"Let's go. We'll check these three businesses." Lu Zhenghai ignored Princess Mingzhu and immediately issued the command.
Over a hundred Embroidered Uniform Guards, led by Lu Zhenghai and Huang Xiu, and accompanied by Princess Mingzhu, marched grandly toward Delicious Fragrance.
Delicious Fragrance was a newly opened restaurant, and its business was thriving.
When Lu Zhenghai and his group entered Delicious Fragrance, it was clearly past the main meal hours, yet the hall was still packed.
The deterrent effect of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was truly immense. In the span of just a dozen breaths, the previously full hall was completely deserted.
Only a dozen or so waiters remained, trembling and unable to speak clearly.
Soon, the owner approached.
The owner was a stout man who looked to be fifty or sixty years old, short in stature, with slightly greasy hair and a large belly.
The owner was full of smiles and fawning: "Officers, please sit! Xiao Li, Xiao Wu, bring tea..."
Lu Zhenghai: "There is no need. Due to the escort agency case, we must search your restaurant. Please cooperate."
Although he knew Delicious Fragrance was likely innocent, they still had to conduct the search.
Doing this would ensure that when they went to search Yuexin Inn later, it wouldn't appear too sudden or strange.
"Officers, the escort agency case has nothing to do with us! Those escort leaders and guards who disappeared without a trace never ate here at Delicious Fragrance!"
The owner was covered in sweat, his face entirely pale, scared out of his wits.
"Silence!" Huang Xiu snapped. "Whether you are related or not, we search first."
This was ancient times, not the modern society of Earth.
There was absolutely no need for evidence or search warrants. Whatever the Embroidered Uniform Guard decreed, was law.
Forget searching your restaurant; taking you directly to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's prison and holding you for a few months was considered standard operating procedure.
"Yes, yes, yes..." The stout owner stood aside, daring not to speak another word.
Lu Zhenghai and Huang Xiu each led their men into the restaurant. Whether it was the storage rooms, the kitchen, the latrines, the bedrooms, or the private dining rooms... everything was searched thoroughly.
Half an hour later, the group reconvened in the main hall.
"Everything is normal," Lu Zhenghai stated calmly.
"Withdraw!" Huang Xiu asked the stout owner a few more questions, found no suspicious points, and barked the order.
As the group departed Delicious Fragrance restaurant, the stout owner let out a sigh of relief, feeling as though he had just survived a catastrophe.
The stout owner couldn't help but mutter: "I don't know which cursed soul caused this escort agency case
—several in a row—drawing the Embroidered Uniform Guard here. Thankfully, it has nothing to do with me. Scared the wits out of me! I won't open this afternoon. I'm going to visit Honglan Pavilion and find Miss Cuiyun to soothe this little heart of mine that's still pounding."
Outside of Delicious Fragrance, Princess Mingzhu asked: "Just searching like this and asking a few questions, can you truly confirm that the escort agency case has no connection to Delicious Fragrance?"
It felt entirely too casual.
"First, I could tell the stout owner was not lying when answering the questions. Second, there was not a single trace of anything related to the Martial Dao inside the entire restaurant. Third, there were no signs of recent renovation or redecoration anywhere in the establishment," Lu Zhenghai explained.
"Impressive!" Huang Xiu gave him a thumbs up.
"You can discern all of that? You can even tell if someone is lying?" Princess Mingzhu was somewhat taken aback. Wasn't he too formidable?
Lu Zhenghai did not reply. *He thought: Just kidding, if you had the answer key, you could do the same.*
After walking another two or three *li* along Bamboo Sea Avenue, they arrived at Tingzhu Inn.
Tingzhu Inn primarily boasted a beautiful environment.
From the outside, the building was constructed with great taste.
The owner of Tingzhu was much calmer than the stout owner of Delicious Fragrance, and he clearly answered the many questions Lu Zhenghai and the others posed.
Lu Zhenghai and Huang Xiu once again led their men to search the entire Tingzhu Inn, spending over half an hour.
They similarly came up empty-handed.
After leaving Tingzhu, Princess Mingzhu scoffed: "Lu Zhenghai, two of the three suspicious candidates you listed have been eliminated. Only Yuexin Inn remains. Are you saying the murderer must be Yuexin Inn?"
"Highly probable."
"Lu Zhenghai, you really boast. I'm waiting to see if it truly is Yuexin Inn."
Princess Mingzhu was unconvinced. No matter how brilliant a detective was, he couldn't be this outrageous!
You just say who the culprit is and it turns out to be true? Are you a deity?
