Pei Lin is trapped in Yanchun Garden and Gu Yanzhou's brothel to hunt down the murderer

The next day, Huaixiang Tower was crowded with people coming and going as usual. Gu Yanzhou and Pei Linyan came to Huaixiang Tower to find out about the Changsheng Sect.

When the madam saw Pei Linyan, her eyes lit up and she said, "Master Pei, it has been a long time since you last visited us. The girls have missed you so much. Spring flowers, autumn moon, summer lotus and winter plum blossoms, why don't you come and entertain Master Pei?" After she said that, she waved her hand, and the girls rushed forward to surround Pei Linyan.

Gu Yanzhou had a cold face, his eyes showing a chill. He grinned and said, "Mr. Pei is truly blessed. All the girls in Huaichun Tower are eagerly awaiting your arrival."

"Oh, who is this gentleman? I see that you are so handsome and graceful, I'm afraid you are a banished immortal." The madam asked attentively.

"I am Gu Yanzhou, a clerk in Chang'an County." Gu Yanzhou said

"Gu Yanzhou, the court official, why does this name sound so familiar?" The madam pondered over it.

"Mom, it's Master Gu Yanzhou who recently solved the Weiwei case and the previous Five Elements case. Qingyan was killed by him..." a woman said

"It turns out to be Mr. Gu, but there is no case here. Why did you come here?" The madam said with a wary look on her face.

"I heard a report that there is a cult leader hiding here who wants to overthrow the country, so I came here to investigate." Gu Yanzhou said

"Mr. Pei, I am wronged. You know we are all doing our business in an honest way, just to make a living. I hope Mr. Pei will understand." The madam defended herself.

"So it seems that I didn't distinguish right from wrong and believed the rumors. I have to search you to prove your innocence." Gu Yanzhou said seriously.

"I don't know how many officials are enjoying themselves in the shop right now. If the shop is closed down due to such a commotion, it won't matter. But if we offend these people, I'm afraid there will be endless troubles." The madam thought for a moment and said with a smile, "It turns out that I am tongue-tied and my words are nonsense. I misunderstood. Master Gu is a good official who is conscientious and responsible. He will definitely not be petty with us. If you have any requests, we will go through fire and water without hesitation at your command."

"In that case, I have to thank my mother." Gu Yanzhou said

"It's okay. I think Lord Gu and Master Pei have important matters to attend to. They've invited us to their side rooms, so we won't bother them any more." After saying that, he sent the girl away.

Back in the backyard, the madam said to the man in the seat of honor, "Master, they are here."

"After I leave, you can lead them to that room." said the man.

"this…"

"Why, my orders are unclear?" the man said

"I dare not, I will do as you say," said the madam.

Gu Yanzhou had a stern face, and Pei Linyan was coaxing him carefully. Suddenly, a woman shouted, "Help, someone's dead." The two of them heard the call and rushed over quickly, only to see a 70-year-old man lying motionless on the bed.

Pei Linyan sniffed and shook his head, saying, "Dead."

The madam said, "Master Gu, you have to make the decision for me. Although he died in my place, it has nothing to do with me."

"Oh, from what you said, you weren't surprised by his death. Or rather, you anticipated it. Normal people would be shocked or at a loss when hearing about someone's death, even if it's unrelated. But you were so calm in drawing a line between the two. This is completely different from your reaction when you heard about Qingyan's death. Do you have an explanation?" Gu Yanzhou said

"I, I just lost my mind for a moment and started talking nonsense." The madam smiled and said

"So I was wrong to blame you. Who is this person? Do you recognize him?" Gu Yanzhou said

"this…"

"Why are you hesitating? Just speak directly." Pei Linyan said

"This man is Wang Hao, the chief of the clan." The madam said nervously

"You mean he is one of the Nine Ministers, Zongzheng Wang Hao." Gu Yanzhou said

"yes"

"Yes, he does look a bit like me. I've seen him from a distance a few times in the palace before, but he's much fatter and bloated now." Pei Linyan said.

"I have something to ask you. You and Zong Zheng are the only two people in this room from beginning to end." Gu Yanzhou said

"Yes, it's just me and Zong Zheng." The woman said, clutching her handkerchief tightly.

"I see the deceased's clothes are intact, and the food and wine are untouched. It's obvious that he didn't come here for pleasure. His entire face is black, which is obviously caused by poisoning. What abnormalities do you think this person had before his death?" Gu Yanzhou asked

"Abnormal? Oh, right. Everyone else comes here to have fun, but this person doesn't listen to music or drink wine. He just swallows pills and falls asleep early." The woman waved her hand.

"Pills?" Gu Yanzhou asked doubtfully.

Pei Linyan fumbled around and found a lacquer box in his sleeve. He opened the box and found a pill lying inside. Gu Yanzhou took it and smelled a faint smell of blood.

"Oh right, before I came in I seemed to hear someone talking in the room, saying... that the raw materials for the medicine were insufficient and they needed to find more young girls. But when I came in I only saw one person in the room, a man lying on the bed. I called out but there was no response, so I sniffed and found he was dead. My lord, I really didn't do this. This has nothing to do with me." The woman said

"That means a man disappeared out of thin air, and that man is the murderer." Pei Linyan said

"That's definitely the case," the woman said.

Gu Yanzhou looked around the room, walked to the window, then moved behind the door, and finally groped for the bed. He approached the woman carefully, looked at her, patted her shoulder and said, "You are the murderer, right?"

"Sir, why are you accusing me? Mom, please speak up." The woman said in grievance.

"Master Gu, this... Mudan is a girl in my shop. Besides, how can she, a weak woman, do this?" the madam explained.

