Li Banfeng brought Lu Dongjun into Room Three. That evening, no one in the house disturbed the Old Master, and the Old Master spent a long time talking with Lu Dongjun.
The next morning, the Old Master woke Li Banfeng. "Ah Qi, let's talk."
Li Qi stepped into Room Three, but Lu Dongjun was nowhere to be seen.
The Old Master said, "He is still in our home. There are things he cannot be allowed to know, and things he cannot be allowed to remember, but there are still uses for him."
"What uses?"
"There is a mark concealed on him, buried very deep."
Li Qi muttered under his breath, "A deeply buried mark... Old Master, how did you find it?"
The companion dwelling said, "How I found it doesn't matter. What matters is that this is a mark from the Inner States. Once we reach the Inner States, if we pull out a map of the region, we can use this mark to locate a specific spot. The reason I let Lu Dongjun live until now is because I believe this mark is critical. Ah Qi, who do you think left it on him?"
Li Banfeng said, "I think it was the expert who released him from the Inner States."
"Ah Qi, who do you think that expert is?"
Li Banfeng replied, "I think that expert was Grandfather Train."
The companion dwelling fell silent for a long time before speaking. "You think it's him too?"
"I went to the Inner States once before. Not on my own, but in a dream."
When Li Banfeng mentioned this, the companion dwelling recalled the incident. Li Banfeng had wandered in a daze across Black Rock Slope, riding public transit for three days on end, refusing to come home.
The companion dwelling said, "I guessed as much back then—you ran into Old Train in the Inner States."
Li Banfeng nodded. "He was the one who rescued me from the Inner States, pulling me out through a gap in the dreamscape. Lu Dongjun squeezed out through a gap as well. The method is just too similar. That's why I think it was Grandfather Train."
"It's him... You think it's him too..." The companion dwelling trembled slightly, all thirteen rooms shuddering. "If this mark truly was left by Old Train, then as long as we can enter the Inner States, we can rescue him."
Li Banfeng said, "I promised Grandfather Train that I would find a way to rescue him from the Inner States someday. I was just planning to look into this matter, starting with that cabaret in the Underground City."
"What are you going to investigate at the cabaret?"
"There's a ruthless operator in that cabaret. I suspect he's connected to Lu Dongjun, yet Lu Dongjun never mentioned him from beginning to end. That person must hold a crucial lead—a clue tied to Grandfather Train. Through him, we might be able to find the entrance leading to the Inner States."
Li Banfeng was just about to stand up when the companion dwelling called out, "Ah Qi, don't go."
"What is it?"
"When you went to the Underground City, I went along as well. Even though we've never met the man, one can tell from his methods that he's a vicious figure. You cannot afford to provoke him right now. I also questioned Lu Dongjun, and he knows nothing about the man. It won't be too late to seek him out once we've uncovered at least some of his background."
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "Then I'll investigate the Sorcerer Association first. They used a covenant deed to summon Lu Dongjun. That couldn't have been a coincidence; Grandfather Train might have orchestrated it behind the scenes."
A handsome man, and a man named Jun—at first glance it sounded like a mere fluke, but upon careful thought, there were many layers of mystery here.
Grandfather Train had discovered Lu Dongjun in the Inner States. Inside the kiln, he had gauged Lu Dongjun's strength, lent him power, and put him to a test.
Lu Dongjun passed the test, escaped from the kiln, and fled to a relatively safe haven.
At that point, Grandfather Train used helpers in the Outer States to make a series of arrangements, having them perform a special ritual to summon Lu Dongjun out.
Lu Dongjun carried coordinates to Grandfather Train's location on his person, serving as an effective avenue to mount a rescue.
Of course, all of these thoughts were based entirely on Li Banfeng's deduction. To verify whether his theory held true, he had to start by investigating the Chamomile Sorcerer Association.
Just as Li Banfeng prepared to head to the Dark Star Bureau, the companion dwelling stopped him again. "This might be an arrangement made by Old Train, but it could just as well be a trap set by the Inner States. They could be fishing. Ah Qi, you must never swallow their bait."
"Old Master, what's gotten into you? Why are you being so timid? Don't you want to save Old Train anymore?"
"I want to, more than anyone else. But I cannot let you be dragged down just to rescue Old Train."
Li Banfeng was taken aback. "You care that much about me?"
