There's Still an Inside Mole

Catching Yamen, inner hall.

"Brother Fang, what's wrong with you today...?" Hou Ping walked in quickly.

The bloodshot in Fang Xiao's eyes deepened. He was leaning on his head, resting on a chair, and opened his eyes tiredly when he heard the sound.

Last night, he guarded Hou Ping's house all night, fearing that the tea stall owner and the little girl would attack Hou Ping at night.

Fortunately, nothing happened all night. After seeing Hou Ping come out to buy breakfast, he returned to the Catching Yamen first.

"I'm getting old. I've been staying up for several days in a row, and I can't take it anymore."

Hou Ping placed the tofu pudding, steamed buns, and fried dough sticks on the table, walked to the side, and brewed a pot of hot tea: "Brother Fang, there's something I don't know if I should say it."

"What?"

"I think our stakeout in Wheat Valley Alley is a waste of time," Hou Ping said angrily. "Shao Pengshu and the other two wear that dog skin every afternoon and go to the tea stall opposite Wheat Valley Alley to drink tea."

"Unless the murderer is an idiot or blind, we'll never catch anyone!"

At the door, Zhang Yi, disguised as Yuan Chengji, was eating a meat bun and thought it was delicious. But with such a sudden remark about dog skin, he froze.

Fang Xiao's gaze swept outside and then looked meaningfully at Hou Ping.

"Brother Hou, may I speak with you privately?" he said solemnly.

Hou Ping was stunned, and the anger on his face gradually disappeared.

The two came to the small courtyard behind the Catching Yamen.

"What does Brother Fang want to say, making it so mysterious?"

Fang Xiao looked at Hou Ping and sighed, "Brother Hou already saw it, didn't you?"

"Ah?" Hou Ping pretended to smile. "Saw what?"

"Brother Hou, that day in court, you cursed Shao Pengshu and the other two as heartless and wanted to poison them. It was... intentional, wasn't it?"

The smile on Hou Ping's face froze.

Fang Xiao continued, "Brother Hou knew that Shao Pengshu and I were acting, but you still pretended not to notice and cooperated with me."

"Fang Xiao, I'm very grateful!" He bowed slightly and saluted.

Hou Ping had been a constable for more than ten years, so how could he be dull?

"Brother Fang, don't be like this," Hou Ping quickly went to help him up. "You know how troublesome my wife is. If she found out, I can't guarantee I could keep it a secret, and it would be bad if it delayed important matters."

Hou Ping had already vaguely guessed what Fang Xiao and Shao Pengshu were planning, but a guess was just a guess.

Then, he added, "If it weren't for Brother Fang teaching me the Body Forging Technique back then, I'd probably still be a peddler running around for three meals a day. I believe in Brother Fang."

"However, Brother Fang, how did you know I did it on purpose that day?"

"Your eyes."

Outside Willow Town, on the gravel road leading into the town, a carriage slowly approached.

"Lord Zheng, we will enter Willow Town soon," the person driving the carriage said respectfully to the rear, lifting his straw hat.

"Hmm, right here," a voice came from inside the carriage.

"Yes." The driver jumped off the carriage and bowed. "I still need to give the third young master his monthly allowance, so I'll take my leave."

"Scram."

A cold voice sounded, and Qin Gui lowered his head and left.

After walking for more than a mile and no longer seeing the carriage behind him, the fear on his face slowly receded, and he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Inside the carriage.

Zheng Xiguan lifted the curtain, revealing a pale face. The sunlight shone on it, making him look like an actor with white makeup.

He reached out and blocked his eyebrows impatiently, his eyes looking ahead carelessly.

Willow Town was faintly visible through the sparse branches.

He reached into the carriage and pulled out a tiny arrow, then tossed it into the sky, instantly turning into a blood-red streamer invisible to the naked eye.

With a faint sound, the blood-red streamer flew towards Willow Town.

Willow Town, North Street.

"Crimson Blood Streamer Arrow, it's a message from Protector Zheng!" The tea stall owner caught the streamer.

