Female martial arts fanatics only love to fight, while men fight for their lives.

Zuixianju, the most famous restaurant in Beijing, has a constant stream of diners.

Whether they are wearing silk and satin or have a group of servants and maids, those who can come here are not ordinary people.

The sloppy man who walked in looked out of place.

Ai Ying's unrestrained attitude earned him suspicious looks from everyone in Zuixianju, including passersby. He frowned slightly at first, thinking that his presence here was indeed eye-catching.

But remembering the whereabouts of the scimitar...he had to look for that member of the Li family again.

Fortunately, the shopkeeper was not a snob who judged people by their appearance. He seemed to recognize him. As soon as Ai Yingfu appeared, he came forward enthusiastically and took him into the private room on the third floor.

The chubby shopkeeper seemed to be oblivious to the tattered clothes on his body and the one eye behind his messy hair, and said with a smile,

"Please take a seat. The young master will be here soon. I'll serve you some snacks and Drunken Flower Wine first? Or our signature dishes - Red Cloud Carp and Golden Jade Hall?"

Ai Ying didn't understand any of this, and he was impatient with the courtesy of the people in the capital, whether real or fake, so he just shook his head and said,

"No need, I'll wait for him here."

"You're welcome!" The shopkeeper's enthusiasm was hard to refuse. "The master said he would treat you well, so let's have a table as a VIP.

Don't worry, these are all Zuixianju's best dishes, I guarantee you will never forget them after you leave the capital!"

The shopkeeper closed the door and walked out with the waiter without waiting for Ai Ying to refuse, leaving him alone sitting in front of the huge round table with a pot of steaming tea at his side, emitting bursts of fragrance.

The quiet box seemed like a guest room in a wealthy family's house, and all the utensils were not seen in ordinary people.

Those precious wooden tables, chairs and utensils reflected a cold light in the dimly lit box, and even the colors of the hunting flower-patterned vases on display dimmed a degree.

Ai Ying didn't even drink his tea. He sat there waiting for who knows how long. The sunlight shone through the wooden lattice on the window and shone on him.

The table was gradually filled with delicious food by the shopkeeper and the waiter. Each one was exquisite and eye-catching, and filled with steam, making people unable to resist whetting their appetite.

But Ai Ying remained as usual, and used her eyes to ask when the young master of the Li family would arrive. Seeing the shopkeeper's apologetic look, she could not turn around and leave.

He vaguely felt that the other party was testing him for something. Although he felt unhappy, he remembered that he was asking for help after all...

We still have to wait.

Just as the food on the table was getting cold, the door opened. Ai Ying turned around and stood up.

Li Huaiqing was wearing a plain green gown and had a pale face. He was supported by the chubby shopkeeper as he walked into the door.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long." He opened the door and said with an apologetic smile, then turned his head and told the shopkeeper, "Go and get my treasured Yunshan wine..."

"No need." Ai Ying stopped him, clasped his fists in a show of martial arts etiquette, and without saying much, stated his purpose directly.

"We are used to simple meals and tea, so we won't waste Mr. Li's fine wine. We came to Zuixianju not for the desire of food, but to inquire about the whereabouts of a knife."

Li Huaiqing was slightly startled at first, and was slowly led to the table by the shopkeeper.

After he sat firmly, he looked at Ai Ying, "What kind of knife is it? Is there any special origin? I have a small fortune in the capital, I can ask someone to help you find it..."

He was playing dumb. Ai Ying was much more straightforward. Jianghu people didn't like beating around the bush, so he spoke directly.

"It was an old scimitar that a servant of the Li family bought from a second-hand shop in Xiyun Market the day before yesterday."

Without waiting for Li Huaiqing to respond, Ai Ying bowed her head and saluted seriously, saying, "That knife is not expensive, nor is it made by a master, but it means a lot to me, so please give it to me, Master Li.

You can ask for anything you want, as long as it does not violate moral principles and does not harm human lives, I can agree to it."

With so many thoughts in his mind, he encountered a straightforward and impatient person. Li Huaiqing was helpless and could not continue pretending.

First, he admitted that the Li family had indeed bought a knife. "Some time ago, I did take a fancy to an old knife from Mobei. The blade was broken and there were traces of blood on the handle."

He saw Ai Ying's eyes fixed on him, eager to know what happened next, and no longer concealed anything.

"But I quickly gave it away as a gift. Now even if I want to give it to you, I can't do anything."

Not in Li Huaiqing’s hands anymore?

Ai Ying asked, "Whose family are you sending it to? How can a worn-out machete be a gift..."

He somewhat suspected that Li Huaiqing was lying to him. He knew very well what that knife looked like. It was just a knife commonly used by the guards of the merchants in the Northern Desert. It was not a rare thing in the Northern Desert.

It is said that the Li family has been a family of scholars for generations and is very prestigious among scholars. None of the family members practice martial arts, so how could they be interested in old things?

Li Huaiqing saw through his suspicion and said sincerely, "I didn't lie. The knife has been taken into the mansion, and that person is now ignoring me. How can I have the face to ask for it back?"

As he spoke, his face was gloomy and his eyes were disappointed. "I think you look down on me. The gift I sent to you has not been responded to yet. I have no way to deal with it for now."

He refused to say who had the knife. Ai Ying asked again and again, but all she got was an apology from Li Huaiqing.

Ai Ying understood that Li Huaiqing was unwilling to say it because, firstly, he was afraid of causing trouble for his sweetheart, and secondly, he knew that a commoner like him could not enter the mansions of noble families, so how could he find the old knife?

Li Huaiqing had no obligation to help him, but with the clue, Ai Ying was not afraid of not being able to find out where the knife went.

So after this not-so-pleasant meeting at Zuixianju, Ai Ying took advantage of the dark and windy night and sneaked into the Li family mansion.

——He did not completely believe Li Huaiqing, but wanted to find out the truth from the Li family first to confirm that the knife had indeed been sent out.

It was easy to find out who Li Huaiqing's latest sweetheart was. The threshold to enter the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was indeed too high. Ai Ying knew very well that it was impossible for her to meet the favorite person in front of His Majesty.

Even if he wanted to steal it...it was obvious that the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was not a place where he could escape unscathed.

So he could only hope that Li Huaiqing was lying and the knife was still in Li's house.

Li Huaiqing did not hold an official position. The Li family was noble and although their mansion in the capital was large, the guards were not very tight - he knew the strength of these guards from the day they met.

He easily sneaked into Li's mansion and under the cover of night, entered Li Huaiqing's bedroom, looking for the old knife that bore traces of time.

It is not difficult for a martial artist to avoid being noticed. As he was searching in the shadows, he heard a change in the breath of the person who was supposed to be sleeping behind the bed curtain.

Li Huaiqing woke up - or maybe he didn't sleep at all.

Ai Ying stood up and looked sideways at the large bed covered by the layered curtains. The person inside did not get up. Li Huaiqing's voice came out, and he was sure that she was waiting for him.

"I've already said that the knife is no longer in my hand. You came here for nothing."