Chapter 35: Lord Yan Is Back in Jail Again

Cheng Ruyi remembered that before the four of them split into two groups, Yan Kuang had pulled him aside alone.

"Master Yan?" Cheng Ruyi lowered his voice, half-teasing and half-curious. "What could possibly be so important that it has to be said behind people's backs?"

Yan Kuang’s expression was serious. "Your identity is sensitive. Don't let them know for now."

Cheng Ruyi nodded. Setting aside Lin Jiangyue, that Han Yanei was, after all, the son of Han Shaozhen. He had always held a grudge, and he certainly hadn't forgotten how Han Shaozhen had tried to take his life...

Yan Kuang continued, "Time is tight and the situation is unclear. My junior sister and I will head out first. As for you..."

The usually calm and decisive Yan Kuang seemed hesitant. Seeing this, Cheng Ruyi waved his hand with feigned magnanimity. "What is it? I didn't even know you, Master Yan, for the past twenty-plus years. Do you think I, Cheng Ruyi, can’t walk or get things done on my own? Don't forget..."

He patted his chest. "I’m the one who stopped you from rushing off to your next life."

"And him?" Yan Kuang glanced at Han Yanei, who was busy currying favor with Lin Jiangyue.

Cheng Ruyi understood. "Him? I’ll take care of him well—out of respect for you, not for Minister Han."

"Good. I will leave marks along the way. We shall act according to the circumstances when the time comes."

"Wait... wait!" Cheng Ruyi called out. "What kind of marks, and what do you mean 'along the way'? If you just leave like that, we might as well just meet in the next life..."

...

Driving the donkey cart, Cheng Ruyi successfully entered the main city of Fengzhou just before sunset, with Han Yanei in tow.

Han Yanei asked with eyes full of anticipation, "Sister-in-law, where are we going to find Heroine Lin?"

Cheng Ruyi felt his head throb at the words. He gripped Han Yanei’s shoulders, forced him to face him directly, and corrected him firmly once again. "Yanei, look closely. I am truly a man... really, I swear to the heavens..."

Han Yanei looked slightly shocked, but then immediately put on an "I understand" expression.

"What is that look supposed to mean..." Cheng Ruyi muttered. "How about this: from now on, you call me Little Cheng. Let me repeat it—Little Cheng. Got it?"

Han Yanei nodded readily. "Understood, Little Chen! Where are we going to find Heroine Lin?"

Cheng Ruyi gave up entirely. He jumped off the cart and looked around, finally finding the first meat-bun stall since entering the city.

He immediately drove the cart over. Sure enough, on the wall next to the stall, there was a "dog head" mark scratched into the stone.

Cheng Ruyi remembered Yan Kuang pondering for a moment before saying, "Fengzhou will surely have plenty of meat-bun stalls. I will leave marks near them along the way, using..."

"A dog head as the mark?" Cheng Ruyi had asked.

Now, looking triumphantly at the dog head on the wall, Cheng Ruyi thought to himself that even though Yan Kuang had called it "inappropriate" at the time, didn't it turn out quite well? It was vivid and lifelike.

Han Yanei had already taken money to buy a meat bun, so Cheng Ruyi stepped up to chat. "Boss, has there been someone..."

"No, no!" the stall owner interrupted directly. "There are so many people here every day, how would I remember?"

The mission started poorly; the first person they encountered was so cold. But to find Yan Kuang and the others, Cheng Ruyi wanted to ask again, yet the owner immediately showed an impatient expression.

There were indeed four or five people queuing up behind them, so Cheng Ruyi could only sigh and pull away Han Yanei, who was busy stuffing his face with a bun.

Cheng Ruyi said, "Ya... Little Han, don't just focus on eating. We need to keep looking for meat-bun stalls. Only by finding them can we find your big brother and the others..."

...

"What kind of bastards... have no conscience, actually robbing the Leisure Hall!"

With another loud crash, a guard was kicked directly out the door!

