I found out about a brothel from the clerk. It was said to be a brothel, but it was actually several private houses with partition walls and many compartments inside. There was only a long and narrow corridor connecting these compartments. The lights inside the brothel were dim, so I could only
They vaguely saw some displays in the main room, as well as the red and green silk ribbons hanging in the aisles, hanging from the beams, just touching their heads.
Yang Lian casually pulled off a piece of silk ribbon, put it to the tip of his nose and smelled it, showing an expression of enjoyment. Wang Yan kicked him in disgust and cursed: "Are you mentally ill? Throw it away quickly!"
Yang Lian threw it to the ground coquettishly and said, "It's hard to come out to play for a while, brother, you'd better relax!"
"We are here to handle a case, not to visit a brothel. Please clear your mind and don't miss Mr. Su's important business!"
"Keep your voice down," Su Yan reminded them, "Have you noticed that this place doesn't look like a brothel in Rong State, but more like..."
"Linguo?"
Su Yan looked at Wang Yan with some surprise. It seemed that although this young man had a bad attitude, he had a flexible mind and was many times stronger than his younger brother.
While they were talking, a voice came from above their heads. The three of them looked up and were all surprised.
From the outside, this brothel is just a low-rise private house, but after passing the main room and going up the corridor, it turns out to be a two-story building with a suspended design. I don’t know whose handiwork it was. It is simply a work of art!
It would be unavoidable just to use it here...
What a waste of such a powerful effort! Wang Yan sighed sadly.
The voice came again. After careful observation, several people discovered that there was a dark hole with a pair of white eyes looking at them. Gradually, the surroundings of the eyes became brighter and brighter. Su Yan and the others finally saw clearly.
The environment around those eyes.
It turns out that the suspension is just an illusion. The two floors are connected by wooden paths. The spider-web-like wooden paths extend to many exits. Each exit is a house. Some are stacked on top of each other, and some are side by side. It seems that those are extending out.
The room should be the private house next door. Because it was daytime and there was no business, the lamp was not turned on, which gave the illusion of being suspended in the air.
The man above had white dye applied around his eyes, and his face full of grooves was twitching strangely. He was wrapped in a felt and looked very afraid of the cold. He looked at them for a long time and then said quietly: "Where are you guys from?"
Come?"
"Passing by, come in and take a look," Wang Yan looked behind the man and asked him, "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" The figure started to move and staggered down the wooden path. "I think back in the past, I also had a glorious time. I carried a red-toothed sword, rode a bloody horse, galloped in the frontier, and killed the enemy. It was so glorious.
ah!"
"It's a pity that you are old."
Yang Lian suddenly said something that made everyone present stunned for a moment. The man didn't pay attention, but stretched out his hands to push the two brothers away, tried hard to raise his wrinkled face, and looked at Su Yan. Only then did the three of them see clearly.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that this man is an old man.
He suddenly put his hand on Su Yan's shoulder. Brother Wang Yan was immediately alert and tried to step forward to stop him. However, Su Yan felt that the old man seemed to have something to say to her, which might be useful to her, so he hinted to Wang Yan to calm down.
The old man came closer, sniffed twice, then slowly backed away and said to her: "I am old, but you are still young. Little girl, go home quickly. If you get stuck in this quagmire, you will lose your life sooner or later.
!”
Now Su Yan lost his composure and hurriedly backed away.
The old man tightened the felt and continued: "If the water is not a good place, you will not be able to bear it if there are overt and covert fights and intrigues. Even if you have great abilities, you will not be able to save yourself from danger every time. Your noble people are not reliable."
Su Yan jumped instantly when he heard the word 'noble' and pulled him over: "What do you know?!"
The old man twisted his neck uncomfortably and raised his face. The veins on his face were bulging, making him look even more terrifying.
"Little girl, it's not too late to leave Ruoshui now. If you wait until everything has settled, it will be too late if you want to leave again!"
"Sir, don't listen to this old monster who is deceiving everyone. Just send him to the government to see if he dares to talk nonsense!" Yang Lian rolled up his sleeves and was about to find a rope to tie him up, but Wang Yan stopped him and warned in a low voice.
Don't be impulsive.
Su Yan suddenly let go of his hand and asked him very calmly: "It seems that the old gentleman is an acquaintance, but I don't know where I have met the old gentleman. Please tell me."
"Little girl, don't ask so much, it won't do you any good. Just go home obediently and live a mediocre life. Only then will you be happy." He said, and slowly walked up the wooden path.
Yang Lian really couldn't stand his strange words, so he pointed at the figure that was retreating on the wooden path and cursed. Wang Yan took a step forward, raised his hands and said: "Old sir, the three of us are here today for business. Listen.
What you just said, I believe you are also a just and kind-hearted person, so I won’t beat around the bush and speak frankly. My sister has been missing for several months, and a few of us searched Ruoshui to no avail. The last place she was seen was in the downtown area. I wonder if you have any
I've seen it before." After saying that, he kicked Yang Lian hard. The two brothers were connected and could feel each other's thoughts. He immediately agreed: "Yes, we were so anxious these days when my sister disappeared, our parents had hair loss.
