Zhang San's 'surprise' came from the fact that Zhang San, who had the ability to never forget what he saw, recognized the woman in white standing in front of the tofu shop as soon as he glanced over.
Her name was Bai Fang, the female boss of the neighboring tofu shop, whom Wang Xiaoer had mentioned over the past few days.
However, since Zhang San had been working hard these days, as well as painting, he hadn't actually seen this Bai Fang yet. But now at first glance, Zhang San thought to himself, wasn't this the beautiful woman who stood under the execution stand after the public execution in the city square, with a mournful expression on her face?
She was in her thirties, with no makeup on her natural white clothing, which had many patched holes, but...she was very beautiful.
After looking at her a few more times, Zhang San went back inside his shop, now completely certain that this was the woman he had seen on the day of the execution.
That day, Zhang San had suspected that the direction Bai Fang was facing when she showed her grief, happened to be the direction where the prefect Lu Gaosheng had left.
At that time, Zhang San thought he was overthinking things - she just happened to be facing that direction, right?
But now when he thought about it again, wasn't it just seven nights ago that he had seen that prefect Lu Gaosheng again on this very street?
Once could be a coincidence, but could it really be a coincidence twice?
Zhang San unconsciously glanced at Ming Qing, who was standing silently by the corner window, gazing at Bai Fang, feeling even more suspicious.
It was already strange enough to see a government prefect walking down a street in this poor neighborhood.
And now there was this man dressed so extraordinarily, likely a nobleman based on that jade pendant that smelled of books and learning.
For such a person to come to his shop and chat for a long time, only to stand by the window watching a woman, even asking him not to gossip about it to others.
Zhang San couldn't help but suspect that, just as Ming Qing was here for that woman, could it be that Prefect Lu Gaosheng's appearance here several nights ago was also because of that same woman?
How strange.
Too strange!
...
That night, after Zhang San closed up his shop and gave Wang Xiaoer some instructions on how to handle some trivial matters, he changed into night clothes, altered his appearance, put on a human skin mask, and flashed away into the night with his superior lightness skill.
His destination: Knowing Hall.
Having faintly perceived the turmoil in Tian Ruo City's underground societies, Zhang San reconsidered, giving up the idea of getting information from the dark side of the city, and turned instead to Knowing Hall for confirmation.
It had been seven days since he had encountered Jin Wan Pavilion chasing down Black Dragon Hall's people. Seven days should have been enough time for Knowing Hall's intelligence network.
With these thoughts in mind, Zhang San entered the eastern part of the city, where Knowing Hall was located.
As a force in the jianghu (rivers and lakes) world, Knowing Hall's position had always been quite ambiguous - they were neither considered part of the righteous nor the sinister side. Although their influence spread throughout Great Wu Nation, and they even had a presence overseas, no one knew who their hall master was, or what kind of hierarchy they had internally, or when they had been established.
But what everyone did know was that when you needed information, you went to Knowing Hall.
However, even though most people in the jianghu knew of their existence, and even common folk knew about them - the currently wildly popular among officials, scholars and talents Wei Bo Building was one of their properties - not just anyone could seek information from Knowing Hall.
If you weren't a high official, or famous expert in the jianghu, or disciple of a prestigious sect, like the righteous Star Sea Sect, or the shady Black Heaven Gate, ordinary people and average jianghu masters couldn't even find the door.
Zhang San had come to Tian Ruo City ten years ago with his master, so he still remembered the location of Knowing Hall. Silently traversing the rooftops of the night city, he quickly arrived at a brightly lit restaurant in the city center.
Dressed all in black night clothes, Zhang San didn't go to the front door, but instead circled around to the back courtyard.
In the darkness of the night, Zhang San knocked on the door.
No one answered.
But this was normal. Zhang San knocked three more times.
He paused, then knocked twice more.
Finally, Zhang San spoke: "Xuan Tie White Crane, given name Wen, destiny character Tian Xing."
When he finished speaking, Zhang San thought to himself - it's been ten years, I hope I didn't remember incorrectly.
Zhang San remembered his master said that Knowing Hall had different code phrases for each sect or prominent figure that was qualified to be their client. This phrase had been passed down to Zhang San from his master.
