Just two miles outside the city, after passing through a dense forest, the horse had barely entered the woods when it encountered two men wearing straw hats hurrying into Longyang Town.

Lan Yamei only glanced back, then ignored it and headed straight for Lin'an.

Upon arriving at the Lin'an Prefectural Government Office, they found it in complete chaos. Numerous people had been arrested in recent days and were now imprisoned. The once-empty prison cells were now overflowing with people. Furthermore, Hua Yuhe had been assassinated in the prison at a crucial moment, prompting the Emperor to temporarily dispatch about a hundred guards to assist. The courtyard of the Prefectural Government Office was now teeming with people.

Lan Yamei stopped a passing yamen runner and inquired, only to learn that after three or four days of interrogation, some unsuspecting prostitutes had been released. These people were going through the final signing and fingerprinting procedures, and instead of chattering and making a fuss, they all looked bewildered.

Yes, Hua Manlou has been shut down! Hua Yuhe is dead! Where can these unclean women go after leaving the government office? So many people who had completed the formalities did not leave immediately, but gathered in twos and threes to discuss something.

Lan Yamei didn't care and continued walking inside, where she happened to meet Qiu Zeyu coming out.

The two locked eyes, and before Lan Yamei could speak, Qiu Zeyu grabbed her and headed out of the yamen. Lan Yamei didn't dare say anything and just followed him. They stopped at a small food stall with few customers, sat down, and ordered two bowls of mutton offal soup.

"How's your injury?" Lan Yamei's first thought was of his still-healing wound.

"Having roamed the martial world for many years, this little injury will heal with a good night's sleep. Are you two alright?" Qiu Zeyu asked casually, as if he were completely confident.

"It's good that you're alright. Did you go to Xuzhou yesterday?" Lan Yamei was particularly curious about what happened afterward.

"Yeah, I knew you guys were in trouble in Xuzhou, so I went over and got into a fight. I was a bit busy, so I didn't show my face. Who picked you up? Was it that kid Murong Xingchen?" Qiu Zeyu asked, sipping his soup.

"He arrived just in time, we're fine. How did you know we were in Xuzhou?" Lan Yamei couldn't understand.

"Beneath the calm surface lies hidden danger, the less you know, the better. I want to know less too, but I have no choice. Whether in the martial world or the imperial court, being a content and happy commoner is the greatest happiness." Qiu Zeyu said jokingly, but seeing Lan Yamei's worried frown, he changed the subject, "Just focus on your business. With me here, I'll ensure your safety. Of course, if you don't want to run the shop anymore, come back to Qiu Ming Manor with me. If you can't bear to leave them, take them with you; I can afford to support them." He then gulped down his soup.

Lamb offal soup is so delicious in winter; a sip of the broth makes you feel comfortable from head to toe.

Lan Yamei was speechless for a moment, and her eyes welled up with tears.

From her past life to this one, she had never been protected so fiercely by a man. In this chaotic world, she could do whatever she wanted without worrying about her safety or going hungry. If they weren't on a bustling street, she would have loved to kiss this man passionately. Biting her lower lip, she picked up her bowl, took a large gulp of mutton soup, sighed deeply, and said, "Don't worry, I'm not someone to be trifled with either."

"Aren't you afraid?" Qiu Zeyu was a little surprised. Under such circumstances, an ordinary girl would have blushed with embarrassment long ago.

"What's there to be afraid of with you here?" Lan Yamei said confidently.

They looked at each other and burst into laughter. They had never said "I like you" or "I love you," but they had always silently stayed by each other's side, doing things out of love, protecting each other, and thinking of each other's needs—this was the truest form of love.

Lan Yamei was still very curious, so she leaned closer and whispered, "Did they catch Nanfang Nan?"

Qiu Zeyu glanced around warily before looking at her gossipy face and whispering, "He's of royal blood, we can't arrest him."

Then he sat up straight, covered his chest, and pretended to feel a little stuffy.

"What's wrong with you?" Lan Yamei was startled and quickly reached out to help her, her heart pounding in her throat.

Qiu Zeyu laughed and said, "Just kidding."

Lan Ya Mei was so angry that she punched him twice and then ignored him.

He then said, "There will inevitably be some turmoil in the martial world these days, so try not to go out. I have some important matters to attend to these days, and I will come back to see you when I have some free time."

Lan Yamei then said in a serious tone, "The martial arts manual that Yangyang's family kept has been found, and it's in my hands."

Qiu Zeyu was so shocked that he didn't move.

Lan Yamei asked, "You know?"

Qiu Zeyu didn't speak, his face instantly filled with worry. "I've had my suspicions, but I don't want to think about it that way. That thing is a hot potato; whoever gets it will inevitably face a bloodbath. Everyone in the martial arts world is fighting over it, even to the death. Now that it's been exposed, it might not be a good thing."

This was in line with Lan Yamei's idea, so she said, "I've already figured out what to do, so don't worry." Then she whispered something in his ear.

Qiu Zeyu asked incredulously, "How confident are you?"

"Ten out of ten!" Lan Yamei said decisively.

"Okay, I'll protect you secretly."

Just as the two were about to get up and leave, they encountered Murong Feng riding by with his guards.

Murong Feng, with his sharp eyes, spotted the two. He reined in his horse, stopped, clasped his hands in greeting, and said with a loud laugh, "Hero Qiu! Manager Lan! What a coincidence to meet you here."

Qiu Zeyu returned the greeting with clasped hands, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Lord Murong seems to be in a good mood. Is there some good news?"

"I heard that Nanfang Nan has been captured and his underground organization has been completely eradicated. Isn't that good news?" Murong Feng said with a smile. "I'm on my way to see His Majesty to discuss the follow-up matters."

Qiu Zeyu smiled slightly and said, "Such great news! Then I won't disturb you any longer while you're on your business."

Murong Feng smiled, clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed to the two men, and rode away.

"Didn't they say we can't arrest them?" Lan Yamei asked, puzzled.

"It seems someone doesn't want to cover up the truth. You should return to Longyang Town quickly; I have urgent business to attend to immediately."

Lan Ya Mei couldn't stop him and could only watch him disappear into the crowd. She turned around to go to the yamen to retrieve her horse, and just as she was about to leave, she was stopped by a group of little beggars who were begging for money.

The little beggars looked to be about seven or eight years old, all of them thin and ragged. I couldn't bear to see them like that, so I took out a few pieces of silver and threw them to them.

The children swarmed and jostled, startling the horses, who neighed and fought amongst themselves without giving way.

Lan Yamei had an idea. She said to the little beggars, "If you want more money, do me a favor."

He ordered two pots of steamed buns from the roadside for the little beggars to eat, while he waited on the side for the fortune teller to write the notice.

The notice read:

Heroes from all walks of life:

Greetings! I am the big winner! I possess a treasure long lost to the martial world. Its appearance will surely cause turmoil and bloodshed. Whoever obtains this treasure will ultimately dominate the martial arts world—you've probably guessed it by now. Unfortunately, I'm short of money and have to sell it to make ends meet, so the highest bidder wins! A friendly reminder: the key to this treasure is lost; it requires three jade pendants to open. It's an incomplete item, hence the starting price of 100,000 taels of silver. The auction will be held in three days, at sunset, at the Flower Pavilion! Highest bidder wins!