Chapter 362

Winter hunt in the twenty-one cities? Heng Xian exclaimed in surprise.

The two words "winter hunt" literally mean hunting in winter, but running into the city—what the heck is that?

Fortunately, Toutou was very talkative and actively explained: "Clueless? Don't know what a winter hunt is? This twenty-one cities winter hunt is held right in the city!"

The Song family of Nan Yan City has a myriad beasts manor in the city, inside which strange beasts from first rank up to sixth rank, equivalent to the Primordial Dan Realm, are all present!

At that time, the ladies sampled tiger gall, leopard heart, and lingzhi strange herbs, chatting away, while the young masters and misses competed in archery and hunting.

This winter hunt isn't just about archery; it's also about looks, lineage, cultivation, connections—in short, all kinds of comparisons!

At that time, those who stand out will be the focus of all eyes, enjoying limitless glory, tsk tsk tsk…

Toutou said this with a look of pride, as if he himself were about to shine, but then he realized and felt some regret: "But! Ordinary people can't get in; only those who can enter are the major clans and aristocratic nobles of the twenty-one cities; we ordinary folks, sigh—we just didn't have good luck in rebirth!"

Heng Xian felt nothing; what's fun about a bunch of people hunting and shooting the breeze? Boring!

The ordinary people queuing to enter the city ahead were still crowded on both sides of the road, while behind them, successive waves of nobles and clan retinues arrived—small groups of a few dozen horsemen with six or seven splendid carriages; large groups of hundreds of horsemen, their carriages and honor guard stretching for a li, making a very spectacular sight!

The ordinary people watching around could only feel envy.

Heng Xian pondered a bit; waiting like this wasn't a solution, so he might as well go in first.

Just then, another group arrived from behind—about a hundred horsemen give or take, four carriages, and a few of them seemed vaguely familiar.

Toutou said disdainfully: "The Wang family of Mu Qing City has arrived, tsk… how pitiful!"

The Wang family of Mu Qing City is precisely the natal family of Heng Xian's aunt, Heng Yue Ruo.

Heng Xian exclaimed in surprise: "From what should we start saying it's pitiful?"

Toutou crossed his arms and said: "Do you know that big merchant from the north?"

Heng Xian thought for a moment: "Heng De?"

"Exactly! It's this Heng De!"

Toutou said: "This person is a peculiar oddball in the business world, rising unexpectedly, truly a talent—do you know why I say that?"

Five years ago he came here, opened a pawnshop and a ticket office, on one side lending out copper-coin loans and small loans to earn interest, on the other side using the earned money to pawn and purchase some elixirs and spiritual items.

Nobody had seen this before; everyone thought it strange, and both rich and poor went to take out small loans just to try something new.

But Heng De isn't stupid either; you can't borrow for nothing—you have to put up collateral of equal value and sign a black-and-white contract!

Then, he doesn't worry about you not paying back, because he not only hired a band of desperadoes to collect money, but also takes the earnings, multiplies them by five (two plus one makes five), gives a kind of "tax" to the local City Lord's Mansion, and bribes the other great clans, all to get rich together.

The City Lord's Mansion and the great clans naturally side with him!

Even if you could afford to provoke him, you couldn't afford to provoke the City Lord's Mansion and the great clans!

Moreover, when people really need money, taking out a loan indeed solves the urgent need—it's quite reasonable!

After several years, Heng De made a fortune, and then he not only opened ticket offices and pawnshops, but also invested in medicine shops, tea houses, spiritual artifact shops, pet shops, and brothels!

In these years, if you ask who has the most money within a radius of the twenty-one cities, it's him—the richest of all!

Heng Xian couldn't help but gasp—his father could really do it, taking what he taught him and integrating it thoroughly, playing it so smoothly!

Looking at it this way, there shouldn't be any conflict with the native clans of Nan Yan City and a few other cities, right?

Feigning ignorance, he asked: "Then what? How did you get involved with the Wang family?"

"You wouldn't understand that!"

Toutou said: "This Heng De made a killing, and someone grew jealous—the leading families of the Twenty-One Cities Alliance, the Song family of Nan Yan City Lord's Mansion, the Bai family of Zi Ying City, and the Mu family of Mu Qing City, began to cause trouble, deciding to drive out Heng De and take over his business!"