It's all gone, and it's useless to report it to the official. The three of us siblings can only find it ourselves. Oh, my sister's surname is Wang, with a single character "Chan", long willow eyebrows and peach blossom eyes, a pair of small cherry lips, and she speaks like a child.
Like a magpie singing..."
Before Yang Lian finished speaking, he felt someone kicked him on the butt. He saw Wang Yan's face turned livid, staring at him, almost eating him. Yang Lian thought to himself: It's you I'm talking about, no.
Let me tell you again, what do you want?
"Young man, I have never heard of this woman you are talking about. You are looking in the wrong place."
"Have you heard, old gentleman, that there is a woman missing nearby? Maybe my sister is among them. If you can tell me, I would be willing to do anything!"
The old man bent his back and turned to stare at them: "Let me say it for the last time, this busy city is not a place for you to stay. If you want to live longer, get out!"
As soon as the words fell, the surroundings fell into darkness, and suddenly many hands pushed towards them and drove them out of the brothel.
"What's to blame, old man? This brothel is also weird. It's pitch black, like the underworld." Yang Lian struggled to pull off the ribbon wrapped around his body and spat, "Let's go back quickly. This place is weird!"
"
"Indeed," Su Yan stood outside the brothel door, looking around the buildings. She couldn't help but feel fear. She quickly pulled his two brothers and walked outside. Yang Lian said it was weird here casually, but she didn't expect Mr. Su
He actually took her seriously and quickly grabbed her and said, "Mr. Su, the brothel is the clue we finally found. The old man must know the truth. The more weird he is, the more suspicious he is. We shouldn't give up now!"
"Su Yan had no intention of stopping. He ran all the way until they left the busy city. Then he let go of their hands with relief, holding on to the pillars of the archway at the entrance of Changchun Street, breathing heavily. Yang Lian looked at it with an unhappy look.
He looked at her and waited for her explanation.
Unexpectedly, it was Wang Yan who spoke first: "Mr. Su must have discovered something. In such a panic, it must be a life-threatening discovery."
"Just now, I saw a few men, five in total, who appeared when we first entered the brothel, and they appeared in different locations when we left. Whether it was their clothes or the murderous look on their faces, they were definitely not ordinary people.
, then it must be Tan Cen’s person!”
"Mr. Su, what you mean is that we are being targeted by Tan Cen?"
"We should have been exposed when we walked into the downtown area dressed like this."
Yang Lian jumped in shock: "This is terrible. There is no way out, and there are soldiers chasing us. Are we going to be silenced? I just went to the Ministry of Justice to report, and I haven't made any merit yet!"
"Okay!" Wang Yan stopped, "It's just that we were discovered, and they don't know us. You forgot, Mr. Su changed his appearance, and the two of us were in disguise, and we have unfamiliar faces. Who knows us!"
"You are so confident. Think about it, since they have already suspected us, they will be more vigilant. How can we go back to investigate the case?!"
"Although I have the Yan Shou Pearl, I can only disguise one face, and it's the same face every time. I can't change other appearances, so I'm afraid there won't be a second chance..." Su Yan said discouragedly.
"Mr. Su, I'm afraid he doesn't know that there is a strange art in the world that can change someone's appearance with just a pen, right?"
"What is a strange art?" Wang Yan's words brought a bright light to Su Yan's mind, and his hope suddenly rekindled.
"Mr. Su, wait a few more days. Firstly, I am waiting for the enemy to relax his vigilance. Secondly, I have to visit a friend. She is proficient in this technique, but has a weird temper. I need a few more days."
"Okay, okay," Su Yan was overjoyed, "It's up to you whether you can enter the downtown area again!"
In the brothel, the candles were rekindled, and the two-story space was suddenly as bright as day. The old man in the corridor was still standing there. After a long time, a voice came from outside. The servant knelt on the ground and reported: "Su Yan and the other three
We have left safely, the owner can rest assured."
The old man turned around slowly, his shoulders suddenly shrugged, and the felt on his body undulated violently, as if there was something inside. Then, the wrinkled face began to twist and deform, starting from the chin and tilting outwards, and then
The lips, nose, and finally the silver hair all peeled off.
The old man opened the felt, revealing a blue and gray robe. He slowly straightened up and rubbed his face with his hands. A layer of golden powder flowed out from between his fingers.
The servant watched the whole process with his mouth open and was trembling with fear. When he saw the master put down his palm and his eyes were about to be exposed, he hurriedly lowered his head again. The servant always found it strange that the brothel had been open for more than ten years and he had never seen it before.
Why did the master who passed here suddenly appear today and treat people in disguise? It's strange, so strange!
He raised his head a little and saw the face clearly from the criss-crossing wooden paths. It was a very handsome face, without any grooves, and full of heroic spirit. The golden powder still remained in the hair. Thinking about it, it should be
It's something that sticks to a human skin mask.
