Near midnight on the 8th of September, Shi Baofeng's second son, Shi Weiyang, became the focus of all the important people in the city for a short period of time.
At this time, the meeting in Pleasure Garden had already dispersed. He Wen's ambiguous attitude towards the "Study Club" caused everyone to become vigilant. This was a major political trend that could affect the entire ecology of the Equity Party. When He Wen showed signs of a possible war, everyone had to make preparations for the entire Jiangnan area.
Some simple and important orders had already been issued at the first possible moment. The vigilance and hostility in many important areas of the city were merely small ripples that were incidental to this. And in this situation, Shi Weiyang led his people to kill the "Undying Guard" encampment. Many people who received the news were so shocked that their jaws dropped.
Xu Zhaonan, who was mobilizing troops in the New Tiger Palace, was somewhat dumbfounded. It was said that his face twitched a few times. "I originally thought that only Zhou Shang was crazy in the Equity Party. Look at this afternoon, He Wen didn't lose to him. It hasn't even been four hours, and Old Shi has also gone crazy … Is this madness contagious?! There isn't a single normal person in the Equity Party?! "
At the same time that Xu Zhaonan sighed in the New Tiger Palace, "I am the only normal person in the Equity Party who is struggling to hold on", everyone in the city, including Zhou Shang, Gao Chang, Wei Yiwen, Gao Huiyun, Tan Zheng, Xu Longbiao, Meng Zhutao... and even Qian Luoning, Zuo Xiuquan, Li Yanfeng, and the other representatives of the peripheral forces, as well as He Wen himself, after hearing the news, let out sighs of "Shi Baofeng is so unyielding and resolute".
Although it was He Wen's attitude that had caused the situation to worsen that day, looking back, it was Shi Baofeng who had slammed the question of the Study Club on the table. He had raised the question with full confidence, feeling that He Wen would most likely take a stand. In the end, things had escalated to this point. Although no one had expected this step, no one had expected that Shi Baofeng, who had always flaunted his identity as a businessman, would also be so hot-tempered. He had lost some face in the evening, and now he wanted to slap it back in the evening.
This kind of craziness that didn't care about mutual destruction made people think of Ning Yi in the distant Southwest.
It was no wonder that Shi Baofeng would occasionally compare himself to that Mister Ning.
Those who did business were all crazy …
…
Of course, the sudden change in the upper echelons of the Fairness Party didn't affect the lower classes of the city for the time being.
On one hand, there were too many possibilities for the changes that He Wen had instigated. When it suddenly erupted, even Wei Yiwen, Meng Zhutao, and other high level members were unable to determine the direction of the entire situation. The safest method was to make preparations and wait for the situation to develop.
On the other hand, ever since the start of the Martial Arts Competition, the public security within the city had become relatively peaceful. Moreover, the progress of the Jiangning Fairness Party's Conference was relatively smooth. Before the Double Ninth Festival, flowers, flowers, and lanterns had even begun to be arranged within the city. This kind of auspicious atmosphere had its own inertia.
When night fell, a portion of the lanterns that had been set up during the day were lit up in the city. Groups of people from the Green Forest gathered in restaurants and night markets. There were also a large number of idle members of the lower echelons of the Equity Party who used the light of the lanterns to stroll outside, drinking and bragging with others. The atmosphere of the Double Ninth Festival had already begun on this night.
When the time came for Shi Weiyang to lead his men to find trouble with the "Undying Guard", those who were able to stay in the various nighttime venues in the city without resting were already the wildest group of busybodies.
At this time, those who were well-informed knew that there was something strange happening within the city. However, there weren't many who could grasp the full picture and severity of the situation. Shi Weiyang's actions gave many "guesses" a temporary home. At that moment, those who were closer to the scene of the incident went over to watch the show, cheering for Shi Weiyang and the "Undying Guard" in their confrontation.
They didn't know that at this time, the eyes of the various high level members were also staring at this small area of confrontation in the night. Countless karma spiraled and condensed into a huge vortex. Shi Weiyang himself didn't know about these things for the time being. On this night, he stood in front of a market called Yunlai Square in the city and loudly announced to the "Undying Guard" group opposite him:
"… The criminal under your command, Yang Hanzhou! He beat up a guest of the Shi family! He beat up the anti-gold hero from the Yan Castle, Yan Tiehe! Second Master Yan! Right now, Second Master Yan's life is in danger! If you don't hand over the culprit! The Shi family won't spare your lives … "
His words were sonorous and powerful. Near and far, busybodies standing in the dark on the rooftops applauded and shouted, "Good …"
"Let's fight …"
"Long live the hero …"
"An eye for an eye …"
Voices that reeked of alcohol rang out in the night. For a moment, the scene was tense and could erupt at any moment.
