The Heat Was Just Right

When Xiao Yeci saw Li Banfeng, he would usually call him "My Benefactor".

Sometimes he would call him Seventh Master, but he would almost never call him Seventh Brother, because Lu Chunying always Li Banfeng Seventh Brother.

He keeps calling me "Seventh Brother" today, which clearly means something's wrong.

Li Banfeng, Riding the Donkey Downhill, asked, "Why do you insist on treating me to a meal?"

"That's me," Xiao Yeci's cheeks flushed red, "I want to be with Seventh Brother— "

"Don't be nervous, sit down and talk slowly." Li Banfeng turned on the record player and played a soothing violin piece.

Xiao Yeci calmed herself and said, word by word, "Seventh Brother, I've been thinking about you these past two days. You're the one I see when I open my eyes, and you're the one I see when I close them—..."

Is this something Xiao Yeci would say?

"You miss me that much?" Li Qi smiled, the violin music on the record player was slightly out of tune.

This is a record player that Ling Miaosheng gave to Li Banfeng. It was originally a hand-cranked record player, but his Wife modified it into a wind-up record player, making it less troublesome to use.

The record player changed the key, proving that Xiao Yeci had a hook on him.

Xiao Yeci lowered her head and said, "For a woman to say such things, I'm shameless."

Seventh Brother, I know you won't marry me, but could you treat me differently from other women?

Li Qi was curious. "How is it different?"

Xiao Yeci stammered, "Even if it were just to be my lover, I would be so happy."

"Whatever Seventh Brother wants, I'll give it to him."

Xiao Yeci repeatedly hinted that this was not something she should say, but she said it anyway.

She was taken hostage.

What leverage could be used to hold Xiao Yeci?

It should only be Lu Chunying.

What happened to Lu Chunying? Was she kidnapped?

Isn't that too difficult?

Lu Chunying is the head of the Lu Family. With her current strength, how could she be kidnapped so easily?

Li Banfeng sighed and said, "Ye Ci, we're all family here. You're being too formal. It's just a meal. I'll have the kitchen prepare it right away. We'll eat at Carefree Dock. We'll have some drinks while we eat, and once you've had a bit too much to drink, we'll get on with our business."

Xiao Yeci trembled with shame. "Seventh Brother, could we not do it at Carefree Dock—."

Li Banfeng: "What's wrong with Carefree Dock?"

Xiao Yeci lowered her head and said, "Too many people here recognize me. I'm really embarrassed."

The fact that it wasn't in Carefree Dock proves that the other party specified a location, indicating an ambush.

"Then you pick a place."

"I want to go to the Conqueror Restaurant. The sunset there is so beautiful, and their braised pork slices are delicious!"

The Conqueror Restaurant is a newly opened restaurant by foreigners that serves Western cuisine.

Does watercress contain braised pork slices?

She said the sunset was beautiful and the braised pork was delicious; she was probably referring to Duan Shaoxia.

Did Duan Shaoxia take Lu Chunying hostage?

Does she have that ability?

This matter is definitely related to Duan Shaoxia, but it's hard to say what Duan Shaoxia's stance is.

"Okay, let's go to the Conqueror Restaurant. Wait for me to change my clothes and get ready." Li Banfeng left the room, taking the record from the record player with him.

Back at Portable Abode, Li Banfeng handed the record to his Wife. Wife quickly listened to it once and then told Li Banfeng a key piece of information:

"Ye Ci, as long as you get Li Qi to come out, I'll have them send Chunying back immediately. From now on, Chunying is your only daughter, and I'll have nothing to do with her anymore."

"You absolutely mustn't do anything foolish, and you absolutely mustn't say anything stupid. If I hear you and Li Qi utter a single careless word, Chunying will be dead."

Just as Li Banfeng had predicted, Lu Chunying was kidnapped.

Lu Chunying, who had fought alongside Li Banfeng through countless bloody battles, was actually kidnapped by this woman.

The other party is someone of considerable influence, so Li Banfeng needs to make more preparations.

The Wife said, "My dear husband, this hook is of average quality; it can only be used to chase back using the trailing thread."

