"That bastard is getting more arrogant by the day." Jia Yanyong sat back down, cursing under his breath.
"Nothing we can do. Who told the Xing clan to have military backing? With the rebel army attacking, the Xing clan can use the opportunity to recruit soldiers and buy horses, expanding their strength," Xie Jiang said, his gaze solemn and his expression grim. "This great chaos is an exceptional opportunity for them."
After Xing Jinglong left, Manager Wu stepped forward to offer apologies, sending a small side dish to every table. With order restored, the storyteller returned to the stage.
"Drink, drink! Why dwell on these vexing matters?" Xie Jiang raised his cup to lighten the mood. "The gang leader will worry about them. For little figures like us, keeping an eye on our own three-tenths of an acre of land is enough."
***
The next day, early morning.
Feihong Tower, No. 28 Tongquan Street.
Lin Zheyu sat beside Xu Jingwu, keeping him company while watching an opera.
"I've read the book. It was very well written," Xu Jingwu said.
Back when Lin Zheyu sold the manuscript to the Lu siblings, he had copied out a few extra volumes. He had gifted one to Liang Song, one to Han Mo, and one to Xu Jingwu.
Only now, after so much time had passed, had Xu Jingwu finished reading it.
"As long as Gang Leader Xu enjoyed it, I am glad," Lin Zheyu replied.
Only after advancing his cultivation to the Qi and Blood Realm did he realize just how terrifying Gang Leader Xu's strength truly was.
Beneath Xu Jingwu's refined, scholarly appearance, his body concealed an immense, profound surge of qi and blood power, held tightly in check without releasing a shred. If such a colossal reservoir of qi and blood energy were to erupt, the destructive power unleashed would undoubtedly be horrifying.
Lin Zheyu sensed that the gang leader's cultivation had very likely surpassed the first transformation of qi and blood, though he could not tell which transformation he had reached.
"I said it before: tell a good story, and you will be richly rewarded. I found your tale quite satisfying," Xu Jingwu told him, before turning to his subordinate. "Luo Tian, fetch one hundred taels of silver for Lin Zheyu."
"Thank you for the reward, Gang Leader Xu!" Lin Zheyu said.
Gang Leader Xu was exceedingly generous. Lin Zheyu had thought fifty taels or so would be plenty, never expecting to receive a full hundred taels of silver on the spot.
"A few days ago outside the city, were you ambushed by Xing Penghai?" Xu Jingwu suddenly asked.
"Yes," Lin Zheyu replied without concealing anything. "Senior Brother Han was heading out to suppress bandits, and I went outside the walls specifically to see him off. I didn't expect Xing Jinglong and his men to target me. Xing Penghai took out a black pill and wanted me to swallow it, trying to force me into joining the Xing clan, but I refused."
The Feihong Gang wielded immense power. Few happenings in Songyi City could escape their eyes and ears.
"The Xing clan holds a significant position in the City Guard. In the future, you had better not leave the city alone. Otherwise, if something happens out in the wild, even I will find it difficult to intervene," Xu Jingwu said.
Lin Zheyu was merely an ordinary underling recruited by the Feihong Gang, not a member of the Xu clan. If something truly happened to him, the most likely outcome would be the Xing clan offering an apology and some compensation. At best, the Feihong Gang would find an excuse to slaughter a few experts from the Wuding Gang. And that would be the extent of it.
"Understood. I will be careful."
"Are you feeling a bit disappointed?" Xu Jingwu glanced at him.
"No." Lin Zheyu shook his head.
Such was the way of the world.
Even after joining the Feihong Gang, his status only carried deterrence against ordinary folk. Before the great clans of Songyi City, he amounted to nothing. No matter how remarkable the talent he displayed, until he grew into his power, it remained merely potential. For now, he was still just a minor figure.
"Aside from the City Lord, the Xing clan is the largest and most powerful family in Songyi City," Xu Jingwu said. "A third of the Songyi City Guard is under their control. If they target you outside the walls, even I can hardly stick my neck out for you."
Xu Jingwu represented the Xu clan and served as leader of the Feihong Gang, an alliance established by several prominent families; he did not act solely for himself. It was impossible for him to completely fall out with the Xing clan over Lin Zheyu alone.
"Still, you need not worry too much. As long as you stay inside the city, they won't dare cause trouble recklessly. After all, the City Lord himself oversees the city," Xu Jingwu added, reassuring him about his safety within the walls.
"Is the City Lord surnamed Chen? Does he hail from the Chen clan?" Lin Zheyu asked out of curiosity.
"No. The City Lord stands alone, dispatched by the imperial court of Great Wei to govern Songyi City. He has no clan and no faction in Songyi City. With his sheer strength, one man alone is enough to suppress the entire city," Xu Jingwu said placidly.
*One man alone suppresses an entire city!*
Lin Zheyu turned the words over in his mind, struck by how domineering the notion was. Just what kind of formidable power could earn such a description?
"May I ask what realm the City Lord has achieved? Is he a Grandmaster?" Lin Zheyu could not resist asking.
"I do not know. No one knows the City Lord's true strength, only that he is exceedingly, terrifyingly strong. Among the city's prominent clans, none dare defy his will. Any who did have vanished from Songyi City without a trace," Xu Jingwu said with a sigh of reminiscence.
He had witnessed several clans vanish from Songyi City just like that. Overnight, wiped out completely without leaving a soul, silent and utterly chilling. From then on, no clan dared stir up serious trouble within the walls, restricting themselves to petty squabbles. Even when they resorted to underhanded methods, they kept them outside the city.
Seeing Xu Jingwu's secretive demeanor, Lin Zheyu did not press any further.
The mood quieted. On the stage, the opera continued its melodic performance, and Gang Leader Xu hummed along to the tune from time to time.
"You aren't married yet, are you?" Xu Jingwu asked out of the blue.
"I am not married."
Lin Zheyu's heart skipped a beat, seized by an ominous premonition. He hurriedly added, "I was separated from my parents and clan, so I have no heart to contemplate marriage. Marriage is a momentous milestone in one's life, requiring the decree of parents and the words of matchmakers. I should wait until I find my family before considering it."
"It's fine, no rush. I was merely asking," Xu Jingwu said. "My Xu clan has plenty of young women. When you have free time, I can introduce you to a few. If you marry a woman from the Xu clan, you will be one of our own, and the Xing clan won't dare lay a finger on you. You don't have to go into it aiming for marriage right away—get acquainted first, and if you take a liking to each other, you can consider marriage then."
He placed great value on Lin Zheyu. With such talent, if guided by an accomplished master, he might very well become another Qi and Blood Realm expert in the future.
"Thank you, Gang Leader Xu," Lin Zheyu said.
With things stated so plainly, it would be improper to refuse outright. Still, it was just getting acquainted. If he didn't take an interest, the man could hardly force him to marry, could he?
***
Lin Zheyu accompanied Gang Leader Xu through several more operas before taking his leave.
Leaving Feihong Tower, he headed straight for the pharmacies in the city. After running through several shops in succession, he finally managed to gather all the required medicinal herbs.
With current prices soaring like an incoming tide, purchasing the ingredients for eight doses of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Strengthening Decoction cost him a staggering one hundred and one taels of silver.
Carrying the medicinal ingredients, he returned to his courtyard to continue his martial training.
Chapter 44