Qinghe Lane: "Alright, then Fourth Brother will take you through this capital city..."

The old man, who had been drunk with glazed eyes, was no longer intoxicated. He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Who are you?"

Chu Yening casually took another step forward, now firmly shielding Qin Weixi behind him. He laughed, "Who we are is unimportant; what matters is that I want Woxue Pavilion to...disappear from this world!"

A moment of grief flashed in the old man's eyes, his gaze filled with sorrow, but he remained silent for a long time.

Upon seeing this, Qin Weixi exchanged a glance with Chu Yening, and made as if to walk towards the door. She said, "Uncle, I'm afraid none of the people in that theater are kind. We came here today at great risk. If you don't want to talk about it, just pretend we were never here, and that we've never seen you." She sighed softly as she said this.

Songyang had already gone to the courtyard to fetch the horse when the old man suddenly said, "I saw you all on the platform today." He leaned against the windowsill with his rough, cracked hand, his voice tinged with helplessness: "The teahouse owner was my benefactor. When I came to the capital to visit relatives, I learned that they had already passed away. On my way home, I encountered a group of robbers. I was penniless at the time, and I was running around trying to find a government official after being cheated by a broker."

"He noticed that I was dressed in neat clothes, but staring at the meat buns by the roadside. He took a closer look. Later, after learning about the old man's plight, he took me to a teahouse. Just then, my benefactor and the cunning broker finished their lawsuit. The old tea merchant opened the teahouse. But a few days later, my benefactor died mysteriously overnight. It was only then that the old man learned that his benefactor had an adopted son."

The old man, his expression filled with grief, said, “At the time, I didn’t know why, but my benefactor’s funeral was handled unusually quickly. I found it strange. When my benefactor took back the teahouse, he was going to Jiangnan to buy tea, and he was even thinking that if business was good this year, he would raise the wages of us odd-job workers. But his adopted son told us, the people who worked in the teahouse, that his father was literally angered to death.”

The old man's bright eyes gradually dimmed: "Later, the old man saw that the teahouse quickly turned into a theater. One day, he even saw him talking with a man in official robes outside his benefactor's former residence. The old man felt that his benefactor's death was very suspicious, but at that time, all the other laborers except the old man had taken their generous wages and left. The old man had no choice but to make a scene outside the theater after the opening of the Woxue Pavilion, and was therefore severely beaten. Later, the old man began to feign madness and wait for an opportunity..."

Qin Weixi and Chu Yening listened silently the whole time. When they heard the old man mention people in official robes, they exchanged a glance.

Qin Weixi asked, "Uncle, did you get a good look at the style or appearance of that person in official robes? Was there anything unusual about them?"

The old man looked at the young girl who was looking at him with gentle manners and bright eyes. He smiled kindly and said, "It was late at night. I wanted to go back to the theater to find out what was going on. The man had his back to me and I couldn't see his face. I only remember that he was wearing a hat and got off the carriage, stepping on someone's back. Several other people were bending over to help him. He looked very noble."

Those are people in high positions.

Chu Yening suddenly spoke up, "If I showed you this person's back, would you recognize him?"

The old man gave a wry smile and shook his head: "Not necessarily. My attention was all on that adopted son at the time."

Qin Weixi asked, "Is that adopted son the Third Master Fang who runs that theater now?"

The old man nodded: "He was the one who bought that teahouse as an adopted son."

"So you've never seen him before? And the old tea merchant never mentioned him to you?"

The old man shook his head: "Never."

The two exchanged another glance, understanding each other perfectly. This Master Fang might not actually be the old tea merchant's adopted son.

Chu Yening pondered for a moment, then ordered Songyang to move the rattan chair in front of the old man and let him sit down.

"Old man, do you still remember the fire that happened at the theater ten years ago?"

The old man was momentarily stunned, then fell into recollection, and after a long while said, "...it seems that several pitiful people were burned to death at that time."

Chu Yening changed the subject, looking at the wine gourd that the old man had just dropped in the flower bushes: "Does this Third Master Fang often come to bring you wine?"

The old man narrowed his eyes upon hearing this and snorted, "He was following me. In previous years, he would send someone to deliver wine every ten days or so, but gradually he stopped coming. Perhaps he thought that I was no longer a threat to him. Since he didn't come to deliver it, I had to ask for it myself!"

"However, the theater suffered a great fire back then, and for nearly two months, Master Fang was too busy to send anyone to follow you." The old man pondered for a moment: "At that time, there was a pitiful woman named Bai Sheng who was burned very badly. When I heard that something had happened at Woxue Pavilion, I went to see her under the pretense of being drunk. I heard from the neighbors that the pitiful woman was burned beyond recognition."

"That woman seemed to be very popular with the audience, and the theater was deserted for a while because of it. Later, another woman who was no less than Bai Sheng came and called..." The old man thought for a moment, "She called Ma Lianren. One night, I openly went to ask Master Fang for wine, but secretly I wanted to follow him. I saw Master Fang go to Ma Lianren's residence. Later, after Master Fang left, Ma Lianren actually started performing on the deserted street. How strange!"

Qin Weixi asked calmly, "Uncle, have you ever seen Bai Sheng?"

The old man nodded: "I've only met her once. Logically speaking, an old man wouldn't pay much attention to a pitiful person. But the pitiful person turns out to be lame."

Limping...

The two immediately understood that Bai Sheng was the same person Gao Jian had seen meeting Li Mou outside Woxue Pavilion that day.

