Chapter 1569: Intelligence on the Fu Lun Brothers

Xia De didn't have the nerve to use public funds to order dishes like "pan-fried foie gras with top-grade black truffles," but he didn't hold back on ordinary dishes like Green Lake specialty smoked meat soup. The club's service was very attentive, and the food was served quickly. During this time, the negotiation representatives from City Hall also arrived.

The first batch of people to enter included that "Count Niu Ka Er Si of Lai Ke Dun." Xia De memorized his face and the face of the person he was talking to. It was ten minutes later when the Fu Lun brothers, wearing formal attire and monocles, entered.

Xia De had signaled the waiter, so the waiter brought them directly to Xia De's table. When the brothers sat down, they looked confused as Xia De ordered food for them, wanting to ask about Xia De's identity. Xia De spoke again:

"How come I don't see Count Liu Yisi? I wonder how his injury is."

"The shoulder injury is healing, but the injury to his *** is afraid... Wait a minute, sir, who are you? Do we know each other?"

Eric Fu Lun, who wore a monocle over his right eye, asked in surprise.

"We met once, don't you remember? To Bei Si Ke, on the roof of the Empress Maria Opera House."

The brothers both revealed expressions of shock mixed with panic. Xia De, while using a fork to hold down a steak and a knife to cut the meat, lowered his voice and hurriedly comforted them:

"Don't worry, I entered this club using the identity of an Intelligence Agency agent."

The expressions on the brothers' faces became increasingly indescribable.

"Don't look at me like that. Anyway, whether it's the Intelligence Agency or the Gray Gloves, it's very difficult to confirm the identity of every secret agent at all times. What's wrong with me borrowing this identity to have them pay for my meal? After all, I have also paid taxes within De La Rui Ang."

He said it as a matter of course, but Eric Fu Lun, the older brother, knew that the high-level Ring Mage before them definitely hadn't come to chat with them:

"Sir, may I ask if you have any business with us?" "Yes, I remember when we met in To Bei Si Ke, you were holding a Relic compass, which was how you located the materials you were looking for."

Xia De used his fork to put the beef into his mouth, then wiped his mouth with a napkin:

"I want to borrow your compass to find something."

The brothers looked at each other, and the older brother with the monocle over his right eye asked:

"Sir, may I ask what you are looking for? We don't want to pry into your privacy, but that compass cannot find everything."

"I want to find the descendants of the Edwards family, the descendants of the former lord of Green Lake Town."

Xia De said, looking at the brothers who had different expressions:

"I don't know their names, nor do I know their identities; I only know that these people do indeed exist. There must be restrictions on using the Relic. Can it find people?"

He asked, and the younger brother, Charles, shook his head:

"That compass can only find non-living objects, and it requires knowing a very precise name and appearance. Every time it is used, a certain... price must be paid. It cannot be used to find people."

"Then forget it, what a pity."

Xia De said lightly, without a hint of regret in his tone:

"Finding members of the Edwards family isn't a big deal. I really hope they jump out and find me themselves."

Saying this, he looked at the brothers again.

He couldn't take the initiative to say he knew they were the Edwards, otherwise, since they had just revealed this to Xia De Han Mi Er Dun in To Bei Si Ke, they would inevitably associate something with it. But according to Xia De's current way of asking, they would only think that the man before them had found some clues and wouldn't easily suspect the detective far away in To Bei Si Ke.

The brothers' expressions were very complicated. They didn't speak immediately because the waiter had already pushed the food cart over. After the waiter left, Eric asked softly:

"Sir, I don't know what you want them for? We also have connections in Wei Lun Dai Er, perhaps we can help you find them."

"I have a letter from before the Edwards family was wiped out, and there is a pattern on it that makes me curious. I think the descendants of the Edwards might know the meaning of that pattern." Xia De raised an eyebrow, took out a notebook from his pocket, drew the pattern of the sun, moon, and stars with a pen, and pushed it toward them:

"It's this."

The brothers pretended not to know that Xia De had seen through them, and Xia De also pretended not to know that they knew he had seen through them. The Fu Lun brothers looked at the notebook together, then shook their heads together:

"Sorry, we have no memory of this pattern, but it looks very similar to the back of a Luo De card."

"Since you have connections in Wei Lun Dai Er, help me check if there is any description of this in the relics of the former Edwards."

Both brothers understood:

"No problem, we will write to our servants to help you check this pattern. However, we don't know any Edwards other than the Edwards in Wei Lun Dai Er... How should we contact you later?"

"I will come to find you. Anyway, you won't be leaving the Green Lake region anytime soon."

Xia De said:

"And I won't let you help for nothing. If you have any needs, I can also help you. By the way, do you have any plans to go to the island recently?"

"We originally did, but some changes appeared on that island the day before yesterday, and the local church is searching the island. We may have to wait for a while before going."

