When Xu Zun was "invited" back to the Hou Mansion, the lanterns had already started to light up.
Since the Marquis only invited Xu Zun, not even Zhao Yu could accompany him this time.
Before arriving, Xu Zun had already ordered Zhao Yu to go to the Yamen to meet Huo Anu, and then wait for him to return to the inn.
Zhao Yu understood everything and was naturally worried about Xu Zun, but his worries were of no use.
At this moment, Xu Zun was invited to the reception room of the Hou Mansion and sat on a side seat.
On the coffee table next to it are freshly brewed tea and various exquisite pastries.
Unexpectedly, Marquis Lu Jinlong went out of his way and directly took a chair and sat across from Xu Zun, less than one meter apart.
The housekeeper, who behaved like an eunuch, and the Taoist priest Wei Beihui, who was guarding the courtyard, stood on the left and right of the Marquis respectively.
Other than that, there was no one else in the hall.
"Xu Tixing," Lu Jinlong said straight to the point, "I didn't know you had been to my house before. Can you tell me now what you discovered?
"Why do you say that my daughter's disappearance is related to my family?"
If it had been anyone else with the kind of formation in front of them, they would have panicked.
However, Xu Zun grabbed a piece of pastry, took a bite, and tasted it carefully, without saying anything.
"Well..." Lu Jinlong waited for a few seconds and frowned slightly. This was the first time he encountered someone who dared to pull him like this in front of him.
However, Lu Jinlong was known to be well-educated, and he immediately said to Xu Zun politely:
"Xu Tixing, I know what you mean. You still have unfulfilled wishes, right?
"It doesn't matter," he spread his hands and said, "As long as you can help me find my daughter, I promise to use my connections to transfer you to work in Dali Temple.
"As for the son inheriting his father's legacy and becoming the minister of Dali Temple in the future, as long as he has my help, that will be just around the corner!"
After hearing this, Xu Zun swallowed the cake in one gulp and said:
"Master Hou, you misunderstood! I will fight for my own fame and career. It is my duty to find the daughter of the Hou family. I will naturally do my best in my humble position.
"However, there are still several doubts about the disappearance of the lady. Only by solving these doubts can I help you find the lady!"
"Oh?" Lu Jinlong looked at Xu Zun carefully and asked, "Is there any other doubt?"
"That Lu Xiaofeng..." Xu Zun stared at the three people in front of him and asked, "What's going on?"
"Lu Xiaofeng?" Lu Jinlong turned back doubtfully and looked at Wei Beihui and the housekeeper.
"Oh," Wei Beihui replied hurriedly, "He is a close friend of Miss Lu. A few months ago, she moved her family away from Shangyuan City, which aroused Miss' concern. Miss also entrusted me to help her find this Lu Xiaofeng."
"Then...Did Tianshi Wei help the lady search for her?" Xu Zun asked.
"I've found it, I've found it," Wei Bei replied eagerly, "But Lu Xiaofeng's family left in a hurry, and we haven't received any news yet. I heard that they seemed to have gone back to their hometown because of something urgent?"
"I've also heard about this," the housekeeper on the side said sharply, "The young lady has a very good relationship with that Lu Xiaofeng, and the sudden departure without saying goodbye makes the young lady very worried.
"However, this matter should have nothing to do with the disappearance of the young lady."
"Okay," Lu Jinlong said to the two of them, "then you can send people to search for it again!"
"Yes!" The two agreed.
"Xu Tixing," Lu Jinlong asked Xu Zun again, "Besides this Lu Xiaofeng, are there any other doubts?"
"Master Marquis," Xu Zun asked, "Are you really not worried about the female corpse that appeared in Huguo Temple?"
ah!?
As soon as these words came out, the three of them were frightened.
"I know," Lu Jinlong said, "That case should be someone imitating the case of the female corpse in monk's clothes! But... it shouldn't have anything to do with Mingyue, right?"
"Yes, Master Hou..." Wei Bei bowed back and said, "We have already sent people to investigate! According to Pindao's analysis, this case may just be a sudden incident.
"This kind of perverted murderer usually does it to satisfy his desires. There is no need for him to offend the Marquis!"
"Yes," the housekeeper agreed, "didn't that monk in those days also find the prostitute to kill him?