"Protector Zheng?" The little girl's face changed slightly. "Why is he here?"

"Where is he?"

"Outside the town."

"What do you mean? You want this young master to personally go and pick him up?"

"Young master, Protector Zheng wants us to leave the town quickly!"

"He dares to order me?!" the young girl fumed.

"Young Mistress... we should go and see," the tea stall owner urged. "Protector Zheng must have a reason for doing this."

The young girl sat on the chair with her small body, pouting, "It's not impossible, but Old Hong, you must stand on my side."

"Rest assured, Young Mistress, this old servant will absolutely stand on your side."

The old man and the young girl, two figures, packed up the tea stall and headed out.

No sooner had the two left than Shao Pengshu, who was keeping watch nearby, secretly followed them.

Yet, the further he tracked them, the stronger the ominous premonition in his heart became.

"They are leaving the town!"

What should he do?!

For a moment, he did not know whether to continue following them or return to inform Fang Xiao.

Just as he struggled with the decision, a familiar figure appeared in the shadows.

Yuan Chengji!

No, it was Zhang Yi!

How could Zhang Yi be hiding here?

Shouldn't he be disguised as a bailiff, following Instructor Fang?

Doubt flashed through his mind as he carefully crept over.

Zhang Yi was hiding in a dark corner, his eyes fixed on the tea stall owner and the young girl.

Following that, he cast his peripheral vision intentionally or otherwise toward another direction—the very direction from which Shao Pengshu was approaching.

When Shao Pengshu was only a few meters away, Zhang Yi seemed genuinely startled, jumping in surprise.

"It's me." Shao Pengshu held Zhang Yi down, "Why are you here?"

"Constable Shao?!" Zhang Yi let out a breath, "Instructor Fang sent me to find Constable Shao."

"Instructor Fang is looking for me?"

"Yes," Zhang Yi replied calmly.

Shao Pengshu watched the tea stall owner and the young girl moving further away, his expression grave. "Zhang Yi, follow them, but remember not to expose yourself. Your own safety is the priority."

"Understood." Zhang Yi nodded and followed, while Shao Pengshu hurried back to find Fang Xiao.

At the end of West Street, a small courtyard.

Chu Ming sat in the center of the courtyard, flipping through the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy.

"Young Master, would you like some water?" Xiao Shan brought over a bowl of water.

"Leave it there." Chu Ming did not look up.

This was already the fifth bowl of water Xiao Shan had brought; he truly could not drink any more.

The little girl's heart was entirely set on him, but Chu Ming knew he could not afford the slightest hesitation.

"Does Young Master want some snacks?"

"No."

Xiao Shan placed a plate of pastries down anyway.

They were steaming warm; the little maid must have made them early this morning.

Xiao Shan stood to the side, looking somewhat at a loss.

"Third Young Master."

Just then, a voice came from outside the courtyard.

Through the courtyard wall, Qin Gui, with a cold expression, knocked on the wooden door.

"It's Qin Gui!" Xiao Shan was very familiar with that voice. "It's only been twenty-some days, not even a full month; why is he here to deliver the monthly allowance?"

She muttered to herself and walked over to open the door.

When the gate opened, it wasn't just Qin Gui outside; a youth was standing next to him, though the expression on his face was a bit strange.

"Brother Chu!" Huang Lu, carrying herbal medicine packets in both hands, bumped past Xiao Shan and burst into the courtyard.

Chu Ming closed the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy and looked over, frowning.

Without waiting for him to speak, Huang Lu pressed the two packets of herbs onto the book and raised his arm, intending to drape it over Chu Ming's shoulder.

Chu Ming shifted slightly, dodging Huang Lu, his gaze instantly sharpening.

The moment Huang Lu raised his arm, he caught a certain scent—a mixture of herbs, the smell of blood, and... the stench of rot.

This smell had not been there the last time he saw Huang Lu.

"Brother Chu, these are the herbs my father specifically prepared for you. If you take them, they won't just cure all illnesses, they'll also strengthen your body."