Chapter 42: Night Entry into Xu Manor

Shing!

Lu Changsheng spun sharply with a dagger in hand and slit the throats of two men in an instant.

Thud.

Their faces froze, eyes wide with disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just occurred. A heartbeat later, they fell with a heavy thud, lifeless.

Lu Changsheng advanced steadily toward the last figure. The man stared in shock, his eyes filled with fear. He only managed to mutter one word.

"You..."

He turned to flee at once, but he had hardly taken a step when Lu Changsheng's dagger was already at his throat. The dagger hovered close, its chilling edge filling his heart and bones with terror.

"Spare me, Master Lu! Please spare me!"

"You know me?" Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.

"Y-Yes, of course I know you," the man stammered. "We know every apothecary and physician in Miaoshou Garden. You're Master Wu's precious disciple, and we've been watching you for a long time."

Lu Changsheng frowned, perplexed by what this man was saying. Thinking about the recent disappearances, suspicions quickly formed in his mind.

"Who are you people?" he asked, his voice low and steady.

"We..." The man hesitated.

Swish.

Lu Changsheng slashed downward with his dagger, severing the man's ear in an instant. A piercing scream rang out as the man clutched the side of his head, blood streaming through his fingers.

"I'll talk, I'll tell you everything! We are martial artists hired by Great Benevolent Xu of Xu Manor, outside the city. He pays us silver to abduct apothecaries and physicians and take them to Xu Manor."

Lu Changsheng frowned. He had heard of Xu Manor and even of Great Benevolent Xu himself. The man was a figure of renown throughout Nanyang Prefecture, known for his wealth and charitable deeds. He funded bridges, paved roads, and was celebrated as a benefactor to the people. Why would such a man send martial artists to abduct apothecaries and physicians?

"What does Great Benevolent Xu want with them?" Lu Changsheng asked coldly.

The man went on to explain in a shaky voice. "Great Benevolent Xu is always shrouded in mystery, and he never tells us anything. Even so, having run some errands for him, we're not entirely ignorant. If my guess is correct, the Blood-Strengthening Pills that suddenly appeared in Nanyang Prefecture must have come from Xu Manor. The reason he has been capturing so many apothecaries and physicians is most likely to refine those pills."

Lu Changsheng was startled. The matter of the Blood-Strengthening Pills had surfaced once again. Their origin had always been cloaked in mystery, and no one knew from where they had begun to circulate. Now, it became apparent that they had been produced at Xu Manor all along.

After pressing the man with further questions and confirming that he wasn't keeping anything from him, Lu Changsheng raised his dagger and drew it lightly across the man's throat.

Squelch.

The man clutched his throat and collapsed to the ground. In his final moments, he couldn’t comprehend how a mere physician possessed such formidable martial skill.

Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes, thinking over the situation.

These martial artists were sent by Great Benevolent Xu to kidnap apothecaries and physicians. They mistook me for an ordinary physician, never even suspecting that I was a martial artist, let alone one at the Organ Refinement Stage. My identity should still be safe, After all, they operated freely within the city, and I wasn't their only target

Besides, all three of them are dead. With no witnesses, no one will ever know I was the one who killed them. Since he's abducting so many apothecaries and physicians, it's safe to say Xu Manor is planning something big. I never intended to meddle in this matter, but if left unchecked, they will surely send more martial artists sooner or later...

A faint resolve had already begun to take shape in Lu Changsheng's mind. Apothecary Cheng had also been captured by Xu Manor, and the man had often shown him kindness at the herbal shop. Had Lu Changsheng remained unaware, it would have been one matter, but now that he knew what had happened to Apothecary Cheng, he couldn't just sit by and do nothing.

Even so, he could not act rashly. Upon returning to Miaoshou Garden, he changed into night attire and veiled his face with a black scarf and took up a short sword. He carried his short sword in plain sight while keeping the dagger concealed—a combination he had grown fond of, as it had proven effective time and again.

Once his preparations were complete, Lu Changsheng slipped away from Miaoshou, blending into the night as he swiftly made his way toward the outskirts.

Xu Manor lay roughly twenty li beyond Nanyang City. The distance was nearly the same as Gao Fortress, though their locations differed—one stood to the east, the other to the west. By the time Lu Changsheng reached the outskirts of Xu Manor, the sky had already turned pitch black. In contrast, the manor ahead glowed brilliantly with lantern light, giving off a lively air.

