2. Wintersweet, wintersweet

Gu Qiuhan coldly snorted: "What does an ordinary family need to prepare a soporific for? It seems that unless you suffer a bit, you won't tell the truth." With a flick of his wrist, the middle-aged man's right ear fell to the ground with a thud, blood immediately splattering across half of his face. The middle-aged man cried out in agony, wailing: "I will tell you, I will tell you, it is..." Just as he was saying this, there was a loud bang as the door was forcefully slammed open, and a group of imperial guards rushed in, led by none other than Jiao Zheng and Yuan Feng. The middle-aged man cried out in pain, wailing: "I will tell you, I will tell you, it is..." Just as he was saying this, there was a loud bang as the door was forcefully slammed open, and a group of imperial guards rushed in, led by none other than Jiao Zheng and Yuan Feng.

Gu Qiuhan was overjoyed and inquired about De Fu's address. After expressing his gratitude to Di Jia, he hurriedly made his way there. It was a small courtyard enclosed by a circle of fences, containing two dilapidated mud houses that had long fallen into disrepair, seemingly ready to collapse at the slightest gust of wind. Gu Qiuhan leaned against the fence and politely called out, "Is Brother De Fu home?" After calling three times, the door creaked open, and De Fu emerged listlessly. He said nothing, merely glanced at Gu Qiuhan's face, then shouted loudly and turned to flee back into the house, bolting the door behind him.

The nearest to Xiaoxiao Square is Taiping Gate. Gu Qiuhan walked briskly and soon arrived at the gate, only to see a long line of citizens leaving the city. The guards at the gate held up portraits and conducted particularly strict inspections. Gu Qiuhan couldn't help but smile wryly, knowing without asking that the person in the portrait must be him. This put him in a difficult position, as the guards compared the portraits one by one; how could he possibly slip through unnoticed? Just as he was racking his brain for a strategy, he suddenly heard the sound of "clattering wheels" beside him. A horse-drawn carriage rushed past and stopped not far in front of him. The coachman stepped forward on foot and handed a piece of yellow silk paper to the leading officer.

At the hour of the rabbit, Gu Qiuhan heard footsteps behind the tree and secretly rejoiced, "Indeed, Master Mei is remarkably swift in his actions; the officials have only just entered the office, and he has returned already." However, he soon sensed something amiss, as the footsteps were quite chaotic, indicating that they could not belong to just one person. Gu Qiuhan hurriedly peeked from behind the tree and was taken aback to see seven individuals in green felt hats and green cloaks rushing towards him; this was unmistakably the attire of the Imperial Guard! His mind raced, and his first thought was that he could not be captured alive by these people; his second thought was that he certainly could not die in their hands in a muddled manner; his third thought, however, was that he could not kill these individuals either, for even if he cleared his name, he would become a murderer of the court officials, especially since they were not ordinary officials, but trusted aides who served the Emperor. But behind him was a sheer cliff, and if he wished to escape, he could only break through one path, and injuring someone was inevitable.

De Fu hesitantly said: "Yes... there was someone who went upstairs afterward. I asked him what he was doing, and he only said he was looking for someone. Seeing his cold face and fierce eyes, I did not dare to say more. After about a cup of tea's time, he went downstairs and left." Gu Qiuhan secretly laughed, "He appears kind and amiable, when have you ever spoken much?" He then asked, "What did that person look like?" De Fu replied, "He is not tall, but very sturdy, um, has a bulbous nose." Gu Qiuhan slapped his thigh, "It really is him!" What De Fu described was exactly the appearance of 'Half a Knife' Lu Li, without a doubt, Lu Li is the murderer of Shen Bitiao. Gu Qiuhan originally hoped to find the real culprit to clear his name, but Lu Li is already dead.

The coachman heard a noise, turned around, and saw a man emerging from the carriage. He was taken aback and immediately swung his whip in a sweeping motion. Gu Qiuhan did not expect that this coachman possessed martial skills; by the time he attempted to dodge, it was already too late. The whip struck his arm, tearing his clothing to shreds and sending cotton flying. Gu Qiuhan gritted his teeth against the pain and performed a somersault off the carriage. The coachman reined in his horse and was about to pursue, but he saw the young girl lean out and call out, "Let him go." The coachman was momentarily stunned, wanting to say something, but upon meeting the girl's cold and piercing gaze, he refrained from speaking further and rode away.

