Xu Yuehuai smiled slightly and said, "I have come today to inquire about some things from you two. I wonder if you have noticed some particularly ruthless people active in the capital recently?"

The two guests exchanged a glance, and one of them nodded, saying, "Young lady, you are indeed very perceptive. Recently, there have indeed been many particularly fierce-looking people active in the capital. They are elusive and often appear in remote places."

Xu Yuehuai's heart skipped a beat; she felt that this was very likely related to those assassins.

She continued, "Do the two of you know exactly where they appeared?"

The two guests thought for a moment, and one of them said, "They often appear near a ruin in the north of the city. It has been abandoned for a long time and few people go there. If you are interested, young lady, you can go and take a look."

Xu Yuehuai quickly thanked them, saying, "Thank you both for telling me. I will go and investigate right away."

After saying that, she turned around and winked at Xiao Rui and the others.

Xiao Rui and the others understood and immediately got up to follow Xu Yuehuai out of the teahouse.

The group arrived near the ruins in the north of the city. The area was desolate, overgrown with weeds, and occasionally the roars of wild beasts could be heard.

"Sir, are we really going to go in?" Xiao Rui asked hesitantly.

Xu Yuehuai: "We must go in and take a look. Only in this way can we find the whereabouts of those assassins."

After saying that, Xu Yuehuai took the lead and stepped into the ruins. She carefully avoided the rubble and weeds on the ground, afraid of making a sound that would alert the assassins.

Xiao Rui and the others followed in turn, their swords and knives gripped tightly, showing that they were well-trained.

After searching for a while, they finally discovered a hidden cave.

The cave entrance was covered by a pile of rocks and weeds, and it was difficult to spot without careful observation.

"This is it," Xu Yuehuai said. "Let's go in and take a look."

She crawled into the cave, while Xiao Rui and the others behind her held torches to light the way ahead.

The cave was dark and damp, and the air was filled with an unpleasant smell.

They would sometimes crouch down to examine the marks on the ground, and sometimes listen carefully to the sounds around them.

However, when they reached the depths of the cave, they found it deserted.

Xu Yuehuai couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She knew that the assassin organization must have moved its location.

She looked at the empty cavern. "Let's go. This assassin organization must still be somewhere in the capital. We must continue our pursuit until we find them."

Then, she turned around and led Xiao Rui and the others away from the cave.

Back at the market, the lights were already on, and the aromas of various snacks and goods mingled together, creating a unique nighttime atmosphere.

However, Xu Yuehuai had no time to savor these thoughts; her heart was filled with vigilance towards the assassin and a yearning for the truth.

She led her men through the crowd like a black whirlwind, silently sweeping across every possible corner.

When the merchants saw her approaching, they all smiled respectfully, knowing that this female official was not only intelligent but also fair, and always able to uphold justice for them.

Xu Yuehuai walked up to a stall selling medicinal herbs and noticed that the vendor's eyes were somewhat shifty.

She smiled slightly, stepped forward, and asked softly, "Sir, there have been some people lurking in Chengdu lately. Have you seen them?"

The vendor hesitated for a moment, looked around, and seeing that no one was paying attention to them, said in a low voice, "Young lady, I have indeed seen these people you asked about a few times. Every time they come, they wear straw hats, covering themselves completely, and they always buy some strange medicinal herbs. They don't seem like good people."

Xu Yuehuai then asked, "Do you know what kind of medicinal herbs they bought? Are there any special characteristics?"

The vendor thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I don't know about that. They always buy a lot of medicinal herbs each time, and they buy them in batches, not all on the same day. Most of them are very common herbs that ordinary people can buy, so there's nothing special about them."

Although no concrete clues were found, Xu Yuehuai had already sensed a glimmer of hope.

She knew that if these assassins needed the medicinal herbs, they must have a reason for doing so.

If we follow this clue, we might be able to find their real hiding place.

She thanked the merchant and led her men to explore other places.

During this time, they explored almost every corner of the market.

However, they found no other useful information.

...

As night fell, the palace lights twinkled like stars, illuminating the entire palace. Xu Yuehuai sat on the main seat in the magnificent hall, her eyes sharp as knives, sweeping across the faces of each of her subordinates.

Inside the main hall, everyone held their breath, awaiting her next instructions.

“We searched the market for a long time today, and the shadows of those assassins seem to be lingering in the shadows of the capital,” Xu Yuehuai’s voice was deep and firm, like a sharp sword piercing through thick fog. “They are elusive and ghostly, but we cannot back down because of this.”

Xiao Rui was the first to step forward: "What you say is absolutely right, sir. We must wipe out these assassins in one fell swoop and protect the peace of the capital."

"We absolutely must wipe them all out!" Xiao Liu and his men echoed.

Xu Yuehuai nodded slightly, affirming everyone's determination.

“Next, we need to develop a detailed plan.” Xu Yuehuai frowned, seemingly considering the best course of action. “We need to divide into several groups, each responsible for a specific area of ​​the capital, to conduct a thorough search. At the same time, we need to strengthen the defenses of the palace to ensure that those assassins cannot take advantage of the situation to cause trouble.”

“I suggest dividing the area around the palace into four zones, with each zone managed by a small team,” Xiao Rui proposed. “At the same time, we can use spies and informants to gather clues in the markets and alleyways.”

“That’s a good idea,” Xu Yuehua nodded in approval. “Then, you will be in charge of arranging these matters.”

Xiao Rui cupped his hands and said, "Alright! Rest assured, sir, everything will go smoothly!"

Then, he led Xiao Liu and the others away.

As night deepened, the lights in the main hall gradually went out, leaving only the light still on in Xu Yuehuai's room. She sat alone at the table, deep in thought about her next course of action. Suddenly, a soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Who?" Xu Yuehuai's voice carried a hint of wariness.

"It's me, Yan Qing," a familiar voice came from outside the door. "I heard you were back, so I came to see you."

Xu Yuehuai opened the door and saw Yan Qing standing there. Although his face was pale, he was still in good spirits. She waved for Yan Qing to enter the room.