"Stop for a rest."
Xu Lang said coldly, then dismounted.
After dismounting, he extended his arm, allowing Li Xuan to stand on his shoulder by climbing up his arm.
"Feed them good quality concentrated feed, and add an egg for each horse."
The waiter, who greeted them, saw Xu Lang and his group's impressive demeanor and repeatedly agreed, quickly calling other staff to help lead the horses away, while he led Xu Lang and the others into the inn.
The waiter found them a long table, then swiftly wiped the table and chairs clean, inviting them to sit down.
Just as they had settled into their seats, before they had a chance to properly observe the inn, the waiter continued to ask:
"Gentlemen, our inn has excellent beef and clear noodle soup. What would you like to order later?"
Li Xuan gasped when he heard the menu the waiter recited.
But a quick glance around the inn showed that everything was bright and clean; it didn't look like a shady establishment.
Moreover, it was nearing noon, and there were many travelers stopping for a rest, making it lively. It shouldn't be involved in any illicit activities.
Li Xuan, however, couldn't help but feel puzzled:
"Can one eat beef freely in Great Xing?"
Generally speaking, in an agrarian society, cattle were tools of production. Given the underdeveloped animal husbandry, it shouldn't be permissible to eat beef casually.
Li Xuan guessed that the beef sold by the waiter was likely from "diseased or fallen" cattle.
But even such beef shouldn't be cheap.
He often ate beef dishes in the palace, but outside the palace, Li Xuan felt it was better to be cautious.
"I don't eat beef; I'll have noodles."
Li Xuan wrote this on Xu Lang's face, showing his true feelings.
The inn's waiter was already intrigued by the black cat standing on Xu Lang's shoulder. Now, seeing Li Xuan sweep his tail across Xu Lang's face, he merely assumed Xu Lang was doting on the cat, but he couldn't help but take a second look at Li Xuan. Compared to ordinary cats, Li Xuan was truly magnificent.
His glowing fur, piercing eyes, and lazy demeanor made it hard to look away.
At this moment, Xu Lang turned to place his order:
"Ten catties of beef, six bowls of clear noodle soup."
"Also, call your manager over."
The waiter wasn't surprised by the request to call the manager; instead, he muttered:
"Six bowls of clear noodle soup?"
Xu Lang immediately let out a displeased "Hmm," and the waiter dared not ask further, quickly agreeing and going to make arrangements.
Soon after, the inn's manager also came over.
"Gentlemen, how may I help you?"
Somewhat surprisingly, the inn's manager was a charming woman in her thirties. Though her appearance wasn't exceptionally striking, her eyes held a captivating allure, exuding a mature charm.
Her pair of peach blossom eyes added much charm to her face.
Moreover, the manager's voice was soft and sweet, making one's ears tingle slightly.
But it was clear that the manager wasn't intentionally speaking this way; she was simply born with such a voice.
Unfortunately, the one most interested in her present was Li Xuan, the cat.
The manager met Xu Lang's cold gaze and immediately felt a shiver.
She considered herself approachable; most guests, male or female, who came and went from the inn could speak to her politely. Her real trouble came from those who liked her too much.
But it was the first time the manager had encountered someone like Xu Lang, who scrutinized her so intently upon their first meeting.
However, what followed made the manager's expression change even more.
Xu Lang took out a Six Doors token from his chest, flashed it before the manager's eyes, and then put it away.
The manager immediately became serious, no longer daring to let her thoughts wander. She promptly introduced herself:
"Gentlemen, I am Luo Yuejin, the manager of this Shi Zi Po Inn."
"How may I help you, officers?"
It was evident that Luo Yuejin's tone carried a significant amount of tension.
"Manager Luo, there's no need to be nervous. You know about the Ping An Trading Company robbery that happened a few days ago, don't you?"
Xu Lang put away his token and asked straightforwardly.
Li Xuan, standing on Xu Lang's shoulder, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, not expecting Xu Lang to possess such an identity token.
It made sense; these Flower-Clothed Eunuchs from the Internal Affairs Bureau needed some official identity when acting as secret agents outside.
The Great Within's badge was too intimidating; it wasn't as effective as the Six Doors badge.
Li Xuan was also learning for the first time that the Ministry of Justice in Great Xing also had a Six Doors division.
But he guessed that Six Doors couldn't escape the reputation of being the court's hounds, which perfectly matched the positioning of Xu Lang and his group.
When Luo Yuejin heard that Xu Lang and his group were here for this case, she actually relaxed, then spoke with a familiar air:
"Oh, so you officers are here about this matter."
"The county yamen's constables have been here several times these past few days."
"Who would have thought that someone would dare to rob Ping An Trading Company's goods in this area."
Luo Yuejin said, shifting her seat, and immediately sat in the empty chair next to Xu Lang, then continued to speak incessantly.
Xu Lang frowned unhappily, but on account of Luo Yuejin providing them with clues, he didn't react, merely shifting subtly to the side. Luo Yuejin, engrossed in her excited recounting, didn't notice this.
