Chapter 264: Welcoming

Sichuan Administration Commissioner's Office, Chongqing Prefecture.

Li Miao walked in front, slowly entering the city.

Shen Xunning had already become accustomed to the fearful gazes cast around, held her head high, and followed behind Li Miao.

With Emei Mountain only a few hundred li away, Li Miao let the Embroidered Uniform Guards who had been following him set off in advance to scout and collect news near Emei.

He himself was slowly advancing with Shen Xunning.

Li Miao came to Emei for the retainer Attendant Ruan Mei who originated from the Emei Sect. Unlike other retainers without foundations, if Attendant Ruan Mei could not suppress the five decays of Heaven-Man, the best choice was to return to Emei.

After all, from Emei's perspective, Attendant Ruan Mei was their own master, and serving the court was a helpless move to preserve the Emei Sect and her own life, and she could bring back the Heaven-Man legacy to Emei. Whether from the perspective of morality or interest, the possibility of Emei assisting Attendant Ruan Mei in hiding was not small.

Regarding the retainers, Li Miao did not hold an attitude of cutting everything with one knife.

For retainers who originated from the righteous path, who had to submit to the court to preserve their own sect, and who had not done much evil, Li Miao was willing to give a chance to change their allegiance.

But this chance only came once.

He swaggered through the city, heading straight for Emei without hiding his tracks, and let his subordinates carry Embroidered Uniform sabers to "inquire about news," just to tell Attendant Ruan Mei.

"I am here."

If Attendant Ruan Mei was waiting for Li Miao at the Emei Sect, it meant she still cared about her own sect, so she could still be used. If she ran—then wait for death.

Of course, there was another reason Li Miao was not in a hurry to head to Emei, and that was the "Heaven-Men waiting to 'bump into' him" that Duan Jue had mentioned.

Chongqing Prefecture was the last prefecture city to pass through on the way to Emei; if those Heaven-Men wanted to see him, they could only wait here.

Li Miao carried his Embroidered Uniform saber, and hadn't walked far after entering the city when he saw a team of people coming to meet them from far away.

The leader was an old acquaintance of Li Miao.

Beggar Gang Leader, Lao Qifeng.

From over ten zhang away, Lao Qifeng quickened his pace, walked to Li Miao, bent his waist, and bowed to the ground.

"Seen the Pacification Commissioner!"

Li Miao smiled, stepped forward to help him up.

"Leader Lao, you and I have long been familiar, and we have the friendship of having gone into a tomb together; no need for such formalities."

Lao Qifeng naturally also flattered him, and all kinds of compliments like "still elegant" were thrown out.

He turned to look at Shen Xunning again.

"This is?"

Li Miao smiled.

"Sect Leader Yin's disciple."

"Oh! High disciple of Sect Leader Yin!"

Last year in the Miao King's tomb, Lao Qifeng had seen Yin Minjun hiding in Li Miao's arms, and instantly understood, and also praised Shen Xunning with a string of compliments.

After the two exchanged pleasantries, the crowd brought by Lao Qifeng also arrived; among them, a middle-aged man approached fawningly and smiled at Li Miao.

"Pacification Commissioner, do you still remember me?"

Li Miao smiled.

"Remember, Cao Gang Leader, right?"

"Yes, yes, Li Official."

Lao Qifeng reached out to lead.

"Li Official, I and Leader Yu have been waiting for you here for seven or eight days, and today we finally waited for you. I have already prepared a wine banquet to welcome you."

"Please."

Li Miao smiled and nodded, leading the two to walk forward.

Arriving at the best restaurant in this Chongqing Prefecture, they saw that the downstairs was already surrounded by Cao Gang and Beggar Gang disciples, and there wasn't a single diner inside, as it had already been booked.

Arriving outside the restaurant, a young man of about eighteen or nineteen ran over, lowered his head, raised his hands, and offered the tray with clear water and a towel to Li Miao.

Another boy of about ten years old ran over, holding a towel to wipe the dust off Li Miao's boots.

Li Miao swept a glance at the two, reached into the clear water to wash his hands, and looked at Lao Qifeng intentionally or unintentionally.

Lao Qifeng's heart trembled instantly.

Li Miao didn't speak, used the towel to wipe his hands, and casually draped it over the young man's shoulder.

The young man's body shook.

Lao Qifeng said dryly.

"Official, he is…"

"Leader Lao, I am hungry."

Li Miao said faintly.

"If you want to reminisce, let's chat while eating."

"Yes, yes."

Lao Qifeng nodded hurriedly, leading Li Miao upstairs with the Cao Gang Leader, to a quiet private room.

The table was already full of dishes, the dishes were exquisite, all in the style of Shuntian Prefecture, clearly to cater to Li Miao's habits. And they were all steaming hot, just out of the pot.

Several people sat down, and there was another round of pleasantries.

After eating for a while, the Cao Gang Leader secretly gave Lao Qifeng a look.

Lao Qifeng shook his head, signaling with his eyes.

"Calm down! Is such a big matter something that can be rushed!"

The Cao Gang Leader also returned a look.

"How could I not be in a hurry!"

The two were flirting with their eyes here, when suddenly a light sound came from their side.

Click.

Lao Qifeng hurriedly turned to look, and saw Li Miao put down his wine cup, looking at them with great interest.

"Li Official, we—"

"Leader Lao, is this meal missing someone?"

Li Miao smiled.

Lao Qifeng's heart trembled.

"What is the official talking about?"

Li Miao reached out and pointed to the street outside the window, saying with a smile.

"The Heaven-Man hidden in the building opposite, aren't you going to come over and eat together? He, surely he isn't unable to sit at the table?"

Li Miao smiled mischievously, leaned toward Lao Qifeng, and said deliberately in a low, gloomy voice.

"Or are you afraid I will kill him directly?"

Boom—

Li Miao's words exploded like a thunderstorm in Lao Qifeng's mind! Even though he was old in the Jianghu, he could no longer control his expression at this moment, the chopsticks in his hand fell onto the table, making a crisp sound.

"Li Official, I…"

Li Miao didn't care about him, raised his hand, and pointed.

Swish!

A hole the size of a finger, with edges as smooth as a mirror, instantly appeared on the wall.

Boom!

A loud noise came from outside the window, the sound wave rolled, causing the window to shake.

Lao Qifeng and the Cao Gang Leader were already pale, cold sweat flowing down their faces and backs.

"Quack quack quack—"

Just as the atmosphere in the room was gradually becoming heavy, a very discordant sound suddenly came from Li Miao's side, breaking the atmosphere.

Li Miao turned to look, only to see Shen Xunning ignoring all this and still eating fiercely with her head down. Although her demeanor was still acceptable, her speed was not slow, and the movement was not small.

Li Miao knocked her on the head with a chopstick in reverse.

"Forgot what I taught you a few days ago! Only know how to eat!"

"Ouch!"

Shen Xunning let out a miserable cry, raised her hand to cover her forehead, tears welling up in her eyes.

Why did you hit me again this time!

A few days ago you wanted to hit me for not eating, why hit me now that I am eating? With you, Grandmaster, what danger could I have? Why can't I eat!

I don't accept it!

She was just about to straighten her back and argue with Li Miao.

"Hmm?"

Li Miao raised an eyebrow.

Shen Xunning immediately bent her waist and aggrievedly put the chopsticks on the table.

"Grand… Grandmaster…"

"I won't eat anymore…"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 265 =====