Having operated for so many years, Heng De was naturally unwilling, so the two sides clashed; the three families carried out various open and covert assassinations, looking for excuses to make arrests!

And the second lady of the Mu Qing City Wang family, Heng Yue Ruo, known as Tie Niangzi, is Heng De's blood sister; whenever Heng De gets into trouble, she steps forward!

At first everyone hesitated because her Wang family was also a member of the Twenty-One Cities Alliance, but as time went on, nobody bought it anymore.

Especially this time, Heng De was arrested again, and the Bai, Song, and Mu families issued an ultimatum: either leave or die!

The Wang family hurried over, partly to participate in the winter hunt, partly to plead for mercy—who knows how the other great clans might mock them!

"So that's how it is!" Heng Xian smiled, his eyes already turning icy.

No wonder my aunt sent me a letter last time—it really was that there was no way out; still, even so, with my aunt's strong-willed nature, she wouldn't just come out and say it.

"Put put put…"

At this moment, the Wang family's convoy passed by, and Wang Qing, the Wang family genius whom Heng Xian had met once, was inside, though his expression was helpless and his spirits low.

And in one of the four carriages, the curtains were slightly parted, revealing the side profile of Heng Yue Ruo inside; her hair was neatly groomed, but her expression showed a hint of exhaustion.

Heng Xian raised his hand, then lowered it, and asked Toutou: "Has Heng De been arrested again?"

"Sure thing!" Toutou said: "He was arrested three days ago and is now soaking in the water prison!"

As soon as his words fell, Heng Xian had already vanished from the spot.

"Sigh."

Toutou looked around, his face full of shock: "Holy shit! I saw a ghost—he just disappeared!"

This drew the surrounding crowd to glance over.

The Song family, lords of Nan Yan City, have a population of thirty thousand, stronger than the Heng family at its peak, and the Song family possess three treasures—

One fruit, two towers, three little pouches!

The "fruit" is the Qianxiang pear—one bite leaves fragrance in the teeth; the "tower" is the Tongtian Tower, standing nine hundred ninety zhang tall, with an eight-thousand-year history; the "pouch" is the youngest daughter of City Lord Song Qingzong, of heavenly beauty and national grace, lovely as a fairy, naturally fragrant, attracting butterflies and birds, and also a true lay disciple of the Maitreya Temple.

When Heng Xian appeared, he had already reached the main street outside the Song family's layered, towering buildings.

Here, one could already see that "tower"—pitch black, soaring into the clouds, imposing in presence.

And the water prison was nearby as well.

Heng Xian gripped his sword hilt, gazing at the Song family manor; today it's a dragon's pool and tiger's den, but he must charge in!

Just as he was about to act, he suddenly saw a group gathered at the foot of a nearby wall, whispering; one of them looked very familiar—seemed to be the steward Xu who attended his father!

At this moment, Steward Xu wore a pleading expression: "Everyone, Second Master has always treated us well; now that he's fallen into trouble, we cannot abandon him without conscience!"

A group of men looked troubled: "We'd go through fire and water for Second Master, risk our lives—we wouldn't hesitate—but it's useless; the Song family manor is full of masters, how could we break in?"

"Ah!" Steward Xu heaved a deep sigh.

Heng Xian had just arrived before him, and in a low voice said: "Old Xu!"

Steward Xu was startled, turned around, and instantly froze, shouting: "Young Master Xian! You've come!"

He made a motion to kneel.

Heng Xian helped him up: "No need for formalities, how is the Second Master?"

Steward Xu wiped the corner of his eyes: "The Second Master is still safe, but the Song family is forcing him to leave, otherwise they'll kill him! And the Second Master, in his stubbornness, refuses to go, even saying that when the time comes the Song family will have to ask him to leave!"

Hearing that his father was still safe, Heng Xian let out a sigh of relief.

Just then, a clamor and boisterous laughter came from not far away.

Heng Xian asked: "What place is……"

Steward Xu said: "The hunting grounds of the Twenty-One Cities, where the major families of the Twenty-One Cities and the prominent figures of the Song family are gathered; otherwise we wouldn't dare come here."

Heng Xian pondered for a moment, then ordered Steward Xu and the others to return first, while he himself headed toward the hunting grounds.

To undo the bell, one must find the one who tied it—have them bring my father out!

Wishing everyone a happy New Year!

(End of chapter)