Marquis Anle, Pang Yu, has been captured and taken to Kaifeng Prefecture!
The people of Bianliang City were all overjoyed when they talked about this. The evil deeds of Marquis Anle, Pang Yu, had spread throughout the land. Everyone who mentioned Marquis Anle would curse him and hope that he would be brought to justice as soon as possible.
"Who caught him?" someone asked.
"It's Bai Yutang, the Golden-haired Rat!" The messenger was beaming with pride, though he had only heard it from elsewhere, he spoke as if he had experienced it firsthand.
"It is said that Marquis Anle suffered greatly and became so thin that he bore no resemblance to the portrait. However, the Golden-haired Rat had a discerning eye and recognized him at a glance!"
"—How fat must he have been before? He must have gotten that fat in Chenzhou!" someone said indignantly.
"Serves you right!"
"Those who reap what they sow will not live!"
...
Wangxianlou was a famous restaurant in Bianliang City. It stood by the lake with a wide view, and many people gathered here. Many news also came from here.
On the second floor, near the window, a man in black listened to the information revealed in the conversation downstairs, his face cold.
Pang Yu, the Marquis of Anle, has lost weight?
It bears no resemblance to the portrait at all?
He instantly remembered the boy he had met in Donghua Town.
—And then there's the fortune teller who speaks with such conviction.
Xu Yi slammed his hand on the table, his eyes showing annoyance at realizing he had been fooled.
Bai Yutang had been listening intently to the conversation downstairs when he suddenly heard a noise. He raised an eyebrow and looked towards the source of the sound. He saw a man with a dark expression. Realizing that his actions had attracted attention, the man stopped, then, with a sour face, called for someone to settle the bill and strode away from the restaurant.
Bai Yutang seemed to be deep in thought. If he hadn't misheard, the person was clearly angry about Pang Yu's capture, but he didn't know why... As he was thinking, he noticed that the plate in front of Xiao Shizi was empty, and said with disdain, "What's your hurry? I won't starve you. You can eat slowly."
Little Persimmon's mouth was stuffed full of food, his cheeks bulging: "So thick."
Bai Yutang: "..."
He had traveled all the way from Tanhua Village with this little girl, Pang Yu, and Yan Liang. Every time they sat down to eat, the three of them would eat voraciously like starving ghosts, making him stand out from the crowd and appear unique.
Master Bai has been wandering the martial arts world for many years. Apart from being looked at with admiration or disgust when he was doing his chivalrous deeds, he has never been looked at as if he were a weirdo like this time.
It's not only expensive, but also embarrassing.
This is a one-time occurrence.
After Bai Yutang and Xiao Shizi finished their meal, they asked the shopkeeper to pack some food to take back to Kaifeng Prefecture.
When Bai Yutang returned to Kaifeng, no one recognized that the young man he was with was Marquis Anle, Pang Yu. Everyone just said that Jinmaoshu had come to Kaifeng to challenge the Imperial Cat to a duel. He had done this many times before, so many people were used to it.
After receiving the letter from Bai Yutang in Guangzhou, Judge Bao did not make a fuss about it. He simply made a note of the matter and completely ruled out Pang Yu as a suspect.
There are three types of people looking for Pang Yu now: first, those in the martial arts world who are after the bounty or who are chivalrous; second, people from the government; and third, the two people of unknown identity that Bai Yutang encountered.
Judge Bao originally intended to find Pang Yu's whereabouts before making any further plans, but to his surprise, Bai Yutang found Pang Yu and brought him back in less than half a month after writing the letter.
After discussing it, Judge Bao and Mr. Gongsun decided to spread the news. Firstly, to inform people in the martial arts world that they no longer needed to search for him, so as not to harm others; secondly, to announce to the leaders of the men in black that Pang Yu was in their hands.
If the person behind the scenes wants Pang Yu, they will inevitably reveal their presence.
Yan Liang complained: "I was the one who found Marquis Anle Pang Yu first, so why is it Master Bai who received the reward?"