Li Banfeng was taken aback. "Thread-Pulling Earring have this ability?"

"She's new to this school, so you can let her give it a try. Send her to Little Slave."

Li Banfeng took out the earrings and gave them to his Wife. His Wife carefully described the characteristics of the hook. "You can tell where the hook is from the sound it makes. Listen to it carefully a couple more times, and you should be able to tell the general direction."

While his Wife was giving instructions on how to plant the cabbage, Li Banfeng took out cabbage seeds. After planting the Cabbage Man, Li Banfeng left Portable Abode and found Ma Wu, asking him to immediately gather manpower.

Twenty minutes later, Li Banfeng returned to the private room.

Xiao Yeci looked at Li Banfeng and asked, "Seventh Brother, are you really going?"

Li Banfeng nodded, a deep smile on his face.

Xiao Yeci was very nervous. After hesitating for a long time, she still took Li Banfeng out the door.

Upon reaching the roadside, Xiao Yeci hailed a rickshaw, which took the two of them to the Conqueror Restaurant.

Upon entering the private room, Xiao Yeci handed the menu to Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng sat calmly watching, a deep smile on his face.

Seeing that Li Banfeng remained silent, Xiao Yeci said in a low voice, "Then I'll order."

After ordering, a waiter came to get the menu. Although he was dressed in men's clothing, Xiao Yeci knew that this was Duan Shaoxia.

Duan Shaoxia glanced at Xiao Yeci, then at Li Banfeng, before leaving the private room.

"The food is about to be served!" Xiao Yeci glanced at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng's smile remained deep.

Upon arriving at the restaurant lobby, Duan Shaoxia said to the chef, "The dishes are ready."

The cook nodded, walked through the kitchen to the backyard of the restaurant, entered the house, and said, "Mosofonov Bishop, the order is ready."

A blond, blue-eyed middle-aged man turned around and said, "Our battle is about to begin. Remember, we only need people who can speak. Nothing else matters. If Li Qi can speak but can't walk, things will be even more advantageous for us. Go forth, my warriors, may the holy light protect you."

He had a total of fifty-six men under his command, all of whom were foreigners. Each of them had a different role and task. Fifty of them were to go to the private room to capture Li Qi. Of the remaining six, five were responsible for protecting the bishop, and one was to continue to monitor Xiao Yeci and Duan Shaoxia using a hook.

Dabo Ensi was not assigned any tasks, and Xiao Manli was in an equally awkward position.

Mosonov didn't speak to the two of them, Dabo Ensi felt it wasn't quite right for him to stay there either.

So he volunteered, "I'll go patrol outside the restaurant to make sure no one else interferes with our operation."

Mosonov nodded. "Very good. Report to me immediately if you have any news. Manli, you and Dabo go together."

Dabo Ensi and Xiao Manli left the restaurant together. As they walked down the street, Dabo Ensi lowered his voice and said, "Did you tell the news to Mosofonov Bishop?"

Xiao Manli did not deny it. "He happened to bring people to Green Water City. After learning the news, I came to find him immediately. As a member of the Chasing Light Group, this is my duty."

Dabo Ensi said, "Now I understand why your reputation is so bad. You have no concept of credit at all. Cooperating with you was the stupidest decision I ever made!"

Xiao Manli argued, "Our opponents are a powerhouse in Pro State. With just the two of us..."

This task is impossible to complete.

Dabo Ensi sneered, "Why can't you be more honest? You're worried I'll monopolize the Red Lotus, you're worried you won't get any benefits!"

Xiao Manli felt no shame. "Shouldn't I be worried? Shouldn't I receive my due compensation?"

Dabo Ensi shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Miss Xiao, you can't get anything now. The things have fallen into the hands of those foreign devils, and have nothing to do with us anymore."

"You call them foreign devils?" Xiao Manli asked, taken aback. "Spider Bin, you really are a pragmatic person."

Why did you join the Chasing Light Group?

"What do you think? And what were you doing this for? For their faith? For their culture? Wasn't it all for profit? Because of your foolish actions, we've gained nothing!"

Xiao Manli also felt a little regretful. "He is a bishop. Since he made a promise, he should at least fulfill part of it. I think we can at least earn some pills."

