr. Dongjing resides actually sees quite a few people coming and going daily."

Gu Chundong was speechless for a moment, muttering, "I really don't understand what these people are thinking. They know there's an assassin, yet they still don't hide!"

Pei Yuanzhen chuckled, "There's no way to hide. Those who want to assassinate Mr. Dongjing haven't just appeared now. He can't just keep hiding forever, can he? For him, this assassination attempt is just one of many he's faced over the past year; there's nothing particularly special about it."

Gu Mo smiled and said, "It's normal. The world is never short of such tenacious individuals who believe their actions are profoundly meaningful and valuable, even more important than life itself."

The inn where Mr. Dongjing was staying was called Qingfeng Inn, the most high-end establishment in Linhai City. Unlike typical inns, Qingfeng Inn was a small manor, and usually, only wealthy individuals could afford to stay there.

However, since Mr. Dongjing's stay was arranged by the authorities, Qingfeng Inn had naturally suspended its regular operations. The only guests now were Mr. Dongjing and his few disciples, along with over a hundred Six Gates experts serving as guards.

The Six Gates placed great importance on Mr. Dongjing, with their second-in-command, Commander Wang Mingxiu, personally leading the team to protect him.

Gu Mo and Gu Chundong arrived at Qingfeng Inn under Pei Yuanzhen's guidance.

As Gu Mo and the others dismounted, several Six Gates constables emerged from the inn. Leading them was a middle-aged man around forty years old, dressed in a Six Gates official robe embroidered with silver cloud patterns, which conveyed a simple yet dignified aura. His face had distinct features, his skin was somewhat dark and rough, and he walked with a vigorous, tiger-like stride, his lower body very stable, clearly indicating he was a skilled martial artist.

"Your subordinate, Wang Mingxiu, greets Prefect Pei!"

Wang Mingxiu stepped forward, bowed to Pei Yuanzhen, and inquired, "Prefect Pei, your sudden arrival, do you have any instructions?"

"Commander Wang, Mr. Dongjing is a great contemporary Confucian scholar, and his safety must be taken seriously. It's not that I doubt the Six Gates' capabilities, but Mr. Dongjing's safety is simply too crucial, and I couldn't be at ease. Therefore, I called in a significant favor to bring you a helper." Pei Yuanzhen introduced Gu Mo to Wang Mingxiu, saying, "This is Grand Master Gu Mo, the Great Hero of Yunzhou, the fifth strongest among the Qian Dynasty's Ten Grand Masters, the foremost 'Blade-For-Hire' in the world, and a paragon of righteousness who despises evil as he does his enemies!" He then introduced Gu Chundong, saying, "And this is Grand Master Gu's sister, Lady Gu Chundong. These two have come to help protect Mr. Dongjing!"

Wang Mingxiu quickly cupped his hands and said, "So it is Grand Master Gu and Lady Gu in person. My apologies for the oversight!"

Gu Mo and Gu Chundong also cupped their hands in return.

Pei Yuanzhen said, "Commander Wang, please make arrangements. Grand Master Gu and Lady Gu will be staying here at Qingfeng Inn for the next few days!"

Wang Mingxiu looked a bit troubled. "Prefect Pei, the security arrangements here are already complete. Adding people on short notice might be somewhat inconvenient..."

Pei Yuanzhen waved his hand. "Commander Wang, I know your concern. Rest assured, Grand Master Gu is trustworthy. If Grand Master Gu proves to be problematic, I, Pei Yuanzhen, will stake my own head as guarantee that Grand Master Gu would absolutely not collude with an assassin!"

Wang Mingxiu nodded and said, "Since Prefect Pei has said so, your subordinate will naturally obey the command. I will go make the arrangements and also inform Mr. Dongjing."

"Good."

Pei Yuanzhen led Gu Mo and Gu Chundong into the inn's main hall to sit and wait. Accompanying them was Pei Yuanzhen's personal advisor. The other guards waited outside the door.

Pei Yuanzhen poured a cup of tea for Gu Mo and said, "Grand Master Gu, Commander Wang isn't truly doubting your character. He rose from the lowest ranks of the Six Gates and has solved many wrongful cases over the years, encountering too many unexpected culprits. Thus, he has developed a habit of distrusting everyone; it's not directed at you, so please don't take it to heart."