The crowd outside the Leisure Hall was buzzing with discussion, while inside, screams and loud crashes continued incessantly.

The local authorities were alerted, and bailiffs holding torches hurried toward the scene.

Lin Jiangyue and Yan Kuang, using only their bare hands, were making short work of the guards and thugs in the hall, sending them flying and collapsing in disarray.

"Senior Brother! I've searched everywhere; Little Hong isn't here!"

Lin Jiangyue kicked open a door, rummaging through boxes and cabinets, then spun around and kicked a large man who lunged at her.

"Search more carefully! See if there are any secret mechanisms or hidden rooms!"

Yan Kuang casually picked up a round table, smashing it into a line of guards charging toward them.

Lin Jiangyue said helplessly, "I... how would I know how to find secret mechanisms! Do you think I’m the Junior Brother?"

The beggars and idlers sheltered in the Leisure Hall, seeing this spectacle, huddled in corners in terror. The old man who had opened the door for them earlier was now trembling, cowering by the well and kowtowing repeatedly—

"What a sin, to let two gods of death in... may the immortals protect us, may the immortals protect us..."

"Senior Brother, there really isn't anything here! Could we have attacked the wrong place?"

Lin Jiangyue braced her hands on a bed, leaped out of the encirclement, and ran to the courtyard to reunite with Yan Kuang. The two stood back-to-back, facing the enemy together.

"There is definitely something wrong."

Yan Kuang’s tone was firm. While fending off attackers, he said to Lin Jiangyue, "If this is a place for sheltering refugees, why was it so quiet earlier? If it were just for charity, why keep so many guards and thugs? He must have seen that you and I are martial artists and refused us outright!"

"But there’s really nothing here! If Little Hong heard my voice, she would have run out long ago!"

As they spoke, the sound of bailiffs driving away the onlookers came from outside. Yan Kuang suddenly thought of something, frowned, and said, "You go."

Lin Jiangyue was stunned. She kicked an attacker away with her red boot and said, "No need, it's just this small fry, I can handle them in a few moves..."

"I didn't think it through earlier."

Yan Kuang lowered his voice. "The meat-bun stalls with the dog head mark. Junior Sister, follow those to find them. Then explain the situation clearly to Mr. Cheng and have him investigate this Leisure Hall properly."

Lin Jiangyue still hesitated. Yan Kuang turned, kicked Lin Jiangyue away, and said sternly, "Listen to me, go quickly!"

When they were clearly winning and could easily escape, why did he insist on walking into this fire? Lin Jiangyue didn't understand, and she turned back to look at Yan Kuang.

Ten years had passed, and the Yan Kuang before her was like a different person from the senior brother in her memories.

Yet even so, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and trust toward him.

"Alright!"

The two locked eyes. Lin Jiangyue no longer hesitated; she stepped on an attacker's shoulder and leaped over the high wall. Yan Kuang breathed a sigh of relief and continued to deal with the attackers until the state government officials rushed in.

The lead bailiff looked to be in his early forties. Seeing only Yan Kuang in the courtyard, he shouted sternly, "The accomplice has escaped! Men! Capture this man alive! There will be a heavy reward!"

Seeing a dark mass of people charging at him, Yan Kuang remained calm. He deftly broke the arms of the first few who rushed forward and seized a weapon from one of them.

With a flip, he leaped forward, landing right in front of the head bailiff!

Before the head bailiff could react, a cold glint flashed, and the blade in Yan Kuang’s hand was already pressed against his throat.

The head bailiff was shocked and dared not move. He waved his hands repeatedly, signaling his subordinates not to act rashly. The men whose arms had been broken were howling in pain, and the remaining bailiffs, holding their swords, didn't dare to make a move.

"He's going to kill someone!"

"He's killing someone... he's killing someone!"

Exclamations rose one after another outside the door, and the onlookers fled in all directions. Inside, the three parties were at a stalemate. Everyone was stunned by Yan Kuang’s skill and actions, not daring to breathe too heavily, fearing they might attract the attention of this god of death and become the unlucky soul who lost his life.

