Chapter 107: To Speak Honestly

In the room, the phonograph spewed steam, happily sucking souls.

On the second floor of the wooden house, Li Banfeng held a mop, grimly wiping blood.

This blood was hard to clean; among the four, only the big brother was sensible—he left no traces. No wonder he became the leader; he had awareness.

The blood was all wiped clean, but Li Banfeng still had to deal with the leather shoes.

The shoes were firmly glued to the floor; even a knife couldn’t pry them loose. There was no choice—he cut off the uppers, left only the soles, then covered them with miscellaneous items.

According to Ma Wu, the clay would dry in a day and night; deal with it after it dried.

Just as he finished cleaning, someone knocked. Li Banfeng went downstairs and found it was Wei the landlord.

“What are you here for? Rent isn’t due yet.”

Wei the landlord said: “Didn’t I tell you? You two don’t need to pay me rent. I heard gunshots earlier—came to check if you’re alright.”

Li Banfeng looked astonished: “You heard the gunshots too? I was asleep and got woken up—I thought it was a dream. Who fired?”

“I thought it was you! Good, you’re fine—that’s a relief. Where’s Master Ma?”

“At Jiqing Troupe, having fun.”

“Glad you’re alright. See you.”

Wei the landlord left.

Li Banfeng stood at the door, watching Wei’s back for a moment.

The gunshots had been half an hour ago.

He showed up now.

…

Ten minutes later, Ma Wu returned: “Brother Li, how’s it going?”

Li Banfeng spoke calmly: “It’s settled.”

“What about those men?”

“They’ve gone elsewhere. Won’t be back anytime soon.” Li Banfeng spoke vaguely.

“Brother Li, did you ask who sent them?”

“I asked. The leader said it was Lady Ma who sent them.”

“Big sister,” Ma Wu pursed his lips, “I never thought it was her.”

Li Banfeng said: “Don’t misunderstand. I said the leader claimed Lady Ma personally sent them. But who actually sent them? Still unknown.”

Ma Wu froze: “You mean he lied?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know how your noble family handles this, but I doubt these men could ever meet your big sister.”

Li Banfeng didn’t believe the gray-clad man. Everything the man said was a delay tactic. The feud between Lady Ma and Ma Wu was almost certainly fabricated on the spot.

With Li Banfeng’s reminder, Ma Wu thought deeper.

He was easygoing, never acted like a rich heir, and mingled often with martial folk.

But his big sister wasn’t like that—she was a proper lady of a great family. How could she personally meet such people?

Ma Wu couldn’t piece it together. Li Banfeng reminded him:

“Think carefully—who have you made enemies with?”

“Enemies?” Ma Wu thought hard. “Minor grudges don’t count. I don’t seem to have deep hatred with any siblings.”

Li Banfeng frowned: “Stop thinking about your siblings. They don’t want you dead—you can’t inherit the family fortune anyway. Killing you serves no purpose.”

Ma Wu rubbed his forehead; his thoughts grew clearer.

Li Banfeng was right. He’d been suspecting family, but they had no reason to drive him to death.

At his current state, further pressure served no purpose for his siblings.

“But if it’s outsiders… I don’t seem to have any either…”

Li Banfeng smiled bitterly: “Then this gets tricky. I suggest asking Wei the landlord—he heard the commotion, came to us half an hour later.”

He lives less than two minutes away. We shouted outside, he’d hear it inside.

If he truly cared, he’d have come right away. If he feared trouble, he’d have stayed away. Yet he appeared precisely half an hour later—he’s more like a spy.”

Ma Wu’s eyes flashed. He nodded rapidly: “Brother Li’s right. I’ll go ask him straight.”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “Brother Ma, go like that and you’ll learn nothing.”

Wei the landlord is clever—he’s surely prepared now. Though he looked weak during the chaos, he survived the wilds’ traps. He must have other tricks. You might get ambushed.”

Ma Wu knew Li Banfeng was right—but couldn’t think of a plan.

Li Banfeng reminded him: “Set bait. Hunt. That’s your strength. What bait? Depends on what Wei the landlord wants.”