Daboyin was not optimistic. "The promise wasn't for us, it was for his men. That bastard Mosonov didn't treat us like human beings, he won't give us anything—"

Dabo Ensi abruptly stopped mid-sentence; the little spider he had placed outside had sensed something.

"Since we didn't get anything, I don't think we need to take on too much responsibility." Dabo Ensi quickly turned into the alley next door, Xiao Manli quickly followed.

"What exactly happened?"

Dabo Ensi did not answer, but only prayed for Mosonov: "May the divine light protect him."

On the street leading to the Conqueror Restaurant, He Yuxiu led dozens of people over.

On the other side of the street, Chu Huaiyuan also came over with dozens of people.

The He Family members all wore white short jackets, while the Chu family members all wore gray Western-style suits.

Ma Wu arrived earlier than them; his men were all dressed in black Zhongshan suits.

The owner of the Conqueror Restaurant stood at the door, wanting to come up and ask what was going on. Before he could speak, He Yuxiu grabbed his hair, snapped his neck, and threw him to the side of the road.

Inside the private room, Li Qi smiled as he looked at Xiao Yeci. Xiao Yeci, feeling uneasy, kept rubbing her hands together and said, "Seventh Brother, if you don't like it here, let's leave."

Li Qi remained silent, which only increased Xiao Yeci's worry.

She wasn't sure if Li Qi understood what she meant, nor was she sure if Li Qi had made the necessary preparations.

Pfft~

Li Qi's body suddenly began to sink, disappearing into the wooden floor.

Xiao Yeci was startled and cried out, "My Benefactor, let's go!"

A mud pit appeared on the ground, its depth and destination unknown. Li Qi remained seated, his body sinking rapidly into it.

This means Mud Cultivator has stepped in.

Xiao Yeci rushed forward, trying to grab Li Qi, but a foreigner burst through the wall of the private room and, using brute force, captured Xiao Yeci.

A dozen or so foreigners rushed in through the door and swiftly chopped off Li Qi's hands and feet. This was the bishop's order; they only needed someone who could speak, nothing else mattered.

Then a dozen or so foreigners arrived, carrying a metal cabinet, and stuffed Li Qi inside.

Xiao Yeci trembled all over, tears streaming down her face.

Duan Shaoxia had told her that Li Qi understood the current situation and must have a way to deal with it, but she never dreamed that it would end like this.

She struggled to get up, wanting to fight back, but was firmly pinned to the ground by two foreigners.

In the restaurant's backyard, Bishop Mosonov was making tea with several subordinates. As he arranged the tea set, he remarked, "The culture of Pro State is repulsive, but their drinks are truly amazing."

Tea, in particular, this ancient Eastern beverage, possesses a subtle charm. For example, the water temperature is crucial. Green tea, for instance, shouldn't be brewed with boiling water, as it severely affects the taste. In Pro State, this is known as "over-heating."

However, if the water temperature is below 85 degrees Celsius, the aroma of the tea leaves will not be fully released. Therefore, the optimal temperature is between 85 and 90 degrees Celsius.

One of his subordinates asked, "Bishop, would you like to use a thermometer to measure the water temperature?"

Mosonov smiled and shook his head, "Of course not, what we need is judgment, judgment based on common sense."

Just like water splashing loudly, does that mean the water is very hot? Common sense tells us...

The sound of water and its temperature are two different things.

Similarly, many people have told you that Pro State is powerful, but reputation and strength are two different things. Individually, they may have outstanding combat abilities, but when faced with well-thought-out tactics and coordinated teamwork, they are no match.

Take, for example, the once-famous Li Qi and his rabble. No matter how resounding their reputation, their actual strength was just as pathetic as that of street thugs.

The entire Pro State is so wretched that leaving such good land to this rabble would be tantamount to desecration. When the time is right, this land will ultimately belong to us.

The time is almost here, just like this kettle of water. It's been boiling for just the right amount of time. Hand me the kettle.

Li Banfeng handed the kettle to Mosonov.

Mosonov paused for a moment, did not take the water bottle, and looked at Li Banfeng beside him.

