Lu Zhenghai thought for a moment, then asked, "When the five groups of escorts passed through the Tianmu Bamboo Sea, did no one see where they stopped, ate, drank tea, or stayed?"
"We sent people to investigate, however, there are simply too many people traveling that road every day, and escorts rarely attract attention, especially since escorts deliberately dress low-key to reduce danger and prevent being targeted."
Lu Zhenghai thought for a moment and said, "What if I lead a team to investigate the Tianmu Bamboo Sea? Is that possible?"
"Of course, you can." Chief Huang was waiting for Lu Zhenghai to say exactly that.
"However, considering that Wang Sheng, the Chief Escort of Innate Seventh Realm strength, mysteriously disappeared, I need a Grandmaster Realm expert to accompany me."
Lu Zhenghai valued his own safety greatly. To investigate a case, would he disregard his own safety? There were indeed such people in the world, but he was sorry, he couldn't do it.
"This..." Chief Huang smiled bitterly, "Brother Lu, you just open your mouth and ask for a Grandmaster Realm expert; Grandmaster Realm experts aren't cabbages!"
Within the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard, only the Thousand-Household Lord and the Deputy Commander were in the Grandmaster Realm, while the Commander was in the Great Grandmaster Realm.
Surely these superiors wouldn't go just to protect you, would they?
"Without a Grandmaster Realm expert accompanying me, I wouldn't dare to go."
His attitude was very firm.
"I'll go ask Centurion Song; if that doesn't work, I'll spend a lot of money to hire a Grandmaster Realm bodyguard for you!"
Chief Huang said through gritted teeth, then hurriedly left the office.
Lu Zhenghai, meanwhile, returned to his own office and called for Zhou Hu.
"Boss..."
Lu Zhenghai: "Go get me Pei Muwan's information."
As long as they were officials within the Imperial City, including their family members, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had basic information on file.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard's surveillance of the world was no joke.
Zhou Hu's eyes lit up; he was full of admiration, thinking, the boss is awesome, he actually... actually dared to set his sights on Pei Muwan?
"Scram, it's not what you're thinking." Seeing Zhou Hu's strange expression, Lu Zhenghai cursed.
Was he asking for Pei Muwan's information because he was lustful? Was he that vulgar? He was doing it because of the third piece of intelligence from the intelligence system.
A 700-year-old spiritual fish, this was a supreme treasure, comparable to a precious medicine.
What was the concept of a precious medicine? One precious medicine was worth at least 500,000 taels of silver.
Each year, no more than 10 precious medicines appeared in the auction houses within the Imperial City; any precious medicine that appeared would immediately be targeted by Great Grandmasters and even Heavenly Human Realm experts.
Lu Zhenghai was determined to get this 700-year-old spiritual fish.
Moreover, since it was intelligence provided by the intelligence system, it meant that no one in the Grand Tutors Residence knew about the existence of the spiritual fish, which also meant that the spiritual fish was not raised by people from the Grand Tutors Residence.
As for why this spiritual fish appeared in the Grand Tutors Residence's pond? It wasn't important.
What was important was that this spiritual fish had to belong to Lu.
However, Lu Zhenghai didn't dare to directly break into the Grand Tutors Residence; wouldn't that be seeking death? The Grand Tutor was a half-step Heavenly Human Realm existence.
Only by outsmarting him.
Outsmarting him could only be done through Pei Muwan; among everyone in the Grand Tutors Residence, the only person he was somewhat familiar with was Pei Muwan.
"If only I had known, when Pei Muwan said she would repay me, I shouldn't have asked for 50,000 taels, but instead asked her to give me all the fish in the Grand Tutors Residence's pond..."
What a pity!
What a pity!
Soon, Zhou Hu brought Pei Muwan's information.
It wasn't overly detailed, but it was sufficient.
Lu Zhenghai read it carefully.
Finally, his expression turned strange.
Damn it, as everyone knows, transmigrating to ancient times and copying poems is the most unoriginal thing to do.
Lu Zhenghai had originally vowed to himself that he would never copy poems, even if it meant death.
But damn it... Pei Muwan is forcing me to copy poems!
Her information, in summary, was just one sentence: obsessed with calligraphy and painting.
Anything related to the Literary Dao, she loved immensely.
Moreover, the Literary Dao was not only her hobby but also her martial Dao path.
It was said that she once observed an ancient poem from the ancient era, then had an Epiphany on the spot and broke through her Realm.
Poetry and prose were useless to Lu Zhenghai, but for her, they were extremely useful!
