The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 593 Excuses
Lu Wushuang sheathed his sword.

Her guess was right; there were bones beneath the flowers, densely packed and overlapping, making it difficult for her to thrust the sword all the way in.

Looking around, there are dozens of flowers, trees, and shrubs in the courtyard that are growing exceptionally well, just like the flowerbeds in front of us.

Lu Wushuang sighed.

Although I had expected it, I was still disappointed when it was confirmed.

The family member died.

Judging from the state of the dilapidated state of the courtyard, it is estimated that after Nanako left Kyoto, the family was murdered and their bodies were buried directly in the courtyard.

Dozens of corpses, probably including even the household servants, were buried so naturally that the ground was dug very deep. If it weren't for these flowers and plants, Lu Wushuang would never have discovered the corpses.

"A repeat offender."

Lu Wushuang thought to herself.

"Marriage alliance... How could someone with ties to Shintoism marry an ordinary wealthy merchant?"

There could be two reasons.

"Firstly, this family, like Nanako's family, was also associated with Shintoism and was killed for some reason."

"Secondly, this family is just an ordinary wealthy merchant family. Someone wants to use the marriage to do something... or the marriage is just a pretext or cover-up."

Lu Wushuang slowly walked into the house.

A layer of dust had accumulated on the ground. Lu Wushuang looked around, then drew his sword and cleaved open a crack in the window. Sure enough, he found dried bloodstains inside.

The room was covered with traces like these. Lu Wushuang checked the other rooms but only found a small amount of bloodstains, so she came back.

"This is where the murder took place. It was thoroughly cleaned up afterwards... There were no signs of a struggle, and the family did not put up a fight."

Lu Wushuang looked around.

"This place... should be where guests are received. The bloodstains indicate that most of the killings took place here."

"Entertaining guests..."

“Those who died in other rooms must have been servants and maids, but here the bloodstains are so dense, and there are no signs of a struggle or escape…”

"This family came here together to entertain guests, and then they were suddenly attacked and died tragically here."

"Those who require the whole family to come out to greet them are either distinguished guests whose status is far higher than that of this family, or... they must be very close friends."

“If it’s the former, then Shintoism is openly sending people to silence us… but if they’re openly silencing us, they wouldn’t be hiding the body.”

So... it's the latter.

A guess popped into Lu Wushuang's mind.

"Perhaps he is Nanako's father."

“Someone who can get involved with Shintoism shouldn’t be unable to keep an eye on Nanako… unless her departure was deliberately condoned.”

Several months have passed since Nanako left, and the traces here have been deliberately cleaned up, making it difficult to obtain other clues. Therefore, Lu Wushuang began to deduce based on the limited clues and guesses.

"Assuming Nanako's family is innocent."

"Then this marriage was probably designed to lure Nanako away."

"After her father deliberately allowed Nanako to escape, the Shinto Church realized something was wrong and began to silence her. On that day, Nanako's father was probably here to apologize to his marriage partner because of Nanako's escape."

"But this apology was a trap set by Shintoism to silence them... and ultimately led to the extermination of the entire family."

Lu Wushuang finally sketched out a reasonably plausible storyline.

She looked around and sighed.

Too much time has passed, there are no survivors, and it's difficult to find other clues. The existing speculations are already at their limit.

"Perhaps... I really should go and meet that swordsman from earlier in the day, and try my luck."

Lu Wushuang pondered for a moment, then touched her chest.

There were Gu worms left in her body by Ji Tianrui there.

Now that she'd confirmed the matter was related to Shintoism, she wouldn't let it go unchecked. Besides, although she was an assassin, she wasn't heartless; after months of working together, she wouldn't ignore something concerning the lives of Nanako's entire family.

Of course, more importantly... she had to do something for Li Miao.

Thinking of this, she turned to leave the room and headed in the direction of Nanako's house.

But just as I stepped out of the room... whoosh!
The soft sword is drawn!

Lu Wushuang suddenly flung his hand, pulling out two short swords hidden in his sleeve and holding them in his hand, his expression turning gloomy.

"You came here to see me?"

She said in a deep voice.

In the courtyard, a figure had appeared out of nowhere. He was tall and had a katana hanging at his waist. The moonlight illuminated his thin face—it was the sword saint that Nanako had recognized during the day!
He had clearly been standing there for a long time, perhaps ever since Lu Wushuang entered the room, but he hadn't uttered a sound, simply waiting silently for Lu Wushuang to come out.

When Lu Wushuang asked a question, he didn't respond. Instead, he said something to himself.

These words caused Lu Wushuang's pupils to shrink sharply.

"You are... Lu Wushuang."

He said, his voice hoarse, with a barely perceptible hint of fatigue.

"...Are you a member of Shintoism?"

Lu Wushuang said in a deep voice.

In present-day Japan, only the Shinto Church has the ability and motive to find out her identity.

The man didn't try to hide anything and nodded frankly.

"Yes."

Where is Lord Li Miao?

Lu Wushuang answered calmly.

"That's not a question you're qualified to ask."

Upon hearing this, the man slowly shook his head.

"Five days ago, Hachiman Shrine fell. The entire shrine looked as if it had been cleaved by a giant axe hundreds of feet long. Even the rocks beneath the foundation were torn up, forming a huge ravine."

"Only he can do this."

"You're bluffing... He's not even here yet, is he?"

Lu Wushuang finally learned of Li Miao's whereabouts, but only from the enemy. She truly didn't know whether to be happy or worried.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked.

"You're a Shintoist, why don't you make a move?"

“You are a Sword Saint, equivalent to a Celestial in the Central Plains, perhaps even stronger than an ordinary Celestial, while I am merely at the pinnacle. You could kill or capture me without much effort.”

"But you're just wasting your breath talking to me."

"Let me guess... although you are a member of Shintoism, you are not truly loyal to Shintoism, are you?"

The man is silent.

Sometimes silence is the best answer.

So Lu Wushuang looked into his eyes, observing his every move, and slowly asked.

"So you're actually loyal to Nanako's father?"

Upon hearing this, the man slowly shook his head.

"Do not."

"I am not loyal to that piece of trash."

"But... I am indeed not loyal to Shintoism."

Seeing that Lu Wushuang showed no intention of sheathing her sword and kept trying to get information out of him, he knew that a few words would not be enough to make Lu Wushuang lower her guard.

Then he suddenly raised his right hand and drew a half circle in the air.

"!?"

Lu Wushuang's eyes widened suddenly.

"Tai Chi...?"

(End of this chapter)