The next morning, Zhao Changhe stretched lazily and walked out of the courtyard of the inn. He turned into a yellow-faced man again and went to the Ji family with a broadsword on his back.
The Ji family's housekeeper had been standing at the entrance of the alley anxiously waiting. When he saw him appear, he let out a long sigh and came forward: "Mr. Situ, you are finally here."
Zhao Changhe asked lazily: "What?"
"I heard that last night someone claimed to be our young master and went to the Kangle Casino to gamble with our property!"
"So has your young master really come back?"
"That's right. How can someone go to the gambling house without going home first? He must be a fake!"
"Then why are you so panicked? Does the faker have the title deed? What can he use as collateral for the bet?"
"Uh... I'm afraid that the Kangle Casino will make a fuss about this..."
"In the final analysis, it's all about fists. If the fists are big, there's nothing to be done. Have you told Yan Lianping that I, Situ Xiao, represented the Ji family in the negotiations?"
"Yes." The housekeeper nodded and bowed: "Yan Lianping said that he would meet with Mr. Situ at Qiuyu Pavilion this morning. What do you think..."
"Let's go." Zhao Changhe took out his wine gourd and took a big sip, then strode forward: "I hope the wine from Jianhu City can give me a little surprise."
It's autumn now.
Coincidentally, when we said we were going to Qiuyu Pavilion, it really started to drizzle, bringing a touch of freshness to the hot weather.
Although the rain was not heavy, the streets were no longer as lively as they were yesterday. Many vendors did not come out and there were fewer pedestrians. The prosperous Jianhu City suddenly had the feeling of a cold and deserted small town. Walking along the long streets in the drizzle, people walked forward with swords on their backs.
Zhao Changhe really likes this flavor, it’s very ancient and Jianghu style. Even the current situation in Jianhu City is very similar to that.
Next time you change your appearance, you can consider sticking two eyebrows above your mouth.
Autumn Rain Pavilion loomed in the mist in the distance. It was a low attic with only two and a half floors. But it was in a good location. The top floor was a windowless terrace with no obstruction in front. One could see the ripples of Ancient Sword Lake in the distance. The cool breeze brought the autumn rain in, which was very comfortable.
At this moment, a lot of people gathered outside the building, a large black crowd. Half of them were from the Pinghu Society, and half of them were from the former Xingyi Gang who were incorporated.
Regarding "The young master of the Ji family entrusted Situ Xiao to discuss matters", although the original members of the Xingyi Gang have been incorporated, there are still some loyal old men willing to come and strengthen the reputation of the Ji family.
This is also the reason why the private properties in Taiping Street have been preserved until now.
Seeing Zhao Changhe and the housekeeper enter the building, many of the Xingyi Gang's old gang members shouted, "Please, Mr. Situ."
Zhao Changhe bowed to everyone around him and went upstairs.
At a glance, he saw Yan Lianping sitting in the main seat, and Winged Fire Snake beside him, who was holding his chin and admiring the scenery. A group of Pinghu Society gang members were guarding the perimeter of the floor, staring at Zhao Changhe and the housekeeper behind him as they walked up the stairs.
There was sweat on the butler's forehead and his legs were shaking slightly.
He just wanted to use the name of "Situ Xiao" to fight for some of the "private property that Master Ji deserves." Now that the Xingyi Gang has fallen and Master Ji's life and death are uncertain, it is easy to manipulate this private property into his.
Before I came here, I felt that there was no pressure because Situ Xiao was there to support me. But when I actually came here, I realized that the pressure of attending a meeting alone was much greater than I had imagined... It really makes one's legs tremble.
If you lose your life, what’s the use of your private property
"Mr. Situ?" Yan Lianping was a capable man in his thirties. When he saw Zhao Changhe enter, he spoke sternly, "Forgive me for not wanting to be secretive and try to test the waters. I'll just say it straight. I've seen Situ Xiao, but you are not him."
Zhao Changhe said calmly: "So what if it was Situ Xiao? The property belongs to Ji Bochang. Don't others have the right to judge justice?"
Yan Lianping said: "Of course there is a difference."
"Oh?" "Situ Xiao is a direct descendant of the Shenhuang Sect. We dare not kill him easily. And if it were someone else... The Jianghu gang is not the place to confront your government."