"You officers wouldn't believe it."
"That day, the killing was so intense that the Cross Slope in front of our door was stained crimson."
"Those bandits were ruthless; they not only killed everyone from Ping An Trading Company but also silenced several passersby."
"If we hadn't closed our doors early and stayed inside, I'm afraid even we would have suffered."
Luo Yuejin wore a look of lingering fear, describing the scene vividly, occasionally gesticulating wildly.
It seemed the robbery a few days ago was indeed a major event for her.
Listening to Luo Yuejin's description, Li Xuan and the others also gained a clearer understanding of the situation that day.
Logically, Ping An Trading Company's security force was not weak.
But according to Luo Yuejin's description, it was a one-sided situation that day, and the battle was resolved very quickly.
Besides the killing, there wasn't much commotion during the engagement.
Such a devastating battle indicated that the bandits held a considerable advantage in strength.
"Where did that group of bandits go after robbing the goods?" Xu Lang asked.
"They left along the western road, but according to the officers who have been investigating these past few days, the carriage tracks disappeared about ten li away, so they must have turned into the deep mountains and old forests."
Luo Yuejin, seeing Xu Lang had previously shown his Six Doors badge, told him everything she knew.
Furthermore, for Luo Yuejin to know these things, she probably had a good relationship with the local constables.
Xu Lang asked a few more questions, and Luo Yuejin answered everything she knew. Finally, once he had a good understanding, he dismissed Luo Yuejin, who still had more to say.
"She really is a chatty person."
Li Xuan shook his head, looking at Luo Yuejin's back and couldn't help but smile.
"This Manager Luo is quite charming."
He just wondered why a woman like her would openly run an inn business.
In Great Xing, it wasn't uncommon for women to engage in commerce, but running an inn was less common. More often, couples ran inns together, and it was rare for a woman to be the sole manager.
This was because the inn business was special, requiring interaction with all sorts of people from all walks of life.
Therefore, without some solid capabilities, one would be taken advantage of daily.
Li Xuan finally had time to examine the inn closely.
Inside the inn, the decor was quite simple, exuding a sense of pragmatism everywhere.
It wasn't particularly beautiful, and there were no attractive decorations in the shop.
Simple and unadorned, that was the style here.
Yet, despite being such an inn, business was very good.
At this moment, the ground floor hall was filled with hungry patrons. Not many were eating beef; most were having clear noodle soup.
After finishing their noodles and resting for a while, drinking a couple of cups of tea was much more comfortable than outside tea stalls. At least an inn had walls on all four sides, so not only was it sheltered from the wind, but one also didn't have to taste the dust added by passersby.
At this moment, Xu Lang, having finished his questions, asked Li Xuan:
"My Lord, what do you think we should do next?"
Li Xuan was full of admiration for Xu Lang's respectful attitude towards him.
Surely, not many people could be so perceptive towards a cat like him.
Moreover, after Xu Lang finished speaking, he actively extended his palm to Li Xuan.
The gesture implied he wanted Li Xuan to write on his palm.
Earlier, when Li Xuan wrote on his face, Xu Lang didn't say anything, but he still needed to save some face.
After all, there were four other brothers watching their leader.
Li Xuan didn't stand on ceremony and directly wrote on Xu Lang's palm:
"You handle the investigation; I'll only assist from the side."
"If you can find some relevant evidence, I can help you track it."
Tracking scents was usually a dog's skill, but Li Xuan, with his cultivation, had much stronger five senses than an ordinary cat.
Even specially trained Royal Hounds probably couldn't compare to Li Xuan.
And professional matters should be handled by professionals.
This was Li Xuan's first time investigating a case outside the city. His main purpose was to participate, and the primary work was best left to Xu Lang and his group.
He guessed that Chief Steward Shang's intention in having him participate was mostly to let him gain experience.
After all, while Li Xuan called himself "Secret Agent 00 Meow" from The Great Within, he hadn't undergone any professional training.
Going out with Xu Lang and his team for experience would allow him to learn many skills related to secret agents.
Seeing that Li Xuan didn't offer any reckless suggestions, Xu Lang also breathed a sigh of relief.
Honestly, when he asked just now, he was genuinely afraid that Li Xuan would want to take over command.
Although Xu Lang was nominally the leader, Li Xuan's status was somewhat special.
Especially Zhao Feng's earlier order, which placed Li Xuan's safety first.
Xu Lang had already prepared himself that if Li Xuan wanted to take over command, he would offer counsel from the side, and ensure this mission was carried out well while maintaining a good relationship with Li Xuan.
Xu Lang was a smart person; he knew what was important.
If the mission wasn't handled well, at worst, they could send Li Xuan back and then continue the investigation.
Even if the mission ultimately failed, Xu Lang would accept it.
But he valued his relationship with Li Xuan even more.
He knew his own capabilities.
Although Xu Lang was considered a rising talent in the Internal Affairs Bureau, his previous training focused primarily on martial arts, with no special arrangements regarding Internal Affairs Bureau matters.