Gu Mo smiled faintly and said, "Ah, the Six Gates, they are like that. I have a friend named Zhuo Qingfeng, also from the Six Gates. I've spent a lot of time with him and know that Six Gates personnel maintain a constant state of suspicion about everything. Only such individuals can uphold order here, and I admire people like Commander Wang very much."

Pei Yuanzhen said, "Commander Wang is indeed an admirable person, very serious and diligent in his work. Speaking of which, he was actually still enjoying his honeymoon, but as soon as he heard the Six Gates had a mission, he immediately returned."

"Honeymoon?" Gu Chundong, who was nearby, asked in surprise. "I thought Commander Wang was quite old; how is he just getting married?"

"Taking a concubine," Pei Yuanzhen clarified.

Gu Chundong understood, and said nothing more.

In that era, it was quite normal for wealthy and powerful men to have multiple wives and concubines. Not to mention Wang Mingxiu, who was still in his prime, even men in their seventies or eighties still taking concubines were common.

A short while later, Wang Mingxiu returned and cupped his hands to Pei Yuanzhen, saying, "Prefect Pei, your subordinate has explained the situation to Mr. Dongjing. Grand Master Gu and Lady Gu can check into Qingfeng Inn at any time." He then turned to Gu Mo, cupped his hands, and asked, "Grand Master Gu, Lady Gu, do you have any particular taboos or accommodation requests?"

"None," Gu Mo replied, cupping his hands. "Commander Wang can arrange whatever is convenient, as long as there's space to stay."

"Very well then," Wang Mingxiu said. "Should Grand Master Gu have any needs later, you can send someone to inform your subordinate at any time."

"Then I thank Commander Wang very much," Gu Mo said, cupping his hands in gratitude.

Wang Mingxiu repeatedly said, "It's my duty. Your subordinate must also express gratitude on behalf of the yamen to Grand Master Gu for coming to assist."

The two exchanged a few pleasantries.

Gu Mo could clearly sense Wang Mingxiu's deliberate distance. Although his words were polite, there was a clear stiffness and a complete lack of enthusiasm.

However, Gu Mo understood. This was the normal attitude of most imperial officials towards jianghu figures: they kept their distance out of respect. For jianghu figures of slightly lower standing, officials would only keep their distance without any respect.

"By the way, Commander Wang," Pei Yuanzhen said, "Grand Master Gu wishes to inquire about the details of your slaying of the notorious bandit, Madame Liu. Are you busy right now? If not, perhaps you could tell Grand Master Gu about it."

Wang Mingxiu frowned, puzzled. "Grand Master Gu, do you have any doubts about this case handled by your subordinate?"

Gu Mo quickly said, "Commander Wang, please don't misunderstand. I have full confidence in the Six Gates' operations. The reason I wish to learn more is that I was entrusted to apprehend Madame Liu. Although she has now been brought to justice, I still want to understand the exact circumstances so I can report back to my client. As you know, Madame Liu was utterly vicious, causing many families to be ruined and leaving behind countless enemies."

Wang Mingxiu nodded slightly and said, "Your subordinate also heard that Grand Master Gu was pursuing Madame Liu; I thought you had a personal grudge against her?"

Gu Mo smiled and said, "No, I was simply entrusted with the task. A 'Blade-For-Hire,' after all!"

Wang Mingxiu pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, it's quite simple. Your subordinate had been tracking Madame Liu for several years, was very familiar with her methods, and had clashed with her multiple times. Some time ago, she reappeared, and based on past experience, your subordinate pinpointed her whereabouts.

"Subsequently, a large-scale trap was set, and with the assistance of many Six Gates colleagues, she was killed. Madame Liu's strength was considerable; seven or eight of our people were injured at the time. Fortunately, the pursuit was successful, and she was eliminated."

Gu Mo inquired, "I heard that Commander Wang personally delivered the fatal blow."

"Yes," Wang Mingxiu replied. "Madame Liu's Qinggong was impressive; she almost got away. Fortunately, I was prepared and shot her down with a blade as she took flight."

Gu Mo praised, "Commander Wang, you led from the front and eliminated a menace for the people. Truly admirable."

"It was merely my duty!"

Gu Mo and Wang Mingxiu didn't converse for long before Wang Mingxiu excused himself, citing official duties. Seeing this, Pei Yuanzhen said, "If Grand Master Gu is interested in Madame Liu's apprehension, your subordinate can retrieve the case files for you."

