As soon as he entered the room, Zhu Yan impatiently shed his long robe.
He then tossed his saber aside and, with great haste, lunged forward, intending to embrace the Lotus Cult Leader.
The Lotus Cult Leader, with subtle grace, slipped away and retreated, drawing Zhu Yan a large step towards the bedside.
Seeing the Lotus Cult Leader deliberately move towards the bed, Zhu Yan couldn't help but chuckle.
He again reached out and tore off his outer garment, revealing his furry chest.
"Little beauty, here I come."
Zhu Yan lunged forward again. The Lotus Cult Leader shifted sideways once more, causing Zhu Yan to miss and tumble with a thud, landing face-first on the bed.
"Little beauty, stop playing hide-and-seek with me, come quickly, come quickly."
Zhu Yan, on his own accord, rolled over on the bed, stretching his arms open to the Lotus Cult Leader, waving them back and forth.
The gesture clearly invited the Lotus Cult Leader to throw herself into his arms.
The Lotus Cult Leader offered a slight smile. "General, I'm coming."
As she spoke, she placed her hands on Zhu Yan's shoulders.
Unaware of his impending doom, Zhu Yan continued to grin foolishly. "Beauty, come quickly, I've missed you terribly."
Before his words had even faded, he felt a chill at his neck.
The Lotus Cult Leader's hand flashed across his throat like lightning.
Following the glint of cold light as her palm swept past, it was the last memory left for Zhu Yan.
The Lotus Cult Leader went to the door, retrieved Zhu Yan's discarded saber, returned to the bedside, and with a "crack," severed Zhu Yan's head. She then grabbed his clothes, wrapped the head, covered Zhu Yan's corpse with the quilt, and only after completing all this did she blow out the oil lamp and leisurely exit the room. Sudan Novel Network.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Qingniu County was in an uproar.
Zhu Yan's head had been hung at the entrance of the county yamen.
Upon hearing the news, the Peak Daoist was utterly stunned.
He quickly dressed and hurried to the county yamen entrance.
When he arrived, the bloodstains on Zhu Yan's head were still fresh, still dripping.
He then turned to look and saw a line of over a dozen guards kneeling at the entrance; these were the guards Zhu Yan had dismissed the previous night.
The Peak Daoist approached one of them and asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened here?"
This guard, trembling, recounted the events of the previous night.
Upon hearing this, the Peak Daoist, without a word, waved his hand and ordered the encirclement of Baihua Tower.
At this moment, Baihua Tower, including its staff and patrons, was still immersed in slumber.
Men and women alike were rounded up and gathered in the main hall.
The madam, Gui Lan, approached the Peak Daoist with a fawning smile. "Daoist priest, you are a man of religion, why would you come to a place like mine?"
The Peak Daoist ignored her and made a gesture to Zhu Yan's guards behind him.
These guards immediately stepped forward and carefully identified the women in Baihua Tower.
They were looking to find out who had accompanied Zhu Yan into the back courtyard last night.
Just then, another soldier ran up and whispered into the Peak Daoist's ear, "Daoist priest, a guard's corpse was discovered in the alley next to the county yamen. It has been identified as the one who came to Baihua Tower to summon someone last night."
Hearing this, the Peak Daoist understood. Someone had been impersonated.
He beckoned, turned, and left.
Watching him depart, the madam Gui Lan let out a long sigh of relief. "Ah, you scared me to death."
She then turned to the assembled crowd and said, "Alright, alright, everyone, go back to your rooms and sleep."
After such a disturbance, who had any appetite for sleep? Everyone dispersed.
As the Peak Daoist walked back towards the county yamen, he ordered the city gates to be closed, forbidding anyone from leaving. Furthermore, he instructed house-to-house searches for the mysterious woman from last night.
Meanwhile, the Lotus Cult Leader slept soundly at Tian Wen's tavern. Listening to the bustling footsteps on the street, she smiled faintly.
She rose, washed, and ate the breakfast Tian Wen had prepared for her. The Lotus Cult Leader planned to sneak out of the city once the gates opened and then return to claim her reward from the princess.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Without a doubt, she knew it must be Tian Wen at this hour.
Tian Wen entered with a worried expression. "Cult Leader, the city gates are now tightly shut, and the soldiers are searching house by house. I fear this might be disadvantageous for you."
Hearing this, the Lotus Cult Leader merely smiled calmly.
"Let them search. What will they find?"
Tian Wen bowed again. "But I worry that someone might have seen your true appearance last night, and perhaps..."
The Lotus Cult Leader nodded. "Since you mean well, I cannot disappoint you. How about this, find a carriage later and take me to Baihua Tower."
Tian Wen immediately turned to make arrangements, and before long, a carriage emerged from the back courtyard of the Zui Xian Inn and headed towards Baihua Tower.
They arrived at the back door of Baihua Tower. Tian Wen stepped forward and knocked a few times. The door opened, revealing the face of a middle-aged man.
"Oh my, isn't this Steward Tian? What brings you here so early this morning..."
Tian Wen clasped his hands in greeting. "Old Chen, this lady wishes to see our Madam Gui Lan..."
Old Chen hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. "Since it's someone brought by Steward Tian, let him follow me."
The Lotus Cult Leader, keeping her head down, followed Old Chen to the second floor of the front courtyard.
At this moment, the madam Gui Lan had finished her breakfast and was applying makeup in front of a mirror. Although she was past fifty, not a speck of powder was spared, and it was applied as white as snowflakes.
Old Chen approached and whispered in her ear, "Steward Tian from Zui Xian Inn just brought someone, saying she wishes to see you."
Gui Lan stopped her actions and turned to look at Old Chen. "Where is she? Where?"
"She's waiting outside."
Gui Lan tidied the cosmetics on the table. "Let her in. Oh, and go instruct them to keep the doors closed. We're not accepting any guests today."
Old Chen turned and left. Not long after, the Lotus Cult Leader walked in.
Gui Lan looked up at the Lotus Cult Leader, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "Madam, what is it you need me for?"
The Lotus Cult Leader couldn't help but smile. "Madam, you truly have a keen eye. Do I not resemble a young lady?"
As she spoke, she gave a slightly playful spin.
However, Gui Lan remained unfazed by her playfulness.
"Very well, just tell me what you need."
The Lotus Cult Leader glanced at her, took two steps forward, and leaned close to her ear, whispering, "Zhu Yan was killed by me. I wish to hide here for a few days."
"What?" Gui Lan's face contorted with disbelief as she widened her eyes at the Lotus Cult Leader.
"Why didn't you run after killing someone? Why hide here with me?"
The Lotus Cult Leader looked at her, her expression relaxed. "I imagine the officials have already been to your establishment, and surely found nothing."
Hearing her words, Gui Lan became even more astonished and blurted out, "How... how did you know?"
"Because last night, I impersonated a girl from Baihua Tower to kill Zhu Yan."
At this, Gui Lan could no longer sit still. She sprang to her feet, her eyes fixed on the Lotus Cult Leader.
"Aren't you afraid I'll arrest you and hand you over to the authorities?"
A relaxed smile played on the Lotus Cult Leader's lips. "Very well, then arrest me now. I'll say that you, just now, hid me away, and now you've changed your mind."