Chapter 11: Huangzhou Yun Family

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Huangzhou Yun Family

Qinghe County. Ten days had passed since Wang Ergou’s death.

On this day, Qinghe County welcomed a mysterious VIP. Inside the Government Office, the Qinghe County Magistrate and a group of County Government officials looked nervously at the young woman before them, who wore a long purple dress and a sheer veil over her face.

"I was unaware of Miss Yun’s arrival in Qinghe County. Please forgive my failure to welcome you," the Qinghe County Magistrate said, carefully cupping his hands in greeting.

The woman in the purple dress glanced at him and said indifferently, "I, Yun Wan, came here to look for someone. I originally didn’t plan to intrude, but I happened to meet Commander Lv, who was coming to Qinghe on official business, so we traveled together."

As soon as she finished speaking, a man beside her wearing brown armor and a longsword at his waist stepped forward and bowed slightly to her. He then looked directly at the Qinghe County Magistrate and said, "There is a murder case in Fenglin Town, under the jurisdiction of Qinghe County, that involves a Sorcerer. I have been ordered to come and investigate.

"Are there any County Government officials currently handling matters in Fenglin Town?"

A Sorcerer!?

Hearing this word, the Qinghe County Magistrate’s body could not help but tremble. He quickly cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to Commander Lv, Zheng Ming from the County Prison Department is currently in Fenglin Town!"

The brown-armored man nodded and turned to look at the veiled young woman, Yun Wan. "Miss Yun, shall we depart now?"

Yun Wan nodded slightly, stood up, and walked out of the Government Office.

Seeing this, the brown-armored man waved his hand, quickly leading the crowd to follow in Yun Wan’s footsteps.

Watching them leave, the Qinghe County Magistrate wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a trembling arm.

Seeing this, the Steward beside him asked in confusion, "My Lord, what is a Sorcerer?"

The Qinghe County Magistrate shuddered violently and then said, somewhat exasperatedly, "Do not mention it again! I still want to get a good night’s sleep!"

Meanwhile, in Fenglin Town.

Fang Xu sat properly in his courtyard, occasionally frowning, sighing, and muttering to himself.

"Sigh! How is it down to 2%? What exactly does this number represent?"

In front of him, on the light screen’s friends list, the percentage numbers behind the names of Zhang Mingliang and his two attendants had dropped from 15% to 2%. At this rate, it would probably drop to 0 in just a few days. Similarly, the numbers behind the names of Wu Ningxue from Qinxiang House and the old servant Chu Li were also decreasing, but they had only dropped by 3% over the past ten days or so, nowhere near as drastically as Zhang Mingliang’s group of three. He wondered if the friend relationship between him and the three of them would be severed once the number hit 0. The thought gave Fang Xu a bit of a headache. If that were truly the case, things would be quite troublesome in the future.

KNOCK KNOCK!

KNOCK!

"Fang!"

Just as Fang Xu was feeling puzzled, the voice of the woman from the Wang Family suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate.

Over the past few days, the woman from the Wang Family had been temporarily detained by the Fenglin Town Government Office because she couldn’t afford the compensation for the Yizhuang arson case. For some unknown reason, she had been released today.

Fang Xu got up, walked to the courtyard gate, and opened the door. The woman from the Wang Family outside the door was visibly haggard. Her face had thinned considerably, making her look even more frail, but she wore a smile. Seeing him, she quickly said, "Fang, he’s here!"

Fang Xu was taken aback. "Who is here?"

The woman from the Wang Family replied, "Erhu is here! He also brought several important figures with him!"

Wang Erhu had returned!?

Fang Xu was slightly startled, then took note of the important figures she had mentioned.

Logically speaking, Wang Ergou was just an obscure nobody in Fenglin Town. The fact that his death could alarm the County Government into sending someone was only because he had a younger brother who was a Government Soldier; otherwise, the County Government would likely have just ordered him to be hastily buried and been done with it. Given Wang Erhu’s status as a mere Government Soldier, he absolutely couldn’t invite any important figures from Huangzhou Prefecture.

Could it be...

Fang Xu suddenly thought of the owner of the Glowing Gold Embroidered Boots! Were the VIPs from Huangzhou Prefecture related to that person? At this thought, his expression involuntarily grew solemn. If everything was truly as he guessed and these figures from Huangzhou Prefecture had come for the owner of the Glowing Gold Embroidered Boots, he would have to be careful.

"Fang, Erhu has already paid off my fine, and he specifically asked me to invite you over to our house for dinner tonight." Her words interrupted Fang Xu’s train of thought.

