The room fell silent, with only the sound of their breathing gradually calming down.
"Be careful lately, Ye Liusi might be up to something."
Lou Mu was taken aback when he heard Tang Nian's voice.
He wasn't a naive young man, and he quickly understood why Tang Nian said that.
He chuckled and said, "Then you're the one who should be careful."
Tang Nian snorted coldly: "If she dares to mess with me, then let her come at me."
After a moment of silence, she said, "Tomorrow, have His Highness search for Princess Huaining's whereabouts."
They used the murders of Princess Huaining and Nanyu City to lure the two people into a trap, but two days have passed and there is still no news.
Sitting idly by and waiting for death is not her style.
"Go to Song's Pharmacy first tomorrow. If there are no clues, then look for him." Lou Mu didn't want to see that annoying guy every day.
The Song family's pharmacy was famous throughout the entire Great Chu. Even if Song Shiyan died, the shopkeepers would not give up the shop so easily.
Since the theater is inaccessible during the day, investigating the pharmacy is the perfect alternative.
Tang Nian mumbled an "Mmm" in her sleep and didn't say anything more.
The next day, as soon as the two stepped out of their room, they sensed something strange about the inn.
There were fewer people in the inn than in the previous two days, and the people sitting down to eat all looked different from before.
It's normal for an inn to have a lot of people coming and going. But for the past two days, the people staying at the inn were the same, and the people eating there were pretty much the same.
Today is the final act of the opera; so many people shouldn't be leaving.
"It seems I should ask His Highness if he discovered anything yesterday."
The two were still hesitating whether they should eat something at the inn when they saw the Ye sisters come downstairs.
The two looked exhausted, as if they hadn't slept all night, and dragged their feet to Tang Nian's side.
"Did Master Tang sleep well last night?"
Tang Nian's lips curled up slightly: "You slept quite well."
The Ye sisters exchanged a glance, and before they could speak, Tang Nian continued, "Miss Ye, do you know where the Song family's pharmacy is in Jingning City?"
"Song's Pharmacy?" Ye Liusi asked warily.
"What? You haven't heard of it?" Tang Nian couldn't help but frown.
The more Ye Liusi acted this way, the more Tang Nian wanted to go.
Ye Liunian gently tugged at Ye Liusi's sleeve and spoke first: "Master Tang, you may not know this, but the Song family's pharmacy moved a long time ago, and we don't know where it is now."
"I see..." Tang Nian nodded, as if she believed their explanation.
She had originally intended to tentatively ask the Ye sisters if they wanted to go out with them, but to her surprise, the two sisters declined her invitation in unison.
Tang Nian and Lou Mu wandered aimlessly down the street.
Suddenly, a well-dressed man stopped Tang Nian.
He stared at Tang Nian's face, then bowed and asked, "Are you Master Tang?"
"Who are you?" Tang Nian turned her head and exchanged a glance with Lou Mu, both of them noticing a hint of seriousness in each other's eyes.
"I am also a Celestial Master, surnamed Ji, named Shuhe, from Jingning."
Tang Nian had vaguely heard of this name before, and out of politeness, she returned the greeting: "So you are Young Master Ji. May I ask if Young Master Ji has something important to discuss with me?"
Tang Nian has never liked dealing with Taoist priests. After she rejected several famous ones, few Taoist priests came to her again.
It's quite strange that I would encounter a Taoist master who took the initiative to talk to me today.
His gaze swept over Lou Mu, then he smiled and said, "I wonder if Master Tang would like to speak with me in private?"
"No need, he's not an outsider," Tang Nian replied directly.
In such turbulent times, it's best to be cautious.
Ji Shuhe didn't insist, so they found a teahouse and asked for a private room.
"To be honest, the reason I'm here to see you is for the sake of the people of Jingning City."
Tang Nian tapped her fingers lightly on the table: "Oh? Tell me more."
"Everyone knows that Jingning City is famous for its operas, but does Master Tang know that the original Jingning was not like this?"
Ji Shuhe paused for a moment, then continued, "About forty years ago, a theatrical troupe suddenly appeared in Jingning City. They bought a building in the best location in Jingning and named it Fuyou Theater. At first, the people found it novel. None of them expected that the appearance of the theater would change Jingning into what it is today."
"You mean every household is putting on an opera?" Tang Nian frowned. "Isn't this the people's own choice?"
Ji Shuhe gave a wry smile: "It's not their choice. Once the people who have seen the Fuyou Opera House come back, they all change. They practice at home all the time and drag those who haven't seen the opera to go with them. Before long, the whole city is like this."
"If it's just a matter of developing a liking for opera, it shouldn't cause harm to the entire city," Tang Nian said calmly.
Clearly, these people have been taken into custody, but they are still alive and their lives are not in immediate danger.
Given this, it's rather intriguing that Ji Shuhe so abruptly sought her help.
“My eyes are naturally able to see things that ordinary people cannot see, such as vital energy. These people have been working day and night, and their vital energy has long been exhausted. Now they are no different from walking corpses.”
"Has no one come to investigate?"
Such a strange thing has happened; the celestial masters of the human world should not remain inactive.
"Who will investigate?" Ji Shuhe took a sip of tea, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "The Celestial Masters? All the Celestial Masters who have come here have disappeared without a trace. How can the government withstand such evil magic?"
"Jingning City's reputation grew until ten years ago when the late emperor came. He stayed for half a month, watching plays for half a month, and neglected state affairs. Fortunately, there were still some capable officials in the court, so no trouble arose."
"Then what does your coming to see me have to do with this matter? If Jingning City is like this, then how did you become a Celestial Master?"
Tang Nian stared intently into Ji Shuhe's eyes, not missing a single detail.
"Did Master Tang really not see it?" Ji Shuhe leaned back in his chair, looking at the two people opposite him with a smile.
Tang Nian didn't say anything.
Lou Mu, however, secretly transmitted his voice to Tang Nian.
"He is half-human and half-demon, but it seems that his demon bloodline has been sealed."
Tang Nian sat up straight, rested her elbows on the table, and looked Ji Shuhe up and down.
“It seems Young Master Lou has already guessed.” Ji Shuhe didn’t keep him in suspense any longer. “I am the child born of a human and a crane.”
Cranes, no wonder.
Although the crane has the word "immortal" in its name and is a beloved pet of the immortals on Kunlun Mountain, thus possessing an ethereal aura, it is ultimately still a demon.
It's normal that Tang Nian, a ferocious beast that hadn't fully recovered its magical power, didn't discover that it had human blood in it and that this was being deliberately concealed.
Tang Nian raised an eyebrow slightly: "Then can you tell me your purpose?"
"My purpose is exactly what I told you."
Ji Shuhe's eyes were full of seriousness: "To be honest, I also have my own selfish reasons. My home is in Jingning, and the people of Jingning have treated me well. I can't just watch them die."
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