“Ask the Earth Mother to step in?” Wang Xuetang fell silent instantly, a hard-to-describe feeling welling up in his heart.
He knew the relationship between the Wang family and the Earth Mother best. It was actually quite similar to the relative relationships of ordinary families. The Earth Mother was naturally the kind of relative with status, while the Wang family was the opposite, belonging to the “poor” relatives. In normal relative relationships, with this kind of distant relative relationship, the former might not necessarily pay attention to the latter. However, the Earth Mother was the kind of relatively high-quality relative who would receive even poor relatives when they came to visit.
In reality, that was all there was to it. When asking the Earth Mother to help with matters, she would neither agree nor refuse, letting everything proceed according to rules. Even when the Wang family took a liking to the Earth Mother’s disciple and mentioned marriage, the Earth Mother used the same old line, saying it depended on the young people’s own wishes.
Ask the Earth Mother to plead at Youya? Wang Xuetang already knew the result.
Of course, he also knew well in his heart that although the Earth Mother had never helped the Wang family with anything, the mere fact that she acknowledged the relative relationship was already a great help to the Wang family.
Zhu Xuan was observing words and expressions. How much value the relative relationship between the Wang family and the Earth Mother could have was what he truly cared about. Otherwise, he would not have arranged for people to provoke Wang Wentian into causing trouble. Now it was time to see the real outcome.
In short, no matter how it was said, Zhu Xuan’s attitude was very clear. He could not get involved with Youya in any case of overturning a verdict. No matter how many benefits Wang Xuetang had given, it was useless, and no matter how many benefits were promised, he would not accept them.
In the end, Wang Xuetang could only leave dejectedly.
After Qi Duolai returned from seeing off the guest, Zhu Xuan suddenly stared at the rainy night and sighed, “Things have gotten a bit big. There will definitely be people on Thousand Streams Mountain watching this matter to investigate, especially those eyeing my position. That Qingya handled matters poorly. Such a small matter caused such commotion, it cannot withstand investigation by those with intentions. Soon it will be traced to him, and subsequently implicate us. You keep watch here. I need to go to Thousand Streams Mountain. This matter still needs to be reported to the Second Cave Master first.”
“A Netherworld official came to Haishi to handle matters and even greeted the Sea Suppressing Office. It is proper for the Commander to return to Thousand Streams Mountain to report to the Second Cave Master. As for…” Qi Duolai hesitated as he spoke, then hesitantly said, “If the Commander fears that Qingya is not reliable, should we directly…” He raised his hand and made a throat-slitting motion to silence him permanently.
Zhu Xuan said calmly, “That Qingya still has some strength. Do you think he is so easily silenced? Pushing too hard would backfire. Furthermore, perhaps there are already people waiting for us to silence him. Petty troublemakers causing disturbances are nothing. As long as the Second Cave Master is aware, and as long as the Great Sage has the Second Cave Master supporting him, there will be no trouble. There is no need to lose composure.”
Qi Duolai bowed, “The Commander speaks reasonably.”
…
Hu Youli, who had been pacing back and forth waiting in the room, suddenly stopped and turned back. She saw several figures fly down and land on the balcony, then immediately enter.
Those who came were naturally none other than Yu Qing and the others returning.
Hu Youli had thought they would be at the banquet for a very long time, or whether they could even return was still a question. She had not expected them to return so quickly. Adding to that, she saw Xiao Hei, and immediately asked, “Is everything alright?”
Nan Zhu scoffed, “How could it possibly be alright? It would be strange if there were nothing wrong.”
The expressions of the three fellow disciples all held a certain indescribable heaviness. They still did not know how the matter would turn out, but they already felt the invisible pressure from Sheluo Mountain.
Hu Youli was just about to ask in detail when Xiao Hei ran over and hugged her waist. Looking up at her, he swayed back and forth and said, “Sister, I want to eat meat pies.”
Hu Youli cupped his little face with both hands. She did not know what suffering this little fellow had endured during the days he was kidnapped. She examined him and asked, “Starving, right?”