…
Of course, the karma in the political arena wouldn't be so simple. Not long after the two sides confronted each other with swords drawn, Xu Zhaonan sighed in the New Tiger Palace that there were too many lunatics. In the main hall, he saw the old shopkeeper of Baofeng Cruise, Jin Yongsheng, who had secretly rushed over.
The confrontation at Yunlai Square was still going on. Xu Zhaonan had only just learned the ins and outs of the matter from Chen Juefang and the others. Now that he saw Jin Yongsheng, he felt slightly relieved. He snorted coldly and said, "What the hell is Old Shi doing? Does he not want his son's life anymore? "
"Duke Xu, please calm down." The old shopkeeper cupped his hands and said, "No matter how many times we say it, the Second Young Master can't be blamed for what happened outside. Chen Hanya's subordinate, Yang Hanzhou, injured Second Master Yan of Fort Yan. This is a scene that many people saw. Second Master Yan … has a special identity. If we don't stand up for him, it'll be hard for Baofeng Cruise to answer to the world. If Duke Xu wants to settle this matter, all you have to do is have Chen Hanya hand over Yang Hanzhou. I heard that he's just a small fry. Could it be that he has some other difficulties? "
Jin Yongsheng's tone was calm and reasonable. Xu Zhaonan looked at him and hesitated for a moment. After a while, he said, "Why would I cover up for someone with the surname Yang in front of such important matters? Just now, Chen Juefang came to report that he sent people everywhere to search for Yang Hanzhou's whereabouts, but they couldn't find him. Later on, he said that Yang Hanzhou is a veteran of the jianghu. He knew that he had caused trouble, so he might have run away with his money. If he's still in the city, we can still find him. If he's already out of the city, then it's hard to say. "
"This …"
"When we parted at Pleasure Garden today, your master and I even said that we would join forces. Is there a need to damage our friendship over such a small matter? Old Jin, you should know what the situation in the city is like today. "
Jin Yongsheng cupped his hands and nodded. "The master sent me here to confirm Duke Xu's attitude. Since Duke Xu has said so, I believe the master will be relieved when I return … Moreover, the matter at Yunlai Workshop, in this old man's opinion, will only bring benefits and no harm."
Xu Zhaonan frowned slightly. "What do you think …"
"Today at Pleasure Garden, Mr. He suddenly stirred up a situation. From now on, we will definitely be a little bewildered. Speaking of which, forming an alliance and joining forces is the general trend. At the same time, there's no harm in showing that the alliance hasn't been formed yet."
"Old Jin is saying … that the fight is fake?"
"For these matters, as long as the higher-ups speak clearly and the situation doesn't escalate, it's not a big deal whether the subordinates fight or not. I'm just afraid that if we don't communicate in private, there'll be problems if we don't have a tacit understanding, "Jin Yongsheng said. "Moreover, the matter of forming an alliance isn't just a matter of words. It depends on what we do in the future. That's why when the second young master came today, the master immediately sent me here. Firstly, it's to show our trump card, and secondly, it's to see Duke Xu's attitude. Regarding the matter outside, we'll just treat it as a good show together. This way, not only will our two families not grow apart, but it will also bring us closer together. This is the master's idea. What do you think, Duke Xu?"
In the great hall, Xu Zhaonan looked at Jin Yongsheng and thought for a while.
A moment later, Xu Zhaonan's laughter rang out in the night. Jin Yongsheng laughed as well, and the two of them talked about many things …
…
Important people had their own worlds, and they also had their own karma.
That night, Shi Weiyang's figure appeared briefly in the eye of the brewing storm, but not long after, he crossed paths with them.
Shi Weiyang also had his own world.
That night, he led his men to confront the leader of the Undying Guard, 'Jackdaw' Chen Juefang, on the streets of Yunlai Square. Amidst the tense atmosphere, there were several small skirmishes between the two sides, but fortunately, it didn't lead to a real battle.
Shi Weiyang's heart was somewhat perturbed.
Shi Weiyang wanted to stir up a huge commotion here, and he was mentally prepared to fight to the death. However, even with his father, Jin Yongsheng, and other experienced people standing behind him, Shi Weiyang was still a little worried when facing Chen Juefang, the Jackdaw. If he angered Chen Juefang, things would get out of hand.
Fortunately, the old innkeeper was reliable. He had done a lot of work behind the scenes, and although the famous Chen Juefang seemed to be rude and unreasonable, he maintained control from beginning to end. Both sides tacitly exchanged a few rounds of insults, and when a few influential mediators came over to make peace, Shi Weiyang knew that from now on, he could claim to be on the same level as Chen Juefang in the world of martial arts.
At the same time, Wu Chennan, who he regarded as his military advisor, had already led his men to all the newspapers in the city, big and small, and had them print a new article and reward.
