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The concerns of the Flying Dragon General mirrored the difficulties faced by Gu Da. The testimony from Liu Wen could exonerate Ye Xiaohan, proving that the true culprit behind the poisoning was someone else, and that Ye Xiaohan was innocent.
However, what they desired was not just this; they wanted to sever everything at its roots.
All of these troubles were orchestrated by Liu Yuan. As long as Liu Yuan remained unpunished, Ye Xiaohan would never achieve true peace.
This time it was a frame-up involving poisoning; next time, it could easily escalate to murder and arson.
With each failure, Liu Yuan's hatred for Ye Xiaohan would only deepen, and he would not easily back down.
Gu Da, who had previously appeared relaxed in front of Liu Wen, now furrowed his brow tightly, his forehead creasing with tension. "This is also a concern of mine. We can only hasten our pace and find Liu Yuan's flaw as quickly as possible."
"Have you still not uncovered his background?" The general folded the testimony neatly and stored it away before asking.
Gu Da clasped his hands and bowed his head. "It is my incompetence! There has been no progress so far!"
"There is no need to be so hard on yourself." The Flying Dragon General waved his hand. "I am well aware of your capabilities. It seems that Liu Yuan is more formidable than we imagined. When you are working, keep your wits about you; if anything changes, prioritize your own safety."
Gu Da seemed to hold great respect for the Flying Dragon General, treating every word from him as an order to follow. "Yes! I will obey! I will convey the general's intentions to them."
His tone shifted slightly, sounding both touched and contemplative. "The general has always regarded us as brothers. If they knew how much you cared for them, they would surely be moved."
Upon hearing Gu Da's words, the Flying Dragon General did not show a smile; instead, there was a moment of unusual stiffness that passed over him. Although it was fleeting, it caused a brief stillness in the air.
Realizing he had spoken out of turn, Gu Da felt a pang of regret but did not wish to take back his words. Even if they were inappropriate, he wanted to express them nonetheless.
Even if he might be punished for those words.
The Flying Dragon General did not become angry at his statement; on the contrary, his voice sounded a bit weary. "If I could do as well as you, how could such things happen?"
"General! That was not your fault!" Gu Da saw the Flying Dragon General taking the blame upon himself and felt compelled to refute him.
However, as soon as he moved, he was stopped by the Flying Dragon General.
"Let's not discuss this anymore. Time is of the essence; we need to rescue the person first." The Flying Dragon General changed the subject, no longer wanting to continue down that path. "This testimony is just one side of the story; it is far from enough to bring down Liu Yuan."
He stood up and walked into the study. Through the window's reflection, Gu Da saw him writing something with pen and paper.
After a while, he emerged and handed a sealed letter to Gu Da.
"Take this to the Emerald Red Pavilion and find a woman named Willow Brows," the Flying Dragon General instructed. "When she sees the letter, she will know what to do. Just follow her instructions."
Gu Da tucked the letter close to him and clasped his fists in respect. "Yes, I will go at once!"
"Go ahead." The Flying Dragon General offered a few words of caution regarding safety before allowing him to leave.
Gu Da did not dare to hesitate; after stepping out, he hurriedly made his way to the Emerald Red Pavilion that very night.
The Emerald Red Pavilion was located on Riverside Road, a street filled with entertainment venues, including restaurants and gambling houses. At night, the Qin Lou and Chu Guan were brightly lit, casting shadows that made the entire street seem like it was bathed in daylight.
The Emerald Red Pavilion was not the brothel that Gu Da had imagined; instead, it was a bustling restaurant filled with lively chatter. Every seat was occupied, and many patrons stood nearby, chatting and waiting for a table. More guests continued to arrive from outside.
What set the Emerald Red Pavilion apart from other restaurants was not only its vibrant atmosphere but also the presence of many beautiful young women who smiled warmly as they accompanied guests while they drank.
Gu Da's arrival was completely overshadowed by the lively scene, drawing no attention from those around him.
