Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 201 What if I want to turn "Kang Jinlong" to the enemy?

"It really does!"

Haiyue quickly found the matchmaker representing Shen Cai Nu from the thick stack of invitations.

Compared to other noble ladies in the capital, Lady Shen was very reserved. She did not send a marriage proposal letter, but only a visiting card, which stated her admiration for his talent and reputation. She did not even provide his birth date and time, clearly hoping that Lady Hai would take the initiative.

To be honest, if Haiyue didn't already have a choice, looking at all the available options, the talented woman from the Shen family would really be a good match.

The scholar had a good reputation, and although his mother's family was not wealthy, they were quite famous. For a newly appointed scholar who was favored by the emperor and destined for a bright future, this was indeed a suitable choice.

With a little more contact, she might just be turned into a pervert.

This is probably why the other party isn't too proactive.

Unlike Yan Shifan, Haiyue did not experience a harrowing kidnapping and nearly brought a wicked woman back to the Yan family mansion. She was eager to find a proper wife to keep him in check, so approaching him rashly would be risky. It would be better to play hard to get.

"A very clear division of labor..."

"But he seemed somewhat anxious."

"It seems that the recent setbacks have forced Li Yuanshe to take the initiative!"

For the Yixin Society, recruiting members and expanding its strength was a natural progression. After the imperial examinations were completed, Haiyue prepared to recruit the third batch of members.

They did not even conceal their actions of investigating secret societies, even though they were ordered by the emperor.

There was no need to hide it; why should government officials act in secret?

But for a secret society hidden in the shadows, the situation is completely different.

They would have to be very careful about replenishing their forces, especially given the constant investigation by the imperial court.

Therefore, the other party must know the progress of the investigation by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Yixin Society, how many clues they still have, how much damage they can cause to the Liyuan Society, and whether they should transfer the undercover personnel in advance, etc.

Haiyue hesitated for a moment, then went out without delay and contacted the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Before long, Lu Bing arrived at the Imperial Academy and immediately offered his congratulations: "Congratulations, Mingwei!"

Haiyue also clasped her hands in greeting: "Congratulations to Wenfu and Zhifu for achieving the top score in the martial arts examination!"

"How can two people claim to be the best?"

Lu Bing laughed heartily: "If it weren't for Yu Zhifu, I could have become the martial arts champion this time!"

This was just talk; Lu Bing didn't need the glory of being the top martial arts champion and would choose to keep a low profile. But with his protection, Yu Dayou's path to becoming a martial arts champion would be treated fairly.

After a brief chat about the civil and military examinations, Haiyue got down to business and informed Yan Shifan of the progress: "Capture Shen Jinghong and win over Xia Qingwu. This process needs to be quick, and we may even have to do it simultaneously!"

"Correct!"

Lu Bing immediately understood and said in a deep voice, "If the 'Female Bat' fails again, the Liyuan Society will probably have to shed its tail like a gecko and retreat entirely!"

Haiyue nodded: "If we miss this opportunity, we will once again be on the defensive against thieves. If someone is prepared to attack us while we are not, it will be impossible to guard against them!"

The Liyuan Society's reach certainly extends beyond the capital. If its members are withdrawn and scattered across various regions, the threat to the central government will indeed be greatly reduced in the short term, but this is only a temporary solution and will not address the root cause. The other side could make a comeback at any time.

By then, the Yixin Society's modus operandi will likely be thoroughly understood, just like the Jinyiwei, leading to a completely passive situation in any confrontation.

So Haiyue already had a plan in mind. After meeting with Lu Bing and agreeing on the follow-up and actions of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, she rushed to another place the next morning.

Xisi Archway.

After crossing half a street, turn into a small alley.

At the end of the alley, you'll find a three-courtyard house, elegant in its surroundings, a tranquil oasis amidst the bustling city.

Haiyue gently knocked on the door.

A short while later, the courtyard gate opened, and an old female servant peeked out. She looked him over for a moment, then hesitated before asking, "Young master?"

"It's me! Granny Liu!"

Haiyue smiled: "You still remember me?"

"I remember, I remember. He rented a house there and later got into the Imperial Academy!"

The old maid smiled kindly: "Young master, why have you come all of a sudden today?"

Haiyue said, "We're graduating from the Imperial Academy and will be moving out soon. I remembered this place. Are there any other tenants here now?"

The old servant woman suddenly realized: "There are no tenants, but this old woman can't make the decision; I have to ask the master..."

"Then please ask Granny Liu for us."

Haiyue said, "By the way, we rented this house through Brother Yan Xiu's introduction. Can Granny Liu help me find him?" The old servant woman's eyes flickered slightly, and she nodded, "Yes! Yes! I'll go find him!"

After inviting Haiyue into the house and brewing her a cup of tea, the old servant woman disappeared. About half an hour later, a tall and imposing figure walked in—it was the scarred giant Yan Xiu: "Young Master Hai!"

"Brother Yan!"

Haiyue stood up, her voice filled with nostalgia: "When we first arrived in the capital, we wanted to rent a reasonably priced house, but the brokers tacitly charged us exorbitant prices. Fortunately, we met Brother Yan, who introduced us to this place. The house is exceptionally clean inside and out, and the two grandmothers can even cook. The monthly rent is 1,200 cash, and there's no need to pay a deposit or three months' rent upfront. These conditions are really good. At the time, I thought we would be staying here for a long time..."

The two hadn't seen each other for some time since the "Winged Fire Serpent" incident, but Yan Xiu was still as familiar as ever. He sat down and poured himself a cup of hot tea: "As a result, there were only ten spots available for the supplementary enrollment. All three of you were admitted on your first attempt, and now you're even on the list! Hey! I, a mere martial artist, now have three friends who have passed the imperial examinations!"