Ma Wu thought a moment—then had an idea.

…

Deep night. Wei the landlord gripped his revolver, sitting silently on a recliner.

Outside, unsteady footsteps approached, followed by frantic knocking.

Wei placed his finger on the trigger: “Who is it?”

Ma Wu’s voice came: “It’s me—help me…”

His voice was weak. Wei lifted his revolver, cracked the door open—and saw Ma Wu, battered and bleeding, barely standing.

Wei grabbed him, tucked the gun away, and dragged him into the bedroom: “Young Master Ma, what happened?”

Ma Wu sighed: “I got tricked again. Just made a little money—got robbed clean.”

Wei licked his lips: “Who’s doing this? No mercy left? Where’s your roommate? I’ll call him.”

Ma Wu shook his head: “Don’t call him yet. Something’s off.”

“What’s off?” Wei’s cheek twitched; his hand instinctively returned to the gun.

Ma Wu gasped: “I’ve always wondered—why does someone rob me right after I make money?”

Wei’s eyes widened: “You mean your roommate sold you out?”

“I didn’t suspect him. Tonight we went to Jiqing Troupe together. He said he felt unwell and left early.”

“He was full of energy when he left—collapsed at the troupe. Doesn’t that seem suspicious?”

Wei sighed: “Young Master Ma, be careful. Your friend helped you when you were in trouble. Don’t act without conscience.”

Ma Wu nodded: “I won’t forget kindness. But if he’s plotting against me, I won’t spare him. Wei boss, got any weapons? Borrow me one—I’ll confront him.”

Wei stopped him: “You’re not going to talk—you’re going to kill. If he’s innocent, you’ll wrong him. If he’s guilty, will you even come back alive?”

“Here’s the plan: don’t rush. I’ll go with you. We’ll reason if there’s reason, speak plainly if there’s matter. You saved my life—I won’t hesitate if it comes to blood.”

Ma Wu took Wei the landlord out, stormed to the wooden house he shared with Li Banfeng. Inside the parlor, Ma Wu called: “Wei boss is here. Let’s settle this.”

Li Banfeng descended the stairs and nodded: “Yes. Let’s settle this.”

Wei the landlord paled—he realized something was wrong.

His feet were stuck. He couldn’t move.

But Ma Wu moved freely.

The floor had clay. Ma Wu wore iron shoe covers.

Wei looked between Li Banfeng and Ma Wu, panic rising.

“What are you two planning?”

Li Banfeng smiled: “Nothing. Just inviting you for tea. And have a few questions—hope you’ll give us some insight.”

“Talk plainly—why ambush me?” Wei’s hand slid toward his waist gun.

Li Banfeng raised his gun first: “In Pulu Province, bullets work unpredictably. Want to bet?”

Wei didn’t dare move.

Because Li Banfeng was a second-layer Wu Xiu, everyone overlooked him. Today, for the first time, he noticed Li Banfeng’s face.

Li Banfeng usually wore a hat, always pulled low.

Today, he wasn’t wearing one.

His features looked familiar.

Like he’d seen them in a photograph.

As he pondered, Ma Wu spoke: “Wei boss, since the day I arrived at Lanyang Village, I rented from you, right?”

Wei nodded: “Correct. You took one room—I charged you eight hundred a month. Two rooms for that price? Not expensive.

Later you couldn’t pay—I kicked you out. Young Master Ma, we must be clear: don’t blame me for being unkind. Renting is my livelihood. I can’t afford to be generous.”

Ma Wu shook his head: “I don’t blame you. But I’m puzzled: the day I moved in, I paid rent. Two days later, I got robbed. After that, you came to check on me—brought me medicinal ointment. True?”

Wei nodded: “Of course. You’re my tenant, I’m your landlord—we have ties.”

Ma Wu nodded: “A month later, I paid rent again. Three days later, I got robbed again. True?”

Wei frowned: “I didn’t rob you. Why blame me? Before you got robbed, didn’t you meet others?”

Wei was right—Ma Wu had met many people before being robbed. Had Li Banfeng not reminded him, he’d never suspect Wei.

But now that he suspected, coincidences linked together.