"I care, just as much as I care about Old Train." The companion dwelling suddenly chuckled. "I don't know what there is to care about you either. The peddler botched a deal and handed me over to you as compensation. I can't even figure out where this affection between us came from."
After sitting in silence for a moment, Li Banfeng and the companion dwelling both laughed.
After their laughter subsided, Li Banfeng headed to the Dark Star Bureau.
The matter needed investigating, but caution was indeed warranted.
The members of the Chamomile Sorcerer Association were still being held in the bureau's custody. Li Banfeng asked them several questions. Most were inconsequential, with only one being crucial: "Where did you get the covenant deed you used to summon the departed soul?"
After spending so many days in the Dark Star Bureau, the association president, Cheriviko, had calmed down considerably. He no longer resisted interrogation and answered Li Banfeng's questions truthfully for the most part. "I answered this question before. That deed was transferred to me by another sorcerer association from our country."
According to him, the matter sounded immense, seemingly involving multiple factions across different nations.
Yet Li Banfeng did not see it that way. He noticed that Cheriviko was deliberately glossing over certain details. "By 'transferred,' do you mean you bought it?"
Cheriviko nodded.
Li Banfeng was not satisfied with the answer. "You'd better be more specific. Was this item purchased in the State of Ravsha, or in the State of Huan?"
Cheriviko hesitated for a moment. "In the State of Huan."
"Was it bought from a Ravshan, or from a Huan citizen?"
Cheriviko lowered his head. "A Huan citizen."
With that admission, the situation became far clearer.
Cheriviko quickly emphasized, "But he truly was a member of another sorcerer association! He presented an association badge, which proved his identity."
Li Banfeng said, "He merely produced a badge—no other introduction, and no other proof?"
Cheriviko fell silent. Li Banfeng was entirely correct.
Li Banfeng had someone bring paper and a pen and handed them to Cheriviko. "Write down that person's name. If you don't know how to write, then we'll have to move to a different room and chat a little longer."
Cheriviko knew how to write Huan script, and he wrote down the man's name.
The man was named Tong Yousan—a name that certainly did not sound like someone native to the Outer States.
Li Banfeng tucked the notebook away, returned to his office, and summoned Shen Jingye.
Shen Jingye entered the office in high spirits. "Chief Li, did you find that high-tier combatant?"
"How could he be so easy to find?" Li Banfeng motioned for Shen Jingye to sit. "Little Shen, how do you plan to handle those people from the Chamomile Association?"
"Hand them over to the judicial authorities. They endangered public safety; we absolutely cannot go easy on them."
Li Banfeng was fairly satisfied with this handling.
"What about the person who supplied them with the deed?"
Shen Jingye shook his head. "I don't think there's any need to trace that back. Those kinds of deeds are far too common on the market. The cheapest one I've seen sold for just sixteen dollars. Some folks take them home to study seriously, while others buy them just for a lark. They're no different from the fortune-telling, divination, or geomancy manuals peddled on the streets. If we got pedantic about every single one, who knows how many people we'd have to arrest."
Shen Jingye was clear as crystal inside. He knew the deed had come from the black market, but simply did not wish to pursue it further.
His approach was reasonable. To ensure these perpetrators received their due punishment, one could not broaden the scope of the case, which would only risk muddying the waters and letting the matter dissolve into nothing.
Li Banfeng understood Shen Jingye's reasoning as well. "I'm only looking into the affair, not rushing to make arrests. This deed is the genuine article, not some nonsense scribbled together for the street stalls. We might be able to trace the whereabouts of the departed soul through it."
Right now, finding the departed soul depended entirely on Li Qi. Naturally, Shen Jingye took every request Li Qi raised seriously. "Chief Li, there's no need for you to look into this in person. I'll send Mijian. The man is called Tong Yousan, right? I expect she can track him down within half a day."
Many assumed Shen Jingye paid little attention to frontline matters, yet he was intimately familiar with the strengths of most members of the security force.
Within the force, aside from Big Head, Mijian knew the black market best. True to his prediction, it took her only half a day to uncover Tong Yousan's identity. "He runs a bookstore on the Nanshankou Pedestrian Street in Jiacheng District. Under the table, he often traffics in deeds and similar curios. He has quite a reputation on the black market."
Li Banfeng asked, "Does he have ties to Ravshans?"