Haiyue chuckled: "Brother Yan, do you care about this?"

How can I not care?

Yan Xiu raised a thick eyebrow: "The martial world is not easy to navigate. Young Master Hai, don't be fooled by my seemingly respectable reputation. Since returning to the capital, I haven't been able to settle down and am still trying to reclaim what rightfully belongs to me. I might need Young Master Hai's help!"

"Easy to say!"

Haiyue raised her teacup: "I haven't thanked you for the diary entries from last time. Brother Yan, if you have any requests, please don't hesitate to ask!"

"Don't dare!"

Yan Xiu also raised his teacup, making a gesture of raising a cup to drink together: "Young Master Hai did not mention me to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which avoided a lot of trouble. It is I who should thank Young Master Hai!"

Their eyes met, and they each drank tea instead of wine.

Hai Yue said calmly, "In her diary, Madam Sun calls herself 'Winged Fire Serpent,' and her actions are unpredictable and beyond the capabilities of ordinary people. Brother Yan, do you have any clues about this?"

Yan Xiu's tone was equally calm: "To be honest, Brother Hai, I really didn't know at first. She was originally a lady from a prominent family. Her father was convicted of a crime and thus entered the brothel... Her maiden name was 'Wuchen,' but she fell into prostitution, which was pitiful. Even though I was usually filled with sorrow, I didn't feel comfortable asking her... Who knew she would be so extreme in this regard, committing many unjust acts, and ultimately ending up like that. It was her own fault, and she has no one else to blame!"

Haiyue sighed softly: "Every pitiful person has something hateful about them, and every hateful person has something pitiful about them..."

Yan Xiu pondered for a moment, then sighed, "How pitiful, how hateful, how tragic! Such is the way of the world, what can one do but lament!"

Haiyue said solemnly, "Instead of lamenting our bad luck, we should rise up and fight! Although fate is unpredictable, human effort can change it. As long as we join hands and work together, we can surely break the chains of this tragedy—Sun Niangzi's fate should not become the destiny of more people!"

"That's very well said!"

A glint flashed in Yan Xiu's eyes. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, solemnly clasping his hands in a fist salute: "Since Young Master Hai has such lofty ambitions, I, Yan, am willing to lend a helping hand!"

Haiyue didn't mince words and stood up to return the greeting: "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony. I've recently come across two talented women in the capital, and there seems to be something amiss. I'd like to discuss this with Brother Yan!"

After recounting Xia Qingwu and Shen Jinghong's childhood encounters, her reputation as a talented woman, and their current marriage, Yan Xiu listened intently, his gaze hardening. He said calmly, "Wu Chen once mentioned that people from brothels and pleasure quarters will ultimately be avoided by refined and noble individuals. To learn about their movements, we must cultivate flawless individuals..."

Hai Yue's eyes flickered: "A flawless person?"

Yan Xiu said, "His family background is impeccable, his character is upright, he is content with poverty and finds joy in the simple life, and he is beyond reproach."

Haiyue said, "But my two daughters were kidnapped by thieves when they were young..."

"These old case files have long been forgotten in the archives. Not to mention the Embroidered Uniform Guard, even the Shuntian Prefecture wouldn't bother with them. It's quite unexpected that something could be found out about them here!"

Yan Xiu smiled and said, "It seems that it was Young Master Hai who brought about the changes to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Your Excellency, a detective from Qiongshan, is truly the nemesis of these treacherous villains who hide their true colors and deceive people!"

Haiyue deliberately countered with, "To bewitch people?"

Yan Xiu's smile faded, and he said in a deep voice, "Any force that wants to unite people's hearts must have a legitimate reason for its actions. Pure hatred is easy to get out of control. So, in order to control pitiful people like Wu Chen, they naturally have to spread some ridiculous words, such as the slogan of the Liyuan Society that Young Master Hai mentioned back then: 'Suppress monarchical power,' 'Rectify the laws and regulations,' and 'Seek the well-being of all people under heaven!'"

"We outsiders find this laughable, but the members of the Liyuan Society probably believe that they are righteous people, fighting against the tyranny of the imperial court, and are willing to sacrifice themselves!"

"By the way, after the incident with Wuchen, I've done a lot of investigation lately, and I even found out the favorite slogan of the Liyuan Society members before carrying out a mission that is bound to end in death!"

Haiyue said, "Please speak!"

Yan Xiu said, word by word, "Though the sun and moon shine brightly, they cannot illuminate Liyuan. I will die nine times without regret, for I only wish for the Yellow River to be clear!"

"Though the sun and moon shine brightly, they cannot illuminate Liyuan... I would rather die than regret it, my only wish is for the Yellow River to be calm."

Haiyue repeated herself, saying coldly, "What a boastful tone!"

Yan Xiu smiled wryly: "Although it sounds boastful, many people believe it without a doubt. I once captured a thief, and in retrospect, he was also a member of the Liyuan Society. However, I still haven't been able to subdue him. This secret society is selective in its members; it only picks those who are loyal and stubborn!"

Haiyue asked, "What if we want to turn members of the Liyuan Society against us?"

Yan Xiu was slightly taken aback: "Who?"

"We have two targets, both of which are the Twenty-Eight Mansions!"

Haiyue said solemnly, "One is Xia Qingwu from the 'Female Bat' group, and the other is the legendary 'Kang Jinlong,' who refused to associate with the Liyuan Society any longer!"

(End of this chapter)