“What happened that day, we have no way of knowing.”
“However, since that day, the water bandits have never dared to lay siege to Yunyi Island in large numbers again. They only send a chief with a few lackeys every now and then to harass our fleets!”
So that was how it was...
Shen Xiuhan came to a sudden realization, and his heart relaxed slightly.
Two Huajin experts had personally stepped in, and one of them was even the cousin of the Zhendong General.
Over the past two years, the reason the lake had remained peaceful was entirely due to the deterrence of these two formidable figures.
If not for that, a fat piece of meat like Yunyi Island would have been torn to shreds long ago, with not even a bone splinter left.
Thinking of this, a spark of inspiration flashed in his mind, and he figured out one thing.
No wonder at the placement meet, even when the Luo family's steward, Luo Zhan, spoke so arrogantly, Ji Zhong forced himself to swallow his anger without blowing up.
In the end, it was because the County Magistrate had once stood up for the Ji family.
County Magistrate Luo Changming was the head of the Luo family.
Ji Guannan, a prodigy of Changyun County, had been surrounded and killed by bandits. If the County Magistrate did nothing, it would be no different from a slap to his own face.
Luo Changming's fierce intervention, besides maintaining his authority, probably carried a warning as well.
If Chenjian Dock dared to kill a genius of the Ji family today, wouldn't they dare to target a disciple of the Luo family tomorrow?
Inside the room, the aroma of tea curled in the air. The men chatted around the stove, completely unaware that it was already late in the hour of Hai.
The night wind grew sharper, and a thick mist swirled over the water.
Suddenly, a loud, drawn-out shout drifted over the lake:
“Team C, time to take over the shift!”
“Coming!”
Beside the square table, Geng Weizhi and Hu Zhi abruptly stood up, grabbed their weapons, and strode out.
According to the island's rules, the four teams—A, B, C, and D—were split into two shifts to patrol around the island.
Team A and Team C belonged to the same group, responsible for guarding the northern waters, swapping shifts once every ten days.
For these ten days, Team C was on night patrol, and they would only switch to day patrol with Team A in the next ten-day period.
The night was long, and the cold wind bit to the bone.
Team C's patrol was split into three shifts. The four patrol guards paired up in twos, each pair on duty for two shichen.
As the Patrol Envoy, Shen Xiuhan's blood qi was like a furnace, and his perception and endurance far exceeded those of ordinary people, so he took a shift alone.
Lifting the felt curtain, he stepped out of the bamboo house.
A wave of cold air hit him in the face.
Changyun County was already nearing early spring, and seventy to eighty percent of the frozen ground on land had thawed.
But here on Cloudwater Lake, once the night wind blew, it seeped straight into one's bones. It was truly a chilling, eerie cold.
Guided by the light of his lantern, Shen Xiuhan looked over. Standing boldly upon a green bamboo raft near the shore was a tall, sturdy dark figure built like an iron tower.
The man's coarse cloth coat was flung open, letting the damp, cold lake wind whip against his chest. He held a wine gourd in his hand, his posture lazy and casual.
Seeing Geng Weizhi and Hu Zhi approach, he grinned widely, breathing out a heavy stench of alcohol:
“How have you two considered what I mentioned yesterday?”
“Leopard Zheng was transferred to the prefectural city by the main family, leaving Team C without protection. Why don't you follow me instead? I'll cover you from now on!”
“Uh...”
Geng Weizhi looked embarrassed. With a dry laugh, he cupped his hands and said, “We wouldn't dare trouble Patrol Envoy Lu. It's just... the main family already sent a new Patrol Envoy today...”
“Oh?”
Lu Ya's brass-bell eyes widened. He swept his gaze around and almost instantly locked onto Shen Xiuhan, who was standing under the bamboo corridor.
There was only one fresh face here, so the new Patrol Envoy was undoubtedly him.
When he clearly saw Shen Xiuhan's youthful face by the dim yellow light of the lantern, a flash of contempt quickly crossed Lu Ya's eyes. He snorted and casually cupped his hands:
“Oh, so this little brother is the new Patrol Envoy? I am Lu Ya of Team A. May I ask your esteemed name, little brother?”
Shen Xiuhan held the lantern in one hand, his face indifferent and his voice as cold as the night wind over the lake:
“Mei Courtyard, Shen Xiuhan.”