Eric said.

"That's good. Also, don't easily expose your relationship with the Edwards; this identity will become very sensitive in the coming period."

The brothers nodded:

"Grandfather also said similar things before he passed away. Not many people around us know our identity, and no one is in Green Lake."

"It's best if that's the case. Speaking of which, your grandfather's name is..." "Edward Edwards." This was the name of the second son.

Xia De nodded and pointed to Count Niu Ka Er Si of Lai Ke Dun over there:

"Why did this Count appear in Green Lake? Did he speak at the morning meeting? I am using this identity, so I also need to bring back some intelligence."

"Count Niu Ka Er Si wants to promote peace, but such an extreme pacifist is unwelcome in any faction in the country. I heard that he was invited by the Peace Church to come to Green Lake. This Count's ideals are very grand, but they are fundamentally impossible to realize."

Because it wasn't very important intelligence, Charles Fu Lun told Xia De directly. Xia De nodded and stood up, preparing to leave:

"The Green Lake region will become very chaotic recently, so be careful yourselves. Oh, I have already paid for the meal, enjoy your lunch, gentlemen, the fish soup here is quite good." Saying this, he walked toward the restaurant door. No one among the people talking in low voices in the restaurant paid much attention to him. After confirming that Xia De had completely left, Charles, who wore a monocle over his left eye, asked his brother softly:

"He..." Eric Fu Lun touched his monocle:

"I don't see any malice toward us, so don't worry too much. But this gentleman is right; we do need to be careful recently. Don't think too much, let's eat. If what grandfather said before he died is true, I'm afraid our relatives will also appear one after another. This is not a matter for the two of us; it is a matter for the entire family."

Xia De, having left the club, got into a carriage and headed straight out of the city to the south. Although the carriages in the city were unwilling to enter the more remote countryside, fortunately, the nobles of Green Lake City had specially built a road to the lakeside for the convenience of vacationing and leisure.

The carriage carried Xia De past farmers carrying hoes, rickshaws pulling grain, and soldiers patrolling with guns. At the fork in the road leading to the outpost barracks, he turned right, passed through a forest of newly blooming lilacs, and arrived at the lakeside.

This was a village by the lake called "Pu Huo Fu Village." Because spring had arrived and the lake ice had thawed, the village, which was an important pier by Green Lake, was also very lively. To serve passing merchants, tourists, and soldiers stationed by the lake, the village also had matching taverns, hotels, and blacksmith shops. And if one wanted to find other goods, perhaps one could try their luck with the traveling merchants. "In the Green Lake region, there are more traveling merchants with backpacks and carriages than anywhere else. The rural area here is vast, and the permanent population is large, not to mention the convenience of crossing the border. In the spring, watching those traveling merchants slowly traverse the rural paths blooming with flowers is my fondest childhood memory in the countryside."

This was the explanation given to Xia De on the road by the carriage driver, who was in his forties.

Pu Huo Fu Village was even livelier than Xia De had imagined. Although it was indeed the size of an ordinary village, and the ground was muddy and the air was filled with the smell of chicken manure and the damp, fishy scent of the lake, the merchants, travelers, soldiers, and villagers coming and going mixed together, making it look even more vibrant than the Crossroads Village where Xia De had drunk with Captain La De Si.

In Xia De's view, if it weren't for the fact that the economic development of Green Lake City was truly poor, given the location of this village, it could have been built into a small town.

Xia De's purpose in coming here was to touch fish in the lake and, while he was at it, see if the church's team that had gone to the island had gained anything. After getting off the carriage, he entered the village. The villagers were not at all curious about a stranger like Xia De; instead, a helpful child pointed out the direction of the tavern in the village. Of course, Xia De didn't go to the tavern.

He walked through the village toward the pier while observing this backward little village. At the intersection of the village paths, there was also a bulletin board. However, there were no commissions for adventurers to eradicate monsters, find lost goats, or help collect herbs; it was all information about ships due to dock in the near future, as well as notices for renting carriages and boats. ===== CHAPTER 1570 =====

In Xia De's view, if it weren't for the fact that the economic development of Green Lake City was truly abysmal, given the location of this village, it could actually have been built into a small town.

The purpose of Xia De's trip here was to go down to the lake to fish, and incidentally see if the church's team that landed on the island had any harvest. After getting off the carriage, he entered the village. The villagers were not at all curious about a strange face like Xia De's; on the contrary, a helpful child pointed out the direction of the village tavern to Xia De. Of course, Xia De did not go to the tavern.

While looking at this backward little village, he walked through the village toward the pier. At the intersection of the village paths, there was also a bulletin board erected. However, it did not contain commissions for adventurers to eradicate monsters, find lost goats, or help collect herbs; instead, it was filled with information about ships docking in the near future, as well as notices for renting carriages and boats.