Xiao Hei immediately stepped back, rubbing his stomach and nodding repeatedly.
“Alright, I will make them for you right away.” Hu Youli rubbed his head and turned to quickly go downstairs.
Xiao Hei swept his gaze around and shouted, “Big Stick.”
He ran to the side, picked up Big Stick who was lying on the coat rack, looking as if he had missed him terribly after not seeing him for several days.
Yu Qing pushed open that window and looked at the scene in the rainy night ahead. However, after pondering briefly, he slowly closed the window again.
Seeing this, Nan and Mu exchanged a glance, then immediately walked over. Nan Zhu asked in a low voice, “Want to meet with that person?”
Yu Qing nodded. “The Netherworld official arrested Wang Wentian and took him to the Sea Suppressing Office. We need to find out exactly how they will handle it.”
Nan and Mu deeply agreed upon hearing this. They had to prepare in advance for the possible retaliation from the Wang family. How could they manage without understanding the situation? Currently in Haishi, the only reliable person who could help them was Liu Piaopiao.
Nan Zhu raised his chin to indicate the window. “Then contact her. Why close it again?”
Yu Qing said, “She might be over at the Sea Suppressing Office finding out the situation right now. If I send a contact signal now, she might not see it. She will definitely want to meet with me later and should take the initiative to contact me. The three of us will take turns keeping watch. When I see her signal, I will go. If there is no signal before dawn tomorrow, it will not be too late for me to send a signal then.”
“That works too.” Nan Zhu nodded, then turned his head to signal Mu Aotie.
So Mu Aotie was the first to stand guard at the window crack, observing outside.
Before long, the scent of meat drifted up from downstairs. Xiao Hei immediately carried Big Stick on his shoulder and ran downstairs with thumping steps.
After some fuss, when Xiao Hei, who had eaten and drunk his fill, finally fell asleep, Hu Youli, who had been dawdling beside the few of them, finally spoke up, “Who exactly are you people?”
Her tone was weak.
The three fellow disciples were not surprised by this. Only a fool would act as if nothing had happened.
Yu Qing remained silent. Nan Zhu smiled and said, “Who we are is not important. What is important is that we harbour no ill intent toward you. Just treat us as ordinary tenants.”
Hu Youli stammered, “Can you move to another place to rent?”
Nan Zhu said, “No need. It is the same wherever we stay. We have already grown accustomed to staying here. It is quite nice.”
Hu Youli’s face was full of difficulty. “Please move somewhere else. I am really scared. I am just an ordinary little demon. I cannot withstand the storms you bring. I beg you.”
Nan Zhu said shamelessly, “I will be frank. We have no money to stay elsewhere. If you insist on making us leave, that is fine too. As long as you can bear the expenses of us staying at an inn, we will leave.” He extended his hand in a gesture asking for money.
Hu Youli felt she was being extorted. She pleaded, “You are definitely not ordinary people. You should be able to afford this bit of money. Why make things difficult for me? How about this, I will refund your money to you, alright?”
Seeing her like this, the corners of Yu Qing’s mouth tightened. Thinking of how this little demon had defended “A Shiheng,” he did not want to make things difficult for her either.
Moving out it is then. He was just about to relent and let it go, when Nan Zhu suddenly blurted out, “Do you really want to drive us away? We know A Shiheng, and we are friends with A Shiheng. We can introduce you to him.”
At these words, Hu Youli was stunned on the spot. In her flickering gaze there was surprise and doubt. She clearly did not quite believe it.
Yu Qing, upon hearing this, was the first who could not maintain his composure. He rebuked, “Fatty, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Nan Zhu immediately turned around and persuaded, “Knowing him is knowing him. What is there to hide? Fine, taking a step back, we will not introduce you. Let A Shiheng write a piece of calligraphy for her as a gift. Just a piece of calligraphy. It is just a few lousy characters. He should not refuse.”
