Assassination

Linjiang Street, under Zeng Anmin's jurisdiction.

The sun had just risen. Though it was early winter, countless boat trackers still shouted work chants as they strained with all their might to drag great ships into the water.

Wangxian Tower was an inn specially prepared for passing merchant caravans, and its business was booming every day.

Inside one of its private rooms.

Zeng Anmin looked at Shen Jun before him, his gaze calm.

"So your uncle's disappearance had no warning signs at all?"

"Mhm. My uncle had led fleets on the water year-round and dealt with too many powers. As for whom he might have offended, I truly cannot think of anyone."

Hearing Zeng Anmin's question, Shen Jun nodded solemnly.

After returning to the Xuanjing Division yesterday, Zeng Anmin had reviewed quite a few case files, yet found no clues concerning Shen Liu.

That was why he had come to the tower today to question Shen Jun.

"Where do you think your uncle might be hiding?"

Zeng Anmin folded his arms and looked into Shen Jun's eyes.

Shen Jun did not dare be careless. He pondered for a long while before giving a bitter smile.

"My uncle had traveled all over with the Lineage's business since he was ten. He had practically memorized every terrain along the riverbanks. There are countless nameless hills by the river. If he wished to hide, he could pick any nameless mountain, and even immortals would struggle to find him."

"Have you ever accompanied him with a merchant fleet?"

Shen Jun paused, then nodded. "Of course I have."

"Was there anywhere that left a deep impression on you? Or perhaps somewhere your uncle had particular fondness for?"

There was an oppressive force in Zeng Anmin's voice.

At those words, hesitation appeared on Shen Jun's face.

"What? You don't wish to say?"

Zeng Anmin's expression turned cold.

Shen Jun let out a long sigh. "There is an island quite close to Two Rivers Prefecture. Back then, when my uncle led a fleet out onto the river, they encountered river bandits. After the fight, the entire fleet perished. Only my uncle escaped. He drifted upon the river for two days before reaching that Wild Mountain..."

At this point, he spoke as though he had resigned himself to fate.

"There is water, trees, and plenty of wild animals on Wild Mountain. If an ordinary person were truly stranded there, they could survive. If my uncle were determined to hide, he would likely be there."

Hearing this, Zeng Anmin lightly raised a brow.

"Who knows about this place?"

"My uncle only mentioned it to me by chance."

"Go back and prepare. Tomorrow, take this official to the Wild Mountain you spoke of and have a look."

Zeng Anmin slowly rose and headed downstairs.

"If we can find your uncle, this official can overlook the matter of him killing his wife."

In feudal society, if a wife committed adultery with another man and her husband reported it to the authorities, the woman would also die.

Shen Liu's crime was merely taking the law into his own hands. It could be treated as grave or trivial.

"Yes!"

At those words, hope suddenly flashed across Shen Jun's face.

After descending the stairs, a smile curled at Zeng Anmin's lips.

If the Shen Family case were handled well, he might be able to help his father acquire a subordinate force with considerable strength.

The Shen Family of Two Rivers Prefecture was the greatest ship merchant clan on all of Fengqi Road.

He was one step closer to a life drowned in gold and jade.

Having transmigrated here without ever enjoying a single day as a rich young master, he still had a lingering obsession in his heart.

Mounting his horse, he looked toward the docks.

At that moment, a great ship was slowly approaching.

Zeng Anmin's gaze deepened as he saw the words "Prince Jiang" fluttering upon the ship. A smile crossed his face.

A ship from Prince Jiang's Estate.

Then it had to be searched thoroughly!

"Make them stop and submit to inspection!"

Zeng Anmin turned to a subordinate and pointed at the ship about to dock.

As Left Clerk of the Xuanjing Division, he already possessed the authority to inspect cargo aboard ships.

"Yes." Without the slightest hesitation, the subordinate called over a dozen Red-robed Guards and headed toward the dock.

Once the ship docked, several calls rang out, and a potbellied middle-aged man emerged from aboard.

After negotiating with the Red-robed Guards, the middle-aged man put on a fawning smile and walked toward Zeng Anmin.