Getting one character wrong would prevent you from entering.
Zhang San waited for a bit, and saw the small door in the dark backyard open slowly.
"Knowing Hall welcomes guest number seventeen, person from orthodox sect, please enter."
To be honest, looking at the darkness beyond the door, the steady Zhang San didn't want to go in.
But he had no choice - lacking resources himself, without relying on an organization like Knowing Hall, obtaining information would be very difficult.
Thinking of his Heaven Rank lightness skill, Zhang San still walked through the small door.
Beyond the door was a flight of stairs leading down.
A steady voice came from below ground: "Your esteemed sect is the sole inheritor of the number one Adamantine Jacket indestructible skill in the realm, and is a valued guest of our Knowing Hall, so you should be familiar with our rules."
Zhang San nodded, then followed the stairs down. After descending eight steps, when the ceiling was higher than his head, Zhang San stopped going down further.
As he did so, mechanisms activated, and a section of floor moved to seal off the exit.
The night pearls on the surrounding walls were now the only light source.
Standing on the eighth step, Zhang San felt around in his sleeve for the small night blade, feeling much less anxious. Lowering his head, he asked: "I need to know the reason for the recent turmoil with the underground societies in Tian Ruo City."
After seeing Jin Wan Pavilion's people chasing down Black Dragon Hall's with his own eyes in the alley, even an idiot would know something major had happened.
But what Zhang San wanted to know were more details.
The voice from the depths of the tunnel slowly responded: "Your esteemed sect has three hundred taels of silver still deposited with us Knowing Hall over the years. The information you require will cost fifty taels - does sir agree?"
Pay first before asking anything, minimum one thousand taels every time - this had long been the rule at Knowing Hall. Although each piece of information had its own price, any extra money would not be refunded by them, instead kept in custody until used up.
That original thousand taels from the orthodox sect went back dozens of years, when the orthodox sect encountered a crisis. At that time, they had basically emptied the pockets of the dozen or so members to barely scrape together enough.
Zhang San muttered to himself that they were actually only asking for fifty taels this time. It seemed this matter must have already spread widely in the jianghu. Still, Zhang San agreed in the end.
The voice then slowly recounted: "Seven days ago, the Chief of Jin Wan Pavilion brought thirty-five ground level masters, over a hundred gold-clothed archers, and supplied over a hundred Jin Sha repeating crossbows. With the assistance of Prefect Lu Gaosheng, they completely destroyed Black Dragon Hall's power in Tian Ruo City. Not only that, some hidden lairs belonging to Black Heaven Gate, Dark Building and other sects in the city were also razed."
Zhang San sucked in a breath of cold air.
The scale was ambitious and ruthless enough - over thirty ground level masters plus the Chief would have been sufficient. But they had even added over a hundred Jin Sha repeating crossbows on top.
Compared to Dark Building's Black Tang heavy crossbows, Jin Wan Pavilion's Jin Sha repeating crossbows were slightly weaker in power but had the advantage of being mass producible. Although expensive to manufacture, if a hundred crossbows fired in unison, their might would still exceed that of the Black Tang crossbows.
It was said that Great Wu Nation's most elite Northern and Southern Border Armies were equipped with these repeating crossbows, which demonstrated their formidable power.
It seemed that Jin Wan Pavilion was determined to leave no chance of survival for the other underground societies, Zhang San thought to himself.
Zhang San continued asking: "Secondly, I need locations in the city where one can take on 'wet' jobs."
Wet and fiery were underworld lingo referring to taking assassination contracts as a non-professional killer.
The voice from below responded: "Fifty taels."
"Agreed."
The voice said: "Presently, all underground society influences in Tian Ruo City have been taken over by Jin Wan Pavilion. Their subordinate Recruit Wealth Assassin Group organization has already opened for business on the 13th floor of South Street."
Recruit Wealth Assassin Group?
Damn, that name is really...just like my Brother San Assassin Group I founded back in the day - super accessible to the common man!
But aside from such trifling matters of names, Zhang San actually had other intentions for coming. Yet after some hesitation, staring suspiciously into the darkness below the stairs...
In the end, Zhang San gave up on asking about information regarding Ming Qing, Bai Fang, or even Prefect Lu Gaosheng.