Chapter 1: The Sleeping Flower Pavilion

  "Those who have ambitions for a prosperous era will naturally come to Daliang. Those who seek fame and fortune will naturally come to Chang'an. And those who desire beauty will naturally come to our Menghua Building! Girls, call out!"

  "Woof woof"

  The little grass couldn't help but sigh, it's really worthy of being the best business on both sides of Chang'an Rouge River, Meng Hua Lou. The girls are just so different and have such a unique personality. No wonder that bastard Duan Shiyi went in and never came out again.

  A thousand mothers stood at the entrance of Meng Hua Lou, and as soon as they saw her, their faces turned green: "Young lady, can't you not cause trouble? I'm organizing a welcoming ceremony for my daughter here, what kind of atmosphere are you trying to create?"

  The little grass is unhappy: "Who made trouble? I came here on official business!"

  The big dog in his hand barked again to give its owner courage: "Woof!"

  This loud and sonorous cry is more pleasant than those soft and gentle voices from upstairs.

  A thousand mothers with one twist of the waist, a stout body blocking the entrance to the Menghua Building, glaring and saying: "Don't think that just because you're wearing official robes you're superior, you've blocked the business of the Menghua Building, nothing can be done!"

  She still held the official document in her hand, but Xiao Cao didn't listen to what she said and immediately shouted: "Dai Bai!"

  The big white dog suddenly became spiritual, let out a loud bark and rushed towards Qian Mama, scaring the famous beauty of Chang'an so much that she lost her composure and hastily retreated. Xiaocao followed closely behind and charged into the Sleeping Flower Pavilion. Instantly, the renowned Golden Brothel of Chang'an was thrown into chaos, with cups shattering, wine jars smashing, and beauties screaming in fright. The culprit, a man and his dog, headed straight for the second floor.

  With one kick, he burst into Room 2 on the second floor. Xiaocao's anger was burning in her belly, and she shouted loudly: "Duan Shi Yi, you son of a bitch!"

  With a mouth full of sharp teeth wide open, Da Bai rushed towards the person in the middle of the house with a loud roar. Dog hair swept across, saliva flew everywhere, as if ready to make a kill.

  A thousand mothers can't stop it, this room is for noble guests, such a big dog goes in and bites someone, who's to blame?

  "Be careful, Master Duan!" The courtesans in the room couldn't help but cry out.

  The young man in green clothes sitting in the middle of the room didn't move, staring at the big dog's sharp teeth, not only was he not afraid, but instead opened his arms wide.

  A big white dog pounced over, did a somersault in mid-air, stretched out its two paws, and with the onlookers' terrified gaze upon it, showed off the majesty and dignity that a dog should have. It wrapped itself around Duanmu Xi's leg, wagging its tail 360 degrees without any blind spots. Lifting up its head, it stuck out its tongue.

  The little grass forgot, this is a mother dog, no matter how much she eats, it's still just a mother dog.

  All mothers belong to Section Eleven.

  "Little grass." Duan Yu turned his head and stroked the dog's head, giving her a faint smile: "You're just a young lady, why don't you understand what refinement is?"

  Her voice was like the sound of a jade flute in a bamboo forest, and it moved people's hearts. The thousand mothers at the door, who were just now full of vigor, suddenly covered their hearts with both hands and saw stars. Looking again at this person's face, Duan Xiaocao wouldn't have to pay for what she broke today.

  Many sisters who travel the world come to ask Xiao Cao, what does Duan Shiyi look like? Xiao Cao doesn't know how to describe him either. Roughly speaking, when you see him, the geese in the sky fall down, the ducks at the village entrance die, and all the flowers in the garden wither.

  In other words, it's like poison, a drop kills a piece.

  In the city of Chang'an, there was a scholar named Du Shisan who praised him, saying: "Idle clouds and falling flowers, the green mountains of thousands of miles are all in his eyebrows. The Milky Way and jade trees, thousands of elegant styles are all collected in his sleeves."

  The little grass doesn't think Duanyi looks particularly good, but he's quite valuable. His portrait can be exchanged for the shaobing sold by the big sister on Dong Street, the you tiao sold by the widow on Xi Street, and even the qiancengbing sold by the old lady on Nan Street.

  However, now is not the time to admire him, Xiaocao shouldered his sword and looked at Gu Yanyan beside him with a serious expression: "I have something to discuss with my master, Miss, would you please step aside?"

  Gu Shen is a clever person, otherwise she wouldn't be able to stir up such a commotion in the Meng Hua Lou. Upon hearing this, she hugged her pipa and stood up, lightly bowing to Duan Xi: "I'll take my leave for now, Young Master can summon me again when needed."

