Chapter 120 Upon the Feast

Inside the carriage, Qian Nishang looked at the young Daoist in front of her with a worried expression, her lips parting several times as if to speak, only to stop.

Finally, she couldn't help but sigh, "You really shouldn't have come. This matter has nothing to do with you."

Even in her eyes, although Ji Yuan was exceptionally talented and possessed various trump cards, he was still outmatched when facing a group of second-realm cultivators and martial artists.

After all, the difference between fighting one-on-one and being attacked by a crowd was enormous. Even with many means at his disposal, his cultivation at the intermediate Enlightenment realm was still too weak.

"At least at a crucial moment, you might be able to deal with a second-realm cultivator out of the blue."

Ji Yuan smiled, a warmth rising in his heart.

He could naturally guess what she was thinking. Regardless of Qian Nishang's original intentions, she was concerned for his safety, and that alone was enough. To say nothing of someone he had only known for less than a month; sometimes, even friends of decades could turn on you in times of crisis.

"If you encounter danger, find an opportunity to escape," Qian Nishang admonished, then turned her gaze to the outside of the carriage window.

By then, the carriage had already reached the county yamen. The driver had even prepared the carriage steps and was waiting with his head bowed.

As several people alighted from the carriage, several individuals immediately stepped forward to greet them. Leading the group was Li Wenqing, the Administrator from the prefectural city.

To his left and right were three people. Besides his deputy, there were two guard martial artists from the prefectural governor's mansion, both of whom were second-realm cultivators.

Upon seeing this, Ji Yuan and the other two tensed up. As expected, besides the visible forces, there were many hidden experts among their escorts.

The two second-realm martial artist guards who had appeared were not in the intelligence gathered by Mingxin Pavilion.

"Shopkeeper Qian is quite a busy person!" Li Wenqing said with a smile as he approached. "We've invited you many times, and today you've finally come!"

In fact, he had sent many invitations, almost every two or three days, sending someone to Mingxin Pavilion. However, he had never even managed to see Qian Nishang's face.

Yet, this official from the prefectural governor's mansion had never gotten angry about it. He had even often offered words of appeasement to the representatives of other factions, having helped Qian Nishang out of trouble multiple times.

"Disaster relief matters are urgent, and I really couldn't find the time. After all, the citizens of the city cannot wait," she replied with a faint smile, maintaining an unpretentious demeanor even when facing a prominent figure from the prefectural governor's mansion.

And this Lord Li, who was among the top five in the prefectural governor's mansion, didn't seem to mind. The smile on his face didn't diminish at all, though a subtle glint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

"Fortunately, these citizens won't have to wait any longer." Li Wenqing smiled calmly. His seemingly ordinary words carried two meanings.

The first was that disaster relief was nearing completion, so there was no longer a need to wait for urgently needed supplies. The second was a reminder to Qian Nishang that the choice she made tonight would determine the lives of the city's citizens. If their lives were gone, there would be no need to wait for anything.

Ji Yuan's smile froze. Looking at Li Wenqing again, a murderous intent emerged from the depths of his eyes.

However, he had concealed it extremely well. Even the two second-realm martial artists nearby couldn't detect the slightest hint of it. In fact, most of their attention was focused on Qian Nishang and the old woman.

Perhaps, in their eyes, only those of the same second realm could pose a threat. A mere young Daoist at the intermediate Enlightenment realm was simply there to join the fun.

This was convenient for Ji Yuan. The less attention he received, the more crucial a role he could play at critical moments.

On the other side, after a few exchanges of veiled words with Li Wenqing, Qian Nishang walked into the county yamen, where a group of representatives from various factions in the prefectural city were eagerly awaiting.

From the moment they entered the county yamen, Ji Yuan could vaguely feel pairs of eyes upon them. Although they tried their best to hide, he could still sense a hint of killing intent.

It wasn't just him. Qian Nishang and the old woman should have also felt it, but none of them showed any unusual reaction, as if they had noticed nothing.

They proceeded to the reception hall, where the representatives of the thirteen forces were already seated. Even upon seeing Li Wenqing and his entourage arrive, they did not rise to greet them. Their faces were all as dark as the bottom of a pot.

However, Ji Yuan let out a cold laugh inwardly. These people were rather interesting. Although their intentions were obvious, they still had to cooperate and put on a show.

Under normal circumstances, even if all those present were representatives of their respective factions, would they dare to show such an attitude to Li Wenqing? Although he was only a mortal, he held the position of Administrator in a prefecture and his status in the prefectural governor's mansion was second only to two or three people. He wielded the power to appoint and dismiss officials in a prefecture.

