Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 229 "If we're talking about who among us can capture this villain, it has to be Officer Li." (4k2)

"Master, something terrible has happened! Something has occurred at Tingyuxuan in the West Courtyard!"

The woman living there—Elder Liu's widow—was found dead in her room—in a horrific state, naked, as if—as if she had been raped!

Upon hearing this, everyone who had rushed over paled!

Several martial arts figures who were on good terms with the Beggars' Sect, as well as the female knights and ladies who knew Madam Liu, were particularly shocked and furious.

Madam Liu's deceased husband was a highly respected elder in the Beggars' Sect who had been invited to attend the ceremony. However, he met with this unexpected misfortune in the Zhu Family Manor. This matter is of utmost importance!

The crowd erupted in a cacophony of voices, a surge of shock, anger, and fear.

What?!

Madam Liu—was she murdered?!

'

"Rape and murder?!"

"This—this is impossible! This is the Zhu Family Village!"

"Where are the guards?"

Are all those patrolling guards just for show?!

"Damn it!"

Who could be so audacious?!

"Wait a minute—don't you guys think this is something—?"

A voice, filled with fear, uttered in a low voice the name that made the martial arts world of Jiangnan tremble with fear.

"—Doesn't he look like—a master thief who washes himself in clothes?!"

The phrase "the thief who washed himself" was like ice water thrown into boiling oil, instantly intensifying the already heated discussions and casting an even deeper chill over them.

"The notorious womanizer? That philandering scoundrel who preys on women?!"

"He—he actually dared to commit crimes in Zhujiazhuang?!"

"Oh My God!

If it really is him, then we—”

Many people, especially guests who had brought their female relatives, immediately changed their expressions, instinctively pulling their wives and daughters closer together, and looking around in fear, as if the lecherous thief was hiding in the shadows around them.

"Impossible, right?"

"This place is teeming with experts. He dares to come here to die, isn't he afraid we'll discover him, swarm him, and rid the martial world of this scourge?"

"snort!

That villain's martial arts skills are so high they're almost uncanny, and his actions are extremely arrogant. What wouldn't he dare to do?

"Have you forgotten how Grandpa Meng and his family died?"

"But—Madam Liu is in mourning, wearing mourning flowers, how could that villain—"

"That villain acts recklessly and tramples on human ethics; there is no reason to follow him."

Perhaps—perhaps that's why Madam Liu suffered such a fate!

Fear spread among the people like a plague.

The once solemn and majestic Zhu Family Village, filled with masters, now seems to many people to have suddenly become a dangerous place fraught with peril.

"Has the notorious bathhouse thief really arrived?"

Li Fu's gaze was focused.

The guesses of the crowd coincided with the first thought that came to his mind.

That villain is incredibly audacious; he actually dared to make a move at this time and place!

"but----"

He remembered the day he first arrived at Zhujiazhuang, when he was assigned accommodations and glimpsed a quiet little courtyard across the street, where Liu lived.

Why did you suddenly go to the west courtyard?

"The Listening to Rain Pavilion in the West Courtyard?"

Li Fu looked at the steward who had brought the news and asked, "Didn't Madam Liu used to live in the courtyard opposite mine?"

The steward, who was in a panic, was taken aback upon hearing this and hurriedly nodded, saying, "Yes, yes, Master Li remembers correctly."

Madam Liu did indeed stay at the original Zhuyun Pavilion for the past two days.

But that place was originally secluded because the guests at the manor were not all there at the time.

After a large number of guests checked in yesterday, the area around Zhuyunxuan became quite noisy.

Lady Liu preferred quiet and, being in mourning, requested a more secluded and tranquil residence. Her dwelling was moved to Tingyuxuan, located on the edge of the mountain villa.

Who would have thought, who would have thought such a thing would happen!

The manager spoke with a face full of regret and lingering fear.

It turned out to be the case.

Li Fu suddenly realized.