“Second month, I couldn’t pay rent—you kicked me out. I scavenged under Tianqiao, earned a hundred or so—barely enough to eat.

One day, I met you at the noodle shop. We chatted. When I mentioned I had no place to stay, you mocked me. I said, ‘Next month I’ll rent your room again.’ But days later, I got robbed again—lost even my food money. How do you explain that?”

Wei sighed: “Young Master Ma, it’s just bad luck. Maybe our fates clash—you’re cursed when you meet me. But that’s not my fault.”

“Every time you sold goods at Song’s place, you met Song’s people and made money. Then you got robbed. Why don’t you suspect the Song family?”

That stumped Ma Wu.

Li Banfeng spoke from the side: “You know he sells goods at Song’s?”

Wei the landlord said: “That’s the rule in Lanyang Village—anyone hunting in the New Lands must sell their goods to the Song family.”

Li Banfeng asked again: “Do you also know he went hunting in the New Lands?”

Wei the landlord said: “In Lanyang Village, isn’t the New Lands the only place that brings in a living? What else could you rely on to make money?”

Wei the landlord had just patched up his story.

But his heart had already risen to his throat.

Hearing this, Li Banfeng said to Ma Wu: “What he says makes sense.”

Ma Wu said: “It does make sense. How should we deal with him?”

Li Banfeng smiled: “Since he’s so reasonable, let’s just kill him.”

Ma Wu froze. Wei the landlord widened his eyes: “I’ve told you everything! Why are you still going to kill me?”

Li Banfeng looked bewildered: “Does telling the truth mean you don’t deserve to die? What kind of logic is that?”

“Th-this is common sense!” Wei the landlord was at a loss for words.

Ma Wu also thought Li Banfeng was acting strangely.

But Li Banfeng felt perfectly normal.

“Mr. Wei, when Ma Wu first rented your house, his money was stolen and he couldn’t pay rent—didn’t he explain that to you?”

Wei the landlord nodded: “He explained it.”

Li Banfeng continued: “If he explained it clearly, why didn’t you rent to him?”

Wei the landlord glared: “I just said—I rent houses to make money. He has no money. Why should I rent to him?”

“Exactly—that’s the logic. I brought you here to question you, and you’ve said nothing useful. Why shouldn’t I kill you?” Li Banfeng pulled back the hammer of his revolver.

“Whether what you say makes sense or not, whether you explain clearly or not—if your words hold no value to us, it’s just like not paying rent. Talking sense won’t save your life.”

Wei the landlord panicked—he realized Li Banfeng wasn’t mad.

“Gentlemen, you shouldn’t be asking me. You should ask Ma’s eldest daughter.”

“You mean my elder sister?” Ma Wu turned to Li Banfeng. This matched the gray-robed man’s story exactly.

Since the stories matched, what he said must be true.

Li Banfeng fired.

Click~

The gun didn’t fire. Wei the landlord was lucky.

Clatter~

Wei the landlord wet himself.

His face turned deathly pale as he stared at Li Banfeng: “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you—it’s not Ma’s eldest daughter, it’s the Fourth Young Master!”

Ma Wu was stunned.

My fourth brother?

How did I overlook him…

My fourth brother has always been ignored in the family.

Ma Wu rubbed his forehead. He could see through everything else—but when it came to family matters, he was utterly confused.

Click~

Li Banfeng fired again.

Wei the landlord’s luck held—the gun still didn’t fire.

He collapsed to his knees, his knees glued to the floor.

“Gentlemen, I’m telling the truth, I swear—I was sent by Yang Yanzheng to spy on you!”

Ma Wu blinked: “Who is Yang Yanzheng?”

Li Banfeng smiled.

Ma Wu asked: “Do you know Yang Yanzheng?”

Li Banfeng shook his head: “No, but that sounds like the truth.”

PS: Yang Yanzheng is the man who delivered the peach parcel.

Li Banfeng stared at the vote chart, clutching the phonograph, his eyes bloodshot.

I want to kill. I want to surge!

Dear readers, support Banfeng! Lead Banfeng forward!

(End of Chapter)