Chapter 196: Feedback

The night patrol had ended, and Ding Songyan, Li Baima, and Wu Mo had only just entered the courtyard when Fan Chunlin returned through the darkness in near silence.

His breathing remained steady as he said, "We questioned him. The servant’s name is Fang Nuo. He bought a burial jade pendant at the Pingnan Street night market two days ago and accidentally broke it at 12:15 am. The evil entity hidden inside invaded his body, but fortunately, he was unharmed.

"A master in the estate who specializes in interrogation confirmed that he was telling the truth."

"Then why did it take you more than two hours to return?" Wu Mo asked in confusion.

An ordinary servant facing a martial artist skilled in interrogation would have done well to last even 15 minutes.

Fan Chunlin exhaled.

"I was sent to do more work, wasn’t I? Third Lu from the interrogation chamber and I went to find the man who runs the Pingnan Street night market. He confirmed the story. A traveling merchant paid to rent a stall there for several days and sold gold, silver, and jewelry of dubious origin, likely burial objects. Once everything was sold, the merchant disappeared.

"The merchant had no physical anomalies and looked utterly ordinary. He called himself Li Da. The estate has notified the Martial Prohibition Bureau and Chengtian Prefecture so they can investigate."

Ding Songyan listened quietly, then looked at Fan Chunlin and murmured almost to himself, "The Pingnan Street night market... If I remember correctly, Fortune’s Arrival Inn and the Silver Hook Gambling House are on that street as well."

Fan Chunlin’s temple twitched.

"Is this connected to Qi Lingyi’s death?"

"Perhaps it’s only a coincidence." Ding Songyan laughed softly.

The eunuchs and stewards of Prince Kang’s estate had plainly considered the same possibility. At noon, they sent Ding Songyan and Fan Chunlin, who had previously assisted with the investigation into Qi Lingyi’s death, to search the Silver Hook Gambling House for any hidden evil entities.

"Patrolling at night and investigating cases by day. They’re working us to death! I’ve been at the estate for more than a year and have never been this busy," Fan Chunlin complained under his breath as he left through the southwestern corner gate and stepped onto the rear street.

Things were quiet before because I hadn’t arrived yet... Ding Songyan mocked himself inwardly.

He was beginning to wonder whether Chaos’s Bringing All Things Into Unity also encompassed fortune, destiny, change, and calamity, drawing all of them toward him.

Still, this was merely a fanciful conjecture and probably not true.

After Senior Sister returned to Changhua Prefecture to observe mourning, had he not spent more than an entire year at Alpine Lake Mountain without incident?

And had the jianghu not remained free of any major disturbances from Ji Hanyi over the past two years?

Ultimately, this is the Jianwu Emperor’s fault. Holding the Orchid Grace Examination is one thing, but he also had to select consorts. The closer spring comes, the more strange incidents occur. That is precisely why I came to Prince Kang’s estate in the Flame Capital, so isn’t encountering trouble perfectly normal? Ding Songyan swiftly found someone to blame.

He and Fan Chunlin soon turned into Tiger Tail Alley and took it toward Pingnan Street.

As they passed the Cheap Wine Shop, Fan Chunlin looked at Chef Shi Wuyan standing in the doorway and asked with a broad smile, "Is Twelfth Madam Luo here?"

Shi Wuyan answered without expression, "Twelfth Madam Luo left the city to enjoy the autumn scenery."

What a carefree life... Ding Songyan marveled.

As Fan Chunlin continued onward in disappointment, Shi Wuyan took two steps outside and discreetly flicked a small wad of paper toward Ding Songyan.

Ding Songyan caught it without betraying any reaction, unfolded the paper in his palm, and quickly glanced over it.

"Information on how to commission the Ghost Yu Way is easy to obtain. They have no one responsible for accepting commissions in the Flame Capital. The nearest ’shopkeeper’ is in Xinfu City and calls himself Third Hei."

These were the first few lines on the paper.