Li Banfeng, holding the water bottle, asked, "Do you want this water or not?"

"Who are you—"

"I've already brought it, so just keep it." Li Banfeng poured a kettle of boiling water over Mosonov's head.

Mosonov let out a heart-wrenching scream. He turned to look at his six subordinates and found them standing there, their severed heads laid out at their feet.

Didn't they say that Li Qi's hands and feet were chopped off and he was stuffed into a closet?

The group of foreigners who rushed into the private room all thought so. One of them used Curse Art to seal the metal cabinet and instructed the people outside the room, "Hand this man over to the bishop immediately. Be on high alert; he may still escape."

He Yuxiu asked from outside the door, "Where is your bishop? If you don't tell me, how am I supposed to deliver it?"

The foreigner paused for a moment, then saw He Yuxiu throw in a blond human head. "I just asked him, and he said he didn't know. Do you know?"

While the group of foreigners were still in a daze, He Yuxiu casually picked up a plate and chopped off half of one of the foreigners' heads.

A foreigner rushed toward He Yuxiu, but suddenly collapsed to the ground. He had been hit by Ma Wu's technique, and his blood vessels had burst.

Chu Er was attacked by two foreigners. She took a knife and cut her own face, and each of the two foreigners also had a cut on their faces.

Chu Er's cut was less than an inch long, while the cuts on the two foreigners' faces were nearly half a foot long, stretching from their cheeks all the way to the back of their heads.

A foreigner nearby was terrified and almost lost his footing. Tan Fucheng pulled up a chair and said, "Don't be afraid, sit down for a while. Do you know where our young lady is?"

The foreigner remained silent, so Tan Fucheng placed his finger on the foreigner's eye socket. "Not going to talk? Then I'll have to get something good from you."

Lu Yuanxin pulled a centipede out of the back of a foreigner's head, and then helped Xiao Yeci up from the ground.

Xiao Yeci rushed towards the metal cabinet, crying, and opened the door to see Li Qi, whose hands and feet had been cut off.

"My Benefactor, my Benefactor!" Xiao Yeci wished she could smash her head against the cabinet and die.

He Yuxiu looked at it for a moment, then pushed Xiao Yeci away and said, "Stop howling, this is a cabbage."

This is Cabbage Man made by Li Banfeng, which was sculpted by his Wife. Normally, He Yuxiu wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

But now it was hacked to pieces, He Yuxiu saw the flaws in the wounds.

Chu Er wiped the blood from his face and asked, "Where did Seventh Brother go?"

Using the Thread-Pulling Earring as a guide, Li Banfeng chased the hook back to the restaurant's backyard.

The piercing screams from the backyard startled everyone. Li Banfeng grabbed Mosonov's hair, pressed his right cheek against the wall, and sprinted forward.

The rough wall quickly wore away Mosonov's skin, revealing his bones. Mosonov's voice grew louder and louder, Li Banfeng reminded him, "The volume of your voice will have a certain impact on my emotions. The louder you shout, the more you will suffer."

Mosonov dared not shout anymore. Li Banfeng asked, "Where did Lu Chunying go?"

Mosonov said, "I won't tell you unless you release me."

"Letting you go is a bit difficult, but I can turn you over!" Li Banfeng pressed Mosonov's left cheek against the wall and continued to rub it.

At the Guanfang Hall, Liao Zihui was about to leave work when he suddenly received an urgent report from Xia Shumin: "General Envoy, something terrible has happened. Mosonov and his party from Lafusha Country have clashed with Li Qi and his group at the Conqueror Restaurant, and some people have already died in the conflict."

Liao Zihui was stunned and said, "How could this happen?"

Xia Shumin said, "The cause of the incident still needs further investigation. Your General Envoy, if we do not stop Li Qi as soon as possible, Mosonov and his party may all perish, which could lead to a serious conflict."

Liao Zihui sighed and said, "This matter must be taken very seriously. We need to gather all the Deputy General Envoy together."

Key personnel from all departments were mobilized and an emergency meeting was immediately convened to discuss and formulate a response plan.

Huh? A meeting?

Xia Shumin doubted that he had heard correctly.

