The Banquet

However, I cannot pin all my hopes on him.

Lu Qingming thought for a while before finally making a decision.

It's no big deal, really.

Back then, Lu Gaosheng had gambled his life with Zhang San in order to raid the grain reserves.

Now, he could also gamble with Liu Hu to get the grain transported out.

Since I was young, I have been destitute. Before meeting her and Master, I always had nothing. If Lu Gaosheng can stake his life, then so can I, Lu Qingming.

In this city, Lu Gaosheng had prepared many "backup plans" for himself.

For example, the private residence in the city that was previously used to detain Wang Xiaoer.

...

...

Night.

A figure as fast as lightning was approaching Tian Ruo City. If any jianghu people could see this person's qinggong, they would definitely cry out:

"Grand Master!"

At the same time in Lu Qingming's residence, he sat quietly in the study, slowly writing a letter.

Reaching the end, there were a total of four letters. Lu Qingming found four envelopes to seal the letters before placing them into a box.

"You two, come in."

Li Xing and Kill Wolf entered, walking up to the desk and bowing, saying in unison: "Sir, do you have any orders?"

Lu Gaosheng smiled slightly and said, "Raise your heads first. When speaking to me in the future, do not keep your heads lowered. I don't like that."

However...

There probably won't be many more instances of "in the future".

That was what Lu Qingming thought.

Kill Wolf did not understand why, slowly raising his head with a somewhat bewildered look in his eyes.

Li Xing, on the other hand, felt his heart suddenly shudder.

He had seen this gentle tone and tranquil demeanor once before - on the second morning after Lu Gaosheng had first heard that Bai Fang was to be married.

Why has it come about again now?

What is going on with Sir?

Lu Qingming slowly got up and took some silver bills from a cabinet in the room. There wasn't much money. He divided it into two halves and walked over to Li Xing.

"Sir, this is..." Li Xing grew even more puzzled.

Lu Qingming smiled and said, "This time... neither of you two will come to harm. I have already figured out how to deal with Liu Hu's side. Here is 1,500 taels. Added to your savings over the years, you will be able to live decently in future."

Li Xing's eyebrows furrowed. He was about to say something but saw Lu Qingming gesture for him not to speak.

Lu Qingming continued: "Ten years ago, I promised you that I would kill Tang Li and Song Yan Shiyi - the two men behind the scenes who caused your younger siblings to starve to death in Ya Commandery."

Six years ago, Li Xing unexpectedly uncovered this truth but felt even more anguished, because he knew that he was utterly powerless to seek revenge. But Lu Gaosheng had given Li Xing hope.

For this reason, Li Xing had pledged all of his loyalty.

Lu Qingming looked at Li Xing and said softly, "I'm sorry."

Li Xing raised his head in puzzlement.

Lu Qingming said, "Do you still remember what happened in Hei County some days ago? I know you pity the common people, but I vetoed your proposal. Yet I handed over those shady dealings to you. I know about your kind heartedness. So... I'm sorry. All these years, I have caused you much hardship."

With the remaining 1,500 taels, Lu Qingming went before Kill Wolf.

But Kill Wolf immediately knelt down, only saying: "Sir has been supporting my elder brother's mother for many years. We brothers do not want sir's money."

Lu Qingming laughed and said, "Your father died from vengeance by the jianghu's dark forces. Having lost your mother from a young age, you two drifted about the jianghu and trained up formidable skills. I believe that whether or not you have money, you two can live very well. So this money... is not for you."

Kill Wolf raised his head, the confusion evident in his eyes.

Lu Qingming held out the money to Kill Wolf and said, "Have the two of you ever wondered why in these past five years, I... no, why Lu Gaosheng has never told you where exactly your mother is?"

Kill Wolf silently lowered his head. The reasoning was actually quite simple and cruel.

"She is in Nan Commandery's Fengyang County. She's living very well. The money is not for you two, but to support the elderly lady in her twilight years."

Upon hearing Lu Qingming's words, Kill Wolf accepted the money, but even one so steady as he could not help his hands from trembling.

Lu Qingming walked to the window and opened it.

The deep night sky was filled with dark clouds.

In an indifferent tone, he said, "After tomorrow, I hope the two of you can go on to live peaceful lives. This is my final token of thanks. Of course, Li Xing, if you still wish to struggle against those crooked officials... Kill Wolf, if you still can't forget about the jianghu vendetta from that year... I have prepared a second path for you."

A second path?

Kill Wolf and Li Xing looked at each other, still not understanding.

