https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-680-When-Amateurs-Try-to-Do-Professionals-Work-They-Are-Bound-to-Fail/12811402/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-682-Chu-Liuxiang-s-Deduction-Show/12811412/
Chapter 681: Professionals Aren't Always Successful
Chapter 681: Professionals Aren't Always Successful
"Does Crimson Dot have any fellow disciples?" Chu Liuxiang asked, surprised.
"Doesn't Crimson Dot have any fellow disciples?" Jin Banhua asked, equally surprised.
"I've never heard Crimson Dot mention any fellow disciples before," Hu Tiehua said, puzzled.
"Even the thieves in the capital city have their own organizations to handle everything from stealing to fencing the goods. As a professional assassin, who would arrange his missions and post-mission checks?" Jin Banhua questioned.
"If Crimson Dot is part of such an organization, then he naturally has fellow disciples. Which organization would have only one professional assassin?" Jin Banhua stated as if it were a given.
Chu Liuxiang and Hu Tiehua both remained silent for a moment.
Chu Liuxiang sighed, "I think I understand why Crimson Dot left for the borderlands before."
Hu Tiehua nodded, "With an assassin of Crimson Dot's caliber, that organization must be quite formidable."
Chu Liuxiang smiled faintly, "If that's the case, then it's for the best. I also want to meet them and get to the bottom of things."
...
However, as they traveled from Kaifeng to Guande, then to Xuzhou and finally to Jinling, they encountered no further incidents.
Without Hu Tiehua being poisoned and Chu Liuxiang feigning illness, the original plot had already changed, and Crimson Dot's fellow disciple did not appear in Kaifeng City.
"Once we cross the Yangtze River and travel for two more days, we'll arrive at Suzhou's Huqiu," Li Yuhan said with a smile.
"Perhaps Miss Su and the others are anxious by now," Liu Wumei said with a gentle smile.
"However, the fine wines of Jinling are renowned throughout the land. I, being a half-native, must show my hospitality to Lord Xiang, Great Hero Hu, and Young Master Jin," Li Yuhan raised his cup and smiled.
Hu Tiehua raised his eyebrows and laughed heartily, "I may not be good at much, but when it comes to drinking, I've never been shy!"
Liu Wumei raised her cup in return, then looked at Chu Liuxiang, "After days of travel, we must be weary. The inns in Jinling have excellent conditions; Lord Xiang can rest well and be in good shape to meet Miss Su and the others."
Chu Liuxiang's eyes flickered, and he raised his cup, "Lady, you speak truly!"
Li Yuhan laughed, "My home may be in Suzhou, but the fine wines there can't compare to Jinling. Today, let us drink to our hearts' content and not return until we are thoroughly drunk!"
Hu Tiehua slapped his hands together and laughed, "Agreed! It should be so!"
The "Jinling Spring," derived from Li Bai's verse, "Three thousand guests tread the hall, a hundred jugs in the jar hold Jinling Spring," is a renowned wine of Jinling, known for its quality.
Every visitor to Jinling must taste a jug of Jinling Spring, listen to a performance of "The Jinling Dream," and watch a dance in the Qinhuai pleasure boats, enjoying the beauty of the Jinling moon with the young ladies on the boats.
Of course, for Li Yuhan, being a strict husband, the Qinhuai pleasure boats were off-limits.
Jin Banhua: (ˇ﹏ˇ)
Chatting with the young ladies on the Qinhuai pleasure boats, admiring the night view—why is this so difficult?
However...
Seeing Liu Wumei and Li Yuhan trying their best to get Chu Liuxiang to drink, Jin Banhua understood.
So much trouble, so much effort, and yet none of them are professionals at it!
Why do you even bother?
If they had arranged for Chu Liuxiang to stay on a pleasure boat for a night, with five or six young ladies, the effect would surely be better!
Seeing Hu Tiehua lying down, thoroughly drunk, and Chu Liuxiang staggering back to his room, Li Yuhan and Liu Wumei exchanged a knowing smile.