As Gu Qiuhan pursued Yuan Feng, Jiao Zheng followed closely behind, kicking fiercely. Unexpectedly, Yuan Feng suddenly rolled towards him, and there was no time for him to retract his leg. In that split second, he could only minimize the force of his kick as much as possible. "Bang, bang," his two kicks struck Yuan Feng's back. Even though he had only three-tenths of his strength left, Yuan Feng could not withstand it and rolled back like a ball, crying out in apparent pain. Seizing the opportunity, Gu Qiuhan floated away, laughing heartily: "I have heard that Lord Yuan is one to repay even the slightest grievance. Let these two kicks be counted against me, and there is no need to seek out Lord Jiao for vengeance. The case of Shen Bitiao has many doubts; I am not the true culprit. I ask both lords to convey this to Inspector Mu, and once I uncover the truth, I will come to him to plead for forgiveness with a humble heart." With each statement, he floated several zhang away, and by the time he finished speaking, he had vanished from sight.

Jiao Zheng, known by the nickname "Iron Legs," truly possesses skills that go beyond mere weaponry. Initially, when he fought against Gu Qiuhan, he was completely at a disadvantage. At that moment, he first executed the "Eighteen Leg Techniques" with fierce kicks, followed by the "Fallen Leaves in Autumn Wind Sweeping" move, which was akin to dozens of people simultaneously wielding brooms. The thin layer of snow was instantly stirred up, revealing a large patch of rocky ground beneath. The three of them were enveloped in swirling snowflakes, maneuvering in and out, creating a remarkably spectacular scene.

Mei Juansheng said: "I have also rented a house for you, located near the small parade ground, not far from here, and rather secluded. Let me take you to have a look."

Gu Qiuhan let out a sigh of relief. After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, he finally lifted a corner of the curtain and peered outside. He saw the shimmering waves reflecting the blue sky and white clouds, which was none other than the Xuanwu Lake outside the city of Yingtian

As the curtain of the carriage was lifted, De Fu cautiously peeked out, casting a wary glance at Gu Qiuhan before finally emerging from the carriage. The young girl said, "Young Master Gu, please get in the car." Gu Qiuhan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, realizing that she had sent De Fu away to make room for him. He gracefully leaped onto the carriage's shaft, made a funny face at Old Du, and then ducked inside. The enchanting fragrance that greeted him made Gu Qiuhan's heart race; ever since their chance encounter last time, the girl's visage had become an inseparable part of his dreams. He longed to see her again, and he never expected that his wish would come true so soon.

Gu Qiuhan let out a long howl, causing the remaining snow on the branches to fall in a flurry. At the same time, he darted forward like a spirit cat, heading straight for the three individuals in the center. The martial skills of the group of school lieutenants were not weak; three Xiuchun knives were simultaneously swung, creating a dazzling white ribbon in the air above the snow. Gu Qiuhan thrust his steel knife into the white ribbon and stirred it, shaking the three knives apart, then pointed the knife sheath and the blade at the two individuals on either side. The person on the left raised his knife to block, but the Xiuchun knife was narrow and long, relatively flexible. Gu Qiuhan concentrated all his strength into the sheath of his left hand, and with a slight push, the Xiuchun knife immediately bent at a significant angle. With a loud bang, he struck the person's 'Duan Zhong' acupoint.

The two individuals remained silent, and the atmosphere inside the carriage was particularly oppressive, as if in the entire world, the only sound was the "clack clack" of the wheels rolling over the cobblestone road. After traveling more than 2 li, Gu Qiuhan placed the wintersweet flowers on the seat, cupped his fists towards the young girl, intending to say something to comfort her. However, when the words reached his lips, they transformed into just two words, "Thank you." Having said that, he lifted the curtain and stepped out.

