Chapter 1079
The Move Was Made Inside the Restaurant
Chapter 1079 The Move Was Made Inside the Restaurant
Inside the restaurant,
The storyteller downstairs slammed his fist on the table again.
"This time, the 100,000 troops under the command of the Prince of Bei Jing launched a full-scale attack. The hundreds of thousands of troops of the White Lotus Sect were like a river bursting its banks, flowing a thousand miles in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the banner of the White Lotus Sect's commander moved, and the situation on the battlefield changed dramatically. To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next chapter."
The crowd was engrossed in the story when the storyteller suddenly launched into this segment, infuriating many who voiced their discontent.
now,
The four sect leaders of Xihe County, along with several disciples, entered the restaurant. Qin Hao of the Tiger Roar Sect was the first to enter the hall and saw the lively atmosphere inside. The front seats were all occupied, with only a few tables near the entrance still available. He turned around and asked.
"Gentlemen, would you like to go upstairs to eat, or just stay here for a while?"
Pointing to a few tables not far away, Song Wenshan, the leader of the Iron Palm Gang, walked straight to those tables and plopped down in front of them.
"That's fine. Bring some food and some entertainment, that'll do."
"Alright, gentlemen, please sit here. Will there be a storyteller tonight?"
Qin Hao laughed heartily, led his men over, and arranged seats for the disciples and their families behind him. A waiter noticed and quickly came over to serve them.
"Gentlemen, what flavor suits your palate?"
"Bring out all of your restaurant's signature dishes, and another jar of sake for each table. Hurry up."
Qin Hao loved this kind of food. Since Zuixianlou was the most famous restaurant here, it must have many signature dishes that he wanted to try. In addition, the Marquis's Mansion had also given them money. This move made the leaders of several wealthy sects very tempted.
"Okay, sir, please wait a moment."
The waiter, in a high-pitched voice, called out and went to the kitchen to serve the storyteller some good tea. Meanwhile, the storyteller's side, after making a ruckus for a while, remained silent, with many swearing, which caught the attention of the group.
"A storyteller, but he has quite a temper."
Fang Bihua, the sect leader of Xuanbing Palace, curled her lip. There were quite a few copper coins on the table; what she earned in a short time was equivalent to several days' work for an ordinary family.
"Oh, Sect Leader Fang, this is the trick. If you don't have enough money, you won't say anything. But if you do say something, you can attract people. It's a skill that makes a living. You just wait and see."
Lingyun Pavilion Master Tang Weifeng smiled slightly, stood up, took out a loose silver coin from his waist, and with a wave of his hand, the coin landed directly on the Jingmu Hall table with a "crack." Upon seeing this, the storyteller immediately bowed to the white-robed man not far away.
"Thank you for the generous donation, sir. Let's continue. The army under the command of Prince Bei Jing has launched a full-scale attack, leading to the collapse of the White Lotus Sect."
Seeing that the person was about to start spouting nonsense again, Tang Weifeng finally smiled.
After taking a seat,
The waiter, along with his staff, had already brought out several main dishes, along with some fine tea and wine, filling half the table. The rich aroma of meat wafted through the air, creating a unique and delightful atmosphere.
"It truly is a famous restaurant in the capital. These dishes look so appetizing. Come, have a taste."
Qin Hao rubbed his hands together, picked up his chopsticks, and eagerly popped a piece of meat into his mouth. The others didn't stand on ceremony and ate together. After everyone had eaten, Tang Weifeng picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and rinsed his mouth.
"Gentlemen, yesterday, the Marquis and His Highness Prince Jin set a trap for several princes at Qinghu Restaurant. I don't know what happened afterward. Everyone says that the methods in the martial arts world are formidable, but today I have witnessed that the methods in the imperial court are also ruthless and bloodless."
This sigh resonated with the others, who all nodded in agreement.
"Yes, it's just a banquet. Who would have thought there were so many hidden tricks involved? It's not as good as the martial arts world, where you can settle scores and live a life of freedom."
Qin Hao seemed somewhat frightened. If he hadn't sought refuge with the Marquis, he didn't know what path he would have taken in the future.
"Why think so much? The people from the Marquis's Chamber of Commerce have already been escorted to Xihe County. The supplies that our various factions have put together should have been taken. But the Marquis said he doesn't want the silver and wants us to buy more estates in the county. Could it be that there is still a shortage of food in the area beyond the pass?"
Song Wenshan was somewhat suspicious. He had heard that the Marquis's mansion had already bought so much, so why did they need to buy more? But Tang Weifeng and Fang Bihua, upon hearing this, knew the Marquis's purpose: as the saying goes, "Store up grain, and delay declaring yourself king."