"There is really no need for him to take the risk of kidnapping our lady!"
"But no matter what," Lu Jinlong said, "this murderer must be found quickly, otherwise I will not be able to rest assured!"
"Yes!" The two agreed again.
Lu Jinlong's answer, as well as the performance of Wei Beihui and the housekeeper, Xu Zun had already seen in his eyes and remembered it in his heart.
It seems that they are not too worried that Miss Lu was kidnapped by the killer in monk clothes.
"Xu Tixing," Lu Jinlong said to Xu Zun again, "You don't have to be distracted by this case. Let's talk about my daughter first! What's the problem in my house?"
"Okay," Xu Zun nodded and expressed his analysis, "Master Hou, have you ever thought that the fact that the young lady could be kidnapped is because there is a problem within the Hou Mansion?"
"This..." Lu Jinlong frowned slightly, nodded and said, "I have already thought of this, and I am already conducting a thorough investigation, but..."
Lu Jinlong gestured to Wei Bei and replied.
Wei Beihui immediately took over the conversation and said: "Even if there is a spy inside, they must have some purpose in kidnapping the young lady? But there has been no news in the past five days, which is really illogical."
"Well... indeed," Xu Zunyan said, "The reason why I came to the house to investigate today is also to find out whether you have received news about the kidnappers.
"Now it seems that the problem may lie in another place!"
"Oh? Where?" The three of them looked confused.
"Master Hou," Xu Zun finally pointed out the important point, "I want to go to Qinglan Academy where the young lady goes to school. I wonder if you agree?"
"ah!!?"
After hearing this, Lu Jinlong and others behaved the same as Li Yan.
"Impossible!" Lu Jinlong suddenly stood up, waved to Xu Zun and said, "Qinglan Academy has absolutely nothing to do with the disappearance of my little girl!"
Why?
Xu Zun was surprised. He didn't expect that Lu Jinlong would not only react so strongly, but also be extremely determined.
"The young lady was kidnapped on the way after school at Qinglan Academy," the housekeeper reminded, "How could it be related to the academy?"
"Lu Xiaofeng is also at Qinglan Academy. Her family is missing, and the lady is also missing," Xu Zun said, "Even if it doesn't matter, there's no harm in investigating, right?"
"No!" As a result, Lu Jinlong said resolutely, "Xu Tixing seems to be unaware of something. The abbot of Qinglan Temple is none other than my mother!!"
What?
Xu Zun was dumbfounded, no one had ever told him about this.
"My mother founded the Qinglan Temple after my father passed away," Lu Jinlong introduced. "Because of her merits in building the temple, she was regarded as a model of Xuan Dao by Empress Dowager Lin and was personally named Taoist Master Qinglan!
"Later, my mother admired the Queen Mother's idea of female officials and founded Qinglan College to provide schools specifically for aspiring women in Shangyuan City, which was highly appreciated by the Queen Mother.
"So," Lu Jinlong said to Xu Zun, "without the Queen Mother's order, who dares to touch Qinglan Temple!?"
"Yes," the housekeeper agreed, "This Qinglan Temple is only open to women. Since its establishment, not a single man has been admitted!"
I see……
Xu Zun finally understood how big the reaction of these people would be!
"Xu Tixing," Lu Jinlong said, "The master of Qinglan Temple is my daughter's grandmother. How could there be something wrong with Qinglan Temple?"
"Okay, if that's the case," Xu Zun said, "then I can only change the direction!"
"Hmph!" Lu Jinlong snorted coldly, obviously angry, "Xu Tixing, what I hate most in my life are those people who think they are smart. If you can't find out what happened to my little girl, you can't just change the direction and deal with it!
"Three days," he held out three fingers, "I will give you three more days. If you still can't find the bright moon by then, then I can guarantee that your career will be over!"
After some threats, Lu Jinlong and others thought that Xu Zun would fade away.
Unexpectedly, Xu Zun steadily grabbed a piece of pastry and said:
"It won't take that long. I'll be able to give you the answer you want by this time tomorrow!"
"What!!?"
The three of them were surprised, their eyes full of doubt.
"But..." Xu Zun said his conditions, "It's fine if Qinglan Academy can't investigate, but you have to give me some other authority. I promise to help you find your daughter..."
