Outside Enan City.
A pavilion stood beside the main road.
Li Ping'an and his companions walked very slowly, strolling along at their leisure.
Someone was already waiting for them at the pavilion.
Li Ping'an walked over calmly and sat down opposite them without waiting to be invited.
Five people sat across from him.
The masters of the Wang and Zhang families naturally represented Enan City's two families.
The leader of the Chaoyu Gang, which controlled the waterways.
The master of Fuyang Temple, representing the southern faction's forces.
The last was a Jiedushi dispatched here by the minor imperial court, nominally the lord of One City, Enan City.
He had long since stopped involving himself in affairs, yet he had still come here at this time.
That alone showed the weight of today's matter.
"Please, have some tea."
The Jiedushi smiled and poured tea for Li Ping'an.
Li Ping'an said nothing, smiling.
Only, the Staff-Sword inside his bamboo pole suddenly left its sheath.
Shing!!
In that instant, the other four seated men all changed expression, one hand bracing against the table while the other reached behind them.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!
At that same moment, dozens of people holding crossbows sprang from the surrounding woods.
There was no doubt they would turn Li Ping'an into a sieve the next second.
But Li Ping'an had merely drawn his blade.
The next second, he put it back.
Everyone froze briefly, their faces filled with astonishment.
Only when the Jiedushi waved his hand did the crossbowmen retreat into the woods.
"We've made fools of ourselves before you, sir." The Jiedushi smiled awkwardly.
Li Ping'an smiled without speaking.
Apart from the crossbowmen, there had originally been only a few people scattered nearby.
Yet in a few short moments, they became a dozen, then over a hundred.