Joining forces

Zhou Buren heard the voice but paid it no heed. First, he quickly looked around, then put on a smile.

"Deputy County Magistrate Cao, my brother and I arrived late. Please forgive us. We prepared a few gifts, so please bear with us."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lao Xu came over carrying a sandalwood box, walked up to Cao Shuang's seat, set it down, then cupped his fist and withdrew.

Zhou Muzhi and his second brother took the opportunity to sit down as well. Their seats were beside the Zhong Family.

The two families sat a little apart rather than all together.

The displeasure Cao Shuang had originally felt dissipated with this gift, replaced by a very favorable impression of Zhou Buren.

Look at that. If only all the traveling merchants were as sensible as the Zhou Family!

Shu Gong, whose departure from the banquet had been interrupted, twitched at the corner of his mouth. Were they actually offering bribes right in front of them?

From the look of things, this Deputy County Magistrate Cao was very happy to accept them.

With that thought, the eight men exchanged looks, knowing they had not prepared enough ways to handle this.

Their eldest brother, Qian Zhen, should originally have attended this banquet, but over the past few days, he had all but disappeared. When they went looking for him, they found only a few messages left behind.

For instance, if anything happened, they could make their own decisions.

Since that was the case, the eight decided to attend the banquet. After all, the ones openly opposing the Zhou Family now were the members of the Hall of Outstanding Heroes, so naturally they ought to come.

Elsewhere.

Among those who had come from the Zhong Family, there were more women than men.

Their leader was an elder of the Zhong Family, though not its head. He had a small tuft of beard on his chin and a strong scholarly air.

Upon seeing Zhou Buren's actions, he immediately remarked, "Merchants will be merchants. Unfit for polite company."

As he said this, the expression of one woman from the Zhong Family-the family's only daughter who had not yet married-shifted slightly. Her nose was smooth as goose fat, her brows like distant mountains, and her figure full and well-proportioned.

The mere act of her frowning drew several gazes, one of which came from one of the eight men of the Hall of Outstanding Heroes.

As the man looked at Zhong Shao, he immediately felt his heart race and took another look.

She wore a silk dress with orchids embroidered on its cuffs, a dangling hairpin in her hair, and bright pearls at her ears. Looking again at her bright eyes, he saw a gentle gaze and the air of a modest household's lovely daughter.

Wang Hu immediately felt that such a beauty ought to belong to him!

When Zhou Buren heard the Zhong Family member's remark, his expression remained unchanged. He merely glanced over to see who had spoken, then waited as though nothing had happened.

Zhou Muzhi sat to one side, looking at the fruit, vegetables, small dishes, and pastries on the table before him. They smelled quite good. Just as he was about to reach for some, a sharp rebuke interrupted him, and he looked toward its source.

He saw the young girl beside Zhong Shao glaring at the Hall of Outstanding Heroes. Pointing with one hand, she snapped furiously, "You lecher! Still staring at my young lady? Look again and I'll smash your head!"

It had happened very suddenly.

Wang Hu immediately felt guilty. He was indeed a member of the Hall of Outstanding Heroes, but the other party was no easy target either. Besides, on an occasion like this, with even the deputy county magistrate present, he would be in trouble if all the pressure fell on him.

I'm lustful, not stupid.

Wang Hu stopped looking up, lowered his head, and picked up his tea to drink.

His behavior only infuriated the girl who had spoken even further. It was not until Zhong Shao spoke that the whole thing stopped.

But the Zhong Family members, including the elder leading them who had called Zhou Buren unfit for polite company, narrowed their eyes and scrutinized the other party before giving an unceremonious snort.

"The Hall of Outstanding Heroes? Ha! What a grand reputation. A nest of snakes and rats, nothing but petty men!"

He truly dared to hurl insults.

At this, the remaining members of the Hall of Outstanding Heroes all looked displeased and stared at the Zhong Family elder, who remained perfectly composed as he raised his tea and took a sip.

Watching the scene before him, Cao Shuang knew that if he did not intervene, things might spiral out of control.

So he stepped in to smooth things over. "Everyone, I invited you here to a banquet, not to quarrel. If you wish to quarrel, go outside first. Once you've had your fill, come back in."

As soon as he said this, the commotion below immediately ceased.

It was still the Zhong Family elder who spoke. Saluting Cao Shuang, he said in a strong, full voice, "Deputy County Magistrate, you summoned us here merely to settle the killings caused by the Zhou and Qian families. Get on with it. I still have the sages' books to read and scholarship to pursue."