Lu Qingming slowly said, "When we were still in our hometown, Master often said he was inferior to me. Now it seems he was wrong. Wu Qi is the true gentleman, steadfast and loyal. He is the second path I have chosen for you."

But having heard everything up to now, even a fool could discern... Their Lord Lu was clearly... settling his affairs!

"Sir...!"

"There is no need to say more." Lu Qingming gestured with his hand.

He then turned around, leaning against the window as he smiled and said, "There is no need for such grief-stricken expressions. In truth... life is but a series of choices. From life's beginning to its end, who knows how many times we must choose? Sometimes we choose correctly, sometimes wrongly. That year, I was wrong. I made the wrong choice. And I am willing to pay the price."

I should also pay the price for it.

"So rather than grief, why not smile instead?" Lu Qingming said with a smile.

Li Xing and Kill Wolf exchanged glances with each other, but how could they possibly smile?

Lu Qingming then said, "You should be smiling. Tomorrow at the government office, we will be holding a grand banquet. Let us make ourselves presentable!"

Let us make merry together!

Let us feast and make music!

Do not be afraid of death disrupting our revelry.

We shall make death afraid with our revelry!

Zhang San, will you come?

I have already sent you an invitation to this grand banquet.

...

...

That same night.

There were many dark clouds. The bright moon was obscured from time to time, making this night appear especially gloomy.

The city walls of Tian Ruo City had been reinforced over the years. When Zhang San first entered the city, he had discovered that compared to ten years ago, the height of the city walls had doubled, and the width of all the streets had expanded over twofold.

A government city transformed into one resembling a commandery city.

At this time, in the darkness beneath those towering city walls, a lone figure lurked outside.

Zhang San.

There was no time now for disguises, and his true face had already been revealed. If he wanted to secretly enter the city, this was the only way. The waiting Zhang San was also not idle, as his mind raced nonstop with strategies.

"Lord Lu, if you do not give me grain, I will kill you."

Such foolish words were not only stupid but useless.

Just as Zhang San was analyzing Lu Gaosheng these days, Lu Gaosheng was also analyzing Zhang San. Since that night's hostage exchange, Zhang San had already noticed Lu Gaosheng's unusually extreme behavior, along with ruthlessness that disregarded his own life.

Zhang San believed that even if he now slaughtered Li Xing and the Wolf brothers and put a blade against Lu Gaosheng's throat, he still probably wouldn't obtain what he wanted.

Vicious, cunning and frighteningly smart, as well as mentally unstable... Dealing with this kind of person, Zhang San now had only two words on his mind - big headache.

The only solution he could think of were those two sentences Lu Gaosheng had said to deceive Wang Xiaoer and protect Bai Fang, right before taking action:

"Oh, it's just that Little Jade said she and Auntie Bai are going out tomorrow to visit Ming Qing's family, and might stay outside the city for a few days."

"Oh, it's about what happened at noon today. I was at Little Jade's house helping her make tofu when Ming Qing came around again. He spoke to me and invited Little Jade, Aunt Bai and me to meet his family," Bai Fang said.

These two sentences were actually smoke screens released by Lu Gaosheng to protect Bai Fang.

Zhang San understood the second sentence before, and now understands the first sentence.

They may have to stay outside the city for a few days.

That means Bai Fang is outside the city.

However, would Lu Gaosheng pass on such information to himself if he wanted to ensure Bai Fang's safety when taking action?

So Bai Fang should be inside the city.

But with Lu Gaosheng's intelligence, would he play the trick of doing the opposite again?

Both are possible. This was what had troubled Zhang San all the way until he figured something out.

There is actually no need to care whether Lu Gaosheng is playing a word game of lies and truth or truth and lies. Just understand one thing and you can know where Bai Fang is now.

Lu Gaosheng cares about Bai Fang possibly even more than Zhang San cares about Wang Xiaoer.

To ambush the grain convoy and assassinate Xu Guo, Lu Gaosheng sent out his Bai Lu Army trained for years and all his top masters. Then the forces he has left, which are also his strongest, are naturally the thousand garrison troops guarding the prefectural city.

Grasping the enemy’s weakness, the truth is sometimes not complicated.

“Bai Fang must still be in the city!”

“Finding her is the same as finding the grain!”

The shadows hiding on the city walls were suddenly covered by a dark cloud blocking the moon.

The city guards looked up and cursed, “Why is it overcast again? Hey you, add more oil to the fire pans on the wall. Lord’s orders, the city must be brightly lit these days.”

It was in that instant.

A great gust of wind, extremely fierce.