Are you deaf?

The next morning.

Qingluo got up early and used the leftover ingredients in the kitchen to make a few side dishes.

When she knocked on the door with a tray and invited him in, Gu Qingxuan was putting on his flying fish robe.

The rank of the officers in the Zhenfu Division could be determined by the color of their official robes: black-clad centurions, silver-white chili officers, cloud-patterned Zhenfu officers, and gold-flowered commanders.

The centurion-level uniform didn't have as many decorations, but the neatly tailored black outfit, which accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, was already quite elegant and stylish.

When Qingluo pushed the door open and came in, Gu Qingxuan was looking down and fastening his wristband.

The morning light shone through the window and fell on his profile, highlighting his handsome features and refined appearance.

She stood at the doorway with a tray in her hand, momentarily forgetting to take a step. Realizing what had happened, she hurriedly lowered her head, blushing, and said, "Young Master, dinner is ready."

Gu Qingxuan nodded, pulled her to sit down, pushed the thousand taels of silver notes in front of her, and said while serving rice, "From today onwards, you are my housekeeper. This money is yours. You are in charge of all household expenses. Your monthly allowance is ten taels. You collect it yourself and deduct it yourself. If you run out of money, come to me."

"..."

Qingluo's mouth gaped open; she was completely dumbfounded.

When she realized what was happening, her eyes instantly welled up with tears. This trust warmed her heart, and she quickly waved her hands and shook her head, saying, "Young master, I'm just a servant, and... I don't know how to manage a household..."

Gu Qingxuan laughed and said, "If you don't know how, then go and learn. Commander Shen is probably someone who's always been waited on hand and foot. I'll ask her people to help you, make friends, and take it slow."

He was able to get out alive thanks to Qingluo's help and that hairpin. Even if he misjudged her this time, he wouldn't mind if she took the money and ran away; consider it a thank-you gift.

It's nothing more than borrowing a little more money.

Qingluo's eyes were red as she looked into Gu Qingxuan's expectant gaze and made up her mind, saying, "I...I'm willing to learn..."

Gu Qingxuan nodded in satisfaction.

After the two finished their meal, Gu Qingxuan went to his office to report for duty. Qingluo saw him off at the door. Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door next door. Shen Xiaoxiao came out, followed by a maid who looked about seventeen or eighteen years old.

Gu Qingxuan was stunned. "Wow, are we that close?"

Shen Xiaoxiao also saw him, but her expression remained unchanged, showing no surprise. She directly introduced him to the maid, saying, "Xiao Huan, this is Gu Qingxuan, Commander Gu, and that is Miss Qingluo. They are new here, so you should take Qingluo to familiarize herself with the surroundings today."

Xiao Huan nodded, bowed to Gu Qingxuan, then smiled and waved to Qingluo.

Qingluo hurriedly returned the greeting.

Gu Qingxuan couldn't help but ask, "You...you wouldn't happen to be the owner of this mansion, would you?"

Shen Xiaoxiao shook her head: "The original owner bought this courtyard because of me. Now that he has something to do and can't live here, I have already instructed the people in the manor to help take care of Qingluo. You don't need to worry."

Gu Qingxuan solemnly clasped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you."

Shen Xiaoxiao waved her hand and strode towards the Zhenfu Division.

Yu Zhongqian's case is still pending.

The two arrived at the gate of the Northern Garrison Command, where the guards on duty bowed in greeting.

Gu Qingxuan's pardon hadn't been issued yet, so they had to keep a low profile and followed Shen Xiaoxiao straight to the side courtyard office.

The entire Beizhenfusi headquarters is built in an enclosed layout, with the main hall in the center, the imperial prison and treasury behind it, and seven independent offices arranged in neat rows on the east and west sides, each office with a thousand chief clerks.

Each office is a separate unit, with its own duty room, side room, and temporary detention cell.

Normally, each department handles cases separately and is not subordinate to the others. Only when necessary do they listen to the overall coordination of the garrison commander and the commander.

Shen Xiaoxiao has six centurions under her command, all of whom are from prestigious families.