Mijian offered a slight smile, a dimple showing on her left cheek. "Whether he has ties depends on where the customer hails from. If the customer comes from the State of Ravsha, he's a member of the Ravshan Sorcerer Association and speaks fluent Ravshan. If the customer comes from Engrid, he's a member of the Engrid Royal Mage Order, complete with badge, certificates, and flawless Engrid speech."
Li Banfeng chuckled. "Quite a talent. I'll go pay him a visit."
Mijian brought Li Banfeng to Sanyou Bookstore. The shopkeeper, Tong Yousan, was tidying up the bookshelves and paid little attention to the two customers.
The two walked over to the third aisle. Mijian casually picked up a copy of *Medieval Dark Magic*, flipped through two pages, and said to Li Banfeng, "This book isn't very interesting. You won't find anything real in it."
Tong Yousan glanced at them, stepped forward, and asked, "What kind of real goods were you two hoping to see?"
"What do you think?" Mijian gave *Medieval Dark Magic* a light shake. "We came all this way; we certainly aren't here for childish nonsense."
Tong Yousan smiled. "This stuff was originally meant to fool children anyway. Who would ever take it seriously?"
Mijian lowered her voice. "Boss Tong, we're in the know. We came to your shop to buy genuine stock."
Tong Yousan acted as if he didn't understand. "All my books are legitimate editions. Aren't legitimate editions genuine stock?"
Mijian frowned. "Talking like this makes things rather tedious!"
Tong Yousan wore a bewildered look. "Whatever do you mean? I have plenty of books here. If you find this one dull, feel free to look at others."
Mijian grew annoyed and prepared to turn to rougher measures.
Li Banfeng bought the copy of *Medieval Dark Magic* and led Mijian out of the bookstore.
Back in the car, Mijian felt somewhat ashamed. On her first solo assignment with Chief Li, the errand had fallen flat. "The man usually conducts business quite openly. I don't know why his guard was up so high today."
Li Banfeng, on the other hand, was rather pleased with the outcome. "It's good that his guard is up. That proves he's no ordinary fellow."
That night, after the bookstore closed, Tong Yousan sat behind the counter, smoking one cigarette after another.
His wife came over and brewed him a cup of tea. "Maybe we should lie low for a while."
"Where could we hide?" Tong Yousan sighed. "As long as we're on Huan territory, there's nowhere we can escape the Dark Star Bureau. If we stay put, nothing might come of it. But if we make a move, we'll be rounded up in the blink of an eye."
His wife let out a sigh. "We still have our travel permits. Why don't we just head back to Puluo Province?"
"How can we go back?" Tong Yousan gave a bitter laugh. "How do we pay back what we owe Zhang Gunli?"
"We've earned quite a bit over the past few years. We borrowed five hundred thousand silver dollars from him back then. Wouldn't giving him a million, principal and interest combined, settle it?"
"A million?" Tong Yousan shook his head repeatedly. "You don't know how he calculates interest! In his hands, a million wouldn't even cover the interest alone!"
Standing against the outer wall of the bookstore, Li Banfeng quietly listened to the conversation inside.
*So he's from Puluo Province.*
*Who is Zhang Gunli? If someone owes him five hundred thousand silver dollars, just how much must they pay back?*
"No matter how much you pay, it's useless!" Feng Chongli let out a heavy sigh. "That bastard Zhang Gunli—give him a single dollar, and he can calculate it into a mountain of gold."
Mu Yuejuan took out a painting and presented it to Feng Chongli. "Nine out, thirteen back—even he has to follow the rules. I poured a tremendous amount of effort into this painting, and it's worth a fair sum. Take it and use it to offset the debt."
"I appreciate your kindness," Feng Chongli said, handing the painting back to Mu Yuejuan. "The amount I owe is far too great, and Zhang Gunli's interest compounds far too viciously. This painting is a drop in the ocean; it won't help."
Mu Yuejuan caressed Feng Chongli's cheek. "Here I am offering kindness, yet you won't accept it. If we hadn't rowed a boat together the whole way back then and sparked some affection between us, I wouldn't have bothered about your life or death."
Feng Chongli was startled. "You have affection for me?"
"What else?" Mu Yuejuan pinched his nose. "You aren't particularly strapping, and you can barely last a few rounds in action. If not for affection, what else could I possibly see in you? In the past, one might have admired your status in Xuehuapu. But now, I can't fathom how Xuehuapu could have grown so impoverished that even a wealthy merchant like you was reduced to this state, having to borrow money from Zhang Gunli."
