Volume One: The Miscellaneous Duties of Changshui County Chapter 128: Why Is It You Again?

"Chan'er, don't worry. Stay here at home for now; I will go out and see if I can find someone to help inquire about this," Lu Jiuzhang said.

"Second Brother Lu, let me go with you!" Zhao Chan'er looked at Lu Jiuzhang, pleading.

"You should wait here. What if your mother comes back? You can inform me then," Lu Jiuzhang lied, then prepared to leave.

A large black dog sprang up and followed closely behind Lu Jiuzhang. Bai Xiaosu followed suit, trailing right behind them.

"What are you two doing here?" Lu Jiuzhang frowned. He had lied to Zhao Chan'er; staying at home clearly wasn't suitable, but he had hoped to wander about or perhaps visit a pleasure house to listen to music. If he returned late at night, he could just claim there were no leads yet and that he would ask around again tomorrow. But with Bai Xiaosu and the black dog tagging along, how could he visit a place of debauchery?

"Cough, cough... Ninth Master, I am your capable assistant, of course I must stay by your side," the black dog said earnestly.

"And you?" Lu Jiuzhang looked at Bai Xiaosu.

"I... I'm bored at home, so I'll join you," Bai Xiaosu said coldly.

...

A quarter of an hour later, the two and the dog appeared before the entrance of the Bliss Pavilion.

"Oh, if it isn't Master Lu!" The madam hurried over to greet them. "Girls, Master Lu is here! Hurry up and come welcome him!"

Facing this rising star of Changshui County, the madam was exceptionally courteous. A crowd of women surrounded Lu Jiuzhang as they walked inside, leaving only the black dog and Bai Xiaosu trailing behind.

"See that? A real man should have the courage to show his face in places like this," the black dog remarked with a click of its tongue.

"You're not a man, you're a male dog... no, a male demon!" Bai Xiaosu emphasized.

"Sister Bai, let's be a bit more subtle with our words," the black dog said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

...

In one of the finest private rooms of the Bliss Pavilion, Lu Jiuzhang was welcomed inside. The women were delighted, some kneading his shoulders, others pounding his legs, while some personally fed him washed fruit.

"I don't really like these kinds of places," Bai Xiaosu whispered.

"It's normal that you don't like it; you're a woman. For a male, this place is heaven!" the black dog said cheerfully. "I don't like these places either."

"You don't?" Bai Xiaosu glanced at the black dog and noticed it was staring fixedly at the women.

"Cough, cough... it's easy to disturb my Daoist heart!" the black dog said. "Come, girl, give this divine beast a massage too!"

"You pay for your own share!" Lu Jiuzhang shot the black dog a glance.

"Forget it, never mind. Pretend I didn't say anything!" The black dog quickly shook its head. "I am a serious demon beast; I was just joking!"

"Master Black, the scent in here is too heavy, I'm not used to it," Bai Xiaosu frowned slightly.

Seeing no one coming to serve it, the black dog lost interest. "In that case, I'll accompany you for a walk around the area." With that, the black dog took Bai Xiaosu and left, leaving Lu Jiuzhang alone in the room.

"Don't go! It's boring if you leave me alone!" Lu Jiuzhang said hurriedly.

"Giggle, Master Lu, isn't it better for you to have some fun while you're alone?" the women in sheer silk gowns around him laughed sweetly. "The last time we saw you was days ago. We have missed you dearly!"

"It's a pity you left so early last time. Why don't you stay the night with me, Master Lu? What do you think?"

Before she had even finished speaking, another woman chimed in, "Staying at my place wouldn't be bad either. My skills are top-notch; I guarantee you will reach ecstasy!"

"Skills? What kind of skills?"

"Oh, you're awful, Master Lu, why pretend you don't know? Of course, it's the kind of skill that makes you comfortable and so happy you forget to go home!"

"..."

Laughter filled the private room endlessly.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

After an unknown amount of time, a series of urgent knocks sounded at the door. Fearing that Lu Jiuzhang might be busy with important matters inside, the person outside didn't rush in but raised their voice: "Master Lu, something has happened! Your friends have gotten into a conflict with someone!"

Friends? That could only mean the black dog and Bai Xiaosu.

Lu Jiuzhang quickly pushed the door open and stepped out. He saw the madam standing outside looking anxious. Upon seeing that Lu Jiuzhang's clothes were still neatly arranged, she looked somewhat surprised. *Is he that fast at getting dressed?*

"Who did they get into a conflict with?" Lu Jiuzhang asked coldly.

"Young Master Zhang from the north side of the city!" the madam replied hastily.

"The bully of the Zhang family?"

"Master Lu, be careful with your words. Some things you can say, but I dare not speak carelessly," the madam said. "Your friends have already made a move and knocked Young Master Zhang to the ground!"

The Zhang family bully was merely an ordinary man, his body hollowed out by wine and lust. He was certainly no match for Bai Xiaosu. Bai Xiaosu was a martial artist of the eighth rank, and having practiced top-tier techniques, she was an absolute powerhouse among her peers.

"Take me there!" Lu Jiuzhang strode forward.

The conflict wasn't happening at the Bliss Pavilion, but not far from it. A woman dressed in white men's robes, with a cold demeanor and her hair tied back, stood in an open space. Seven or eight attendants in hemp clothing and the arrogant young master of the Zhang family lay on the ground, clutching their stomachs and howling in pain.

"Ninth Master is here!" The black dog ran over quickly. "Ninth Master, I already tried to persuade Sister Bai to hold back, but these people are too weak. Sister Bai only used one percent of her strength, and they couldn't even get back up."

"What happened?" Lu Jiuzhang asked for the sequence of events.

The black dog said, "What else could have happened? This bully took a fancy to Sister Bai and wanted to take her back to his estate. After making some lewd comments, he got beaten up by Sister Bai!"

It was the same as always; this bully never changed his ways.

"Lu Jiuzhang, it's you again. You escaped last time, but now that Zhong Zhengming is dead, what can you do? Rely on that tongue of yours?" the Zhang family bully said viciously.

"Zhong Zhengming is dead, too? Who else is backing you?"

"Magistrate Wang is coming soon to seal off the scene. This time, even if you recite a timeless masterpiece, it won't matter!" They had prepared thoroughly; no matter how brilliant a poem was, it had to be disseminated to have an effect. If they didn't hold a public trial, wouldn't that solve the problem?

"Clomp, clomp, clomp..."

A rhythmic sound of footsteps approached. A squad of yamen runners appeared, following behind a pot-bellied middle-aged man. To the left of the man was a clerk, and to the right was an elderly man with a hooked nose. This old man exuded a faint martial aura, appearing to be at the eighth rank of martial arts.

"Lu Jiuzhang, it's you again!" the pot-bellied man shouted. "Committing violence in the street once more? Do you really think the yamen cannot hold you accountable?"