To prevent Gu Qiuhan from taking advantage of the situation to attack the two of them, the officer in the middle swung his sword twice, while several other officers on either side also stepped in to provide support. Gu Qiuhan faced seven opponents alone, yet remained undaunted. The eight of them engaged in a fierce battle on the snowy ground. Among the officers, the one in the middle possessed the best martial skills, while the other, despite having exceptional lightness of foot, was considerably mediocre in hand-to-hand combat. As a result, after a prolonged struggle, the remaining officers either fell to the ground injured or had their vital points sealed, leaving only these two individuals.

Linggu Temple was founded by Emperor Wu of the Southern Liang Dynasty, originally located on the southwestern slope of Shenlie Mountain, and was originally named "Jiangshan Temple." With the changes of the times and the rise and fall of dynasties, it has undergone several name changes. Later, when the Ming Dynasty established its capital in Yingtian, the western side of Shenlie Mountain, which is known for its strategic position, was chosen as the site for the imperial tombs. Zhu Yuanzhang then relocated the temple to the southeastern foot of Shenlie Mountain and bestowed the plaque "Linggu Zen Temple," thus giving it the name "Linggu Temple." Linggu Temple and Yumei Villa are situated one on the mountain and the other in the valley; although they are obscured from each other's view by mountains and trees, they are actually not far apart. A few zhang away from the temple gate, in the front side, there stands a robust dragon-claw locust tree, and further ahead is a cliff. Gu Qiuhan is hidden between the old tree and the cliff, waiting for good news from Mei Juansheng.

The middle-aged man turned around and took a seat, saying, "Young master, please." Gu Qiuhan was indeed hungry, so he picked up a rabbit leg and swallowed it in a few bites. Only then did he raise his bowl and say, "The host is warm-hearted and admirable; I shall drink to show my respect first." This large bowl of wine was at least half a pound, and Gu Qiuhan drank it all in one go, leaving the middle-aged man dumbfounded, even giving a thumbs up and saying, "Refreshing." However, Gu Qiuhan rolled his eyes and "thud" fell onto the table, unconscious. The middle-aged man nudged his head and called out, "Young master, what happened?" But there was no response at all.

The middle-aged man was taken aback, his face instantly drained of color, and he stammered, "You... how..." Gu Qiuhan let out a "guh" from his throat and vomited out the wine he had just swallowed, exactly one bowl's worth. He laughed and said, "How could a mere sleeping drug deceive me? This bowl of wine is lodged in my throat and will have no effect." Then, his expression turned serious as he asked, "Who instructed you to do this?" The middle-aged man forced himself to remain calm, saying, "It is merely for the reward from the government; no one is instructing me."

The young girl pondered and said, "Oh, if he wanted to kill Shen Bitao, there would be no need to do it at the inn; I believe his words." The coachman, Old Du, curled his lips and fell silent. Gu Qiuhan laughed heartily and said, "A thousand gold pieces are easy to obtain, but a true friend is hard to find. Thank you, Miss Thirteen, for your trust." The young girl sighed softly and said, "What use is it for me to trust you alone? It is not so easy to clear one's name. Defu, this matter does not concern you anymore; you may leave."

The middle-aged man rose from his seat, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He went to the cabinet and pulled out a length of hemp rope, returning to Gu Qiuhan's side, and chuckled, "It is your own greed that has brought this upon you, so you cannot blame me." He picked up Gu Qiuhan's hands and began to bind his arms with the rope. However, Gu Qiuhan suddenly opened his eyes wide, twisted his wrist, seized the middle-aged man's pulse point, and then drew a knife to press against his chest.

Thirteen? Gu Qiuhan was filled with countless questions, yet this young lady was unwilling to reveal even her identity. It was as if he were punching at a mass of cotton; he possessed great strength but had no place to exert it. After being stifled for a while, he smiled and said: "What interests me is not the young lady's identity, but the young lady herself. Had I known you were coming to Wucheng, how could I have missed the opportunity to travel with a beautiful woman?"

Mei Juansheng once again reminded the middle-aged man a few words before returning to Yumei Mountain Villa. The middle-aged man pushed open the door of the right side room and said, "Young Master, I have already tidied up this room. It is a bit shabby, but it is still livable." Gu Qiuhan replied, "The host is being too polite; as long as I can sleep, that is sufficient." The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Very well, I will not disturb the Young Master any longer. If you have any instructions, please come to the main room to find me." Gu Qiuhan cupped his hands in thanks. He settled in, feeling much more at ease. After resting for a while, he closed the door and went out to the street. He had already sensed that Shen Bitiao's death was far from an ordinary murder case. It was truly hard to say when the truth would be uncovered; perhaps he would need to stay here for a while and also buy some essential daily necessities.