Feng Chongli sighed. "Forget about you not understanding; even I can't make sense of some things! Ever since I entered Xuehuapu, my days haven't known a single moment of ease!"
"Why not find a different backer?"
Feng Chongli shook his head. "It's difficult. Xuehuapu isn't a place you can leave just because you want to. It's almost time for Zhang Gunli to collect his debts again. These next two days, I have to hurry and scrape something together, at least to hold off the interest. If I truly can't manage it, I'll have to think of another way. Who knows where that miserable wretch Zhang Gunli has gone off to."
Mu Yuejuan smiled. "I could give you an idea, but that depends on whether you want to hide from him or find him."
Feng Chongli was taken aback. "How could I ever want to find him?"
"Do you truly want to find me?" At 7:11 in the evening, inside a private dining room at Peace Mansion, Zhang Gunli looked across the table at Shen Rongqing.
Shen Rongqing nodded. "I've made up my mind. I want to borrow tier-eight combat power from you for two days."
Zhang Gunli rubbed the walnuts in his hand. "May I ask what you need that combat power for?"
Shen Rongqing took a sip of tea, lifted her head, and said, "That doesn't seem like something you ought to ask."
"Indeed, I shouldn't. If it were anyone else, I truly wouldn't ask." Zhang Gunli rolled the walnuts twice in his palm. "You might not believe it, and in your eyes I might just be a vulgar man of the market, but I enjoy reading your books. I admire your talent immensely. Faced with a situation like this, I wanted to offer a word of advice. If you've run into an enemy, you'd be better off finding an assassin. If you can't find a suitable candidate, I can point you toward a channel."
Shen Rongqing shook her head. "The person I want to kill is someone no assassin would dare take on."
"Pray tell me the name."
Shen Rongqing said, "Fifth Young Master of the Ma family, Ma Junyang."
Zhang Gunli rolled the walnuts for quite a while, then sighed. "That man is indeed troublesome. His backing is too vast. Those who can be hired wouldn't dare lay a hand on him, and those capable of striking him down are likely beyond what you can afford."
Shen Rongqing said, "Which is why I must do it with my own hands."
Zhang Gunli set the walnuts onto the table. "You must think this through carefully. Borrowing tier-eight cultivation for two days—that debt will not be easy to repay."
Shen Rongqing said, "If I cannot repay it, I will pledge myself to you. You may dispose of me however you see fit."
Seeing that Shen Rongqing was resolute, Zhang Gunli pressed no further. "Which pathway do you wish to borrow?"
"Literary Cultivator."
"Just combat power, or techniques as well?"
"Both combat power and techniques."
"Do you need it credited today, or shall we arrange another time?"
"Credited today."
"Very well!" Zhang Gunli pulled an IOU from his robes. "Please press your thumbprint here."
Shen Rongqing looked at the figure written on the IOU. Though mentally prepared, she still could not help shuddering.
Zhang Gunli's price was truly merciless. If she had to repay it in money, she would never be able to afford it.
Yet if not in money, what else could she pay with? Only herself.
Zhang Gunli offered one final reminder: "It is still not too late to regret it!"
"I don't regret it!" Shen Rongqing pricked her fingertip with a needle and pressed a bloody print onto the IOU.
Zhang Gunli held the IOU in his palm. Layer upon layer of mist rose from the slip of paper, swirling around Shen Rongqing.
"Miss Shen, from this moment on, you are a tier-eight Literary Cultivator. Two days from now, once the cultivation is fully spent, name a place and I will come collect my debt."
Shen Rongqing said, "Let it be at my residence. You should know the way."
"Miss Shen, when I come looking for you, you'd best be waiting at home. When it comes to what's owed me, even half a day's delay calls for a different interest rate. Don't even think of hiding from me. Wherever you go, I can find you."
Late at night, Ma the Fifth was going over the accounts at Xiaoyaowu when Zuo Wugang walked in. "Fifth Master, Miss Shen has come to see you."
Ma the Fifth was startled, his face quickly turning to delight. "Quickly, invite her in!"
Shen Rongqing entered the room and cupped her hands in greeting. "We haven't seen each other in days. Have you been well, Fifth Young Master?"