In other words, Xu Lang was previously a combat talent, not a management talent.
The last time he went out of the palace to protect Princess Ankang, if the Internal Affairs Bureau hadn't sent out too many people at once, Xu Lang, relying on his solid martial arts skills, wouldn't have secured that leadership position.
But this time, Xu Lang was assigned to lead a team out of the palace to investigate a case.
This was unprecedented.
Xu Lang himself was well aware that his performance during the previous mission to protect Princess Ankang was merely ordinary, with no particularly outstanding moments.
After all, it was just a bodyguard mission, and there weren't many opportunities to shine.
His few interventions were all overwhelming victories.
Xu Lang felt his best performance was probably his utmost respectful attitude.
Therefore, when Xu Lang was initially appointed as the leader for this palace investigation, he was somewhat perplexed.
But when he saw Li Xuan accompanying them, he knew he was benefiting from this person's presence.
Without their previous encounter, Xu Lang guessed he wouldn't have this opportunity today.
These Flower-Clothed Eunuchs, serving in the Internal Affairs Bureau, understood better than anyone that no matter how high one's martial arts, it was no match for holding great power.
Zhao Feng, the current Chief of the Internal Affairs Bureau, was one example.
And in the palace, such examples were everywhere.
Experts, rare in the outside world, were the most common 'cabbages' in the palace.
After all, the palace offered the best conditions for cultivation.
Of course, if your strength surpassed ordinary levels, you could naturally escape the 'cabbage' status.
But that level of difficulty was even harder than becoming Chief of the Internal Affairs Bureau.
Xu Lang had now made up his mind to cling tightly to Li Xuan's leg.
Whether he could rise through the ranks in the Internal Affairs Bureau in the future depended entirely on Li Xuan.
Therefore, how could he not care deeply about Li Xuan?
More importantly, this cat was more understanding than humans, far better than those foolish superiors in the palace.
Although the Flower-Clothed Eunuchs primarily served in the Internal Affairs Bureau, they were well-versed in palace affairs.
After all, they all started as young eunuchs.
Most of those eunuchs who gained a bit of power in the palace only focused on flattery and buttering up, not understanding any practical skills.
But these disgusting characters always liked to show off their presence, and their command of subordinates was suffocating.
When missions failed due to their suffocating operations, it was always the junior eunuchs who did the work who had to take the blame, which was incredibly frustrating.
Don't look at these Flower-Clothed Eunuchs sitting here now as successful; who among them hadn't experienced such ridiculous nonsense before?
Even if they hadn't seen it, they had certainly heard about it.
Seeing that Li Xuan had no intention of interfering and left the matter to him, Xu Lang felt relieved but also became fully alert.
With no more reservations, he naturally wanted to handle this mission well and make a good impression on Li Xuan and Zhao Feng.
One must be strong oneself to forge iron; to climb higher, one must show one's abilities.
Xu Lang believed he had no talent for flattery; his utmost respectful attitude was his limit.
Therefore, Xu Lang was determined to produce some tangible results this time.
The other four Flower-Clothed Eunuchs silently watched Xu Lang, awaiting his orders.
"Let's eat first, listen to the rumors in the inn, and then go search for the last traces left by the bandits."
Xu Lang's approach was methodical; while not particularly innovative, it had no obvious flaws either.
The other four Flower-Clothed Eunuchs nodded.
They were there to follow orders and wouldn't offer their own opinions casually.
While waiting for their food, the group listened to the conversations of the guests in the inn.
After a while, they realized that the center of these discussions was actually themselves.
But this wasn't due to their being ostentatious; it was simply that Xu Lang and his group had a unique aura, and they also brought a black cat. Moreover, they had just been whispering with Luo Yuejin, the inn's manager, for a while, naturally attracting attention.
Additionally, some people, by discussing them, shifted the topic to the Ping An Trading Company robbery that occurred a few days ago.
But everything they said was the same information Luo Yuejin had previously provided; there was nothing new.
And just then, their ordered dishes were brought by the waiter.
There were only two items in total: beef and clear noodle soup.
The beef was braised, and as soon as it arrived, it was steaming hot, with a savory aroma wafting over.
The clear noodle soup was plain, with only a few vegetable leaves on top.
After all, it was an inn in the wilderness, so the menu wasn't very extensive, offering only these two items.
However, looking at the braised beef before him, Li Xuan couldn't help but nervously swallow his saliva.
An inn in the wilderness selling beef made it hard for Li Xuan not to overthink things.
"My Lord, please eat the noodles."
Xu Lang placed Li Xuan's noodles in front of him, and Li Xuan jumped down from Xu Lang's shoulder, standing on the table.
As Xu Lang and his companions had divided the noodles and were about to feast on the braised beef, Li Xuan couldn't help but stop Xu Lang and ask him:
"Is this beef really okay?"
Xu Lang was startled and immediately gave a look to his companions.
The others immediately stopped their chopsticks, not daring to act rashly.