Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 232 "What does Master Kuang want to do so late?" (Two chapters combined)

Li Fu also deduced that the other party would definitely take some action.

Even though the notorious thief had a history of arrogance and seemed reckless, as if he didn't know the meaning of fear at all.

"But perhaps it is precisely because he has taken off the mask that he is so arrogant and conceited."

The master thief must have cared about concealing his identity, otherwise he wouldn't have left no one alive after seeing his true face.

"Now we'll wait until nightfall and see who can't hold back and makes their move."

The notorious thief is likely to make a move tonight.

He only needs to wait until dark, stir up the grass to alert the snake, and lure it out of its hole. He might be able to capture the real culprit on the spot.

However, we can't rely entirely on the other party losing their composure; the crime scene still needs to be thoroughly examined again.

Li Fu returned to the room where the incident occurred, pushed open the door, and began to examine it inch by inch, starting from the entrance, undisturbed.

When I got to the bathtub, the water had already cooled down.

He searched carefully and soon pulled out three or four long hairs.

Looking closely through the sunlight streaming in through the window, one could see that the hair was jet black and lustrous, so shiny it could reflect one's image. It felt smooth as flowing water between the fingers, and the ends were neat and tidy, without any split ends or frizz.

This clearly shows that the owner must regularly take care of their hair.

Looking at Liu's body again, the roots of her hair were completely dry, indicating that she was attacked before she had taken a bath. Therefore, it can be confirmed that the hair in the water must have been left by the bathing thief.

Bring the hair close, and without deliberately smelling it, you can already faintly smell the delicate fragrance of osmanthus.

Li Fu frowned.

It wasn't surprising that a man cared so much about his hair.

Firstly, this master thief always washes his entire body after committing a crime, even if he is cornered in a house, he still takes a bath. He had long suspected that this person might have obsessive-compulsive disorder or be a germaphobe.

Secondly, according to the customs of the Great Zhao, it is common for men to use hair oil to maintain their hair, and it is not uncommon to see young men in the city wearing fresh flowers in their hair.

This custom has existed since ancient times.

The Eastern Han Dynasty text *Shiming* states: "Fragrant hair is used to moisten dry and withered hair."

This refers to the custom of using fragrant ointments to moisturize dry hair.

This can also be seen from the poems and essays written by famous poets.

They often brought their families to stay overnight, and the scholars were mixed with Buddhist robes and headscarves.

I don't mind the greasy smell of the yard, but the most annoying thing is trampling on the mossy coins.

This is a poem depicting daily life, telling the story of someone bringing their family to stay overnight at a temple at the foot of a cliff, the courtyard filled with the pungent smell of human hair and grease.

The "oily hair smell" in the poem does not refer to a foul odor, but rather to the mixed smell of oily hair from a crowd.

It's perfectly normal for a man, especially one who lives a wealthy and comfortable life, holds a high social status, and cares about his image, to use hair oil to moisturize and care for his hair.

"It's a pity it's osmanthus oil—"

Li Fu muttered to himself.

Osmanthus is also known as sweet osmanthus.

Osmanthus hair oil is favored by people of the time because of its delicate and mild fragrance.

However, precisely because it is so common, it is difficult to narrow the scope. If ten people use hair oil to nourish their hair, at least seven or eight of them use osmanthus oil.

He sighed softly, put the strand of hair away as evidence, and thought to himself, "But it is still a clue after all."

Turning around, she walked to the bedside. Earlier, before leaving, Madam Cuiping had led the female relatives to tidy up the body and cover it with a clean sheet.

For the time being, this quiet courtyard will serve as the place to keep the body.

On the bed, Liu's eyes were wide open, her pupils filled with a frozen look of shock and astonishment, her lips slightly parted as if she were about to shout, her face contorted as if she had seen a demon.

It was as if she couldn't believe, even in death, that the person who attacked and humiliated her was the one.

This woman, deeply devoted and virtuous, who was mourning her deceased husband, lay there quietly, like a magnolia broken by a storm, her beautiful soul adrift.

Li Fu couldn't help but sigh, and covered himself with the sheets again, his desire to catch the bathing thief growing even stronger.

Such a tragic scene would make anyone grit their teeth in pain.

"As the saying goes, killing someone is just a matter of beheading them, meaning that once someone is killed, there's no need to humiliate them further."

And speaking of humiliation, what in this world is more terrible, more cruel, more capable of crushing a person's self-esteem and dignity, and more likely to cause a person's will to collapse, than rape?

However, this kind of humiliation is usually suffered by women, and men generally cannot understand it.

Even if a woman who has endured such a thing is not killed, she usually cannot survive on her own.

After inspecting the premises, Li locked the doors and windows and carefully instructed the guards on guard duty: "No one may leave this house unattended for even a moment. If anything unusual happens, sound the alarm immediately."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the east courtyard.

Madam Cuiping and Master Zhu have already rearranged the inner quarters of the manor.