Ding Songyan considered them briefly and decided that Master Xiaozhang had probably not deceived him.

That makes sense. The Ghost Yu Way is "open for business" and must accept all manner of commissions. Once enough customers come to them, secrecy becomes impossible. If they truly had such a "shopkeeper" in the Flame Capital, the Martial Prohibition Bureau would have arrested him long ago...

Stationing their "shopkeeper" in a lawless place like Xinfu City is far more reasonable. If a client truly wants someone dead, they must demonstrate their sincerity and make the journey themselves...

The Ghost Yu Way must have people in the Flame Capital gathering intelligence, acting as intermediaries, carrying out assassinations, cleaning up afterward, purchasing supplies, and spreading word of how to contact them. All those people will exist, but there will be no fixed "storefront"...

What a pity. I was hoping to commission them to assassinate Ding Songyan, the Brightnight Sect disciple staying in Prince Kang’s estate...

The nearest Ghost Yu Way "shopkeeper" is in Xinfu City. Does that mean Qi Lingyi’s death was not decided on the spur of the moment? Even at the greatest speed, carrying word from the Flame Capital to Xinfu City and then relaying it back would take five or six days...

Taking advantage of the crowds on Pingnan Street, Ding Songyan raised his right palm again and swiftly scanned the rest.

"Several Ghost Yu Way powerhouses have appeared in the Flame Capital over the past six months. They seem to be searching for someone or something. If you wish to know more, I can continue investigating for you.

"I have learned nothing more about martial artists who cultivate underworld arts. The few known practitioners are all under the Martial Prohibition Bureau’s watch. As for anyone capable of entering from the underworld and escaping through it again, no one could detect them, myself included. Even if you fed me a serving of Bai Ze, I would have no hope of finding them.

"While investigating these matters, I believe I worked out why you came to me. Have you considered pursuing a different line of inquiry?

"Perhaps a member of the True Spirit Sect in the Flame Capital has fallen to the demonic path. Or perhaps you should abandon the requirement that your target cultivates an underworld art. Someone does not necessarily need to cultivate such an art to destroy a Dharma Realm ghost. The Accumulated Evil Way’s Demon Swallowing Evil Devouring Technique, for example, uses evil entities as cultivation resources, and a few of those entities can obliterate ghosts."

Evil entities... Last night’s sinister presence... The consort selection... Ding Songyan’s scattered thoughts instantly fell into place.

The Accumulated Evil Way!

He closed his hand, crumpling the paper covered in tiny writing into a ball again, and slipped it inside his dark-red guard uniform trimmed with cyan. He and Fan Chunlin then arrived at the Silver Hook Gambling House midway along Pingnan Street.

The gambling house was lavishly built. A genuine silver hook hung above its entrance, flanked by bright-red lanterns.

Although it was only noon, a steady stream of people already passed through its doors.

"Why did the eunuchs and stewards send only the two of us?" Ding Songyan casually asked Fan Chunlin.

Fan Chunlin thought back before answering, "They said we were neither too strong nor too weak and had already investigated Qi Lingyi’s death, making us ideal for the task. Sending a Grandmaster could easily provoke a tense confrontation with the Sea-Treading Gang."

Even without martial arts, I could still make Prince Kang’s estate and the Sea-Treading Gang fall out completely. Master Yan can attest to that... As Ding Songyan gazed at the silver hook above the entrance, Steward Peng’s instructions before their departure flashed through his mind.

"The Silver Hook Gambling House is very important to the Sea-Treading Gang. Since Qi Lingyi’s death, Liu Cheng has been in charge. He is Gang Leader Hu’s adopted son and is known as the Young Boss. He entered the Dharma Realm at 32 and is rated second-rank Subtlety Attuned.

"Use the Candle-Star Pupils to examine the Silver Hook Gambling House from top to bottom and search for anywhere an evil entity might be hidden."

Liu Cheng... Ding Songyan had already heard about this man from Fan Chunlin.

