Chapter 149: Pan Dehai

"If I want you, to stay by my side, to keep watch through the dark night, until tomorrow..."

Chu Er sat in the grand ballroom of the Baile Gate, quietly watching the performance of the songstress Jiang Mengting.

She was the only one in the grand ballroom, but the stage was not lacking in the slightest; the band, the backup dancers, and the color-changing gas lamps—every detail was executed perfectly.

Jiang Mengting felt very awkward. Singing for one person in the grand ballroom of the Baile Gate was a ridiculous affair.

Yet she dared not utter a single word of complaint. She knew the temper of Young Lady Chu Er; one minute she could call her a songstress, and the next, she might peel the skin right off her face.

As the song "I Want You" finished and the band prepared for the next piece, Yang Yanzheng walked up to Chu Er.

Chu Er signaled for Jiang Mengting not to stop, and she left the grand ballroom.

Now that there wasn't a single guest left, Jiang Mengting had to keep singing.

Arriving at a suite on the third floor, Chu Er looked at Yang Yanzheng and asked, "Did you find out?"

Yang Yanzheng nodded: "Monkey Qiu spread the word in the city, saying that whoever dares to go to the Baile Gate, the Lu family will show up at their doorstep the next day."

Chu Er didn't believe it: "How many people are there in Green Water City? Do they all listen to Monkey Qiu?"

"It's not just Monkey Qiu. The eldest master of the He family, He Haiqin, also issued an order. Anyone under the He family's care is forbidden from going to the Baile Gate. The Ma family is the same, and even the Chu family..."

Yang Yanzheng didn't continue. All four great families were now targeting Chu Huaiyuan.

Chu Huaiyuan looked up at Yang Yanzheng: "The great families can't possibly control every commoner, can they? They wouldn't dare to come?"

Yang Yanzheng gave a bitter laugh: "Young Lady, you're joking. How many commoners can afford to come to the Baile Gate?"

Chu Er said: "I'll lower the prices. Twenty yuan is enough to come here and dance, and they can pick whichever dancing girl they want!"

Yang Yanzheng didn't know what to say. Doing business like this would surely lead to bankruptcy.

Besides, never mind twenty yuan; even if it were free, no one would be able to get in.

"The Lu family has ambushed several scouts nearby. They are carrying magic treasures. Ordinary people have to take a detour just seeing our sign."

Chu Er glared: "Call Wen Hongyan here. Go and kill those scouts for me!"

Yang Yanzheng advised: "Young Lady, calm your anger. If you kill those scouts, how could Monkey Qiu let it rest?"

"Then kill Monkey Qiu along with them!"

Kill Monkey Qiu?

Chu Er had lost her mind.

What did she have to kill Monkey Qiu with?

It would be a blessing if Monkey Qiu didn't kill her.

It was fortunate that this was Green Water City and Monkey Qiu didn't want to cause too much of a stir; otherwise, he would have made a move on Chu Er long ago!

Yang Yanzheng couldn't be subtle anymore; he had to speak plainly: "The best fighter you have is Wen Hongyan. What do we have to kill Monkey Qiu with?"

"Go hire people! Hire blade-wielders!"

"Which blade-wielder would dare to touch the Lu family's head steward?"

"I'll pay! Sell my house! I'll live in the Baile Gate from now on. It's a fight to the death between me and him!"

Yang Yanzheng rubbed his forehead. Seeing Chu Er calm down slightly, he advised: "Young Lady, let's just return the Baile Gate to the Lu family. Negotiate the price properly with them; we won't lose much."

"No! The Baile Gate is mine! I won't give it to anyone!" Chu Er's emotions became agitated again, and Yang Yanzheng stopped speaking.

After a long silence, Chu Er stood up and said: "Prepare the carriage. We're going to Blue Poplar Village."

"What are we going to Blue Poplar Village for?"

"To find Ma Wu. When he opened the Carefree Dock, the great families made things difficult for him too. He knows how to handle this. I must find him; he'll definitely have an idea."

Yang Yanzheng shook his head repeatedly: "Young Lady, the Carefree Dock and the Baile Gate are two different things. How big of a business is the Carefree Dock? The Baile Gate is the sign of Green Water City!"

