Volume Two: Winds Rise in Anxi Prefecture Chapter 154: The Trail of Li Muyun

When has he ever witnessed such a towering figure display such wrath?
For a time, the steward was left in a state of perpetual panic, trembling with fear.
"Go back and tell Prefecture Sub-Prefect Wang: this is the very last time! If there is ever another trivial matter like this that troubles me, he can forget about keeping his post as Sub-Prefect!" Prefect Xu rebuked sternly.
He couldn't even handle a Slayers' Bureau slayermaster within a mere county, yet he had the audacity to bring the plea to his doorstep.
What use was such a sub-prefect?
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the steward hastily replied, "Rest assured, Your Honor, I shall relay your exact words to the Sub-Prefect."
"Enough, get out of my sight! Do not disturb my rest!"
Prefect Xu dismissed him with a wave of his broad sleeve.
The steward bowed low, straightened up, and scurried out hastily.
...
Time flew, and two days later, outside the city gates of Anxi Prefecture, the great Confucian scholar Master Xu took his departure.
Among those seeing him off were students from the Anxi Academy and Dean Bai. Standing out remarkably in the crowd was a man dressed in black.
He stood nine spans tall, with a black saber strapped to his waist, looking extraordinarily handsome and dashing.
"Let my students escort me only this far."
Master Xu looked at the gathered crowd and said, "Take good care of yourselves, everyone!"
"A true man is not without tears, but he sheds them not in parting! Take good care of yourself, Teacher. Your student, Lu Jiucheng, respectfully bids you farewell!"
Lu Jiucheng bowed deeply, cupping his fists.
"Jiucheng, do not let my departure delay your cultivation!"
Master Xu said with a look of gratification.
"A respectful farewell to Master Xu!"
Hundreds of Confucian scholars bowed in unison, cupping their fists.
Master Xu nodded, murmuring words under his breath. His entire form gradually drifted into the air, soaring away at great speed.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the edge of the sky.
"Jiucheng, you are both a student of Master Xu and a native of Anxi Prefecture. The Anxi Academy will always remain open to you," Dean Bai said, turning to Lu Jiucheng. "Whenever you have leisure time, you are welcome to seek me out at the Academy to discuss poetry and prose!"
"Rest assured, Dean Bai. When I have the time, I will certainly come to pay a visit and seek your guidance," Lu Jiucheng replied with cupped fists.
After a few more casual remarks, the group dispersed.
Lu Jiucheng returned to his small courtyard.
Bai Xiaosu was tending the fire to cook a meal, supervised closely by the large black dog.
It was giving utterly blind instructions, filling the kitchen with billowing smoke that choked the lungs uncomfortably.
"Cough, cough... If neither of you knows how to cook, then stop trying," Lu Jiucheng coughed. "If all else fails, go out to an inn and grab a bite."
"Master Jiu, how can that do?" The large black dog shook its head. "I am training Sister Bai here. It's fine while we are in the city, but what if we travel out into the desolate wilderness? Where would we find an inn to eat then?"
"Very well, carry on with your training then. I am going out to eat," Lu Jiucheng said, walking toward the exit.
If he waited until Bai Xiaosu was fully trained, goodness knew how long that would take.
Today's meal was definitely out of the question; even if it finished cooking, it would likely be burned to a crisp beyond recognition.
"Master Jiu, wait for me! Together, together!"
The large black dog chased after him.
Before long, Bai Xiaosu came running out as well, accompanied by the one-armed ruffian.
The three of them and the dog headed to the nearest inn to grab some food.
Shortly after stepping out of the alley, a woman disguised in men's attire walked toward them.
Lu Jiucheng had some recollection of this woman; she was none other than Manager Zhao of the Anxi Prefecture's Thousand Mechanisms Tower.
"Slayer Lu!"
Upon seeing Lu Jiucheng, Manager Zhao still maintained a respectful demeanor.
She was not yet aware that Lu Jiucheng had already returned the token to Yingtian Tavern.
"Is Manager Zhao looking for me?" Lu Jiucheng took the initiative to ask.