For safety reasons, all the female relatives, whether ladies, maids, or servants, were housed together in several adjacent courtyards.

These courtyards were originally connected by covered walkways, but now the walkway doors are all open, forming a cluster of women's residences.

At this moment, dozens of women are crammed into a few limited courtyards.

The lady, who originally lived alone in the courtyard, gave up her side room and shared a room with other young ladies, while her personal maids slept on the floor in the side rooms and annexes.

There weren't enough mattresses, so the person in charge hurriedly brought over a few rattan couches from the storeroom, which finally allowed them to settle down.

On a normal day, such a large group of women gathered together would have been filled with the sounds of their sweet chatter.

There should be maids and servants coming and going, and young ladies and wives gathering together to chat and laugh, or playing the zither and chess, or enjoying tea and appreciating flowers.

—But now, the courtyards are very quiet, shrouded in sorrow and unease.

Under the covered walkway, one might see two or three women embracing and weeping softly. In the pavilion, someone leans against the railing, gritting their teeth. Several young maids carrying food boxes hurry by, and upon seeing Li Fu, they hastily lower their heads and give way.

Men would stop here, but Li Fu was not among them.

He was the person in charge of the case. Most importantly, he was in the North when the notorious thieves committed their crimes, so he was practically innocent.

However, Li Fu did not rush in rashly. Instead, he made it clear that he wanted to see Madam Cuiping, the head of the female relatives, and sent someone to inform her.

Soon a maid came forward, bowed slightly, and said, "Officer Li, the lady is already waiting in the flower hall."

Li Fu nodded, and as he followed the maid through the courtyard, he saw nothing but terrified faces everywhere he looked.

Through the cracks in the windows and behind the doors, countless eyes peeked out. They only felt relieved when they recognized him, but as soon as he walked by, they quickly closed the doors and windows tightly.

Inside the flower hall, Madam Cuiping sat alone in the main seat. When Li Fu entered, she rose to greet him. She was about forty years old and had a dignified appearance, but at this moment, her brows were clouded with sorrow.

"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Officer Li," she said with a wry smile. "The women were really terrified."

Before Sister Liu's accident, who would have thought that the villain would dare to come and attack the women in the village?

Especially after Officer Li deduced that the notorious thief was hiding in the manor, possibly anyone, everyone was on edge. Even the slightest gust of wind rustling through the windows could startle everyone.

Li Fu nodded.

"The lady has made proper arrangements; it is better for everyone to be together and look after each other than to be scattered."

He paused for a moment, then said directly, "I have come here to ask Madam Zhou a few questions."

There is a difference between men and women, and even if he is a constable, he should not be too impolite.

Lady Cuiping sighed softly, "Does Constable Li still suspect Master Kuang?"

Without waiting for an answer, she said, "Asking questions is perfectly acceptable. I'll send someone to invite Sister Zhou right away, but—"

She paused, then looked up at Li Fu.

"Sister Zhou has a hard life. I hope the constable will show some compassion when questioning her."

She was nominally the matriarch of the Kuang family, but in reality, she was forced into marriage.

Having given birth to no children over the years, she is practically an abandoned woman.

She had met the head constable during the day, and although she and Master Kuang were husband and wife sitting together at the same table, they seemed worlds apart, never exchanging a single glance.

Li Fu said solemnly, "Madam, please rest assured, I only wish to clarify a few details."

During questioning and investigation, the circumstances will be ascertained.

A short while later, the sound of light footsteps came from outside the door.

A maid lifted the curtain, and Zhou Qiutang walked in with her head down. She was dressed in plain clothes, with only a silver hairpin in her hair. Her face was as pale as paper, as if she had been frightened.

Upon seeing Li Fu, she trembled slightly, her fingers gripping her sleeves tightly.

Madam Cuiping said gently, "Sister, don't be afraid. Officer Li is just asking a few questions."

After saying that, she got up and said, "You two can talk slowly. I'll go and see how breakfast is being prepared."

He gestured for everyone to leave, and then went to a separate room himself.

Li Fu raised his hand to indicate, "Madam, please have a seat."

Only after the pale-faced woman sat down shakily did she slowly speak.

"I have no choice but to come and disturb you."

"I have only one question: Did Madam notice last night that Master Kuang left his room in the middle of the night and then quietly returned?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiutang bit her lip lightly, remained silent for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "Officer Li, please forgive me, I—I really don't know."

When Kuang Zhenyue was mentioned, her words unconsciously revealed a hint of resentment and bitterness: "To be honest, Constable, I was forced to marry into the Kuang family back then."

However, after a few years, because I had not been able to have any children, he gradually became cold towards me.

Although they are still husband and wife in name only, they have been living in separate rooms and sleeping in the same bed for many years.

A bitter smile appeared on her lips. "He must have someone else outside, but he's just too proud to divorce her."

Zhou Qiutang paused for a moment, then continued, "This trip to Zhu Family Village is no different."

Although they lived in the same courtyard, they each occupied a separate room, one in the east wing and one in the west.

