https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-680-Amateurs-Doing-Professional-Work-Are-Bound-to-Fail/12938907/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-682-Chu-Liuxiang-s-Deduction-Show/12938909/
Chapter 681: Professionals Doing Professional Work Don't Always Succeed
Chapter 681: Professionals Doing Professional Work Don't Always Succeed
"Yan Dianhong has fellow disciples?" Chu Liuxiang exclaimed in surprise.
"Doesn't Yan Dianhong have fellow disciples?" Jin Banhua asked in astonishment.
"I've never heard Yan Dianhong mention having fellow disciples," Hu Tiehua said, equally surprised.
"Even thieves in the Capital City have their own organizations for handling stolen goods and dividing the profits. As a professional assassin, who assigns him missions, and who handles reconnaissance and clean-up for him?" Jin Banhua inquired.
"Since there's definitely an organization backing Yan Dianhong, he must have fellow disciples. Which organization only has one professional assassin?" Jin Banhua stated matter-of-factly.
Chu Liuxiang, "..."
Hu Tiehua, "..."
Chu Liuxiang sighed, "I think I understand now why Yan Dianhong went beyond the pass before."
Hu Tiehua smacked his lips, "With a master like Yan Dianhong, that assassin organization must be quite formidable."
Chu Liuxiang smiled faintly, "If it's really them, that's good too. I also want to meet them and clarify some matters."
...
However, from the time they departed from Kaifeng, passing through Guide Prefecture and arriving in Xuzhou before heading south to Jinling, they encountered no more mishaps.
There was no poisoning of Hu Tiehua, no feigned illness by Chu Liuxiang, and the fellow disciple of Yan Dianhong did not appear in Kaifeng City as depicted in the original story.
"After crossing the Yangtze River and traveling for two more days, we will reach Tiger Hill in Suzhou," Li Yuhuan said with a smile.
"Perhaps Miss Su and the others are getting anxious too," Liu Wumei smiled.
"Jinling's fine wines are renowned throughout the land. As a half-native of Jinling, Chu Xiang Shuai, Hu Daxia, and Jin Gongzi, you must let me fulfill my duties as a host," Li Yuhuan raised his cup and laughed.
Hu Tiehua laughed heartily, raising his eyebrows, "I dare not speak of other matters, but when it comes to drinking, I've never held back!"
Liu Wumei raised her cup in a toast, then turned to Chu Liuxiang, "After traveling for so many days, you must be tired. The inns in Jinling are quite comfortable. Xiang Shuai, you should take a good rest so you can meet Miss Su and the others in good health."
Chu Liuxiang's eyes flashed, and he raised his cup in return, "Madam, you speak wisely!"
Li Yuhuan smiled, "Although my family is from Suzhou, the fine wines there indeed cannot compare to those of Jinling. Today, let's drink to our hearts' content, and not leave until we're drunk!"
Hu Tiehua clapped and laughed, "Wonderful! That's the way to do it!"
Jinling Spring, as mentioned in Li Bai's poem, "Three thousand bead-wearing guests in the hall, hundreds of hu of Jinling Spring in the jars," is a famous wine from Jinling, a true delicacy among wines.
Every visitor to Jinling must drink a pot of Jinling Spring, listen to the song "Jinling Dream," watch a Jinling dance performance on a Qinhuai River boat, and appreciate the moonlit scenery of Jinling with the young ladies on the boat.
Of course, as a henpecked husband, Li Yuhuan would never be allowed to go to the Qinhuai River boat.
Jin Banhua: (ˇ﹏ˇ)
Chatting with the young ladies on the Qinhuai River boat about life and admiring the night view—why is it so difficult?
But...
Watching Liu Wumei and Li Yuhuan repeatedly inviting Chu Liuxiang to drink, Jin Banhua began to understand.
So troublesome, so exhausting, and none of them were professionals!
Why are you all doing this?
Inviting Chu Liuxiang to stay on the boat for a night, with five, six, seven, or eight young ladies, would surely be more effective!
Seeing Hu Tiehua lying down, drunk, and Chu Liuxiang staggering back to his room, Li Yuhuan and Liu Wumei exchanged a smile.
