Chapter 69: National Treasures (II)

After a bath and a change into clean clothes, Lin Zheyu went back out. Since he had been away for two days, he wanted to see Jia Yanyong and Xie Jiang and also ask a few questions.

Soon, he spotted a younger Feihong gang member. "Hey, there. Where are Xie Jiang and the others?"

"They’re at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, listening to music."

"Good. Keep up the patrols."

Lin Zheyu patted the young man’s shoulder and made his way toward the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

"Brother Lin! You’ve finally returned. Any later and I’d have started worrying something had happened to you outside the city," said Xie Jiang with a smile when he saw Lin Zheyu.

"

Haha,

don't worry. The wilderness isn’t that dangerous. With my strength, if even I couldn’t survive a trip outside, the common folk living out there would have long since perished," replied Lin Zheyu with a laugh before sitting down beside them.

He soon noticed that on the stage, the dancing girls were all fresh faces. Their figures were graceful, though their movements carried a touch of inexperience.

"Nothing happened these past two days, right?" asked Lin Zheyu.

"No, everything's fine. With the New Year approaching, everyone is busy with preparations, and few people would make trouble at a time like this," said Jia Yanyong.

He picked up a wine jug and poured a bowl for Lin Zheyu, saying, "Come on, brothers. Let's drink!"

"Bottoms up!"

Lin Zheyu raised his cup, clinked it with theirs, and drained it in one gulp.

"How was the trip out of town? Did you run into any formidable bandits?" asked Jia Yanyong curiously.

He was a battle fiend who liked to pick fights with Xie Jiang and Ning Hui for fun. He would even feel restless if he did not fight for a few days. Jia Yanyong was very interested in the bandits outside the city and had once even thought about going out to kill some, but Xie Jiang quickly put that idea to rest. Xie Jiang believed that Jia Yanyong's belligerent nature and dislike of thinking made going out alone no different from seeking death.

"I ran into a few, but their strength was only so-so," Lin Zheyu replied. He then continued with, "I found a lot of jars of medicinal powders, poison powders, and poisoned hidden weapons on them. Do you know where these can be sold?"

Previously, he had asked Manager Wu to buy poison for him, but he could only get a small amount because such items were tightly controlled in the city.

"

Wow,

you got all of that stuff? Those kinds of things are hard to sell. Songyi City strictly controls poison powders and hidden weapons, you see. However, you can try asking Ning Hui if you want. He might know where they can be sold," said Xie Jiang.

Although he liked gossip, he rarely dealt with matters like this. However, he remembered that back when the Bai Family still held power, Ning Hui’s father had been a manager at the Bai estate and knew many things, so he felt that Ning Hui might have some leads.

"All right, I'll go find him later."

Lin Zheyu nodded and leaned back in his chair, listening to the music and watching the dance. The earlier, somewhat inexperienced dancers finished and left the stage, and were replaced by more familiar faces, so the hall erupted in enthusiastic shouts. Compared to the pretty but green performers, the crowd preferred the old group whose supple waists and alluring charm were more seductive.

"There you are! Hey, Brother Lin, you're also back. Did you have fun out in the countryside?" A familiar voice called out as Ning Hui approached, smiling. The territory that he was responsible for bordered Lin Zheyu’s, so he often strolled over here when idle.

"The outskirts are desolate and full of bandits. There was nothing fun about it," said Lin Zheyu as he shifted to the right to make room for Ning Hui.

"You came at the right time. Brother Lin found a lot of poison powders and hidden weapons on the bandits he killed. Do you have any connections to sell them?" asked Xie Jiang.

"Damn, really? Did you get a lot? If not, I can probably handle it for you," responded Ning Hui.

Lin Zheyu thought for a moment. It wasn’t just poisons and hidden weapons; those pieces of jewelry couldn’t be sold openly either.

"It’s definitely not a small amount."

"Impressive! You must have run into quite a few bandits this trip, Brother Lin. Not only did you return safely, but you even managed to kill them and search their corpses," said Ning Hui with a thumbs up.

"

Haha

, I was just lucky. They were nothing more than second-rate bandits," replied Lin Zheyu.

"If you want to sell those contraband items, I know of a black market. It’s in a hidden underground stronghold in the outer city’s Pingnan District," said Ning Hui after some thought.

The city’s black markets were run behind the scenes by esteemed families, with the authorities likely colluding as well. Back when Ning Hui’s father had been a manager for the Bai Family, part of his responsibilities had involved the black market, so Ning Hui knew quite a few details.

"

Heh

, I knew asking you was the right move," said Xie Jiang with a grin.

"Where exactly in Pingnan District? Tell me more clearly," said Lin Zheyu.

"The location is a bit tricky to describe. Do you have a map? Or just paper and a brush so I can draw on it," replied Ning Hui.

"Waiter, bring paper and a brush!" Lin Zheyu immediately called out.

Ning Hui took the brush and began sketching on the paper. He said, "Here’s where Pingnan District meets Baishan District. In that area stands a tree 4 or 5 meters tall, with a river beside it. Facing the tree...

"Find the old residence there. Inside, guards will be present. Give the right passphrase, and you’ll be led through a secret passage into the underground stronghold. The black market only opens on the 1st and 15th nights of each month. After the New Year, it will open on the first day as usual, so don’t miss it."

After finishing the sketch, he handed the paper over to Lin Zheyu. It was drawn in detail and included simple notes.

"Thanks! This time at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion is on me. Enjoy yourselves," said Lin Zheyu with a smile as he tucked the sketch away.

"You said it! Then I’ll call for Lady Zhaofeng. She’s always been too expensive, and I’ve never had the heart to spend on her," said Ning Hui with a laugh.

"

Haha!

Go ahead, my brother. Don’t hold back," said Lin Zheyu generously.

After all, courtesy was mutual, and Xie Jiang and the others often treated him as well. This trip outside had yielded quite a haul. Once the jewelry, poison powders, and hidden weapons were sold, he estimated he would gain over 100 taels of silver more.

***

At the Xing Family training grounds. In the bitter cold, Xing Jing’an stood bare-chested, sweat streaming down his body and highlighting the defined lines of his muscles.

"Speak. What is it?" said Xing Jing’an as he looked at the Wuding Gang underling before him.

"Young master, Lin Zheyu of the Feihong Gang has returned. I saw him enter through the west gate carrying three packs of bundles," the Wuding Gang underling reported.

"He returned? Was he injured?" asked Xing Jing’an.

"No injuries, and no signs of having fought," replied the underling.

"Go. Send in the ones who saw Lin Zheyu that day," ordered Xing Jing’an.

He had already questioned the city’s scouts. None of the other factions had shown signs of unusual movement, nor had the Feihong Gang. His younger brother, Xing Jinglong, had indeed chased Lin Zheyu out of the city that day. Otherwise, he never would have gone to such a remote place. For them to have died in such a desolate area, it was clearly premeditated.

The City Guard shows no record of mobilization. The checkpoints outside the city all remained stationed, with no movements attributed to bandits. Could it be that the boy has another faction behind him? Or perhaps it was the bandits who acted? Or was it someone seizing the chance to strike at my Xing Family, sparing only that boy to stir conflict between the Xing Family and the Xu Family so that they could profit as fishermen watching from the shore?

Xing Jing’an pondered, his brows furrowed.

He never once considered that Lin Zheyu could have done this alone. In his eyes, Lin Zheyu was just a little Bone Forging Realm youth, without the power or authority to mobilize so many people. There had to be someone plotting in the shadows.

Xing Jing’an paced back and forth across the training ground in thought.