Drinking-Horse Reach

While Yue Huaiyuan turned to look at Xie Tinglan,

Jiang Yuechu quickly lowered her head.

"So that was it!"

Yue Huaiyuan slapped his thigh.

He raised his wine bowl in a toast to Jiang Yuechu from across the table.

"Lord Jiang, since you've come to help, I won't stand on ceremony."

"I'll drink this bowl first!"

Jiang Yuechu raised her head, her expression once more as cool as ever.

"You're too kind, General."

Three rounds of wine passed, and they sampled dish after dish.

Jiang Yuechu had no wish to drag things out. She went straight to the point.

"On the way here, I heard Langjiang Xie mention that a Great Demon at Ink-Point Perfection is entrenched here in Yuhang?"

At that, Yue Huaiyuan frowned and sighed.

"Ah..."

Jiang Yuechu furrowed her brow and voiced the question troubling her.

"With your strength, General, even if you couldn't kill it, surely you wouldn't let it roam so freely right under your nose?"

The fierce thrust Yue Huaiyuan had unleashed earlier that day had left a deep impression on her.

A man that formidable could have few rivals in the same realm.

Xie Tinglan looked equally puzzled and could not help interjecting. "Exactly, General Yue. My master once said that even the Lotus-Seeding Great Demon of years past never made you so much as furrow your brow. Why this?"

Yue Huaiyuan's gaze wandered. "Well... about that..."

"Ah, Langjiang Xie, Lord Jiang, there are twists and turns to this that I can't explain in a few words. I truly can't!"

He tipped back his head and drained the strong liquor from his bowl in one gulp, as though hoping it would help him swallow his words.

Xie Tinglan's brows drew tight.

The situation in the East Riverlands was as precarious as a pile