Tea?
Chen Yi's thoughts stirred slightly. In the distance, the black-clad figure stopped, gazing impassively at the residence.
"Tea is fine, but might you at least let me understand why I'm to die?"
"Heh."
The person in the courtyard chuckled, then casually spoke a name. "Chen Zhitang."
So it was her-Chen Zhitang, the Willow-Folding Sword!
Through the black-clad figure's eyes, Chen Yi seemed to see the person inside the residence. With no small measure of feeling, he said, "Amid the mortal world's smoke and color, beneath the crabapple I pour alone into emptiness. Laugh at me folding willow branches-I once slew an immortal in heaven."
"The Willow-Folding Sword-I've long admired you. That stroke today truly was extraordinary."
His words had barely fallen.
The courtyard's wooden gate swung open.
Chen Zhitang's voice drifted out. "Since you've admired me for so long, come in and sit."
Before Chen Yi could act, another voice came from within.
Though the speaker deliberately made his voice hoarse, it was not hard to recognize Jia Xingzhi.
With some displeasure, he said, "
Willow-Folding Sword, please don't grow branches outside the main bough. Just kill him."
"Oh?"
"Young Jia, are you unhappy with how I do things?"
"I... wouldn't dare."
"Then shut up."
Listening to the voices inside, Chen Yi felt a little surprised.
He could readily see that Chen Zhitang was not under Jia Xingzhi's control, even though Jia Xingzhi was a longtime retainer of the Cui Family and a senior hall official of the Jizhou Trading Company.
In that case, Chen Zhitang was not with the Jizhou Trading Company, or perhaps-
He considered it for a moment.
Chen Yi immediately had the black-clad figure enter the courtyard before him, while remembering to conceal the other black-clad figure far away.
Once the two people in the