"Alright, let's not speculate too much about matters of the Marquis's residence. As for us here, we don't know what to do. What do you think we should do if the Marquis grants us an official position?"
Having witnessed the majesty of the imperial court, and considering the petty squabbles in the martial arts world, the group harbored some ambitions. Tang Weifeng's words also prompted them to think.
Just at this time,
The same young man at the table in front of them slammed his hand on the table and cursed.
"What you're saying is all bullshit. The White Lotus Sect actually surrendered? How is that possible? With over 100,000 people guarding Shizhou, even if you sent Marquis Luoyun to catch 100,000 pigs, they wouldn't be able to catch them all."
Upon hearing this, all the diners in the hall burst into laughter, and many ordinary people echoed their sentiments.
"Yes, let alone 100,000 pigs, even 10,000 pigs wouldn't be enough to catch without immense strength,"
The storyteller sneered and retorted;
"Ignorance is bliss. The leader of the White Lotus Sect is also a well-known figure in the martial arts world. He is Lu Chuanjiang, a trusted general of the Northern Branch Leader. There is also Tian, the garrison commander of the Qinzhou branch. The two of them surrendered together. Who doesn't know that?"
Almost mockingly, Xu Yan's face flushed red, and in a fit of anger, he cursed back.
"Who do you think you are? Marquis Luoyun only has his current status because of his father and the charity of Prince Zhongshun. If it weren't for these things, he would have died at the hands of the Tartars outside the Great Wall long ago."
Speaking without restraint, this time, the entire hall fell silent, and no one dared to answer.
Even the Dharma Protectors at the table were terrified, their faces changing drastically. They were about to reprimand them, but it was too late.
"Oh, may I ask who is so skilled? I have never heard of your name."
now,
Of the sect leaders seated at the front, Qin Hao was the first to step forward, coldly questioning them. Of the others, only Fang Bihua remained seated; even Tang Weifeng looked somewhat gloomy. To run into such bad luck while simply going out for a meal—it seemed someone in the capital was starting to have designs on the Marquis's residence.
"Hmph, who are you? Mind your own business."
Looking at the group of people in front of him, dressed in short-sleeved clothes, clearly they were from the martial arts world, he snorted coldly and asked about their origins.
Upon seeing this, Song Wenshan thought to himself that he had become too young.
"Whether it's meddling or not, I don't know, but you're probably not going home today. You either surrender or leave your tongue behind, what do you say?"
"Such a boastful tone, I've heard Xu say things like that many times before."
With a wave of his hand, the people at several tables behind him immediately stood up, gripping their knives. The people at the tables on Tang Weifeng's side also stood up, and the two sides faced each other. Although the surrounding crowd was afraid, their excitement remained undiminished. They all retreated, tables and all, to create space for the two sides.
Some diners at the restaurant entrance quickly slipped out and disappeared, then peered into the building from the courtyard to watch the commotion.
The Xuan Yin Sect protector, his face gloomy, noticed that the opposing side had brought quite a few people, assuming they were from a major sect. He stood up and smoothed things over.
"My lords, I am just a young and impetuous fellow who has been talking nonsense. Please forgive me."
While seemingly speaking softly, the underlying meaning carried a warning. Tang Weifeng suddenly smiled and shook his head. If it had been a whispered conversation, they could have pretended not to know. Unfortunately, now everyone in the restaurant had heard it, so even if they wanted to compromise, they couldn't. He just wondered where these people came from.
"Enough with the nonsense. Since you've said it, cut out your tongue. Do it!" Fang Bihua disliked these kinds of pleasantries. After standing up, she unleashed a hidden arrow with lightning speed, and the foremost disciple of the Xuan Yin Sect fell to the ground.
Realizing that things couldn't end peacefully, both sides immediately drew their weapons and engaged in a fierce battle. Even Protector Chang, who had intended to offer some polite words, was somewhat angered. Since they wanted to see who was truly superior, he decided to test his skills. He immediately drew his heavy black iron sword, its blade whipping up a gust of wind, overturning the food and wine on the table, and charged straight at the attacker.
Qin Hao, the leader of the Tiger Roar Sect, roared and swung his long saber from bottom to top. The back of the blade, with its tiger-mouth-like edge, gleamed coldly, cleaving the oncoming table in two. Yet, a chill ran through him.
"Be careful, it's the Xuan Yin Sect, the number one sect in the Northwest."
Having discovered their martial arts techniques, the sect leaders became more cautious. The Xuan Yin Sect was renowned for its Yin-based techniques; those with weak blood and energy would have their combat power reduced by three-tenths.
