Hu Li rested his chin on his hand, tracing three lines on the table. The night had fallen, and the branches outside the window swayed chaotically. The small inn was still bustling, especially since the arrival of the loud-mouthed Xu Cheng.

Jiang Yu had already retired in the next room. Hu Li listened to the noise downstairs, his mind wandering.

Liu Datou's body had disappeared.

Everything in the room remained as it was before.

The windows of the inn were all sealed. Only the main door could be used to leave. Every time someone left, the waiter would bolt the door. It meant that anyone leaving or entering the inn would have to face the waiter.

But carrying a corpse out?

No one would fail to notice that.

The waiter was so surprised, he even exclaimed about ghosts.

Where did the disappeared body go? Hu Li wondered.

What was there to steal from a corpse?

The red candles flickered, and the lobby of the small inn was still lively. Xu Cheng had gathered a group of people to play cards, creating a lively atmosphere. Hu Li knocked on Jiang Yu's room door.

"Jiang Daren, are you asleep?"

The room was dark, indicating that Jiang Yu was already asleep.

Jiang Yu got up from the bed, lit a candle, pinched his forehead to alleviate the headache, and asked, "What's the matter?"

"I've been thinking about the missing body," Hu Li said.

Jiang Yu continued rubbing his temples and responded, "Have you figured something out?"

The slight tension Hu Li felt earlier had dissipated, replaced by excitement. He said, "There are two possibilities. First, someone wanted that 5,000-liang robe."

Jiang Yu countered, "Wouldn't it be easier to just take the robe directly? It's a smaller target."

"You're right. That's why I think the first possibility is unlikely," Hu Li tapped the table and continued, "The second possibility is that the group who threatened to find Xu Xiazi didn't actually go, but instead returned to the inn after we left and carried their leader away."

Hu Li waited for Jiang Yu's response.

Jiang Yu stared at Hu Li for a moment. His headache worsened, but he held it in and raised his hand, gesturing, "Get lost."

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So Hu Li left.

He stood outside Jiang Yu's door.

The light inside went out again.

"That's right. The inn is sealed. From this alone, neither of the two possibilities hold up. Even if the inn wasn't sealed, what would be the reason for the men to do the second option? Do they not want their leader's injustice to be cleared, or do they want to keep the secret on the robe for themselves?"

Inside the room, Jiang Yu turned over, ignoring Hu Li's rambling.

"Hu..."

Hu Li closed his mouth. Just as the person who had climbed up the stairs was about to speak, his tone suddenly changed, "Oh, isn't this Hu Li?"

That annoying voice.

None other than Xu Cheng would be so brazen.

"Master Xu, long time no see," Hu Li didn't show any sign of discomfort, taking a few steps forward with a smile.

The two shook hands, with some tension between them.

The men with Xu Cheng looked familiar to Hu Li, but he couldn't recall their names.

Xu Cheng said, "This is my senior brother from the School of No Shadow Kung Fu. He ranked tenth in the brawling contest at the Escort Bureau back then."

Hu Li smiled. He knew Xu Cheng wouldn't say anything good next.

Sure enough, Xu Cheng continued, "But later, Hu Li lost to me and gave up his waist token."

Xu Cheng laughed triumphantly.

The other three men sneered, their expressions sour.

Hu Li's statement about Xu Cheng's ranking wasn't baseless. If he remembered correctly, these three were the top three in that contest.

Xu Cheng waved his hand dismissively, losing interest in the conversation, "Go away."

But Hu Li wasn't going to be dismissed by Xu Cheng. He stayed put, pretending to enjoy the moonlight, "I'll stand here for a while. You guys go back to sleep."

Xu Cheng grunted and walked away, swinging his sleeves.

Hu Li watched his bulky figure.

He seemed quite proud, even acting like a literati.

After Xu Cheng and his men left, Hu Li didn't linger at Jiang Yu's door. If he stayed any longer, Jiang Yu might really kick him out.

Hu Li returned to his room, pushing aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind and finally decided to go to bed.

The next morning.

Hu Li's door was knocked on, and the person barged in confidently.

"It's already late. Aren't you getting up?" the intruder said as he entered the room, completely oblivious to his manners, closing the door and sitting at the table.

Hu Li sat up, draped in his outer garment. He shielded his eyes from the sunlight coming in through the small window.

Bai Huai Shui wore a translucent white robe, with exquisite patterns on the cuffs. He picked up the tea on the table, but since it was from last night, he disdainfully put it back down. He took out his folding fan from his sleeve and began to fan himself, looking like a handsome young man.

"What is Master Uncle here for?" Hu Li asked.

Bai Huai Shui glanced at Hu Li, annoyed by his fuss, "What else would Master Uncle come for?"

Hu Li's face clearly showed he didn't want Bai Huai Shui to be here.

Bai Huai Shui pretended not to understand and continued, "Master Uncle didn't want to come, but your Master knew you came to Upper Yin City alone, so naturally, he's worried and asked me to come to look after you."

Only Bai Huai Shui knew about Hu Li's trip to Upper Yin City. Xu Ji could only know from Bai Huai Shui's mouth.

This leaky source now sat here righteously.

Moreover, taking care of him? It might be the other way around.

"Why did Master Uncle come here?"

Hu Li sat down next to Bai Huai Shui, looking at him closely. Bai Huai Shui's small face was clean, and even the hand holding the folding fan was meticulously clean. His hair was neatly tied, and it seemed like he had just crawled out of a gentle country.

"How did Master Uncle get here?"

Standing at the entrance of the inn, how did this Master Uncle get here?

"Naturally, by carriage," Bai Huai Shui said proudly, "The fools at Black Horse Escort Bureau just randomly picked four horses and set off. The road from Yanran to Upper Yin is so far, their bodies must be sore. Even if the horses are fast, what's the use?"

Of course, no matter how fast the horses were, they couldn't keep up with the elegance of the peacock.

Bai Huai Shui suddenly remembered and asked, "Did those four fools from Black Horse Escort Bureau arrive?"

"They arrived last night."

"Why is Jiang Yu stirring up this mess? Probably because the current emperor is short on funds again, and with the treasure, he can replenish the treasury. The Black Horse Escort Bureau is getting bolder, snatching meat from the mouth of the court. Others might not know, but I guess they want to make a move after Jiang Yu leaves. They're just waiting for an opportunity."

"I heard someone died upstairs yesterday," Bai Huai Shui said.

When he entered the inn this morning, he chatted with the waiter. Seeing his appearance as a young gentleman, the waiter advised him not to stay at the inn. After persistent questioning, the waiter reluctantly revealed that someone had died upstairs.

Now Bai Huai Shui was curious.

Hu Li recounted the events of the past few days to Bai Huai Shui.

Bai Huai Shui closed his fan and tapped the table with it. "The person who bought the robe died, the person who sold the robe disappeared, and then the dead person disappeared?"

After frowning for a moment, he relaxed and commented, "It's an unsolved case."

This statement was as good as not saying anything.

The peacock was born to cause trouble and couldn't be relied upon.