The black market was divided into two areas: above and below ground. The underground was for desperate fugitives who operated in the shadows, while the above-ground was for individuals who had paid for identities and were registered as 'An' people. 'An' people was the derogatory term used by the Kyoto's lower class for them; their identities were not to be investigated. They had purchased the identities of people who had gone missing or had died without their household registrations being canceled, so they could walk in the open, but most would never leave the black market.
Gui Zi Liu was the owner of a pastry shop on East Street. While it was called a pastry shop, the 'pastries' it sold were anything but ordinary. There was a saying that went: women were like pastries, one bite could sweeten your heart.
Of course, this pastry shop didn't just sell 'pastries'. When people ate 'pastries', they often liked to chat, so 'scraps' were sold along with them.
It was common for ministers of the court to disguise themselves and visit Gui Zi Liu for pastries.
After all, officials were not permitted to frequent courtesans.
Lord Gu, who had been iron-willed and unyielding in court, preferring to be taken away by Ji Jinmo rather than reveal his source of information, was likely afraid of his own scandal being exposed.
...
After the Demon Hunting Army swept through the black market, Gui Zi Liu took advantage of the chaos and gradually gained power. Now, with the Xuan Guard arriving and learning that his subordinates dared to leak information detrimental to Prince Regent Ji Jinmo, Gui Zi Liu's face immediately turned pale. His face, like old tree bark, seemed to hide fear in every wrinkle. Trembling, he dared not conceal anything.
However, court officials who came to frequent courtesans not only disguised themselves but also never used their real names. The ledgers were only for accounting. Gui Zi Liu genuinely had no idea which damned soul had dared to pass information from the Prince's mansion behind his back.
"My lords, it's all here!"
In the courtyard behind the pastry shop, a line of women knelt, the strong scent of makeup almost suffocating. Interrogating people like them was effortless; once the torture instruments were brought out, they would confess everything.
"You wretched woman, you're trying to kill me!" Gui Zi Liu unleashed a torrent of kicks and punches at the woman who had accepted money from a customer to spread information, his force so great he wished he could kick her to death.
After he had vented his rage, his fear began to subside. After beating the woman half to death, Gui Zi Liu knelt before the Xuan Guard, banging his head on the ground repeatedly. "Please, my lords, take this person away. You can dismember her with a thousand cuts or boil her with bronze, as long as it can appease even a sliver of the Prince's anger. I, I am truly wronged. Please, my lords, spare my life, spare my life."
Looking at Gui Zi Liu, whose forehead was bleeding, Xuan Thirteen patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, you won't be walking this path alone."
"My..."
A cold glint flashed through the air, stinging Gui Zi Liu's eyes. The moment he closed his eyes, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, followed by an illusion of being thrown. He opened his eyes, his vision rising rapidly, the scenery flashing past him one by one. He saw the treetops, the rooftops, the distant horizon. The next moment, his vision plummeted rapidly until his eyes saw a headless corpse lying in a pool of blood, only then did he belatedly realize that his own head had been severed.
With this thought, everything returned to nothingness.
Gui Zi Liu's head landed heavily, and the screams that instantly erupted were like a tidal wave. Xuan Thirteen exchanged a glance with Xuan Yi, and they moved through the crowd like ghosts.
One knife, one kill, swiftly harvesting lives!
Soon, the entire backyard was stained red with blood, leaving only a trembling figure standing amidst the corpses.
...
Sishui Street.
North side!
Rows of bungalows stood side by side, crowded together like dumplings being cooked in the same pot.
In the dead of winter, the dirt ground seemed to be frozen, making the already difficult road even more treacherous. The wheels of the peddler's carts crunched on the ground with a '嘎吱~嘎吱~' sound. The lanterns hung in front of each house were the only sources of light illuminating the path ahead.
However, after a while, the lanterns would be extinguished; poor families always had too little money to buy oil for lighting.
Only one house's lantern would burn longer.
Their family was fortunate; their daughter worked in the Prince's mansion and had gained some favor, which allowed her brothers to do some work for the Prince's mansion. Their home was on Sishui Street, making them considered well-off.
However, even so, the oil lamps would not be kept lit for too long. Just after the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), someone pushed open the door and used a long hook to pull down the lantern. The moment the light extinguished, a cold glint suddenly appeared, and with a '咚~' sound, a loud thud echoed in the darkness.
Immediately after, a series of short screams emanated from inside the house. In an instant, everything fell silent.
Then, a flint ignited the straw pile doused in diesel fuel, and instantly, fire dragons roared, flames soaring into the sky!
...
"You truly have great audacity!" Nan Shiying looked at the trembling person at her feet, a smile of appreciation on her face as she circled and appraised them from head to toe.
Her gaze carried a chilling malice. Xiao Ju was so terrified that she could no longer control her nerves and muscles; her entire body trembled violently, and a stream of hot fluid flowed down her inner thighs, dripping onto the floor with a '啪嗒啪嗒' sound.
Nan Shiying frowned, reached out, and pinched Xiao Ju's chin. "Tell me, who gave you the courage!"
Xiao Ju's tears fell like broken strings. She sobbed and managed to say, "It, it was Princess Huian."
Nan Shiying sneered, tightening her grip on Xiao Ju's chin, making it creak. "It seems you're also a stubborn creature who won't speak the truth without suffering a bit!"
"Your servant, your servant is telling the truth. Princess Huian gave me silver, and I, I was blinded by money, which led me to commit this mistake. Your servant..."
"Jia Huan!"
Nan Shiying carelessly released her hand and called for Jia Huan.
However, this Xiao Ju was much tougher than Lord Gu. Her fingernails were peeled off, her fingers cut, and every method other than silver needles had been used. Her bones were so hard that she rivaled the person who had poisoned the Da Li envoy that day.
Jia Huan took out a silver needle.
Nan Shiying suddenly spoke, "Your mouth is very hard. If I recall correctly, your family lives on Sishui Street!"
"Heh... hehehehe~"
A strange laugh came from the young lady's mouth. "Princess, Princess Consort, your servant, your servant's family have likely already met the King of Hell. Princess... it's just death. Who can say that death isn't the beginning of another life!"
Nan Shiying looked at Xiao Ju in surprise. This meant that even before she had committed this act, she had foreseen the consequences. She suddenly laughed, "You said earlier that you were doing it for money?"
The smile on Xiao Ju's face froze abruptly.