"I know no martial arts and am physically weak, so I go to bed early every night. I really don't know if he left the courtyard in the middle of the night."

After listening, Li Fu's gaze flickered slightly, and he asked another question.

"There is one more thing I would like to ask you."

Kuang Wu, do you usually use hair oil to condition your hair?

Zhou Qiutang seemed somewhat surprised, but still replied, "Yes."

Although he appears rough and rugged, he is actually very concerned about his image and is most afraid of losing his composure in front of others.

For him, losing face was probably worse than being killed.

Therefore, he always used hair oil and perfume very carefully.

"Oh?" Li Fu's eyes lit up. "Do you know what kind of hair oil he used?"

"He's not particular about it; it's just the osmanthus oil that's commonly sold in the neighborhood," Zhou Qiutang replied. "It has a light, not very strong, fragrance, and he's been using it for many years."

The light in Li Fu's eyes shone even brighter, but he was secretly pondering to himself.

Osmanthus oil — this is indeed a clue, but precisely because it is so common, it is difficult to use as conclusive evidence.

Along the way, every woman he encountered, whether it was the maid who had led the way, Madam Cuiping in the flower hall, or Zhou Qiutang in front of him, had a faint scent of osmanthus in her hair, all of whom had used osmanthus hair oil.

It's simply a difference in quality.

This hair oil is very popular and widely used, but it's difficult to determine anything based on this alone.

Li Fu nodded and said gently, "Thank you, Madam. I'm sorry to have bothered you. Please go back now."

Zhou Qiutang stood up, bowed, and silently withdrew.

Li Fu watched her retreating figure and sighed inwardly.

If a woman does not win the favor of her husband's family, her life will be difficult.

Moreover, she was forced into marriage and forced to submit to someone she didn't like. The bitterness she has endured over the years has probably seeped into her very bones.

The resentment she held back in her words, and the sorrow she forced to suppress, were indeed pitiful.

After seeing Zhou Qiutang off, Li Fu was about to leave the courtyard where the women lived when he encountered Shen Zhiqing and Gong Xiaoshang in front of the moon gate.

Both men looked worried, and they immediately went to greet Li Fu.

"Officer Li," Shen Zhiqing said urgently, "have you found any new clues? That villain who harmed Sister Liu—"

Gong Xiaoshang then chimed in, "How can we possibly be of help?"

Li Fu stopped and, after a moment's thought, briefly explained the current situation.

"My public deduction during the day was actually a ploy to alert the enemy."

If the thief who had washed his clothes truly cared about his outward identity, he would be panicked. He would be afraid of the worst, and would think about what flaws he might have. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he would become. Under the influence of a guilty conscience, he might destroy the clues at the scene.

Tonight, perhaps we can catch him red-handed.

Upon hearing this, their eyes lit up.

Gong Xiaoshang immediately said, "Then we'll stay by your side and keep watch!"

Li Fu shook his head and said seriously, "No. This thief is highly skilled in martial arts. It is said in the martial arts world that ordinary masters cannot last a single move against him."

Although you two are skilled in martial arts, you need not take any risks.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the quiet courtyard.

"Moreover, most of the women in the manor are not skilled in martial arts. Apart from Madam Cuiping, the only ones who can protect everyone are you few."

If that thief is ruthless and doesn't go to the scene, but instead comes back to commit the crime again—this place still needs to be guarded.

His words were sincere and every sentence made sense.

Shen Zhiqing and Gong Xiaoshang exchanged a glance. Although they were unwilling, they knew that Li Fu's considerations were thorough, so they could only nod in agreement.

As night deepened, all was quiet.

Li Fu sat alone in the room where the body was kept, which was also the scene of the crime during the day.

He didn't light a lamp, but sat quietly in the shadows, relying only on the faint moonlight filtering in from the window. His breathing was long and almost inaudible, and his entire being seemed to have merged with the darkness.

Time passed little by little.

Around midnight, his ears twitched slightly.

Two dull thuds came from outside the courtyard, as if something heavy had fallen to the ground.

Immediately following was the faint sound of clothes rustling in the wind—someone leaped over the courtyard wall and landed in the courtyard.

Footsteps sounded, approaching from afar, steady yet urgent, heading straight for this room.

"Squeak!"

The door was pushed open.

The moonlight, like water, poured in through the open door, casting a long shadow of the person who came in.

A man holding a large golden-ringed sword and a tinderbox in his other hand, about to blow it on, was none other than Kuang Zhenyue.

He caught sight of Li Fu sitting quietly in the room, and his whole body trembled, nearly dropping the tinderbox in his hand.

"You—what are you doing here?"

Kuang Zhenyue exclaimed in disbelief, his astonishment barely concealed.

Why can't I be here?

Li Fu calmly rose from the shadows and looked directly at the other person.

"But you, Master Kuang, instead of resting at this late hour, you come here with a knife and a tinderbox—what do you want to do, set the house on fire?"

'