He crept closer in utter silence. From a distance, he saw crowds gathered within the grand manor. Red lanterns hung both inside and outside the walls, and bright papers with congratulations had been pasted[1] at every corner. Clearly, someone was getting married.

"Come, drink!"

"Fourth Brother Xu, we won't stop until we're drunk tonight!"

"It's the young master's wedding day. We must drink our fill."

"Indeed, we've been so busy lately that we haven't had a moment to ourselves. There wasn't even time to visit the brothels in the city. When will we finally get some rest?"

"Soon. Once we finish the master's business, then we'll have our chance to rest properly."

Many voices reached Lu Changsheng's ears. Since replacing his blood, his senses had grown sharper than ever. Even from a great distance, he could catch their conversations clearly.

Lu Changsheng frowned as he stared at the sprawling Xu Manor. The manor was vast, and he did not know its layout, nor where the apothecaries and physicians were imprisoned. So how was he to save them?

For the time being, he wasn't going to recklessly reveal himself, nor attempt to pose as one of the manor's retainers. Places like Xu Manor were notoriously closed off, their servants familiar with each other's faces from daily contact. Thus, attempting to pose as a servant would be pointless, as the impersonator would immediately be exposed.

Lu Changsheng stayed hidden and kept listening. At such a lively gathering, someone would inevitably get drunk and talk too much, accidentally revealing useful information. That was what he was waiting for.

Time passed little by little, and after several rounds of wine, a burly man slurred, "Enooough... I've filled my belly and drunk my fill.

Hic!

It's time to return to my post. The master puts great importance on that place, and I dare not delay.”

"Fine, fine. Dumbo Xu, hurry back. If Master Xu[2]finds out, he'll have you flogged," one of his companions said with a laugh.

Dumbo Xu staggered to his feet and stumbled off toward the manor.

Lu Changsheng's heart stirred. Dumbo Xu was clearly heading to some secret location, one Great Benevolent Xu valued greatly. Even if that wasn't where the apothecaries and physicians were confined, the place had to be tied to the Blood-Strengthening Pills.

Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng vaulted lightly into the manor grounds. His movements were swift and silent, his steps taken only where the shadows pooled deepest. Not a single guard noticed as he followed closely behind Dumbo Xu.

The further they went, the quieter the surroundings became. Not many people walked through this part of the manor. Dumbo Xu finally stopped beneath a large tree and pressed what seemed to be a hidden mechanism.

Rumble... Rumble...

The ground beside the tree split open, revealing a hidden passage. Three martial artists emerged from within, chuckling.

"Dumbo Xu, the master just came by asking where you were. We told him you'd stepped out to take a piss. That's the only reason he hasn't come to punish you."

Dumbo Xu suppressed a shudder and quickly tossed them two bottles of wine. "Brothers, here. Take these and drink well."

"

Hehe

, not bad. Glad you didn't forget about us when you got your hands on this good wine."

"Now sober up quickly, or the master will notice," another reminded.

With that, the three prepared to return through the hidden passage. Lu Changsheng knew he could never slip in after them unnoticed. At this point, his only choice was to force his way through. As long as his speed held, he could uncover the truth before being detected.

The moment the three turned their backs toward the passage, Lu Changsheng silently emerged behind them like a ghost.

Swish!

A sudden gust of wind swept past the three men's backs, and before they could even turn around, steel had already pierced their flesh. Lu Changsheng dragged their lifeless bodies into a corner behind the tree and then slipped into the hidden passage.

As he descended, faint noises drifted up from within. The further he went, the more distinct the noise became, a rising clamor threaded with hints of panic. The stale air carried with it a faint stench of blood.

Has something happened?

Lu Changsheng hastened his pace. Before long, a spacious hall came into sight at the end of the passage. The floor was covered in blood, and bodies lay scattered everywhere. In the midst of the carnage, several martial artists surrounded a lone figure in a red robe.

Is that him?

Lu Changsheng's heart jolted as his gaze fixed on the figure clad in crimson.

1. These only contain the character 囍, which is twice 喜 (happiness), meaning "double happiness." ☜

2. They should be referring to Great Benevolent Xu as their master. ☜