Many arrangements had already been made.
…
In the wee hours of the morning, Yan Tiehe woke up in a clinic in the east of Jiangning City. He could feel his body weakening.
The room was lit by a pea-sized lamp, and a maid was asleep at a table nearby. Yan Tiehe struggled to get up, but to no avail.
The maid woke up and hurried over to check on his condition. Then, she went out to summon a doctor. During this time, Yan Tiehe asked the maid what happened after he was stabbed. Then, he asked the maid to call in a member of the Yan Clan who was waiting in a nearby courtyard.
He was a member of the clan who had followed Yan Tiehe all the way to the east. He was also a distant relative of Yan Tiehe, Yan Yunzhi, and the others. After the young man came in, Yan Tiehe dismissed the maids and doctors and asked him about the development of the situation in detail. The young man described the Shi family's righteous behavior in detail, including the confrontation between the Shi family and the Undead Guards at midnight last night, which had been spread among the Shi family's forces.
Lying on the bed, the weak Yan Tiehe thought for a while. Then, he grabbed the young man's hand. "Something's wrong …"
"What?"
"… After Yun Zhi left, due to external pressure, the Shi Family … had no choice but to adopt a kinder attitude towards us. In fact, this period of time could even be considered as a blessing in disguise. However … my injury yesterday is a little problematic …"
"Second Uncle, you're saying …"
"I'm not sure, but after this incident, there are some things that we have to prepare for …"
Yan Tiehe grabbed his nephew's hand, his voice hoarse. Then, he asked the young man to come closer, and slowly gave him a lot of advice.
After listening to the advice, the young man left the room.
At this time, it was the darkest period before dawn. The courtyard was dim, and the nearby market was quiet. He left the medical center and patrolled the surroundings in the dark streets. The Yan family practiced the art of assassination. The young man was quite accomplished in the art of lightness and concealment. After patrolling two rounds, he stopped at a corner of the street. He looked around and tried to leave a mark on the place.
It was also at this time that he sensed that something was wrong.
He suddenly looked behind him —
…
The city had passed its darkest moment, and the dawn rose from the east.
In Jiangning City, the martial artists who hadn't noticed much had already begun to practice in the morning, preparing to receive more cheers in the next day's competition. In the Central Peace Workshop, Shi Weiyang woke up early, a rare sight of excitement.
After washing up, a piece of news from the medical center was delivered to him. After reading it, Shi Weiyang became even more excited, planning to go find the old shopkeeper, Jin Yongsheng. However, after a moment's hesitation, he still called Wu Chennan over first, informing him of the success of a certain arrangement.
After Wu Chennan finished reading the news, he also sighed in admiration, "Old Jin is indeed a veteran of the martial world. He even predicted such details. As stupid as I am, I really don't have this kind of experience."
Shi Weiyang held his hand, "Chennan, there's no need to belittle yourself so much. Thinking back on the events of these past few days, Weiyang is the truly shallow and ignorant one. It's all thanks to Chennan's reminder a few days ago that I know how people like you and I should act in this world. Old Jin is a veteran of the martial world. With his experience, you and I should be humble and learn from him. This is the right thing to do. Only you, Chen Nan, are my true benefactor. Ever since Chen Nan started working for me, look at all the things that have happened in the past few days. Which one of them hasn't been easily solved? Many of the major matters that I've been at a loss for in the past have now become clear to me …
He was in a carefree mood. He immediately held the other party's hand and said many words from the bottom of his heart. After that, when the sky brightened, he went to find Jin Yongsheng to report the feedback from the medical center.
Jin Yongsheng was eating breakfast when he heard this and sighed slightly.
"… Second Master Yan is a veteran of the martial world. Yang Hanzhou is also used to doing things casually. Hastily arranging for the two of them to go against each other, things might not be done so smoothly. If he had woken up, he might have sensed that something was wrong. There are good and bad things in this matter. The good thing is that with Second Master Yan's men involved, the possibility of finding Yan Yunzhi would be higher. The bad thing is … If you go too far, you might really offend the future Yue Clan's people … You still have to consider your own limits and be cautious. "
"Your nephew has learned his lesson."
Over the past few days, Shi Weiyang's temperament had also become humble. When Jin Yongsheng nodded his head in satisfaction, he then asked, "Elder Jin, this matter … we have done what we should do. Tell me, how confident are we in the future?"
Jin Yongsheng drank his porridge, "There are many things in this world that we should do our best and then leave it to fate. Before the matter is settled, calm down a little. After all, if that Miss Yan has already left the city, no matter how many arrangements Second Young Master has made, it would be useless. But of course, if she is still in the city and you have made sufficient preparations, the chances of success will not be low. "
Speaking up to this point, the old man paused slightly, then continued, "Second Young Master, you have indeed grown these few days."