Upon entering the door, Gu Qiuhan saw a closed courtyard consisting of six rooms, arranged in a main building with two wings. The courtyard was paved with thick stone slabs, clean and tidy, and there was a wintersweet tree planted, which was in full bloom at that moment. The blossoms were crystal clear, as if carved from white jade, and the air was filled with a faint floral fragrance. Such wintersweet trees were abundant in Meihua Wu, but this solitary one stood out even more, exuding an extraordinary charm that made it particularly cherished.

Taking a breath, Mei Juansheng said: "According to the official from the governor's office, Shen Bitiao's coffin is being kept by the governor's office, and he took me to see the body. Although I do not recognize her, everyone says that the body is undoubtedly Shen Bitiao, so you should not make baseless speculations. The body of the innkeeper of Yun Jin Inn and that of the assassin have also been recovered. The assassin is a well-known killer in the underworld, named Lu Li, with the nickname 'Half Blade'"

Gu Qiuhan was both angry and amused. She leaped over the fence and knocked on the door, calmly saying: "Brother Defu must have misunderstood. The true culprit of the case at the Yun Jin Inn is someone else. Please open the door, Brother Defu, so we can have a good talk"

There was no sound in the room for half a day. Gu Qiuhan knew that De Fu was timid and afraid of trouble, and at this moment, he was probably hesitating, so Gu did not rush and stood quietly at the door waiting for a response. After waiting for about half a tea time, Gu Qiuhan leaned against the door to listen carefully, but there was still no sound from inside. He could no longer contain himself and knocked heavily on the door, calling out: "If you don't open the door, don't blame me for being rude!" However, De Fu remained silent as if he were dead, offering no response at all. Gu Qiuhan sensed that something was wrong, drew his knife, and inserted it into the gap between the two door panels. With just a push, he unlocked the door latch. He called out again: "If you don't open the door, don't blame me for being rude!" Yet, De Fu remained silent as if he were dead, offering no response at all. Gu Qiuhan sensed that something was wrong, drew his knife, and inserted it into the gap between the two door panels. With just a push, he unlocked the door latch. He kicked the door open, only to find the room empty, and a cold wind rushed in through the open back door, chilling him to the bone!

De Fu Dao: "Young Master Gu and Miss Shen are indeed intoxicated; even from a distance, one can smell the alcohol on them. At that time, I thought they had eaten and drunk to their fill and had come to the inn for pleasure."

Only after the carriage had completely transformed into a wisp of smoke did Gu Qiuhan let out a long sigh and continue on his way. The Governor's Office had not issued a nationwide manhunt for Gu Qiuhan; once he left Yingtian Prefecture, he was met with vast skies and open seas. Although he had been embroiled in this case for merely two days, for him, who was on edge and tense at every moment, it felt exceptionally prolonged. At that moment, he realized how precious it was to live without having to hide and evade.

Gu Qiuhan whispered in her ear, "Take me out of the city." The woman nodded. Gu Qiuhan still did not dare to move her hand away, straining her ears to listen to the sounds outside the vehicle. By now, she had become a startled bird, even more nervous than the woman whose life hung by a thread. The vehicle suddenly jolted, and the sound of the wheels rolling could be heard; indeed, no one came to search.

The two individuals exhausted all their means, yet still could not reverse the dire situation. They could not help but secretly admire Gu Qiuhan's remarkable martial skills. "If you dare to resist arrest, kill without mercy!" This was Mu Tianxiong's order, but it now seemed that capturing either a person or a corpse would be quite difficult. Gu Qiuhan's blade became increasingly swift, targeting the open area in front of Yuan Feng, and struck down with a single blow. Yuan Feng let out a cry of "Ah!" realizing he could not withstand the attack, and had no choice but to retreat hastily. Gu Qiuhan faced off against Jiao Zheng for a moment, then lunged forward, the tip of his blade directly pursuing Yuan Feng. Fortunately, Yuan Feng's lightness of foot was extraordinary; had it been someone else, they would have found it difficult to escape the second strike. In a moment of urgency, he made a sudden evasive maneuver. Although this unconventional action allowed him to narrowly escape disaster, it caused him to lose his balance, and he fell onto the snow. Fearing that Gu Qiuhan would continue the pursuit, he immediately rolled several times upon hitting the ground, fortuitously rolling in the direction where Jiao Zheng was standing.

