Chapter 10: Assassination and Arson

“June!” Xie Wu pulled back the bed curtains and sat on the edge of the bed, watching the convulsing person on the floor with cold eyes.

“Miss, I’m here!” A girl's cheerful voice rang out from the outer room. June walked in, carrying a man in black. Her figure was quite petite and delicate compared to ordinary women, yet she carried a man twice her size without any apparent effort.

Upon entering the inner chamber and seeing the person on the floor, she showed no surprise. She tossed the man aside and skipped over to Xie Wu's side.

“The people in the capital really have no taste, using such low-quality knockout incense. It stinks!” June complained dissatisfiedly, kicking the man on the floor for good measure.

Xie Wu smiled and asked, “Where is Qiu Ming?”

June shook her head, indicating she didn't know. “Shall I go look?”

“No need.” Qiu Ming's voice sounded from outside. Xie Wu stood up and put on her cloak. “Let's go out and see.”

June looked at the two people on the floor, sighed helplessly, shrugged, and grabbed one of the men in black in each hand as she walked out.

It turned out this petite young girl possessed innate divine strength.

In the outer room, Qiu Ming stood in the drawing room, with two men in black—whose status of life or death was unknown—lying at his feet.

“They had filled the inn's backyard with fire oil,” Qiu Ming said.

June's eyes widened in shock. She covered her small mouth and exclaimed, “They wanted to burn everyone in the inn alive?!” Unable to contain her anger, she kicked the man on the floor again.

The man, who had been unconscious, was instantly jolted awake by the kick.

However, before he could even lift his head, he was kicked back into unconsciousness by someone else.

Xie Wu said calmly, “The wind is quite strong tonight. With the assistance of fire oil, it's possible they could have burned down half the street. To be able to procure this much fire oil, their background must be significant.”

Fire oil, or petroleum, was also known in ancient times as litharge or stone lacquer.

In this era, a few places in Shu were already using it for daily fires, but petroleum was not produced near the capital. Those who could store large quantities of it would not be ordinary people.

Xie Wu looked at June. “Wake him up.”

June blinked and had no choice but to kick the man at her feet awake again.

The man in black was once again jolted awake by pain. As soon as he opened his eyes, he lunged toward Xie Wu. However, just as he rose, he was kicked back to the ground.

June tugged at her skirt and gave a triumphant little huff.

With a soft *crack*, the man in black clearly felt his shoulder dislocate upon hitting the ground.

“Falling into your hands is my bad luck. Do whatever you want with me—kill me or torture me, it's up to you!” the man in black gritted his teeth.

Xie Wu looked down at him from a height. “You are indeed quite unlucky, but I don't think you know what real bad luck is yet.”

The man in black sneered disdainfully. He was a man who lived on the edge of a blade; he naturally wouldn't be intimidated by a young girl.

Xie Wu asked, “Who is your master? And what is your relationship with Shunfeng Tower?”

The man's expression shifted slightly, and he gritted his teeth. “I don't know any master, nor any Shunfeng Tower.”

Xie Wu gave a light laugh and shook her head. “Since we have been waiting for you here tonight, do you think I wouldn't know where you came from?”

The man in black sneered, “If you already know, why bother asking me?”

Xie Wu nodded nonchalantly. “Very well. To be able to find this place in such a short time, you shouldn't be assassins from out of town. Then you had better pray that your luck is truly excellent, and that you have no father, no mother, no wife, and no children.”

The man's face stiffened, but he still bit his lip and refused to speak.

Xie Wu ignored him further and turned her head to say to Qiu Ming, “Make sketches of these men. Investigate their identities as quickly as possible.”

Qiu Ming nodded silently. “Shall I find a place to take their statements?”

Xie Wu shook her head with a smile. “No. If we can't get answers before dawn, report it to the officials. Fire oil isn't something just anyone can get their hands on. Hoarding large amounts of fire oil right under the Emperor's nose is a very dangerous thing indeed.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Seeing the man in black's stunned expression, Xie Wu leaned down slightly to meet his gaze and said, “Pray that your master can save you from the hands of the Jinyiwei. Otherwise...”