The head bailiff tried to find an opportunity to break free, but Yan Kuang anticipated it and gripped his wrist firmly.

The head bailiff was covered in cold sweat, his teeth chattering. "You..."

Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Yan Kuang slowly handed the hilt of the blade to the head bailiff.

Yan Kuang said in a deep voice, "Take me to see your prefect."

The head bailiff, still shaken, finally grasped the hilt, and only then did he shout, "Come... come here! Lock, lock this thief up!"

Watching the bailiff who held the shackles and hesitated, Yan Kuang stepped forward two paces and readily stretched out his hands.

...

"Yes, yes, that’s the Leisure Hall... established only in the last few months? It was started by Assistant Prefect Luo? I know him, I know him, yes, he’s a great man..."

Cheng Ruyi was chatting enthusiastically with people at the meat-bun stall, while Han Yanei stood by, hiccuping from eating but listening intently.

One of the diners said, "Isn't that so! Speaking of our Fengzhou’s Assistant Prefect Luo, he is truly a rare benefactor you only see once in a century! He is an incorruptible official and even used his own money to open the Leisure Hall to shelter the homeless! Look, the streets are clean now; there are no beggars or idlers left!"

Cheng Ruyi agreed repeatedly. Following the dog head marks Yan Kuang left along the way, they had asked at four or five meat-bun stalls and finally learned of Yan Kuang’s whereabouts.

While chatting with the stall owner and diners, Cheng Ruyi also learned a few other things.

Han Yanei asked back, "If he is an incorruptible official, where does he get the money to start a Leisure Hall..."

As soon as these words were out, the people around immediately cast looks of dissatisfaction, displeasure, and disapproval.

Cheng Ruyi quickly pulled him to the side and whispered, "My little ancestor... even if that’s what you think, you can't say it out loud..."

Han Yanei, however, refused to be convinced. "My father often says that in the current world and political climate, wanting to be an official means wanting to be corrupt... If you aren't corrupt, you’re either a freak, or you’re planning to rebel..."

"Oh heavens... with a son like you, how did Minister Han manage to... no, how has he survived until today?"

Cheng Ruyi was filled with helplessness, wishing he could immediately borrow a pot from a street restaurant and boil some paste to glue Han Yanei’s mouth shut.

Han Yanei looked completely indifferent. Cheng Ruyi couldn't help but poke Han Yanei’s forehead hard and said earnestly—

"Yanei, you cannot be so reckless with your words anymore... Minister Han, that great Buddha, is currently sitting in the capital; he can't save your life a hundred miles away!"

Han Yanei rubbed his forehead, looking at Cheng Ruyi with innocent helplessness. "I'm not stupid. I only say these things to you. You aren't an outsider; aren't you my sister-in-law..."

Cheng Ruyi felt a headache coming on. Just as he was about to speak again, his shoulder tightened, and he heard Lin Jiangyue’s breathless voice behind his ear—

"I... I finally found you!"

Before Cheng Ruyi and Han Yanei could react, Lin Jiangyue grabbed their shoulders and pulled them into a dark alley.

Han Yanei asked, "Heroine Lin, did you find Little Hong?"

Cheng Ruyi glanced out of the alley and couldn't help but frown. "Where is Yan Kuang?"

Lin Jiangyue caught her breath, her back pressed against the wall. "He isn't... my senior brother was arrested by the authorities. Which... which one of you is Mr. Cheng?"

Han Yanei said angrily, "What? A small local official dares to touch my big brother!"

Cheng Ruyi patted Han Yanei’s shoulder, signaling him to calm down, then said to Lin Jiangyue, "I am surnamed Cheng."

When Cheng Ruyi saw that only Lin Jiangyue had returned, and that she appeared to have been in a fight, he had already guessed as much. But for now, he still could not fathom Yan Kuang’s intentions.