They were waiting in the office, reviewing case files, when they were all taken aback when Shen Xiaoxiao brought Gu Qingxuan in.

Shen Xiaoxiao gave a brief introduction: "This is Gu Qingxuan, the newly appointed centurion."

Upon hearing this name, the expressions on their faces changed.

Being in the Zhenfu Division, they were naturally well-informed and had already heard about what happened last night.

— He killed Xie Tinghe, the only daughter of Marquis Dingyuan, killed Huo Zhengming, rushed out of the Marquis's mansion, killed Zhao Yi in the street, obtained the Golden Token of the First Princess, and made Duan Beilou suffer a public humiliation.

The former good-for-nothing seems to have transformed overnight into a jinx, bringing misfortune to anyone who crosses his path.

Everyone stepped forward to greet him with "Nice to meet you," and Gu Qingxuan returned the greeting briefly, waiting for Shen Xiaoxiao to get down to business.

Shen Xiaoxiao walked straight up and started talking about Yu Zhongqian's case again.

Yu Zhongqian was a Jinwuwei Siji, mainly responsible for patrolling the imperial city and also in charge of guarding the Xiyuan treasury.

Two weeks ago, the treasury was robbed, and most of the valuables were stolen without cause. Yu Zhongqian was imprisoned as a result.

The plunder warehouse contained treasures seized by the Embroidered Uniform Guard from various confiscation cases. The original plan was to store them temporarily for a few days, organize and archive them, and then transfer them to the Imperial Warehouse. However, it was robbed that very night.

A total of twenty-four treasures were stolen.

Among them are rare treasures from outer space and calligraphy and paintings by famous artists throughout history, which are estimated to be worth at least 50,000 taels of silver based on market prices.

Yu Zhongqian's dereliction of duty is a done deal, but the case remains unsolved—how the theft occurred, how it was transported out of the warehouse, and where the stolen goods went are all unknown.

The warehouse door was intact, the lock was intact, and there wasn't even a scratch on the sealant on the iron lock.

The guards on duty worked in two shifts, with eight people on each shift. That night, no one heard any unusual noises, no one saw any suspicious figures, and even the patrolling dogs didn't bark once. When they opened the gates to take inventory the next morning, the twenty-four treasures had vanished without a trace.

After the theft, there was much discussion in the government and among the public. Some said it was the work of a vengeful spirit or the work of a demon.

Otherwise, how can we explain how these things disappeared without a trace, despite being locked up and heavily guarded?

The emperor was furious and ordered the Zhenfu Division to solve the case within one month.

Now that half the time has passed, if the real culprit is not brought out by the deadline, the only option left is to have Yu Zhongqian take the blame, charging him with embezzlement and collusion with outsiders...

"This is of utmost importance; there's no time to waste!"

Shen Xiaoxiao spoke rapidly: "Ren Pingbo led a team with mastiffs to track down the stolen goods; Liang Qianfan went to the outskirts of the treasury to interview the Jinwu Guards who patrolled that day; Xue Yuan went to investigate the black market's channels for selling stolen goods in the West Market..."

After she finished assigning the tasks, the six centurions left with their orders. Finally, she looked at Gu Qingxuan and said, "Centurion Gu is new here. Come with me to the treasury of confiscated goods and familiarize yourself with the case."

Gu Qingxuan nodded first, then said, "I want to go see Yu Zhongqian first."

Shen Xiaoxiao nodded: "I'll take you to the Imperial Prison."

The Northern Garrison Prison was known as the number one prison in the land!

The two arrived at the gate of the imperial prison at the rear and walked down the stone steps, where it grew darker and darker.

Along the way, we passed several torture chambers, all with stone walls on all four sides, stone floors, and stone slabs on the ceiling, all paved with granite.

The first underground level was filled with wanted criminals of the imperial court, and Yu Zhongqian was in the iron cell at the end.

As the two approached the cell, they heard a crack of a whip, followed by a muffled groan.

"To confess or not!"

Snapped!

"Still dare to be stubborn!"

Snapped!

