Chapter 201: The Disappearance of Zhou Qingqing

Li Lin arrived at the "Flower Market Street" in Yuecheng, a place where private brothels clustered.

Government-run brothels were generally called "Jiaofang," and only truly high-ranking officials and nobles could go there to enjoy themselves.

According to Qin Donglai, his concubine lived in a small alley south of Flower Market Street; it was a two-courtyard small house, and her name was Zhou Qingqing.

Li Lin then came to this area to inquire.

After asking several neighbors living in the small alley, one person finally knew who Zhou Qingqing was and said, "That Zhou Qingqing sold the house to someone and has already moved away!"

"When did she move?"

"A month ago."

Li Lin calculated the time; it should have been not long after Qin Donglai was captured.

That is to say... that Zhou Qingqing knew Qin Donglai was caught and immediately ran away.

That reaction speed was a bit fast.

Li Lin asked again, "Do you know where she moved to?"

The passerby shook his head.

"What about her son?"

The passerby still shook his head.

Afterwards, Li Lin inquired around this area for a long time, but no one knew where Zhou Qingqing had gone.

Li Lin was instantly helpless.

No... this Zhou Qingqing seems to have some tricks; she vanished in an instant.

It was obviously intentional concealment of her whereabouts.

Did she sense something?

After searching around this area for a while with no result, Li Lin returned to the inn.

When he walked into the hall, he found there were even more people here, and most of them were people of the Wu Lin.

As soon as he entered, more than a dozen gazes looked over.

Li Lin frowned; he found that something seemed wrong.

If it were Qin Wang's call for talents, even if it could attract people from the Wu Lin, there shouldn't be so many.

This was just one of the inns; then other inns, presumably, would also have many people of the Wu Lin.

Seeing Li Lin in a scholar's robe, most gazes withdrew, leaving only a few.

Half of those were female.

Li Lin ignored them and walked straight through the hall, up the stairs.

During this time, Li Lin could feel that among these people of the Wu Lin, there was a tense atmosphere.

Li Lin returned to his room and took out yellow paper and cinnabar from his bundle.

These items, mixed with brushes and inkstones, were not closely inspected by the soldiers when entering the city; moreover, even if they had been closely inspected, these things were not illegal.

Quickly, more than a dozen small paper men were drawn; under the effect of spiritual energy, they slowly turned pink-purple.

These small paper men came alive and began hopping around in the room, running everywhere.

Quickly, several small paper men dragged out some small insects in the room, pushed them together, and beat them all to death.

Li Lin made the small paper men come out for safety.

After all, there were quite a few people of the Wu Lin downstairs; with small paper men on guard, he could sleep well.

And most importantly, tomorrow he could use the small paper men to search for Zhou Qingqing, but before that, he had to get a portrait of Zhou Qingqing.

Otherwise, the small paper men could not search for people.

Just as he was preparing to lie down to sleep, the door was gently knocked.

Those dozen or so small paper men suddenly hid; some hid in the door cracks, some under the bed, and others climbed onto the roof and stuck there.

"Who?" Li Lin asked.

"Qingcheng Sect, the Blue-Robed Swordsman Ji Feng, wishes to speak with the young hero."

Li Lin did not go to open the door; instead, he stepped back two paces, farther from the doorway, and then asked, "I do not know Ji Daxia Ji; there is nothing to discuss."

Outside, there was silence for a moment before he said, "The young hero is not a person of the Jianghu?"

"Correct!"

"Then why come to this place of trouble in Yuecheng?"

Li Lin said, "The call for talents."

"I see; it was a misunderstanding on our part; we disturbed you."

Footsteps gradually moved away, becoming fainter.

By now, it was late at night.

Li Lin blew out the candle, lay down on the bed fully clothed, and closed his eyes to rest.

Several small paper men, taking advantage of the night, squeezed out through the door cracks and began monitoring the corridor.

Two others climbed up to the window, bringing this area under surveillance.

That is to say, as long as anyone approached the door or window, Li Lin would know.

The whole night passed, and no one came to disturb Li Lin.

Li Lin managed to get a good night's sleep.

