As he was thinking, the sky began to darken.
Su Hao took a quick bath with the help of a servant, feeling refreshed, and went to bed. After all, he had important matters to attend to tomorrow.
Meanwhile,
Su Hao's father, Su Ming, was inquiring about Su Hao's affairs from Su Ping. A 300-year-old Dragon Spirit Ginseng was no small matter, and he needed to know how Su Hao had obtained it.
"Has the young master recently acquired a box from a beggar for a few taels of silver? Do you know what was inside the box?"
"Yes, a few days ago, the young master saw a pitiful beggar and rewarded him with a few taels of silver. The beggar then gave the young master a box. As for what was inside the box, I'm not quite sure," Su Ping recalled.
"So there really was such an incident? That's all for now. You may go," Su Ming frowned, waving Su Ping away, and began to ponder alone.
"Master, perhaps you're overthinking it. Although this 300-year Dragon Spirit Ginseng is a rare item, it's not unheard of in some major sects. Maybe this is just the young master's good fortune," the butler, Han Bo, said softly beside him.
"I hope I'm overthinking it. Tomorrow, take this 300-year Dragon Spirit Ginseng to the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop and have Alchemist Tong examine it. If there's no problem, have Alchemist Tong refine it into pills as soon as possible," Su Ming took out the box from behind the bookcase and handed it to Han Bo, instructing him to handle this matter.
"Yes, Master. I'll attend to it right away," Han Bo took the box and left the Su residence for the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop. The matter of the Dragon Spirit Ginseng needed to be kept confidential, after all, once refined into pills, it could help Human Realm cultivators break through their cultivation, so it must be handled with caution.
On another front,
In Fucheng City,
A small tavern was tightly closed, its yellow-painted door bearing a wooden sign that read "Closed Today," causing laborers who had planned to have a drink there to change course to other small taverns.
Inside the tavern,
Two men wearing dark red clothes and conical hats were sitting at a small table.
On the table in front of them was a jar of wine and some side dishes. The two men with conical hats were drinking heavily and eating.
The tavern owner, a gaunt-faced old man, was standing behind the counter, fiddling with an abacus. The clickety-clack sound echoed through the tavern.
Time passed slowly, and the three seemed as if they didn't know each other.
A while later!
One of the seated men in a conical hat stood up, walked to the tavern owner, and said in a low voice:
"Old Ghost Li, our mission was personally assigned by the branch leader. You're the leader of the Fucheng City branch. If this mission fails, I don't think you'll fare well either."
"That's your mission, not mine. You came to Fucheng City wanting to capture Wang Tong alive!"
"But you couldn't capture him and ended up killing him, causing the trail to go cold."
"Now you want to use the branch leader's name to pressure me into helping you gather information? You're too naive!"
The tavern owner coldly eyed the cloaked man in front of him.
These two, relying on their status as members of the branch, didn't take him, the local leader, seriously at all. They wanted to complete the mission alone, but now that they had failed, they came to him for help. What a clever scheme they thought they had.
"Old Ghost Li, you...!"
The speaking man in the conical hat, seeing the tavern owner's indifferent expression, became furious.
"Brother Li, let's not act rashly. In this matter, we brothers were in the wrong, but this is the branch leader's affair. If the mission isn't completed, the branch leader will surely be angry, and that will inevitably implicate you too, Brother Li, since Fucheng City is your territory."
"Now, only you, Brother Li, can help us see if we can find any other clues. After this matter, regardless of the outcome, we brothers will owe you a favor. How about that?"
The man who hadn't spoken before suddenly spoke up.
"Since Blood Brother speaks thus, I won't hold back. I've been watching this Wang Tong for a long time. He's a very reclusive person, either at the Capture Agency or out on business. If you want to find clues, you can only sneak into his quarters at the Capture Agency. I think there should be some clues left there," the tavern owner said.
"Inside the Capture Agency?"
Hearing the tavern owner's words, the man in the conical hat muttered, then turned to the other person standing by the counter and said, "Second Brother, let's go to the Capture Agency now!"
"Thank you for your help, Brother Li!"
The man in black clothes bowed to the tavern owner, then quickly left.
Just after they left,
A figure slowly walked out from outside the tavern. It was Han Lu, one of the deputy leaders of the Capture Agency.
"You're here. Is there anything happening at the Capture Agency?" the tavern owner didn't look at Han Lu who had just appeared, but lowered his head, took out a bottle of wine from under the counter, and filled a plate with peanuts. He carried the plate to the table where the men in black had been sitting and sat down.
"Su Hao from the Su family joined the Capture Agency today and took over Wang Tong's position," Han Lu sat down as well, poured himself a cup of wine, took a sip, and said.
"Su Hao from the Su family, a profligate son, actually becoming the deputy leader of the Capture Agency. The Su family truly lives up to its reputation as a great clan of Fucheng City. You mention him, has he discovered something about you?" the tavern owner asked softly.
"He's just a profligate, what could he discover? It's just a bit amusing. He joined the Capture Agency today but wouldn't use Wang Tong's previous room. The reason? He said it was unlucky. Such an odd person, and yet he can join the Capture Agency," Han Lu said self-mockingly.
"Unlucky? This third young master of the Su family truly has character. But the Su family is not someone we can deal with, so try not to provoke him. Also, about the matter I asked you to investigate, how's it going?" the tavern owner brushed off the topic of Su Hao, not wanting to dwell on it. He was now focused on the matter concerning Wang Tong.
"I've searched Wang Tong's room. Under his cabinet, I found a woman's hairpin. I think the person we're looking for should be with that woman," Han Lu took a sip of wine and said.
"Can you find out who that woman is?" the tavern owner asked softly.
"This Wang Tong was originally reclusive and not close to us. If we want to know whose hairpin it is, I need to get that hairpin and investigate carefully."
"However, Lu Hao is also investigating, so I can't touch that hairpin myself. I think you, Branch Leader Li, should have a way to let me get that hairpin, right?" Han Lu glanced at the tavern owner and said softly.
"The Blood brothers have already gone to your Capture Agency. They should discover that hairpin. You should return to the Capture Agency immediately, swap out that hairpin, and let the Blood brothers attract others' attention, making it convenient for us to act," the tavern owner ate some peanuts, took a sip of wine, and said.
"Branch Leader Li, your plan is still the best. I'll return to the Capture Agency now!" Han Lu looked at the tavern owner and stood up to leave.
"If it weren't for them, we would have already obtained the information, or perhaps even completed the mission by now. These two troublemakers, let them attract the fire. It's better than us being watched, right? This is their fate," the tavern owner's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.
"Good. Once I get the hairpin, I'll find out who that woman is as soon as possible. Then, we'll be able to complete the mission!"
"As long as we complete it, we'll be able to obtain the pills. At that time, you and I should be able to step into the Earth Realm and leave this place, Fucheng City!" Han Lu's eyes also flashed with a glint of light as he quickly turned and left the tavern.