The Overlord of Puluo

Xiao Zhenggong asked Shen Jingye bluntly, ”Give me a straight answer. Are you planning to appoint a new Balancer?”

Shen Jingye kept his gentle smile and spoke with the patient concern of a man explaining something to a rather slow child. ”Zhenggong, you are worrying too much. We have had a few difficulties with our work, but every difficulty has a solution. Our superiors have, of course, had a few things to say about certain matters. They weren’t very pleased with your performance during the last investigation in Kinless Township.”

Xiao Zhenggong frowned. ”What did I do wrong in Kinless Township? Border Controller Liu Guocai treated us to some food and drink. Surely you are not going to hold that little bit of nonsense against me now?”

Shen Jingye shook his head. ”Whatever dealings you had with Liu Guocai, I know nothing about them. The point is that the investigation got us nowhere.”

”What results did you want?”

”The whole point of appointing a Balancer was to reach an understanding with the Inner Provinces over our shared interests. Yet you went to Kinless Township and never even made contact with them.”

”You can hardly blame me for that,” Xiao Zhenggong said. ”I have already told you what happened. There was a plague on Sage Peak, and the Greenwater Beggar had spread it. Perhaps you don’t quite understand what sort of man he is. If I had stayed, you would have had a dead Balancer on your hands!”

Shen Jingye sighed. ”Our superiors have other concerns about your work, too. The Inner Provinces recently attacked Ink Fragrance Shop. I don’t suppose you have heard about that?”

”The Inner Provinces take a swipe at Puluo Province whenever the mood strikes them. You know that perfectly well.”

Shen Jingye nodded. ”We understand their quarrel with Puluo very well. We are even prepared to give up some of our interests in Puluo Province so that everyone gets something they want. However, we would rather the Inner Provinces didn’t keep taking matters into their own hands. A word with us beforehand would spare everyone a great deal of unnecessary trouble. We want all our disputes resolved in Puluo Province, with it serving as a buffer, before misunderstandings escalate into direct conflict with the Inner Provinces.”

Xiao Zhenggong seemed to grasp what Shen Jingye was getting at. ”So you think I haven’t been keeping in close enough contact with the Inner Provinces?”

Shen Jingye nodded. ”That is one of our concerns.”

Xiao Zhenggong stood up. ”Fine. I will make another trip to Puluo Province and tell the Sage exactly what you have in mind. While I am there, I will take care of matters in my own gang.”

***

At the Ru Family Bookshop in Greenwater City, Li Banfeng picked out a few old newspapers.

The supplements of these old newspapers carried stories about the Flying General’s Battalion. Each featured Flying General Zhao Xiaowan fighting villains and protecting ordinary people, with a matching news report on the front page.

Most of the stories were written by Three Plum Blossoms. Other newspapers published similar stories, though they weren’t quite as well written.

The stories were exciting and full of detail, but the news reports barely covered what had happened. Take the recent destruction of the Jiangxiang Gang’s hall at Falling Jade Pass. The story described the plans before the battle, the fighting between the two sides, and how things were wrapped up afterward. The news report summed it all up in a single sentence: ”The Jiangxiang Gang’s Falling Jade Hall was wiped out and its premises destroyed, with nearly all its members killed or wounded.”

Nearly all killed or wounded. It’s the same phrasing again. How many were dead? How many were wounded? And where was the hall master? Was he dead or wounded?

The report made none of that clear. And so, Li Banfeng decided that he would have to ask at the newspaper office and have them look into it.

Li Banfeng had picked out his newspapers and was waiting for Shopkeeper Ru to add up the price when he suddenly felt a vibration against his chest.

Shopkeeper Ru seemed to notice that something needed Li Banfeng’s attention and quickly spoke up. ”Trader Li, I will have the newspapers sent to Freewind Wharf in a little while. If you have got something to see to, please go ahead.”

Li Banfeng thanked him, left the bookshop, and found an alley where he could answer the phone.

”Master Qi, Xiao Zhenggong is coming to Puluo Province,” Luo Zhengnan said on the other end. ”I would like to lie low somewhere else for a couple of days.”

Li Banfeng frowned. ”Why are you hiding from him?”

”I am not afraid of him myself, but this time he’s coming as a representative of the Outer Provinces. I am worried about dragging you into it...”

”What’s there to be afraid of? If there’s trouble, come to Freewind Wharf and find me. Let’s see if he dares lay a finger on you.”

