Chapter 75

Wagang Fort.

"You damn hawk-claw, why do you always come to my fort for no reason?"

Without a doubt, in Wagang Fort, the only one who could call herself "Yu" and be so impolite to Wu Fan was Zhai Lingling, who was illiterate and quite uncultured.

It was close to evening, and Wu Fan hurried to Wagang Fort. Before he even had a chance to drink a sip of water, Zhai Lingling confronted him with a harsh question.

Wu Fan felt utterly helpless, sighed, and said, "I've taken care of the matter with the murdered official for you. You don't have to thank me, but why are you still making things difficult for me? People in the江湖 (jianghu) aren't like you! Your heart is smaller than a needle's eye! Besides, have I ever wronged you?"

"It's the way you look at me that's always strange!" Zhai Lingling snorted and continued, "Keep looking! I really want to gouge out your eyes!"

From a distance...

Zhai Rang ran over, and before he even stood still, he clasped his hands and said with a smile, "Brother Wu has arrived! Why don't you come into the Hall of Heroes..." His voice trailed off as he realized what was happening, and he glared at Zhai Lingling, saying, "Sister! Don't be so reckless, do you understand?"

Zhai Lingling didn't even look at Zhai Rang, tilting her head back to look at the sky. Clearly, she didn't care about Zhai Rang's scolding, treating it like a fart.

Zhai Rang felt embarrassed but had no way to deal with Zhai Lingling, so he warmly invited Wu Fan into the Hall of Heroes.

In the Hall of Heroes.

Before Wu Fan even sat down, Zhai Rang gave him a thumbs up and said, "Brother, that's impressive! It was the Wang family from the southern city!"

Zhai Rang was well-informed. He knew not only that Wu Fan had wiped out the Wang family from the southern city but also that Wu Fan had paid respects at the Zhou Ling family's memorial and pinned Zhou Ling's death on Wang Jiao.

Wu Fan didn't respond, first drinking a gulp of water, then speaking.

Tapping on the table, Wu Fan leaned forward slightly and asked, "Brother Zhai! I heard the Seven Prefectures Green Forest Assembly is about to be held?"

Zhai Rang's expression changed, and without hesitation, he asked, "How did you know?"

Wu Fan blinked but didn't speak.

Zhai Rang patted his forehead and said, "I forgot, you're from the Eagle-Soaring Guard, so you have good information! After weighing the pros and cons, he said, "There is such a thing. The assembly will be held at the Heaven King Fort in the One-Line Sky in three days. It's led by the chief of Heaven King Fort, 'Purple-Faced Heaven King,' and it was agreed upon months ago. The chief of the Seven Prefectures Green Forest, Single Leader, will also be present."

"Clap... clap... clap..."

Wu Fan's hand was a bit restless today, tapping on the table, which was quite annoying.

"Neither too early nor too late, it's being held at this critical moment..." Wu Fan clicked his tongue and sighed, "The higher-ups are very suspicious of you, so I want to confirm whether the people who robbed the Ji Prefecture tax ship are really you! I came this time to ask you to take me through the motions, to pay respects to the mountain and also to get things done! What do you think, Brother Zhai?"

Zhai Rang's face turned grim, and he shook his head without hesitation, saying, "The Seven Prefectures Green Forest, with all the big and small mountain and river heroes gathered, who knows what will happen if they find out your identity! No way! Absolutely not! I can't take you there!"

Wu Fan licked his lips and said, "What I can guarantee is— if the empire can't find the Ji Prefecture tax ship, and you happen to be holding a Green Forest Assembly... it's like walking into a trap! The empire will send troops without hesitation, wiping you out, and then determine whether you really robbed the Ji Prefecture tax ship! Really! Truly!"

Zhai Rang stared into Wu Fan's eyes, his expression clearly disbelieving.

Wu Fan, with a blank face, earnestly lied, "Let me tell you one more thing, among the chiefs of the big and small mountains, there are hidden agents of the empire! Even if I don't go, they will take action! When the time comes, they can either destroy you or frame you, and I can't do anything about it! If I go, my identity can help you, and the empire will trust a loyal and brave imperial guard more than those spies!"

After a long speech, Wu Fan looked at Zhai Rang with a dazed expression, sighing, "Brother! I'm being honest with you, and you still doubt me! Last time you lied to me, I tolerated it! After all, we didn't know each other well, and it's a taboo to speak deeply to a shallow acquaintance, so I didn't blame you. This time, we are brothers, and the things you asked me to do, I did perfectly! The charge of murdering an official is no small matter! Moreover, the one your sister killed was a hundred-man commander of the imperial guard! Putting that aside, let's just say the old saying, 'strangers at first, friends after a second meeting,' we should have some friendship by now, right? Also, my nephew and my foolish brother Hu Che'er are all in your fort! You still doubt me? Ah? Do we still have a future?"

By the end, Wu Fan's intensely disappointed tone made Zhai Rang blush with embarrassment, unable to speak.

Waving his hand, Wu Fan extended one finger on the table and said, "The first time, it's over, I don't blame you!" He extended a second finger, "This is the second time, I don't blame you either, because it's already over!" Wu Fan extended a third finger, "People often say, 'once, twice, but not thrice or four times'! If you keep treating me like this..."

Zhai Rang quickly interrupted, swearing to the heavens, "May I be struck by lightning and die with a thousand arrows in my heart!"

"What are you saying? Talking about life and death?"

Zhai Lingling leaned against the door frame, asking curiously.

Wu Fan turned his head and said, "I have something to ask you. Can you tell me what exactly happened when you killed Zhou Ling? What was he doing? Who was with him? And..."

"Stop! Stop! Don't ask so many questions at once, Yu can't remember!" Zhai Lingling rolled her eyes, though unwilling, she said under Zhai Rang's indication, "He was having fun in a brothel. Who doesn't know his relationship with the top courtesan Duan Xiuxiu of 'Fragrant Fragrance House'? He would rather spend a lot of money on her than go home... Anyway, it was simple, Yu went over and, taking advantage of no one being around, killed him with one slash."

"Nothing else? Who did he go to the brothel with, and was there anyone else with him, you don't know?"

Zhai Lingling shook her head, "No! None! Well... if I have to say something, maybe after Yu cut his neck, he mumbled something about '恩怨情仇' (en yuan qing chou) or '恩将仇报' (en jiang chou bao), four characters... Yu didn't hear clearly."

Wu Fan pouted, leaned on the table, and absentmindedly wrote with his finger in the water on the table... '恩怨情仇' (en yuan qing chou)... '快意恩仇' (kuai yi en chou)... '恩将仇报' (en jiang chou bao)...

When he wrote '恩将仇报' (en jiang chou bao), Wu Fan's hand stopped, and he clicked his tongue, not knowing why.

Wu Fan suddenly looked up at Zhai Rang and asked, "Is there any food?"

Zhai Rang quickly nodded, "Of course! I'll bring it to you right away!"

"No need, just some dry rations!" Wu Fan stood up, "I have to go back, I'll come again in three days!"

With Zhai Rang's surprised expression, Wu Fan took the dry rations, changed horses, and rode back to Yingyang that night.

...

PS1: Request for favorites, recommendations, and likes, everything.

PS2: Thanks to znpmmm for the 588-point small red envelope, thank you.

PS3: The book club is short of people, the administrator is complaining that there's no one to kick! If you have time, come in and chat, someone is still very cute.

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