"If I copy a good poem, and exchange it for the fish in her family's pond, there shouldn't be a problem, right?"
It's not that I want to show off; Pei Muwan is forcing me.
Lu Zhenghai got paper and a brush and started copying.
"immortal by the river."
"After the dream, the high towers are locked; waking from wine, the curtains hang low. Last year's spring sorrow returns again. Fallen flowers, a person stands alone; light rain, swallows fly in pairs."
"I remember when Xiao Ping first appeared, with two layers of heart-patterned silk robes. On the pipa strings, she spoke of longing. The bright moon was there then, it once shone on the return of colorful clouds."
...Since he was already copying poems, he naturally went all out.
This poem, "immortal by the river," might not completely dominate this poetic form, but it was certainly among the top three Peak works of the "immortal by the river" poetic form.
After copying this poem, Lu Zhenghai added a sentence at the end: "Lu is untalented, but I have another poem of the same caliber. If Miss Pei is curious, a pond full of fish from the Grand Tutors Residence can be exchanged for it."
Yes, a brilliant "immortal by the river" proved his strength and served as bait.
As long as you're interested and want to know what the other poem of the same caliber is? Bring the fish to exchange!
I, Lu Zhenghai, am that pure, openly using poetry to exchange; truly a gentleman.
Lu Zhenghai called Zhou Hu: "Go to the Grand Tutors Residence and give this paper to Pei Muwan."
"Yes!" Zhou Hu's face was flushed, thinking, the boss is still so flamboyant, pursuing Goddess Pei with a love letter, tsk tsk... "Don't peek on the way."
"Hehehe, Boss, don't worry, I definitely won't peek." Zhou Hu became even more certain that it was a love letter; otherwise, why wouldn't the boss let him see it? The boss gets shy too... Half an hour later.
Grand Tutors Residence.
Yunyi Tower.
In the living room, Pei Muwan was writing.
"Young Miss, your handwriting is truly beautiful." Bai Zhi, the Maidservant, was grinding ink for Pei Muwan beside her, occasionally praising her.
"Only you would say that." Pei Muwan chuckled softly.
To outsiders, she was an absolute ice beauty, extremely cold.
But in front of her personal Maidservant, she would occasionally smile.
Just then.
"Young Miss, Young Master Lu's for you!" Zi Ling, another Maidservant, hurried in, holding a folded piece of paper.
Pei Muwan didn't even look up.
Bai Zhi, however, glanced at the paper with some curiosity: "Lu Zhenghai?"
"Yes, yes, yes, it's Young Master Lu Changqing."
"This Young Master Lu is so reckless, how can he write letters so openly?" Bai Zhi's face was slightly red; she also thought it was some kind of love letter.
After all, the Great Yu Dynasty was ancient.
Although the separation between men and women wasn't that strict, openly handing a love letter to an unmarried young lady was extremely, extremely bold.
The talented young men who liked their Young Miss could queue from the east gate to the west gate of the Imperial City, but only Lu Zhenghai was so direct and bold as to write a love letter.
"Don't talk nonsense, it might be something important." Pei Muwan looked up, her beautiful eyes calm.
Pei Muwan thought to herself.
If Lu Zhenghai truly liked her, he wouldn't have been so vulgar and eager for repayment, 50,000 taels of silver, heh... She was certain that this paper couldn't possibly be a love letter.
This, however, piqued her curiosity. What was written on it?
She took the paper, opened it, and began to read.
Then... gradually, her exquisite face began to flush, and her beautiful eyes were filled with shock, delight, and even obsession.
"Young Miss... Young Miss..." Bai Zhi felt that the Young Miss's state was not right and called out to her.
But Pei Muwan seemed to be immersed in "immortal by the river."
There was no response.
Just as Bai Zhi grew increasingly anxious, suddenly... a terrifying martial Dao aura instantly emanated from Pei Muwan.
Bai Zhi and Zi Ling's expressions changed drastically; suppressed by the aura, they retreated further and further.
Looking at Pei Muwan again, she had, at some unknown point, sat cross-legged directly, her entire aura fluctuating, fluctuating, and fluctuating again, finally transforming into a strange and profound mystery.
"Yo... Young Miss, what's wrong? I'll go call the Master!" Zi Ling was so anxious she was almost crying.
"Don't worry, it's a good thing, Young Miss has had an Epiphany and seems to be on the verge of a Breakthrough!" Bai Zhi grabbed Zi Ling's hand, somewhat excited: "Let's go guard the door!"