"You don't know a damn thing! Ma Wu is the expert at making money. He definitely has a way!"

"Young Lady, stop acting recklessly. The Lu family is blocking our business now; who knows what they'll do next. You can't leave the city now. Once you leave, the Lu family might strike in the dark. Young Lady, Young Lady..."

Yang Yanzheng pleaded repeatedly, but Chu Er wouldn't listen. She prepared the carriage, took her attendants, and went to Blue Poplar Village.

Blue Poplar Village, Changchun Garden.

The great scout Zuo Wugang moved from the dance floor to the restaurant, then from the restaurant to the inn. After circling the inn twice, he headed toward the tavern.

Xiao Chuanzi followed behind, sweating profusely: "Head Zuo, you've circled twenty times already. Think of something!"

"What are you shouting about!" Zuo Wugang furrowed his brows, "Am I not trying to think of a way right now!"

Chu Er had come!

Li Banfeng and Ma Wu were both away. She wouldn't leave; she opened a dozen rooms in Mengchun Garden and settled in.

She was now a thorn in the Lu family's side, and other families were secretly targeting her as well. Under these circumstances, she couldn't be allowed to stay in Blue Poplar Village for long.

Zuo Wugang had thought of this layer.

But he hadn't thought of what exactly to do.

Xiao Chuanzi was anxious, and Zhen Jincheng and Cao Zhida were anxious too.

Cao Zhida offered an idea first: "Head Zuo, I say we just play hardball and drive them out. We can handle the few people Chu Er has under her!"

Zuo Wugang waved his hand: "On what grounds do we play hardball? They came to Changchun Garden for leisure, and they paid for the rooms and the drinks. On what grounds do we drive them out? Is that according to the rules?"

Zhen Jincheng said: "Then let's go reason with her and persuade her to leave!"

Zuo Wugang spat: "Reason my ass. You haven't even read a book; you're going to reason with a young lady of a wealthy family?"

Cao Zhida said: "If the open approach doesn't work, we'll use the dark one. We'll trip her up and make her retreat in the face of difficulty!"

"That's not appropriate either," Zuo Wugang shook his head, "Young Lady Chu Er might really have feelings for the Fifth Young Master. If we play too dirty, the Fifth Young Master will blame us when he returns."

Zhen Jincheng sighed: "Then what do you say we do? It'll be too late once the Lu family comes knocking!"

"I reckon it won't come to that. Young Lady Chu Er is a person of stature; the Lu family won't go so far as to exterminate her."

Cao Zhida said: "In Green Water City, the Lu family still has some scruples. This is Blue Poplar Village. Killing someone is like killing a chicken here. The Lu family will act the moment they decide to.

Even if we avoid the Lu family then, if Chu Er dies here, we're finished too! This matter won't be easy to explain!"

Zuo Wugang had thought of this layer too.

But he really didn't know how to handle it.

Zuo Wugang grew anxious: "You all go back. Stop shouting in my ears. Go, go further away!"

The three of them found a room in Changchun Garden to sit in, while Zuo Wugang continued to pace outside.

Xiao Chuanzi sighed: "How can Head Zuo not have a single idea!"

Zhen Jincheng shook his head: "That's his flaw. When someone gives him orders, he's a tiger. When no one gives him orders, he's not even as good as a cat."

Cao Zhida pounded the table: "Why hasn't the Fifth Master returned yet? And Brother Qiye hasn't made a move either!"

Twenty hours later, Li Banfeng woke up in the Suishenju.

"Oh my, husband, did you have a good dream just now?"

Li Banfeng shook his head: "I had a nightmare. I dreamed I was eaten clean by a pile of bugs."

*Chi chi~*

"Oh my, husband, that shouldn't be. Everyone who meets that bitch has a good dream; some people never wake up for the rest of their lives."

Li Banfeng sat on the edge of the bed and asked: "The bitch you're talking about, is it that girl surnamed Feng?"

"If this little slave hasn't guessed wrong, husband must have met Feng Daiku."

"Feng Daiku? What kind of name is that?"

The phonograph sang *chi chi*: "When this woman was born, she brought a catastrophe to her family, so she was despised by them. They gave her such an ugly name.

Feng Daiku is a mouthful to say. As time went on, some people called her Feng Koudai (Pocket). This name was easier on the ears, so it stuck."