Secretary Ling Sujun asked, "Many of the Deputy General Envoy are away on business trips. Should we consult them through emergency communication devices?"

Liao Zihui smacked his lips and said, "Relying on communication equipment, some details are ultimately impossible to explain clearly. Notify all personnel on business trips to return to the Guanfang Hall as soon as possible."

What? We're waiting for him to come back from his business trip?

Xia Shumin couldn't understand Liao Zihui's actions at all.

"Your General Envoy, the conflict at the restaurant is still ongoing. Shouldn't we take some urgent measures?"

Liao Zihui nodded and said, "Some emergency measures are necessary. Draft a report immediately, and make sure the wording is precise. At the same time, keep track of the latest developments in the conflict and report the information to your superiors as soon as possible."

Xia Shumin remained silent and went to write his report.

Liao Zihui opened the second drawer of his desk and pulled out a document.

"The Chasing Light Society, they've set their sights on Pro State. I was just thinking about how to deal with you, and now you've gone and killed yourselves."

Why did you have to go after Li Qi? That makes things much easier.

Mosonov's face was so smoothed that only bones remained. He agreed to reveal Lu Chunying's whereabouts, but on the condition that he personally lead the way, and only Li Qi could go with him.

There was a trap here. He Yuxiu shook her head repeatedly, signaling Li Qi not to go. Xiao Yeci wanted to go by herself, but Duan Shaoxia stopped her.

Duan Shaoxia came to Mosonov's side and gently touched his face, which was now just bone. "You said you would help me find my child."

As they looked at each other, a bloodshot appeared in Mosonov's eyes.

He grasped Duan Shaoxia's hand and said, "Beautiful lady, as long as I live, I will fulfill the promise I made. Can you let me live?"

"I will make you live to see the truth. I will protect you with my life. Tell me where Lu Chunying is, and I will trade her for your life."

Mosonov hesitated. If he were in good condition, he might be able to withstand Duan Shaoxia's techniques.

He's not normal now; he's barely clinging to life.

The two stared at each other for a full two minutes. Duan Shaoxia leaned down and heard Mosonov whisper.

Duan Shaoxia stood up and said, "Lu Chunying is in a house on Anxuan Road."

Li Banfeng couldn't quite figure out Duan Shaoxia's stance, and Duan Shaoxia didn't offer any explanation.

Tan Fucheng and Lu Yuanxin, along with their men, brought Lu Chunying back to the address Duan Shaoxia had given them.

Lu Chunying wasn't afraid; instead, she felt a little guilty. "Seventh Brother, it was my carelessness that led to my capture by these foreign devils."

This time, it was indeed Lu Chunying's carelessness. After learning that Xiao Yeci was being threatened by Xiao Manli, Lu Chunying originally planned to get rid of Xiao Manli. However, Duan Shaoxia's henchmen suddenly showed up at the door, catching Lu Chunying off guard.

Eager to calm things down, Lu Chunying took two subordinates and followed the scouts to see Duan Shaoxia. Little did she know that these two scouts were members of the Chasing Light Group. They led Lu Chunying into an ambush and captured Lu Chunying and her subordinates alive.

Lu Chunying's departure and subsequent disappearance greatly worried Xiao Yeci. She rushed to the Lu Family to find Duan Shaoxia, only to discover that Duan Shaoxia was already under the surveillance of the Chasing Light Group and was in dire straits.

Fortunately, Madam Duan was insightful and secretly informed Xiao Yeci, telling her to agree to Xiao Manli's conditions and arrange for Li Qi to come out.

Xiao Yeci refused; she didn't want to harm Li Qi.

Duan Shaoxia was quite confident; she believed Li Qi had a way to deal with it.

Xiao Yeci believed that even if she wanted to find Li Qi, she should first explain the situation. However, when she arrived at Carefree Dock, Xiao Yeci knew that she was under a warrant and dared not speak openly. She could only hint at the situation to Li Qi.

Duan Shaoxia's judgment was correct; Li Qi did indeed have a way to deal with it, and he wiped out more than fifty members of the Chasing Light Society in one fell swoop.

But where did Xiao Manli go?