The middle-aged man, seeing Gu Qiuhan in a daze, thought there was an opportunity to exploit. He swung his fist, striking the tip of the knife pointed at his chest, his claws like hooks, reaching for Gu Qiuhan's face. Gu Qiuhan had no time to think further; he leaned back slightly, the knife tip thrusting upward, slicing from the middle-aged man's lower abdomen to his chest, performing a disembowelment. Blood gushed out wildly, and his internal organs spilled out together. Gu Qiuhan kicked the corpse aside, quickly closed the door, braced it with a table, and then kicked the back window, shattering it into pieces.

From the conversation between Gu Qiuhan and Defu, the young girl faintly sensed some clues, and at that moment, she softly said: "Does Master Gu mean to say that there is another person who killed Shen Bitiao?" Gu Qiuhan sighed and replied: "It is not my intention, but it is indeed the case. Unfortunately, the true culprit has already been killed by me, and I fear that no one will believe my side of the story." He plunged the knife into the ground and squatted down in frustration. At this moment, the young girl said: "Does Master Gu mean to say that there is another person who killed Shen Bitiao?" Gu Qiuhan sighed and replied: "It is not my intention, but it is indeed the case. Unfortunately, the true culprit has already been killed by me, and I fear that no one will believe my side of the story." He plunged the knife into the ground and squatted down in frustration.

Only then did he feel completely at ease, removing his hand that had been covering the woman's mouth, and said, "I apologize for the offense." Suddenly, he realized that this woman was merely seventeen or eighteen years old, possessing a stunning beauty that seemed to be painted, especially at this moment when she appeared overly frightened, her pale face making her look even more delicate and charming. Gu Qiuhan couldn't help but be taken aback, hurriedly averting his gaze, sheathing his dagger, and thought to himself, "This girl is so beautiful!" Among all the women he had encountered, none surpassed Shen Bitiao in beauty, and while he couldn't say this girl was more beautiful than Shen Bitiao, she possessed an indescribable unique aura that made it difficult to look directly at her. Gu Qiuhan couldn't help but be taken aback, hurriedly averting his gaze, sheathing his dagger, and thought to himself, "This girl is so beautiful!" Among all the women he had encountered, none surpassed Shen Bitiao in beauty, and while he couldn't say this girl was more beautiful than Shen Bitiao, she possessed an indescribable unique aura that made it difficult to look directly at her. Gu Qiuhan took the branch of the wax plum flower from his ear; yes, it was precisely this kind of feeling, her calmness, her otherworldliness, akin to this crystal-clear wax plum flower.

The coachman sneered and said: "How do you know this is not a lie you fabricated to excuse yourself? With your martial arts skills, could you really be knocked unconscious from behind by Lü Li?"

Gu Qiuhan was extremely annoyed, but felt that her words were rather peculiar, so he asked: "Miss, your tone is indeed quite bold; may I ask who you are?" The young girl replied: "You may call me 'Thirteen'; as for my identity, you need not know."

The internal guard officer forcefully broke open the door with a sharp blade and rushed into the hall. Yuan Feng glanced at the corpse on the ground and pointed at the tattered window, saying: "He has escaped!" Jiao Zheng said: "Leave two people to carry the body back to the governor's office, the rest follow me to pursue."

Gu Qiuhan and Mei Juansheng slept in the same bed, and when dawn broke, Mei Juansheng woke him up. Gu Qiuhan washed his face, feeling somewhat refreshed, and agreed with Mei Juansheng to wait for news outside Linggu Temple before hurriedly departing

A silence fell inside the car, leaving one to wonder whether the people inside were angry or feeling smug. After a while, the young girl said, "You might as well answer my questions honestly." Gu Qiuhan sighed and replied, "If I could clarify things, I wouldn't have to come looking for Defu." He suddenly raised his voice and asked, "Defu, after I helped Shen Bitiao upstairs that day, did someone else enter the inn?"