After hanging up, Li Banfeng went back to Freewind Wharf, where Nectarine had been waiting for quite some time.

”Shan Zhumei has received word. In three days, the Flying General’s Battalion is going to wipe out the Jiangxiang Gang’s main hall.”

The Jiangxiang Gang’s main hall was in Greenwater City. Its new hall master, Yao Zhiyi, was a level-six Literary Cultivator who had reportedly also reached level five as a Love Cultivator. He had two level-five cultivators and fifteen level-four cultivators at his side, with around a hundred cultivators under his command in total.

How did Li Banfeng know all this? He had been planning to attack the main hall himself for quite some time. But now, the Flying General’s Battalion was about to beat him to it

Nectarine told Li Banfeng, ”That’s good news. There’s no crime the Jiangxiang Gang hasn’t committed. They should have been wiped out long ago. I told Shanmei I would reward her well if they pulled it off.”

Li Banfeng thought for a moment. ”It’s good news, but something doesn’t add up.”

Nectarine looked puzzled. ”What do you mean?”

”Does Shan Zhumei have any duties in the Flying General’s Battalion besides recording their deeds?”

Nectarine shook her head. ”What else could she do? She’s fussy, bad-tempered, and afraid of everything. Her cultivation isn’t very high either. She couldn’t handle much else.”

”Then how does someone of so little use to them know so many of their secrets?” Li Banfeng asked.

Nectarine paused. Now that he had pointed it out, it did seem odd.

The Jiangxiang Gang’s main hall wasn’t particularly powerful by Li Banfeng’s standards, but it had plenty of members, and the gang was known for its cunning and cruelty. Taking them out would require a surprise attack, before they had a chance to prepare.

The Flying General’s Battalion liked to draw attention to itself, but surely it wouldn’t go so far as to let a mere writer know its plans in advance.

While Li Banfeng was still puzzling over this, Qin Tianjiu arrived at Freewind Wharf. He had received an exceptional promotion to Silver Seal and was now quite the respectable figure in the Three Heroes Sect.

He no longer needed to hide his visits either. Li Banfeng had helped Shen Jinzhong become the Great Golden Seal, and Qin Tianjiu owed his own rise to his connection with Li Banfeng.

”Big Bro Qi, our Great Golden Seal received word this morning that the Flying General’s Battalion will attack the Jiangxiang Gang’s main hall in three days. Those bastards have had it coming for a long time. He sent me to ask if you’d like to join the attack.”

Li Banfeng thought about this for a moment. ”Have your Great Golden Seal look into the Flying General’s Battalion’s background. Tell him to let me know whatever he finds and not to rush into this.”

Even the Three Heroes Sect had heard? With word spreading this far, it would be ridiculous if the Jiangxiang Gang weren’t prepared for an attack. Wait a minute. Is this why Xiao Zhenggong is coming back to Puluo?

***

Xiao Zhenggong got off the train and went straight to the Border Control Office. Liao Zihui outranked him, but a Balancer was still a Balancer, and he welcomed Xiao Zhenggong rather courteously.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xiao Zhenggong brought up the Jiangxiang Gang’s recent troubles. Liao Zihui was ready for him.

”We have taken the recent incidents involving the Jiangxiang Gang very seriously. A special working group has been formed, an action plan drawn up, responsibilities assigned, targets set, and all necessary measures put into effect...”

Xiao Zhenggong patiently let him finish spouting nonsense, stayed for lunch, and headed to the main hall that afternoon.

There had been nothing quiet about his return. The Jiangxiang Gang seemed to have made every preparation, so the Flying General’s Battalion should have put off its attack. Even Shan Zhumei was wondering whether there was any point in finishing her novel.

Then Xie Mengjiao brought her another message. The attack would go ahead as planned. She was to get on with the writing and have the story ready when the news came out.

The more Li Banfeng heard, the less sense it made to him. ”Nectarine, stay here at Freewind Wharf for the next few days. Don’t go looking for Shan Zhumei.”

”Brother Bai Sha, do you think this Zhao Xiaowan is real or fake?”

Li Banfeng raised his eyebrows. ”I’d say she’s a fake.”

***

”I think she’s real!” At the Ru Family Bookshop, He Jiaqing picked out a stack of old newspapers and handed them to Shopkeeper Ru to work out the price.

Shopkeeper Ru smiled. ”What makes you think this Zhao Xiaowan is the real one?”

