A golden leaf remained on the table. Chen Ye gathered up the extra silver Shen Chongsan had given him, wrapped it in cloth, and tucked it into his robe.
Then he sat on the edge of the bed and began to weigh his next steps.
So far, he still hadn't found Gao Yunheng, and he hadn't even managed to get his foot in the door of the Xie Family.
But compared to a month ago, he now had an identity in the Capital City, a token from the Zhou Clan, and the goodwill of both Su Guang and Zuo Dongxi.
Tonight, Zuo Dongxi was hosting a banquet at Fengqing Restaurant. It was a perfect opportunity to put all these things he had to use.
That evening.
Fengqing Restaurant, second-floor private room.
Zuo Dongxi was the host. The three of them sat by the window.
Outside lay South Street in the Capital City.
The bustle of the night market drifted in through the half-open window with the evening breeze.
Several plates of hot dishes had already been set on the table.
When the waiter brought over a pot of warmed wine, the banquet officially began.
When they had first sat down, Su Guang hadn't known the other two well and had been somewhat ill at ease.
Medicine had been applied to all ten of his fingers, which were wrapped in bandages. His knuckles stiffened as he tried to pick up food.
He couldn't handle his chopsticks properly.
Zuo Dongxi had been injured too, but most of his wounds were superficial, so he was in better shape than Su Guang.
Chen Ye, though, was a different story.
He had clearly been tortured as well, yet now he looked as if nothing had happened, without a trace of injury.
Zuo Dongxi and Su Guang had learned on the way that this was thanks to the medicine bestowed by Madam Zhou, and couldn't help envying him.
The three of them clinked their bowls of wine for the first time.
Su Guang drained his in silence and set the bowl on the table without saying a word.
Zuo Dongxi filled all three bowls again.
After they'd finished their second bowl, Zuo Dongxi spoke first. "Brother, I've been in the Patrol Horse Gang for over a decade. I've done plenty of work with a knife at my throat, but this time I nearly lost my life for real. If it weren't for you, I'd still be rotting in that Dungeon, waiting to die. What are your plans from here? Are you going back to working as a cart attendant?"
Chen Ye raised his bowl. "I can't go back to the cart company. The owner was afraid of getting into trouble, so he paid me what he owed."
Zuo Dongxi snorted. "Li Datou from the cart company is gutless as they come. If you can't go back there, Brother Chen, and you don't mind, join my Patrol Horse Gang. I'll save you a place as deputy gang leader."
Chen Ye tilted his head back and drained a full bowl of wine.
For the time being, he had no plans to live under someone else's roof. And even if he did decide to pledge himself to someone, it wouldn't be to some small Jianghu gang.
Chen Ye set down his bowl with a light clink and said, "I came to the Capital City mainly to find someone. He's the Eldest Young Master of the Qinghe Gao Family. He received a summons from the Xie Family and came to the Capital City last month to take up an official post. Unfortunately, my abilities are limited. I still haven't found him."
Zuo Dongxi put down his chopsticks. "Leave the search to me. I'll have the brothers in the gang look into it tomorrow. As long as he's still in the Capital City, we'll find some trace of him."
"Mm. Sorry for the trouble, Brother Zuo." Chen Ye made no attempt to be polite.
"No need for that between us."
The two clinked their bowls again.
Su Guang sat quietly beside them, listening without joining in.
His fingers were still healing from the finger-crushing torture. When he lifted his wine, he couldn't control the strength in his knuckles, and wine spilled from his bowl now and then.
Chen Ye set down his bowl and looked at Su Guang. "Brother Su, what are your plans from here?"
Su Guang lowered his head and was silent for a long while before sighing. "I don't know."
Zuo Dongxi poured him another bowl of wine.
Su Guang drained that one too. As the alcohol took hold, he gradually began to say more.
"I spent eight years in the Feng Family. I've been at the Third Young Master's side since before he came of age. He was good to me, and my life belonged to him."
He stared at the muddy wine left at the bottom of his bowl. "Now he's dead, and the Feng Family has thrown me out. When you think about it, I've been a pretty useless bodyguard."
Su Guang said no more. He tipped his head back and downed the wine left in his bowl.
Chen Ye didn't try to comfort him.
After a few quiet moments, he spoke in an even tone. "Brother Su, when I was in Qinghe Prefecture, I used to think I was useless too. Back then, I was a servant in the Gao Family, kept like a beast. I couldn't even protect my own life."
He laid his chopsticks across his bowl. His voice wasn't loud, but both men at the table heard him.
"So later, I killed the head of the household guards who'd wanted me dead. I beat him to death, one punch at a time."
Zuo Dongxi and Su Guang both looked at Chen Ye.
"To be honest with you both, I came to the Capital City to collect a debt." Chen Ye looked at Su Guang. "The Eldest Young Master of the Gao Family got the Xie Family's summons by using my life as the price. He owes me a life."
Su Guang stared at him for a long while after hearing this.
Then he suddenly picked up the wine pot, refilled both their bowls, and raised his own, draining it in one gulp.
"Brother Chen." He set down his bowl, as if he'd made up his mind, and spoke earnestly. "You saved my life. I could never repay you in this lifetime. From now on, what's yours is mine. Whatever you ask me to do, I'll do it."
Chen Ye took the other bowl and drained it too. He set the empty bowl on the table. "You're giving me too much credit, Brother Su. We're all on the same side from now on."
"I never knew you had so much going on, Brother Chen. Come on, let's drink!" Zuo Dongxi said. "From today on, your business is our business."
Zuo Dongxi filled all three bowls again.
The three raised their bowls and knocked them together with a heavy clack. "Bottoms up!"
The wine went down.
Chen Ye picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of lamb in his mouth, chewing it carefully.
Then he continued, "Next, I'd like to try my luck with the Cui Family. Do either of you know how to get in?"
"I remember hearing that the Cui Family takes in retainers from outside, but I don't know exactly how they recruit them or what their requirements are," Zuo Dongxi replied.
Su Guang chimed in. "I know a little about that. A while ago, when the Third Young Master went to visit the Cui Family, I drank with one of their household guards a few times. He mentioned that it was mainly Third Young Lady Cui Xijun who recruited retainers from outside. The other members of the Cui Family rarely did."
Chen Ye said, "Then, Brother Su, please find out what the Cui Family requires of their retainers, who's in charge, and when they're recruiting. I want to try going through Third Young Lady Cui. In the Capital City, we'll feel safer if we can find a powerful family to shelter under."
Su Guang nodded. "I'll take care of it tomorrow."
After another bowl of wine, Chen Ye remembered something. His expression turned grave. "There's one more thing I need to tell you both."
Seeing Chen Ye's serious expression, Su Guang and Zuo Dongxi put down their chopsticks and looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
"It's about the Feng Family," Chen Ye said gravely. "I heard from Third Madam Zhou that the killer who murdered the Third Young Master has been caught, but the Feng Family hasn't executed him. Whether they'll come after us later, no one can say. So we need to keep an eye on the Feng Family too. If anything stirs, we should let each other know at once."
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