As he said this, his gaze kept darting toward the window, reminding Yu Qing that there was a contact signal observation point set up by Liu Piaopiao over there. If they moved to another place, whether it would be convenient here was one thing, but it might not be convenient for Liu Piaopiao.
Yu Qing, understanding his meaning, fell silent.
Not speaking was also an attitude. Nan Zhu turned around cheerfully again and asked Hu Youli, “How about it, having A Shiheng write a piece of calligraphy for you, is that alright?”
Hu Youli’s ten fingers intertwined together. She seemed somewhat excited, but doubt remained. “Do you really know A Shiheng?”
Nan Zhu chuckled, “If I do not know him, if I am not his friend, may I die a terrible death.”
He actually swore a poisonous oath directly. Hu Youli faintly sensed that these people might really know the number one talent under heaven whom she had long admired. Her ten fingers could not help but intertwine. Her excited expression was obvious, but she still could not help questioning, “How could someone who can get A Shiheng to write calligraphy lack the money to stay at an inn?”
Nan Zhu really wanted to let her ask this “A Shiheng” beside her whether he lacked money to stay at an inn, but he could not say it. Otherwise, this fellow Old Fifteen would turn hostile. He said with an amused smile, “Alright, how about this. We will write a letter to A Shiheng and have him write that piece of calligraphy and send it over. Let you see the item first, let you verify its authenticity first, is that alright? It will take a few days at most for the round trip. Will you wait?”
Hu Youli bit her teeth on the spot. “How many days?”
Nan Zhu said with a grin, “Within five days, guaranteed delivery. If overdue, may I die a terrible death.”
He swore another poisonous oath directly, because he was very confident. He could write it at any time, so he was not afraid of breaking the oath.
Unable to stand Old Seventh’s behaviour, Mu Aotie turned his head back again and continued observing outside through the window crack.
Hu Youli added another sentence, “Alright, if it is real, you can stay as long as you want. I will waive your rent.”
Yu Qing suddenly spoke up, “For a piece of calligraphy, are you not afraid we will bring danger to you?”
“That is my business.” Hu Youli replied, then showed her palm to Nan Zhu. “If I break my word, may I die a terrible death.”
Slap. Nan Zhu, understanding her meaning, high-fived her and said, “Same oath.”
Hu Youli put down her hand, turned around and left, going downstairs. She no longer had her previous fear. It could be seen that she was very, very expectant. There was light in her eyes. She was very excited.
Nan Zhu turned back and put his arm around Yu Qing’s shoulder, leaning in close and whispering, “It is just a piece of calligraphy. It seems to be worth a few tens of thousands of taels at most? At most over a hundred thousand. The accommodation expenses here are not low. A hundred thousand taels will not last long. Rest assured, we will not lose out. If it were me, I would write a hundred pieces a day to sell. Only a fool would not earn money when there is money to be made.”
Annoyed by him, Yu Qing pushed him away with one hand.
At Yao’s Shop, two red lanterns hung on either side of the shop entrance.
A group of five people, concealed in black cloaks, strode over from the rainy night and directly entered Yao’s Shop.
The son of Mrs. Yao stood up and greeted them with a smiling face, “Several honoured guests, what would you like to buy?”
As soon as the words fell, he realised something was wrong. The two who came in last directly moved planks from either side of the main door to board up the shop, helping to close up, with swift speed.
The son of Mrs. Yao said in surprise, “What are you doing? Ugh…”
Bang.
He received a heavy blow to his abdomen. The two black-clad people on either side twisted his arms and directly pressed him down to the ground. A boot covered in rainwater stepped firmly on his neck, making him unable to utter a sound, as if it could break his neck at any moment.
Mrs. Yao, hearing the commotion, came down from upstairs. Seeing the scene, she was greatly shocked. “What are you doing?”
The black-clad person slowly strolling in the shop said slowly, “On the day the fox girl’s child was kidnapped, who was it that made you lure that fox girl away?”
Mrs. Yao was startled and stunned, then said, “I do not know what you are talking about…”
The black-clad person immediately turned back and stared at the person pinned to the ground. “Chop off both his hands.”