While everyone was cleaning up, Li Banfeng and He Yuxiu found a quiet place and asked Xiao Yeci:

What is your relationship with Xiao Manli?

Xiao Yeci said, "She is my older sister."

At this point, Xiao Yeci didn't want to continue.

He Yuxiu said, "Sister, go ahead and speak. There are no outsiders here."

Xiao Yeci lowered her head and said, "I don't care. I'm just afraid that someone will not recognize Tun's identity."

He Yuxiu laughed and said, "Sister, identity isn't something you can recognize, it's something you earn yourself. If anyone dares to talk nonsense about Chunying, we'll tear their mouths off and see who dares to sneer again."

This was the undeniable truth, Xiao Yeci naturally understood it, which gave her more confidence in her speech. "I'm from Ye Song Bridge, and in Ye Song Bridge, our Xiao family is considered quite well-off."

Xiao Manli is the eldest daughter of our generation. She was betrothed to the Yang Family a long time ago, and we were just waiting for the day to get married.

That year, she fell seriously ill and was bedridden for almost a year. After she recovered, a child was born into the family.

He Yuxiu laughed, "You scholars are so good at talking in circles. She clearly gave birth to the child, yet you say she was sick. This child is Chunying, isn't it?"

Xiao Yeci nodded and said, "This child is Chunying's. At that time, some rumors had already spread that Lu Dongliang, the First Young Master of the Lu Family, had slept with my sister. My mother was afraid that the Yang Family would break off the engagement, so she wanted to throw the child away."

He Yuxiu shook her head and said, "I'm afraid we wouldn't dare. This is Lu Dongliang's child. If Lu Dongliang doesn't hold it against us, this matter will be over. But if he does, your Xiao family is finished. He's ruthless and vicious. Do you dare to gamble on this?"

Xiao Yeci shook her head and said, "I dared not gamble. My father thought about it for two days and put the child in my room to take care of him first. I was only eleven years old at that time. I wasn't born to the main wife, and my mother died early. I agreed to whatever my father asked me to do. Who could have imagined that they...

He Yuxiu had already guessed the outcome. "They're blaming this child on you."

Xiao Yeci sighed and said, "At first they tried to hide it, but after two years they forced me to acknowledge the child. Two years later, my father said I had ruined the family's reputation and kicked me and the child out."

He Yuxiu sighed, "Your father figured it out. He was sure Lu Dongliang wouldn't pursue the matter any further, so he simply let it go."

Xiao Yeci said, "Luckily, I can read. By copying and writing for others, I managed to raise Chunying."

But I'm really not..."

Lu Chunying chimed in, "You're like my own mother. Sister Xiu is right. Anyone who dares to say anything will have their mouth ripped off. After a couple of rips, they'll shut up."

Xiao Yeci lowered her head, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said, "But Manli—"

Li Banfeng sighed, "There's no need to dwell on this. I think Ms. Xiao Manli is a reasonable person. I'll find an opportunity to talk to her and give her some advice. She should be able to listen."

He Yuxiu asked, "The key question is, where is she?"

Zuo Wugang, he said, "Seventh Master, those foreign devils are all locked up in the kitchen. What do you think we should do with them?"

Li Banfeng pondered for a moment and said, "You all go back to Carefree Dock and wait for me. I'll chat with them for a while."

After everyone left the Conqueror Restaurant, Li Banfeng escorted the group of foreigners into Portable Abode.

"I have some things to discuss with you. Let's start with the Chasing Light Group."

The group of foreigners remained silent with their heads bowed. Mosonov, mustering his strength, said, "We are Lavsha People. Before you harm me, you should think carefully about the consequences."

Release us immediately, and go to the Green Water City Defense Office to confess your crimes. There is still room for redemption.

Hong Ying stood up and said, "What nonsense is this jerk spouting?"

The record player sang, "Is this because they think we haven't been hospitable enough? Old Teapot, is the tea ready?"

The teapot chuckled, "The water's just boiled; it's perfect for warming everyone up."

P. S.: How is the quality of this batch of ingredients?

This cough is so hard to cure! I'm coughing Salad terrible! Dear readers, please give me a monthly ticket!