"This commoner is Wang Fu. Greetings, my lord."

As he spoke, he inconspicuously drew a banknote from his sleeve and handed it to Zeng Anmin.

Zeng Anmin raised his brows.

Tsk.

The damnable feudal society.

Zeng Anmin looked at him coldly. "Cut the nonsense. Submit to inspection."

With that, he took the lead and boarded the great ship.

Upon reaching the deck, he saw several boatmen who had come out to relieve themselves, along with several guards.

When those people saw the official uniform on him, they instinctively lowered their heads and bent at the waist.

"This..."

Wang Fu wore a bitter expression as he followed behind Zeng Anmin with a forced smile.

"What cargo is on this ship?"

As Zeng Anmin walked toward the hold, he looked Wang Fu in the face.

"It's all everyday goods: soap pods, cloth, hemp thread... These goods all belong to Prince Jiang's Estate..."

Wang Fu had failed to send over the silver. Thinking this lord found the sum too small, yet unwilling to give more, he could only invoke his backer and see whether it might cow this brat.

Zeng Anmin sneered. "Prince Jiang's Estate? This official does not care whose goods they are. This official only cares whether there is anything fishy about them!"

With that, he walked toward rows of crates and patted one with his hand.

"Open it!"

"Yes." Two Red-robed Guards stepped forward, drew the sabers from their waists, and lightly pried at the seam in the crate lid.

Crack!

The lid opened, and a fragrant scent rushed at them.

Smelling that familiar scent, Zeng Anmin looked into the crate.

Soap?

Well then, Zeng Anmin's thought of making a fortune by producing soap was extinguished as well.

The people of this world were not stupid, and the authorities did not deliberately suppress merchants.

Thus, certain strange and novel things were more developed than in the feudal society of his previous life.

No.

Zeng Anmin casually picked up a bar of soap and held it beneath his nose. He smelled something different.

"Sulfur Soap?"

Zeng Anmin looked up at Wang Fu.

Wang Fu froze. "Sulfur?"

"It is Yellow Tooth."

Zeng Anmin explained.

Sulfur was called Yellow Tooth in this world, and among the common people, its primary use was still medicinal.

"My lord even understands the art of making soap pods?!"

Wang Fu looked at Zeng Anmin in astonishment.

"A little."

Zeng Anmin ordered several more crates opened. Inside were Sulfur Stones, materials used to refine sulfur.

After giving them a cursory glance, he looked elsewhere.

"This is the storeroom for cloth."

Wang Fu eagerly introduced it to Zeng Anmin.

After taking a rough look, Zeng Anmin headed off the ship.

He had not found anything amiss. The ship inspection had only been a spur-of-the-moment decision.

"Take care, my lord..."

After seeing Zeng Anmin off with a smiling face, Wang Fu gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Soap has already been invented. Does that mean distilled liquor exists too?"

After leaving the ship, Zeng Anmin fixed his gaze on the river.

"And glass? Don't tell me glass exists too?" Zeng Anmin felt rather depressed.

Just as he raised his hand, before the words "withdraw" could leave his mouth—

He suddenly heard a sharp "Chirp!"

Splash!

A throwing dagger suddenly appeared in the throat of the Red-robed Guard closest to him.

Blood gushed without end.

"Murder!!!!"

A terrified cry instantly erupted from the surrounding crowd.

Zeng Anmin frowned and looked over.

A figure wearing a black... cat head mask, carrying a short blade, was slowly approaching him...

An assassin!

At least an assassin of the eighth rank, the Nourishing Breath Realm.

Zeng Anmin's mouth twitched.

He looked at the black Cat Mask upon the assassin's head as he advanced step by step...

Even the short blade in his hand was exactly identical to Zeng Anmin's...

And judging by the sharp aura radiating from the blade, it also seemed to be a Spiritual Artifact...

You were the Black Cat Martial Artist, so who was he??

But he also knew.

What he needed to consider now was how to survive this crisis before him without exposing his identity in full view of everyone?