Chapter 41 How did Shadow lose his sweetheart?

The masked leader paused for a moment, then stepped forward, bent one leg on the step, and pressed the tip of his crossbow against her delicate face. "Hey, weren't you running so fast just now? Why can't you run anymore?"

"You are joking, sir." The woman lowered her eyes and pushed away the crossbow that was pressed against her face. When she raised her eyes again, her eyes were red and her curled eyelashes were wet. She looked so pitiful and graceful.

Her eyes were full of love, and then she covered her face with her handkerchief and said in a tearful voice:

"I'm a weak woman, where can I escape to? I'm just trying to earn a glimmer of hope for my own survival."

"Miss, why didn't you cooperate earlier?" The masked man in the lead softened his tone in the face of such a pitiful beauty.

"We are only following orders. We do not wish to take your life. If you follow us obediently, you will suffer less."

The woman pleaded, "I have no intention of causing you any trouble, but your men just shot me in the ankle, so it's really inconvenient for me to move. I hope you can be flexible..."

"I know what you're thinking..." The masked man in the lead sneered twice, almost inaudibly, and then said firmly:

"All these tricks of yours are just petty tricks, useless. Come, tie her up and take her away!"

Seeing them leave, Chen Yu breathed a sigh of relief and then let her go. Qi Xin, after coming into contact with the fresh air, did not have time to calm down and hurriedly said:

"Quick, quick, call Rongrong over. That woman is not ordinary. We have to catch up with her."

"Don't worry, it's nearby." As soon as Shen Yu finished speaking, the bald eagle appeared at the back door of the dilapidated temple.

Before long, Qi Xin was rising above the dense forest. She glanced down at the black dot moving below, and then said amid the whistling wind, "Don't chase too closely, or you'll be discovered."

"I know." Chen Yu responded indifferently from above her.

When they arrived in front of Shengdu, the group of people escorting the woman tore off their night clothes, revealing their original coarse linen clothes. The one in the lead took out the pass from his arms and respectfully presented it with both hands.

The soldier stationed at the city gate looked him up and down, then reached out to lift the rice-white linen cloth on the cart behind him.

The leader held the soldier's iron wrist guard and said with a flattering smile:

"We are all good people from nearby. We just make a living selling firewood in Shengdu. Sir, if you think there is nothing wrong with our customs documents, there is no need to check the car."

"Get out of the way!" The soldier shook off the leader and immediately grabbed the rice-white linen cloth, muttering, "The inspections are very strict now, don't you know? You are so guilty, who knows what you have hidden in there."

The soldier put his arm in to feel the inside of the cart basket, and in the chaos, several pieces of wood were squeezed and scattered around, attracting onlookers from the surrounding crowd.

At the same time, in the wooden compartment at the bottom of the cart basket, the woman they had been chasing had her mouth stuffed with a folded shoe sole. She was forced to curl up with her hands and feet tied together, unable to scream or struggle.

In the blink of an eye, the soldier reached for the wooden board at the bottom of the basket, which made his brows furrow even tighter:

I've turned this pile of wood upside down and haven't found anything. Could it be that I'm just being too suspicious? In these troubled times, everyone looks like a wanted criminal colluding with the Moon Kingdom and urgently needs to be apprehended.

Now that I have gained nothing, I can no longer withstand the gossip of the people around me.

I've investigated myself, and there's no reason to keep him here.

The soldier retreated to the city gate and said angrily, "I thought you were hiding something. You're so timid and it makes people suspicious."

The leader was picking up the scattered wood while crying and saying:

"My brothers and I are just small business owners. We can't afford to suffer such harassment from you, General. After all, our words are too weak to earn your trust."

As the number of people who gathered around to watch the excitement increased, they were almost blocking the entrance to Shengdu City. The soldier blew his beard and glared, his face shrugged:

"Alright, alright, stop embarrassing yourself here. If you want to go into the city, be quick. Otherwise, you will be charged with causing trouble."

Afterwards, the soldier ordered his men to disperse the surrounding people:

"All of you, disperse! All of you, you're blocking traffic at this important point on the official road. I don't think you want to lose your heads anymore."

Upon hearing this, the people did not dare to stay for too long and dispersed immediately.

Qi Xin, watching this scene from the eagle's back, sneered, then said with a chill:

"How did they get that clearance document? I really don't believe a decent citizen would take on this kind of job!"

"Two possibilities." Shen Yu said slowly.

"Which two?" Qi Xin looked up at him.

Chen Yu lowered his head and saw that the growth of the red lines on her white flesh had gradually subsided. He felt relieved and continued:

"One possibility is that their master is related to the royal family or a noble or minister, and their rank is high enough, so wouldn't it be easy for them to get this thing? And the other possibility is, think about it, where else can they grant any request like this?"

"The Shicha underground casino?" Qi Xin blurted out, then asked, "How much do you think the recent undercurrents have to do with them?"

"It's hard to say." Chen Yu's right thumb unconsciously rubbed the knuckles of his index finger, and there was no fluctuation in his tone.

"You know, since they are above the laws of Dasheng, they are never afraid of being suspected."

"Well, no matter how powerful they are, can they definitely do everything perfectly?" Qi Xin looked calm, but his tone always made people feel a chill down their spine.

"Just think about it, if someone can even shake important officials like the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple and the Minister of Rites, what else can't he do?"

