All the dead were plain - looking people, while those who were good - looking had disappeared without a trace. If it were a woman - chasing rogue, there would be no need to commit such large - scale crimes. If it were human traffickers, what use would it be to capture these people?
Why was it such a coincidence that Mudan died? All five corpses showed signs of being defiled, and so was Yanhong, who was rescued by Miss Liu. The House of Flowers was a place of debauchery and filth.
Liu Rumei was suddenly stunned and murmured, "Indeed, the House of Flowers is a place of debauchery. If those girls were sent there..."
There were not so many prostitutes in the world. They were just forced into this life by hardship.
Mo Litian's eyes flashed with a cold light. "I'll send people to investigate at once! Even if this matter has nothing to do with the House of Flowers, if we can find a single clue, it will be a gain!"
Liu Rumei nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness. The person who tried to murder Miss Mudan last time escaped, but I always feel that he is not the real murderer. I'm afraid the real culprit is still in the House of Flowers."
Mo Litian frowned and looked at Liu Rumei with a puzzled look in his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Liu Rumei smiled. "Although Wu Shi San can bring pleasure, if the dosage is not controlled, it will be like what happened to Mudan. How could the madam of the brothel not control it? The person who took Wu Shi San from her must be someone she trusted. The man that Lord Xue saw was just a low - level pimp in the House of Flowers. How could he get Wu Shi San?"
Mo Litian's expression turned solemn, and then he heard Liu Rumei's soft voice again. "Moreover, that pimp had no feud with Mudan. Why did he kill someone in front of Lord Xue? Was it for personal revenge or to cover up the truth? That pimp must have been instigated to escape. Since the mastermind behind this has cleared his suspicion, he can continue to stay in the House of Flowers!"
Although all this was just her speculation, her intuition told her that she was right!
Mo Litian also thought it made sense. "I understand. Since that person could use Wu Shi San to kill someone, during this period, the madam of the brothel must have records of who she gave Wu Shi San to! I'll send people there right away."
Liu Rumei nodded with a faint smile. It was obvious that the House of Flowers couldn't have stood firmly in the capital without some powerful backer.
Although Xue Zhan was the magistrate of the capital, there were many people in the court with higher positions. It would be very inconvenient for him to search the House of Flowers, and the mastermind behind it would surely interfere. But if it was Mo Litian, things would be different.
Mo Litian was the crown prince of the Great Liang Dynasty. Even if those people wanted to stop him, they would surely be afraid.
Mo Litian clearly understood this, so he volunteered to investigate the House of Flowers.
Soon, Mo Litian led people to the House of Flowers, leaving only Liu Rumei in the yamen.
Sixi stayed beside her, feeling extremely worried about the wound on her neck.
Seeing this, Liu Rumei couldn't help sighing and shaking her head helplessly. "Sixi, I'm a bit hungry. Could you buy me a bunch of candied haws?"
Sixi pursed her lips. "This servant will follow Miss Liu every step of the way."
Liu Rumei shook her head with a faint smile. "I'll just stay in the yamen. Who would dare to make a move in the yamen?"
Even if the murderer was extremely bold, he wouldn't dare to act so openly, would he?
Sixi thought for a while and then nodded, but there was still a hint of worry in her eyes. "Then Miss Liu, don't go out."
Liu Rumei nodded helplessly. "I'll just stay here."
Thinking about what had happened in the past two days, Liu Rumei felt a chill run down her spine. Yesterday, Mudan jumped from the building and almost hit her. Today, when she went out with Sixi, she unexpectedly met a gangster. After bringing Yanhong back to the yamen, she almost got strangled by Yanhong. What a mess!
Seeing Liu Rumei nodding, Sixi was still a bit worried. Before leaving, she called two yamen runners to guard Liu Rumei and then left.
Liu Rumei smiled helplessly, her eyes full of resignation. After sitting for a while and drinking a cup of tea, she went to the morgue in the backyard to see if she could find any more clues.
At this time, a still - charming woman came to the yamen. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes. She gracefully curtsied to the two yamen runners at the door. "Excuse me, sirs. I'm Wu Qinglan, Yanhong's mother. I heard that my daughter has been found?"
The two yamen runners looked at each other and quickly invited her in. "Madam, please wait a moment."
Hearing this, Liu Rumei quickly put down what she was doing and came to the front hall. She gave a shallow curtsy to the charming woman. "I'm Liu Rumei. Are you Madam Wu?"
Wu Qinglan's face was full of sorrow. She returned the curtsy. "Yes, I've met Miss Liu. May I ask where my daughter is now? Can I see her?"
Liu Rumei nodded and led her to the room where Yanhong was. Just as she was about to open the door, her hand suddenly stopped. "Madam Wu, did you come alone?"
Wu Qinglan's expression paused for a moment, and then she said softly, "Yes. Since Yanhong disappeared, her father has been ill in bed. I happened to come here to buy medicine. When I heard that the magistrate had found Yanhong, I rushed here immediately!"
Liu Rumei turned around, sizing up the woman in front of her with a smile on her lips. "Madam just said that you went to buy medicine. Why isn't the medicine in your hand? May I ask which pharmacy you went to?"
Wu Qinglan's heart tightened, and she quickly replied, "I was in a hurry and didn't take the medicine. I went to He's Pharmacy."
A hint of mockery flashed in Liu Rumei's eyes. She winked at the two yamen runners not far away. "I see. But Yanhong's father has been dead for more than half a month. Are you really here to buy medicine for Yanhong's father?"
Wu Qinglan was shocked, and a look of panic flashed across her eyes. "Dead... dead?"
Liu Rumei's eyes suddenly turned cold. "You're not Wu Qinglan! Who sent you?"
As soon as she said this, the two yamen runners quickly rushed forward and stood in front of Liu Rumei, their eyes cold as they looked at the "Wu Qinglan".
The "Wu Qinglan" trembled and quickly knelt on the ground. "Please spare me, miss. Someone gave this humble woman fifty taels of silver and asked me to take Miss Yanhong out! Please spare me!"
As she spoke, she tremblingly took out fifty taels of silver from her bosom. "This is the silver that person gave me. I didn't touch a single cent. Please spare me, miss. This has nothing to do with me!"
Liu Rumei's eyes were icy cold. "Have you seen what that person looks like?"
The "Wu Qinglan" quickly replied, "That person was dressed in black and wore a bamboo hat, covering his face. I didn't see clearly!"
Liu Rumei frowned. "Lock her up. We'll deal with her after Lord Xue comes back!"