Beneath a tall lamp, one of the banquet guests stood illuminated.
The young man wore purple brocade and had a refined, gentle face. He rose with a wine cup in hand and a square kerchief wrapped around his head, swept his sleeve back, and began to speak expansively.
"When I think back to Brother Qian bringing the eight of us into the Gathering of Heroes Hall, that vigorous, tiger-like bearing is still before my eyes. Now, several years have passed, and our wings have long since grown strong."
As he spoke, he raised his cup, the fine amber wine within it rippling in concentric circles.
"To the success of Brother Qian's many years of effort!"
At these words, the other seven rose in turn and raised their cups, their gazes converging on Qian Zhen in the seat of honor.
Qian Zhen felt deeply reassured. With a hearty laugh, he rose as well, cup in hand, and after laughing, spoke out loudly.
"Though you are not my blood kin, you are brothers as dear to me as my own limbs. With Shu Gong's kind words on top of that, I feel unworthy. I could never deserve a joint toast from all my brothers. I shall drink a penalty cup!"
With that said.
He clasped the cup's handles in both hands and downed the slightly sweet wine in one gulp.
Now, not only did Shu Gong, who had spoken first, look puzzled, but the others exchanged glances as well. Seeing Qian Zhen finish his cup, they followed suit.
Everyone sat back down and looked at the food and wine on the banquet table, no longer quite daring to pick up their chopsticks.
Once again, Shu Gong spoke up. "Brother Qian, have you encountered some difficulty?"
This was precisely what Qian Zhen had been waiting for. His Gathering of Heroes Hall was where his prestige truly lay; whenever he spoke, there would be an answer.
He picked up where the other man had left off. "Brothers, my Qian Family has built its foundations in Suming County over several generations and has always acted honorably. Yet we encountered a wicked clan. Its people killed my servants and slaughtered my guards, and now they have even taken the matter to the county magistrate. I no longer know what to do!"
At these words, everyone from the Gathering of Heroes Hall immediately looked furious. Someone cursed, "They dare bully my elder brother? Outrageous! They deserve to be cut down, cut down!"
This readiness to kill at the slightest provocation actually struck an immediate chord with the others.
"Exactly! Our Gathering of Heroes Hall has been keeping a low profile, and now people disregard us to this extent. After bullying Brother Qian, are they planning to tear us out by the roots next?"
"Well said. Yan Liang has spoken my very thoughts."
"How about this?" A broad-shouldered, thick-waisted man in a long blue robe, who controlled the county town's underworld, spoke in a rough voice. "I have a hundred Roaring Hall disciples under me, all at your disposal, elder brother."
At these words, everyone responded again.
"My smithy hasn't forged any sharp weapons in a long while. I'll provide men and effort, and I have a Blood Gate squad leader under me for you to command, elder brother."
"Since they're a minor clan, I'll have my people cut off their outside customers and make sure they can't earn a single copper."
As Qian Zhen looked at all those below offering their help, he felt thoroughly pleased.
The men he had supported with vast sums of silver back then were finally playing an important role.
He poured himself another cup of wine and raised it evenly in both hands, looking at all those lending him their strength as he spoke.
"Brothers!"
The eight men each poured themselves another cup and looked at Qian Zhen together, light in their eyes and voices ringing out.
"Elder brother!"
Qian Zhen laughed heartily.
"Good! How satisfying! I drink to you!"
The eight spoke in unison again, their voices, some high and some low, merging into one sentence.
"Relieving our elder brother's worries is our duty."
Gulp!
All nine drank, as though drinking sweet rain, as though it were an immortal vintage from heaven.
When it came to important matters, Qian Zhen still possessed composure. After settling back into his original posture, he motioned for the eight to sit.
"My younger brothers, let us finish the banquet first. For this feast, I specially invited a troupe of willow-waisted beauties from Commandery City, said to preserve the legacy of Ancient Chu, to perform the Flying Swallow upon the Palm!"
As he spoke, he signaled to the trusted aide standing behind him, who immediately left to make the arrangements.
A short while later, the banquet hall doors opened.
Before the beauties appeared, a fragrant breeze swept in. Then the dancers entered, their skirts flowing and their figures exquisite.
"Elegant! Truly elegant!"
Everyone became entranced by the beauties' dancing.
With the two precious sticks of incense safely on his person, Zhou Muzhi rested with his eyes closed inside the household carriage.
The carriage was not heading toward the Zhou Residence, however, but in the opposite direction.
This, too, had been part of the original plan.
If there was still time after making the incense, he would collect the short sword and see whether it yielded any Deduction Points.
The stars shone bright and numerous in the sky, surrounding the crescent moon. Clear, pale moonlight spilled over the earth, and all things lay quiet.
As they passed along the main road, the occasional shop still had its lights on. Drunks stood in twos and threes by the roadside, repeating themselves, while in the darker alleys, stray dogs stared at scraps dumped out by restaurants and barked in bursts.
Gradually, the carriage slowed to a halt, until the driver called softly from outside.
"Young master, we've arrived."
With a rustle, a large hand pulled aside the curtain at the front of the carriage.
His expression calm once more, Zhou Muzhi glanced around. There was virtually no light. The carriage had stopped outside an old residence with its entrance open.
Three people stood at the entrance.
When two of them saw Zhou Muzhi, respectful expressions appeared on their faces.
They had been sent specifically to handle this sort of matter, so they knew the Fourth Young Master.
Zhou Muzhi jumped down from the carriage, walked to the entrance, and looked at the remaining person.
He was a man who was not particularly tall or large, and could even be called short. His hair was tied up casually, and his face looked rather weathered. Judging by his appearance, he was a typical member of the lowest classes.
As Zhou Muzhi's gaze swept over the man's clothes, he could see patches in the moonlight.
Zhou Muzhi asked, "Are you the one who has what I want?"
His voice was resonant. Even lowered, it carried the natural authority of a Five Senses expert, so when it reached the man's ears, it frightened him into a shudder.
What little courage he had possessed shrank further still.
Zhou Muzhi withdrew his appraising gaze. He found it very doubtful that someone like this would have a treasure.
Those old objects were all antiques. They were not necessarily valuable, but they certainly had to be ancient enough.
This man...
"Yes, young sir, that would be me. My ancestors left behind a general's sword."
Zhou Muzhi interrupted him. "I don't need to hear your story. Where is it? Let me see whether it's suitable."
At these words, the man in old clothes showed some hesitation, but thinking of the situation at home, he drew a sheathed short sword from his waist.
The short sword looked unremarkable in the moonlight. It was about the length of a forearm and half a palm wide, with a bronze scabbard bearing archaic patterns.
The man offered it with both hands.
Zhou Muzhi extended one arm, closed his hand around it, and took it.
The moment it reached his hand, a change occurred.
A string of numbers appeared once more in the deduction field on the panel.
0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01...
The increments this time were very small, but they continued for quite a while.
There was nothing wrong with the item, and he needed to keep it in his hands for the time being.
He therefore gave the servant beside him a look.
The servant immediately took silver from inside his robe.
"Here are fifteen taels, as agreed earlier. As long as our young master wanted it, the silver would be yours."
Holding the silver, the lower-class man in old clothes finally showed a change in his eyes. He murmured, "I can go take the imperial examinations now. It's enough, enough..."
Zhou Muzhi froze for a moment. He had not expected the man to be a scholar.
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