Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 3 The Missing Butler

Lu Xingzhou leisurely took a roasted sweet potato from the little Taoist boy and ate it slowly. "Originally, considering our fate, I won't pursue the issue of you occupying the land privately. There's nothing wrong with living together... Since you're all so eager to send me away, I'm sorry, but turn left and go down the slope. That's where your place is. Farewell."

Liu Yan'er said angrily: "Even if the land is yours, we built the house. Why should we leave?"

"Oh?" Lu Xingzhou laughed. "Do you think the laws of this dynasty will protect a house built on someone else's land?"

Everyone looked at Sheng Yuanyao, who had a blank expression on her face.

Judging from her expression, it seemed the law was really on Lu Xingzhou's side, and even if they demolished their house, it would be in vain. Liu Qingcang's face turned pale and blue, and after a long while, he managed to say, "I'll buy it from you. Name your price."

"Now you know why I'm staying here?" Lu Xingzhou smiled. "Actually, I suggest that Miss Liu change her name to Ruyan. That will raise her personality, and it will be more normal if she's more trustworthy."

Liu Yan'er didn't understand a word and was a little confused.

Lu Xingzhou finally spoke sensibly: "So this is my home, I won't sell it."

"you!"

"Ahem." Sheng Yuanyao finally said something fair: "Well, even if you demolish the house, there's nothing to say, but you can't just occupy it and claim it as your home... Since this commander has come across this matter, I will mediate. It's best for everyone to negotiate."

Lu Xingzhou glanced at Sheng Yuanyao resentfully, and Sheng Yuanyao turned her head away.

No wonder they say dogs are affectionate.

This glance actually gives people the feeling that everyone has a close relationship with him and it would be a shame not to stand on his side, which makes people's hearts pound... But what is our relationship? I'm here to investigate your case, okay!

I don’t know how it became like this. It’s unfair that I’m good-looking.

Liu Qingcang finally said, "Commander Sheng is fair. Xingzhou, we will buy this land deed at double the market price. You won't suffer any loss. What do you think?"

Lu Xingzhou smiled faintly: "Five times. And I want the equivalent value of spirit stones, not gold or silver."

Liu Qingcang was furious: "Are you going too far?"

Lu Xingzhou said calmly, "I hope Gang Leader Liu understands one thing... It's you who need this place, not me who needs a house. If it weren't for Commander Sheng's respect, I could have demolished this place and built a Taoist temple. What is there to negotiate with you?"

The Liu family father and daughter were so angry that their faces turned purple.

In fact, if the market price was five times, the Danxia Gang could afford it. However, after careful calculation, it seemed that all the money Lu Xingzhou had earned for the Danxia Gang in the past six months would be taken back without a cent less.

Once we return to the time when there was no land boat.

Did he count it as a good thing? Was Sheng Yuanyao's inexplicable appearance here also part of the story?

Liu Qingcang felt a chill in his heart and looked at Bai Chi, who had an ugly expression.

Now it's not like starting from scratch. The Danxia Gang's apprentice alchemists have been brought up to speed by Lu Xingzhou. From collecting herbs to mixing them, refining them, and quality inspection and classification, the entire system has been established. The recipes are all there, and with Bai Chi, whose alchemy skills are even greater than Lu Xingzhou's, earning back the money will be a quick task. It would be better to actually spend some money to buy the land and save a lot of hassle.

Thinking of this, Liu Qingcang said decisively: "Five times is five times. Take the money and get out!"

"No rush." ​​Lu Xingzhou said with a smile, "I still have to discuss compensation with Gang Leader Liu."

There's no such thing as severance pay in this world. Liu Qingcang was so angry that his voice was shaking: "What else is there?"

Lu Xingzhou said leisurely, "Chamber Leader Liu forcibly demolished my Taoist temple without permission and used it to build a gang base... My temple was made of only the finest wood, and there are also some old items that hold sentimental memories within. Their value to me, Lu, is inestimable..."

Liu Qingcang's breath caught in his throat, and he could barely speak. Everyone in the area knew the Taoist temple was dilapidated and worthless, but how could he prove it now? Especially since it was considered an old item, he couldn't define it based on his own opinion!
"Pfft..." Sheng Yuanyao could still hold it in, but the big man under her couldn't help laughing out loud.

It's a good thing to see someone pull the plank out after crossing the bridge.

They also forgot that they were here to investigate Lu Xingzhou's suspicion of murder.

Lu Xingzhou said leisurely, "My request isn't high... Your gang was already called the Danxia Gang before they even moved into this mountain in full force. That's because their original base was just outside the mountain, right? Um... adjacent to the Huo family's old residence. That place isn't big, the spiritual energy is thin, and it's been in disrepair for a long time, so it's not very valuable. How about you give it to me in exchange?"

The Huo family again… Sheng Yuanyao's heart stirred, and she looked at Lu Xingzhou's face suspiciously for a long time. Lu Xingzhou looked normal, and there was nothing special about him. …

Liu Qingcang agreed to the compensation.

