While on Mount Hua, my mind is at peace!

Chapter 94 Shuiyue Mountain, Anji Ward

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Ouyang Sheng clutched his neck tightly, blood streaming uncontrollably from between his fingers. Madam Ji and her five maids stared in disbelief at the scene, momentarily forgetting to breathe.

"I'm thirsty, pour me some wine."

Yue Feng's sudden remark jolted Madam Ji and the others back to their senses. Su Yu uttered "Oh, oh" twice and trotted over to pour Yue Feng a drink. Yue Feng drank one cup and asked Madam Ji, "What do you say now?"

Madam Ji remained silent for a long while, then let out a long sigh: "Young Master Feng, you truly surprise and delight me. I initially approached you because I was trapped in the Xie family mansion, isolated and helpless, and I felt that your character was extraordinary. I never expected that your martial arts skills would also be so..."

She thought for a long time but couldn't find the right words to describe Yue Feng's martial arts skills, so she could only shake her head.

"A trivial skill, not worth mentioning," Yue Feng said calmly. "Let's talk business. What do you want me to do? And what can you offer in return?"

Madam Ji nodded and said, "Young Master Feng is right. Let's get back to the main topic. My wish is very simple: I want Xie Hongde to die, and all the wicked beasts of the Xie family to go to hell and be buried with him."

"I don't have much to repay Young Master Feng. These five maids have been with me since I was a child. They are all pure and innocent virgins, and I am willing to give them to you. In addition, I have some connections in the palace, which can also be of use to you."

Yue Feng quickly glanced at Su Yu and the other five maids. It would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted at all. But for some reason, he was unwilling to accept these conditions.

"I don't lack women. I don't need your connections within the palace. However, I have received your wish, and I will fulfill it for you."

Yue Feng drank another cup and left nonchalantly. Su Yu and the other five maids exchanged glances, then all looked at Yue Feng's departing figure. Madam Ji, on the other hand, just stared blankly at the throwing knife in Ouyang Sheng's throat. The blade of the knife was completely submerged, only the dark hilt reflected the light in the bright candlelight.

Yue Feng returned to the small courtyard where he and Wu Shuangxue lived. Wu Shuangxue, exhausted, had fallen asleep at the table. Yue Feng took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Wu Shuangxue woke with a start, and seeing it was Yue Feng, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why are you back so late?"

Yue Feng said, "You've been busy until now too." He reached out and touched the teapot, which had been cold for quite some time. He placed the teapot on the stove and asked Wu Shuangxue, "Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

Wu Shuangxue shook her head: "I can't sleep."

Yue Feng could tell from Wu Shuangxue's expression that she was preoccupied, so he sat down and asked, "What did you find out?"

Wu Shuangxue nodded and handed a stack of neatly organized files to Yue Feng: "Take a look, I've verified all of these. Time is limited, and we don't know how many files haven't been verified yet."

Yue Feng took the case files and began to read them one by one. Most of them were cases of missing elderly people, and a few were cases in which people sued several sanatoriums outside Huazhou City for "improper care, which led to the early death of the elderly."

Interestingly, the case file clearly states that disciples of Shuiyue Manor were always seen near the locations where the disappearances occurred; and the Anji Fang establishments mentioned by the defendants were also properties of Shuiyue Manor.

Yue Feng frowned more and more as he read through the file. After finishing, he put it down and poured a cup of tea for Wu Shuangxue and himself.

"If I remember correctly," Yue Feng said slowly, "Anjifang is usually run by the government and is used to shelter and relieve the poor, sick and destitute."

"Yes, but there are exceptions." Wu Shuangxue rubbed her temples. "In some places, when the local government's finances are not doing well, they will hand over Anjifang to private individuals to run, while providing certain policy conveniences."

"For example, Anjifang in Huazhou?"

"Um."

Yue Feng pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "I was a little worried that the people at Shuiyue Manor were all good. Now it seems I was overthinking it."

Wu Shuangxue said, "We should investigate thoroughly before taking any action."

"How do I check?"

"I'll investigate the missing persons case; you go investigate Anjifang."

"it is good."

After the two discussed and agreed, they went back to their room to rest. Early the next morning, Yue Feng left the Xie residence and, after inquiring along the way, arrived at the foot of Shuiyue Mountain outside Huazhou City. Shuiyue Mountain was not very high; the Shuiyue Manor was located at the top of the mountain, while several Anji Fang (a type of traditional Chinese medicine clinic) were scattered at the foot of the mountain.

Long queues formed outside every Anji Fang clinic, with all sorts of people in the lines, but mostly elderly. Yue Feng inquired and learned that this was because the Anji Fang clinics under Shuiyue Manor preferred to accept the elderly, and over time, fewer people of other age groups came.

Yue Feng found a resident of the neighborhood and claimed that he had an elderly family member who was about to leave on a long business trip and wouldn't be back for three to five years. He asked if Anji Ward would take him in. The resident, clearly having dealt with countless similar situations, replied fluently:

"It's possible. However, for elderly people with relatives, the relatives must sign a contract and pass a medical examination before they can come in. I advise you to bring your father in for a medical check-up first. Only after he passes the check-up can we proceed with anything else."

Yue Feng, seemingly grateful, took the shopkeeper's hand and secretly slipped a small silver ingot into his palm: "Brother, it wasn't easy for me to come all this way. Could you please explain to me again what the medical examination and the contract are all about?"

Having received the silver, the shopkeeper's attitude improved even more: "No problem, it's not a secret, I'll just tell you directly."

"The physical examination is just to check if the elderly have any health problems. Minor illnesses are fine, but major illnesses are not. After all, Shuiyue Villa opened Anjifang to provide care for the elderly, not to send them off at their deathbed."

"As for the contract... it's just to avoid some unnecessary lawsuits. What's that saying again? 'If the King of Hell calls you to die at midnight, who dares to keep you alive until dawn?' No matter how carefully Shuiyue Manor takes care of the old man, they can't possibly snatch him from the King of Hell's grasp, can they?"

"But some relatives don't understand. Instead of being grateful to Shuiyue Manor, they try to frame Shuiyue Manor. After this kind of mess happened a few times, the current contract came about."

Having exhausted all his questions, Yue Feng took his leave. Instead of returning to Huazhou City, he found an inn in the nearest town and booked a superior room.

After lunch, Yue Feng sat alone by the window, organizing his thoughts. According to the manor patron, the defenses of Shuiyue Manor were extremely tight. He had planned to disguise himself as an old man and infiltrate Anji Ward, but even the most skillful disguise couldn't truly turn a young man into an old man. A physical examination would inevitably expose him.

So, where should we begin our investigation next?

Just then, someone knocked on the door, pulling Yue Feng out of his reverie. Su Yu's magnetic voice pierced through the door and reached Yue Feng's ears: "Young Master Feng, this servant requests an audience."