”Because she’s going after the Jiangxiang Gang. The Flying General is a great hero. Of course she would punish villains and put a stop to their crimes. And that gang is full of villains. They are robbers who take what belongs to other people. I hate robbers more than anything!”

Shopkeeper Ru nodded. ”So the Jiangxiang Gang has robbed you before?”

”I have been robbed, yes. I still hate them whenever I think about it. Sooner or later, I will settle that score!”

With that, He Jiaqing took his newspapers and left. As he walked, he smiled and murmured to himself, ”Xiao Zhenggong, it won’t be long now. I’m about to settle that score!”

***

That evening, Li Banfeng received an invitation from Xiao Zhenggong to attend a banquet at the Jiangxiang Gang’s main hall the following day.

Qin Tianjiu came all the way to Freewind Wharf to talk him out of it. ”Big Bro Qi, whatever you do, don’t go. That surnamed Xiao is up to something nasty. Everyone knows what sort of rotten lot the Jiangxiang Gang is. Now they are about to be wiped out, and he’s scurrying about begging for help. He’s sent out dozens of invitations, and nobody in Greenwater City wants anything to do with him. If he doesn’t land you in a trap, he will leave you with a reputation that smells as bad as his.”

Li Banfeng studied the invitation with a small smile. ”But it would be rude not to go. Boss Xiao and I are old acquaintances.”

Qin Tianjiu stared at him. ”You know Xiao Zhenggong?”

”Oh, yes,” Li Banfeng said with a nod. ”We have been through life and death together!”

***

At the Jiangxiang Gang’s headquarters, Xiao Zhenggong was leafing through the roster, making marks beside the names one by one.

Beside him, hall master Yao Zhiyi said quietly, ”There are two brothers I would like to keep. They are loyal to the sect hall, do their work well, and know how to keep their mouths shut.”

Xiao Zhenggong frowned. ”Which two?”

Yao Zhiyi pointed to two names on the roster. Xiao Zhenggong nodded and drew a circle beside each.

After reviewing the roster, Xiao Zhenggong walked through the sect hall, checking it over from front to back.

The Jiangxiang Gang might have been a second-rate gang, but its headquarters certainly looked grand. Five small buildings stood across the grounds, with a lake in the middle and a grove along its shore. Some people even called the place Jiangxiang Garden.

Xiao Zhenggong sighed. ”When my father was still alive, I told him not to go overboard trying to make the place look impressive. The taller the tree, the more wind it catches. Drawing that much attention is no good. Make sure the brothers know all the routes. I don’t want them taking a wrong turn when it matters.”

Yao Zhiyi smiled. ”Don’t worry. It’s the headquarters of their gang. It’s their home. They definitely won’t go the wrong way.”

Xiao Zhenggong followed Yao Zhiyi to the rockery beside the lake. Inside the cave, he turned two stone awls, opening a door, then went down the stairs to the basement.

He looked around the basement. ”When was this place moved here?”

”Last night!”

Xiao Zhenggong smiled. ”To think a place this big could fit beneath the lake. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself.”

Yao Zhiyi nodded. ”I didn’t believe it either. Then I saw it, and it gave me one hell of a fright!”

Xiao Zhenggong warned him, ”Make sure you get the timing right when you come through the door tomorrow. After that, there will be no more Jiangxiang Gang. If you are late, don’t blame me for leaving you to die.”

Yao Zhiyi replied, ”Don’t worry. Nothing will go wrong.”

After they had walked around the basement, Yao Zhiyi pushed open a hidden door in the wall. A powerful presence swept out at them, and he couldn’t help shuddering.

Xiao Zhenggong sent Yao Zhiyi back to the rockery to stand guard. He wanted to speak privately with the person in the hidden room.

Once Yao Zhiyi had gone, the famous detective Daboinsky emerged from the hidden room. He stopped before Xiao Zhenggong and bent into a deep bow. ”Boss Xiao!”

Xiao Zhenggong nodded. ”It’s been hard on you all lately.”

Daboinsky kept his head lowered. ”To serve you, Boss Xiao, is the highest honor I could wish for.”

Xiao Zhenggong didn’t really like the way Daboinsky talked. He called past him into the room. ”You will have to hold out here a little longer until the job is done. Can you manage?”

A woman’s voice answered from inside. ”Chief Commander, you worry too much. When there was nothing else to eat, I survived on stray cats for half a year. Now that I have food and drink, what is there to worry about?”