Chapter 20 Visitor Ⅰ

　　On that day, Zhou Ge and Shen Huan settled into a guesthouse near the prefect's private residence. The guesthouse was spacious enough to accommodate ten more people, and it was well-stocked with provisions for all their needs. Everything had been arranged meticulously, thanks to Miss He's attention to detail.

　　After living there for over ten days, Zhou Ge was quite satisfied. In his free time, he practiced martial arts, explored the surrounding area, and familiarized himself with the environment. When there was work to be done, he and Shen Huan ventured out together, either to scout the paths of Fangding Mountain or to inquire about any individuals or incidents in the city that might be connected to the mountain bandits.

　　One afternoon, after returning from Fangding Mountain, everyone was feeling quite tired. Following a brief discussion, they decided to rest at the Zhou Family Tavern.

　　Since Ji Yanshi had some personal matters to attend to, he returned to the Prefect's Mansion first. The others, having no particular plans, accompanied Zhou Ge to the tavern. Upon their arrival, they were personally greeted by the tavern keeper. He escorted them to a table by the window on the second floor, where they could enjoy a more open and airy atmosphere. All three were pleased with the arrangement.

　　As it was neither lunchtime nor dinnertime, the tavern was not too crowded, especially on the second floor.

　　Shen Huan, who had previously mentioned treating his friends to a drink, took the initiative to pay for their meal. It wasn't long before the food and drinks arrived, and the three of them conversed while they ate. Zhou Ge, unlike before, had developed a considerable tolerance for alcohol. The local liquor had a unique flavor, with hints of grain that contrasted with the sweetness of pear he was accustomed to, but he found it acceptable.

　　To their surprise, Miss He Muyu had an impressive capacity for alcohol. Despite consuming a considerable amount, she showed no signs of intoxication.

　　Just as the merriment was reaching its peak, they heard heavy footsteps on the staircase. Looking up, they saw a stout, short man ascending the stairs. He was only slightly taller than Zhou Ge but at least twice as wide, with a bald head sporting a large blue birthmark. His round face was adorned with a pair of intense eyes that seemed unfriendly.

　　Dressed in a loose-fitting robe and a belt made from scaled leather, his stomach was not as protruding as one might expect, but his overall appearance was still unbalanced.

　　As he reached the upper floor and saw them, he let out a hearty laugh.

　　"Hahaha... Isn't that the second son of the sixth family? And this one looks familiar too; ah, you're Shen. You're not very honorable, young man. Come over here and massage my legs for me. Hmm, there's also a face I don't recognize. Interesting."

　　Zhou Ge asked softly, "Shen, who is he?"

　　Shen Huan gritted his teeth and replied, "Qing. What are you doing here?"

　　Upon seeing the man, Miss He's tone turned sarcastic. "Green-headed frog, I don't want to see you."

　　Noting Miss He's nickname for the man, Zhou Ge could see the resemblance between the man's physique and that of a frog.

　　The man, unperturbed, continued to smile. "What else would one do at a tavern but eat? Miss He, don't be so harsh. Have you forgotten when you used to call me Third Brother?"

　　"Ugh, it's disgusting. Just the thought of you makes me feel sick. Shen, let's go."

　　"Wait, wait, wait. It's a coincidence that we've met here. We're family, so we should have a meal together. It's embarrassing to argue in public. Come on, just call me Third Brother, and I'll treat you to a meal."

　　"As if we need your charity? Zhou Ge, let's go."

　　"Oh... Zhou Ge? Where are you from?"

　　Zhou Ge pondered for a moment before deciding to engage in conversation. "I'm from Huajun County. I used to be a inquisitor."

　　"Hmm, never heard of it. Did Sixth Uncle recruit you? Nope, doesn't seem like it. Did the He family's eldest son bring you here? Also doesn't seem likely. Did Shen Huan bring you here? That must be it."

　　Shen Huan thought to himself, "Who do you think you are, calling yourself Third Brother? What gives you the right?"

　　"Qing Hu, why don't you just go home and stop embarrassing yourself here? Have you forgotten the beating you received in Xu town?"