He politely declined the company of a young woman who approached him. She glanced at his attire and, seeing his disinterest, laughed lightly and turned to another table to encourage more drinking.
Standing in a corner, Gu Da took in everything around him while casually chatting with the waiter bringing dishes. "Second Brother, I heard there's a girl named Willow Brows at your restaurant. Is she here today?"
The waiter looked at him incredulously. "You must not be from around here if you don't know Willow Brows!"
He pointed toward the counter. "Willow Brows is the shopkeeper of the Emerald Red Pavilion. Look over there; the one in the blue dress is her. Did you come here specifically because of her?"
Gu Da followed his gesture and saw a woman in blue leaning against the counter, waving a handkerchief as she playfully scolded a drunken patron who wouldn't leave her alone. She appeared both enchanting and spirited.
"I indeed heard about your restaurant from a friend who praised it highly, which is why I came today. I just didn't expect it to be even more lively than I imagined," Gu Da said casually, making it sound genuine.
The waiter slapped his thigh with enthusiasm and said proudly, "Your friend has great taste! Our restaurant does better business than others because we offer something they don't—two unique features!"
To emphasize his point, he raised two fingers and adopted a mysterious expression.
Gu Da played along, intrigued. "Oh? I'd love to hear what those two unique features are."
"Hey~ hey!" Er chuckled and said, "At the Emerald Red Pavilion, let me tell you about our two specialties. The first specialty is our dishes, which are fresh and delicious. Once you taste them, the flavors linger in your mouth, making you crave for more!"
Er paused for a moment, creating a sense of anticipation.
Gu Da picked up on his cue and asked, "And what about the second specialty?"
Seeing that this guest was so engaged, Er continued happily, "The second specialty is our Shopkeeper, Willow Brows, Liu, the Manager. Just look at her—she's beautiful and capable. Every time she hosts at the tavern, guests come flocking in endlessly!"
"That's truly impressive! Now I'm even more curious to see just how charming Liu, the Manager is that guests can't bear to leave," Gu Da said with a curious smile.
Er laughed and replied, "What's the big deal? Our Shopkeeper is right there. She seems to be free at the moment; I'll go get her for you."
Gu Da quickly declined, "Oh no, I couldn't possibly trouble Second Brother."
"It's no trouble at all! Since you've come all this way to visit us, how could you leave without meeting her? Just wait a moment; I'll call her over for you."
Er hurried over to Willow Brows, whispered something to her, and pointed in Gu Da's direction.
After hearing him out, Willow Brows smiled and walked over.
"Oh my! What a coincidence! This guest arrived just in time; there's a table over there that will be settling their bill shortly. I've asked Er to hold your spot. Just wait a little longer, and you'll soon enjoy the delicious dishes from Emerald Red Pavilion."
Willow Brows arrived with a smile, her laughter preceding her presence.
Gu Da chuckled, "Then let me first express my gratitude to Liu, the Manager. There's no rush to eat; I have something here from an acquaintance that I was asked to bring along. Please take a look at it, Liu, the Manager."
He pulled out a letter from his pocket and presented it to Willow Brows.
"Oh?" Willow Brows was slightly surprised. At first glance, she had thought Gu Da was just an ordinary guest who happened to have some free time to greet her.
She took the letter, glanced at it, and her expression changed slightly. She looked up at Gu Da and gestured for him to follow her.
Understanding her intent, Gu Da followed behind her as they navigated through the bustling room and ascended to a private chamber on the second floor.
Willow Brows closed the door and read the letter in silence before putting it away properly. Only then did she turn to speak with Gu Da.
"I truly underestimated you this time; I didn't realize your capabilities. You are indeed worthy of being under the Flying Dragon General."
Willow Brows smiled and invited Gu Da, "Please, have a seat."
Gu Da readily complied and sat down, stating his purpose: "I have come this time on the General's orders and need to seek your assistance, Liu, the Manager."
Willow Brows covered her mouth and laughed, "Oh, come now! There's no need for such formalities. Since it's the Flying Dragon General's request, how could I, Willow Brows, possibly refuse?"
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