Night, the end of the You hour.
The Qian Family.
Dim candlelight illuminated the plaque above the Qian residence. The long, blue-stone street outside, which should have been quiet, was now full of carriages and passersby, and people streamed through the Qian Family's gates without end.
"What a grand turnout."
Qin Jiu watched the people gathered before the vermilion gates.
He couldn't help showing his surprise.
He had thought that when the Qian Family sold off its Inner City properties, at most a handful of influential groups would come to the banquet.
He hadn't expected the steady stream of people he saw now.
Even minor Outer City lineages and martial arts school disciples had come.
As he pondered this,
Qin Jiu led Wang Yue into the Qian residence. An old servant then guided them through the front courtyard, stopping only when they reached the central courtyard.
"Patriarch Qin has arrived."
The Qian Family's head, Qian Zhijie, wore an apologetic expression. "There are many guests at the residence today. If I've neglected you in any way, Patriarch Qin, Elder Wang, I hope you'll forgive me."
"That's no problem."
Qin Jiu shook his head, then smiled. "With so many people here tonight, your Qian Family may yet make a fortune before you leave."
After he made the teasing remark,
to his surprise,
Qian Zhijie looked baffled. "Many of these people weren't invited by me."
"You didn't invite them?"
"Alas, the things my Qian Family intends to sell are just some bolts of cloth, a few dyeing workshops, and some plots in the Inner City. It's not that much, really. Why would so many people be needed to buy it all?"
Qian Zhijie shook his head and sighed.
Then, after excusing himself, he went to greet the other guests.
"Something's not right."
Qin Jiu frowned.
He was just thinking of discussing with Wang Yue whether they should leave the Qian residence
when he heard someone call out.
He looked toward the voice and saw Han Zheng waving at him. Several imposing figures stood beside him.
After a moment's thought, Qin Jiu led Wang Yue over.
"Uncle Han."
"Nephew, let me introduce you. This is Tang Yu, the master of Canghai Martial Hall in the Inner City. These two are Nan Zhenxiong of the Long Wind Escort Agency and Jiang Lin, leader of the Canal Gang. They've all recently broken through to the Internal Strengthening realm."
Han Zheng introduced the people beside him.
Qin Jiu looked them over one by one, a trace of surprise in his eyes.
He knew the master of the Inner City's martial arts school. Tang Yu was also an Internal Strengthening martial artist. As for the two men from the Long Wind Escort Agency and the Canal Gang, if he remembered correctly, they had both been at the Three Refinements stage. He hadn't expected them to break through as well.
A hint of wariness stirred in his heart.
"I'm Nan Zhenxiong. I've long admired the Qin Family's reputation. Seeing you today, I can tell it's well deserved."
"I'm Jiang Lin. A pleasure."
The two men cupped their hands toward Qin Jiu at the same time. But as they spoke, their gazes passed over him and settled on Wang Yue, a strange glint flashing in each man's eyes.
Qin Jiu noticed, but kept his expression unchanged.
He returned their greetings one by one.
But before they could exchange more than a few words,
the Qian Family's head had already stepped before the crowd and called out, "I'm deeply grateful to everyone for coming to the Qian residence tonight. If our hospitality has been lacking in any way, I hope you'll forgive us."
"Since you're all here, I assume you know why my Qian Family has gathered you."
"So I'll get straight to the point."
"The dyeing workshop in Sanli Town, in the Outer City's eastern district, together with the land it stands on, has a starting price of three thousand taels of silver. It goes to the highest bidder. Anyone who wants to buy it, name your price!"
Qian Zhijie spoke with excitement.
He hadn't expected so many people to come tonight.
Caught off guard,
he had simply decided to sell everything at auction.
That was the only way to maximize his profits.
However...
When he finished speaking, a deathly silence fell over the courtyard.
Qian Zhijie's heart gave a thump. He called out again and waited for another quarter of an hour, but still no one answered. Cold sweat instantly poured down his face.
Elsewhere,
Qin Jiu frowned and surveyed the crowd.
He saw no expression on anyone's face.
He turned to look at Han Zheng.
Han Zheng was frowning too. As if he noticed Qin Jiu's gaze, his lips moved ever so slightly.
"Most of the people here"
"were ordered to come."
Ordered?
Qin Jiu's pupils contracted sharply. He was about to ask what Han Zheng meant when a voice, imbued with a strange force, suddenly rang throughout the courtyard.
"Qian Zhijie, stop calling out."
"Your Qian Family won't be leaving Songshan County."
"Clop, clop,"
As the words fell,
clear footsteps sounded outside the courtyard.
Then,
the crowd parted down the middle, revealing a burly figure in armor and a dark red cloak.
A saber hung at his waist. His brows and eyes radiated baleful intent, and he strode toward the front of the crowd with the bearing of a dragon and a tiger.
First, he glanced at Qian Zhijie.
Then he surveyed the crowd.
"Everyone should be here, right?"
"Commander Fu, what are you...?"
When Qian Zhijie saw the newcomer, his expression changed drastically. He spoke hesitantly.
But before he could finish his sentence,
he instinctively swallowed the rest of his words and dared not continue.
Because Commander Fu was glaring coldly at him.
"It's not your turn to speak yet."
He snapped coldly, then looked toward the crowd and said, "Tonight, I've used the Qian Family to summon you all here for two reasons. First, starting today, Songshan County is under complete lockdown. Those who aren't government personnel may enter, but none may leave. Anyone who tries to force their way out will be killed without exception!"
"Second, the County Magistrate has established the Demon Suppression Bureau."
"Every power in the county, large or small, must pay additional money and grain each month, as ordered by the County Office, to support the Demon Suppression Bureau. The people of the Inner and Outer Cities must also pay money and grain according to their numbers. In addition, the newly established Demon Suppression Bureau is urgently in need of personnel, and martial artists will be requisitioned from every major power."
"You'll be given the details tomorrow, when someone comes to explain them to you in person."
"I hope you'll all prepare yourselves."
His words immediately set off an uproar among the crowd.
Qin Jiu's expression changed as well.
"Commander Fu Hanchuan, why is the County Magistrate locking down the county and establishing the Demon Suppression Bureau? Could you explain?"
At that moment,
Han Zheng frowned and cupped his hands toward the man.
"Demons are surrounding the city."
The man spat out a few hard words, then strode out of the courtyard.
Everyone was stunned.
Just then,
another figure came to the front of the crowd and cupped his hands. "Please don't take offense. The commander still has urgent matters to attend to tonight and can't stay. If you have any questions, I'll answer them on his behalf."
"Head Constable Feng..."
It was Qian Zhijie who spoke.
The fat on his face quivered as he asked, "When Commander Fu said demons are surrounding the city, he was joking with us, wasn't he?"
"That was no joke."
The man looked grim. "To explain, we need to start with the Zhao Family's destruction."
"After the Qin and Han Families were attacked and slaughtered by demons, the County Magistrate ordered Commander Fu to capture them. On the day your Qian Family was attacked, Commander Fu arrived and tried to join forces with your Internal Strengthening expert to suppress the demon. In the end, they were no match for it, and it escaped."
"That seems to have enraged the demon."
"Not long after, the demon appeared at the Zhao Family and went on a killing spree. The County Magistrate personally intervened and killed it. While investigating by following its aura, he discovered that the demons outside the city were closing in from all sides, converging on the county seat in an endless stream."
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