Li Banfeng shook his head. "There’s no need for now."
"You don’t need to kill me to silence me?"
"Not at the moment."
"Then, can you let me go?" Dumpling began to see a glimmer of hope for her life.
Li Banfeng nodded. "I can let you go, but not unconditionally. You’ll also need to wait a bit longer. If I let you go back now, with no progress made and you suddenly giving up the investigation, it would arouse suspicion from the Dark Star Bureau and the Defense Agency."
Dumpling strongly agreed with Li Qi’s viewpoint. If she went back now, Liao Zihui would surely not let her off easily. She would face a series of investigations, or even possibly be expelled from the detective squad forever.
Anxiously, she watched Li Qi, only to hear him suggest, "You should really adjust your diet in the future."
Dumpling was taken aback. "Diet... Is there something wrong with it?"
Li Banfeng pointed at the cup. "There’s no laxative in it."
"Then, why just now..."
Li Banfeng remained silent.
Because he had set her on an extremely precipitous path.
...
Dumpling went backstage, distraught. A singer approached her, asking, "So, how did you find Seventh Master?"
A woman beside her said, "Hey, why are your eyes still red? Did Seventh Master go a little too hard?"
Dumpling didn’t respond and walked over to the dressing table to prepare her makeup. Steward Zhang approached and said, "Miss Tao Hong, Seventh Master has ordered a solo performance from you tonight. Which song would you like? I’ll have the band ready."
Dumpling stared blankly, taking a long while before speaking.
A few singers whispered nearby:
"What will she sing? She was out of tune during the sextet yesterday, forgot the lyrics halfway through, and then didn’t dare to make a sound afterward."
"She’s been in Seventh Master’s room, and now she’s got a solo tonight. What can you do if you’re jealous?"
"Let her sing. A solo will be even more embarrassing for her. I don’t know what Seventh Master sees in her!"
"Can’t you see? Look at how fleshy her peaches are; she could leave dents in a wooden chair."
"Exactly! If she’s so great, let’s see her sing with her peaches."
Dumpling originally didn’t want to choose a song; she wanted to refuse the solo tonight.
But for some reason, hearing these singers’ comments set Dumpling’s anger aflame.
She told Steward Zhang, "Please tell the band, tonight I’ll sing ’Full Moon and Blooming Flowers’!"
’Full Moon and Blooming Flowers’ was one of the few Puluo State songs with which Dumpling was reasonably familiar.
Upon hearing she would sing ’Full Moon and Blooming Flowers,’ the surrounding singers laughed.
"She really doesn’t know what’s good for her. Is ’Full Moon and Blooming Flowers’ meant to be sung to him?"
"She’s gotten too full of herself after being in Seventh Master’s bed."
Steward Zhang was also a bit embarrassed. "Miss Tao Hong, you’d better choose another song."
Dumpling frowned. "I want to sing ’Full Moon and Blooming Flowers,’ is that not allowed?"
Steward Zhang explained, "You’re new here and might not know the rules. At Xiaoyao Lodge, ’Full Moon and Blooming Flowers’ is Miss Jiang Mengting’s exclusive number."
Dumpling sighed, thinking about changing the song, but then saw Jiang Mengting push open the door of the dressing room.
She had her own makeup room and had heard everything from outside.
Jiang Mengting looked at Dumpling and smiled. "Let Tao Hong sing it. We don’t have so many rules at Xiaoyao Lodge. Good songs are for everyone to sing."
Dumpling turned to look at Jiang Mengting. Jiang Mengting’s smile was amiable, though her gaze held a hint of chill.
Having been a secretary for many years, Dumpling was naturally perceptive; she knew Jiang Mengting was dissatisfied with her.
Once Jiang Mengting returned to her makeup room, Steward Zhang advised, "Miss Tao Hong, better change the song."
Dumpling bit her lip.
Forgetting all reason, her identity, and every mission she bore, all she wanted now was to rip the faces of these wretches apart!
Dumpling raised her head and declared, "I won’t change it! I’m singing ’Flowers are Beautiful and the Moon is Bright’!"
...
Li Banfeng made a call to Luo Zhengnan, instructing him to investigate Chen Weixin’s background at the Soda Kiln.
Once he’d given clear instructions, Li Banfeng left Xiaoyao Lodge, ready to probe through other channels for updates on the Defense Agency’s progress.
The Outside Provinces were planning to assist the Inner State with constructing a passageway—a deal that must be sabotaged. An additional exit for the Inner State meant an extra calamity for Puluo State.
As soon as he stepped out of the gate, Li Banfeng faintly heard a tinkling sound.
JINGLE~
The sound was very faint, and Li Banfeng wondered if he’d been mistaken.
But the Silk-pulling Earrings reminded him, "Master, the sound’s coming from the base of the wall."
Following the wall, Li Banfeng shortly found a little bell caught in some wild grass.
The palm-sized bell looked familiar to Li Banfeng, but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen it before.
He carefully examined the bell and found three words inscribed on the inner surface: Iron Gate Fort.
Li Banfeng held the bell, falling deep into thought.
JINGLE!
A guest left Xiaoyao Lodge and mounted a yellow rickshaw.
The rickshaw puller rang his bell and set off.
...
Dumpling really put in the effort, borrowing a private room from the steward to practice the song, word by word, all afternoon.
By the time it was her turn to perform that evening, Dumpling was drenched in sweat, and her stomach rumbled ominously.