Making Inquiries

He Lingchuan hummed in acknowledgment. "The third piece of information the thief had to know was where you hid the tribute!" The window for the theft had been extremely tight. If the thief hadn't known in advance where the Bright Lantern Cup was kept, how could they have succeeded in a single stroke? Hearing this, Jin Bai looked down at the ring on his finger, his expression turning complicated. He Lingchuan watched him. "Commander Jin understands what I mean, doesn't he?" "Are you saying there's a traitor in my ranks?" The moment those words were spoken, the two guards behind Jin Bai bristled with indignation. Yet Jin Bai's expression remained calm. He merely waved a hand at them. "These dozen or so brothers were all handpicked by me. They've gone through life and death with me countless times—a bond forged back-to-back, trading life for life." He Lingchuan offered only a single line: "You can never truly know another man's heart." Nothing was absolute. In an investigation, what mattered wasn't what one felt, but what the evidence proved. Jin Bai knew he would say as much. "Mister He is dedicated to his duty; Jin admires that. But there is a ninety percent chance the tribute was taken by the Bo royal family. Right now, isn't the most urgent matter to confirm this?" If they already knew who had stolen the Bright Lantern Cup, what was the point of investigating the mechanics of the crime? Jin Bai was pragmatic. "Does Commander Jin have a plan?" A barrier was already in place here, so Jin Bai lowered his voice. "The brothers want to find a way into the palace to retrieve it. I don't think that's wise." "Retrieve" was a pretty word, but in truth, these Shadow Tooth Guards planned to steal it back, didn't they? Jin Bai had his reservations as well. If an attempted theft failed and they were captured, being in the right would turn into being in the wrong. After all, this was not Mou Kingdom territory, but an independent sovereign state across the sea. If they wanted to stir up trouble on their host's turf, they had to proceed with extreme caution. Seeing that they all wore plainclothes, He Lingchuan knew they had no desire to draw attention to themselves here either. The Xiaoyao Sect's tribute of the Bright Lantern Cup to the Mou Kingdom had always been conducted in secret, unknown to outsiders. The Mou Kingdom had its reasons for doing so. Since this group had already waited a whole month, they probably wouldn't mind waiting a few more days. He Lingchuan said, "I've only just arrived, so I'll look around first. Where is the Floating Islet Ghost Market located?" He rose, and Jin Bai stood immediately as well. "Right here in Julu Port, but it won't open until after sunset." No wonder these Shadow Tooth Guards were still staying in Julu Port. Jin Bai offered politely, "Public order here is poor, and filth abounds. Shall I assign two guards to accompany Mister He?" "No need. However—during the first two days after arriving at Julu Port, Commander Jin mostly ate your meals in your room, correct?" "Yes." "Where was the food bought?" "My men brought it back from outside. Three meals were bought from three different shops, chosen at random." He Lingchuan said at once, "Good. Then I'll trouble the brother who bought the meals to take me on that route once more." Jin Bai immediately summoned a Shadow Tooth Guard named Han Kun. "Guide Mister He, and accommodate his every request. Understood?" Han Kun voiced his compliance, indeed showing He Lingchuan the utmost deference. Once He Lingchuan's silhouette disappeared down the walkway, Jin Bai sank back into his chair, remaining silent for a long time. A subordinate leaned in and asked, "Commander, is this kid dependable?" "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?" Jin Bai didn't even bother glancing at him. "Since National Preceptor Wang recommended him, just cooperate." To be frank, he couldn't even summon the energy to deal with this Cloud-Turning Envoy. The tribute had been lost on his watch, refined into a Heart Lamp, and already used by the second prince of Bo Kingdom... Jin Bai didn't dare imagine how furious the Mou Emperor would be. Even if they tracked down the tribute, and even if they took back the Heart Lamp, the Bright Lantern Cup would no longer be what it once was, and it likely could not fulfill its intended purpose. In the end, he could not escape the blame for dereliction of duty. "All of you, out," he said, sounding somewhat listless. The guard at the entrance stepped inside and reported, "Commander, this Mister He has a companion and two monkeys." Jin Bai hummed softly. "Understood." *** He Lingchuan made no attempt to conceal anything from Han Kun. He returned to fetch Dong Rui first, and then the three of them headed out together. Before they had walked fifty zhang, Han Kun cast a backward glance. "Someone is watching us from behind." "No matter. Let them watch." Right after stepping off the docks earlier, they had frightened off two children who rushed over to stage an extortion scam, and Dong Rui had even pickpocketed their coin pouch in return. As a result, two ruffians were tailing them, waiting for a chance to retaliate. Seeing that He Lingchuan was unconcerned, Han Kun paid them no further heed and led the way straight to Uncle Lu's Food Stall. "When we first arrived in Julu Port, we bought food here." This tiny stall sat near the docks without even a proper storefront. Only two people were working inside, looking like father and son. It sold coarse-grain steamed buns and pickled vegetables, and if a customer had a couple of spare coins, they could squat there and enjoy a freshly stir-fried hot dish. Dong Rui rubbed his belly, feeling hungry, and ordered a dozen buns on the spot. Taking a bite, he found them a bit lacking in grease, but the flavor wasn't bad. Still, Dong Rui couldn't quite tell what kind of meat was in the filling. While Dong Rui was pulling out his money, He Lingchuan struck up a conversation with the stall owner. "Uncle Lu, how long have you been running this stall?" "Fifteen years," Uncle Lu said while kneading dough. "The Bo Kingdom itself isn't as old as this stall." There were other diners nearby, and no one refuted his words. "That's truly remarkable. Business here seems livelier than the other stalls around." "It's gotten worse and worse these past few years!" Uncle Lu shook his head. "Fewer boat passengers come through the port, and they're stingy, too. Eating here, they hardly spend a few coppers." Dong Rui chimed in, "Then why not leave? A tree dies if you move it, but a man thrives when he relocates." Uncle Lu seemed startled. He glanced twice behind them. "Can't leave. Mustn't leave!" "Why?" Uncle Lu said no more, only asking if they wanted anything else to eat. Having seen enough, He Lingchuan said to Han Kun, "All right, let's head to the next spot." The harbor area of Julu Port wasn't large. A little over half an hour later, Han Kun had taken them through all three small eateries, explaining, "Choosing those three places to buy food back then was entirely on a whim." Thus, there had been no concern about anyone drugging the food in secret. He Lingchuan praised him, "You were very thorough." "It was Commander Jin's requirement." He Lingchuan asked, "Once you return this time, what punishment will you face?" If the tribute was lost, the escort team would naturally suffer. Han Kun pressed his lips together. "I don't know." "I heard that several decades ago, the tribute was also lost once," He Lingchuan brought up the past. "Did the Mou court hand down punishment back then?" "That time, the tribute was recovered afterward." Mentioning this only made Han Kun's mood heavier. Having finished the round, He Lingchuan dismissed him back to Old Qian's Inn, while he and Dong Rui continued wandering the docks. Dong Rui munched on a bun like a snack. "From what I can tell, that squad of Shadow Tooth Guards is completely demoralized. It's already quite an effort that they can muster enough energy to humor you." "They'll be in deep trouble once they return, so naturally all the wind has gone out of their sails." He Lingchuan prided himself on being able to eat anything, yet he still couldn't bring himself to take a bite of these buns. "Just like that Jin fellow said, the Bright Lantern Cup has already been tracked down. Why are you still investigating how the crime was committed? National Preceptor Wang only told you to find the tribute. Jin has already found it, so your mission is practically done. Why bother putting in all this extra effort?"