"Previously, Slayer Lu entrusted Guard Mo to inquire about someone. Because Guard Mo had to attend to official business, he passed the task on to me," Manager Zhao said. "We have found a lead on that person, but..."
"But what? Manager Zhao, please speak freely," Lu Jiucheng said.
"That person named Maiden Muyun did indeed appear in Anxi Prefecture a few months ago. She spent a period of time at a pleasure house called the Welcoming Blossom Pavilion, but at the end of last month, she vanished," Manager Zhao said.
"Vanished?"
Lu Jiucheng was shocked.
Calculating the timeline, the end of last month should have been precisely two days before his own arrival in Anxi Prefecture.
Could there be some coincidence in this timing?
"Was anything left behind?" Lu Jiucheng asked.
"That remains unclear. I can take Slayer Lu to the Welcoming Blossom Pavilion to inquire with the madam," Manager Zhao offered.
"Very well, let us go to the Welcoming Blossom Pavilion first."
Lu Jiucheng looked at the large black dog and Bai Xiaosu. "You two go ahead and eat; don't worry about me."
Upon hearing this, the one-armed ruffian's eyes burned with eagerness.
It was understandable to leave the large black dog behind, as it was a beast.
And Bai Xiaosu was a woman, so taking her along would be inappropriate.
Could it be that he was going to be taken to the Welcoming Blossom Pavilion?
He had long heard that the pleasure houses of Anxi Prefecture were pits of gold and bowls of tenderness.
Yet, to his shame, the one-armed ruffian had never actually been to one.
"You are not coming either; stay with the large black dog," Lu Jiucheng instructed.
"Master Jiu, I can be your assistant and help handle things..."
"Did you not hear my words?"
Lu Jiucheng glared at the one-armed ruffian.
Instantly, the one-armed ruffian dared not speak another word, obediently stepping back to the side.
Led by Manager Zhao, Lu Jiucheng set off together with her toward the Welcoming Blossom Pavilion.
...
Inside a room, the madam pointed to a vacant chamber and said, "This is the very room where Maiden Muyun stayed. It is such ill-fated luck; I thought this girl had fine looks and even wanted to groom her to become our top courtesan."
"Who would have thought that after staying here for barely a month, she simply left? And leaving is one thing, but she didn't even say a word of farewell."
The madam muttered and grumbled her grievances.
"Did she have any friends here? Did she ever mention where she intended to go next?" Lu Jiucheng asked.
"In a pleasure house, what friends could there be? Seeing that her looks were above average, quite a few people bullied her and tried to step on her. Fortunately, I have a kind heart and helped her out from time to time," the madam said.
"What relation do the two of you bear to Maiden Muyun? I spent a considerable amount of silver grooming her for so long. If you two are her friends, why don't you reimburse me for the grooming costs? That way I won't suffer a loss. We earn our living through hard-earned sweat, unlike grand figures like yourselves."
"You talk too much!" Manager Zhao glared at the madam. "We ask, you answer. If you utter a single superfluous word more, you will not live to see tomorrow morning. I mean what I say!"
Under Manager Zhao's piercing threat, the madam instantly fell silent.
"Since Maiden Muyun left, has anyone lived in this room? Or, when cleaning up, did the servants happen to pick up anything left behind?" Lu Jiucheng asked.
"No one has lived in the room since, though a new girl is arriving tomorrow night and might move in. As for whether the servants found anything while cleaning, I truly cannot say. If someone picked something up and didn't report it to me, there is nothing I can do," the madam replied, spreading her hands in a gesture of helplessness.
Not a single trace of a lead!
Lu Jiucheng glanced toward a corner, where a row of wine bottles was neatly arranged.
"Were these wine bottles originally furnished in the room, or did Maiden Muyun leave them behind?" Lu Jiucheng asked.
"They were left behind by Maiden Muyun. She was extremely fond of drinking sweet-scented osmanthus wine," the madam hurried to answer.
"Do you know where this wine is purchased?" Lu Jiucheng asked.
Shops selling flower wine within the city of Anxi Prefecture were by no means few in number. To search without asking clearly and wandering aimlessly would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens.