Dawn was still a long way off. Wuyun escorted Zhou Wuji and the others to the rear courtyard to rest.
But once they reached Zhou Wuji's room, Wuyun sat down instead of leaving.
Zhou Wuji understood at once that Wuyun had something to say. He sat down as well and smiled. "Fellow Daoist, if something's on your mind, please speak freely."
"Fellow Daoist," Wuyun said quietly, "you may not know the origins of these two gangs. Let me tell you about them."
"Oh? Please do." Zhou Wuji really did not know. He had never even heard the name before.
Mainly, he had spent very little time at the Upper Court, including three months in seclusion. He had not even had time to look around Jingyang City.
The Great River Gang sounded like a simple name, with a certain grandeur to it, unlike the Blood Blade Gang, which sounded thoroughly provincial.
"The Great River Gang has a long history-at least two hundred years. Rumor has it that an expert from the Iron Flag Sect founded it."
Wuyun added an explanation. "The founder of the Iron Flag Sect, Wang Tieqi, was a general who helped establish the dynasty and was enfeoffed as the Prince of Anping. His martial arts were passed down within the military, forming the Iron Flag Sect.
"The Great River Gang was originally an organization established by the military to make managing river transport easier.
"But over the centuries, the Great River Gang gradually came under the Zhang Household's control. The Zhang Household of Chunan."
Zhou Wuji nodded. He knew little about the rest, but he was very familiar with the Zhang Household.
The foremost Aristocratic Clan of Chu Province.
The common people of Chu Province might not know who the emperor was, but none were unaware of the