As the red sun rises, sunlight pours into the mountains and forests, much warmer than during the night. Gu Qiuhan is grateful to have spent another peaceful night at Yumei Mountain Villa, but where he will take shelter tonight remains uncertain. In this moment, he feels a mix of joy and worry. It seems that only by uncovering the truth can he put an end to this existence that is neither human nor ghost.

As Gu Qiuhan was wandering, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He was not unfamiliar with the name of Lu Li. The reason he was called "Half a Knife" was not because he wielded a broken blade, but rather to describe his extremely high efficiency in killing; with half a knife drawn, he could take a life! Although this may be somewhat exaggerated, Lu Li certainly possessed skills. Gu Qiuhan couldn't help but feel a sense of dread, thinking that had it not been for Lu Li accidentally killing the shopkeeper and becoming distracted, he would never have been able to slay him with a single strike.

Returning to the courtyard, he saw the landlord standing at the door, smiling and saying: "Young master, you have returned just in time. I have stewed a wild rabbit; let us have a drink together." Gu Qiuhan replied with delight: "Great!" After putting away the things he had bought, he entered the hall. The middle-aged man had already set the table with chairs, bowls, and chopsticks, and the fire under the stove was burning brightly, with the fragrant aroma of rabbit meat wafting in the steaming heat.

Five days later, Gu Qiuhan appeared in Wucheng County of Nanyang Prefecture. However, searching for a person in such a large county was akin to finding a needle in a haystack. After two consecutive days of searching, there was no result. Gu Qiuhan suddenly thought that Defu might have sought refuge with the owner of Yunjin Inn, working as a young assistant. Given his family's background, they must be quite impoverished, so how could they afford to live in the county? If the search area were narrowed down to the outskirts and countryside of the county, it would be much easier. On the third day, Gu Qiuhan got up early and rushed to the countryside, and indeed, he soon received some encouraging news. According to the local informant, Defu was a farmer from the village. Due to poor harvests in recent years, he had the idea of going out to work. However, for some unknown reason, after being away for just over a month, he suddenly returned to his hometown and has been staying indoors all day. He was a solitary man with no friends, so no one inquired about the reason.

Gu Qiuhan exerted just the right amount of force, neither endangering his life nor allowing his meridians to flow, rendering him temporarily immobile. Although the knife in his right hand was a feint, the lieutenant did not dare to take it lightly. He swiftly turned his body and slipped away, then suddenly shifted to the left side to unseal the acupoint of another lieutenant. The extraordinary agility and speed displayed were unparalleled in Gu Qiuhan's lifetime.

In the midst of the fight, the two lieutenants suddenly crossed paths. One, a master of lightness skill, soared over two feet high and launched seven swift stabs, targeting Gu Qiuhan's head. The other crouched low, executing a series of kicking strikes like a whirlwind. Gu Qiuhan immediately realized that one of them was Jiao Zheng, a hundred-household officer of the Imperial Guard, nicknamed "Iron Leg," while the agile one was his deputy, "Ghost Shadow" Yuan Feng. He thought to himself, "Heh heh, the court pays such close attention to me, sending out such skilled experts right away." He raised his blades to protect his upper body, the clash of his dual swords producing a sound like 'ding ding dang dang,' dense as exploding beans. At the same time, he sprang back on both feet, evading Jiao Zheng's attacks.

A middle-aged man brought over a jar of yellow wine and chuckled, "The wine is not good, it truly is a disservice." Gu Qiuhan replied, "Such hospitality from the host makes me feel quite uneasy." The middle-aged man poured two large bowls of wine with a "glug glug" sound, then turned to lift the pot lid and picked out a basin of rabbit meat. Taking advantage of the man's turned back, Gu Qiuhan dipped his finger into the wine and tasted it carefully, secretly laughing to himself.