Without even guessing, it was obvious what was happening inside. Shen Xiaoxiao's face instantly darkened. Without saying a word, Gu Qingxuan kicked the iron door in the middle. The power of the dragon and elephant erupted, and the iron door dented inward with a bang. The door hinge broke, and the entire door, along with the door frame, crashed into the cell.

"stop!"

Inside the prison cell, a commander dressed in a silver-white flying fish robe was holding a whip high. Hearing the sound, he turned around.

Gu Qingxuan was quite surprised when he saw that the face was six-tenths similar to He Juncheng's, with slightly lower cheekbones, more raised eyebrows, and a sinister look.

He was He Juncheng's younger brother, Xie Jiantang's former bodyguard, and now the commander of the Zhenfu Division, He Jundu!

Shen Xiaoxiao's expression changed slightly when she saw him: "Why are you guarding the imperial prison? Where is Guo Xiao?!"

He Jundu pointed his whip at Yu Zhongqian, raised an eyebrow and smiled, "This old bastard has caused my brother no end of trouble in the past. I heard he's in jail after this mission. It's fate that we've run into each other, so he's come over for a chat. Commander Shen, you'd better not meddle..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of Gu Qingxuan beside her out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation. It was him? Looking at that flying fish robe, he felt even more puzzled!

He has been torturing Yu Zhongqian for the past two days, partly to help his elder brother and Xie Tinghe vent their anger, and partly to "close the case" early and claim all the credit for solving it.

In my memory, Gu Qingxuan should still be waiting to die in the west courtyard of the Marquis's mansion.

He glanced at the iron gate on the ground and thought to himself that his strength had increased considerably. Could it be that Wu Dingbang had intervened and helped him cleanse his marrow?

He Jundu quickly dismissed the thought, not taking it seriously. Gu Qingxuan's image as a good-for-nothing was too deeply ingrained in people's minds. He sneered, "Who do we have here... a complete coward, actually wearing this skin—quite a sight!"

As he spoke, he deliberately flicked the whip, then lashed it hard across Yu Zhongqian's body, drawing blood.

He looked at Gu Qingxuan defiantly: "You think you're something special just because you're wearing this flying fish robe? Ordering me around? You should take a good look at yourself in the mirror!"

A strange light flashed in Shen Xiaoxiao's eyes; this person had definitely never left the imperial prison.

If he had spent even an hour or two outside, he wouldn't have dared to raise his whip at Gu Qingxuan.

next moment.

Gu Qingxuan's figure swayed, and three figures suddenly appeared out of thin air, approaching from the left, right and center at the same time. Each figure was solid and real, and fast as lightning!

He Jundu's pupils suddenly contracted.

"This is... 'Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations'?!"

Shen Xiaoxiao exclaimed in shock. He had already learned the technique that was only unsealed last night?

He Jundu never expected that this good-for-nothing would have such a movement technique!

Caught off guard, the fiery true energy in his right hand surged, and he slashed at the figure on the left with a palm. The palm wind was fierce, and the crimson true energy of the "Fire Cloud Divine Palm" reflected a scarlet light and shadow on the stone wall.

Unfortunately, the palm strike passed right through his body—it was a fake body.

At the same time, the two figures on the right and in the middle vanished simultaneously, and a sudden gust of wind rose from behind their heads.

He Jundu felt a chill run down his spine. Before he could turn around, he lashed out with his whip behind him.

The whip missed its mark, but a hand rapidly enlarged in his field of vision and slapped him squarely across the left cheek!

Snapped!

A crisp sound exploded in the cramped cell!

He Jundu was sent flying, his mouth full of teeth mixed with blood and foam spitting out!

His body slammed into the stone wall of the cell with a crack, and a spiderweb-like crack appeared in the granite, with gravel falling down in a flurry.

He slid to the ground, his face filled with panic and shock, his bones broken and tendons sprained, blood flowing continuously from his mouth.

Gu Qingxuan glared at him, wiping the blood from his hands, his face as hard as iron: "I fucking told you to stop, are you deaf?!"