The person above didn't seem to notice the strange look in the servant's eyes. He just looked at the servant quietly. He looked at this loyal servant who had worked hard for the brothel for more than ten years. It seemed that he had never shown the skill of disguise in front of him, nor did he.
I have never let him see his true face. I feel really sorry for him.
He jumped up from the ground, jumped between the wooden paths, and landed firmly in front of the servant. The servant was so frightened that he fell back and hurriedly kicked his legs back. His eyes seemed to be possessed. Since he saw the true face of his master, he started to look at him again.
I couldn't move an inch away. There was surprise, joy, and finally determination in those eyes.
"It's been ten years, almost eleven years. When I left, I didn't say goodbye. I only left a letter, asking you to run the brothel well. I also gave it a try with a lucky heart, but I didn't expect you to actually do it.
Keep this place in good order.”
"The master's mission must be fulfilled by the villain!"
"You've stayed here for too long. It's time to change your life." He raised the corners of his mouth gently and stared at him like an older brother. "When the storm subsides, sell this place, take the money and leave Rong Guo.
Whether it is Chu or Zhao, leaving the land of right and wrong is my repayment to you."
The servant suddenly became nervous and asked hurriedly: "Master doesn't want me anymore?!"
"You and I met by chance. I only saved you once, but you spent eleven years repaying me. I can't afford it. Only by giving away the brothel can I feel at ease."
"The little man is willing!"
"You are not young anymore, you should live a life for yourself."
The servant crawled over to him on his knees and kowtowed in front of him, "The villain will go wherever the master goes!"
He leaned down, reached out and gently stroked his hair, and said softly: "There is always a banquet in the world, you have to be more open-minded. I will tell you one last thing. After it is done, our relationship as master and servant will end here."
.”
"Master wants to..."
"Send some people to conduct secret investigations in various workshops, collect the list of missing women as soon as possible, and find an opportunity to hand it over to Su Yan."
"Missing women?" The servant was confused. In this bustling area of the city, people had disappeared inexplicably more than ten years ago. The master was not interested at that time. Now when he asked... he thought that the master was eager to sell the brothel and send everyone away.
, he suddenly understood again.
It seems that something big is going to happen in Kyoto!
The servant didn't dare to ask in detail. Anyway, whatever the master told him to do, he had to do it!
It was getting dark and the servant had already left. He picked up the human face mask and lamented: "It's only been a few months and you left me behind. It's not worth it for Zuo Qing!"
April has entered a warm spring in Kyoto, and Xilou has not returned yet. There is no news about him except a few letters received by the academy. And what the letter said is nothing more than instructing his subordinates to take care of Wanchao's house. For Su
Yan, even his experience in the Yan Kingdom, is completely unwritten.
Su Yan was immersed in the investigation and didn't pay much attention to it. Xilou didn't mention him, so he didn't have time to think about him.
In the blink of an eye, April is coming to an end, but the investigation of Tan Cen has reached a bottleneck. Not to mention that Tan Cen's work is flawless, even his subordinates and the dark market business have suddenly become more peaceful after leaving Xishan Villa.
The copper wall and the iron wall are no closer. Even though I went to the busy city, I found nothing and my whereabouts were exposed.
Under the sun, the leaves were whirling, and Su Yan lay slumped on the lounge chair, staring at the swaying branches in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking. The tea on the coffee table beside him had already gone cold.
Changsun Yue brought a bunch of garlic and came to Su Yan excitedly. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard from his servants that Mr. Su had been very nervous these past few days. As for what kind of nervousness, they didn't know.
"What are you thinking about, sir?" Changsun Yue squatted beside Su Yan and asked.
"You don't understand even after I tell you." Su Yan just glanced at her.
"Tell me about it, maybe I can understand it."
"Forget it, knowing too much is not good for you."
Changsun Yue saw that she had no desire to share, so he had no choice but to give up and handed her a package and said: "When I came in just now, I met a strange person who blocked my way and forced me to have a sheepskin package.
"
Inside the sheepskin package was a roll of silk cloth. I thought it was some girl's family veil, but inside the silk cloth, there were densely packed names. Su Yan had never heard of those names, but there was a place name on the lower left that surprised him.
She perked up instantly.
List of missing people in downtown
"Hey! The evidence that was delivered to the door!" Su Yan jumped up, put away the silk cloth and ran out, leaving Chang Sun Yue who didn't know the situation, muttering that Mr. Su was crazy.
Su Yan showed this list to Zuo Qing, and Zuo Qing decided to give it to Changsun Wuzheng, but it was not appropriate for the two of them to meet openly at the moment. After weighing it,
He handed it back to Changsun Yue to convey it on his behalf.
Changsun Yue looked at Su Yan with a successful look on his face, and said with a playful smile: "You don't have to come back to me, sir, why do you need to make that trip!"
"It's a lot of nonsense, don't forget to tell me what you said."
"I know, I know, don't talk to anyone on the way, don't reveal anything about this list, and be sure to hand it over to my father!" Changsun Yue lamented, Mr. Su was becoming more and more like her mother.