"Then I thank Prefect Pei very much," Gu Mo replied.

Pei Yuanzhen smiled, seemingly wanting to say something, but swallowed his words and then excused himself from Gu Mo.

Pei Yuanzhen exited the inn, mounted his horse, and said to the advisor who had been accompanying him, "Go to the yamen and retrieve the case files concerning Madame Liu's death, and give them to Grand Master Gu."

The advisor said, "Master, Grand Master Gu's interest in that case is likely not as simple as merely wanting to understand the details."

Pei Yuanzhen nodded, "Although he claims it's to provide an explanation to his client, it's clear he doesn't trust the Six Gates' handling of the case and is questioning the truthfulness of the report."

The advisor chuckled, "He just offended Commander Wang. Commander Wang personally handled this case, so doubting the case is tantamount to doubting Commander Wang himself."

"If he's offended him, then he's offended him," Pei Yuanzhen said. "Gu Mo doesn't operate in Linhai Commandery, so offending him won't have much impact. As long as they don't openly confront each other and come to blows, it's fine."

The two departed while talking.

Meanwhile, Gu Mo and Gu Chundong, led by a Six Gates constable, entered the manor behind Qingfeng Inn. It was quite lively inside. As they passed the central courtyard, a dozen scholars were gathered under the shade of trees, seated in a circle, engaged in lively discussions, their voices rising and falling.

Mr. Dongjing, though over sixty, was full of vigor, currently debating classical texts with a young scholar.

According to the constable, those scholars were local notables, and for the past few days, many prominent figures had been visiting Mr. Dongjing daily, some supporting his views, others opposing them.

The debate on site was extremely intense.

However, Gu Mo and Gu Chundong had no interest and left directly, settling into a small courtyard.

"Brother, Commander Wang didn't look pleased just now," Gu Chundong said.

Gu Mo smiled and said, "It can't be helped. I suspect there's an issue with the Madame Liu case, but since Commander Wang handled it, my suspicion essentially implies a lack of trust in his investigative abilities. It would be strange if he looked happy."

Gu Chundong thought for a moment and said, "Brother, how are you so sure there's a problem with the Madame Liu case?"

"Intuition," Gu Mo replied.

"Huh? That's all?" Gu Chundong exclaimed in surprise.

Gu Mo chuckled, "Chudong, you must trust the intuition of a Grand Master of internal arts who has reached the Heaven-Man Unity realm. This is a Heaven-Man sensory connection!"

"Is that so? How amazing! Brother, will I also have a chance to achieve what you have in the future?" Gu Chundong asked.

Gu Mo:...

Actually, I can't either.

"That Commander Wang definitely has an issue," Gu Mo said, changing the subject.

Gu Chundong asked, puzzled, "What kind of issue?"

"He showed a strong sense of aggression towards me," Gu Mo explained. "From the moment we met, I could feel his strong aversion to me."

"Did he?" Gu Chundong said. "I didn't sense anything unusual. It's quite normal for government officials to keep their distance from us jianghu people out of respect."

"Heaven-Man sensory connection," Gu Mo stated.

"Oh, then it must be because my cultivation realm is too low; I can't sense it," Gu Chundong said.

"When Prefect Pei mentioned that I wanted to learn the specific details of Madame Liu's apprehension, Wang Mingxiu's reaction was also very strange," Gu Mo said. "A normal person would be curious why I'd want to know the specifics, not unhappily accuse me of doubting him. Wang Mingxiu's reaction was a bit excessive."

Gu Chundong gave him a thumbs-up, full of admiration. "Brother, you're so amazing now! You can analyze what's wrong with a simple answer to a question. You're incredible!"

Gu Mo touched his nose and said, "It's not exactly that..."

"Oh, then what is it?"

Gu Mo explained, "It's mainly based on perception. When Pei Yuanzhen mentioned that I wanted to understand the specific details of Madame Liu's apprehension, I distinctly felt Wang Mingxiu's heart briefly accelerate and his breathing quicken slightly, showing a moment of panic. Though very brief, I could sense it. So, when I re-analyzed it, I felt his answer was problematic."

Gu Chundong: "Hmm... Brother, even if it wasn't purely analysis, it's still very impressive. Deep internal energy is a skill too, after all. What do you plan to do now?"

"First, let's wait for Pei Yuanzhen to retrieve the case files!"