"If it's a real peony, of course I can't do it, but if it's a fake, then killing a 70-year-old man is easy, as easy as pie. Lin Yan, do it." Gu Yanzhou said

Pei Linyan thrust his palm towards Mudan's face. Mudan dodged and countered with a powerful right palm strike. She retreated and asked, "How did you find out?"

"Look at the calluses on your hands. Which girl who greets guests has such rough hands, like a peasant woman's?" Gu Yanzhou said.

"Master Gu, you are indeed amazing. You are worthy of being the one who solved the Weiwei case. I, the Changsheng Sect, admire you. So, we will meet again in the future." The woman said

Suddenly, thick smoke filled the house, and for a moment everyone lost sight. Pei Linyan opened the window, and gradually they could see each other's faces clearly. Gu Yanzhou pulled Pei Linyan out and said, "Linyan, let's go find her."

"When you took the photo of her, it left a mark on her." Pei Linyan said

"Of course, the medicinal powder that my mother-in-law left me has helped me a lot." Gu Yanzhou said

After searching for a while, they arrived at Beimang Mountain and saw a deep and dark cave. They walked into the cave. The wind blew with the smell of blood and the stench of rotting corpses.

Suddenly, countless hidden arrows flew towards Gu Yanzhou. Pei Linyan protected Gu Yanzhou behind him, retreating and dodging. With a loud bang, the two were trapped in a cage.

"Master Gu, Master Pei, are you satisfied with this gift? I designed it carefully. I didn't expect you to be here to entertain me today. I hope you don't mind." Mudan said.

"Mudan, put down your butcher knife and become a Buddha. I advise you not to be stubborn and repent. Turn back." Gu Yanzhou said

"I put down my butcher knife, I am stubborn. Do you know why I want to kill him? Ten years ago, there was chaos at the border, and the Xiongnu moved south. I fled with my parents and sister. During that time, my sister went to work in his house, but he raped her. After that, he sold her to a brothel and tortured her. Unable to bear the humiliation, she hanged herself. My father went to the county government to file a complaint, but he ordered the county magistrate to beat my father to death. My mother was overstimulated and had lost her mind. One day, she was hit by the Zongzheng carriage on the street, breaking both legs and bleeding to death. Why do officials not speak for the people but instead exploit the people, to the point of... They disregard their own lives and play with people's lives in their hands. I ask you, Lord Gu, are they the defenders of the country or the protectors of the people? No, neither. They are just a group of parasites who enjoy privileges. They were born in glory and regard us as mortals. They suck the bones of the people and nourish their own flesh and blood; they step on my spine to pave their own privileges. I ask you, should this person be killed? Fortunately, I joined the Changsheng Sect in my hardship. The doctrine says: "All people are equal, and all crimes are punished, regardless of status; punishing evil and eliminating evil are our principles; freedom and peace are our pursuits." Mudan Road

"Then do you know what kind of remedy your sect gave to Luo Weiwei? It was the blood of a boy's heart. If your sect is really as good as you say, why would it be as careless as the noble families in taking human lives? Guess what is emitting the rotten smell deep in the cave?" Gu Yanzhou said

"I don't believe you! You're lying to me, but I won't be fooled." He walked deeper into the cave, where he saw more than a dozen female corpses piled high. A single rolled-up straw mat represented their life stories. Mudan hurried out, retching uncontrollably. Looking up, she saw Pei Linyan and Gu Yanzhou had already escaped from their cages.

"Can you see what's in the depths of the cave?" Gu Yanzhou said

The peony was still caught in endless chaos. Gu Yanzhou and Pei Linyan walked deeper into the cave. The female corpse was as gorgeous and grand as the peonies in the flower garden, blooming one by one all over the cave. When the wind blew from the corner of the wall, the fragrance filled the nose and even the brain. The peony spurted out a column of blood, like a summer rainstorm, mixed with the smell of soil. The whole face was dyed bright red, with eyeballs hanging on the hair, brain matter on the eyebrows, and blood beads on the eyelashes... The whole person was like a firecracker under the New Year, smiling and happy.

The two walked out with serious expressions, and Mudan cried, "Why is this happening? Am I really wrong?"

"First, it's wrong for corrupt officials to take human lives. Second, you want revenge but you're using the wrong means. Third, you're aiding and abetting the evil by joining a cult," Gu Yanzhou said.

"Okay, Master Gu, I'll tell you everything. The Changsheng Sect has mainly recruited poor people. Most of the people suffer at the hands of the nobles. I was only responsible for delivering medicine and running errands for Zong Zheng. I know that Zong Zheng wanted to use elixirs to ensure immortality as he aged. It seems that one of the ingredients is virgin blood, but elixirs are inherently toxic. How can they help you achieve immortality? After long-term consumption, toxins accumulated in the body, and his face turned dark blue. He believed that he was about to achieve immortality. It was ridiculous. Today, I disguised myself and tricked him into taking three times the amount of elixirs. He died of the poison." Mudan said

"Then you had so many opportunities to kill him, why did you choose today?" Pei Linyan said

"Because I have been poisoned, if I don't take action today, I will never have another chance. Lord Gu, I know that you care about the world and worry about the country and the people. Please stand up for the people and don't let the people die at the hands of the nobles." After Mudan said this, she died of poisoning.

"Lin Yan, do you think the current court is a good court?" Gu Yanzhou asked

"I only know that if everyone has food to eat and every family has a house to live in, if everyone works hard and lives happily, and if there is no war or unrest, then this is a good court," Pei Linyan said.

"Yes, only when the people live and work in peace and happiness, and everything goes well for them, will everything be worth it." Gu Yanzhou said

The wind blew through the hills, leaving behind sorrow and disturbing the entire heart. The two of them had their own thoughts.