"Clang, clang!" The sound of swords being drawn echoed throughout the attic, and the bright sword array was pointing at the center.
The butler's legs went limp and he collapsed to the ground.
Zhao Changhe did not even move, and said calmly: "Is this why you let the Winged Fire Snake appear here without hiding your origin from the Four Symbols Sect? Because I will be a dead man soon, and dead people will not leak secrets."
"First, the dead won't leak secrets, and second..." Yan Lianping smiled, "Because those who should know my background already know it, so there's no point in hiding it. Besides, I'm about to unify Jianhu City, so there's nothing to hide."
Zhao Changhe also smiled: "If that's the case, it doesn't matter if others see it, right?"
As the voice was speaking, a laughing voice came from the mist outside: "Oh, it really is the Four Symbols Sect. Is Winged Fire Snake a girl? Let me see."
Several figures came up the stairs from outside, it was Sha Qi.
Yan Lianping narrowed his eyes slightly, and his gaze fell on the two old men on Sha Qi's left and right. After a while, he said, "What does Master Sha Qi mean?"
Sha Qi sat down opposite him and said, "Ji Bochang has mortgaged his property to my Kangle Casino. I came here to talk to you about this."
Yan Lianping looked at Zhao Changhe and said calmly, "Is this Ji Bochang? The Ji Bochang that neither the Ji family's housekeeper nor the old gang members know?"
"It doesn't matter whether he is Ji Bochang or not. What's important is the underworld gang, not a place for government offices to fight." Sha Qi smiled and replied with his own words: "You dare not offend Li Shentong, so do you dare to offend my Fifth Master Ying? If I say he is Ji Bochang, then he is Ji Bochang."
Yan Lianping was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Okay. Then there is no need to talk about this matter. The Ji family properties on Taiping Street belong to Brother Ji."
"It's great." Zhao Changhe sat down leisurely and poured himself a glass of wine: "But what I want to talk about is not just the private properties on Taiping Street... Now that I, Ji Bochang, am back, should the Xingyi Gang be inherited by me?"
Yan Lianping laughed dumbly: "If Master Ji wants the gang's property, I have no objection. However, a wise bird chooses a tree to roost in. Master Ji has no right to decide who the brothers in the gang want to follow."
Zhao Changhe said: "Then let me ask?"
Yan Lianping said: "Please do as you wish."
Zhao Changhe looked down at the Xingyi Gang members: "Everyone, the old gang leader was murdered. No matter what, we should still have some sense of loyalty, right?"
People looked at each other in bewilderment. Loyalty was a must, of course. Yan Lianping was able to recruit most of the gang members by saying "avenge Ji Yinan and capture Han Wubing". Although it was really just a matter of choosing a good tree, this was just an obvious excuse, but it had to be there.
Someone said, "This... Mr. Situ, the leader was killed by Han Wubing, and only President Yan can lead everyone to revenge."
Zhao Changhe said: "But Han Wubing didn't kill the old gang leader at all."
Everyone was silent for a moment.
This is just an excuse. In most people's minds, it doesn't really matter whether Han Wubing killed him or not. Of course, some people do care about it. But what's the point of your empty words
Yan Lianping laughed: "This... Master Ji or Master Situ, who else could have caused the sword wound to Ji Gang Leader if not Han Wubing? You're not trying to say it was me, are you? As everyone knows, I used the Yan Hui double blade, which has nothing to do with swords."
Zhao Changhe said slowly: "I use a knife, but I can also use a sword, especially when the opponent is much better, it will be easier."
Yan Lianping smiled and said, "Ji Yinan is not much weaker than me."
Zhao Changhe looked at him strangely: "I didn't say it was you, why does President Yan keep saying that it was you?"
Yan Lianping remained calm and shook his head, saying, "You just want to frame me. Unfortunately, your empty words are meaningless."
Zhao Changhe said: "You are wrong. I was not talking about you from the beginning to the end. Because the one who killed Ji Yinan was a Hu person."
Before he finished speaking, someone came to report in a hurry: "It's bad, it's bad, Han Wubing rushed into the Ji family with a sword, kidnapped Madam Ji, and claimed that the mad lion He Lei came out to die!"
(End of this chapter)