Shi Weiyang bowed his head in thanks, then said, "These matters are all thanks to Brother Chennan's assistance and Elder Jin's guidance … Oh right, I don't know if there are any more things that I need to pay attention to in the following arrangements. Elder Jin, please teach me more."
Jin Yongsheng nodded his head in satisfaction. Then, the two of them spoke in detail under the morning light.
…
Under the same light, on the other side of the city, Yan Yunzhi walked to the teahouse she visited every day. She took the newspaper and prepared to have her breakfast.
Today was the Double Ninth Festival. The custom of the world was to climb high on the Double Ninth Festival. Every festive occasion, one would miss one's loved ones. Having already made the decision to leave home, she could not help but miss her family. Once she left, she did not know when she would see her father in the faraway Yan Fortress again.
Not long after, she saw the news of Yan Tiehe's injury in the newspaper. On another piece of news, she also saw that Second Master Yan was injured and on the brink of death. The Shi family had offered a reward for finding a famous doctor and hunting down the murderer Yang Hanzhou.
Yan Yunzhi sat in the teahouse for half the morning. On this day, her two brothers, Han Ping and Han Yun, who could bring her news about the city, did not come. As members of the diplomatic mission, the most urgent news in the city had already become the 'Reading Society'. From last night until today, although the market was still calm and peaceful, the secret alliances between the families had become especially intense. At every moment in the city, the general situation could change.
Although she was vigilant, she still decided to take a look from afar and ask for some news.
Under these circumstances, she could not really visit Second Uncle. She only wanted to know if the heavily injured Second Uncle was out of danger.
It was afternoon, and the sun was bright and clear. The entire city had become warm and lively because of the festive atmosphere of the Double Ninth Festival. On the streets on the east side of the city, Yan Yunzhi, who had disguised herself, mingled with the pedestrians and walked forward. Prior to this, she had already gone to the vicinity of Wenshui Inn to inquire about the details of yesterday's martial arts competition. After confirming that Second Uncle was really seriously injured and that the city was in an uproar because of this, she had come over. She had already sized up the situation at the medical center from afar.
As expected, near the medical center, the Shi family had arranged layers of hidden sentries to ambush her. The target of this ambush was obviously herself, who might come to visit Second Uncle.
She had to give up on the idea in her heart. She expanded the area she was patrolling.
In the afternoon, at a dirty street corner near the medical center, she caught a glimpse of the special signal left by her cousin from the Yan family. The other party had also given her a warning in the signal.
If Second Uncle's injury was fake, then it was very likely that Second Uncle and the Shi family were trying to capture her back to set up a trap. However, after investigating and discovering that Second Uncle was really injured and had even sent her cousin out to warn her, this matter was extremely reliable.
At a quarter past five, Yan Yunzhi walked to a teahouse two streets away from the medical center. She found a place in front of the window and sat down, waiting for her cousin to come over and meet her.
Not long after, tea and desserts were served.
Yan Yunzhi gripped the short sword in her hand and stood up from her seat. In front of her, Shi Weiyang, Wu Chennan, and the others were slowly walking in her direction. Her gaze looked downstairs and considered immediately flipping through the information. However, the stall owners on the street were changing, and some of them were already looking in her direction with a faint smile. At the window of the restaurant across the street, a troublesome figure had already appeared.
"They're all experts." A red light flashed in Shi Weiyang's eyes. His voice was gentle, so gentle that it didn't seem like his usual self. Yan Yunzhi watched as he walked to the table and sat down on the long bench across from her. His hands trembled slightly as he knocked the table a few times.
"They're all experts … In order … not to alarm you, I first arranged for them to come here. They're all experts from my family … There are still a lot of people coming from both ends. You can't leave today, no matter who comes …" Shi Weiyang looked at her and said gently, "Sit …"
The afternoon sun shone into the teahouse. There were indeed more people coming from both ends of the street, and more people appeared in the teahouse. Yan Yunzhi opened her mouth, and the grip on the sword in her hand tightened.
Shi Weiyang's fingers lightly tapped on the table. He only looked at her gently, but in the depths of his eyes, countless emotions were constantly fluctuating. He was experiencing the feeling of this moment.
From Shi Weiyang's point of view, he had been enduring hardships for the past few days, constantly reflecting on himself, igniting the fuse of the reading club, manipulating the murderous plot, confronting "Jackdaw" Chen Jue's side head-on, brushing past the storm-like vortex, doing one thing after another, setting up one trap after another. At this moment, he was finally in front of her with a great deal of karma.
"Where are you going …"
At this moment, this teahouse, this street, this woman, the entire world … all belonged to him …
He was going to …
Take it back.
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