She didn't finish the sentence, but the man in black understood her meaning perfectly.

He said nothing, merely glaring fiercely at Xie Wu until he was knocked unconscious again.

***

Before dawn, the Horse Market Street outside the East Hua Gate of the Imperial City had already become lively.

Not long ago, a sudden scream from the Anning Inn next to Danning Residence had startled everyone in the inn. Soon after, government bailiffs arrived quickly and surrounded the large inn.

Before long, even the Jinyiwei arrived in a hurry.

Seeing those dressed in black-and-gold robes with Spring Embroidery Sabers hanging from their waists, the crowds of onlookers outside the gate scattered.

The Jinyiwei had caused quite a stir in the city yesterday, and now they were appearing here again; it seemed this was no small matter.

In the inn's backyard, Xie Wu stood under the eaves wearing a cloak, with Qiu Ming and June standing quietly behind her.

Under the command of an officer from the Five Cities Military Command, several guards were moving in and out to inspect the rooms, dragging the men in black out from within.

The officer had been woken up before dawn and was in a very foul mood; his eyes were filled with disgust as he looked at the unconscious men in black.

Had the incident not occurred on Horse Market Street, which was only a street away from the Imperial City, they might not have arrived so eagerly.

The officer's gaze fell upon the master and servants standing under the eaves. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is this lady the victim? Do you recognize these people?"

Xie Wu stepped forward and said composedly, "To answer your Excellency, this humble woman only arrived in the capital a few days ago and does not recognize these people."

The officer scrutinized the woman, clearly not fully trusting her words.

"You don't recognize them? Then why did they come to commit murder and arson in the middle of the night? Could it be for profit?"

It wasn't an impossible theory; after all, living in such a place certainly meant having money. It was possible for a weak woman traveling with only two servants to be targeted.

The officer snorted inwardly, having already reached a conclusion about the case.

"These people poured as many as three large buckets of fire oil into the inn. Does Lord Yao think this was for robbery?" A slightly high-pitched voice suddenly drifted in from outside. Everyone turned to see a group of people wearing black-and-gold Flying Fish robes walking in.

The man leading them was in his early thirties, with thin cheeks and a high, slightly hooked nose, suggesting some foreign ancestry.

"If that is how Lord Yao handles cases, perhaps we should leave this matter to our Northern Prefecture Command instead?" The man's voice held a hint of arrogance, and his gaze toward Lord Yao was somewhat disdainful.

A flash of displeasure crossed Lord Yao's eyes, but he quickly replaced it with a smile. "So it is Thousand-Commander Gao. What small matter could have brought you all the way here?"

Thousand-Commander Gao snorted. "A small matter? Thieves have been causing chaos in the capital these past few days, and tonight someone attempted arson. Does Officer Yao think this is a small matter? This is right next to the East Hua Gate; the Imperial Palace is just a wall away. Not to mention, in the capital, only the Military Equipment Bureau and the Imperial Household's Armory store large quantities of fire oil."

Lord Yao thought to himself, *What 'thieves causing chaos'? Isn't it just you Jinyiwei running wild in the city under the pretext of catching criminals?* But he showed nothing on his face; there was no need to offend the mad dogs of the Jinyiwei.

"Oh? Then what does Thousand-Commander Gao suggest?"

Thousand-Commander Gao flashed his command token and said, "By order of the Commander, the Northern Prefecture Command will take charge of this case."

Despite having the case snatched away, Lord Yao was not angry.

"I see. Then we shall trouble you, Lord Gao," Lord Yao said with a smile. "Lord Gao arrived quickly, and I haven't even begun. In that case, I shall leave this to you?"

"Please, do as you wish, Lord Yao," Thousand-Commander Gao said proudly.

"Everyone, stop. Hand this over to the brothers of the Jinyiwei," Lord Yao instructed his subordinates.

"Yes, Excellency." In this day and age, there were no bonuses for solving cases—at least not for the Five Cities Military Command.

The superiors had to consider their reputation, but the subordinates truly had no desire to work in the dark.