Last night, inside Golden Jade Tower.
Zou Fang had held a private meeting with the hall master of the Dragon Tooth Gang's Tiger Hall.
Hong Xi sat to one side, his expression arrogant as he sneered. "Wasn't Commander Zou about to draw a clear line between himself and our Dragon Tooth Gang? Why ask to meet me now?"
"The Ministry of Works is under investigation, and the Dragon Tooth Gang is too deeply involved. You must be within the Ministry of Justice's sights as well." Zou Fang said, "Our Imperial Capital Guard has no choice but to keep its distance from you for now. I hope Hall Master Hong bears no grudge."
"It's nothing." Hong Xi spread his hands. "That's how it is when you're out in the world. If the Imperial Capital Guard got into trouble, we'd definitely keep our distance right away too. We all understand."
"It's good that you understand." Zou Fang nodded, then said, "I asked to meet you this time because there is indeed something I need your help with."
His tone was exceedingly heavy, and one could hear the suppressed anger beneath it.
"My son vanished without explanation some time ago. Fishermen pulled him out of the lower reaches of Moon Gazing River. His cultivation was nearly crippled, his vitality and blood exhausted. I paid a great price to bring in an imperial physician, who barely managed to preserve his life. He is already a cripple."
"Something happened to Zou Huainan?" Hong Xi frowned. "Did he provoke some enemy? Beaten up and tossed into a river... that sounds like the sort of method we underworld folk use."
"I couldn't find out who did it. I only know he went out to retaliate against someone." Zou Fang said slowly, "That person was a guard at