"Old Du," the girl scolded, "he was drunk at that time"

The two left to play at Mount Everest, circling around the imperial city. As they approached the small parade ground, a few scattered houses appeared, indeed quite desolate. Mei Juansheng knocked on the door of a household, and a middle-aged man with a rosy complexion came out. Mei Juansheng said, "He is the landlord here." Upon seeing Mei Juansheng, the middle-aged man quickly put on a smiling face and said, "Sir, is this your friend?" Mei Juansheng replied, "Indeed it is." The middle-aged man hurriedly paid his respects and said, "The arrangements have all been made by the esteemed sir, you can rest assured and stay here, please follow me."

Gu Qiuhan's mind stirred; the yellow silk paper was not something ordinary commoners could possess. Since the coachman had presented it to the gate guards, it was not merely an imperial edict but also a pass document, sufficient to ensure that the carriage would not be subjected to inspection. Seizing the opportunity, he leaped forward, approached the carriage, lifted the curtain, and without a glance, thrust out his dagger, aiming it at the heart of the person inside, while simultaneously covering her mouth with his other hand. This series of actions had been meticulously planned in the instant before he entered the carriage. The person inside had no time to react and was thus subdued, unable to shout, her eyes wide open, glaring at him with resentment and anger.

"You little brat, how dare you run away!" Gu Qiuhan cursed angrily in his heart, taking a swift step out the back door, only to see a carriage parked not far away. At first glance, it looked very familiar, and when he recognized the driver, Gu Qiuhan couldn't help but be astonished; this was precisely the carriage he had 'borrowed' when leaving Yingtian!

The coachman hunched over, holding the whip, squinting at Gu Qiuhan, with a sly smile at the corner of his mouth, looking rather lewd. Gu Qiuhan's mind raced: "This coachman has decent martial arts skills; his presence here is certainly not a coincidence. Who is that young girl?" Steadying himself, he smiled and said, "Are you waiting here to settle the score for that whip?" Just then, someone inside the carriage said softly, "Young Master Gu is indeed a clever man, able to find his way here to silence us."

Gu Qiuhan heard the soft and sweet voice, and immediately the charming face appeared before his eyes, causing his heart to tremble. He asked, "Have you been following me all along?" The girl in the carriage laughed and replied, "We arrived a day earlier than you, so it shouldn't be considered following you, right? However, without you, I wouldn't have found De Fu so quickly." Gu Qiuhan said, "Do you think I intend to kill De Fu to silence him?" The girl responded, "Isn't that the case? I have seen the official portraits. The day you got into the carriage at the city gate, I recognized you. As expected, I saw you again in Wu City. But without you, I wouldn't have found De Fu so quickly. Now I want to know who instructed you to kill Shen Bitiao? What did you find on Shen Bitiao? As long as you tell the truth, I will consider your merits and absolve you of your crimes, ensuring your survival."

Mei Juansheng exclaimed in astonishment, "I have just completed the task you entrusted to me and hurried here, so how can this be explained?" Gu Qiuhan recounted the incident of being besieged by Jiao Zheng, Yuan Feng, and others, saying, "I estimate they will soon pursue us, let us find another place to talk." Mei Juansheng nodded and said, "Alright, follow me." The two of them displayed their lightness of body skills, one in front and the other behind, rushing into the mountain hollow, then heading south until they reached the foot of Wanzhu Peak. This area had already been designated by the Emperor as a burial ground; although construction had not yet begun, it had become a forbidden zone for the common people. Even the guards of the inner palace dared not enter recklessly, lest they disturb the feng shui, which was no trivial matter. Mei Juansheng bringing Gu Qiuhan here to talk was indeed a wise choice.

Between the gaps of the curtains, a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes as the young girl caught sight of his appearance. Perhaps feeling a pang of sympathy, she asked, "Then tell me, what is the truth?" Gu Qiuhan replied, "I originally had good intentions, intending to take the drunken Shen Bitiao to the inn to rest, but I forgot that I was also completely drunk. As a result, I fell victim to the schemes of others and became embroiled in this wrongful accusation." He gradually recounted the events of that day.

Gu Qiuhan was focused on escaping down the mountain when he suddenly saw someone approaching from the opposite direction, causing his heart to race. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his knife, preparing to fight once more. However, as the figure drew closer, he realized it was Mei Juansheng, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. The two stopped simultaneously, just a few feet apart, and both burst into laughter. Gu Qiuhan jokingly scolded, "You arrived just in time; if it weren't for my decent martial skills, you would have only been able to collect my corpse outside Linggu Temple."

