Chapter 136: Settling into the Mule and Horse Inn, the Trio Stands Apart

In a private room on the second floor of the Listening Rain Pavilion in the southern part of the city, Chen Daqiang sat with a woeful expression, pleading with Song Mo. He knew he had pushed Song Mo too far.

"Sir, I truly don't know anything else. Please, I beg you, just let me go."

"Tell me, how do you know about the Taiping Army?" Song Mo asked coldly. His patience had worn thin; dealing with a wretch like Chen Daqiang was exhausting, as the man had spent the last few minutes dodging every serious question.

"I really don't know, sir! Please, have mercy!" Chen Daqiang kowtowed repeatedly, looking as if he were on the verge of death.

"Hmph. It seems you still refuse to tell the truth. Very well, I shall have you sent to the Dali Temple's imperial prison."

Song Mo had lost all patience.

"No! I'll talk, I'll talk! Just please, let me go!" Chen Daqiang panicked; the thought of the Dali Temple prison was far more terrifying than Song Mo’s current threats.

"Speak."

"I... I don't know if the Taiping Army has moles inside the Dali Temple."

"What do you think?" Song Mo countered.

"I can't say for sure, but I suspect it's highly likely."

"You’re quite perceptive, aren't you? Very well. Tell me, where did you hear this? Who told you? If you answer me, I promise you will not only remain unharmed, but you will also receive a handsome reward." Song Mo knew that with a scoundrel like Chen, threats only went so far; a bit of incentive was far more effective.

As expected, Chen Daqiang’s eyes lit up at the mention of a reward.

"It was three days ago. I was at the county office submitting some ledgers when I ran into Lu Ping. She told me she was running with the big shots of the Taiping Army now and warned me not to cross her."

Lu Ping. Song Mo realized she was the woman he had seen arguing in the street earlier.

"What is Lu Ping to you?" Song Mo asked in a low voice.

Chen Daqiang grinned, revealing a gap-toothed smile. "She used to be my wife, but I sold her to a brothel. Lately, she’s picked up bad habits, but surprisingly, she hasn't forgotten to send money home."

Song Mo, disgusted by the man’s total lack of shame, stood up and slapped him twice across the face.

"Now, where is the Taiping Army?" Song Mo asked, struggling to suppress his rage toward such a beast.

"They... they usually stay at the Mule and Horse Inn. That brazen woman keeps running off there." Chen Daqiang, no longer daring to hide anything, spoke plainly.

"The Mule and Horse Inn?" Song Mo frowned; he had never heard of it.

"It's not one of our local spots. They say it's run by people from the Northeast. It’s called Tongfu Inn, and they specialize in trading horses. That’s where the Taiping Army people are staying," Chen added.

Song Mo fell into deep thought. He knew of Tongfu Inn—it was a remote place, far from here. Investigating the Taiping Army there would take time, but if he failed to wipe them out in one stroke, he would only alert them and cause further trouble.

"Who is the proprietor of that inn?" Song Mo continued.

"I don't know. I only know her surname is Zhao." Chen shook his head.

Song Mo considered this and said, "You are to go to the Mule and Horse Inn to gather information. If they make a move, report to me immediately. Remember, you are to go alone. No one else is to know."

Chen Daqiang was stunned; he hadn't expected Song Mo to send him on a reconnaissance mission.

"Very well, I shall go at once." Chen scrambled to his feet.

"Wait. Do not breathe a word of this to anyone, or you will lose your head." Song Mo called him back to add the warning.

"Don't worry, sir, I will handle it perfectly," Chen promised.

"Here. Take this." Song Mo tossed him ten taels of silver. Dealing with a wretch like Chen was like keeping a stray dog; if you didn't toss it a bone with some meat on it, it would never work for you loyally.

"Thank you, sir!" Seeing the silver, Chen beamed, secretly thinking the two slaps had been worth it.

Song Mo waved him away. Once Chen left, Song Mo sat in silence for a moment before exiting the room himself.

"Innkeeper! Two jars of wine and a table of good dishes—I am hosting guests at noon," Song Mo said to a waiter in a corner of the tavern.

"Understood, sir!" the waiter said, rubbing his hands together.

"This is the deposit. Do a good job, and there will be more for you." Song Mo placed two five-tael silver ingots on the table, which the waiter happily snatched up.

***

In front of the Six Fan Sect headquarters, two guards blocked Song Mo’s path.

"This is the Six Fan Sect! Unauthorized persons, leave at once!" the guard barked.

"Please, inform them I am here to see your Xia..." Song Mo paused, then corrected himself, "I am here to see your Lord Tang Yi."

Song Mo had calculated this carefully: Xia Yu was a newcomer to the Six Fan Sect and few knew him, whereas Tang Yi was far more prominent. Especially after the case of the Turks, Tang Yi was rising to become one of the top five famous investigators.

"And you are?" The guard’s tone softened significantly.

"Song Mo, from the Coroner's Office."

***

At the Listening Rain Tea House in the south of the city, three men sat around a table laden with food and wine, all looking troubled.

"Are you saying the Taiping Army has actually infiltrated the capital of Jian'an?" Xia Yu asked, unable to contain his concern.

"And there are likely quite a few of them," Song Mo said with a heavy nod.

"This is a matter of great importance. I must report this to the Six Fan Sect immediately," Tang Yi said solemnly.

"How do you know there aren't Taiping Army members already inside the Six Fan Sect?" Song Mo asked suddenly.

Silence—a deathly silence—fell over the table.

Of course. If the Six Fan Sect were aware of the Taiping Army's movements, they would have sent people to handle it. But ten days had passed with no activity. Perhaps the Six Fan Sect was unaware of the infiltration, or worse, they simply didn't view the Taiping Army as a threat.

"Then what do we do?"

"We handle it ourselves. And if the people inside the Six Fan Sect realize the Taiping Army is active within the city, they surely won't sit idly by," Song Mo said with a cold smirk.

Xia Yu and Tang Yi nodded in agreement.

"Then let us return and prepare."

"Agreed."

The two men departed, leaving Song Mo behind. Once he was out of sight, they headed directly toward the Six Fan Sect headquarters.

***

Outside Jian'an City, on a hillside, a young man spoke respectfully to a middle-aged man. "Brother, the defenses of Jian'an are too tight. It will not be easy to sneak in, especially with the supplies we have prepared. But there is no rush; when the time is right, we will have our chance."

The middle-aged man nodded. "Have there been any reports in the last few days?"

"Nothing yet," the young man replied.

"Good. Keep watching the city. If there is any movement, report to me immediately."

"Understood!"

On the hillside outside the city, three horses galloped swiftly toward Jian'an.