Chapter 103 Keep bragging!
The lanterns in Xinluofang had just been lit not long ago. Pei Zhiwei, carrying a bunch of random things, watched Xie Ji haggling with a Xinluofang vendor selling candied hawthorns by the roadside and couldn't help but laugh.
"You're haggling with someone for two coins? Aren't you afraid of embarrassing your father if word gets out?"
Xie Ji's eyes darted around quickly and slyly. "You don't understand. The fun of bargaining isn't about how much money you save, it's about the exhilarating feeling of leaving the shopkeeper speechless."
As he spoke, he took a vicious bite of the candied hawthorn he had bargained for, and his gaze suddenly fell on the sachet hanging from Pei Zhiwei's waist.
"You actually wear this sachet on your body?" Xie Ji raised an eyebrow and reached out to touch it, but Pei Zhiwei nimbly dodged him.
"I think this thing is just so-so. The embroidery is just average, and the scent inside is weird. It's neither sweet nor bland. You really like this kind of thing?"
Pei Zhiwei also glanced around furtively, then pulled him and Xiao Yunzhan closer, whispering, "Do you know what the incense in here is called?"
"What other rules could there be?" Xie Ji said nonchalantly, chewing on a candied hawthorn.
"I think you've been fooled by that shop owner. What expensive spices? They're no different from the sachets sold on the street corner."
Pei Zhiwei: "This is really different; this is called 'Guiding Incense'."
With a doting smile on his face, Xiao Yunzhan whispered, "Guiding Incense?"
Xie Ji spat out two red fruit pits. "What does this mean? Could this incense possibly guide us?"
Pei Zhiwei smugly waved her index finger from side to side in front of him, “It’s not just about giving directions.”
This incense is made with special ingredients; once you get it on, the fragrance will linger for three days.
A trained person can find the trail by following the scent.
Hence the name "Guiding Incense".
Xiao Yunzhan: "You are an expert in trace evidence examination, and you also know tracking techniques? I've never heard you mention that before."
Pei Zhiwei simply smiled and did not answer directly.
Seeing that she didn't answer, Xiao Yunzhan knew that she not only knew how to do it, but was also very proficient in it, so he asked again, "If it were you, how far could you go with this incense?"
Pei Zhiwei couldn't help but smile and held up five fingers.
"Five days?" Xie Ji jumped up and bit off the last red fruit.
He mumbled indistinctly, "You're bragging! Even a hunting dog might not be able to smell it after five days."
What? You're even more formidable than a hunting dog?
Pei Zhiwei made a face at him, "Believe it or not."
She put away her joking expression and looked at Xiao Yunzhan, "Let's get down to business. We've seen enough of the surface areas. Based on this item, we can't go to any more secluded places."
So it seems we won't be able to find anything out about Xinluofang today.
Xiao Yunzhan nodded, his gaze shifting from the sachet to the surrounding crowd: "Besides, since we have this on us, we can't just take the carriage back directly."
“Yes.” Pei Zhiwei had the same thought.
"Why don't we split up and go somewhere crowded, mix up the smells, and then go home separately? See you at home then."
As soon as he said "See you at home," Xiao Yunzhan's heart skipped a beat.
He couldn't help but smile, his gaze falling on Pei Zhiwei, his mind repeatedly swirling the words "See you at home."
Xie Ji didn't notice his odd behavior. "Alright, I was just thinking of checking out that restaurant up ahead. I heard their drunken crab is pretty good."
Pei Zhiwei didn't say anything more, nodded to the two of them, and turned to walk towards the alley entrance to the east.
There happened to be a market there, bustling with people, perfect for stirring up trouble.
Xiao Yunzhan watched her figure disappear into the crowd before turning and walking west, while Xie Ji skipped and hopped towards the restaurant to the north.
Pei Zhiwei wandered around the market for a while before finally returning to the villa, only to find that Xie Ji and Xiao Yunzhan had not yet returned.
He went to the guest room to find Xiaodouzi, who was sitting at the table eating a meat bun.
“Little Bean,” she said, placing a paper package on the table containing the sweet cakes she had just bought at the market.
"Do me a favor. Didn't you say that the brothers of the Beggars' Den are all over Yangdu?"
Could you please find out if any of your people live in Xinluofang?
I need some inside help.
Little Bean's eyes lit up. He picked up a piece of sugar cake, stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled, "It's not easy to get into Xinluofang, but I've got your back!"
I'll go find my brothers right now, I promise I'll get back to you tomorrow!
Pei Zhiwei patted his head and then went to Lu Yinzhou's residence.
Lu Yinzhou was sitting in the courtyard drinking tea. When he saw her come in, he pointed to the stone bench opposite him and said, "Sit down. Just got back from Xinluofang?"
It's covered in such a strong guiding incense.
Pei Zhiwei sat down and told him the general events that had occurred at the Xu residence that day, but discreetly omitted the details related to the canal transport.
"Grandpa Lu, I'd like to go to Xinluofang tonight. Among the places Wang gave us, the Xinluo Chamber of Commerce and Xinluo Pavilion are the main attractions."
"But if the streets of Silla Ward are already like this, the security there must be even tighter. I'd like to ask you to come with me, so we can keep each other company."
Lu Yinzhou put down his teacup, his eyes full of smiles: "You're a good girl. You know not to be arrogant at such a young age. Just based on that, you're already much better than your mother."