Wang Erhu wanted to treat him to a meal? Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Fang Xu smiled faintly. "Mrs. Wang, there’s no need to be so polite."

The woman from the Wang Family rolled her eyes at him and playfully scolded, "What’s the matter? Are you afraid I’ll poison you?

"You must come tonight. I’m going to the town’s restaurant now to have some food and wine prepared and delivered to the house. We can enjoy it as soon as Erhu finishes his official business."

After saying this, she turned and left.

Watching the woman from the Wang Family leave, Fang Xu pondered for a moment. He quickly closed the courtyard gate, returned to his room, and took out the Beast Hide from the hidden compartment.

Fang Xu was unsure exactly what kind of Cultivation Technique the Divination God Treasure was, but the mere fact that it allowed him to enter the Inner Observation Realm with a one hundred percent success rate every time he cultivated made it an invaluable treasure. Regardless of whether the VIPs from Huangzhou Prefecture were here for this item or not, he absolutely could not leak the secret that he possessed the Divination God Treasure.

Glancing at the Beast Hide, Fang Xu immediately grabbed a shovel from nearby, pried up a few floor tiles in the room, and quickly dug a hole nearly a meter deep. He then wrapped the Beast Hide tightly inside and out with oil paper, placed it in the hole, and buried it.

After putting the floor tiles back in place, Fang Xu carefully swept the area several times to ensure that outsiders wouldn’t notice anything amiss. Only then did he wash up briefly, change into clean clothes, and head toward Wang Ergou’s house.

Befriending Wang Erhu was something he had considered before. Now that an opportunity had presented itself, he naturally couldn’t pass it up.

By the time he arrived at Wang Ergou’s small courtyard, a burly figure wearing black armor with a Horizontal Blade hanging at his waist was standing in the yard in a daze.

Fang Xu knocked lightly on the courtyard door. The figure slowly turned around, hastily wiping the tear stains from the corners of his eyes, and said, "Is that Fang the Kid?"

Fang Xu bowed slightly with cupped hands. "Erhu."

Wang Erhu strode over, his broad hand patting Fang Xu heavily on the shoulder. Squeezing out a smile, he said, "When I left Fenglin Town, you were only fourteen, right?

"Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye... Is the old man doing well?"

Fang Xu shook his head somewhat sorrowfully. "He passed away from illness last winter."

"The old man is gone?" Wang Erhu was slightly taken aback. Then, seemingly reminded of his own tragically deceased brother, he let out a heavy sigh. "Life and death are truly unpredictable.

"Have a seat, Fang the Kid."

Gesturing for Fang Xu to sit down, Wang Erhu unfastened the weapon at his waist and called out toward the room, "Mrs. Wang, Fang the Kid is here."

Hearing the call, the woman from the Wang Family hurriedly carried a food box out of the room, taking out wine and dishes, and setting them on the stone table in front of the two.

"Enjoy your meal, Erhu and Fang."

With Wang Erhu present, the woman from the Wang Family didn’t dare to be too presumptuous. After bringing out the food and drink, she turned and went back inside.

Wang Erhu picked up the wine in front of him, poured a full cup for both himself and Fang Xu, and raised his glass. "Mrs. Wang told me everything regarding my brother’s matter. Thanks, Fang the Kid."

Fang Xu quickly raised his cup as well and said, "You’re being too polite, Erhu. After drinking this cup of wine, we are friends."

Wang Erhu paused for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Right, we are friends. I was being too distant."

With that, he drained the wine in his cup in one gulp. Seeing this, Fang Xu tilted his head back and drank his wine as well.

In front of him, the virtual light screen popped up again, and Wang Erhu’s name appeared on the friends list. Only, the number behind his name was 91%.

"Erhu, I heard from Mrs. Wang that a few important figures from Huangzhou Prefecture have arrived?" Fang Xu picked up some food, put it in his mouth, and asked casually without leaving a trace of intent.

Wang Erhu nodded. "I had originally planned to come back alone this time. However, the State Mansion received news that a Sorcerer had appeared in Qinghe County, so the Commander was ordered to come and investigate.

"On the way, we encountered a young lady from the Huangzhou Yun Family who was coming to Qinghe County to look for someone, so we traveled together."

Hearing this, Fang Xu was enlightened. It seemed his guess was correct; the person the young lady of the Huangzhou Yun Family was looking for was likely the owner of the Glowing Gold Embroidered Boots.

But what was this "Sorcerer"?