Bloody Kyoto

One of the courtesans said, "Last night, Xiaodie and I didn't receive any customers. Xiaodie came to my room to sleep, and we talked until very late."

After hearing the shout of "Who's there?", I was a little scared because I didn't know who it was or what they were there for.

He threw on an overcoat, ready to flee at any moment, and then, mustering his courage, opened a crack in the door to peek out. He saw a dark figure flash by.

As she spoke, she pointed to her room, "Sir, that's my room. That dark figure flashed past the door and jumped down the corridor."

Lord Zhao glanced at the direction of the corridor and realized that the murderer could only leave from that direction.

"Did anyone else see it?" he asked, scanning the room.

Everyone else shook their heads, indicating that they hadn't seen the shadowy figure.

However, they all said they heard the sound and got up, but by the time they got here, the murderer was already gone.

After pondering for a while, Zhao Rongyuan ordered the yamen runners to seal off the brothel, forbidding anyone from leaving, and to thoroughly interrogate the people inside to see if they had any major enemies.

He then ordered the coroner to prepare the autopsy report.

Hua Gu panicked when she heard that the brothel was to be sealed off. "Lord Zhao, sealing off our shop is probably not a good idea."

Zhao Rongyuan chuckled, "Hua Gu, your decision to report this to the authorities is probably your master's idea, and your master naturally wants to find out who the murderer is."

"To find out who the murderer is, we must not overlook any clues, and also..."

He pointed to her room, saying, "This bodyguard was there to protect you, and he died right outside your door."

The shadowy figure was initially positioned near your door. I deduce that the figure's ultimate target was you.

But someone came, and she escaped before she could make a move.

"Do you think that if the killer failed to kill you the first time, would they try again?"

Upon hearing these words, Hua Gu turned deathly pale. The events of last night were so shocking that she hadn't even considered the murderer's motives.

Zhao Rongyuan pointed this out, and he immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Thinking of Manager Qian, she almost lost her balance. Both she and Manager Qian were people who worked for their master.

To kill both of them at the same time means that it's the master's enemy retaliating.

And the person who can be the master's rival must not be an ordinary person, so how could she escape this assassination?

Did the master also think of this? So he specially asked her to report to the authorities, so that Lord Zhao could be used to catch the murderer?

If that's really what her master means, then she really has to cooperate.

After thinking it through, she bowed respectfully to Zhao Rongyuan and said, "This servant understands and will fully cooperate with you, sir."

Zhao Rongyuan nodded in satisfaction and left the brothel, exchanging a glance with the head constable before leaving.

Wang Xiangyang, the head constable, naturally understood his superior's intentions and immediately began a thorough investigation of all personnel in the brothel.

The investigation uncovered numerous problems, including a large number of girls who had been trafficked or abducted.

As someone working under an honest official who stood up for the people, Wang Xiangyang naturally also possessed a heart of justice.

They immediately arrested Hua Gu for interrogation and brought all the abducted and captured girls back to the yamen to have their status as lowly people and slaves removed.

Those who wished to return home were sent home; those who did not wish to return home were left to their own devices—whether they were resold into wealthy families as slaves or married off was entirely up to them.

Hua Gu was completely dumbfounded. Wasn't the investigation supposed to be about finding the murderer? How come they've turned her brothel upside down? And now they're even interrogating her?

Does Zhao Rongyuan not give her master any face at all?

A young beggar on the street saw that the brothel had been shut down, and out of curiosity, he squeezed into the crowd to listen to the news being told by the people.

Upon hearing that Manager Qian had died, he abandoned his begging and ran as fast as he could towards the dilapidated temple.

He wanted to tell Little Tiger that the woman in the black robe had truly avenged his sister.

Ning Wangfu

The third prince, also known as Prince Ning, Zhu Sirui, is also the behind-the-scenes owner of the brothel and Jueweilou.

Upon learning that the brothel had been shut down, he did not lose his temper or become unhappy. Instead, he instructed his subordinates to cooperate fully with Lord Zhao.

After his attendant received the order to leave, he pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes filled with worry.

After learning about what happened to the Fu family a few days ago, he had a bad feeling about it.

Now that his men have also been harmed, he can't help but have many concerns.

Someone has come to avenge Huo Yunxia.

Zhao Rongyuan is very capable. If he can catch the murderer, he would feel it's worth it even if he loses all his assets, let alone some.

He used to be disabled in both legs, and not only did he sit in a wheelchair for many years, but his legs would also ache terribly on cloudy, rainy, and winter days, depending on the weather.

A year ago, on a rainy day, his leg hurt so much in the temple that he fell off his wheelchair. At the time, he wanted some peace and quiet and there were no attendants serving him.

In his moment of helplessness, he met Huo Yunxia. She gently massaged his legs, and he felt much better.

At the time, he thought it was just psychological, but after returning home, he had the imperial physician examine him, and the physician told him that his leg had recovered most of its strength.

This surprised him greatly, and he sent people to find out who she was.

In order to ensure his leg would fully recover, he deliberately approached her and pretended to faint from the pain in front of her.

As a result, after she touched his leg again, he was able to stand up.

From then on, he knew she was different and wanted to possess her.

But later, for some reason, many people learned that she was different and that she was her true identity.

People from another world!

Those people wanted her abilities, so they resorted to cruel methods.

Rather than possessing her, he desired her abilities even more, so he endured the torment of his conscience and joined them.

She was murdered in an extremely cruel way, yet none of them received her abilities.

Thinking of this, he walked to the wall, moved a painting on the wall, pressed a protrusion behind the painting, and the wall next to him slowly opened.

It was a dark passage. He lit a candle and went inside. It was empty except for a short pillar standing in the middle.

There was also a glass bottle filled with red liquid on the pillar.

He picked up the glass bottle, her face flashing through his mind, the pain in her eyes also flashing by.

If only he hadn't joined forces with them, but instead gone to save her...

He shook his head. He couldn't save her. There were so many people who wanted to harm her, some of whom were even of higher status than him. What could he possibly use to save her?

"Ha ha……"

He suddenly burst into laughter, then murmured, "Zhu Sirui, you're such a hypocrite. Not only have you done something ungrateful..."

Even when someone appeared who seemed to be seeking revenge for her, didn't she also consider her own life and hope that Zhao Rongyuan would capture that person?

“An evil person is an evil person, even if they feel pain in their heart, they are still an evil person.”

"Every man for himself, or he will be condemned by heaven and earth."

Composing himself, he walked out of the secret room with a cold expression and ordered his men to prepare a carriage to take him to the palace.

Li Nanle didn't wake up until evening. As soon as she woke up, she found that her superpowers had increased a bit.

There were some pleasant surprises, but not many. After all, I always improved after each practice session, but this time the improvement was a bit more than usual.

She ate something and brought some steamed buns and mantou to the dilapidated temple.