It doesn't matter what the lord is.

"I really didn't know. The thing I regret most now is that I didn't write to you when the blood-stained shirt case first happened, asking you to come back later. But no one expected it to get to this point, and the more I investigated, the more I felt something was wrong. My father did this inexplicably, and it shouldn't have been your fault. It's too dangerous."

Lid raised his eyebrows and said:

"Danger?"

Xiao Hei sighed, put the knife and the scabbard back on his waist, and said to the nobles who followed him:

"My dear uncles, today's banquet has to be disbanded. You have all seen the details of what happened. From now on, the blood-stained clothes case will be fully taken over by our Prince's Mansion. I hope you will cooperate with us."

The nobles all bowed and said in unison:

"We must cooperate, we must cooperate!"

Xiao Hei smiled slightly, then turned to Lid and Xiao Bai and said:

"Come on, the three of us can talk alone."

Reed nodded.

Without the nobles surrounding them, the night in Nanchu suddenly became quiet and beautiful again. The night wind ruffled the river water that stretched for thousands of miles. Xiao Hei picked a piece of silver grass from the ground and held it in his mouth, and asked Lid:

"Lid, let me ask you a question. Do you think this bloody shirt case is really as difficult to investigate as the outside world says?"

Lidd replied:

"Since it's a case, there must be a plaintiff, a defendant, witnesses, physical evidence, motive, time, and method. Once you figure out these, you can naturally find out the truth. This is different from the time in the capital. We can't just look at it from top to bottom. We have to go back to the case itself."

Xiao Hei sighed and said:

"Yes, Xiaobai and I think so too. However, we have sent out nearly seven investigation teams, and all of them died for various reasons. Some died on the way, some died in the process of investigating the case, and some died on the way back. Three of my trusted men have already been killed. Unless I go there in person, it will be difficult to conduct a thorough investigation with the current resistance."

Lid asked:

"No, your Nanchu Anbu organization is just there to eat and do nothing? Can't you find out about this kind of thing?"

Xiao Hei looked at Lid and replied with a wry smile:

"The Anbu organizations are like the army, scattered among the nobles. There is almost no place in the Eternal Heaven Kingdom, including your Yunyang, that we cannot find. But when we let our own people investigate our own affairs, we always get a mess."

Lid scratched his head:

"I understand. So your father is attracted to me as an outsider?"

Xiao Hei spat out the silvergrass in his mouth, turned around and said to Lid:

"When I sent you the invitation, the Bloody Clothes Case hadn't happened yet, and I really didn't think of using you for anything. Now my father has issued an order, and it's hard for me to refuse him openly, but the choice is yours. If you are willing to stay and investigate the case, I believe in your ability and will give you the power. After the matter is done, I can agree to three requests that are not excessive. If you don't want to, Xiaobai and I will privately cover for you to leave Nanchu and return to Yunyang. We can talk about [Breaking the Sky] later."

Lid did not give a direct answer, but looked into Xiao Hei's eyes and asked with a smile:

"I, Li De, dare to investigate this case, but do you, Nan Chu, dare to recognize what I find?"

Xiao Hei and Lid looked at each other, and after a moment, he nodded:

"My father would not lie in a place like this. As long as you can find out the truth of the case, the Lord's Mansion will handle it impartially according to the result. Even if there are any changes on my father's side, our Prince's Mansion dares to take over this matter. I have already owed you a favor by asking you to investigate the case, and I will definitely not let your hard work down."

Lid looked up at the moon in the sky, then picked up a stone from the ground, skipped it seven times, and said calmly:

"Then check it out. I also want to see how many surprises you Nan Chu have that I don't know about."

26. Take office

"The eighth head of the Blood-stained Shirt Case Investigation Team, Lord Lide of Yunyang, takes office immediately—"

The drawn-out emphasis echoed over Nan Chu.

Lid stood in front of a bronze mirror with his arms open, staring at the figure in the mirror, and asked the maid who was helping him change into official clothes:

"How about it? Do you feel that I am much more energetic?"

The young but worldly-wise maid smiled charmingly and said softly:

"Of course. My Lord, you are the most handsome official I have ever served."

Lid smacked his lips and shook his head.

"But some people say that I looked better in my original coarse cloth and short brown clothes."

The maid didn't know the truth, but still flattered:

"One day you wear a short brown robe, and six years you serve in the long corridor. My lord, if you want to be a high-ranking official, you should wear something more luxurious to show your elegance."

Lid smiled and let her put her clothes in order. Then he pushed open the door and walked to the temporary council hall. Before he came, there were already three people sitting in the council hall. There was only one empty chair next to the square table. Lid pulled the chair over and sat on it. Looking at the other two men and one woman in the room, he asked:

"Are you the members of this investigation team?"

There were two men and one woman. The man sitting on the left looked younger, about 30 years old, with a fine stubble that had only been shaved twice, dividing the stubble on the left side of his face, chin, and right side of his face into three symmetrical areas. The man sitting in the middle was a little older, at least 45 years old, with a crew cut, no obvious wrinkles, and a muscular body that made his clothes very tight.