Yes, after yesterday's competition, the village is indeed more bustling, with people from all walks of life settling in, making the environment much noisier than the previous two days.

Thinking of this, Li Fu frowned.

Yesterday, he had become wary of the possible attack by the thieves who had washed their clothes, and he did not sleep well at night. He meditated and regulated his breathing while keeping an eye on the movements in the manor.

With his profound skill and keen senses, he could detect even the slightest movement of the wind or the buzzing of mosquitoes within a few dozen steps.

The guest courtyard where he was located was quite far from the Listening to Rain Pavilion in the west courtyard, more than a hundred paces away. However, if someone were to leap across the eaves and walls, or pass through the rooftops, even if the movement was very light, it would be extremely difficult to completely escape his perception.

But last night, Li Fu did not notice anything unusual.

"Could it be that the villain's lightness skill has reached a state of perfection, truly reaching the astonishing level of walking on snow without leaving a trace and soaring through the air without making a sound, to the point that even I can hardly detect it?

Upon hearing of Madam Liu's tragic death, suspected to be the work of the notorious bandit, the group of women and female warriors were both shocked and furious, especially those who had been on good terms with Madam Liu, who were extremely anxious.

Madam Cuiping, Madam Zhu, several older ladies, Gong Xiaoshang, Shen Zhiqing, and others immediately led their maids and servants to Tingyuxuan in the west courtyard.

Upon arriving in the courtyard and standing before the door, the ladies and relatives who had arrived first froze upon seeing the scene inside.

Then Madam Cuiping and the others rushed into the house to cover the body.

Suppressing her grief and anger, Gong Xiaoshang turned around and bowed to Zhu Tinggao, Li Fu, Zhu Kang, and the others who had rushed over upon hearing the news, all of whom were following closely behind with equally solemn expressions. Her voice was mournful.

"Dear uncles, elders, and brothers, Madam Liu—her death was tragic, and her clothes were disheveled."

Out of respect for the deceased, please allow us women to enter first to tidy her up and cover her face, so as not to disturb her spirit and to preserve her dignity in her final moments.

Please wait outside the courtyard for a moment.

These words are reasonable.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Tinggao, as the head of the manor, immediately turned around and said in a deep voice.

"Madam Liu suffered a tragic fate, and we must respect the deceased."

Please wait a moment, everyone, and do not disturb them.

His voice was loud and clear, carrying an unquestionable authority, but also filled with guilt and anger.

No matter how anxious, angry, or curious the others were, seeing that the host and the women all said so, they had no choice but to stop in the courtyard and crane their necks to look inside.

The door was half-open, and through the crack, one could vaguely see a snow-white but lifeless woman's arm hanging down beside the bed, her clothes disheveled and draped over the edge of the bed—a shocking sight.

Everyone's hearts sank, and any lingering hope was completely extinguished.

The person is really dead.

Judging from the situation, the one who dared to do this was most likely the infamous body-washing thief!

The group of women, their eyes red, entered the room. Upon closer inspection, they saw Madam Liu's pitiful and clearly violated corpse on the bed, and they were all filled with grief and indignation.

Shen Zhiqing, who was cold and strong-willed, was trembling with anger at this moment, and drew her sword from her waist with a whoosh.

"Worse than a beast!"

"If I, Shen Zhiqing, were to encounter such a villain, I would surely tear him to pieces!"

Gong Xiaoshang was also filled with grief and indignation, and she forced herself not to cry out, gritting her teeth as she spoke.

"Sister Liu—she was such a good person, loyal and gentle, mourning her deceased husband, and depressed all day long—we had originally planned to invite her out for a walk today to cheer her up—how ​​could this happen—how could this be!"

She recalled Madam Liu's usual gentle and quiet demeanor, and her heart ached even more.

The other ladies and heroines who were on good terms with Madam Liu either sobbed softly or cursed angrily.