Hearing this, Cao Shuang nearly failed to suppress his temper as well. He looked at the middle-aged Zhong Family member and wondered inwardly whether the Zhong Family was doing this deliberately.

Sending someone like this to disrupt things!

But the man was right. The events of the past few nights had done too much harm to all of Suming County, especially that gambling house, which had suffered grievous losses. Every additional night it remained closed meant gleaming silver lost.

"Ahem."

After a light cough, Cao Shuang began, "I summoned you here to ask the Zhong Family to bear witness. Once terms have been reached, no one may go back on them afterward. Should anyone do so..."

He left the rest unsaid, stopping once he had made his point. The meaning laid out in the open was already clear: anyone who failed to comply would face the full weight of the county town.

"Yes, the Zhong Family will bear witness." Once again, it was the Zhong Family elder who spoke.

Zhou Buren was the second to speak. "The Zhou Family has suffered heavy losses during this time. I hope the Hall of Outstanding Heroes will compensate us in ready silver for the value lost."

At this point, one man from the Hall of Outstanding Heroes spoke up. "Our hall suffered the most deaths-a full thirty men. I don't need you to pay silver for their lives. Hand over the killer, and this matter can be put to rest!"

Zhou Buren looked at him and snorted coldly. "On what grounds do you believe the Zhou Family sent the killer? Could it not have been a passing knight-errant who could not stomach what he saw and came to slay evildoers?"

He paused, refusing to yield an inch.

The man who had spoken for the Hall of Outstanding Heroes narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone subtle. "Then there's nothing to discuss?"

Zhou Buren snorted coldly and swept his sleeve. "The Zhou Family has no such killer. But the losses suffered by our market are real, the injuries to outside merchants are real, and our workers' inability to earn their wages is real."

As he spoke, he saluted Cao Shuang in the seat of honor.

"Please uphold justice, Deputy County Magistrate Cao!"

The Zhong Family members watched without speaking. This was not something they had a say in; they could only serve as witnesses.

"Heh, our hall has suffered many losses as well, and we have accounts to settle too. Deputy County Magistrate Cao, uphold justice for us!"

Cao Shuang looked down at them and addressed the Zhou Family.

"Zhou Buren, is there truly no killer on your side?"

"There is not!"

Zhou Buren spoke with ironclad certainty.

Hearing this, Cao Shuang nodded. "Good! In that case, I can deliver judgment. The Hall of Outstanding Heroes will compensate the Zhou Family for all its losses!"

At these words, aside from the man who had spoken first, the other seven all changed expression and were about to speak.

The losses were not all that great, but if word truly spread, the reputation of their Hall of Outstanding Heroes would be smashed. Who would take them seriously afterward?

Before they could speak, Cao Shuang changed tack.

"Since a traveling knight-errant committed the killings and enjoys such acts in defiance of Song Law, we shall invite specialists from the Arresting Bureau to come, find this man, bring him to justice, and have him beheaded immediately!"

At these words, Zhou Buren, who had been composed all along, was inwardly shaken and barely maintained his outward calm.

Anyone knew that what had happened at night was connected to the Zhou Family, yet this Deputy County Magistrate Cao had still ruled this way.

Something's wrong!

He immediately looked toward the other side and saw that the first man to speak had become utterly calm, as though he had known this would be the outcome.

Suddenly, Zhou Buren felt he had been tricked. Just as he was about to speak, the Zhong Family member began speaking too.

"This judgment is reasonably fair. According to Zhou Buren's own words, the killer must be caught, but the Hall of Outstanding Heroes must pay for the losses."

"Of course. We will send the silver afterward." Once again, one of the eight men on the other side answered.

Zhong Shao frowned. Looking at this elder, she suddenly felt that something was wrong with him as well.

She quickly understood the connections involved. No longer looking at the Zhong Family's leader, she made her own judgment inwardly, then spoke in her distinctive voice.

"Deputy County Magistrate Cao, the Zhong Family stands with the Zhou Family this time. I came here on my grandfather's instructions as well. Hasn't your judgment been rather hasty?

"If that wandering knight learns what we've said, I fear none of your heads will be safe."

At these words, the previously pleased Zhong Family elder's face fell, and he barked, "Stand down, Zhong Shao! This is no place for you to speak."

Zhong Shao met his gaze as an equal and retorted directly, "I came here with a say in this to begin with. There is something very wrong with you. I will report this to my father when we return."

At these words, the Zhong Family elder's expression shifted repeatedly. In the end, he lowered his head and said nothing more.

"Tsk."

Zhou Muzhi clicked his tongue, the sound strikingly abrupt in the banquet hall.