Ma the Fifth promptly returned the greeting. "Thanks to your blessing, my days have been well enough, though I miss you day and night."
A faint blush touched Shen Rongqing's cheeks. "Do you truly miss me?"
"Truly." Ma the Fifth looked at Shen Rongqing with deep affection.
This was a test for Ma the Fifth. He favored directness, but with Shen Rongqing, he had to learn how to weave and turn.
The pleasantries earlier had been playful banter, but now as their gazes locked, Shen Rongqing showed genuine stirrings of emotion, and Ma the Fifth had to match her rhythm.
"Fifth Young Master, I brewed some lotus seed sweet soup at home. Eating it all by myself feels terribly lonely." Shen Rongqing took the initiative to extend an invitation.
Ma the Fifth set down the account ledger. "If you're willing, grant me a bowl tonight."
Shen Rongqing took Ma the Fifth by the hand.
Ma the Fifth followed Shen Rongqing out of Xiaoyaowu.
When they arrived at Shen Rongqing's residence, there were no maids or servants present. She had indeed prepared lotus seed soup and scooped a bowl for Ma the Fifth.
Ma the Fifth took a spoonful, finding the flavor quite good. Just as he lifted the spoon for a second mouthful, Shen Rongqing embraced him from behind.
"Junyang, I want you."
"Rongqing, I want you too."
Cheek pressed against cheek, a thread of blood appeared in Ma the Fifth's eye.
The root of passion had entered his gaze, ready to be planted at any moment.
Ma the Fifth was easily swayed by lust, but he was not one to lose his head.
*In the dead of night, she came looking for me all of a sudden. There must be a reason for this.*
"Junyang, we've known each other for so long. Do you trust me?" Shen Rongqing kissed Ma the Fifth on the cheek.
"I trust you." Ma the Fifth nodded slightly.
Shen Rongqing held Ma the Fifth tightly. "Since you trust me, there is something I want to discuss with you."
Ma the Fifth nodded. "Alright, let's take our time and discuss it."
He glanced toward the window.
Below the window was Shen Rongqing's garden.
Zuo Wugang waited quietly in the garden, gazing up at the light on the second floor.
Two days later, Ma Chunting finished his evening meal, took an elixir pill, and had just returned to his bedchamber to rest when Ma Junjiang rushed in, frantic with worry. "Father, something happened to Old Five! Someone spotted his corpse outside the city!"
Ma Chunting fell silent for a moment, his expression wooden. "I knew this day would come for him sooner or later. Is that corpse truly his?"
Ma Junjiang said, "I'm on my way to take a look."
"Go then," Ma Chunting said, lying back down on the bed. "Collect his remains. He is a son of the Ma family, after all."
He Yuxiu was overseeing land reclamation in the newland when the accountant, Sheng Shanzhou, brought news. "Eldest Miss, Ma the Fifth is dead!"
He Yuxiu froze. "Who did it?"
"They say it has to do with Shen Rongqing."
"Has that wretched woman lost her mind?!" He Yuxiu set out immediately for Lushui City.
The cook called after her, "Miss He, this land reclamation can't do without you!"
"Put it on hold! Something's happened to Old Five; I can't just ignore it! Has anyone told Old Seven yet?"
Sheng Shanzhou said, "It isn't our place to break the news to Seventh Master, and who knows whether the people at Xiaoyaowu have informed him."
"Is it really Ma the Fifth?" Inside Paramount, Chu the Second looked at Yang Yanzheng, full of doubt.
Yang Yanzheng said, "We're waiting for the Ma family to verify the corpse, but it's likely true."
"Does Li Qi know about this?"
"He's in the Outer States; he probably hasn't received word yet."
Chu the Second rose to his feet. "Gather our men, we'll go take a look together."
"It can't be! How could something happen to the Fifth Young Master?!"
"Mother, don't go just yet. We don't even know what's going on. I'll go check with Brother Xin first."
"Of course I have to go! The Fifth Young Master is our friend! If our Benefactor finds out, what will happen? Has anyone told the Benefactor yet?!"
At Sanyou Bookstore, Li Banfeng was chatting with Tong Yousan. "Did that covenant deed truly come from the State of Ravsha?"
Tong Yousan was still holding his ground. "It truly came from the State of Ravsha, not a shadow of a lie."