Song Wenshan nodded, leaped forward, and his long blade flashed past in an instant. Unfortunately, Xu Yan, as the eldest disciple, also possessed genuine skill. With a spin, he drew his sword back, the blade sweeping past Song Wenshan's short blade. A flash of fire, and the two used the momentum to create distance between them.
In just a few breaths, the group had already made several moves, dazzling many onlookers.
upstairs,
Bai Shuiyue, the leader of the White Lotus Cult, became interested instead, picked up her wine cup, and took a small sip.
"It's only when we're drinking and there's some excitement to watch that we feel truly satisfied. Tell me, who are these people? Their martial arts moves seem quite familiar."
One of them was a woman, and she was using a sword, which is even more unusual.
Right Protector Ying Xiancai, his face frosty and cold, observed the repeated disturbances downstairs. If it weren't for the abundance of henchmen in the capital, these people would have been apprehended long ago. However, upon closer inspection, he discovered that the troublemakers were quite capable, their methods insidious and ruthless; they were clearly not benevolent individuals.
"Master, the ones who made the provocation are from the Northwest Xuan Yin Sect. Moreover, the leaders are not only ruthless, but their kung fu is also highly refined, so they must be of high status. The others are using tiger-head sabers, folding fans, long swords, and short blades. Their kung fu is excellent, their moves are skillful, and they are also experts in their own right, so they can be considered sect leaders. This is strange. Judging from their moves, they should resemble the figures of several major sects in Xihe County."
He had some guesses, but he didn't know if they were accurate, and things had moved too quickly to be sure. Just as he was thinking this, Bai Shuiyue noticed his relaxed expression.
"These four people, three men and one woman, are the leaders of several major sects in Xihe County. The one wielding the tiger-head saber is Leader Qin of the Tiger Roar Sect, the one with the short blade is Song Kaishan of the Iron Palm Gang, the one with the folding fan is Tang Weifeng of the Lingyun Pavilion, and the last one, with a long sword as fast as lightning, is a top-notch martial artist, and she is also a woman, that is Fang Bihua of the Xuanbing Palace. It's just a mystery how these people got involved with the Marquis of Luoyun's mansion."
Bai Shuiyue had just clearly seen that when those people were talking about the Marquis's residence, the hands of those people who were eating all stopped at the same time. It seems that her junior sister has been involved in many matters of the martial world, and her methods have truly improved.
"So it was them, but something's not right. It's said that the young marquis doesn't get along with the princes within the pass, so if anyone should fight, it should be them. But these guys, the Xuan Yin Sect is a force under the Western Prince's Mansion. Since they're here, and the host just said that the Gong family wouldn't be attending the birthday banquet, could that be wrong?"
Ying Xiancai mentally assessed the situation. There were many rumors circulating among the people of the capital, but one thing was certain: the Western Prince's convoy was nearing the capital, escorted by three thousand black-armored cavalry. These were the elite troops who had risen to power within the Western Prince's household; otherwise, the one who never wavered in his post probably wouldn't have come.
"Whether it's right or wrong, there aren't many days left to watch. The palace's birthday banquet is already in its final stages of preparation. All the merchant guilds in the capital have received the news and have purchased all the best pastry recipes. When the day arrives and all the civil and military officials are celebrating, do you think that no matter how mysterious the Western King is, he should at least have something to say about it?"
Bai Shuiyue wasn't worried about these things. The followers in Xihe County had already scattered and returned to the Jiangnan region. The rest remained in Xihe County, and production in the Lingnan County had resumed. However, some of the Yue tribesmen were becoming increasingly demanding.
“That’s true. Master, everything is as usual in the southern city, but I received a secret report that several chieftains of the Yue tribe want to borrow some farmland for their people to settle down. I think these Yue tribesmen are quite ambitious. They didn’t dare to come out of the mountains before, but now that they see we’ve occupied the land, they’re getting restless. I think we should teach them a lesson.”
Right Protector Ying Xiancai's eyes flashed with bloodlust. The imperial troops were no match for them, but those Yue tribesmen were utterly shameless, daring to snatch food from a tiger's mouth. Did they really think the White Lotus Sect was made of clay?
"They need to be taught a lesson. Let the Southern Chief handle it himself. Kill a batch, and if they're not satisfied, keep killing."
"Yes, boss."
Just as the people upstairs were watching the spectacle, Chang Chun, the protector of the Xuan Yin Sect downstairs, seeing that he couldn't subdue the group quickly, immediately turned around. His longsword suddenly flew from his hand, and he switched swords, closing in with a series of fluid swordplay, the tip aimed straight for Qin Hao's chest.