After Shen Yu finished speaking, the string in his heart was already buzzing. He asked cautiously:

"Xiaojiu, are you really not feeling unwell?"

"Are you confused because of your illness?" Qi Xin glanced at him inexplicably:

"What could possibly happen to me? Like you, am I supposed to be as sick as Xi Shi? I just felt a little stuffy in that little corner just now. I just need some fresh air."

"That's good." Shen Yu hushed his voice doubtfully, but the worry in his eyes did not diminish at all.

After that group of people entered Shengdu, they kept moving forward. On the surface, they seemed to be sightseeing and wandering around aimlessly.

But for a rare general like Chen Yu, who has been on the battlefield for many years, has been a master of his time, and can turn decay into magic and change the opportunity for battle, he could see the flaw at a glance.

It is obvious that they acted like this to conceal their tracks. In fact, anyone who could go through so many twists and turns must be familiar with the route and heading for the destination.

Chen Yu knew that this group of people were actually clues that he and Xiao Jiu had stumbled upon by accident. If they gave up tracking them now, not to mention whether they would be so lucky next time, the woman would also be in great danger.

But Xiaojiu's condition...

Chen Yu was caught between a rock and a hard place, circling over Shengdu in his white-tailed sea eagle. Before he could react, he watched helplessly as the group of people carrying the cart containing the woman entered a certain place.

Handanfang.

The two people on the eagle's back exchanged glances, and Qi Xin was the first to ask, not understanding the situation: "Go down, what are you waiting for?"

Chen Yu's plain face changed countless expressions at this moment, and then he said hesitantly:

"Do you know where this is?"

"You're asking even though you already know the answer. Isn't that just..." Qi Xin said halfway when he suddenly realized the hidden meaning in his words.

It is precisely because Handanfang is the largest singing and dancing hall in Shengdu, known to everyone, that the behavior of this Taoist is even more puzzling.

Qi Xin vaguely felt that the master of this Taoist priest might not just be a regular here. In fact, this person either had a close relationship with the owner of the temple, or was very likely the owner of the temple.

But why did they kidnap a young woman? She was a woman of humble origins.

Aren’t you afraid that the truth will be revealed?

Chen Yu looked at her eager appearance and tightly grasped her arm and said:

"This is by no means simple. We can't just go in like this."

"Then what should we do?" Qi Xin's eyes were vague, as if he was thinking about something.

Chen Yu said solemnly, "I have no choice but to pretend to be a prostitute and get some information."

"But how can we know where that woman is being taken? If she has already been..." Qi Xin's tone was already a little anxious, his hands clenched into fists, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

"Xiaojiu, Xiaojiu, listen to me." Chen Yu wrapped her fists and held them in front of her chest:

"You and I are both in a precarious position right now. Even if we find her, we may not be able to save her. We should consider the long-term..."

"Let's think about it in the long run, let's think about it in the long run. You are always like this. You should go and think about it by yourself." The red lines that were originally stagnant in Qi Xin's white kidney grew wildly with the fluctuation of her emotions, and soon covered her entire white kidney.

"That's not what I meant." Chen Yu lowered his eyes in disappointment at this time, and for a moment he did not notice the sudden change in her eyes.

"My blood pill has been fused for such a long time. I want to try and see what difference the power of my blood pill can make as a person with superior zero blood." Qi Xin's expression was filled with a hint of bloodthirsty arrogance. He curled his lips and ordered, "Come down, Rongrong, stop at the side door."

Perhaps the bald eagle was too obedient to her, so much so that after landing on the ground, its huge body shook uncontrollably, as if it was physiologically afraid of some potential threat.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Chen Yu noticed the change in the red lines in her eyes. Before he could stop her, she disappeared in a flash.

After struggling for most of the day, the sky darkened unknowingly.

Chen Yu did not dare to stay any longer, and slipped into the side alley leading to the main gate. With a snap of his hand, he knocked unconscious a young man who was shaking his money bag and strolling forward leisurely.

He looked like a young man from a respectable family, bound by the strict family rules on weekdays, and had to disguise himself secretly at night to come to the famous Handanfang to explore the wonders.

Chen Yu pulled out the dagger from the man's waist, chopped his valuable chiffon coat into pieces, and threw it into the slop bucket beside him.

Then, he gave his well-made black robe to the man and put on the man's eye-catching brocade robe with golden trim.

Finally, he tore off the man's fake beard and stuck it on his lips, disguising himself as a slick old pimp. He took the dagger and swaggered into Handanfang.

Unexpectedly, there is another world inside Handanfang. Unlike the usual dance halls with music and bright lights, it is decorated with changing scenery and full of fun at every turn.

Even when looking up from the hall, one can see the side rooms that are built in imitation of the architectural styles of various regions. Both in terms of viewing experience and privacy, they add a unique charm.

The women with long hair and slender waists came up to him one after another when they saw Chen Yu. Although they were facing him in disguise, his figure and demeanor were considered top-notch in the entire Handanfang.

As soon as those women got close to Chen Yu, they fell weakly into his arms, panting softly:

"Master, what do you think of me?"

"Master, I will serve you tonight, okay?"

"Master, Master, please love me!"

…

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The author has something to say: I don’t know if you like the format of the previous small theater, or what kind of storytelling or extra stories you like. Comments are welcome!

Also: Although this article has no prologue, it has a postscript. Maybe it’s a personal habit?