The one on the far right is a young girl, the only one who didn't look at Lid. Her appearance can be said to have the beauty of most southern girls. The more you look at her, the more stunning she becomes. She has a slender figure, a petite stature, and a delicate appearance with a cool temperament. She looks like a little girl wrapped in a big cotton-padded jacket in the coldest days of winter. Not only does she not look aloof, but it is easier to arouse people's desire to protect her.

She was dressed in a rather plain way, but it was obvious that she was from a noble family. She looked plain because it was convenient for movement, and the material of her clothes was first-rate. She wore a short sword on her waist, and her realm was at the sixth level of perfection. Although it was not too high, it was rare for someone of her age to reach this level.

The eldest daughter from a wealthy family, this was Reed's first impression of her.

Unlike a certain young lady who dared to slam the table in public and ask the king for justice, this one seemed to be more in line with Lid's perception of a young lady from an aristocratic family. She was cold, excellent, and unkind. With her sitting here, the temperature in the whole room would drop by several degrees.

After Lid finished asking, the man on the far left spoke first, saying in a gentle tone:

"To reply, Team Leader, we are indeed members of this year's investigation team. My name is Luo Ye, and I have been serving as a guard in the Prince's Mansion. This is my fifteenth year."

Lid nodded, knowing that this person was from the Prince's Mansion. The Prince's Mansion's people were naturally Xiao Hei's people, no wonder he had the strength of the middle stage of the ninth level.

Lid looked at the second older uncle, who also said indifferently:

"Xiang Meng, the butler of Xiang Jiqing's residence, is here to help the team leader investigate the case."

Lid nodded, knowing that this person was a member of the war faction. Xiang Jiqing was the one-eyed old man he had met at the banquet, so the housekeeper in his house was naturally his man. Xiang Meng's realm was also in the middle of the ninth level, but he was probably retired from the battlefield and had much more practical experience than Luo Ye.

Reed looked at the third person, the girl who was sitting there in silence.

The girl noticed Lid's gaze, turned around, and responded coldly:

"To Zhehua."

She just left a name, as if assuming that everyone should know who she was after hearing this name.

The situation was a little awkward for a moment, Luo Ye came out to smooth things over and said:

"This is the granddaughter of Lord Xiang Geling..."

Lid nodded. He actually remembered the name. After all, she was a girl that someone else had tried to sell to him. It had only been a few days, so he would not completely forget it.

Li De didn't keep his eyes on Xiang Zhehua for too long. The three people present represented the three distinct factions of Nanchu: the Prince's Mansion, the pro-war faction, and the pro-peace faction. With himself included, the small investigation team already included four completely different forces. It was good enough to be able to prevent the obstacles set by their own people, and they wanted to investigate others... No wonder the first seven investigation teams were wiped out in the end.

So after listening to the self-introductions of the people present, Reed did not take any action. He just put his hands on the table and looked at them playfully.

He looked at the faces of the two men and one woman repeatedly until the other three people in the room felt something was wrong. Then, after everyone, including Xiang Zhehua, focused their attention, Lid raised his index finger and said to them:

"I can see that each of you has a background."

Luo Ye wanted to say something, but Reed blocked him with his hand and he failed to interrupt.

Lidd continued:

"It's no problem if you have a background. Such a big case may affect the future direction of Nanchu. No one would trust others to investigate it. I can understand this, but there are many factions in the team, so there must be rules. Otherwise, when investigating a case, if one goes east and the other goes west, it will easily cause problems. So there are some rules that I have to explain to you in advance."

All three of them sat up straight.

"First, there are the rules for reviewing proposals. When you arrive at the scene, no one may meet with the plaintiff, defendant, or related personnel for any reason, otherwise they will be treated as tip-offs. During the investigation, no one may interfere with the interrogation in any form, otherwise they will be treated as tip-offs. I believe you all know that the people want a result, and the lord wants an explanation. Your wrong actions are not a big deal in normal times, but now they will be infinitely magnified. Everyone, please think twice before you speak or act. From now on, there will be no unintentional actions with me... only long-planned ones."

The three people nodded at the same time.

"Second, there are rules outside of investigating cases. The seven investigation teams before us have all gone to hell. Was it an inside job? Was it due to external factors? No matter which one it is, I don't want to repeat what happened in the past. So I ask everyone not to act on your own during the journey and not to contact outsiders at will. This is my rule here."

In the silence, Xiang Meng, who was sitting in the middle, spoke first:

"Team Leader, these two rules are equivalent to depriving us of our freedom during the entire investigation process. Don't you think this is a bit too much?"

Lid shook his head and replied with a smile:

"This is responsible for my life, and also for your lives. You think it's troublesome, and I think it's troublesome too, but there are many things in this world that can't be done without some trouble. Everyone, please do it reluctantly."

27. You make this wine glass

Whether he is willing or not, from the moment Reed took office as the head of the investigation team, he has the final say here.

And Reed's approach is completely different from that of the previous seven investigation teams.

"Team leader, this is a secret route we have planned that leads directly to the crime scene..."

"No need. Just raise my flag, take the shortest route, and charge straight ahead!"

"Team leader, the casual clothes are ready, please change over here..."