Kuang Zhenyue's wife, Zhou Qiutang, was deathly pale. She stood there in a daze, embracing several other women who were also crying their eyes out.

Zhu Tongzhou's mother, Madam Zhu, was also among this group of women.

She was considerably older than Madam Liu, but they were kindred spirits and often interacted.

Her eyes were red and swollen, and she spoke in a trembling voice to her sisters beside her, trying to suppress her grief.

"It's my fault—it's my fault that I harmed Sister Liu!"

A few days ago, I noticed she was depressed and looked haggard because of Elder Liu's passing, so I specially invited her to stay at the manor for a while to attend the ceremony and cheer her up.

Originally, I just wanted to let her get some fresh air and not be too sad—who would have thought—who would have thought I would drag her into a pit of fire!

I—I really—”

By the end, he was choked with sobs, overwhelmed with self-blame and grief.

Although the crowd outside the courtyard was kept out, the sounds of weeping, cursing, and self-blame coming from inside the house, coupled with that shocking glimpse, had already stirred up a great deal of anger among the crowd.

Many of the martial arts heroes who had a past with the Beggars' Sect or who were inherently righteous and hated evil were so angry that their eyes turned red. They paced back and forth in the courtyard, their fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"That damned thief who washes himself in public is utterly lawless!"

Someone shouted angrily.

"Knowing that many of my fellow martial arts practitioners from Jiangnan have gathered here, you still dare to commit crimes here, treating us as nothing!"

Do you really think we're all alone?!

Another man, his beard and hair bristling, said with a resentful voice.

"Look at the bathtub full of water in the room, it really is that thief."

After committing the crime, that villain dared to bathe and cleanse himself here as usual!

They were extremely arrogant and didn't take us seriously at all.

However, some people looked wary and whispered among themselves.

"This villain's martial arts skills are probably incredibly high."

Old Master Meng and Master Zhao—they all fell into his hands.

"Now that so many of us have gathered here, how dare he come—this—"

As the host, Zhu Tinggao's face turned ashen, as if covered with a layer of frost.

He looked around at everyone, his voice low and filled with grief and indignation, his words carrying a resolute killing intent.

"The incident involving Madam Liu occurred in my Zhu Family Village!"

It was I, Zhu Tinggao, who failed to provide adequate hospitality and protection!

"If I don't avenge this, I, Zhu Tinggao, swear I will never be a man again!"

He suddenly raised his voice.

"Pass on my orders!"

Effective immediately, the Zhu family has issued a kill order, offering a reward of ten thousand taels of gold.

All fellow outlaws and friends from both the legitimate and criminal worlds of Jiangnan, whoever can provide conclusive clues about this villain will be richly rewarded!

Whoever can capture or kill this fiend will be treated with the utmost respect by Zhu Tinggao. Whatever he requests, as long as the Zhu family can provide it, we will not refuse!

""

This reward was undeniably substantial; ten thousand taels of gold would already make someone incredibly wealthy, not to mention that someone could casually ask for gratitude, which clearly demonstrates Zhu Tinggao's anger and guilt.

Ouyang Jin also stepped forward and said solemnly.

"This matter arose because of our Seven Star Linked Fortress Tournament, and my Ouyang family bears an unshirkable responsibility. We are willing to add another five thousand taels of gold to help Brother Zhu capture this thief!"

The Azure Wave Swordsman, Shen Cang, his beard and hair trembling slightly, said in a deep voice, "He deserves to die! This kind of villain deserves to be killed by everyone!"

"Whoever can kill this thief, whatever they desire, as long as I can provide it, I will not refuse!"

These remarks further fueled the crowd's anger and indignation, filling them with murderous intent. However, some people also sighed quietly.

"That notorious thief who washed his clothes has been wreaking havoc in our Jiangnan region for more than a day."

Many high-ranking officials and constables in the government wanted to solve the case and make a name for themselves, but no one could find any clues to their crimes.