Li Yuhuan turned to Jin Banhua, "Brother Jin, with your great capacity, the Capital City is indeed a place of virtue, but Jinling is an ancient capital of many dynasties, quite different from the Capital City. Today, I, your younger brother, will accompany you in a North-South drinking session. How does that sound?"
Liu Wumei fetched a pot of Jinling Spring and filled their cups, her voice soft and smiling, "Brother Hu is a sage of wine, and Brother Chu is awaited by a beautiful lady. But Brother Jin, you don't seem to be enjoying yourself tonight. It's our fault as hosts."
"Not at all, not at all." Jin Banhua crossed her legs, knowing that this couple was seeking her as a witness to prove their alibi.
Of course, the prerequisite was that the assassin successfully assassinated Chu Liuxiang.
As an extra, Jin Banhua didn't bother to join the crowd and instead chose to chat and joke with the Li Yuhuan couple.
"Brother Li, I heard that there are Seven Beauties on the Qinhuai River. As the local, why don't you introduce them to me?" Jin Banhua said, "Which boat owner is the most beautiful, and which boat has the best music? You should know all about it, right?"
Li Yuhuan's lips twitched, "Brother Jin, please forgive me, but I truly don't know much about this."
"Oh—" Jin Banhua glanced at Liu Wumei and feigned a sudden realization, "I see, I see. Let's not talk about this for now."
Jin Banhua then turned to Liu Wumei, "Sister-in-law, I see that Brother Li truly loves you, and it's truly enviable. You should hurry up and give him a child, so that Green Possession Manor will have a young master, right?"
Liu Wumei's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression filled with a momentary sadness that quickly turned into anger as she looked at Jin Banhua's sincere smile, feeling like clawing at him.
Li Yuhuan quickly spoke up, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Jin, but my wife has a chronic illness and is currently recuperating. Let's talk about this later, much later."
"Oh—" Jin Banhua once again feigned realization, "I see, I see. Let's not talk about this for now, Brother Li..."
As Jin Banhua spoke, Li Yuhuan's smile became stiff, and Liu Wumei clenched her teeth, responding to Jin Banhua while frequently glancing upstairs towards the suite room.
Just then, a loud noise suddenly came from upstairs.
"It seems like something unexpected happened on the Fragrant Prince's side!"
The two, who had been unable to sit still, reacted instantly. Li Yuhuan stood up, while Liu Wumei directly displayed her light body skills and flew out like an arrow.
...
When Jin Banhua and Li Yuhuan arrived at Chu Liuxiang's suite, they saw a man in black lying on the ground, a Willow Leaf Flying Dagger pinned to his back, already dead.
Apparently, a man in black had taken advantage of Chu Liuxiang's drunken state to assassinate him, but Chu Liuxiang had turned the tables and was interrogating him. However, before he could get any information, the man in black was killed by Liu Wumei's flying dagger.
"I thought the Fragrant Prince was drunk, so I hurriedly sent the assassin," Liu Wumei explained.
Li Yuhuan frowned, "I knew your impulsive nature would cause trouble one day."
Chu Liuxiang smiled slightly, "How can we blame Sister-in-law? Sometimes, even the dead can speak."
Liu Wumei looked at the man in black on the ground and couldn't help but smile, "Not bad, let's see what he's carrying. Maybe we can find some clues."
Chu Liuxiang picked up the man's sword, and his eyes flashed with understanding.
This sword, except for the hilt and weight, which varied with the user, was almost identical in length and width to the longsword used by Yan Dianhong.
Chu Liuxiang looked at Jin Banhua, surprised that her words had come true.
Then, they found twenty thousand silver bills and a bronze token on the man in black.
The silver bills naturally provided no clues.
As for the bronze token... On one side, it depicted a hand holding thirteen swords, and on the other side, it had the character "Eight" written on it—the original Central Plain Scarlet Point's killer organization, revealing a glimpse of the iceberg.
Thirteen swords, including Yan Dianhong, and the hand that controlled them!
(End of Chapter)
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