"Have you ever been to the State of Ravsha?"
"I have. I studied abroad in the State of Ravsha. My Ravshan is as authentic as it gets. If you don't believe me, call a Ravshan over to test me!"
Li Banfeng nodded. "True enough. I was just wondering how you could speak it so authentically. Are you a Speech Cultivator?"
Tong Yousan's mental defenses were on the verge of collapsing when the projector whispered to Li Banfeng, "The simple telephone is ringing."
"We'll chat again in a moment." Li Banfeng stepped out the door and picked up Luo Zhengnan's call.
"Seventh Master, I just got word myself... Something happened to Fifth Master. His corpse is just outside the city."
Li Qi's head buzzed violently.
He didn't return to Sanyou Bookstore. Breaking into a sprint, he dashed straight to Huahu Park. Reaching the lake's edge, Li Banfeng stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
Something had happened to Ma the Fifth.
His corpse was outside the city.
Li Banfeng felt as though he hadn't fully awakened, as though some nightmare had caught him unawares.
Just as he plunged into the lake water, the projector spoke: "Director Seven, that simple telephone is ringing again."
Li Banfeng surfaced and answered the call.
"Old Seven, it's me."
Li Banfeng blinked, wiped his face, and listened to the phone as he walked out of Huahu Park.
Tong Yousan had assumed the guest was gone. Just as he caught his breath, he saw the man return, drenched from head to toe.
"Where did you just go?"
Li Banfeng said with complete ease, "Nothing. I felt a bit sleepy, so I went to wash my face. Let's continue—are you a Speech Cultivator or not?"
"There's no such pathway as a Speech Cultivator! Aren't you pulling my leg?"
"Then what pathway do you belong to? When did you enter the pathway? Was it while studying abroad in the State of Ravsha? Do they call them pathways in the State of Ravsha too?"
Zhang Gunli arrived below Shen Rongqing's building. He rubbed his walnuts and checked his pocket watch.
Shen Rongqing certainly had no money to repay him, nor did Zhang Gunli intend to demand money from her.
He had spoken the truth: he truly admired Shen Rongqing and her talent. Having such a woman by his side wouldn't be bad at all.
Would Shen Rongqing agree?
Zhang Gunli didn't mind if she resisted. The more she resisted, the more he would enjoy it; he loved that stubborn pride inherent to scholars.
At 7:11, Zhang Gunli stepped through the door.
Shen Rongqing sat silently in the living room, her expression blank.
Zhang Gunli took out the IOU. "Miss Shen, time is up."
Shen Rongqing nodded.
"I heard about Ma the Fifth. Since you've already handled the matter, I presume you have no regrets."
"Yes, no regrets." Shen Rongqing looked up at Zhang Gunli.
Zhang Gunli said, "You know the amount to be repaid. Is the money ready?"
"It's ready." He Jiaqing walked down the stairs from the second floor.
A cloud of mist swirled in the hall for a moment before resolving into He Haisheng, who blocked the doorway.
Zhang Gunli smiled. "Young Master He, what is the meaning of this?"
To be frank, Zhang Gunli had not been on guard; Shen Rongqing's performance had been too convincing.
Yet it seemed he had no need to be on guard anyway.
"We need to reason this out with you," He Jiaqing said, lighting a cigarette. He took a deep drag and blew out a plume of smoke. "Back then, when I borrowed life from you, I repaid the money on schedule. Principal and interest combined, I didn't short you by a single copper, did I?"
Zhang Gunli nodded. "You didn't short me. You even paid a little extra."
He Jiaqing added, "I called you Senior with every breath, conducted business properly, and never fell short on courtesy, did I?"
"You did not lack courtesy, and you indeed understood the rules."
He Jiaqing took another puff of his cigarette. "Since I followed the rules and owed you nothing, on what grounds did you turn around and sell information about me to Mu Yuejuan?"
Zhang Gunli smiled faintly. "That reasoning is indeed hard to defend, but then, I don't need to reason with you. Just the two of you, uncle and nephew—what gives you the right to talk reason with me?"
"If we aren't talking reason, then matters become much simpler." Feng Chongli pushed open the door and stepped into the living room.
Zhang Gunli was startled. He hadn't expected Feng Chongli to be here as well.
With a smile on his face, He Jiaqing said, "It's time we settled our accounts—principal and interest, all together."
Chapter 537