　　Qing Hu seemed to recall something unpleasant and his mouth twitched.

　　He took a seat at an empty table and ordered a few dishes. Then, turning to look at the three neighboring tables, he said, "I'll tell you anyway, since I've run into you. How did I plan to settle the score? Hmm...let me see if you can guess."

　　Miss He picked up a piece of pastry and threw it at him.

　　Qing Hu caught it with his hand and brought it to his mouth.

　　"Not bad, not bad. Thanks for the snack, little sister."

　　"Do you want to tell us or not?" she snapped.

　　"Alright, alright...I was planning to tell you anyway. To be honest, I was probably the last one to arrive. Everything was pretty much prepared by the time I got here. Do you know Fangding Mountain? I set up the place. Have you heard of Li He? I brought him here. Have you found out about the sorcerer Huang Yan? I found him too. So, what do you think? Surprised? Delighted?"

　　Shen Huan felt his head spinning after hearing this. Last year in Xu town, they had disciplined a group of people, including Qing Hu, the grandson of Qing Tu, the Third Disciple of Dong Qi. Knowing his identity now, Shen Huan was afraid to take any rash actions, fearing that if He Jun, the Prefect, learned that the mastermind behind this was his own third martial uncle's grandson, he would be greatly troubled.

　　Miss He Muyu was equally furious. "You disgusting frog! You're the one behind all this?"

　　Qing Hu shook his head and laughed. "So what if I am? Who's going to stop me? You? Shen? Or that guy over there?"

　　"What do you want to do?" asked Shen Huan.

　　"What do I want to do? I'm going to teach the He family a lesson for opposing Eighth Uncle's establishment of a sect," said Qing Hu with a smug look on his face.

　　Zhou Ge's eyes lit up as he finally understood why Shen Huan had chosen to stay in Beici County as a policeman. He also realized that the eight disciples of Dong were not united in their goals.

　　Sipping his wine, Zhou Ge remained silent, deep in thought, trying to piece together the puzzle.

　　Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and he asked, "What can a band of fifty or so mountain thieves accomplish?"

　　"That's a good question. What can they do? Well, that depends on how far you've investigated them," Qing Hu replied with a chuckle.

　　The meal, which had started out pleasantly, had now been completely ruined by Qing Hu's presence.

　　The three of them had the remaining food and drink packed into a food box and sent to the Prefect's Mansion guesthouse.

　　On their way back, all three were lost in their own thoughts, trying to decipher Qing Hu's intentions.

　　As they arrived at the Prefect's Mansion, Zhou Ge said, "You two should go back and report this. I'm going to take a walk."

　　Miss He Muyu looked downcast. "Whatever. Just don't go too far."

　　Walking aimlessly, Zhou Ge pondered over the recent events. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and he pieced together most of the puzzle. If his guesses were correct, their target was most likely Miss He's eldest sister, who was not currently at the Prefect's Mansion.

　　There were two main reasons for this conclusion.

　　Firstly, Qing Hu had threatened to teach the He family a lesson, but it was unlikely that he would target the Prefect's Mansion or He Jun directly. Secondly, and most importantly, Fang Dingshan's manpower is indeed only fifty people, it would be foolish to attack a heavily guarded location. A small team could feasibly ambush a caravan or a small group, but not much more.

　　After much deliberation, Zhou Ge came to the conclusion that the most suitable and direct target would be Miss He's eldest sister.

　　Instead of returning to his lodgings, Zhou Ge made his way out of the city and towards Fangding Mountain. As he approached, he noticed colorful lanterns and red carpets lining the mountain path,The guest of honor they will welcome is Qing Hu.

　　He jumped up a large tree, and when he looked closely, there were a few fewer guards in front of the mountain, and the three patrols became two.

　　Looking up, there was a touch of red glow in the west and a few thick clouds in the east. The unbright white moon sometimes hides behind the clouds, and sometimes appears in front of the clouds.

　　Gradually, the red glow dissipated, and the bright moon hung in the night sky