After the two of them reviewed all the relevant information, those who appeared to be on good terms with Jin Zhiyuan seemed unlikely to be hidden agents. Still, each of them would definitely need to be carefully verified later.
What they needed to do now was figure out how to use these people to set the board. The two carefully sifted through them several times before finally selecting Shopkeeper Hu first.
First, this man had a fairly good relationship with Jin Zhiyuan, which could ensure that Jin Zhiyuan would have a certain degree of trust in whoever went to see him.
Furthermore, Shopkeeper Hu enjoyed socializing, unlike the taciturn Jin Zhiyuan, so the intelligence gathered on Shopkeeper Hu was recorded in much greater detail.
This gave Li Yan even more confidence in how to make use of Shopkeeper Hu.
As for the other place for the ambush, they intended to capture Jin Zhiyuan alive in secret. Li Yan's side could set an ambush in private rooms at teahouses or taverns, but there were too many people coming and going there, making accidents more likely.
Moreover, in places filled with strangers, Jin Zhiyuan's vigilance would only increase, not diminish. All these conditions were extremely unfavorable for an ambush.
After repeatedly reviewing the people with whom the two men frequently associated, they finally fixed their sights on a cultivator surnamed Shi.
First, the cultivator surnamed Shi had private dealings with both men, which would easily lower Jin Zhiyuan's guard.
Second, the cultivator surnamed Shi's residence was not too far from Jin Zhiyuan's shop. This would prevent Jin Zhiyuan from being exposed outside for too long, where unforeseen accidents might occur.
For instance, he might run into other acquaintances, especially people who often attended small trade fairs with him. That would greatly increase