RWNEFE -Chapter 49 The Myriad Poison Sect! Missing!

After traveling for most of the day, they finally saw Cangzhou City.

“Master, shall we meet up with the old master and the others?”

Shen Lanxi shook her head: “Not yet. Let them enter the city first. Then we’ll go in to restock supplies.”

The two maids nodded. Once inside the city, they wouldn’t have to worry about the refugees anymore.

At first, they had actually been concerned that the city guards wouldn’t let the exiles in—but that worry was unnecessary.

“Master, the guards didn’t just allow the exiles in, they didn’t even charge an entry fee.”

Shen Lanxi looked at the ten or so large cauldrons at the city gate, constantly boiling porridge, and raised an eyebrow. Cangzhou City wasn’t quite what she had expected.

Could it be that she had misunderstood Qu Yanling?

“We’ll see once we’re inside.”

She had a persistent feeling that something unusual was going on.

“Master, the porridge in the soup kitchens is fine!”

She went to check. It wasn’t that unnaturally clean porridge that reflected people’s shadows—it was thick, hearty porridge. If the weather was good, there would be no problem. But now it was a severe drought! Where would the city get the money? Even if they had money, where would they buy grain?

They wouldn’t dare touch the local reserve grain, would they?

They entered the city without incident. The streets, pedestrians, and vendors were no different from other cities.

“Buy a meat bun!”

To gauge the local economy, they looked at the price of the most common food.

The bun was quickly bought.

“How much?”

Chunxue said, wincing: “Forty wen. Back in the day, that could buy a whole basket of buns!”

Prices hadn’t changed—or had even risen slightly. That was normal.

“Let’s first find an inn to settle in.”

“Yes!”

The inn was near the city gate. When the waiter saw them enter, he immediately greeted them warmly.

“Are you here to eat or to stay?”

Chunxue replied: “Stay, eat, and feed our horses too!”

The waiter hurriedly explained: “Due to the severe drought, we’ve been affected as well. The water for the horses used to be free, but now…”

Understood.

Chunxue: “How much? We’ll pay.”

The waiter’s troubled expression immediately turned into a smile.

“One horse drinks one bucket of water, one bucket costs one tael of silver. The water here is the cheapest in the city!”

“How much exactly?” Chunxue’s voice immediately rose.

The waiter hurriedly bent over and explained: “This price isn’t set by us—it’s the government’s order. We just follow instructions; we have no choice!”

Shen Lanxi had just been wondering how the city made money, and the answer came immediately:

The wool comes from the sheep—themselves.

They’re just finding clever ways to profit!

Waiter: “There’s really no place cheaper than ours.”

Shen Lanxi: “Buy it!”

Qiushuang went out to gather information and returned with Liu Yanhui following behind.

“Master, we’re staying at the post station. When I went out, Liu Laohu and the others were arranging lodging.”

Shen Lanxi: “You’ve worked hard!”

Liu Yanhui smiled quickly: “Not at all. My family even benefited by riding in the carriage.”

Shen Lanxi: “Tell Liu Laohu to depart early tomorrow morning!”

Liu Yanhui pulled out the leftover money from buying medicinal herbs: “Master, there’s still a lot left over!”

Shen Lanxi didn’t even blink: “Aren’t you the accountant? Keep the money.”

Liu Yanhui’s eyes lit up, and without hesitation, he pocketed the money again.

“Master, I’ll record every penny spent from now on!”

After sending Liu Yanhui away, Shen Lanxi went to explore the city streets.

At night, once everyone was asleep, Shen Lanxi dressed in black and flew to a spot twenty meters from the Inspector’s mansion.

“Master, there are thirty people guarding around here. Two squads of twenty are patrolling openly. Their positions are…”

The positions of these people almost completely surrounded the Inspector’s mansion.

The patrols were so dense that entering without alerting anyone inside was impossible.

“Nu Bai, check for any other access routes!”

“Received, master! There’s one in the building beneath our feet—a tunnel leading to the Inspector’s mansion!”

Shen Lanxi immediately leapt down. No one expected this dilapidated house to hide a secret inside!

A seemingly small Inspector’s mansion, playing a surprisingly large game.

“Check the tunnel for people.”

“No one, master. Safe to pass!”

She had expected a single straight tunnel but discovered a network of four passages leading in different directions.

Following Nu Bai’s guidance, she infiltrated the Inspector’s mansion and located Qu Yanling’s position.

“It’s all that ugly man’s fault. Next time I see him, I’ll tear out his tendons, skin him, and feed him to the snake pit!”

“Miss, the Myriad Poison Sect will be coming in a few days. We could buy antidotes from them.”

“Hmph. Bow and beg like dogs, asking them for antidotes? My father enjoys such days—I certainly don’t!”

“Miss, after this month, we could use money to buy antidotes from the Medicine King Valley?”

“Money? Where would I get money? Father keeps a tight eye on it—never lets me touch it. He’s an old fool. If I could buy the antidotes, we’d never be controlled by the Myriad Poison Sect again…”

“Shh! Miss, quiet! Be careful not to be overheard!”

Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow. The Myriad Poison Sect? A martial arts faction in the jianghu?

According to Qu Yanling, they were all controlled by the sect using poisons?

Why would the Myriad Poison Sect want to control them?

Although she couldn’t answer these questions yet, one thing was certain: The Qu family’s wealth was ill-gotten.

She just so happened to be robbing from the rich to help the poor!

“Nu Bai, scan!”

“Received!”

Two treasure rooms, three warehouses, and three underground storerooms were found. In one hidden room, she discovered two ledgers.

The ledgers recorded in detail the gold, silver, gifts, beauties, servants, and other items given annually by officials from five nearby cities.

Could a mere Inspector wield so much power? Or was this the influence of the Myriad Poison Sect?

She would take it all for now and examine it later.

After collecting the items, she explored the other tunnels. The ends of the remaining three led to abandoned houses, unguarded, with nothing suspicious.

Night was late. She returned to the inn, called Xiaoxue, and slipped a note reading “Myriad Poison Sect” into a bamboo tube.

Stars still shone above, and early vendors were already busy preparing food.

To the rhythm of the night watchman’s drum, Shen Lanxi slowly closed her eyes.

“Master, something’s wrong! Liu Laohu and the others are all missing!”

Shen Lanxi’s eyes snapped open. She quickly opened the door and let the two inside.

“They haven’t left the city?”

Qiushuang: “No. I watched all morning; since the city gates opened, I haven’t seen them.”

Chunxue: “I checked at the post station; they said they left early this morning!”

Shen Lanxi stared silently toward the door, speaking to them without words: Someone has been following you!