“The Mei Family Martial Arts Hall?!”
Lu Ya's expression stiffened imperceptibly, and the contempt in his eyes instantly vanished. His expression turned solemn, his tone carrying a hint of probing:
“Is it the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall in Changyun County's Inner City, where Brother Xiang Yunting is?”
Hearing his Third Senior Brother's name, Shen Xiuhan's sharp eyebrows arched slightly. His eyes flickered as he replied calmly, “Precisely.”
“Hahaha, what a coincidence! We're practically family!”
Lu Ya suddenly burst into hearty laughter and slapped his thigh, his face instantly lighting up with a warm, welcoming smile.
“Years ago, I drank with Brother Yunting in the county a few times, and we go way back. Since Brother Shen is Yunting's junior brother, then we are family! You must come find me when you're free, and this elder brother of yours will definitely drink with you until we're both dead drunk!”
Blood qi martial artists had sharp senses.
During the day, Deng Shan and the others had gossiped about Lu Ya's reckless behavior and how he had gotten three of his patrol guards killed. Shen Xiuhan had heard every word clearly.
He would never associate closely with such a person!
Shen Xiuhan noncommittally cupped his hands.
“You are too polite, Brother Lu. Next time, for sure.”
Lu Ya didn't seem to notice his perfunctory response. He waved cheerfully, pushed his bamboo raft away, and turned his back to the bamboo house. The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a dark, sinister expression.
“Damn it!”
Lu Ya gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly:
“That little bastard from the Mei Courtyard!”
“He could have come at any other time, but he just had to ruin my plans at this exact moment!”
“This won't do...”
“I've exchanged blows with Xiang Yunting before. That insidious eagle claw technique of his is indeed quite formidable. Just to be safe, I should go send word...”
Lu Ya exhaled. Shaking off his previous laziness, he put strength into his arms to navigate the intricate waterways, turning left and right before quickly slipping into a dense patch of reeds.
Next, he alertly scanned his surroundings, then fished out a pen and paper. Under the starlight, he quickly scribbled a short line of characters:
“New envoy for Team C, from Mei Courtyard, surnamed Shen, suspected Blood Tempering Rank...”
Once written, he crumpled it into a ball, parted the reeds, and weighed the paper ball down under a stone before quickly steering his bamboo raft away.
...
Once Lu Ya's figure vanished into the lake mist, Yan Chuan tucked his hands into his sleeves and approached, looking somewhat hesitant.
“Lord Patrol Envoy...”
Shen Xiuhan turned his head to look at him.
“Speak.”
“Yes...”
Yan Chuan said in a low voice, “A while ago, people under Qu Bushi, the tenth chief of Chenjian Dock, came to stir up trouble. Patrol Envoy Lu led his men to engage them by force... As a result, Team A lost three brothers. Now, including Patrol Envoy Lu himself, Team A only has two people left. They have to patrol for three shichen every day, so he's trying to target us...”
Shen Xiuhan understood.
It turned out that because Lu Ya had no men left to use, his patrol duties were often extended, so he wanted to take this opportunity to drag the members of Team C over to do Team A's bidding.
“Although we haven't known you for long, we only wish to serve under you, Patrol Envoy Shen!”
Yan Chuan and Ruan Linhuan exchanged glances and cupped their fists in unison.
Shen Xiuhan's eyes flickered slightly.
They were simply worried that Lu Ya would use his position to forcefully poach them, so they quickly showed their loyalty in hopes that he would protect them.
And he also needed these men.
Shen Xiuhan did not want to end up like Lu Ya, with no subordinates left to the point where two people had to do the work of five.
“I understand. Just focus on doing your duties in peace. As for Patrol Envoy Lu... you don't need to pay him any mind.”
Shen Xiuhan nodded slightly, putting their minds at ease. He then said in a deep voice:
“Alright, the wind is strong outside. Those who aren't on duty should go inside and rest. Yan Chuan, you and Ruan Linhuan will take the second shift. Once it reaches the fourth quarter of the hour of Mao, I will take over the final shift!”
“Yes, Lord Patrol Envoy!”
Yan Chuan and Ruan Linhuan breathed a sigh of relief. They cupped their fists together and accepted the order in deep voices.
...
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