  "Good." Duan Shi looked at the beauty with a gentle and affectionate expression, but as soon as everyone dispersed and the door closed, his face turned stern: "Xiao Cao, I've taught you to know when to take action. What's so urgent that it can't be said until we return to the yamen?"

  Back to the yamen? Don't mention it, just thinking about it makes her want to bite him to death! She came to learn from him how to solve cases, not to learn how to visit brothels. It's been half a year since she entered the sixth door and she's still just a probationary constable. Is it because she's not diligent? No, it's because this pervert never returns to the yamen to teach her, instead he stays in the pleasure quarters of Chang'an City, pretending to comfort ignorant fallen women and save their souls.

  Shameless!

  Master is not making an effort, so his only disciple has to worry more. Apart from helping him take care of the house and walking/feeding the dog, she also has to be responsible for checking the messages about the Six Doors case rewards. Because this dead pervert has a rule, he doesn't take non-major cases that don't involve murder or major crimes.

  Now that there is finally some movement, Xiao Cao didn't want to bother with him too much anymore and directly handed over the document: "Take a look."

  "The female demon Yan Liu Yin, escaped to Chang'an, the six gates hung a heavy reward for her capture." Duan Shi Yi glanced at the document and smiled lightly: "What's so special about this? It's just a wanted notice, not a mysterious murder case."

  "It's a case, after all." Xiaocao lowered his face and said: "Since I became an apprentice, I haven't handled any cases yet. Everyone in the Six Doors says that this case can only be settled by you, so I came here in a hurry."

  Chapter Eleven put down the official document, looked at her with a serious face and said: "Xiaocao, what I taught you is that no matter what, you must maintain your own style. Just like Da Bai, it likes to eat vegetables and doesn't like to eat meat. Even if it's starving, it won't settle for something inferior. That's style. And you, since we agreed to solve a big case together, you absolutely cannot pick and choose small cases to do. Do you understand?"

  What the heck! The little grass is grinding its teeth, and the dog is eating vegetables. What kind of style is that? She just wants to crack the case, who says a wanted poster is a small case? That's Yan Liu Yin!

  The notorious Yan Liu Yin, whose name makes people in the jianghu change color, for some unknown reason, kills people without restraint, and his methods are clean and efficient, leaving no trace.

  Such a formidable detective is actually not interested in such a formidable fugitive, it's simply outrageous. Has her case fallen through again?

  It would have been better if I had known earlier that it's more useful to worship Li Erdou as a master, and investigate who stole whose cow!

  "People can't live too tired, you see you, every day thinking about breaking the case, a good 16-year-old girl with a bitter melon face." Duan Shi leaned in closer to her, his slender fingers pinched a strand of her black hair, and let out a soft sigh: "It's better to go back and grow again, I prefer to eat winter melons."

  You're a winter melon, your whole family looks like winter melons! Xia Cao stood up in anger: "This life is too boring, it's either feeding the dog or walking the dog, I'm a catcher! This life is not as good as that striptease dancer downstairs, at least she's carefree!"

  Duan Shi raised an eyebrow: "Want to go dance a bit?"

  After thinking for a while with great seriousness, Little Grass's face turned slightly red as she said, "It should be okay too."

  "Alright, alright, little Duan Cao, wake up! That's a striptease, if you go up there, it'll be like peeling a bitter melon. Don't cheat the customers, or they'll report you to the authorities and I'll lose face." Duan Shi Yi's eyes sparkled with stars, but his mouth spat out venom, covering her face: "I think you should head back home now? The master is having a romantic tryst here, hurry up and go write your homework, little kid!"

  After finishing speaking, with a big kick, she was directly kicked from Tianzi No. 1 House to the center of the lobby downstairs.

  Luckily she was skilled, otherwise she would have broken her neck and blamed him for the rest of his life! She cursed as she crawled up from the stage in the main hall, Little Grass rubbed her butt, just about to pick up the knife on the ground, but found someone lying under her.

  "Huh? Looks a bit familiar, seems like the girl who just did a striptease on the table. Xiao Cao took a closer look and luckily she stopped in time, or else she would have been left with only her underwear, which is definitely not suitable for minors."

  The surroundings were extremely quiet, and the originally noisy guests and girls were all stiffened in their movements, staring blankly at the spot where Xiaocao was.

  The little grass felt strange, just thinking that the girl lying motionless on the ground was about to touch her porcelain, when she saw a stream of black blood flowing from the mouth of the stripper girl, spreading out into a strange shape on the ground.

  The bustling Menghua Building had been quiet for a long time before the surrounding area erupted in a series of piercing screams that pierced through Chang'an City: "Murder! ——"