NOVEL NEXT Chapter 214: The Feast at Hongmen
On Flower and Bird Street, as Xu Qing arrived at the entrance of Second Master Feng's residence, he saw the courtyard doors wide open, with the inside in complete disarray; there wasn't a living soul to be seen, not even a live chicken.
To prevent thieves from sneaking in, Xu Qing casually closed the door and climbed over the wall to exit Second Master Feng's home.
Leaving Flower and Bird Street, Xu Qing hurried once more, reaching the location of the broker. This time, however, a clerk appeared to receive him.
"Where are the stewards?"
"Shopkeeper Xu, you're too late. The officials took the stewards away just this afternoon..."
Not far from the broker is the Taian Escort Agency, where Xu Qing made a quick turn; inside, only a few handymen remained.
Upon inquiry, he found that Young Master Xie Yunyan and more than ten reputable Escort Masters from the martial world had been seized by the Mirror Reflection Division.
Xu Qing further asked where exactly they had been taken, but no one knew.
Just think of the mess this has turned into; despite being the main instigator, he wasn't affected at all. Instead, after the Jinmen Gang was eradicated, the rabble-rousers following along were taken as examples and hauled in for questioning.
The law does not blame the masses, so Xu Qing wasn't worried about his old acquaintances' safety. The Jinmen Gang had been overbearing for too long, offending many—you wouldn't find just people like Second Master Feng who were ready to kick someone when they're down and fan the flames.
Nonetheless, to be safe, Xu Qing took off his cloth shoes and tossed them on the ground.
The Shoe Throwing Inquiry Technique—the longer you've worn the shoes, the more potent their smell and the more effective the technique. Xu Qing had been busy lately and hadn't changed shoes for several days; now they could finally be put to use!
Avoiding the crowds, Xu Qing traversed as if on level ground; when encountering high walls, he used the Wall-Climbing Skill, walking straight past. Facing ponds and puddles, he made a light jump, covering several yards in a single stride.
Simultaneously, on the Baisha River stretching for hundreds of miles, a few transportation vessels were escorting a tower ship, its flags fluttering high, anchored on the river.
Inside the large ship, Liao Jinzhong, Eunuch Liao, stood by the porthole, admiring the vast and misty landscape in the distance.
Behind Liao Jinzhong stood a Chief Eunuch, around forty years old, dressed in a peacock-patterned nickel-blue robe, whose attire alone indicated at least a fourth-rank official.
"Isn't the Master afraid of alerting the enemies by summoning all these people for questioning?"
"Eunuch Xu, we're not like others. Steward Feng is timid, and working under him made you cautious as well, but I'm different..."
Liao Jinzhong brushed aside a strand of white hair from his temples, squinting at the passing ships outside, saying, "Although the capital and Jin Sect are close, the local conditions and customs are quite different. I'm not familiar with this place, and if I act with the same hesitance as most people, when would I ever find the information I seek?"
"What does the Master mean?"
Liao Jinzhong chuckled, "Since we're not familiar with Jin Sect, we'll call on those who are; I refuse to believe that among so many, not a single one could give us some intel."
"Master, some of these people have connections with capital dignitaries. Over-offending might lead to a hard-to-clean mess."
"What is there to fear!" Liao Jinzhong cast a sidelong glance at Eunuch Xu, then raised his hand to fling back his cloak, striding back into the ship, sitting in the main seat, each gesture exuding a certain heroic vigor.
"This land is still the Zhao clan's realm; Jin Sect is still the Emperor's Jin Sect. Acting on behalf of heaven, who dares disobey?"
After speaking, Liao Jinzhong snorted coldly, continuing, "Eunuch Xu, no need to keep an eye on me. Steward Feng's adopted son is gone; do you think mine would die for nothing?"
Two eunuchs combined cannot make a man, but for an adopted son that's not one's own, they care even more.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Xu immediately grinned, somewhat fawningly saying, "The Master keeps old promises, acts with vigor, and Little Xu admires from the heart."
Meanwhile, as the two flat-chested old ladies were chatting, a group of red-clad palace guards, armed with swords, escorted dozens of people from the red horse boat, setting up a portable gangplank to board the tower ship.
Liao Jinzhong sat upright in the cabin, holding a document submitted by the stamp officer in his hand.
The document, merely two pages, detailed information about the Linjiang County's brokers, escort agencies, shipping lines, as well as major market leaders and local bullies.
The matters listed were a miscellany, including but not limited to the Taian Escort Agency's Young Master Xie Yunyan's father being murdered by an enemy, Xie using his looks to seduce the enemy's concubine, poisoning and killing the enemy, and then being forced to return to Jin Sect; where the stewards lived, how many separate courtyards they had, how many concubines they kept; and the affairs of the Jin and Capital, with Second Master Feng of the Flower and Bird Market's newly-entried wife of two months actually being his adopted daughter from two years ago...
Additionally, the shipping line captain acquired "idle" warships at low prices from Jin Sect's navy camp and converted them for commercial use.
As Liao Jinzhong read through, his twitching eyelids never ceased.
How could this small Linjiang County harbor so many talents?
And this doesn't even account for the recent incident involving two officials with the surname Wu who concealed their identities to report to the Imperial Court.
"People say a good place nurtures talent, yet this Jin Sect..." Apart from finding it eerie, Liao Jinzhong still found it eerie.
"This place is not to be lingered in; once matters are resolved, it's best to return to the capital promptly."
Beside him, Liao Jinzhong's trusted aide, the stamp officer of the Mirror Reflection Division, Zheng Chunbao, asked with concern, "Master, have you discovered something?"
"It's nothing serious," Liao Jinzhong shook his head, "It's just that this area seems to clash with my fate, and since the incident with the young Master Shang almost spoiling my plans, I haven't felt at ease. This sensation grows stronger today."