The old man continued, “But nowadays, few people mention Bai Sheng anymore. Nowadays, everyone talks about Ma Lianren, who can sing opera. Ma Lianren is extremely handsome and often dresses as a woman. But he only sings one song a day and goes home before nightfall. I originally wanted to use the excuse of asking for wine to investigate the strange circumstances of my benefactor’s death that night and to get to know his adopted son, Master Fang, better. That day, I happened to see Ma Lianren being harassed by a prince, and Master Fang even arranged guards for him.”

Ma Lianren...

The two instantly recalled the beautiful woman who had performed on the stage of the Snow Pavilion earlier that day, while the audience in the hall were all captivated by her performance and cheered her on repeatedly.

The two said in unison, "Let's go!"

Qin Weixi bowed to the old man, his eyes clear and his lips curved into a smile, and said, "Uncle, thank you. Your benefactor in heaven will surely be pleased to know that you have been thinking about this matter for so many years."

The old man waved his hand, walked unsteadily into the house, and sighed with his back to the two of them, "Even an old man like me knows so much. Young man, young lady, take care."

After shaking off the tail of Woxue Pavilion, Jiuqu and Queshezi abandoned their carriages and headed to Zhuyu Lane. Jiuqu stepped forward and said, "My lord, our scouts have found out. Our men have gone to the pharmacy, the clothing store, and the cloth shop. We only found out at the cloth shop. The shopkeeper said that in previous years, people would come to order several sets of clothes every season, but they haven't come for the past two years."

Do you know where they went?

Jiuqu shook his head: "That man always went to collect it late at night, paying three times more money than others, exchanging clothes only through a door. But the shopkeeper said that one day he took a closer look and he wasn't lame."

Chu Yening suddenly smiled and said, "Interesting, very interesting indeed." He turned to Qin Weixi and smiled, "Seventh Sister, it seems this situation involves many people!"

Songyang went to ask the old man, Ma Lianren, where he was staying, and then brought back horses. Chu Yening said, "Go to Qinghe Lane."

The three of them bowed in agreement, and Jiuqu exclaimed in surprise, "Good heavens, that's an alley where rich people live."

Chu Yening called to Queshe: "Go to the Luo residence and deliver a message to Brother Luo."

Que She accepted the order and left. Qin Weixi smiled, her eyes crinkling at the news.

Zi Jin approached Qin Weixi, knowing that her presence here today must mean that there was some progress on the matter from back then. She held Qin Weixi's hand tightly and said, "Miss, Zi Jin will definitely protect you."

Qin Weixi smiled and said, "Zijin, first and foremost, you must protect yourself."

Chu Yening had already mounted his horse. Qin Weixi saw that there were four fine horses left in front of her and was about to ride with Zijin when Chu Yening reached out a hand. This time, he did not grab her around the waist in a slightly domineering manner, but asked, "Qin Luo, do you trust your fourth brother?"

Qin Weixi looked at the person on horseback, at that face that was no longer as immature as it had been in his youth, and smiled, "I believe you."

"Alright, then your fourth brother will take you to turn this capital city upside down!" He grasped her outstretched hand with one hand, then gently pulled her onto the horse with the other, and the six of them rode away at full speed under the cover of night.

It was already dusk, and the group stopped at the entrance of Qinghe Lane in the city. Looking around, they could see a very grand mansion hidden in the lane.

As soon as the group leaped onto the roof, Zijin reached for the sword that Jiuqu had brought with him at his waist, while Jiuqu and Songyang gazed into the distance with wary eyes.

Suddenly, a faint sound came from behind. Jiuqu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He was about to draw his dagger and slash at the man's neck when he saw that it was Queshe who had returned. Behind him were Tao Qingyun and Jiang Yuanjun, the crown prince who should have been in the Eastern Palace at the time.

The group bowed, and Chu Yening glanced back at them, only smiling and remaining silent.

Qin Weixi said, "Third Brother, Fifth Brother, what brings you here?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuanjun said in a low voice, "We've always been in this together. We'll face danger together. We happened to hear about this at the Luo residence. My brother wanted to come, so my cousin and I kept him inside."

Tao Qingyun chuckled softly, "A-Ling is a man of great things; it's best not to let him get involved unless absolutely necessary." As he spoke, he moved the small bundle he was carrying on his back to the front and gently opened it, "Now's the time to use me, isn't it?"

Qin Weixi asked softly, "Third Brother, what did you bring?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuanjun turned around to look. When they came out, no one had noticed that he was carrying a small bundle.

Chu Yening also turned to look at him.

Tao Qingyun laughed, "My precious clairvoyant blanket." He whispered to Songyang, "Quickly, catch it."

Qin Weixi then pointed to a small cloth bag, about the size of a palm, inside the bundle: "What's that?"

Tao Qingyun's smile widened: "Illusion Powder! It can confuse the enemy. If you encounter danger, just say it's poisonous, and see if they back down. Better safe than sorry." He cleared his throat and chuckled as he looked at the stares that were directed at him. "This is just lime powder, alright?"

Tao Qingyun looked into the courtyard again and saw that the garden had everything one could need, with small bridges and flowing water, built in a style reminiscent of a Suzhou garden. She secretly muttered to herself, "This little thief really knows how to live a good life."

Just then, Songyang said softly, "My lord, we've made a discovery."

Upon hearing the sound, the group looked up and saw that two rooms in the pitch-black house were now illuminated.

Sparrow Tongue said, "It's the back kitchen."

Before long, several middle-aged female servants dressed as cooks came out of the kitchen. Each of them had a food box on their arm and a burning incense stick in their hand. They stood in the open space and bowed three times to the surrounding area of ​​the house.

It's very strange.