Okay, I'll go with you.
However, they should set off again at 3:45 AM, when there are fewer people on the streets and the guards are more likely to get sleepy.
Pei Zhiwei listened with amusement as the old man made fun of her mother again, thinking to herself how stubborn her mother must have been to make this old man hold a grudge to this day.
After discussing some details of the nighttime raid with him, I returned to my room.
Pei Zhiwei boiled some Atractylodes lancea water, poured it into the bathtub, took off her outer clothes, and sat inside.
The warm water, carrying the fragrance of Atractylodes lancea, slowly washes away the scent of the herb and the fatigue of the day.
She leaned against the tub, thinking about what had happened in Xinluofang earlier. Why were the people there so wary of outsiders? The secrets hidden in Xinluofang must be quite significant, otherwise why would they be so paranoid?
Especially at the Silla Pavilion, the guards at the entrance, though dressed plainly, stood with an air of discipline, not like simple martial arts practitioners. Could they be soldiers of Silla?
Xinluofang at the third quarter of the hour of Chou (1-3 AM).
Lu Yinzhou's bright eyes peeked out from behind the roof ridge. After observing for a while, he made a gesture to Pei Zhiwei.
Pei Zhiwei lightly leaped onto the wall with her toes and followed behind him, heading towards the Silla Chamber of Commerce.
Several oil lamps were lit in the main hall of the chamber of commerce, their dim yellow light shining through the windows.
Pei Zhiwei leaned against the window and looked inside. There was a man dressed in Silla clothing sitting at a table with a book in his hands, his abacus rattling loudly.
"Go to the warehouse," Lu Yinzhou mouthed to her.
Pei Zhiwei nodded and followed.
The two went around to the backyard. The warehouse door was locked. Lu Yinzhou pulled a wire from his sleeve and inserted it into the keyhole. With a click, the lock opened.
The two slipped inside, where the room was filled with boxes.
Pei Zhiwei casually opened a few boxes, and they were full of silk and some porcelain, looking no different from ordinary goods.
She opened several more boxes, some containing medicinal herbs and others containing tea, all of which were quite ordinary.
Pei Zhiwei frowned. Given Wang's scheming nature and her current situation, she certainly wouldn't lie to her.
So the information is definitely not wrong, it's just hidden more discreetly, or perhaps it's not in the Chamber of Commerce but in the Silla Hall.
At this moment, Lu Yinzhou gestured: "Secret Chamber!"
Lu Yinzhou walked to the corner of the warehouse and tapped on the wall.
When the sound reached the innermost wall, it suddenly changed, sounding hollow.
After looking around, he pinpointed the inconspicuous box in the corner, gave it a hard push with his foot, and the wall slowly slid open, revealing a dark compartment.
Inside was a wooden box. Pei Zhiwei opened it and found several letters and a booklet inside.
Just as she was about to take out the letter, she suddenly heard footsteps outside.
Lu Yinzhou quickly pushed the hidden compartment back and hid behind a pile of boxes on either side of Pei Zhiwei.
The footsteps grew closer, and two guards carrying lanterns entered. They circled the warehouse, muttering something under their breath, presumably checking for anything unusual.
Pei Zhiwei held her breath and slowly gripped the dagger.
The guard's lantern shone on the box, which was only a few steps away from them.
The light drew even closer.
Lu Yinzhou secretly took out a silver needle from his pocket, planning to strike first and knock them unconscious as soon as the light got any closer.
Fortunately, the guard watched for a while, found nothing, turned around and walked out, locking the warehouse door behind him.
The two waited until the footsteps faded into the distance before emerging from behind the box.
Lu Yinzhou tucked the letters and booklets from the wooden box into his pocket, then pulled Pei Zhiwei out the back door and slipped away, heading towards the Xinluo Pavilion.
The Silla Hall was much larger than the Silla Chamber of Commerce, and there were two guards standing at the entrance, each holding a knife.
Lu Yinzhou pointed to a large tree next to them. The two quietly went around to the back of the tree, used their lightness skills to leap onto the tree, and then leaped again, landing silently on the roof of the Xinluo Pavilion.
Several rooms in the courtyard of the Silla Palace had lights on. The window of one of the rooms was not closed properly, and you could see several people talking inside.
"Let's go check out that room with the light on," Lu Yinzhou said in a low voice, pointing to the room with the window not fully closed.
The two jumped down from the roof ridge and, using the shadows at the base of the wall, crouched low as they made their way to the house.
Even before she got close, she could vaguely hear them arguing, but they were speaking Silla, which she couldn't understand. Judging from their tone, it must have been a very heated argument.
Just as I reached the window, I suddenly heard the sound of porcelain breaking inside, followed by a shout. Then, someone kicked the door open and came out.
Pei Zhiwei quickly pulled Lu Yinzhou up onto the roof and held her breath.
The man walked into the courtyard, seemingly still angry, then turned back and pointed at the people inside the house, shouting and cursing.
Pei Zhiwei quietly looked down and, using the light shining from inside the room, took a look at the person's face.
Her heart skipped a beat; she recognized that face!
That was when Xiao Yunzhan was in Suzhou. He drew the portrait based on the confession of Zhu Qing, the deputy leader of the Taihu Gang.
The person who followed the people from Liu's Pharmacy to the Taihu Gang branch and took away those girls was this one!
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