The Young Boss always wore a smile and often said that harmony brought wealth.

He had been a Grandmaster for five years and had hardly fought during the past three years, so he remained rated second-rank.

It was easy to preach that harmony brought wealth, but some people always considered their strength and status sufficient reason to ignore Liu Cheng’s advice.

None of them were ever seen again.

After entering the Silver Hook Gambling House and identifying themselves as guards of Prince Kang’s estate, Ding Songyan and Fan Chunlin were escorted to the second floor by the gang members guarding the floor.

Dominoes, dice cups, leaf cards... Ding Songyan swept a casual gaze across the room, taking in every figure.

A bitter experience in his previous life had taught him to stay far away from compulsive gamblers.

Liu Cheng personally met the two estate guards at the stairs. His manner was warm and his smile amiable, giving no indication that he was a Grandmaster.

He wore a moon-white robe and bamboo crown. His features were gentle, his face clean-shaven, with phantom cyan-snake earrings on both ears, and he appeared only 27 or 28. He looked more like a scholar who had studied diligently for years than the Sea-Treading Gang’s Young Boss.

Ding Songyan made no attempt to hide the candleflames in his eyes as he studied Liu Cheng.

"Shall we sit down first?" Liu Cheng asked with a smile, seemingly unaware of his scrutiny.

"His Highness has given his orders. We must examine every person and every corner of the Silver Hook Gambling House as quickly as possible." Ding Songyan looked utterly righteous.

What do you mean, His Highness had given his orders? Hadn’t Steward Peng assigned this task? Fan Chunlin was startled.

Liu Cheng’s smile did not change.

"Very well. I’ll accompany you both."

With Liu Cheng accompanying them, Ding Songyan and Fan Chunlin covered every part of the Silver Hook Gambling House, conducting a meticulous search with the Candle-Star Pupils and assassination techniques.

Nothing... Fan Chunlin shook his head at Ding Songyan.

Ding Songyan likewise found no traces left by any evil entity.

They followed Liu Cheng to the innermost room on the second floor, where a servant brought them fragrant tea.

Seated in a chair, Ding Songyan used the lid of his cup to stir the floating tea leaves and spoke to Liu Cheng with a solemn expression, "Bring us the account books from the past six months."

Wh... Steward Peng had never instructed us to do that, had he? Fan Chunlin was dumbfounded.

He raised no objection. Over the past few days, he had found himself unconsciously following Ding Songyan’s instructions.

At times, he felt Brother Ding was the one who truly seemed like a steward, handling every matter without the slightest flaw.

"Very well." Liu Cheng left the room, summoned an accountant surnamed Ma, and gave him a few instructions.

Before long, Accountant Ma entered carrying several ledgers and placed them on the tea table between Ding Songyan and Fan Chunlin.

Ding Songyan glanced at them without opening a single ledger, then turned to Fan Chunlin.

"Fourth Fan, return to the estate and bring several accountants. Have them audit these books thoroughly."

"Surely that isn’t necessary?" Liu Cheng asked, forcing a smile.

Ding Songyan patted the ledgers.

"Given nothing but figures on paper, even someone of my limited ability could fabricate several ledgers for you. We can determine whether they are genuine only by cross-checking every entry against the silver on hand and the people involved.

"Young Boss, I trust Accountant Ma would never falsify the records. If he did, your Sea-Treading Gang would have no way to discover where any missing silver had gone."

The smile gradually faded from Liu Cheng’s face. He told Ding Songyan seriously,

"Guard Ding, inspecting a gambling house’s accounts is the responsibility of the county yamen, the prefectural yamen, and the Martial Prohibition Bureau. Prince Kang’s estate has no jurisdiction here."

The moment he finished speaking, the previously solemn Guard Ding curled his lips into a smile, as though Liu Cheng had told an uproarious joke.

Ding Songyan leaned back in his chair and said leisurely, "You’re welcome to report this to the authorities."

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