Although cultivation sects, martial arts factions, large families, and merchant associations seemed to have no direct connection with prefectural officials on the surface, they were actually deeply intertwined, with countless hidden ties. Once a local official was dismissed or transferred to a position without real power, it would have a significant impact on these factions, potentially leading to substantial losses in profits.

"Shopkeeper Qian is truly hard to invite!" Before they had even taken their seats, an unharmonious voice rose from the crowd. The speaker was a burly man with a fleshy face. Although he was aging, his presence was not weak, only a step away from the second realm. However, this small gap was sometimes like a chasm, impossible to cross in a lifetime.

"If I recall correctly, you are the newly appointed External Affairs Officer of the Shanhe Gang." Qian Nishang glanced at the man, feigning deep thought, and after a long pause, 'realized' with a start, "You seem to be called Wang Tiexin?"

An External Affairs Officer of a faction in the prefectural city was equivalent to an elder in their own sect. Even if their cultivation was below the second realm, they could still be considered a significant figure. Even Li Wenqing would treat them with courtesy and would not easily offend them unless absolutely necessary.

However, Qian Nishang's demeanor at this moment was as if she had met an insignificant minor character, not an External Affairs Officer of a faction in the prefectural city.

Upon seeing this, anger flared in Wang Tiexin's eyes. If his previous dark expression was an act, then this was genuine. The Shanhe Gang's influence in the prefectural city ranked among the top ten. Since his promotion to External Affairs Officer, even second-realm cultivators had shown him respect. When had he ever been so lightly regarded? Coupled with the inherent pride of martial artists, he was on the verge of slamming the table.

However, being able to hold the position of External Affairs Officer, Wang Tiexin possessed some composure. At least he didn't forget the purpose of tonight's gathering. He let out a cold snort and fell silent.

This scene made Qian Nishang look at him with new eyes. According to the intelligence from Mingxin Pavilion, this person should have been easily provoked, lacking in cunning and unable to endure. However, it now seemed that he had been concealing himself in his daily life, and even his current demeanor might have been a deliberate act.

"Shopkeeper Qian, please be seated first," Li Wenqing said with a smile. "The important matter is at hand."

Hearing this, Ji Yuan and Qian Nishang sat down one after another. As for the old woman, she stood close by Qian Nishang's side.

However, after sitting down, no one spoke for a while, and the atmosphere in the hall became rather heavy. Although no one spoke, gazes were quietly fixed on Qian Nishang, and an invisible pressure converged upon her.

But she remained composed, even having the mood to pour herself a cup of wine. She didn't fear that someone had tampered with it and drank it with leisurely grace.

The wine was indeed good, likely at least twenty years old. The ingredients contained abundant spiritual energy, and a single cup was equivalent to an entire session of qi refinement. Even Qian Nishang felt a sense of pity that if a fight broke out later, this pot of wine, worth at least ten gold taels, would likely be wasted.

"Shopkeeper Qian, disaster relief is now in its middle to latter stages. Your pressure should have lessened considerably, shouldn't it?" Li Wenqing poured himself a cup of wine and said while drinking. However, despite his smiling face, his tone was rather peculiar.

"If no one were causing trouble, the pressure would indeed be much less," Qian Nishang said, drinking her wine without even looking at him.

Ji Yuan, sitting beside her, could feel a fire of anger brewing within her. In fact, this anger had been present since they were at Mingxin Pavilion, and now it was on the verge of erupting. This was also why she had been drinking by herself, to suppress the anger within her.

"Someone dared to interfere with disaster relief?" Hearing this, Li Wenqing immediately put on a serious expression. "That is your fault, Shopkeeper Qian. If you encountered such villains who disregard the law and the citizens of a city, you should have reported it to the authorities immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan almost couldn't contain his laughter. He felt that this person was truly wasted as an official and should have been on stage as an actor. He was the one leading the incident, yet he could still speak with such righteous integrity. He believed that even the best actor in the prefectural city couldn't achieve this level.

"Everyone here is your own person. Why don't you speak plainly? Isn't it tiring to go around in circles?" Qian Nishang glanced at him, her eyes filled with mockery.

Seeing this, Li Wenqing naturally didn't mind. He put away his serious expression and said with a smile, "It would have been better if you had said so earlier. There's nothing in this world that can't be discussed if we sit down and talk properly."

As his words fell, several people at the banquet let out cold laughs. Some were mocking, while others unreservedly revealed their killing intent. Clearly, in the eyes of these people, Qian Nishang's resistance until now and her eventual statement were too late. Their patience had long since worn thin.

"To be honest, there's nothing to talk about with people like you. Just state your intentions directly," Qian Nishang shook her head. At this moment, she no longer looked like a businesswoman, but rather someone filled with impatience and an anger that seemed to want to start a fight immediately.