The young girl glanced at Gu Qiuhan by the roadside again, lowered the curtain, picked up the wintersweet flowers he had left behind, and remained in a daze for a while, feeling a sense of loss.

The two remaining lieutenants naturally would not expend their energy on a corpse, so they simply bound it with a hemp rope and dragged it away. Once the two had gone far, Gu Qiuhan emerged from the east room, glanced at the back window, and then at the bloodstains on the ground, shaking his head repeatedly. In broad daylight, if he were to compete in speed with the imperial lieutenants on the street, it would undoubtedly attract attention and make him susceptible to interception. Thus, he created the illusion of escaping through a broken window while actually hiding inside the east room. Although this plan succeeded, he knew that Jiao Zheng and Yuan Feng were not simple-minded individuals; if they could not catch him, they would surely return. Not daring to linger, he entered the courtyard and, upon seeing the wintersweet tree, suddenly felt that it was the only thing so innocent and pure. Overwhelmed with emotion, he casually broke off a branch, brought it to his nose, and inhaled its fragrance, as if to let the sweet scent of the flower dispel his sorrow and fatigue. Not daring to linger, he entered the courtyard and, upon seeing the wintersweet tree, suddenly felt that it was the only thing so innocent and pure. Overwhelmed with emotion, he casually broke off a branch, brought it to his nose, and inhaled its fragrance, as if to let the sweet scent of the flower dispel his sorrow and fatigue

A trembling voice came from inside, "I didn't see anything, I don't know who the murderer is, you... you must not come looking for me!" Gu Qiuhan said, "If I truly intended to kill you to silence you, what could these two broken doors do to stop me? Just open the door, and I will ask you a few questions. If you answer honestly, I can ensure that you remain unharmed.

Walking down the street, Gu Qiuhan felt lost and dejected. Initially, he only wanted to clear his name, but now it seemed he was sinking deeper and deeper, making it difficult to turn back. There was no place for him in Yingtian anymore; he had to find a way to leave and locate Defu to inquire about the appearance of the murderer and confirm whether it was Lü Li before he could proceed with the next step of the investigation. Although the innkeeper did not have the chance to reveal where Defu's hometown was before meeting with misfortune, Gu Qiuhan speculated that the inn required a loquacious assistant, while Defu was naturally shy and not good with words. The fact that he managed to secure this position likely indicated a special relationship with the innkeeper, either as a relative or a fellow townsman. On that day, when he asked the inn's staff, he learned that the innkeeper was from Wucheng in Nanyang, which was precisely why he considered this. Although he could not guarantee that this speculation was absolutely correct, he had to leave Yingtian for the time being, and it would be worthwhile to try his luck in Wucheng.

Inside the carriage, with a sudden exclamation of "Ah!", Gu Qiuhan was overjoyed, for De Fu was indeed present in the carriage! He continued, "Now, recount the situation in detail; if you dare to utter even half a lie, I will slice you in two with my knife." To instill a sense of intimidation, he drew his blade from its sheath, allowing De Fu to hear the sharp sound of the metal.

Sigh, yet another two lives lost! Recently, the Yun Jin Inn has been plagued by bloodshed; it is said that the room where Shen Bitiao met her tragic end is haunted! Tsk tsk, how tragic; even the innkeeper was not spared. The Yun Jin Inn is likely to close its doors for good. Gu Qiuhan listened to the crowd's discussions, watched a group of officials depart, and after a moment of contemplation, turned and walked back.

After the last snowfall, the weather has been clear for several consecutive days, with abundant sunshine during the day, melting ice and snow, and the air feeling particularly warm and moist. The number of pedestrians on the streets has consequently increased. Gu Qiuhan lowered the brim of his hat and navigated through the crowd, avoiding anyone in official attire, regardless of whether they were investigating his case. As he walked, he found himself near the Yun Jin Inn. He noticed several imperial guards carrying two coffins approaching him, followed by Mu Tianxiong, the coroner, and others. Gu Qiuhan quickly stepped aside with the common people, blending into the crowd.