"Even if it isn't Yuexin, Chief Lu's investigative approach is sound. If we fail today, we will conduct a more detailed sweep tomorrow," Huang Xiu stated.
Clearly, Huang Xiu was trying to save Lu Zhenghai's reputation.
"We'll see after we investigate Yuexin," Lu Zhenghai said casually.
The main event had finally arrived.
The group followed Bamboo Sea Avenue for the time it takes two incense sticks to burn, finally reaching Yuexin Inn.
"Officers, are you here to lodge or to dine?"
Seeing Lu Zhenghai and the large group approaching, a young attendant from Yuexin Inn proactively stepped forward to greet them.
The attendant adopted a very humble posture, smiling widely while bowing low.
However, his fear seemed slightly less intense; at least he was much better off than the attendants at Delicious Fragrance, who were practically terrified into tears.
"We are investigating a case," Huang Xiu announced.
The attendant's face changed: "Officers, our Yuexin Inn is an honest establishment! We would never dare get involved in criminal cases. We beg the officers to investigate thoroughly!"
"We will only know after we investigate."
Upon reaching the front hall of Yuexin Inn, the owner appeared.
This was a young man in his thirties or forties with a decent appearance. Although his clothes were not luxurious, they were clean and neat, giving a first impression of cleanliness and honesty.
Not only was the owner neatly dressed, but the front counter of Yuexin Inn was also spotless, with several potted plants placed on the windowsill.
Huang Xiu proceeded to ask several questions, and although the owner of Yuexin Inn showed some fear, he answered carefully and methodically.
Likewise, there were no suspicious points found.
"We require a search," Huang Xiu concluded.
"Officers, if you conduct a search, please try to keep the disturbance to a minimum, as we currently have guests staying here," the Yuexin Inn owner pleaded.
What followed was a search lasting over half an hour. The result was obvious: they found nothing.
Huang Xiu couldn't help but look at Lu Zhenghai: "Younger Brother Lu, how about we stop here for today?"
"Heh..." Princess Mingzhu shot a look at Lu Zhenghai. The message in her beautiful eyes was clear: *Go ahead, keep putting on airs!*
Lu Zhenghai thought to himself that if he hadn't received the answer beforehand, Yuexin Inn truly might have managed to slip through the cracks.
Yuexin Inn was indeed somewhat formidable.
First, the inn owner and the dozen or so attendants, from top to bottom, showed not the slightest trace of Martial Dao cultivation.
Second, they questioned several guests during the search, and all gave high praise to Yuexin Inn, stating that they had not heard any unusual noises while sleeping at night.
But Lu Zhenghai already had the answer!
Beneath this inn was a basement, where the gruesome business of slaughtering humans took place.
This was a genuine Human Flesh Inn... The human flesh harvested would certainly be cooked into dishes and sold to customers.
However, the inn's back kitchen was also spotless, without a single trace of human blood. If only they had a chemical reagent.
"Aren't you leaving yet?"
Seeing that Lu Zhenghai did not seem to be making a move to leave, Princess Mingzhu prompted him.
She felt Lu Zhenghai was still struggling. Since he had investigated incorrectly, he should admit it. *Don't be stubborn, Chief Lu, you aren't that miraculous after all.*
Lu Zhenghai ignored Princess Mingzhu and instead turned his gaze to the owner of Yuexin Inn:
"I've observed that the entire inn has 59 guest rooms."
"It is said that your business is quite good, often fully booked."
"Guests who stay here mostly dine within the inn itself."
"The attendants in your front hall also number over a dozen."
"If we calculate that way, the back kitchen must be extremely busy!"
..."It is quite busy," the Yuexin Inn owner quickly confirmed.
His expression clearly underwent a very subtle change.
If Lu Zhenghai had not been staring intently at him, he certainly would not have caught it.
Lu Zhenghai continued his questioning:
"Since the back kitchen is so busy, you must require quite a number of chefs and assistants, correct?"
"Seven, eight, or even ten people would be considered normal."
"Yet, when we just inspected the back kitchen, there appeared to be only one head chef and two general laborers."
...The chefs and assistants were clearly insufficient.
Lu Zhenghai guessed that the reason for the shortage... was that several other chefs and assistants were working in the basement, performing tasks such as carving human flesh.
Furthermore, the chefs and assistants hiding in the basement were highly likely Martial Artists, who absolutely dared not show their faces in front of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
At this moment.
The Yuexin Inn owner could no longer maintain his composure, and sweat began to bead on his forehead.
Even Huang Xiu and the others could now tell that something was amiss.
Huang Xiu quickly shouted: "Speak now!"