Chapter 67: Slowed Down by a Step

Ma Yuanwai, whose name was Ma Jichang, was a fur trader who held considerable influence in Fangxian. Both legal and illegal circles showed him respect, and he was virtually the sole collector of furs throughout the entire county.

Xiao Wu, riding a horse beside Zhuo Qingfeng, introduced Ma Yuanwai to Zhuo Qingfeng and the others as they traveled.

Upon hearing Xiao Wu's explanation, Gu Mo and the others gained a general understanding of Ma Jichang. He was no ordinary merchant. The fur trade was a coveted business for local gangs everywhere, as it involved low costs and high profits. Acquiring furs meant visiting villages to find hunters or slaughterhouses. Only daring and reckless individuals would consistently deal with people who handle knives. For Ma Jichang to have nearly monopolized the fur trade in an entire county, he must have been a ruthless individual, having carved out his position through violence, and he likely commanded many dangerous subordinates.

Before long, the group arrived outside a large mansion in the South City. A plaque above the entrance bore the characters "Ma Residence," and two formidable stone lions guarded the gate.

Xiao Wu stepped forward and knocked. A gatekeeper opened the door, recognized Xiao Wu, and politely asked, "Oh, it's Brother Xiao Wu. How may I help you today?"

Chen San was the progenitor of pickpockets in Qingyang County, not an unknown figure in the Qingyang County underworld, especially well-known among gangs. Xiao Wu, being able to follow Chen San, certainly held a significant position. In Fangxian, Chen San's stronghold, few people in the lower-tier gangs didn't recognize Xiao Wu. This was also why Chen San had Xiao Wu accompany them: to serve as an introduction and avoid trouble. After all, Zhuo Qingfeng couldn't reveal his identity, and while Gu Mo wasn't entirely unknown, especially in places like Qingyang County where he had some fame, people in small-town martial arts circles were less likely to know him. His reputation was, after all, only just beginning to spread.

"My master has some friends who wish to visit Ma Yuanwai for a matter. Please inform him," Xiao Wu said.

The gatekeeper nodded quickly and replied, "Please wait a moment. I will go inform him immediately."

A short while later, the Ma family's gate opened again, and several people emerged to greet them. Leading them was a young man in his twenties, with an extraordinary demeanor. His steps were steady and his lower body strong, suggesting he had achieved some level of martial arts proficiency.

Xiao Wu explained to Gu Mo and the others, "This is Ma Jichang's son, Young Master Ma."

Young Master Ma stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Brother Wu, honored guests, my father is currently meeting a guest in his study. Please come in and have some tea. He will come to entertain you shortly."

Young Master Ma's words and actions showed considerable grace and courtesy, lacking the usual arrogance of a second-generation young master.

Immediately, Gu Mo and his group followed Young Master Ma into the courtyard and waited in a large hall. Young Master Ma promptly arranged for servants to serve tea and stayed in the hall to accompany his guests.

Since Xiao Wu hadn't introduced Gu Mo and the others, Young Master Ma didn't inquire further, especially as Xiao Wu had initially mentioned them as his master Chen San's friends. Given Chen San's standing in the martial arts world, his friends would naturally hold high seniority. Young Master Ma, though young, was discerning and understood the rules of the jianghu. Therefore, he didn't press for more information when Xiao Wu didn't offer it, instead chatting casually with Xiao Wu.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, a woman's scream echoed from the courtyard.

"Oh no! Oh no! Someone's dead..."

Immediately, Gu Mo and the others, who were drinking tea in the hall, felt a jolt and a sense of foreboding.

Young Master Ma also quickly got up and rushed out, asking, "What's going on?"

A maid, her face pale, stammered, "Y-y-young... Young Master, it's bad. The master... the master is dead..."

Young Master Ma angrily retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

The maid collapsed onto the ground and said, "I just went to deliver tea to the master, knocked on the door with no response. I called... called a few times with no response, so I pushed the door... and found the master dead... there was so much blood on the floor..."

Young Master Ma no longer had the leisure to listen to the maid's stammering. He rushed frantically towards the inner courtyard. Gu Mo and the others followed closely behind.

Soon, they arrived at a small courtyard, with the main hall's door open. Upon entering, they saw a person lying in a pool of blood.

"Father!"

Young Master Ma stumbled, nearly falling, then rushed over to support him, trembling all over. He slowly reached out to check for a breath. Then, he screamed "Father!" before his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground.

Zhuo Qingfeng immediately rushed over to examine the body.

"You... what are you doing?" Young Master Ma exclaimed.

Zhuo Qingfeng directly pulled out a token and said, "The Six Doors are investigating. Young Master Ma, you wouldn't want your father to have died in vain, would you?"

Young Master Ma was stunned by Zhuo Qingfeng's token. He then looked at Xiao Wu, confused, "You... you..."

"Secret investigation!" Zhuo Qingfeng stated. He then lifted Ma Jichang's clothing, meticulously examined the wounds on his body for a while, and asked, "You mentioned earlier that your father was meeting a guest? What kind of guest?"

"I... I don't know," Young Master Ma said, bewildered. "My father didn't say, only that it was an honored guest. It was someone wearing a cloak, dressed in black, with a very bulky build. Nothing else was discernible."

Zhuo Qingfeng stood up, searched around the room, and continuously took measurements. After a good while, he asked, "On the night of the eighth day of the seventh lunar month, did your father make a delivery that passed by Jiuhua Mountain?"

"Yes, that did happen!" Young Master Ma replied.

"Did you load anything along the way?" Gu Mo asked.

Young Master Ma said, "Yes, there were a few boxes, left on the roadside..." At this point, Young Master Ma suddenly realized, "It was that person, that person! It was raining heavily that day, and it was also a person in black, wearing a bamboo hat and a straw cape, with a very bulky build. My father was very familiar with him, and after a few words, the person asked my father to help him deliver those large boxes to the foot of Jiuhua Mountain. It was dark and raining, and we were in a hurry, so I didn't ask my father. My father has many friends in the jianghu, and he often helps people transport things when he's making deliveries."

Zhuo Qingfeng asked, "Are there any other clues?"

"No," Young Master Ma shook his head.

Zhuo Qingfeng nodded and said, "You should immediately send someone to report this to the county yamen. Also, I am on a secret mission for the Six Doors, so when the yamen officials arrive, don't mention me to them."

"Alright... alright!"

Immediately, Zhuo Qingfeng called Gu Mo and the others, and they left.

As they walked out of the courtyard, Gu Chutong quietly asked, "Lord Zhuo, are we leaving now? Aren't we going to investigate further?"

Zhuo Qingfeng replied, "Someone is eliminating witnesses. The perpetrator must have realized we were investigating, so they acted hastily, which left traces."

"What traces?" Gu Chutong asked.

Zhuo Qingfeng explained, "The perpetrator killed Ma Jichang and deliberately damaged the wounds to conceal the technique used, but this actually revealed their fear. I carefully distinguished it just now: Ma Jichang died from a technique called 'Whirlwind Willow-拂柳剑,' which is the unique skill of the Dongshan Sword Sect, the leading martial arts sect in Qingyang County!"