When he woke up, after casually washing his face, he came downstairs.

There were far fewer people in the main hall compared to last night; perhaps many were still resting in the guest rooms.

Li Lin ordered a bowl of meat porridge and simultaneously asked the waiter, "What exactly happened here? Even with Qin Wang's call for talents, it is impossible for so many people of the Wu Lin to come."

The waiter could not answer.

At this moment, a middle-aged man walked over from the side, clasping his fist with a smile: "Young Master, may I sit and chat with you?"

"Your voice sounds familiar." Li Lin frowned, looking at the other man: "Was it you, Ji Daxia Ji, from last night?"

The middle-aged man nodded: "Yes, it is me."

Li Lin sighed: "Please sit."

"Thank you." Ji Feng sat down.

Li Lin sized up Ji Feng; the other man's appearance was not particularly outstanding, yet he possessed an air of dignity, looking like someone accustomed to holding a high position.

"Young Master, I can tell you do not seem to have come for the Exquisite Jade Box!"

"The Exquisite Jade Box?"

Ji Feng stroked his long beard and smiled: "You indeed did not come for the Exquisite Jade Box, so you need not stay here, or you will have trouble."

At this moment, people from the upper floor came down, in small groups of two or three.

Li Lin looked at the martial artists around him and nodded: "Very well, thank you for the reminder, Ji Daxia Ji."

Having said that, Li Lin rose and left.

He indeed had no need to contend with these martial artists over the Exquisite Jade Box; his sole purpose was to find Zhou Qingqing first.

Coming out of this inn, Li Lin led his fine horse and checked a few more inns, finding that there were many 'people' everywhere.

With no other option, he had to go to the brothel.

This was a high-consumption establishment; ordinary martial artists simply could not enter.

Because they did not have much money.

Although it is said that scholars are poor while martial artists are rich, the 'richness' of those in the Jianghu is merely at a comfortable level.

And places like brothels are true gold-melting pits; martial artists might occasionally come to spend, but they could not possibly stay for long periods.

Li Lin handed his fine horse to the stable boy, and as soon as he entered the door, he was surrounded by three women in revealing clothing.

"Yo, this Young Master is so handsome, and a fresh face!"

"Does the Young Master have someone in mind? How about choosing me?"

"Young Master, I can give you half price..."

At this moment, even more women looked over.

Li Lin looked left and right and said: "I just came to find a place to stay; I do not need company."

"Who comes to a brothel just to sleep without seeking pleasure..." a woman said, disbelieving.

Li Lin said: "I am just that person."

Laughter erupted all around.

The three women dragged Li Lin to a table and made him sit.

At this moment, the madam walked over, drove the three women away, and looking at Li Lin, said: "Has the Young Master been driven here by those Jianghu killers?"

"You know?"

"Sigh... Recently, there has been this matter of the Exquisite Jade Box; more and more killers have come, making things very uneasy. People are suddenly dying at night, being killed."

Li Lin was not interested in this and instead asked: "I heard that there was once a person here, named Zhou Qingqing."

Qin Donglai had told him that Zhou Qingqing was the one who had bought her freedom from this brothel.

Zhou Qingqing's first three sons were by different patrons; once born, they were given away, truly heartless.

The madam was stunned for a moment: "You are..."

"I have a friend who is her husband, but he encountered some trouble. Before he died, he entrusted me to take care of his son." Li Lin said slowly: "But I went to look, and found that Zhou Qingqing had already moved away; naturally, my friend's son was also nowhere to be found, so I came to ask if you know where she is."

The madam sighed and said: "She has ultimately become a widow after all. We do not know where she is; she bought her freedom and left the sea of bitterness, so naturally she is unwilling to have any further dealings with us lowly people."

"Then do you have a portrait of her?"

With a portrait, Li Lin could send the little paper men to search.

"No!"

Li Lin was somewhat disappointed.

But shortly after, the madam said: "But we can draw one for you, it's just that the money..."

"Easy to discuss. Ten taels of silver for a painting, how about that!"

"The Young Master is truly generous." The madam smiled until her eyes were almost closed: "I shall draw it for you right away."

(End of this chapter)