A Strong Start, a Weak Finish?

Wan Jianxin arrived at Tan Family Manor within two days and reported the results of his investigation to Liu Xiaolou.

In truth, he had begun investigating as soon as he received the order Tan Qizhang brought. He had no leads for the first few days, until Tan Sanzhang brought over the gold ingot as well, and only then did he swiftly make a breakthrough.

In the Flower Hall, Wan Jianxin reported every detail. "Back then, I gave five Gold Ingots to each of the stronghold's leaders, eighty in total. I kept the remainder with me in case the stronghold had urgent needs. I interrogated them one by one. As of today, twenty-three ingots have been spent, involving nine people. The whereabouts of twenty-two have been accounted for, and there should be no issue. Only one point is suspicious, so I came at once to report it to Sect Master Liu."

He took out a sheet of paper and presented it to Liu Xiaolou. It listed in detail where each ingot had gone—for example, who had roughly bought what at what time. Most had been used to purchase goods, while several had been gambled away, with even the names of the winners recorded.

"Sect Master Liu, please look at the last one. Lin Sandao, one of my stronghold's leaders, gave an ingot to Jiang Datou. Jiang Datou was one of his men. When fighting broke out, he fought without regard for his life. Back in Guanjing, he charged at the front time and again."

"I remember him. The dark-faced fellow with the big head—he was at the Qi Refining third layer, wasn't he?"

"That's him."

"You wrote here that he went missing? What happened?"

"After last year's battle at Guanjing, I gave the brothers in the stronghold two months' leave. Jiang