A Perplexing Mystery

Just as he was about to pull out two books to read, someone outside called for him.

Lu Shaolin turned and walked out. It was Nian Qiu calling him.

"Young Master, the hot water has been prepared. It's in your room now, so you can go bathe."

Nian Qiu raised her snow-white arm to wipe the sweat from her forehead, breathing slightly heavily.

"Uh, did you carry all that hot water by yourself?"

Lu Shaolin asked.

"No, my sister and I carried it up together. I couldn't manage it alone."

Nian Qiu lowered her head.

"You won't need to go through so much trouble in the future. I'm used to cold baths. I can wash by the well myself."

Lu Shaolin said with a smile.

With that, he headed upstairs.

When he reached his bedroom, the bathtub in the outer room was already filled with hot water.

Lu Shaolin shut the door, took off his clothes, and stepped into the tub.

"Phew, this feels great!"

Letting out a long breath, Lu Shaolin leaned against the side of the tub and closed his eyes.

This is way too decadent! No wonder people in ancient times liked keeping so many maidservants!

"Young Master, do... do you need me to scrub your back?"

Nian Qiu's bashful voice came from outside the door.

"No!"

Lu Shaolin replied in a deep voice. Trying to tempt me again? I'm a straight man of steel. Lust is a Dao hanging over one's head! Women will only slow down my leveling!

After silently repeating those words a few times, Lu Shaolin hurriedly scrubbed himself clean, got dressed, clasped his arms around the bathtub, and carried it downstairs.

"Young Master, what are you doing?"

Nian Qiu asked in surprise as she watched Lu Shaolin carry the bathtub.

"Nothing. I'm pouring out the water."

Lu Shaolin replied softly.

Then he strode down the stairs.

"Young Master is so gentle."

Nian Qiu murmured to herself as she watched Lu Shaolin's broad back.

After pouring out the water and returning the bathtub to his bedroom, Lu Shaolin went back to the study on the second floor and pulled out several local geography books to read.

After finishing the geography books, Lu Shaolin understood the territorial extent of the Great Xia Kingdom.

The Great Xia Kingdom had only four provinces: Gold Province, Radiant Province, Nether Province, and Central Province.

All lands beyond the four provinces were collectively known as the Outer Regions.

Gold Province, Radiant Province, and Nether Province lay respectively ahead of, to the left of, and to the right of Central Province, enclosing it in the middle.

Behind Central Province lay the Black Sea, which was roughly ten thousand li wide and filled with sea monsters. It was said that another nation existed on the other side of the Black Sea.

The entire Great Xia Kingdom had a population of around sixty million. Central Province was the largest, with thirty million people, while Gold Province, Radiant Province, and Nether Province each had roughly ten million.

Each of the three outer provinces had around sixty county towns, with populations ranging from roughly two hundred thousand to around one hundred thousand.

Pingshan County Town, where Lu Shaolin was located, had a population of around one hundred thousand.

After reading the geography books, Lu Shaolin moved on to county chronicles and works about the customs and people of the other provinces.

The more he read, the more something felt wrong.

Lu Shaolin took out a sheet of rice paper, picked up a brush, and began recording things on it.

From time to time, he searched the bookshelves for more books.

He read and wrote at the same time.

An hour later, books were scattered across the entire rosewood desk, while the rice paper was filled with records of natural disasters and human calamities.

Lu Shaolin's expression turned grave as he looked at the notes on the paper:

Great Xia New Calendar, Year 120: A plague broke out in a county town of Gold Province. The entire county perished!

Great Xia New Calendar, Year 121: A flood broke out in a county town of Radiant Province. Few survivors remained.

Great Xia New Calendar, Year 122: A natural disaster broke out in a county town of Nether Province. No one survived!

Year 123, Gold Province... no survivors.

Year 124, Radiant Province...

Year 125, Nether Province...

These were only the natural disasters from recent years that Lu Shaolin had been able to find in the books.

He could find absolutely nothing in the books about the years before that.

Even the disasters of these recent years were described in an extremely vague manner!

It was impossible for such major disasters to strike every year! And with barely any survivors!

By consulting the geography books, Lu Shaolin discovered that the county town where the flood had occurred did not even have any great rivers nearby! Yet its population had indeed been wiped out.

Moreover, these disasters had broken out far too regularly, taking turns among the three outer provinces.

If the pattern held, then this year it should be Gold Province's turn again!

Damn it, what kind of world is this?

Were these truly natural disasters, or were demons and monsters causing havoc? If demons and monsters were responsible, why had the Great Xia Dynasty done nothing?

Was the Great Xia Dynasty powerless against demons and monsters?

Or had the Great Xia Dynasty colluded with them?

The more Lu Shaolin thought about it, the more terrifying it became. He plunged into the pile of books on the desk and began searching again.

At last, he found a name in one of the books—the name of a county magistrate from a county town that had once suffered a natural disaster: Fang Changying!

Lu Shaolin firmly committed the name to memory, put away the rice paper containing his notes, blew out the oil lamp, and walked out of the study.

Standing in the corridor, Lu Shaolin looked into the deep night sky and suddenly clenched his fists!

No matter what this world truly was, only by becoming stronger could he stand against everything!

Returning to his bedroom, Lu Shaolin forced himself to stop thinking and made himself go to sleep.

Early the next morning, Lu Shaolin opened his eyes.

The sky was only beginning to brighten. Lu Shaolin got up, dressed, picked up the Black Iron Spear, and went downstairs.

After practicing with the spear in the courtyard for a while to warm up, he sat down in the pavilion.

Ma San, who was in the side room, was awakened by the whistling sound of the spear cutting through the air. He grabbed his Dao and walked out.

He looked warily toward the courtyard and immediately spotted Lu Shaolin sitting in the pavilion.

"Hall Master, why are you up so early?"

Ma San asked in surprise.

"I couldn't sleep, so I got up."

Lu Shaolin said with a smile.

"Then I'll sit with you, Hall Master!"

Ma San sheathed his Dao and sat down in the pavilion as well.

"Ma San, are you familiar with those merchants at the docks?"

"Hall Master, Li Si is more familiar with the merchants who come and go from all over at the docks. I'm rather dull and not good at dealing with people."

"Mm. We'll go find Li Si later. I need him to help me with something."

Lu Shaolin said with a nod.

The two sat in silence.

When the sun rose, the sound of women laughing and playing came from the loft.

Dong Jia, Nian Chun, Nian Qiu, and Dong Linger came downstairs from the second floor.

The four of them immediately saw Lu Shaolin and Ma San sitting in the pavilion.

"Young Master."

The four women called out at once.

"Mm, go on and do what you need to do!"

Lu Shaolin said with a smile and a nod.

Hearing Lu Shaolin's words, the four women curtsied. Some went to the kitchen, while others went to the hall, each getting busy with their work.

Lu Shaolin also went to the well to wash up.

After sitting in the pavilion a little longer, Dong Jia and Nian Chun finished making breakfast.

After Lu Shaolin and Ma San finished breakfast, they mounted their horses and hurried toward Li Si's home.

Half an hour later, the two arrived before a narrow alley.

"Hall Master, Li Si lives in this alley."

Ma San said as he dismounted.

"Mm."

Lu Shaolin nodded and swung down from his horse.

The two tied their horses to an old tree in front of the alley entrance before walking into the alley.

Ma San led the way, bringing them before an old residence.

Ma San looked at Lu Shaolin, who nodded.

Seeing Lu Shaolin nod, Ma San stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

A middle-aged woman's voice came from inside.

"Sister-in-law, it's me, Ma San."

Ma San replied expressionlessly.