He said this while leaning lazily against the corner of the wall, while Pang Yu, looking utterly dejected, sat in the other corner.
Pang Yu was utterly despondent: "Watch your words, Marquis Anle, Pang Yu. I am right in front of you. Be careful."
Although Judge Bao knew that Pang Yu was not the mastermind behind the Chenzhou case, the world did not think so. In order to give the world an explanation, he had no choice but to temporarily imprison Pang Yu.
As for Yan Liang, a suspicious person who chose to escort a wanted criminal instead of reporting it to the authorities after discovering him, he became a fellow prisoner with Pang Yu.
It was Yan Liang's first time in prison, and he was in high spirits, showing no resentment at being imprisoned for being implicated in someone else's case. He and Pang Yu chatted animatedly in the cell, turning the oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon into a lively and entertaining spectacle. Several drunkards and gamblers around their cells were initially reluctant to speak to the two, but Yan Liang's witty remarks made them want to strike up a conversation, and before long, they were chatting together.
The drunkard was detained in jail for causing trouble while drunk, while the gambler was also there to reflect on his actions after getting into an argument. The person who came with the gambler, whose crime was less serious, was released after only a few days, and even said goodbye to Yan Liang with a smile before leaving.
When Bai Yutang brought back food from Wangxianlou to visit Yan Liang and Pang Yu, he overheard their conversation and said loudly, "I don't lack that money either. You can have it if you want."
"Oh, not at all, I was just kidding." Yan Liang smiled as he accepted the food Bai Yutang handed him. "I'm so grateful to Fifth Master Bai for buying us food."
The prison food in Kaifeng Prefecture was not lavish, and Yan Liang was craving meat, so he asked Bai Yutang to bring them some food.
Yan Liang was the first person Bai Yutang dared to ask to bring him food. Bai Yutang had a good impression of him, and now, besides Zhan Zhao, Yan Liang was the only one in Kaifeng Prefecture he could chat with, so he brought him food. After bringing it once, it became a habit without him realizing it, so now the people in Kaifeng Prefecture would look at him with a strange expression whenever they saw him carrying food, and Zhan Zhao would also smile with a hint of suppressed laughter when he saw him.
Lord Bao let it be. Grand Tutor Pang was unable to visit his beloved son in Kaifeng Prefecture in person due to public opinion in the city. However, after hearing that the person sent to visit Pang Yu had returned and said that Pang Yu was so thin that he was unrecognizable, he secretly criticized Lord Bao in court the next day.
The problem is that Pang Yu was so thin when he arrived in Kaifeng!
Judge Bao was wronged.
It wasn't unreasonable for Bai Yutang to deliver the food, and even if he were stopped, it might only provoke Bai Yutang's competitive spirit, so it was better to let him go. Thinking this, Lord Bao didn't stop him, and Pang Yu had indeed become slightly plumper in the past few days.
Seeing the two of them devouring their food as usual, Bai Yutang couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he called out and left the dungeon.
Pang Yu gazed at Bai Yutang's dashing figure as he walked away, and once again felt sorrow for his current predicament. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he channeled his grief and anger into his appetite, eating even faster.
Yan Liang calculated for a moment and said in a deep voice, "Don't panic, we'll be able to get out in less than half a month."
Two more weeks?
Pang Yu didn't feel comforted at all.
After Bai Yutang left the dungeon, he ran into Zhan Zhao in the courtyard. Zhan Zhao had just returned from patrolling the streets and was resting. He had just changed out of his red official robes and into a blue casual outfit.
Zhan Zhao smiled when he saw him: "Brother Bai, did you go to deliver food to Marquis Anle and Brother Yan?"
Bai Yutang sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard and said upon hearing this, "How come you've become so close to Yan Liang after only a few days?"
Zhan Zhao was a meticulous man. Although he often wore a smile that made him seem approachable, a closer look revealed that the smile was only half genuine, and he didn't form deep friendships. Despite his renowned reputation in the martial arts world, he had few close friends. After entering officialdom, he lost even more contact with people in the martial arts world. Only Bai Yutang, whom he befriended after the conflict between the Rat and the Cat, would often come to Kaifeng Prefecture to chat and drink with him.