"No need. We should dress as arrogantly as possible. We should prepare clothes that are more exaggerated so that people can recognize us as members of the investigation team from 800 meters away!"

"Team leader, we have prepared all the dry food and drinking water for the journey. The things we buy on the road may be poisonous. Please go over and count the supplies we have prepared..."

"No need. No need to bring anything! We can eat as we go. It just so happens that I haven't tried all the local specialties of Nanchu yet, so I've asked all the cities we pass by to prepare a welcoming banquet in advance!"

Not to mention Xiang Meng and Xiang Zhehua, two nobles from Southern Chu, even Luo Ye, who was born in the Prince's Mansion, couldn't help but look down on Li De. The first seven members of the investigation team died inexplicably, but Li De still looked defenseless, just like asking for contact information on the Naihe Bridge - ready to see each other in the next life.

Reed didn't care about their opinions. He wore his official uniform as usual, lay down in the carriage, and prepared to set off.

Although Xiang Zhehua was not satisfied with his attitude, she did not say anything. She sat opposite Lide with her sword, staring at the scenery outside the window in a daze. Luo Ye and Xiang Meng looked at each other, sighed, and could only throw the map and casual clothes aside, dismiss the carriage loaded with supplies, and squeezed together with Lide.

A carriage set off, heading south.

Yunmeng City is located in the northern part of South Chu. The bloody clothes case occurred in Sai'an Village, in the south-central part of South Chu, outside Jinxiu City. Because the water system is mostly east-west, the north-south traffic is not well developed, and it takes at least a week to get there from Yunmeng City. According to the route planned by Lid, they will naturally pass through many cities along the way. They can rest in the city at night, but the city is not safe.

Luo Ye glanced at Reed and found that Reed was not pretending, but was really sleeping soundly in the carriage.

Luo Ye could only put his hand on his forehead, lamenting that the prince had entrusted his trust to the wrong person and had found such a guy who was a hindrance.

The first day's journey was uneventful. In the evening, the four members of the investigation team arrived at Liuxi City to rest. Because Lide had disclosed his route in advance, the mayor of Liuxi City naturally came out to greet him. In the evening, the four people and the mayor of Liuxi City drank happily. Lide accepted all the guests and drank as much wine as he could. He swept away the delicious food on the table like a whirlwind, then patted his butt and went back to his room to rest.

That night, Luo Ye, Xiang Meng and Xiang Zhehua did not rest and kept vigilant watch the entire night, but nothing happened.

That night, the mayor of Liuxi City stood alone on the top of the city wall and released a carrier pigeon.

The next day, Lid saw three people with dark circles under their eyes in the carriage and asked in surprise:

"Why, can't you sleep somewhere else?"

The three of them looked at the energetic Reed with disdain and shook their heads helplessly.

Reed went back to the carriage and took another nap.

The second day's journey was still smooth. In the evening, the four members of the investigation team arrived at Shoudong City to rest. The mayor of Shoudong City came out to greet them and also held a banquet. The banquet had everything from fine wine to beautiful women. Good wine matched beautiful women, and the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves with singing and dancing. Li De was half drunk and hugged a charming dancer. The mayor of Shoudong City winked at his men, and the dancer sat in Li De's arms.

"Team leader, you are young and promising. I offer you a toast and wish you a smooth investigation and success!"

Luo Ye also drank some wine, Xiang Meng drank less, and Xiang Zhehua didn't drink at all. Luo Ye and Xiang Meng's faces were a little ruddy, but their hands did not leave the swords at their waists, and they were alert to the surroundings quietly. Xiang Zhehua glanced at Li De, who was flattered like a pig head and didn't know what to do, and snorted softly.

The dancer put her arms around Lid's neck and kissed him on the cheek, then took the bottle of wine handed to her by the person next to her and filled it up for Lid. Her every move was full of charm, her waist swayed, her arms stretched, and the expression on her face became more and more bright and charming.

Lid took the wine glass and clinked it with the Lord of Shoudong City, but he did not drink it directly. Instead, he smiled and asked the dancer beside him:

"The wine is good...but I don't particularly like this cup."

The dancer blinked her eyes and asked flatteringly:

"This is the best glass cup in Nanchu, but it still doesn't meet your sir's liking. What kind of cup does your sir want?"

Reed reached out and gently touched the dancer's lips.

The smile on the dancer's face froze instantly.

Lid chuckled and asked:

"I heard that many nobles have this hobby. Let the girl hold a mouthful of wine and feed it to them, using the girl's cherry mouth as a superior cup. After coming to Nanchu, I haven't experienced this feeling yet. You can fulfill my wish... How about it?"

The dancer began to tremble for some reason.

The Lord of Shoudong City hurried over to persuade him:

"Slut, why don't you do what the leader says?"

The dancer opened her mouth and reached for the wine glass, but was blocked by Lid. Lid looked up at the burly Shoudong City Lord. I don't know if he was drunk, but he suddenly said:

"I suddenly thought it would be nice for you to feed me."

Luo Ye spat out a mouthful of wine two meters away, choking and coughing. The Lord of Shoudong City waved his hands hurriedly and said:

"This, this is not possible..."