Chapter 507: Storytelling

The twenty-sixth year of Jiajing, the twenty-seventh day of the third month.

Qi and Lu, Laizhou Prefecture.

Inside a private room on the second floor of a roadside tavern, Wu Mingxiao picked at his food listlessly; despite being hungry, he could not spare a single thought for eating.

A few dozen *li* further to the northeast was the Dengzhou Guard he had been longing for.

He had never imagined that the journey would be so smooth.

Ever since the Dayan Hall incident, he had not encountered any trouble; the pursuit by the Japanese pirates, the aftermath of Dayan Hall, or any of the other unsavory matters one usually encounters while *paojianghu*—none of it happened.

Even the territories of the few established greenwood and demonic sects he passed were calm and peaceful; he hadn't encountered a single villain. When passing outside the mountain gates of these sects, the gates were all shut tight, and not even the sound of a chicken 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 over, keeping his composure.

Zhao Ying was sitting opposite him, holding the child and rocking it 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, listening to the storyteller's tale outside with narrowed eyes.

Wu Mingxiao pursed his lips.

He was young and inexperienced, not stupid.

Not to mention that Li Miao's martial arts were inexplicably high and his background unclear, just the fact that he would disappear every few days on this journey, claiming to have things to do. Whenever he returned, Zhao Ying would be exceptionally silent for several days, not even daring to meet Li Miao's eyes.

Connecting this to the bizarre state of those demonic and greenwood sects along the way, and the faint stench of blood that had drifted into his nose with the mountain breeze after the Dayan Hall affair concluded... Wu Mingxiao felt as if a fishbone were stuck in his throat.

Should he ask?

Zhao Ying, beside him, glanced at him without changing her expression.

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

If it were just him, he naturally wouldn't ask, as it would seem like he was doubting Brother Li. But they were about to reach the Dengzhou Guard and see the Assistant Commissioner... 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 a finger 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 red and his 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 the wooden gavel, and slammed it three times on the table, *pa-pa-pa*. Not satisfied, he suddenly threw the gavel out, *whoosh*, flying into the crowd of listening commoners.

"Damn it!"

The storyteller cursed.

Logically, if a storyteller acted like this, the audience should have started cursing back long ago.

But now, not a single person raised an objection.

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

The storyteller took a few deep breaths before speaking slowly.

"Everyone, who General Qi is, I need not say."

"Since he took over as the Dengzhou Guard Assistant Commissioner two years ago, how many Japanese pirates has he beheaded, and how many commoners has he saved from their hands? Who can count them all!"

"Those of us making a living 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 onto 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. ===== CHAPTER 508 =====