Bai Yutang was puzzled by Zhan Zhao's way of addressing Yan Liang because he knew Zhan Zhao's personality. He asked the question aloud, while also wondering in his heart whether Yan Liang was really that likable.
Zhan Zhao said, "Brother Yan has a free and easy spirit, which I admire."
Bai Yutang said, "...You're right."
Carefree?
Bai Yutang did not deny this, but he believed that Yan Liang was more in line with the word "unconventional".
He's so eccentric that it's impossible to predict what he'll say or do next.
"What do you plan to do with the Marquis of Anle in prison?" Bai Yutang asked. "I suppose you all know that he was not the mastermind behind the Chenzhou case."
Zhan Zhao said solemnly, "Lord Bao believes that the two men in black mentioned by Brother Bai in his previous letter are the key. Now we have no clues and can only wait for someone to slip up. Marquis Anle... we can only ask him and Brother Yan to stay in prison for a while."
Bai Yutang glanced at him and said, "I will be staying in Bianliang for the time being. If you need any help, feel free to come to me."
Zhan Zhao smiled slightly: "Then I thank Brother Bai in advance."
Zhan Zhao entered officialdom as a commoner from the martial arts world, not for fame or fortune, but because he cared deeply for the common people.
Although it is not tolerated by the code of chivalry, I only seek to have a clear conscience.
Bai Yutang despised officialdom, but he also understood Zhan Zhao's good intentions.
Those who know me say I am worried; those who do not know me ask what I seek.
That would be perfect.
Xu Yi stopped in front of a door. The door was still covered with Spring Festival couplets that had been pasted on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. The red background and black characters were extremely restrained, yet they also faintly revealed a sharpness like that of swords.
Just like the person playing chess with himself at the stone table in the courtyard.
Xu Yiwei pushed open the door and entered. The young man beside the stone table in the courtyard was intently staring at the chessboard, not even looking up. Xu Yiwei closed the door behind him and stopped opposite the young man.
The young man continued playing chess, occasionally frowning in deep thought, and sometimes suddenly realizing something, seemingly oblivious to the living person in front of him.
Xu Yi pursed his lips and remained silent. He knew this person's personality; such a reaction meant he was very annoyed. In this situation, the best way to deal with it was to do nothing.
After a long while, there was nowhere left to place the pieces on the chessboard.
The young man picked up a white chess piece, looked up at Xu Yiwei, and asked with a smile in his eyes, "Tell me what you found out?"
Xu Yiwei said, "The young man I met in Donghua Town was Marquis Anle, Pang Yu."
The young man placed the white chess piece into the chess cup, still smiling, and asked, "Then why is the Marquis of Anle currently in the dungeon of Kaifeng Prefecture?"
Xu Yiwei said, "He has lost a lot of weight; I didn't recognize him."
"Then why did Bai Yutang recognize him?" the young man said. "It seems I've been raising a bunch of useless people. One dead and one injured in Guangzhou is nothing, but you have truly disappointed me."
"Bai Yutang...he's involved in everything." The young man sneered.
Xu Yiwei added, "There's another person. There's a lame fortune teller with Anle Hou in Donghua Town. He's covering for Anle Hou."
"A fortune teller?" The young man glanced at him. "You've been fooled by a charlatan?"
Xu Yi remained silent.
"waste!"
The young man overturned the chessboard, and the pieces rolled all over the floor with a clatter.
Xu Yiwei remained standing there like a block of wood.
The young man stood up, rubbed his forehead, calmed himself for a moment, and said coldly, "Go down and receive your punishment. After you're done, reflect on your actions."
Xu Yi bowed his head to his back and said, "Yes, sir."
Author's Note: I'm late—
The only way to express my feelings in this chapter is with a "hehehe".
Hehehehe. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2019-12-17 20:28:09 and 2019-12-19 21:56:00!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Ye Liyuan (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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