Many renowned heroes sought to rid the area of ​​this scourge, only to fall victim to its cruelty and remain at large to this day.

"This reward is substantial, but will it really be effective?"

"If you want to catch someone and get rid of the scourge, you need to find them first."

Just then, a low voice sounded: "Speaking of which—among the distinguished guests invited by the Zhu family, isn't there a world-renowned divine constable?"

One stone caused a thousand waves!

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then countless eyes were drawn to the figure in blue robes who had been standing quietly in the crowd, frowning and staring into the room.

"yes!

Officer Li is right here!

"The master detective who can summon dragons with his palm!"

"If any of us is capable of capturing this villain, it's none other than Officer Li!"

A spark of hope ignited in the eyes of many.

"Speaking of which—that thief who was washing clothes knew that Constable Li was here, yet he still dared to commit the crime. It seems that he didn't take Constable Li seriously at all. He was truly audacious."

The women in the room, who were immersed in grief and anger, finally remembered.

Yes, it's one thing for them to keep everyone else out, but how could they keep this famous constable out as well?

Shen Zhiqing wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said to Madam Cuiping and Madam Zhu.

"Madams, Officer Li is an expert in solving cases and apprehending criminals, a renowned constable in the land. Shouldn't we invite him in alone?"

"Indeed, Officer Li has solved many major and extraordinary cases. If we're talking about who among us can catch that villain out of the water, it's only him. Quickly, please invite Officer Li in."

Madam Cuiping nodded heavily.

Madam Zhu suppressed her grief and raised her voice, "Although men and women are different, in order to capture the villain as soon as possible and seek justice for Sister Liu, we can disregard everything else."

Sister Liu—please, Officer Li—forgive our previous rudeness.

Gong Xiaoshang quickly walked to the door and invited Li Fudao in, saying, "Brother Li, please come in quickly! You must catch that villain; only you can do it!"

Li Fu nodded slightly and stepped into the house.

At this moment, several self-proclaimed experts and knights-errant, who considered themselves to have some reputation in Jiangnan, were skilled in solving cases, and were eager to see what was going on, also wanted to go in.

"Officer Li, we are also willing to lend a helping hand—"

"Esteemed heroes, please wait!"

Shen Zhiqing stood with her sword across the doorway, speaking to the righteous heroes, but her cold gaze swept over all the other eager-to-try people outside.

"The situation inside the house is not suitable for too many people to enter, so as not to damage the traces at the scene."

Officer Li is a renowned constable in the government, skilled in solving cases, and an upright man; it is most appropriate for him to conduct the investigation.

We women will assist you here; please understand and wait outside.

Although she was a junior, she was dignified and spoke with a resolute tone that left no room for negotiation.

The heroes exchanged glances, and seeing that Madam Cuiping, Madam Zhu, Gong Xiaoshang, and other women all nodded in agreement, they could only retreat reluctantly and continue to wait anxiously in the courtyard, craning their necks to look inside, just like the others.

"Madam Liu, please forgive me."

Li Fu entered the room with a calm expression. He first bowed slightly in the direction of the bed to show respect for the deceased.

This subtle gesture, observed by those outside the door, made them secretly admire his composure and propriety.

Then he began to carefully examine his surroundings, looking for clues.

The other women made way, their sorrowful, angry, and hopeful gazes fixed on Li Fu.

Shen Zhiqing walked to his side, trying her best to suppress her murderous intent, and sincerely pleaded.

"Officer Li, please!"

Lady Liu was deeply devoted to her husband and was observing mourning for him, but—during this time she suffered this misfortune, her chastity was lost, and she died tragically at the hands of a thief—this matter truly angered both heaven and man!

We women, upon hearing this, are filled with indignation and hatred, wishing we could kill this scoundrel with our own hands!

Alas—we are all ignorant of criminal investigation methods, so we have to rely entirely on Officer Li!