"Be careful, it's the Seven Extremities of the Mysterious Yin."
Seeing this, Fang Bihua immediately warned him. Qin Hao's expression changed, and he stepped back, parrying with his sword to barely dodge the attack. However, he didn't know that Protector Chang would immediately change his move. His sword suddenly curved into a full moon, transforming into three afterimages that attacked the three simultaneously: Song Wenshan and Tang Weifeng behind him. The two quickly retreated, one holding a short blade in front of his chest, while the other threw a hidden weapon and dodged with a fan. In just one move, the two groups on the battlefield were separated.
After exchanging dozens of blows, the four sect leaders' expressions changed drastically. This person was actually a first-rate expert; it seemed they wouldn't be able to defeat him in a short time.
"Goodness, he's a master. Looks like we're going to return empty-handed today."
Qin Hao sighed. Although the four of them were close to breaking through to the first-rate realm, they hadn't actually broken through yet. If they were already struggling in a four-on-one situation, then that young man was no pushover either. He feared they truly couldn't defeat him.
"Hmph, if we can't beat them, we can wear them down. One of us will kill the others first, and the remaining three will hold off that one. How about that?"
Fang Bihua then took out another black iron sword from behind her. With both swords in hand, she exuded a chilling aura.
at this time,
The atmosphere inside was heavy. Although he had just repelled four people, he had exhausted most of his energy and was now somewhat agitated. He hadn't expected that he could provoke such a master in the capital while having a meal. It was all this kid's fault. Judging from these people, they should be guests of the Marquis of Luoyun's mansion. Otherwise, they wouldn't have reacted so strongly. He could only clasp his hands and bow.
"My lords, it was all due to the foolishness of youth that we spoke boastfully and without thinking. How about I apologize on your behalf and let us turn hostility into friendship?"
This could be considered an admission of weakness, but Xu Yan, proud and arrogant, wanted to say something more, but was glared at fiercely by Protector Chang, which made him back down.
"Hmph, the Xuan Yin Sect really has some nerve, coming to the capital to blatantly insult the Marquis of Luo Yun's residence. Aren't they afraid of biting off more than they can chew? Old man, although you are a first-rate expert, you've caused trouble in the capital. Even without the four of us, the people who are supposed to come will be here soon."
Fang Bihua smiled gently. What happened here would surely spread, implicating the Marquis of Luoyun's mansion. The officials wouldn't let it go.
Protector Chang's expression changed drastically. Knowing the power and influence of Marquis Luo Yun in the capital, he feared that if officials came, he wouldn't be able to leave. He immediately pulled out a round ball from his robes and threw it hard on the ground.
"Retreat, leave through the back window."
No one knew what was inside the sphere, but when it was thrown on the ground, it immediately exploded, releasing thick black smoke and a pungent odor. Someone screamed in fright.
"The smoke is poisonous,"
moment,
The onlookers and diners, who had been watching the spectacle, all scrambled out of the windows and doors, creating chaos. Seeing this, the four sect leaders had no choice but to lead their men, covering their mouths and noses, and retreat. When the smoke cleared, the Xuan Yin Sect members were nowhere to be seen.
"Master Tang, what should we do? The person has escaped."
“They can’t escape. Those people are unfamiliar. As the saying goes, ‘The monk may run away, but the temple can’t.’ Go back and report to the Marquis, and find out what these people are doing in the capital.”
Tang Weifeng covered his nose and left the courtyard. Seeing the chaos, he had no choice but to lead his men back.
upstairs,
The Right Protector and the others also soaked a piece of brocade cloth in tea, covered their mouths and noses, and waited for the smoke to dissipate before throwing the cloth on the table.
"The boss is using Northwest Fire-Smoked Wolf Smoke, mixed with Xuan Yin Powder. If you inhale it a few times, you will feel weak and sore all over. However, this stuff is afraid of water. As long as water is mixed in, it can be detoxified. It seems that these people came suspiciously. They left through the back window. Our people will follow behind them."
No one has ever managed to escape the White Lotus Sect's spies at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
"Hmm, follow them first, see where they stay, and who they contact. I think the Xuan Yin Sect is acting on its own. These are minor matters. But I'm missing my junior sister. Make some preparations so I can meet with her, how about that?"
Bai Shuiyue had a rosy complexion and bright, intelligent eyes. Even with disguise, she couldn't hide her noble air. However, the Right Protector's expression was unpleasant.
"Master, the Holy Maiden has already sent word that she does not wish to see you,"
"Haha, she said she didn't want to see me, so she didn't. But I'm determined to see her anyway."
(End of this chapter)