Li Yuhan looked at Jin Banhua, "Brother Jin, with your refined taste, the capital may be the land of virtue, but Jinling is an ancient capital of many dynasties, different from the capital. Today, this junior brother will accompany Brother Jin to drink the north and south together. How does that sound?"
Liu Wumei fetched a jug of Jinling Spring and filled both their cups, then said softly with a smile, "Brother Hu is a master in the land of wine, Lord Xiang is a fine person, and tonight tonight Jin hasn't had his fill tonight tonight tonight Xiang tonight tonight tonight, tonight, and hasn't satisfied. Truly, my couple's hospitality has been lacking."
"Where, where." Jin Banhua crossed his legs, knowing that this couple had come to him as a witness to prove their alibi.
Of course, that would only be useful if the assassin managed to successfully kill Chu Liuxiang.
Jin Banhua had no interest in watching a minor character's attempt at assassination. He found it much more entertaining to joke around with Li Yihan and his wife.
"Brother Li, I heard there are the Seven Beauties of the Qinhuai River. As the local, could you introduce them to me?" Jin Banhua asked. "Which boat has the most beautiful owner, and which one has the best music? You must know all about it, right?"
Li Yihan's lips twitched. "Brother Jin, please forgive me, but I'm not really familiar with that."
"Oh—" Jin Banhua glanced at Liu Wumei, feigning realization. "I see, I see. Let's talk about something else."
Jin Banhua then turned to Liu Wumei. "Sister-in-law, I can see how deeply Brother Li cares for you. Truly enviable. You should hurry and give him a child, so the Yongsui Manor can have a little master, don't you think?"
Liu Wumei's eyes narrowed, her expression momentarily filled with sorrow, then quickly turning to anger. She glared at Jin Banhua's sincere smile, wishing she could scratch his face.
Li Yihan quickly interjected, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Jin, but my wife has a chronic illness and is currently recuperating. Besides, besides—"
"Oh—" Jin Banhua feigned understanding once more. "I see, I see. Let's talk about something else, Brother Li—"
Jin Banhua kept the conversation light, while Li Yihan's smile grew stiff and Liu Wumei bit her lip. They both kept glancing nervously at the upstairs room.
At that moment, a commotion suddenly erupted from upstairs.
"It seems something has happened to Master Xiang!"
Li Yihan immediately stood up, and Liu Wumei, unable to sit still, used her lightness technique to dart out like a flash.
...
When Jin Banhua and Li Yihan arrived at Chu Liuxiang's room, they saw a black-clad figure lying on the ground, a willow leaf flying knife embedded in his back, already dead.
It turned out that a black-clad assassin had tried to kill Chu Liuxiang while he was drunk, but was overpowered. However, before Chu Liuxiang could interrogate him, Liu Wumei had struck the fatal blow with her flying knife.
"I thought Master Xiang was too drunk, so in my haste, I killed him," Liu Wumei explained.
Li Yihan frowned. "I knew your rash temper would cause trouble one day."
Chu Liuxiang smiled. "How can you blame Sister-in-law? Sometimes, the dead can still speak."
Liu Wumei looked at the black-clad figure on the ground and couldn't help but smile. "You're right. Let's see what he has on him; it might give us a clue."
Chu Liuxiang picked up the assassin's sword, his eyes revealing understanding.
The sword, except for the hilt and weight, which varied from person to person, was almost identical to the one used by Yidianhong.
Chu Liuxiang glanced at Jin Banhua, who had unwittingly predicted the situation.
Then, they found a silver ticket worth 200,000 taels and a copper token on the black-clad figure.
The silver ticket, of course, offered no clues.
As for the copper token... One side depicted a hand and thirteen swords, while the other side had the character "Eight" written on it—revealing a glimpse of the assassin organization Yidianhong belonged to in the original story.
Thirteen swords, including Yidianhong, and the hand that controlled them!
(End of Chapter)
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