“… Zhuo… Zhuo… Yupin… is in… our hands… You… You… You…”
Ming Feizhen crouched down in front of him. “Yes, yes, yes, never thought you’re so strong.”
“Ha… Ha… Haha… Hah-” The man gasped blood into the air. “I… I’m here… to tell you… that you are invited… to Lotus Convention… at Shennong… ten days from now…”
Ming Feizhen kicked Hua Qing. “Note it down or there won’t be another chance!”
“Haha… If you don’t attend… you… you… will d-” He ran out of time before he could finish pronouncing “die”.
Ming Feizhen released his hold on the man’s hand as well as ceased transferring true qi. “Ol’ Xin, you’re guilty of murder.”
“How the hell is it my fault?! Weren’t you the one who gave the signal?!” snapped Xin Buyi.
“Since when?!”
“If not, what the heck was the ‘what’ for? You even pointed to him when he was on the wall.”
“I was startled. Besides, even if you were mistaken, you didn’t need to puncture him right away! I couldn’t even save him!”
Little did Ming Feizhen know, Xin Buyi had a habit of turning small deals into big deals and big deals into huge deals. To him, plugging bandits with arrows was considered trivial.
“How should I have known he’d be so inept when he stood up so high? Logically speaking, shouldn’t loudmouths be able to walk the walk? How should I have known they’d send an arrow board?”
“In what world is being able to fight effectively a required attribute of a messenger?! I didn’t even get to find out his name. Thanks a lot,” Ming Feizhen grumbled as he went through the corpse’s clothing.
“Stop it. Hero Zhuo’s wife and son have been kidnapped,” said Hua Qing.
Ming Feizhen found two dry pieces of sesame bread that he decided to start eating, a token that he tossed to Xin Buyi for inspection, three hundred thousand silver taels in notes that he stashed in his, in addition to a dozen explosives, smoke bombs and poison bombs.
How much must your luck stink to die before you can utilise all these nifty weapons.
Ming Feizhen pried open a letter he found. The letter was addressed to Zhuo Fengru, Hua Qing and him. “I can’t read this hideous handwriting. Hero Zhuo, do you know what that, uh, whatever convention he mentioned is?”
“Lotus Convention,” corrected Zhuo Fengru. Because he was usually so amiable, his straight face highlighted just how furious he was. “It’s an event held when a new leader of Lotus Sect assumes their post. Reportedly, the new leader isn’t old enough to take on the role, so the event shouldn’t be held yet. Additionally, the three lords of the group should be present to make it official; it’s impossible for Lord Miguo to call it on its own, let alone in the Central Plain.”
Xin Buyi asked, “Since when did you two grow so friendly? Zhuo Fengru, you no longer hiding your relationship with Miguo Branch now? You’ve been acting ignorant for the last sixth months I’ve been questioning you, only to admit to it now?”
Zhuo Fengru bowed his torso parallel to the ground. “Please forgive this old one. He had my reasons for hiding the fact. He is willing to make it up to you. Howbeit, please allow him to find his wife and son first. After that, he will be at your mercy.”
It was fair for Zhuo Fengru to build a fortress around him when he had to safeguard Xu Clan’s secret whilst helping Miguo Branch censor their information. Now that Ming Feizhen had worked everything out, Zhuo Fengru was glad he could be honest with Liu Shan Men. He, therefore, told them the whole story.
In all the time Xin Buyi had known Zhuo Fengru, it was the first time he interacted with a humble Zhuo Fengru. “If you’re telling the truth… The law is the law, but compassion also matters. I shall extend your freedom until to rescue your family. In exchange, you must tell us everything.”
“Thank you, Sir!”
Xu Yanran whispered, “Dad, why are you offering to go to prison? I thought we were absconding.”
Zhuo Fengru quietly answered, “We are. Can’t you tell I’m lying?” He then turned back to the confounded Xin Buyi. “Ehehe, it was just a joke, just a joke.”
“You think I was born yesterday! Walk yourself to your cell!”
“Ol’ Xin, calm down, will you? If you’re so desperate to arrest someone, you’ve got thousands to arrest from Miguo Branch. Do you really have to be so persistent about arresting Hero Zhuo? Do you think you can actually catch him if he tries to run?” Ming Feizhen ribbed. “Think about what the priority is. We need to figure out what this Lotus Convention is supposed to be about.”
Since his superior’s acquaintance had spoken up, Xin Buyi gave up on having Zhuo Fengru behind bars for three days to satisfy himself. “I’ll let you off the hook this time – and only this time.”
Zhuo Fengru saluted Ming Feizhen. “Thank you, Young Hero Ming. To be honest, this old one doesn’t know much about Lotus Convention. His family is now their hostage. Even if he did know something…” Zhuo Fengru sighed.
Hua Qing: “Hero Zhuo, the more concerned you are, the more prone you are to blunders. They will not harm your family since your family is bait to lure you in.”
“This old one’s idiotic son is just…” Zhuo Fengru, accompanying a bitter smile, shook his head.
Ming Feizhen voiced, “I have an idea.” He brushed aside the carriage curtain, dipped his hand in and then yanked Kongcang from the inside out onto the ground. “Get up.”
Xin Buyi: “What the?! Isn’t this Shaolin’s Venerable Kongcang? You nuts, kid?! I met him only a few days ago. How come his face is another size bigger already?”
