Lan Yan and Ruo Niang were assigned a room together. As they were latecomers, their room was the most secluded, away from the others, which offered a degree of convenience.
Ruo Niang said, "I've already questioned the servants. These people are tight-lipped and won't reveal anything. It seems we'll need to find other ways."
"Mm," Lan Yan nodded, thinking of the dancers. She wondered, "Ruo Niang, you said those dancers were not as simple as they appeared. Why are they here? Could they have the same objective as us?"
The Ke Hua Pavilion had only dispatched the two of them.
Ruo Niang couldn't say for sure. "We don't know for now. Just be careful with everything. I won't be with you tomorrow, so watch yourself."
"Alright." Lan Yan went to sleep, able to do nothing but wait for the next day.
The following morning, when she woke up, Ruo Niang was already gone. After tidying herself, Lan Yan also went out to the practice area for dancing.
Several people had already arrived, practicing their routines as if preparing for the birthday banquet.
Lan Yan approached a woman in a yellow dress and said, "Miss, I arrived late yesterday and forgot to ask, what kind of person is Master Bai? Does he have any preferences?"
"I'm afraid my dancing might not be good enough and offend him."
The woman in yellow glanced at her and replied, "Master Bai is indeed eccentric. You, as a newcomer, need to be even more careful. He is the behind-the-scenes manager of this entire city. His word here is like a royal decree, but you won't have the chance to meet him anyway."
Lan Yan pondered, this Master Bai was so powerful. "Do the people here also obey him?"
"He protects our safety, so why wouldn't we listen?" The woman in yellow was a local, here specifically to perform a dance. "Here, you must not speak ill of Master Bai; the consequences are dire."
Seeing Lan Yan was inexperienced, she offered this as a kind reminder.
Lan Yan thought about how this city was under the control of the Assassin's Pavilion. She took out a money pouch from her sleeve and handed it to the woman.
"Thank you for the reminder, Miss. But I'm just curious about these dire consequences."
The woman in yellow, seeing Lan Yan's apparent naivety and influenced by the silver, decided to add more. "All I know is that those who offend him are beaten severely and dragged out, covered in blood."
"Some time ago, there were also dancers who came to perform. For some reason, they displeased Master Bai, and their bodies were thrown into the back mountains to feed the wolves. I've only heard about it; I haven't seen it myself."
After speaking, she nervously glanced around and quickly left.
Lan Yan was left alone, feeling a degree of curiosity about what the woman had said. She and Ruo Niang had discovered this place was connected to the Assassin's Pavilion, but then the trail went cold, leading them into this manor.
Everything felt too strange.
Seeing more and more women arriving for practice, she couldn't inquire further and followed suit, pretending to practice.
It was late evening when she left the practice area and walked along the corridor. She looked around; the manor was enveloped in the dimming sky, making it appear even more eerie.
She couldn't help but quicken her pace. Hearing the voices of servants, she stopped and listened from behind a wall.
"Why did Master suddenly summon so many dancers to the manor? The birthday hasn't even arrived yet."
"You can't speak carelessly about such things. Master gave the order, and we follow it. Also, we shouldn't bother those dancers; they are people Master cares about."
"Master is so fearsome; of course, I wouldn't. Last time I went to clean Master's study, I heard some sounds coming from behind, like ghostly whispers. It scared me to death."
The two servants grew increasingly fearful and stopped discussing the matter.
Lan Yan continued on her way, organizing her thoughts. The birthday banquet was suddenly organized, and their arrival was also sudden. It felt too coincidental.
She became even more suspicious that the mysterious Master Bai had a connection to the Assassin's Pavilion. If she wanted to find Jun Ye Lan, she would have to investigate this manor thoroughly first, starting with the study the servants mentioned.
At this moment, there was no one near the study, which suited her perfectly.
Lan Yan didn't dare to rush in. She could only investigate around the study. Suddenly, she saw a figure flash past. "Who?"
Her heart tightened. She chased after the figure. Looking at the retreating back, it strangely resembled Jun Ye Lan!
"Jun Ye Lan!" she called out loudly, but the figure didn't stop. She sped up her pursuit. As she rounded a corner, she bumped directly into Ruo Niang, who was returning.
Ruo Niang looked at Lan Yan's anxious expression and asked in surprise, "Where are you going in such a hurry?"
Lan Yan looked ahead; the figure had already disappeared, and her expression was dejected. "Ruo Niang, did you see anyone pass by just now?"
"There's only you and me here." Ruo Niang was immediately baffled, not quite understanding Lan Yan's meaning. "Are you too tired and having hallucinations?"
Lan Yan shook her head. "That person was very real." She looked regretfully at the corridor, having truly felt she saw Jun Ye Lan for that brief moment.
Could it really be her excessive longing!
Ruo Niang felt Lan Yan was acting strangely, ever since she brought Lan Yan back to the Pavilion. "Are you hiding something? Let's go back and talk."
Lan Yan followed Ruo Niang back, and the two stayed in the room. With the other woman staring at her, Lan Yan knew she couldn't hide it any longer. Her eyes darted around, and she sighed, "Speaking of which, it's all tears."
Ruo Niang: "...Go on."
"Alright, since you made me say it." Lan Yan suppressed a smile and lamented, "I was once saved by someone, but that person offended the Assassin's Pavilion and was taken away."
"So, my purpose for coming here is twofold: to check the list and to find that person." It was difficult to find him alone, so it was better to tell Ruo Niang. Two heads were better than one for finding someone.
Ruo Niang finally understood Lan Yan's peculiarity. "I see. You're just like in those storybooks, repaying a life-saving favor by offering yourself in marriage."
Lan Yan's mouth twitched, but on closer inspection, it did seem to be the case. "So, after all your investigations today, did you find any hidden places? Or areas with strict guards?"
"No." Ruo Niang had explored the entire city today and found no clues. "I used to say those people were useless, but now I'm in the same boat. If even we can't find the list, something truly major will happen."
She looked dispirited, having been severely demoralized.
Lan Yan reached out and patted Ruo Niang's shoulder, exclaiming, "Don't be discouraged, there's still time. Ruo Niang, you are the First Layer Commander, and I'm quite clever. The two of us can definitely complete the mission."
"You should rest well for now. Leave the rest to me." She told Ruo Niang to sleep and went out alone to the place where she had lost sight of the figure during the day.
She still felt it wasn't her imagination; that figure had to be real.
She arrived at the corridor and walked back from where she had met Ruo Niang, while simultaneously checking her surroundings. She discovered that a draft was blowing from the wall of the study.