Chapter 291: I

Lü Qi didn't wait for Sòng Běitíng to say anything.

"We know what we're doing, don't you? You've already come to repay! Moreover, if you want to repay, you repay Qiao Hushui and the others—what does that have to do with Qiao Sheng? We're after Qiao Sheng, not them!"

Sòng Běitíng's brows knit.

"Qiao Sheng is their relative; if she dies, they'll be sad."

The two brothers truly are blood brothers.

Exactly the same!

Lü Qi couldn't help thinking what misfortune had befallen him to cooperate with those two brothers in running North Tower.

The more he thought, the angrier he became.

Lü Qi brought up Sòng Běitíng.

"You're only caring about them, ignoring the reputation of our North Tower? Do you know what it would mean for North Tower if this got out? Our peers would mock us, outsiders would doubt North Tower's ability, and how would we get commissions later? How would we make money?"

Sòng Běitíng said aloud, "If it spreads, would they dare? If it really were like that, we'd have Qiao Sheng fund it and kill them."

Lü Qi: "……"

It seems they wouldn't dare.

Their North Tower isn't easy to provoke either.

A smart person wouldn't do such a thing.

Kill them instead.

He really can manage that.

Lü Qi paused briefly and said, "I'm already here; shall I give it a try?"

That's a full thousand taels of gold.

North Tower has made a lot of money; who would find the money a problem?

That's pretty stupid!

Moreover, not killing Qiao Sheng would mean having to pay compensation.

A full ten thousand taels of gold.

One hundred thousand taels of silver!

Sòng Běitíng casually said, "If you want to go die, go ahead; don't blame me for not saving you. Qiao Sheng now has not only people from Shi Lin, but also others; they seem quite skilled in martial arts, and there are more than a few of them."

"I don't believe it anymore."

Lü Qi turned and left.

This time he observed more carefully; he saw that not only among the stallholders around were people protecting Qiao Sheng, but also among those eating and drinking nearby were people protecting her.

Shi Lin didn't send that many people to her; who sent the rest?

Lü Qi was pondering what to do when someone came to Qiao Sheng's shop; these people were undoubtedly sent by Na Lan Ruo Lan and her junior sister.

They were all women, each looking quite proficient in martial arts.

After a few words with Qiao Sheng, they each moved to a side and sat down.

Lü Qi: "……"

Forget it, let's not kill them!

Lü Qi originally wanted to call out to Sòng Běitíng to go back together.

Sòng Běitíng said he wanted to wander elsewhere, so he didn't return with him.

Little did they know.

He hadn't been gone long.

Sòng Běitíng rented a house in Wutong Town, settled there, and even purchased a tavern, opening it there.

He usually opened taverns in county towns and Prefecture City; this was his first in such a town.

He proceeded slowly, so Qiao Sheng and the others naturally didn't notice.

……

Shi Lin hadn't sent a letter even after the New Year.

After the New Year, around mid‑February.

He finally wrote.

Shi Lin told Qiao Sheng that they had already recaptured five cities, and in a few more days they should recover all of them, but he couldn't say exactly when they'd return, as they might have to keep fighting.

The Tūjué had negotiated peace with them once before, but only a few years later they resurfaced; this time they could not be dealt with leniently.

He thought for a moment.

Qiao Sheng only just replied to Shi Lin, but after several drafts she was still unsatisfied.

Finally.

Qiao Sheng wrote just one line.

"I'm fine; you take care of yourself. I'll wait for you to return and marry me. If you dare not come back, I'll marry someone else immediately."

Sòng Běitíng intercepted the letter, read it, and then had it sent away.

"Young Master Song!"