The Danxia Gang was originally a small gang, its original headquarters housing only a few hundred people. Furthermore, it had fallen into disrepair, with worm-eaten beams and a threat of collapse. They had already been planning to dispose of it. Since this was a way to get rid of Lu Xingzhou, he didn't have to worry about it, and the exchange was immediately established.

After putting the spirit stone and the new land deed into the ring, the little Taoist boy pushed the wheelchair, and the master and disciple left the Danxia Gang with a smile amid the murderous looks of the Liu father and daughter, leaving only a pile of sweet potato peels on the ground.

Looking back at the expressions of the Liu family father and daughter, they both looked like they were about to burst, with smoke coming out of their heads.

Lu Xingzhou heard Liu Qingcang's voice: "Don't think Sheng Yuanyao can protect you forever! I will soon let you know the consequences of today's incident!"

Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly and said, "Let's wait and see."

The little Taoist boy also turned around and made a face at them with a smile, then pushed his wheelchair away without any concern.

From beginning to end, Lu Xingzhou didn't even look at Bai Chi.

Sheng Yuanyao was incredibly curious about the master and apprentice. She even suspected that Lu Xingzhou's ultimate goal was the so-called dilapidated old house. She longed to follow him and ask him a few questions, but she could only hold back and focus on the investigation.

There's really nothing to investigate in this case. Lu Xingzhou had indeed returned to the mountain at 5:00 PM yesterday, witnessed by countless Danxia Gang disciples along the way. The Liu family father and daughter hadn't given any advance notice, so they couldn't possibly frame him.

Sheng Yuanyao felt a little suffocated, feeling that she came here purely to support Lu Xingzhou, and was completely taken advantage of... If she hadn't been here, what use would Lu Xingzhou have had with the land deed? He would have been buried in the mountains long ago. In this world of cultivation and gang fights, who would talk to you about the law?

But no matter how you look at it, this is just a coincidence. It can't be something he planned... God knows when the Liu family father and daughter will come to drive him away. How could the timing be so perfect?

But he subconsciously felt something was amiss, especially since Lu Xingzhou's request for the gang's old house was adjacent to the Huo family's. He felt something was fishy going on. Sheng Yuanyao didn't even bother to investigate further within the Danxia Gang. He instructed two of his subordinates to continue gathering evidence while he hurried down the mountain to chase Lu Xingzhou.

I chased him all the way to the foot of the mountain but couldn't find him. How could a little Taoist boy pushing a wheelchair be so fast?

Sheng Yuanyao was puzzled and tried to chase in the direction of the Danxia Gang's original base.

When they were approaching the intersection of the Huo family's old house, Sheng Yuanyao's heart suddenly jumped and her eyes widened.

The so-called "missing" old housekeeper Huo staggered to the intersection, his body in tatters and covered with scars, with dried blood all over his body, looking hideous and terrifying.

He yelled madly, "It's him! He's back to take my life!"

Immediately, the subordinates from the Demon Suppression Division who were guarding the area surrounded him and restrained him: "Who did you say is back?"

Butler Huo thought for a moment with a confused look in his eyes, but he seemed to be unable to remember anything. He covered his forehead in pain and struggled hard: "It wasn't me, it wasn't me who killed you back then! Go find the Grand Tutor!"

This is completely crazy.

The subordinates of the Demon Suppression Division raised their heads with a headache, and looked for help at Sheng Yuanyao, who was standing quietly with a frown at the intersection.

Sheng Yuanyao turned and went into the house, took out a pen and paper, and started painting on the spot. She quickly drew a portrait of Lu Xingzhou, which was very lifelike. "The person you said came back, is he?"

Butler Huo looked at it in confusion for a long time, but just muttered to himself: "It's not me, it's not me..."

If the murderer was indeed Lu Xingzhou, this portrait would undoubtedly infuriate Butler Huo even more. However, this performance was completely unreliable. Sheng Yuanyao was in a terrible headache and had no choice but to order his attendants, "Secure him properly and get him treated. Send someone to ask the elderly people around here what major incidents occurred in the Huo family in the past, and who did they offend?"

Previously, I thought it was just an ordinary murder case, which was not a big deal. But now it seems to involve the Huo family's past, which is troublesome.

The Huo family is not an ordinary family. Old Master Huo is the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty, and the current head of the family is a first-class marquis. Can the past affairs of such a noble family be easily explored?
She had originally planned to write to the capital after solving the case, but now that was no longer possible. Sheng Yuanyao wrote a letter and had it delivered to the Huo family in the capital. She looked out the window at the setting sun, and Lu Xingzhou's figure still floated in her mind.

I always feel that the clues of this matter can still be found in him... Even if not, we can still let him cure the madness of old housekeeper Huo, right?
Thank you all for your massive rewards, I have already raised my butt~
It was the first day of the book’s opening yesterday, and the alliance group exploded... Some alliance leaders who were wandering around saw the letter and asked me, Su Mu, or Mushroom to return to the group.

During the new book period, I usually write two chapters a day, with an average of about 3K per chapter.

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(End of this chapter)