Chapter 451: Storytelling

The twenty-sixth year of Jiajing, March 27th.

Qilu, Laizhou Prefecture.

Inside a private room on the second floor of a roadside tavern, Wu Mingxiao picked at his food half-heartedly. Despite being hungry, he couldn't focus on eating at all.

A few dozen *li* to the northeast was the Dengzhou Garrison he had been thinking of day and night.

He had never imagined the journey would be so smooth.

Ever since the Wild Goose Hall incident, he hadn't encountered any trouble. The pursuit by the Eastern Islanders, the aftermath of the Wild Goose Hall, or any other unsavory business one might encounter while *Paojianghu*—none of it happened.

Even the territories of the greenwood bandits and demonic sects he passed were calm and peaceful; he hadn't met a single villain. When passing outside the mountain gates of these sects, the doors were all tightly shut, and not even a chicken's cry could be heard.

It was as if... the people of these sects had all vanished.

Thinking of this, Wu Mingxiao turned his head and glanced calmly.

Zhao Ying was sitting opposite him, rocking the child with an indifferent expression. Behind her, Li Miao was sitting on the window frame facing the street, swaying a wine pot in one hand, the other tucked into his robes, squinting as he listened to the storyteller's tale outside.

Wu Mingxiao pursed his lips.

He was young and inexperienced, not stupid.

Not to mention that Li Miao's *Wu Gong* was inexplicably high and his background unclear, just the fact that he would disappear every few days on this journey because he had "things to do." Whenever he returned, Zhao Ying would be exceptionally silent for several days, not even daring to meet Li Miao's eyes.

Linking this to the bizarre situation of those demonic and greenwood sects along the way, and the faint smell of blood that had drifted into his nose with the mountain breeze after the Wild Goose Hall incident was settled... Wu Mingxiao felt like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

Should he ask?

Zhao Ying, beside him, glanced at him calmly.

Wu Mingxiao deliberated for a long time before deciding to speak.

If he were alone, he naturally wouldn't ask, as it would seem like he was doubting Brother Li. But they were about to reach the Dengzhou Garrison and see the Vice Prefect... Identity aside, he had to clarify Li Miao's intentions first.

"Brother Li, I have something to say."

Wu Mingxiao stood up.

Li Miao waved his hand without turning his head, pointed outside the window, and said nothing more.

Wu Mingxiao was puzzled, but knowing Li Miao wouldn't act without a reason, he walked to Li Miao's side and leaned out to look.

People were coming and going on the street, merchants were hawking their wares, and the storyteller by the roadside seemed to have reached an exciting part, his face flushed and spittle flying. As for other places—Wu Mingxiao scanned a few times but couldn't find what Li Miao wanted him to see.

"Li—"

Before he could finish, Wu Mingxiao froze.

On the street outside the window, the storyteller stood up abruptly, grabbed his wooden clapper, and slammed it on the table three times in a row. Not satisfied, he threw the clapper out, and with a *whoosh*, it flew into the crowd of listeners.

"Damn it!"

The storyteller cursed.

By all logic, if a storyteller did this, the audience should have started cursing back.

But right now, not a single person raised an objection.

Instead, they all stood there clenching their fists and pursing their lips, wearing expressions of anger identical to the storyteller's.

The storyteller panted heavily a few times before speaking slowly.

"Everyone, who General Qi is, I don't need to say."

"Since he took over as the Dengzhou Garrison Vice Commander two years ago, how many Japanese pirates has he killed, and how many commoners has he saved from their hands? Who can count!"

"Of those making a living here in Dengzhou and Laizhou, who dares say they haven't benefited from General Qi!"

"Saying he colluded with Japanese pirates—I spit on that!"

The storyteller spat a thick glob of phlegm on the ground.

At the same time, Wu Mingxiao's expression changed drastically, and he turned to look at Li Miao in disbelief.

"Brother Li... what he said is..."

Li Miao smiled.