"Feng Koudai? Isn't that even uglier?"

*Chi chi~*

"That name is considered nice. After a few more years, who knows if it was a rumor or what, but some people mispronounced Koudai as Kudai (Pants Belt). Later, everyone called her Feng Kudai."

"Kudai? Can she tolerate that?"

"She can! I have to say, this bitch has some capacity for tolerance. She accepted the name Kudai and even renamed her territory. It was originally called Koudai Kan (Pocket Ridge), and later it was changed to Kudai Kan (Pants Belt Ridge)."

Kudai Kan...

Kudai Kan!

"Wife, you said Kudai Kan is her territory? And she gave it that name herself?"

"Yes! She is the local deity of Kudai Kan. Husband should know what kind of status a local deity has."

Local deity!

These three words echoed back and forth in Li Banfeng's mind.

That Miss Feng was a local deity, the local deity of Kudai Kan.

What about the old Mr. Yao of Medicine Yao Wang Gou?

Was he also a local deity?

The local deity of Medicine Yao Wang Gou?

Logically, it made sense. Mr. Yao was a wandering soul, and local deities were also wandering souls.

Was Miss Feng a wandering soul?

He should have used the Golden Eye to take a closer look at the time.

Li Banfeng asked the phonograph: "Wife, what is the origin of a local deity?"

"This little slave can't remember."

"Good wife, just tell me. I'll go get you something to eat—fresh, sweet, and crunchy wandering souls, as many as you want." Li Banfeng leaned closer to the phonograph.

"Oh my, husband, this little slave isn't playing games with you. I really can't remember. The origin of a local deity is related to the Inner Province. This little slave doesn't want to remember things about the Inner Province."

Inner Province?

Li Banfeng heard a new term.

"What kind of place is the Inner Province?"

"Outside there is the Outer Province, inside there is the Inner Province, and in the middle is the Puluo Province."

"Wife, tell me carefully about this Inner Province."

"Husband, this little slave really doesn't want to remember."

"Wife, think carefully. I'll go buy groceries in a while."

"Husband, if you force this little slave to think, I can, but I'll go crazy if I remember."

Li Banfeng smiled indifferently: "Going a little crazy is fine. Who hasn't gone crazy before?"

*Chi chi~*

The phonograph's singing voice suddenly slowed down significantly: "After going crazy, I might not recognize husband anymore. Husband, do you really want this little slave to think?"

Li Banfeng was silent for a moment and moved a little further away from the phonograph: "Then I won't force you, wife."

*Clang-clang-clang~ Tai~*

The wife's singing voice became much more cheerful: "Oh my, husband, having said that, I remember you've always been in Green Water Bay. How did you meet that bitch Feng Daiku?"

Li Banfeng shook his head: "I don't know either. She said she was injured."

"Oh my, that's strange. In Green Water Bay, who could injure her? Could it be that she was beaten by that beggar? But why would she run to Green Water Bay to provoke that beggar?"

The beggar of Green Water Bay?

The master of Green Water Bay?

They fought?

Was this to fight for territory?

There was too much information; the more Li Banfeng heard, the more bewildered he became.

He suddenly remembered something—the thing Feng Daiku gave him, that mass of flesh wrapped in bamboo leaves.

He took the flesh out of his suit pocket: "This is what Feng Daiku gave me."

*Hoo-sha~*

A mass of steam wrapped around the bamboo leaves, sensing for a long time.

"This bitch has gained quite a few skills. The seal she made, even I couldn't sense it. Official, open these bamboo leaves for this little slave to see."

Li Banfeng untied the grass stem on the bamboo leaves, revealing the mass of flesh inside.

*Da~ da~ da... Tai~*

After the gongs and drums played for a long time, the phonograph spoke: "If this little slave hasn't seen wrong, this is the flesh of Pan Dehai."

Li Banfeng looked bewildered: "Who is Pan Dehai?"

"A Virtue Cultivator. People in the world call him Mr. Dehai. He is also a local deity, but how could he fight with Feng Daiku?"

PS: The local deity of Kudai Kan, why would she appear in Green Water Bay?

And fighting with others in Green Water Bay?

Is this not putting the boss of Green Water Bay in her eyes?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 150 =====