129 (Not kept overnight)

When everyone returned to the market, it was already evening. The sun was setting, and the afterglow still lingered in the sky, three thousand feet above. They gazed at the beautiful sunset.

The sky is as high as the ground. Below, the hardworking villagers, having worked diligently all day, are slowly heading back home. In the market, there are some houses that are almost complete, and they look like they will be very prosperous in the future.

The group returned to the mansion and went to the swimming pool to wash up.

A white two-piece swimsuit, a black halter-neck ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), a white mini tank top, a black mini skirt, silk pajamas, and a plaid bodysuit. For a moment, the pool seemed to be filled with mermaids.

I gently pushed the door open and went in. For a moment, I was overwhelmed by what I saw.

On a restless evening, ripples spread across the swimming pool, creating gentle waves that lingered for a long time. Finally, after two hours, the water quieted down.

Everyone changed their clothes. They wore plaid tank tops, sundresses, cheongsams, and dresses in pink, light colors, blue, and floral prints, and then arrived at the restaurant.

Butler Jin had already prepared a table full of food. There was bamboo shoots with shad, steamed shad, chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms, lotus leaf steamed pork, braised chicken rolls, braised pork with fermented bean curd, fish soup, salted vegetables, stir-fried shrimp, eight kinds of cold dishes, a platter of roasted meats, and a whole roasted lamb. The table was overflowing with food.

After a pleasant meal with everyone, tonight, dark clouds obscured the sky, and the moon and stars hid away.

The group sat in the courtyard, chatting quietly.

Yun Su said, "Sister Rou Rou, I've already asked the steward to find half an acre of fertile land. We can try planting some there. It's quite close to here. Let's go take a look together."

Rou Rou nodded and replied, "Okay, let's go together tomorrow. I also want to see. What are the effects of this shovel and jade bottle?"

The others listened quietly, without speaking, leaning back in their chairs, enjoying the rare tranquility. Piaomiaoyue was also deeply at peace, her clear eyes gazing silently at the dark night sky. She thought about the daily hustle and bustle of the past, and how rare this comfort and peace was today. She wished this moment could last forever.

He Chen asked in a low voice, "Where are General Yun's troops now?"

Yun Su answered softly, "I estimate we'll arrive here in about ten days."

He Chen nodded and said, "Okay, Su'er, the closer we get, the more you need to keep an eye on things. We need to go and meet them ahead of time." Yun Su also nodded in agreement.

He Chen now had time to examine last night's haul. First, he took out the letters he had collected. The others looked at the letters with some surprise.

He Chen explained in detail, saying, "After dealing with the Black Wind Fan yesterday, this was collected from a hidden compartment in the Black Wind Chieftain's room. I haven't had a chance to examine it closely yet." He then placed the letter on the table and began to slowly read it.

These books reveal that the once-powerful families of Huangtu County, who were wiped out, had some dealings with the Black Wind Stronghold. These records were kept by the Black Wind Stronghold chief himself.

The letter also mentioned the Huang family, but there wasn't a prominent Huang family in Huangtu County. Suddenly, he remembered the Huang family of Wanzhou that Xie Huayu had mentioned. So he handed the letter to Xie Huayu and asked softly, "Take a look, is this the Huang family you mentioned before?"

Jie Huayu gently took it and examined it carefully. She said, not entirely certain, "It should be the Huang family we were talking about before. It mentions the second head of the Huang family, wielding two large maces; the image matches perfectly. It should be them."

He then added, "The Huang family's backing is also very mysterious. They act like tyrants, monopolizing the city's medicinal herbs. Basically, no one dares to oppose them. Along with the other two major families in the city, they also monopolize salt, iron, and other commodities. Their style is extremely domineering."

So I continued reading more closely. It also mentioned that the Huang family wanted to use them to eliminate He the brat in the market. Upon seeing this, I was immediately enraged. This was clearly a troublemaker.

Suddenly, it dawned on him: inside Black Wind Fortress, the man wielding a pair of large maces—could this be Huang's second son? He immediately became certain. It seemed Huang's second son had come to Black Wind Fortress to discuss matters.

Having made up his mind, he immediately thought of eliminating the royal family tonight. A thought struck him, and he asked, "Hua Yu, besides the Huang family, who are the other major forces in Wanzhou City?"

Jie Huayu said seriously, "In Wanzhou City, besides the Huang family, there are also the Gui family and the Chai family. These three families basically monopolize the market. Most of the commerce in Wanzhou City comes from our Jie family's textile industry. Even that's only a small part of it. We've had no choice but to find ways to expand outwards."

Then he explained, "Haven't the Xie family had a particularly good time these past few years? The three major families have become increasingly monopolistic. Many small businesses have no choice but to rely on them."

He Chen nodded after listening. Suddenly, a sense of unease crept into his heart. He kept trying to resolve the strange events in Shijia Village, but each time his efforts were interrupted, and always at the perfect moment. A sudden sense of unease rose within him. Could it be that Shijia Village was beyond his current capabilities, or was some powerful figure concealing the truth?

Thinking this to myself, I immediately realized that we would have to wait and see what the situation was like here. I calmed down and checked the attributes.

Yesterday we wiped out four or five hundred people, plus that smiling evil Buddha. Looking closely at my kill points, plus the more than 10,000 from before... quite a lot!

Then, after some thought, he exchanged several spatial rings and a few Cloud Piercing Arrows for gifts, which he gave to Wei Qinghui and the other women. They were all deeply moved. They quickly cuddled together, and after a tender moment, they each returned home.

I allocated the remaining points to the Thunderfire Heart Technique. The Thunderfire Heart Technique instantly leveled up to level 2300. I instantly felt my heart become stronger again. However, my cultivation level remained unchanged. I probably don't have enough killing points.

Night had fallen. Everyone was exhausted from the day. I gently escorted them back to their rooms, and after they fell asleep, I softly tucked them in. I looked at them with affection, then quietly opened the door and went into the courtyard.

The village has been bothered so many times but hasn't responded. It seems there's no rush to resolve this. Besides, there's been no news of any expansion in Shijia Village. So, for now, there's no hurry.

Since that's the case, and since the Huang family wants my head, how can I let them down? I'll just offer myself up.

Tonight, the moon is dark, geese fly high, and He Chen carries a knife on his shoulder. A fierce wind howls, dark clouds hang heavy, and even the mountains look eerie and terrifying. Each step takes him three thousand feet high, riding the wind!