Evening approached.
"Madam, I need to make a house call in the south of the city. I'm leaving now."
An Jing gave a call and then left with a small medicine chest on his back.
"Alright."
Zhao Qingmei smiled lightly and said, "Remember to come back early."
Watching An Jing's departing figure, Zhao Qingmei's gentle face suddenly turned icy cold: "Tan Yun."
"Miss!" Tan Yun immediately jogged over.
"I don't want Tieyun Mountain to see the sun tomorrow."
"... I understand. Even if Liu Qingshan comes, he won't be able to save him."
Seeing Zhao Qingmei's expression, Tan Yun licked her lips and walked towards the back of the house.
She hadn't seen blood for quite some time.
........
On the Yu State River, small boats drifted by occasionally, while a finely decorated riverboat floated.
"Do you take guests?" Someone called to the riverboat.
"Get lost, get lost, no guests."
Disguised, Jiang Sanjia lay in the cabin, drowsy. Hearing these words, he naturally didn't respond kindly.
No one would have thought that Jiang Sanjia, a major fugitive wanted by both the Cao Gang and the Court, was right under their noses.
The customer on the small boat didn't get angry upon hearing Jiang Sanjia's response and directed the boatman to row towards another riverboat farther away.
"Dinner's ready."
At this moment, Mu Xiaoyun's voice sounded.
"Coming."
Lazily, Jiang Sanjia got up, approached the small table, and put down the chopsticks he had just picked up, complaining, "Why is it salted vegetables and steamed buns again?"
Even in the dungeon, he had better meals.
All his life, Jiang Sanjia enjoyed meat; whenever there wasn't any, he wouldn't eat. Liu Haoping, afraid he'd die, had no choice but to give him plenty of fish and meat daily. Though the dungeon was dark, and he had no freedom, the food wasn't bad.
Now that he was out of the dungeon, the food had gotten worse.
Mu Xiaoyun, not concerned, picked up a steamed bun and started gnawing it, saying, "It's good enough to have food."
"Is this the attitude of asking for help?" Jiang Sanjia snorted lightly.
"You lousy dog, don't eat, and see if I won't put you back in jail?" Mu Xiaoyun's mouth curled into a cold smile.
Hearing Mu Xiaoyun's words, Jiang Sanjia immediately wilted. Others might not know, but Mu Xiaoyun was a crazy woman who could do anything.
What she said, she might actually do.
Jiang Sanjia forced a smile and picked up a steamed bun, "By the way, when you returned, you said Tieyun Mountain had issued a challenge to Brother Zhou?"
"The whole city is abuzz; Tieyun Mountain deliberately spread the news to provoke Zhou Xianming. If you find Zhou Xianming, wouldn't you find you?" Mu Xiaoyun shrugged.
"This provocation might work on youngsters, but Zhou Xianming, no way." Jiang Sanjia sneered.
He understood that 'Zhou Xianming,' that old fox, was frightfully shrewd. Such a petty provocation wouldn't make him come out.
"Tieyun Mountain is desperate. Since he can't find you, he naturally wants to find that swordsman." Mu Xiaoyun said with a seductive smile, "I'm quite eager to see him respond to the challenge."
"Thinking back, life in prison wasn't bad. Out here, it's such hardship... Huh? Is that the smell of roasted chicken?"
Jiang Sanjia suddenly sniffed a whiff of roasted chicken and began to swallow his saliva continuously.
"San Jia, your nose is sharp. The roasted chicken hasn't even arrived, and you already smell it?"
As the curtain lifted, An Jing, in a dark cyan robe, walked in, holding two roasted chickens wrapped in parchment paper.
"Brother Zhou, why are you here?"
Jiang Sanjia said as he reached out to touch the roasted chicken.
"San Jia, look at you, so impatient." An Jing tossed the roasted chickens to Jiang Sanjia, "For the past half-month, I haven't seen the red lanterns hanging high, so I came uninvited, fearing you had fallen into the hands of the Cao Gang."
Mu Xiaoyun's opportunities could enhance Root Bone, how could he not be anxious?
Mu Xiaoyun sighed lightly, "San Jia's injuries haven't healed yet. Only when he's almost fully recovered can he investigate my husband's whereabouts, so Brother Zhou, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a while longer..."
Jiang Sanjia seemed to have not seen a hearty meal for a long time, greedily devouring the roasted chicken.
An Jing nodded; if Liu Qingshan's true whereabouts weren't known, it would indeed be tricky. But everything depended on Jiang Sanjia; when his injuries were nearly healed, he could use the Ghost Valley Heavenly Mechanism to find Liu Qingshan.
"That's manageable."
An Jing paused and then looked at Mu Xiaoyun, "I wonder, what reward did Madam promise me?"
He needed to calculate carefully, so as not to be fooled.
"It will definitely satisfy Brother Zhou."
Mu Xiaoyun's eyes narrowed slightly, "But before that, I want to know if Brother Zhou's skills are as impressive as stated. After all, Brother Zhou will be our backbone...."
Jiang Sanjia, still feasting on the roasted chicken, paused, sensing something.
"What do you mean?"
"I heard Tieyun Mountain wants to challenge you. Actually, I'm quite curious whether Tieyun Mountain's sword is quicker, or yours..."
"Are you asking for his head?"
"Indeed."
"Alright."
An Jing answered simply. Tieyun Mountain was already on his must-kill list.
"I'll await your good news."
"Soon."
With those words, An Jing walked out of the riverboat.
......
Jiang Sanjia, munching the roasted chicken, said, "You want him to kill Tieyun Mountain; that might be difficult. That old man is surely at the headquarters, and though it's said to be just Tieyun Mountain, who knows if the Cao Gang will feign an attack."
In his view, it wasn't wise for An Jing to go to the Yu State headquarters.
This was clearly a trap set by Tieyun Mountain.
Mu Xiaoyun smiled slightly, "It's precisely because it's difficult that I want him to do it."
Jiang Sanjia clicked his tongue, "Your strategy of killing three birds with one stone is indeed clever—testing Zhou Xianming's strength, drawing the Cao Gang's attention, and if Tieyun Mountain is killed, it sets a clear stance."
"From your words, it seems you believe he can do it?" Mu Xiaoyun said softly, picking up a steamed bun.
"Ordinarily, I'd say it's tough."
Jiang Sanjia pondered a bit, "Tieyun Mountain has a close bond with Hong Yuanwu, and there are many experts in the headquarters. Although Zhou Xianming agreed readily, if ambushed or facing Tieyun Mountain and Hong Yuanwu together, he might fail."
"Exactly."
Mu Xiaoyun lowered her head and smiled, "Let's finish up and be ready to flee at any moment."
"I don't think it's necessary."
Jiang Sanjia lazily leaned on the deck, his mouth greasy, "I said that about an ordinary person, but my Brother Zhou is not ordinary."
"He is incredibly cunning and only acts with certainty. He agreed to kill Tieyun Mountain so readily because Tieyun Mountain was already on his must-kill list."